Last night, on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, McCain was asked how many houses he owns. You'd think his staff would have been able to complete the count by now, but apparently not. Instead of answering the question, he talked about spending five years as a POW.

It seems that every sentence out of McCain's mouth is the same -- it contains a noun, a verb, and Vietnam.

Seems the Republicans are losing on the "character" and "values" issues. The pastor and spiritual advisor to the Bush family, the very man who presided at Jenna Bush's wedding recently, has harshly criticized Republican John McCain for his lack of values and poor character and has endorsed Barack Obama.

Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell of the Windsor Village United Methodist Church gave the official benedictions at Bush's inauguration in 2001 and 2005. Although a controversial figure for his first inaugural benediction in 2001 that explicitly excluded non-Christians, and for his inspiration of Bush's "faith based initiatives," there is no question that he is in touch with what Republicans mean when they discuss values and character.

Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell just publicly denounced John McCain's morals and has endorsed Barack Obama.

Got a message from my brother. He saw the run on the IndyMac Bank in Duarte, California.

Let me introduce this with dueling headlines. From the Pasadena Star-News:

IndyMac appears close to collapse: US regulators may not be ready to protect bank

And from the LA Times:

IndyMac denies that it's close to collapse: "Depositors have been pulling money from the Pasadena-based thrift, whose share price is down 90% this year."

Today, my brother saw a crowd at the Duarte IndyMac Bank desperately trying to get their savings out. Many elderly people were claiming that they are being offered dollar for dollar on the first $100,000...after that only fifty cents on the dollar.

So this nice, little old lady was standing outside the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, where John McCain was ... performing, and she was holding a sign that said "McCain=Bush." No big deal. She wasn't approaching anyone, or shouting anything, or getting in anybody's way. She was just standing there, holding a sign.

Except that she was arrested by the Denver Police on the demand of the Waffen SS -- excuse me, the Secret Service.

The YouTube video is here.

For the past couple of months, I've been working on an economic essay, designed to rebut 30 years of right-wing propaganda. The idea is that after all that time most people meekly accept the right-wing line (cutting taxes raises revenue, for instance), and somebody needs to step up and challenge it.

In my essay, I endeavor to debunk the following right-wing economic postulates:

1. Entrepreneurs, and the venture capitalists who back them, create jobs.
2. Lowering tax rates results in more revenue for the government.
3. Reducing restrictions on business activities is good for business.
4. Free trade agreements increase economic activity and raise the standard of living.
5. Government cannot do anything domestically to increase economic activity.
6. A flat tax is fair.

I like to think I've done a pretty good job, but feel free to decide for yourself. It's too long to post here; the essay is available on my website. Just click on #173, "Right-Wing Economics vs. Reality" on the right-hand column, and enjoy. (Note: At the end is a link to an 11-page PDF version.)

Remember in 2004 when John Hall had to tell the Bush campaign team not to use his song "Still the One" (Billboard article available here)? McCain is now on notice as well. Yup, he used the song at a "town hall" on the campaign trail.

According to MSNBC, Hall stated, "This is yet another example of John McCain not learning anything from George Bush's mistakes. First, McCain adopted Bush's failed policy of an open-ended war in Iraq, then he wrapped his arms around the failed Bush economic policies that have put the squeeze on middle class families. Now, he's making the same mistake George Bush made illegally using a copyrighted song without asking either the writers or the performers for permission."

It seems the "third Bush term" line is getting more accurate every day.

Two years ago, John McCain said that he didn't think the president had legal authority to engage in warrantless wiretaps. Now that he's the presumptive Republican nominee, he has apparently changed his mind.

The old McCain
The new McCain

Now I know some of our readers have been Nader supporters. But the evidence is mounting that Nader, once an environmental and consumer hero, has fallen to little more than a Republican dupe. I can't understand why anyone still listens to the guy.

In 2000 Nader made a collossal mistake that cost Gore the election. Part of that mistake was what seemed an inexplicable statement that Gore and Bush were equivalent. I knew this was bullshit just like I knew it was bullshit when Gore, Cheney and Powell claimed Hussein was tied with al-Qaeda. And events since then have proven Nader was as "mistaken" as Bush, Cheney and Powell. The question always was: was Nader mistaken or lying? Either way, Nader only won 3% of the vote in 2000, not enough to do him any good, but enough, in key swing states, to help deliver the election to Bush.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg used his first public appearance since announcing switching from the Republican Party to being an independent, a press conference celebrating the alleged success of his 311 program, to showcase his policy creativity to the media.

Bloomberg’s aware that his leaving the Republican Party would confirm to the media, his current constituents and potential presidential voters, that he’s pursuing an independent Presidential candidacy, despite saying wink, wink, I’m not running, and knew the world be watching his first appearance after making public his official political independence. This is why Bloomberg is using a press conference honoring 311, a program that he is particularly but unjustifiably proud of, as the location of his personal Presidential Debutante Ball.

Bloomberg hoped touting 311 success would perpetuate the myth that he’s a non-partisan problem solver. But the emperor has no clothes. 311 is useless.

The latest ad from VoteVets.org targets John McCain for his terrible idea of escalating Bush's war in Iraq.

Remember, McCain received a D rating from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a zero rating from The Retired Enlisted Association and in 2005 and 2006 he received 25% or lower from the Disabled American Veterans. John McCain wants to send our troops off to the Iraq Quagmire, but he doesn't support them when they come home.