I don’t know if this is going to be a continued strategy of the Obama campaign, but if it is then this is a great strategy. Take a McCain ad and debunk it. This one is about McCain’s latest attack ad, the one portraying Obama as a celebrity, the one that doesn’t include Paris and Britney.
So, hopefully you bothered to actually watch the whole video and would like to learn more about Obama’s tax plan. Make sure you check out the sites and PDF files below to know more about the candidate’s tax and economic plans, because no one likes a low information voter 
First here is the fact check website: http://factcheck.barackobama.com/
Tax plan http://obama.3cdn.net/b7be3b7cd08e587dca_v852mv8ja.pdf
Here are some links to his voting record on taxes,
Barack Obama has always been for tax reform. Even when he was in the Illinois state senate and know in the U.S. senate he has always supported tax reform. He has helped to give tax credit for those with children, expanding the EIC, and research and development see here. Obama has always been oppose not to free trade but the free trade agreements as they are now. He wants to renegotiate NAFTA and CAFTA because in the industrial states they don’t help the middle class gain jobs. He also plans to give tax cuts for college students, people with middle class incomes, and he doesn’t want seniors to pay taxes if they make less then a certain amount of money. He also wants to reform the tax system to make it simpler see here. He also has a number of other issues that you can see by clicking below.
More on Obama’s Senate Voting record on taxes http://obama.senate.gov/issues/tax_reform/
Heres his plans
economic website that simplifies everything http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/#tax-relief
Long PDF file highlighting his economic agenda for the middle class http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/Obama_Keeping_Americas_Promise.pdf
Short simplified version of his economic agenda http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/EconomicPolicyFullPlan.pdf
His plan for small businesses http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/SmallBusinessFINAL.pdf
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57 Comments
Wow – what an effective video! I’m going to post this if you don’t mind. Everyone needs to see this! I hope they continue this strategy.
Thank you for posting this.
I hope everyone does see this video and I hope the obama campaign continues to do this. And, of course I don’t mind.
Nice to see a nice meat n potatoes style breakdown of the propaganda. Thanks for posting it, but I wonder how many others see this sort of thing?
Only those who want to or those who really care about learning about the issues will bother to watch the video after watching the first 10 seconds of the video. Most people look for controversy so if there’s no controversy some people won’t bother to watch the whole video. But, I don’t try to underestimate people generally because, most of my posts that do talk about the issues get a lot of views.
This is a great video. It is well presented in a calm,competent way.The rebuttals are succinct. An effective strategy. I hope the label of “liar, liar” will stick to the gooey McCain machine, and that their brazen fear tactics will effectively backfire on their backsides!
Brian D. is to be commended for this excellent video. And, I commend you for posting it..I enjoy your sharing.
The citizens should be checking and questioning each McCain ad…all have been put together with the Rove team attitued…mess of lies & hidden agendas. This Tax video is just one of McCain’s out-and out rotten lies.
The public really needs to give their heads a good shake…and remember that McCain backed Bush’s lies on the Iraq invasion. And,although McCain says he is for all Vetrans and their rights…he has continued to Vote against those rights…while Obama continues to fight and Vote yes on those most important Bills to help the Vetrans of the USA.
Again my sincere thanks for your sharing of much needed information.
Remember most people are sheep in this country–republican and democrats alike. Most people are just too damn lazy to pay attention to the issues; they would rather be pandered to.
Thanks for sharing, let’s hope people pay attention to this.
Maybe you want to clean up a little before you make a video. And who is Kilroy in the background? All politicians are liars. Does that make you a politician, too?
This video is informative but ultimately, it doesn’t do a whole lot when you try to debunk a McCain ad by sending someone to barakobama.com. It would have a lot more teeth if this came from an independent non-partisan examination of Obama’s plan. The only real solution is for Obama to go directly after McCain with attack ads of the same ilk. This is a battle and no one is going to vote for Obama because he’s taking the high road. This election is too important to risk having McCain win.
A tax rebate for people with children sound fain enough to me.
I would vote for a guy like him.
Just wanted to chime in to tell Ami that there’s a large chance he or she is an idiot.
You think Obama’s tax cuts are so great? What about his taxes imposed on what I’m guessing he thinks count as “rich” people. His plans would increase taxes on households making $250,000+. This includes middle class, and also a majority of small businesses! Last time I checked, small businesses are what makes up a main part of the American economy. Now tell me how that can possibly help the economy.
If McCain’s ad’s are incorrect, then that would be liable and slander, and McCain should be held accountable. Considering that McCain has just as many fact checkers out there as Obama, and that the only response the Obama camp can produce is a You Tube video that isn’t even officially endorsed by the Obama campaign, I’m going to believe the Ad, and debunk this video as proof that the Obama camp doesn’t want Obama’s voting record known.
