Kerry: 2008 Archives

John Kerry apparently is about to become chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In a show of romantic, misty-eyed nostalgia, the Boston Globe reminisced on its front page today about how John Kerry testified before that very committee during the Vietnam War, in 1971, wearing his uniform, resplendent in his medals, calling for an end to the American battle against Communism in Southeast Asia.

The Globe neglected to mention how Kerry shockingly slandered the men fighting and dying for America. Or how he was a key factor in undermining support for America's effort to preserve democracy for the South Vietnamese, which resulted in the slaughter of millions and an ignominous retreat by the United States.

During the same period Obama's long time collaborator in Chicago William (Bill) Ayers was also acting to undermine the American war effort. He was bombing the Capitol and the Pentagon and plotting to kill hundreds of American soldiers and their dates with a nail bomb at a dance at Fort Dix. He is rightly condemned for what he did and for his refusal to express any regret. He is an unrepentant terrorist, someone who deserves to be shunned.

Has Kerry every apologized for his slanders? Is he unrepentant as well? When the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth during the 2004 presidential campaign called Kerry to be rejected as unfit to be commander-in-chief, Kerry didn't admit he was wrong, didn't apologize for his slanders. Kerry and the mainstream media led by the New York Times just screamed about "lies." There were no lies.

As Kerry takes over the chairmanship of this important committee it would be appropriate for Kerry at last to confess his sins against his former comrades and to apologize for the slanderous accusations he leveled at the servicemen defendng our country.

How bad was Kerry's demonization of American troops before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee? See for yourself.

The Massachusetts race for the U.S.Senate seat is history once again and money won again. Look at the difference in what Kerry and Beatty spent and had to spend. Kerry got over $7 million from "other," which means his wife or his presidential campaign leftovers.

Jeff Beatty raised almost as much in individual contributions as Kerry did in two years as Kerry did over six, but add $1 million in PAC money (lots from unions) and cash from the Kerry-Heinz bank and it's no contest.

2008 Race: Massachusetts Senate
Total Raised and Spent
Select a cycle: 20082002

John Kerry (D) * Raised: $10,928,832
Spent: $15,523,233
Cash on Hand: $5,304,863
Last Report: October 15, 2008

PAC contributions $1,019,977 (9%)
Individual contributions $2,183,323 (20%)
Candidate self-financing $0 (0%)
Other $7,725,532 (71%)

Jeff Beatty (R) Raised: $1,825,037
Spent: $1,686,979
Cash on Hand: $139,012
Last Report: October 15, 2008

PAC contributions $3,910 (0%)
Individual contributions $1,783,653 (98%)
Candidate self-financing $971 (0%)
Other $36,503 (2%)

Monday night Jeff at last has a chance to debate Kerry. Kerry has agreed to only two debates, one on NECN (opposite the Patriots game) and once on radio.

Watch our great candidate take on the man he is going to defeat on November 4th.

It's one hour beginning at 8 p.m.

Today's op-ed in the Wall Street Journal is another look into how the financial crisis the world is now experiencing could have been averted or at least have been much more limited in scope and far less damaging.

Key paragraphs:

The strategy of [Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac] presenting themselves to Congress as the champions of affordable housing appears to have worked. Fannie and Freddie retained the support of many in Congress, particularly Democrats, and they were allowed to continue unrestrained. Rep. Barney Frank (D., Mass), for example, now the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, openly described the "arrangement" with the GSEs at a committee hearing on GSE reform in 2003: "Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have played a very useful role in helping to make housing more affordable . . . a mission that this Congress has given them in return for some of the arrangements which are of some benefit to them to focus on affordable housing." The hint to Fannie and Freddie was obvious: Concentrate on affordable housing and, despite your problems, your congressional support is secure.

In 2005, the Senate Banking Committee, then under Republican control, adopted a strong reform bill, introduced by Republican Sens. Elizabeth Dole, John Sununu and Chuck Hagel, and supported by then chairman Richard Shelby. The bill prohibited the GSEs from holding portfolios, and gave their regulator prudential authority (such as setting capital requirements) roughly equivalent to a bank regulator. In light of the current financial crisis, this bill was probably the most important piece of financial regulation before Congress in 2005 and 2006. All the Republicans on the Committee supported the bill, and all the Democrats voted against it. Mr. McCain endorsed the legislation in a speech on the Senate floor. Mr. Obama, like all other Democrats, remained silent. [Unable to muster enough Democratic votes for a filibuster-proof majority, the Republicans failed in their effort to get the bill out of the Senate.]

