Posted By: Keisha Courtney for BET’s You(th) Vote!

Today after a long conversation with some co-workers, I realized that some African-Americans ideas about Barack Obama are skewed. The conversation we had revolved around the reasons why we were all voting for Obama. During this conversation I heard the following words more than once:

“He is for black people and understands our issues so when he is the president he can solve all of our problems.”

Several things are wrong with this statement….

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Posted by Angel Elliott, BET News for YOU(th) Vote!

The 700 Billion Dollar Bailout just got the ahem, boot.  

Yes 207 (141 D, 66 R)
No 226 (94D, 132R)

Looks like its back to the drawing board for Bush and House Congressional leaders. The newly agreed upon 700 Billion Dollar Rescue Plan was rejected when voted on today. It needed 218 votes to pass. Republicans blocked the legislation, only 1/3 of them supported the bill.

 Right after the the bill was rejected, the Dow plunged 530 points.

Hmm…something is not quite right about this. Republican’s rejecting a bill that would help big business? Republican’s looking like the hero and protecting the interest of the little man? Republican’s ACTUALLY finally, being finally going against Bush?

President Bush is “very disappointed” by the rejection, his spokesman Tony Fratto said.

Do you think it’s a good thing that the bill wasn’t passed? Was this the last chance to fix the failing economy? Let me know!

-Angel

Posted by Ashley Slayton for BET You(th) Vote

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO!!!

I was laughing out loud the first time Tina Fey impersonated Governor Sarah Palin, but this time I think tears actually sprang to my eyes. In fact, the only thing that was funnier was Palin’s actual interview with Katie Couric. So what’s the downer in this equation of great comedy and perfect timing? Not everybody got the joke. Of course, if some humorless person didn’t get their panties in a bunch, this wouldn’t be America. My favorite part was when Tina Fey said, “Katie, I’d like to use one of my lifelines.”

Palin’s parents are scheduled to make an appearance defending their daughter Monday on CBS’ “The Early Show.” Well I’m not against going to bat for your child … but isn’t this appearance a concession of sorts? By them publicly saying, “Stop picking on my daughter,” aren’t they acknowledging the concerns voters have about Palin’s qualifications? At this point in the election, highlighting her limited experience is probably not the best move for John McCain’s campaign.

Personally, I think there’s a lot of whining going on. In the cutthroat world of the mainstream media what goes around comes around. I’m sure the McCain campaign celebrated when Obama went through his nasty spell with the media. (Think Jeremiah Wright and New Yorker cover.) Now it’s time to bite the bullet and endure the endless Sarah Palin jokes.

Could the comedic sketch actually affect McCain and Palin’s campaign? How accurate is Tina Fey’s portrayal of the governor? What was your favorite line from the video? You tell me.

-Ashley

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Posted by Angel Elliott, BET News for YOU(th) Vote!

Excuse my skepticism, but I find it awfully suspicious that the White House can ALWAYS find some cash to help out failing corporations/businesses. But they can’t find a way to alleviate the prices at the pump, the rising cost of consumer goods, or didn’t know what to do when Black folks were losing their homes due to us being disproportinately affected by the mortgage crisis.   

So lawmakers and the White House have finally reached a consensus on the 700 Billion Dollar bailout, and the house vote is planned for today. Here are some points of the new plan:

They won’t spend all the the cash at once:

The government will get $250 billion immediately. $100 billion more if the President says it’s needed (we all know he has the best judgement / ) ; and the last $350 billion will needed approval by Congress.

This is NOT a corporate payday.

Companies that choose to participate, will face tough limits. They can’t use the  money to recover bonuses, or just shell out the cash to employees and executives as they see fit.

The bill WILL help out Homeowners.

The government will be required to try and renegotiate the bad mortgages it acquires to try and lower the borrowers [homeowners] monthly payments so they can keep their homes.

The government will insure your stacks.

The Treasury Department must establish an insurance program, to guarentee companies troubled assets. -Meaning if you’ve invested money in a failing company, you won’t lose it, or they won’t.

But hey,

To me, the bill feels like a rushed piece of legislation, hurried by Congressional leaders in an attempt to get the damn thing signed. 

But is it enough? Was it worth all the drama of McCain suspending his campaign? Can it really save the economy? Will it help black folks? Or is it just a rescue for big business?

Let me know what you think,

-Angel

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Posted by TRAVERS for BET’s YOU(th) VOTE 

Posted by Ashley Slayton for BET You(th) Vote 

Why couldn’t McCain look Obama in the eye? In a debate that lasted a little over ninety minutes the senator barely spared him a glance. The Internet is on fire today with people discussing the debate and who argued their points better, but one common question that ties each of them together is McCain’s lack of eye contact with his opponent.

It’s considered common knowledge that people with shifty eyes are considered untrustworthy, deceitful and cowardly. As a matter of a fact, I can’t think of one good saying about people who refuse to make eye contact with others. Not in this country, anyway. So what was the senator trying to accomplish?

Was he trying to unnerve Obama?

Was he ticked off at him about some senate inside business we common people aren’t privy to?

Was he trying to suggest that Obama was beneath him?

We can speculate and never know the answers, but my end verdict is that it was immature, disrespectful and showed some cowardice in McCain that had previously been hidden to us. So You(th) Voters, what do you think?

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Posted by Ashley Slayton for BET You(th) Vote 

Well it took forty minutes, but finally the debate switched from our troubled economy to the scheduled topic of foreign policy. Of course that didn’t happen without a lot of rambling from each candidate as they skillfully avoided answering the questions directed to them by moderator Jim Lehrer. Unfortunately I don’t speak gibberish, so a lot of that monologuing fell on deaf ears. Actually, with the current state of our economy, I’m sure American voters would rather have heard a ninety minute debate about the economy instead of foreign policy. Since that didn’t happen, I broke down a few key points of the conversation on foreign policy for You(th) Voters.

