NPR: Economy Stinks Up An Otherwise Pleasant Rally

Economy Stinks Up An Otherwise Pleasant Rally

Unemployment has hit a 4-1/2 year high. That announcement helped to ensure that the economy would play a big role on the campaign trail today. John McCain said tax cuts and free trade are the answer to the rising unemployment. NPR's Scott Horsley said the numbers were the dark spot of an otherwise upbeat rally in Cedarburg, WI. McCain told the crowd he knew what they were facing;

"All you ever asked of Government was to stand on your side. Not in your way. That's what I intend to do. Stand on your side and fight for your future."

For his part McCain has vowed to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, and lower income taxes on corporations. The Tax Policy Center in Washington says Barack Obama's tax plan would provide more relief for all but the wealthiest 20% of Americans.

-- Michael Olson

4:23 PM ET | 09- 5-2008 | permalink

comments | | e-mail

Comments

View all comments »

Add a Comment

Please note that all comments must adhere to the NPR.org discussion rules and terms of use. See also the Community FAQ.

I would guess mccain would do nothing to check the power of banks and corporations.

Which means he doesn't really believe in the free market.

Banks, corporations, and even stock markets, are not healthy parts of a free market.

Sent by Jody Sol | 6:23 PM ET | 09-05-2008

this graph tells the truth.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html

lol. whats sad is that a big chunk of the 60% of Americans who would benefit the greatest in Obamas plan will probably ignorantly vote for McCain.

Too bad the wealthy all controlling %1.1 of America has so much influence...

Sent by Sean Kinshella | 7:25 PM ET | 09-05-2008

Obama might be granting a lot of tax breaks but what do you think will happen to the price of items as the corporations that have to produce and manufacture them are taxed more? How will they be able to enlarge their workforce by being taxed more? So there will be more unemployment and prices will go up. Thats why you don't tax the upper class that actually creates the jobs. Who is John Galt?

Sent by Scott Lindquist | 11:12 AM ET | 09-06-2008

Wait, how is it a "pleasant rally" when hundreds of people are being arrested outside, and the police are deploying tear gas?

Hello? This is America, stuff like this isn't supposed to happen.

Something has gone wrong. And if you think it's the republican half of the country you might just need to...

Wake Up

Sent by Jody Sol | 2:36 PM ET | 09-06-2008

Scott, your idea is called trickle-down economics, and its been proven not to work by a Republican controlled government for the last 14 years!

Sent by LS | 6:30 PM ET | 09-06-2008

LS writes we have had a Republican controlled government for the last 14 years. From 1994 through the end of 2000, a Democrat was in the White house. From 5/01-1/03, the Democrats controlled the US Senate (and have had enough votes to sustain a filibuster throughout), and they have controlled both houses of Congress since the beginning of 2007. We have had divided government, not Republican control, for ten of the last 14 years.

I hope that somehow a divided government can continue. Both major parties are controlled by narrow minded ideologues who cannot be trusted to have complete power.

Sent by Kevin L. | 12:47 PM ET | 09-08-2008

The graph tells it all. A market is the sum of the rules by which we conduct economic affairs. Every party has an interest and making rules lean in his favor. Without pepole with their interests, desires, and needs, there is no market.

If a corporation backs a plan which benefits anyone besides itself, it has already found maximum benefit to itself in the plan.

If the folks in Cedarburg are mostly in the upper quintiles, they need to back McCain. If not, Obama's plan is in their best interest.

If they sacrifice their interest to others, they're fools.

Scott, John Galt was a fictional ubermensch. The world can and will always survive without John Galt. His interest is not mine, he has nothing essential to sell.

You are not John Galt, your interests fall somewhere within the mundane quintiles of the graph. I suggest you vote the interests your quintile.

Sent by HL | 12:49 PM ET | 09-08-2008

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
Please send me updates from NPR.	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

E-mail |
Print

Evie Stone

Blogger

Michael Olson

Blogger

Thomas Pierce

Blogger

Sean Bowditch

Blogger

About Vox Politics

NPR's producers, reporters and editors follow the latest developments on the campaign trail. For more information, please visit our discussion guidelines.