An Open Letter To The McCain Campaign

It's Time To Talk Directly To The American People: We Deserve To Know The Truth

As someone who worked hard for the "Republican Revolution" in 1994, I've become increasingly distressed as the Republican Party lost its way from the very message that put them in control of Congress for more than a decade - to losing their way, Congress and potentially now the White House at a time when America needs experienced, seasoned leadership - not the empty suit "hype" of the Obama campaign.

Today's entry serves as my "Straight Talk" to the McCain campaign on how to get back on track, back in the lead, and win the White House. 

From my perspective there can be no time more serious for this country than right now.  The decline we face not just for our economy but our stature in the world as the leader - a shining beacon on a hill - matters to those of us who have always loved our country.  What happens in this election will set the course for this country for a generation.

Chris Dodd, the senior Senator (D. CT) said it best two weeks ago when he said on television "The American people deserve to know the truth, and what got us to this point."  I couldn't agree more. I also believe that Dodd issued a challenge he believed the McCain campaign and the Republican Party wouldn't pick up.  After all, the "mainstream media" is clearly in the Democrats corner once again so how would a response to that challenge make it out to the American People?  Surely the "mainstream media" wouldn't dare let the truth really come out now would they?

They would if they didn't have a choice.  And I contend that they don't.

Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, your VP running mate, proved during the VP debates that she knew how to work around the media and talk straight to the American people.  She followed Ronald Reagan's example.

In answering Gwen Ifill's opening question, Palin announced that she may or may not answer the questions posed to her that evening.  Instead, she was going to take her message directly to the American people.   And that's exactly what she did.

Now THAT's being a Maverick, and it is exactly why Sarah Palin electrifies the Conservatives in the Republican Party.  No doubt, it's also why she has the same effect on so-called "Independents" and "Moderate" Democrats much to the chagrin of the "mainstream" media.

Clearly, Governor Palin knows how to talk directly to the American People.  Senator McCain, it's time you took a valuable lesson from your VP candidate and follow her, and Ronald Reagan's lead.  Be the Maverick, Senator.

In taking the truth to the American people, here's what I believe you should do during the next debate.

First, stop pandering to the media.  They only liked you while you were opposing the Bush Administration and working with the Democrats.  Now that you're matched up against their boy, Obama they're going to do nothing but run interference for him and put obstacles up for you.  Stop playing by their rules.

Second, when the first question is directed your way, follow Palin's lead.  Look right into the camera and tell the American people that you're not going to play the media's game and that you're going to speak directly to them.  American's overwhelmingly have a distrust of the media which tries telling us how to think at every turn.  Be the Maverick.

Third, the American People deserve to know the truth about how we got into this mess and they're looking for you to tell it in plainspoken language.  If that means pointing the finger at the Democrats then they want you to do it.  American's want to know who's responsible for the policies that created this mess.  We have a right to know!

Here's the dirty little secret of this campaign season, Senator McCain: the average voter is looking for a reason to vote against  Obama.  Those of us who live in Illinois know exactly how inexperienced he is, we know about his bad judgement.  What the rest of the country wants to know is WHY they should vote AGAINST him.  If it's true that Obama represents "change" then we the American people deserve to know what "change" Obama will bring.

The fact is this.  As a "community organizer" Obama had a large hand in creating this mess along with the same entrenched liberal Democrats that control the House & Senate today.  The American People deserve - and need to know - how this situation came about.

 

Obama Says Subprime Mortgages Were Good Idea (Sept. 2007)

 

Here's the straight talk that you need to have with the American People during the debate, Senator:

- First, the Community Re-Investment Act of 1977 passed by a Democrat House & Senate, signed by then President Jimmy Carter laid the foundation for the current financial mess we're in.

 

History of Community Re-Investment Act

 

- Second, Obama as a "Community Organizer" in the 80's and 90's  helped to advance ACORN's agenda in suing Banks to give sub-prime mortgages to low and no income borrowers.  In short, people who couldn't repay the loans given to them.  ACORN in Chicago was funded by none other than Theresa Heinz Kerry, wife of liberal Senator John Kerry who lost the 2004 election.   The same Theresa and John Kerry helped to promote Obama in the Democrat Party ranks by obtaining a prime-time speaking slot for him during the Democrat Convention in 2004.