If the Democrats had let the 2005 legislation come to a vote, the huge growth in the subprime and Alt-A loan portfolios of Fannie and Freddie could not have occurred, and the scale of the financial meltdown would have been substantially less. The same politicians who today decry the lack of intervention to stop excess risk taking in 2005-2006 were the ones who blocked the only legislative effort that could have stopped it.

Barney Frank from Massachusetts, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, was of critical importance in urging Fannie and Freddie into deeper and deeper risk filled waters. The two senators from Massachusetts Kerry and Kennedy were among those Democrats (including Barack Obama, number 2 on the Fannie/Freddie campaign contributions list) who failed to help the reform legislation pass the Senate and move to the House for possible favorable action and enactment.

OPINION SEPTEMBER 23, 2008

Blame Fannie Mae and Congress For the Credit Mess

By CHARLES W. CALOMIRIS and PETER J. WALLISON

Many monumental errors and misjudgments contributed to the acute financial turmoil in which we now find ourselves. Nevertheless, the vast accumulation of toxic mortgage debt that poisoned the global financial system was driven by the aggressive buying of subprime and Alt-A mortgages, and mortgage-backed securities, by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The poor choices of these two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) -- and their sponsors in Washington -- are largely to blame for our current mess.

Jeff Beatty's new ad hits a nerve.

Does Kerry's undistinguished record in the Senate deserve yet another six years?

How about electing someone with experience as a small businessman -- and who is a loyal American who served in Special Forces, the CIA and the FBI -- who knows what it's like to be a citizen of Massachusetts struggling to ward off strangling regulation and higher taxes at the state and federal levels?

John Kerry has toed the Democratic line to keep America from drilling for its own oil to keep gas prices low and to prevent the U.S. from being beholden to Saudi Arabia. Their allegiance to environmental extremists has blinded them from doing what's best for America.

Jeff can win this race. Kerry fatigue is running deep.

To volunteer or make a donation, go to the right hand column of this website and click on the link to Jeff's site.

The American public in 2004 rejected Kerry after hearing all the facts. The people of Massachusetts can win this election.

Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts Jeff Beatty appeared on Boston's Fox25 TV station Friday, September 19, 2008 to make his case as to why he can and will defeat John Kerry on November 4th.

While the interviewer suggested it would take a near "miracle" for Beatty to win, that is far from the truth. Massachusetts suffers from severe Kerry fatigue after 24 years of undistinguished service. That more than 30% of those voting in the Democratic primary voted against Kerry on September 16th amply demonstrates that.

That the Democratic Congress has the lowest polling figures in history (9% approval) and Massachusetts voters may well be realizing the disadvantage of having only one-party representation in Congress are additional reasons why Beatty's chances of winning are very good.

Beatty doesn't have access to Kerry's many millions, but he's a clear, dynamic thinker and knows what concerns the average voter. He's got a record in the armed forces, the CIA and the FBI and as a small businessman that Kerry could only wish for.

Here's a five-minute clip of the interview in which Beatty makes a convincing case for his victory in November.

Jeff Beatty was recently interviewed on New England Cable News about why he can and will defeat John Kerry in November and become the new U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.

Not only is Massachusetts experiencing Kerry fatigue (24 undistinguished years!), the state suffers from a lack of any Republican representation in Washington. It's time for a vigorous, new voice to replace a tired, old one.

The selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to run with John McCain has generated enormous enthusiam and expressions of support. In the first hours after the announcement more than $7 million of new contributions rolled in.

Jeff Beatty of Massachusetts, who more and more looks as if he will defeat John Kerry for the U.S. Senate on November 4th, has issued a strong message of approval for the selection of Governor Palin. Such a strong ticket as McCain/Palin can only help Beatty achieve his goal and our goal of seeing two-party representation of Massachusetts in Washington.

Enthusiasm to be effective has to be translated into action. Go to the upper right of this site and click through to both the McCain and Beatty sites and contribute whatever you can to help their campaigns. You'll feel good if you do and America will be the better for your participation.

Jeff's campaign is in full swing. He has been building support not only in the tradtional venues, but online as well. Last week he met with a number of bloggers to present his case. He was consistent: A majority in Massachusetts are ready for a change in the U.S. Senate. Beatty predicts he will win over Kerry in November and that John McCain will carry Massachusetts.

With the public demanding action on high gas prices, Beatty noted that Kerry had skipped town:

“John Kerry left Washington for a Nantucket vacation rather than vote on a comprehensive energy bill. Instead of ducking the hard votes people want real leadership in Washington – leadership I will bring to the senate on behalf of voters who are feeling the crunch on energy and the economy.”

You've all seen the pictures of Kerry on vacation.