McCain may not be the best man for the office, but at least he won’t destroy our economy like Obama will.
I really don’t think McCain would be a right choice. Its not coz of his slandering ads but for the reason that he voted yes to the war. You put 2 biggest Oilmen in the Whitehouse and didn’t expect the oil to go higher. I thought we spent almost a Trillion dollars just to pay more at the pumps? Ridiculous! Do you think McCain would do anything about that? I doubt it! So where does it leave us? Hilary or Obama. Reckon its a process of elimination as opposed to a process of a fair choice!
Brandon-Im sure under 8years of Bush, you think the economy is good. They called Clinton a tax and spend liberal and what did that get us, a surplus and Americans were doing pretty well. Under candidates who say they are fiscal conservatives, we have had deficits and Americans weren’t doing all that well.
come on, Jeff! Didn’t you pay attention to the video? His tax plan would NOT raise taxes on 99% of small businesses would not see a tax increase! Watch the video again.
Reasoned debate is all well and good, but please realize that this kind of thing is a game for the intelligent. If you are reading this site, took the time to actually watch that video, and understood it, you are probably above average in intelligence (IQ 90-110 being average). Stuff like this is not even a blip on the radar to the average voter. The Obama people need to learn the hard lessons of ‘04 and come up with some below the belt Rovian stuff. It ain’t hard with someone like McCain. It may be distasteful, but consider it a sacrifice well worth making.
I kind of agree, though it is very hard to find a way to make things understandable to those who are average voters. I also agree that the Obama campaign, as much as I like this whole “new politics” theme, they need to get a little dirty.
McCain cheats on his wife and then marries Cindy. Cindy’s beer franchise and connection to the mob. McCain is the real elitist. McCain Kneating Five scandal. McCain’s temper. All these things and more can turn out to be distasteful but, nonetheless, I bet they will work with the average voter.
I enjoy the calm, collected style of the video. Two caveats:
1. I would have liked links to specific proposals and some sort of independent verification of claims made though. A cross-linked wiki style database perhaps.
2. You mention 99% of Small Businesses are <$250k, and 95% of families don’t get McCain’s $1000 cut. However, you fail to mention the % of seniors who make less than $50k. This has the effect of seeming like you’re omitting important information. If you use a metric to make a point, stick with it. Without context, statements of random facts are politics as usual.
If you go to http://factcheck.barackobama.com/ then you will find links to legislation proof of Obama’s voting record. And seniors will get a tax cut under Obama’s plan.
And heres and independent site if you want a less, biased opinion http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/411741_updated_candidates.pdf The highlights are when they mention that McCain’s plan would help more already wealthy people while Obama’s would help middle income households
You people. Brainwashed on liberal agendas. Try to take a second and use your brains. All this video is portraying is the same useless nonsense of those ie(michael moore) etc. I would like for everyone to take a test you can find online and see who your candidate is before you claim to be a liberal.
Why is this ad not on TV? Non tech savvy people need to see this too.
Jeff, don’t bs us man. A “majority” of small businesses do not make $250,000 in profit. Profit is what is taxed, not gross revenues. Somebody else tried to pull that crap on another discussion board too. They got their ass handed to them.
Can we get citations of proceedings and such for some of these points? I can believe it, but in the spirit of intelligent and balanced discourse, can we at least find out what resolutions both the Obama and McCain camp are talking about here? I consider it just as bad for Obama to debunk McCain’s attacks by using the same vague, ambiguous lack of citation as his opponent feels is necessary to use.
In the spirit of intelligent and balanced discourse, I didn’t post links to Obama’s plans and voting record on taxes for nothing.
Theres plenty of links that provide his plans on taxes and voting record, I have also posted a new link that simplifies his tax plan (second link under factcheck link)
LOL, Like anyone really cares what McBush has to say! LOL
JT
Ultimate Anonymity
Ringtones – again, if it were really slander, there would be legal hearings regarding it, and the ads would not be airing. Think about it. It would be perfect leverage for the Obama camp to have the ads removed, yet they haven’t. Isn’t that obvious that there is some truth to the ads. Obviously there is smoke in mirrors, that’s the normal political machine working their. But there IS truth to the statments, just as this video has truth. To be biased one way or the other and say that Obama is taking the High road is just to buy into the the Political Propaganda and vote the way the media tells you to. Take some time and become educated, then vote.
As for the war being about oil, are you really that dense, the war was never about oil, so why are you bringing that into your argument? It just invalidates everything else you said.