- Third, as a young lawyer and still "Community Organizer" for ACORN, Obama led the charge in suing small to medium sized banks in the mid 1990's through early 2002 to force them to provide loans to low-income/no income families in the Chicago area.  Obama also led the charge to "blackmail" Fannie Mae to back the loans. 

- Fourth, in 1995, the Community Reinvestment Act was re-written by the Clinton Administration and required banks to find ways to provide mortgages to their poorer communities. It also let community activists such as Barack Obama to intervene at yearly bank reviews, shaking the banks down for large pots of money. As a member of ACORN, Obama led the charge to do just this in the Chicago area.  It is this specific re-write of the Community Reinvestment Act that is responsible for today's crisis. Banks that did not comply with the new Clinton Administration mandates were sued for "non-compliance" and faced retribution by the Clinton led Treasury.  In short, Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac were bound by bad Government Regulation to throw their doors open to bad loans that were written by any bank or mortgage initiator.

Fifth, in 1997/1998 Barack Obama as an attorney for ACORN sued many banks in the Chicago area forcing them to lend money to borrowers with less than good credit.  Ultimately, this caused a spike in housing prices which priced those who the Community Reinvestment Act was supposed to help, right out of the housing market.  This also enabled predatory lending practices along with buyers purchasing homes that they - and the banks - knew they couldn't otherwise afford. 

As a lawyer, Barack Obama was all too happy to sue banks and other lending institutions to force them to loan money to those that could never pay it back to advance liberal housing policies, the 1995 re-write of the Community Re-Investment Act, and the goals of ACORN.

In short, Barack Obama was part of the problem.

Now for the solution.

- In 2003 and again 2004, President Bush saw the problem and proposed sweeping regulatory changes to Fannie/Freddie to avoid the collapse we're now seeing. 

- Democrats, led by Barney Frank opposed any regulation of Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac twelve (12) times because they knew that tightening regulations and lending practices would hurt their "constituency" and cost them votes.   Quote Barney Frank the so-called "architect" of the recent bailout directly when he said in 2003 "These two entities -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- are not facing any kind of financial crisis, the more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing.'

 

Video of Democrats Blocking Reform of Fannie/Freddie

 

- Again in 2005, just before the Democrats took over Congress in early 2006, you yourself Senator McCain, proposed sweeping changes to Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac as the housing bubble grew forcing an increasing burden on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to guarantee bad loans. Once again, Democrats opposed any changes and the number of sub-prime mortgages spiked to an all-time high without the financial assets required in Fannie & Freddie to back them up. 

- These loans did not have appropriate collateral to guarantee their value, so banks and financial institutions split them up and "packaged" them with good loans to sell to unwitting investors.

- The reason this is important is because it's an outcome of the Clinton Administration's 1995 re-write of the Community Investment Act which reduced the amount of data collection and record keeping required by Banks with more than $250 million in assets.  This is exactly why no one knows the amount of "damage" done to our economy or the true value of the "subprime loans" that are out there.  In short Senator, the $700 billion bailout likely isn't enough!

In speaking these simple truth's to the American people it would set the record straight on exactly who's responsible for our current economic problems and why they were not corrected ahead of time.  

At each step it is important to say that the liberal policies espoused by Democrats and Barack Obama are directly responsible for laying the foundation for our country's current economic mess, and also for preventing any regulatory oversight that would've stopped it from happening.

Democrats and Barack Obama are directly linked to this financial disaster.  The American People deserve to know this simple truth.  Many are looking for a reason NOT to vote for Obama, the most in-experienced candidate for President this country has ever seen.

Time in this campaign is running short, Senator McCain.  Are you going to pick up the gauntlet that Chris Dodd threw down and answer it with the facts, or are you going to continue pandering to the media hoping they'll "like" you once again?

The American People deserve an answer. 

That's my straight-talk to the McCain/Palin campaign.