Biden: Smart Guy, Wrong on PNTR

As a U.S. political columnist, here is a scorecard as for how today's top politicians are doing with me.

John McCain: Once shot down by Communist forces, McCain understands that Communist abuses are abominable and atrocious. But even so, he voted IN FAVOR of China's PNTR -- Permanent Normal Tyranny Reward. America got taken, and Communists laughed all the way to the bank. At the China Support Network, PNTR has been called "the Communist Enrichment Act of 2000," and "welfare for tyrants."

Barack Obama: Was not yet a Senator, and so did not vote on PNTR when it was presented in 2000. In April 2008, Obama told CBS' Early Show, "I am a strong believer in free trade, but I think that we have not been very savvy negotiators when it comes to China. I think they've played us. They definitely are stealing our intellectual property, and that has direct consequences in terms of the bottom lines for businesses here in the United States."

Obama's web site says that he would "amend" (not abolish) NAFTA. During the primaries, when Obama went negative against NAFTA, his staff told the Canadian government, "Don't worry, he's only posturing." About the Olympics in China, Obama told CBS, "I am of two minds about this." (Meaning, he hemmed and hawed his way to being on both sides of the Olympic boycott question.)

Joe Biden: An otherwise smart guy, who got it dead wrong and voted IN FAVOR of PNTR -- enriching communists, dictators, tyrants, and thugs at the expense of the American worker. Why aren't people like that in the dock for crimes against the American worker?

Obama and Biden are both being too cowardly to call for an impeachment of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. (And you won't hear it from John McCain, either.) There is already enough evidence to impeach Bush and Cheney, even if 9/11 WASN'T an inside job. A fresh investigation of 9/11 is another thing that the above candidates are too cowardly to call for.

Cynthia McKinney: She was in the Congress in 2000, and she got it RIGHT, voting AGAINST the PNTR freebies for China deal. She introduced a bill to impeach Bush and Cheney. And, she has called for a new investigation of 9/11. She is 3 - 0 about three issues, above, where the mentioned politicians are 0 - 3.

Ralph Nader: Was a presidential candidate in 2000, and he got it RIGHT, being AGAINST the PNTR rape of America. He demands the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. And, he supports a new independent inquiry into 9/11. So, Ralph Nader is 3 - 0 about three issues, above, where the aspiring frontrunnners are 0 - 3.

For me, Barack Obama and Joe Biden seem very much to be posturing fakers, selling a fakey sort of change that will get America nowhere. I can assert that in my eyes, if Obama cared about America he would call for the impeachment of George Bush and Dick Cheney. McCain seems to be more authentic and genuine -- but that is to say, authentically and genuinely mistaken.

There is a term for McCain, Obama, and Biden: trade deficit agnostic (and agnostic about Bush/Cheney abuses and 9/11 questions). They are candidates for kabuki theater, pandering to the gullible.

There is a term for McKinney and Nader: trade deficit aware (and aware about Bush/Cheney abuses and 9/11 questions). They are candidates for the real world, campaigning to grown ups.

My only question is how to choose between McKinney and Nader? --Clearly, I will have to do some digging. As a fiscal conservative, I will be unhappy when I read about new programs and spending that they want to institute (unless they are pet projects of mine, too: energy independence and universal health care). Perhaps I will look at their spending plans and vote for the one who is less ruinous to the federal treasury, debt, and unfunded liabilities as we already have.