Sensico – a typical rebuttal typically addresses the previous statement as a counter point. I take it that since you did no such thing, rather you tried to discredit me, that you agree with what I said.
But to your point, yes I do believe the economy is ‘good’. That said there are things that could make it better, but we are by no means as bad as the media makes it sound. I see capitalism working, smart people are being innovative and making money, and people that are unwise with their money ending up in a bad place. Am i supposed to feel sorry for the lady on CNN that is crying about not being able to afford her mortgage on her million dollar home while she climbs into her brand new MB SUV? Absolutely not. To be honest I’m upset that the government is actually bailing these people who have no money skills out. There are a lot of people in foreclosure and in a bad financial shape, but it’s because of their own greed and inability to live within their own resources.
I don’t think our government should be the large caretaker of the people, it should have to provide our health care, be a means to retire on, or bail us out of financial debt. I don’t believe that is the type of government envisioned by our fore fathers.
I don’t see McCain providing the type of government set forth by our constitution, but I do see Obama driving us further away from that vision.
I think the fact that you agree with Bush and his handling of the economy is enough for me.
I also don’t agree with bail outs, I find it to be quite annoying to those of us who are fiscally responsible with our money.
I do think that a president should have policies that address the housing crisis, without bailing these people out. McCain=No Plan, Obama=A Plan. I would rather vote for someone who at least has a comprehensive plan that doesn’t bail people out, while addressing the mortage crisis.
Sensico – Actually, both candidates have a plan for the housing crisis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyru-k9OSlE – AP coverage of both of their plans). what we see is McCain’s plan helping those who are financially responsible, Obama wants to help more people, read: those who are not financially responsible, at the cost of those who are financially responsible. Both candidates plans are only short term, as that’s all they can do by policy, until we educate the public we will always have this problem.
No, I didn’t say that I agree with Bush’s handling of the economy, I simply said that we are not as bad off as all the naysayers say we are.
I watched this “debunking” from the Obama campaign and it is filled with lies. By allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire in 2010, the Democrats will raise taxes substantially on every income group. By failing to act on the expiration of death tax elimination by 2010, that too will rise substantially, back to 2002 levels.
In addition, Obama has proposed raising tax rates on dividends and cap gains to 25% or higher from current 15% levels and has proposed raising payroll taxes and income taxes on “households” not individuals, with $250K or more income per year.
Obviously, Obama is trying to cloud the issue at this point. The McCain ads are 100% correct. So much for Obama trying to “educate” the electorate. More like trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
# Jeff Says:
August 10, 2008 at 6:12 pm
You think Obama’s tax cuts are so great? What about his taxes imposed on what I’m guessing he thinks count as “rich” people. His plans would increase taxes on households making $250,000+. This includes middle class, and also a majority of small businesses! Last time I checked, small businesses are what makes up a main part of the American economy. Now tell me how that can possibly help the economy.
you do realize that if you make $250,000 you are in the wealthiest 15% of americans, that is by no means middle class and i suppose you could have an argument on whether or not its rich, but it would only be semantics. you should learn some class facts before you go spouting off about people who make 250k being “middle class” hillarious
you’re a moron. welcome to the real world
Dave, says “The McCain ads are 100% correct.”
Laughable
Why is the paper with the simple facts written on it wrinkled? I don’t get it.
Those McCain ads have always been smarmy, however now with the Rove crowd at the wheel, their every word utterance is an untruth (both against Obama and perversely pro McCain).
Brandon, I must respectfully disagree.
“Wall Street got drunk… It got drunk and now it’s got a hangover.”
-George W. Bush
To say our economy isn’t in the hole is pure delusion.
Furthermore, the single biggest drain on our economy’s budget isn’t welfare, it isn’t Social Security, and it won’t be a national health care plan. All those put together will be a paltry fraction of what we have spent, and will continue to spend, in Iraq. Those billions of dollars were shot out of rifles and missiles. And those billions of dollars are what we’re using to bury our soldiers. And if we’re not fighting this war for oil, then what? Simply to sandwich Iran between Afghanistan and Iraq in a “diplomatic” menage-a-trois? You show no evidence to refute your claims that this war was not founded upon oil profits, and I suspect that it’s merely a red herring to distract people from paying more attention to the rest of your trolling.
It is absolutely sickening to think that all of that money could have gone to help out people genuinely in need- including students seeking a college or university education simply to put them on an even footing with the economic juggernauts of China and India.
When you’re putting the money into a social infrastructure and support system, you’re really investing in your nation’s future. And by withholding that financial support, sociological research, and the recognition of the needs of your people, you are collectively sacrificing the good of the many, for the profit of the few. And this once-great nation of ours, has always rested on the shoulders of its people.
So by all means, I recognize that you are entitled to the sweat of your brow, but be proud to be an American as well.
i don’t want to be pedantic, but
Barack Obama has always been for tax reform. Even when he was in the Illinois state senate and know in the U.S. senate he has always supported tax reform.
in the sentence “even when he…” it should be “now” instead of know. i usually don’t care about spelling but seeing an error like that on a page purporting to tell the truth about something turns some – myself included – off
ya…it does debunk the McCain attack ad, but it wasn’t that ‘EPIC’.
Love the preview of McCain: “Damn kids GET OFF MY LAWN” though.
We need “TRUTH” in our government and Obama will deliver it for all our new generation. I have faith in Obama.
Tom – If you look at our economy as a whole you will actually see that our economy is right in line with growth curves pre-Dot-Com era. Meaning that were we never to experience the whole tech explosion ad held with steady growth, our economy would be the exact same as it is today. Further, the whole delusion that we’re sinking further and further into recession is just media hype. A true recession is a shrinking of the economy by 2 quarters. At last check, our economy had only contracted about 1/5.
All that said, yes our economy is not great, but it’s been worse.
As to the war for oil, the burden of proof is not on me to prove that it was not about oil, but for you to prove that it was. Never, by our administration, were we told this war was about oil. So you can take the liberal hearsay out of your argument, and provide me with some proof. I don’t know what will come from the war, but I will say that I feel safer being an American because of what our troops are doing over in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If you think the costs of social health care, social security, and welfare are so minuscule, then why weren’t the resolved with Clinton? Not investing in a war is not a solution. A tax policy reform is needed. The way we do business as a government has to change.
I am proud to be an American, I just don’t believe that we should become a socialist government.
Competing against China and India is going to take more than just getting all our citizen’s a college degree. That’s probably one of the problems. There’s a mentality amount Americans that makes us think that we are better than hard labor and that it’s a job for lesser people. How else do you explain the explosion (read:tax burden) of illegal immigration.
I respect your opinion, but at the same time, I’m by no means a rich person, yet I’ve had no problem paying my mortgage, getting health care when sick, and setting up for my future retirement. All of this without the government’s help. And I’m sorry if it offends you that I don’t want to spend my tax dollars doing the same for the people out there who spend more than they make. Learn some financial skills an you will be fine.
Sensico, fantastic post! What we need is more hard hitting fact based responses to McCain and you do us a great service by alerting us to videos like this.
Brandon, you say “If McCain’s ad’s are incorrect, then that would be liable and slander, and McCain should be held accountable.” You’ve gotta be kidding? You obviously are not well versed in slander/liable law. It takes quite a lot to prove slander or liable. Surely you don’t think it is illegal to lie in a campaign ad? It’s done all the time.
Thanks Rutherford,
Yeah and campaigns lie all the time, if we went by Brandon’s assertions then nearly every politician would be in court making their case right now.
Its up to the campaigns to debunk these lies and I think the Obama campaign is doing it well.
Shouldn’t take long to check Obamas voting record. He was only a senator for about 4 months before running for president and missed tons of votes.
Sure, it makes the 90% of americans who aren’t “rich” by Barack’s standards (BTW, he is) feel good about getting “even” with the evil rich. After all, most people are jealous about success because they aren’t risk takers themselves and it’s easier to blame other people for their financial lot, take a swig of beer, and go back to the game rather than work your ass off for 100 hours/week like I did to become “rich.”
This pandering socialism, might just work because people want to hear this just like they did in 1976 when they voted Carter in. But in 4 years, if Obama wins, it will be game over for another 20+ years for dems when it will be refreshed into peoples minds how penalizing the very people who create the jobs in this country will significantly excaserbate the problems
Funny how McCain is rich and McCain’s tax cuts go to the rich, while Obama isn’t as rich as McCain, Obama is rich and would rather give tax cuts to the middle class, rather then himself.
You don’t have to work 100 Hrs/Week to be rich, thats just over doing it.
And Obama’s tax cuts aren’t going to make the rich, poor, they will still be rich. Before Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy, they were rich, and after his tax cuts are rolled back they will still be rich. Stop being over dramatic, the world isn’t going to end just because the wealthy top 5% of Americans aren’t going to have a president that only works for them, rather then helping out the middle class.
Rutherford and Sensico – Are you seriously going to take that route? Did I not say previously that there is smoke and mirrors in every campaign ad? Obama’s doing it just as McCain is doing it. The point is that just as much ‘lies’ are in this ‘debunk’ video as their are in McCain’s ad’s. The converse of that is that there are truths to both of these ad campaigns as well. Hopefully you can look past the media darling that is Obama and realize that all politicians are crooked. Every single one.
If you seriously believe that Obama is going to fix our economy, provide socialized healthcare and fix our housing crisis all the while lowering taxes for the country, you really shouldn’t be allowed to vote. Pulling money from the rich just because they have more money is not the answer. Life isn’t fair and everyone isn’t dealt the same hand.
You really want to start providing more money to the government then look to a Federal sales tax rather than income tax. You’ll start tapping into the money made illegally and under the table. Think about it, every drug dealer goes and buys an Escalade with 22s.
But to the point, yes Rutherford, I do understand the liable/slander laws. It’s pretty simplistic. When someone publishes content that defames you and causes harm that is incorrect, then they are guilty of the two depending on the type of harm as well as the media used.
Now take for instance this case: You say, McCain’s ad is incorrect and wrong. Well he’s doing harm against Obama’s race for candidacy. All monetary concern’s aside, if the claims were false, Obama would have legal leverage to have the ads removed immediately. Now that hasn’t happened. Why? Because there is truth to the ads. Granted the truth been expounded upon, and words are used to allow the voters mind to assume things, but the basis of the ad is indeed true.
If we take the alternate option for this case instead, and the ads are completely false and the Obama campaign has done nothing of it then (note this video isn’t even officially endorsed by the Obama campaign), either they are too young of a party to understand a simple law of the country they wish to run, or they are too lazy to do anything about it. Either way, Obama isn’t fit to run the country.
The end game here is that you can’t say that McCain is lying in these ad’s. You qualify them and clarify Obama’s position and I have no problems. Maybe I am trolling on your site, I’m just tired of seeing Pro-Obama propaganda go unchecked constantly promoted to the top sites again and again. Everyone’s got an opinion and this is mine.
McCain ‘08 – At least he won’t destroy our economy.
sure whatever you say brandon
If you all liked Jimmy Carter, then you will love Obama.
Friggin Liberals!
Hey, Jeff, a household is not a small business. to say that the two are interchangeable is disingenuous and also innacurate. to draw that conclusion, you must provide something more than your opinion.
and brandon, the truth is that McCains add was all about Obama. This page is all about McCain’s commercial. so when one politician says one thing and another says the opposite, they are both lying? this isn’t about fixing stuff, this is about running this country in an honorable manner. life is not fair, that is sure, but your argument that Obama and mccain are the same is not.
thats why I created a tee shirt that says:
John McCain
Is Not
My Drug
Of Choice
good one
Robert – Wow, not even close. Not sure what you were reading, but I wasn’t even close to comparing the two as equals. My argument was that while this video is a counter argument to McCain’s ad, this video is not the end all ‘Gospel of Truth’. It provides another spin on the ads McCain is putting out there. My point is that people need to be aware of the issues and look past the media hype. That in everything the media publishes, there is political slant, and hidden agendas.
The important factor really boils down to the issues, and how these men will run our country. For instance, Obama and the EFCA bill. Obama co-sponsored the bill and has pledged to sign the bill into law if elected president. The initial reaction to this particular bill from Democrats is that Republicans are just scared of the word ‘union’. Which for all intense purposes we should be. If you take the time to look at how unions effect our work culture and drag that they provide on our economy, you would be scared to. Unions had their place in our history and they should rightly stay there.
One final question though, you say that ‘this isn’t about fixing stuff, this is about running this country in an honorable manner’. Last I checked, everyone on this site seems to think that America is screwed up, so yes Robert it is about fixing things…
This is absolutely exceptional. Thank you. I cross-posted it to my SodaHead blog, properly attributed of course.
Lovely post. Please add my email address to your list and email me the updates if possible. I always like to read your blog and comment on it.
This is for ‘Brandon’. You are obviously the dumbed-down American McCain is hoping for. Learn to SPELL (liable v. libel!), read more, watch the video again, and refrain from voting with an uneducated brain!
Your blog is really great..
Check mine..
http://www.healthmad.com/Alternative/Eight-Health-Benefits-of-Stinging-Nettle.222373
Wait til BHO imposes a healthcare plan and then watch your taxes go up.
Are we ready for that Sarah just to go away and take that God awful screeching voice with her?
Nothing Sarah and McCain say now will resonate with anybody, we are all so tired of seeing and hearing them both.
I know I cannot wait until tomorrow gets here and we can finally put and end to ALL our miseries by sending those two packing.
If you haven’t voted yet, get out and do so as soon as possible…we want Sen Obama as our next President.
OBAMA/BIDEN 08
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