 When Lehrer asked the candidates about their take on the Iraq war Obama responded that it was a mistake. “We took our eye off the ball,” the senator said. He cited several reasons for his statement including:

• “We didn’t know what it would cost us”
• “We didn’t know what our exit strategy was”
• “We hadn’t finished the job in Afghanistan”

McCain disagreed and said that it wasn’t important whether or not it we should have entered the war but how we finished it. The senator said what’s important is “how we leave, when we leave and what we leave behind.” He also accused Senator Obama of refusing to acknowledge that we are winning in Iraq.

Winning what? Wouldn’t whether or not we’re winning depend on what success in Iraq looks like? Does anyone know what that victory would look like anymore? The candidates also discussed Iran, Pakistan and Russia. This was right around the time the conversation turned into a juvenile sparring match, with both candidates interrupting the other. McCain repeatedly referred to Obama as “naive” and Obama pointed out McCain’s obvious support of President Bush’s policies over the last eight years.

When Lehrer asked the candidates about whether or not the nation could experience a possible repeat of 9/11, both candidates replied that the nation is safer today than it was during 9/11 but that we had a long way to go. All in all the debate was informative, but a little dry. I found myself yawning through the last thirty minutes or so. What do you think?

Was the debate informative or a repeat of everything the candidates have been saying over the last few months? Was there really a winner in tonight’s debate? And which candidate is ready to lead? You tell me.

-Ashley

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Posted by TRAVERS for BET’s YOU(th) VOTE!

I’m going to be blogging throughout the debate tonight.  I’ll be discussing my thoughts on the debate minute-by-minute.  Keep checking back to hear what I have to say and to let me know how you feel about the debate!

TRAVERS 

9:03:  Obama and McCain just stepped out!  Aw, shoot!  Let’s get it!!! 

9:06:  Obama just gave a very direct and pointed answer to the question about the financial situation. 

9:08:  Lehrer just told them to “talk to each other.”  Translation:  ”I wanna see y’all go at it!” 

9:10:  Admittedly biased opinion—At this point Obama seems more presidential while McCain seems a little tired, cynical, flustered… 

9:13:  Jim Lehrer STAYS trying to get these guys to fight!  He’s like the kid at the middle school fight yelling “HIT THAT DUDE!!” Lol.  I can’t blame him though.  So far this debate NEEDS some excitement!

9:17: Uh,oh…I saw McCain look a little restless.  COME ON JOHNNY!  Say what you got to say! lol! 

9:19:  ”I don’t know where John’s getting his figures…let’s be clear”  Okay!  Here we go!   

9:24:  ”This is a classic example of walking the walk and talking the talk.”–John McCain 

9:29: “Senator Obama has the most liberal voting record in the United States Senate.”–John McCain 

9:31: “You know Tom…er, um John mentioned.” LMAO!! Did Obama forget McCain’s name?!?!?!? 

9:32:  Attention Presidential Candidates: ANSWER THE D*MN QUESTION!!!! 

9:37:  ”I just need to make this point Jim…er, um, JOHN”  BARACK!!! This is the second time!!  His name is JOHN! LOL!

9:39:  Maverick?!?  How about ERRATIC!!!! 

9:41:  REAL TALK!  Barack was the only one on the stage who had the balls to stand up against going to Iraq!!!!! 

9:44:  McCain looks like he’s about to EXPLODE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

9:45:  ”You said…you were wrong!  You said…you were wrong!!!”—Obama  

9:45 1/2:  ”I’m afraid Senator Obama doesn’t know the difference between a tactic and a strategy “–McCain WTF!!!!!

9:50:  This is getting really good! 

9:53:  ”You don’t do that…you don’t say that out loud!”–John Mccain  ROTFLMAO!!!!!! 

9:57:  I can’t even lie…John McCain is a DAMN good debater!!!!! 

9:59:  McCain is quite a patriot, but a President???? 

10:00 p.m.:  ”I’ve got a bracelet too…”—Obama 

10:02:  ”I know what our needs are”–McCain  Well what the ARE they?!?!? 

10:04:  Random Facebook Friend Status Update: [Blank] is wishing John McCain would stop talking around the issues and answer the question or just shut the hell up!!!! 

 10:05 p.m.:  Random Facebook Friend Status Update:  [Blank] is watching the debate with a bottle of wine and a nervous stomach. don’t forget to do a shot every time obama says ”change”. 

 10:08:  ”Ahkmadinejskdjobjsbsl…Ahdkkdsiodsakds….Ahmadinejad”—John McCain  HI-Freakin-LARIOUS!!!!!!

10:09:  McCain does have a point about the precondition though… 

10:10:  Have you noticed that John McCain is YET to look Obama in the eyes? 

 10:15:  ”Oh Please…” —McCain   OH SH*T!!!!! John McCain got kind of crunk just then!!!!

10:18:  I like how Obama keeps his composure… 

10:24: GREAT point about energy reliance Obama!!!

10:25:  ”John….”—Obama LOL

10:29:  AMEN TO THAT Barack!! Go after Al-Qaeda, not Iraqis!!!!!! 

10:31:  If McCain says “Senator Obama doesn’t understand/doesn’t get it” ONE MORE TIME…. 

10:34: “We’ve seen the stubbornness before in THIS administration”—McCain  Now THAT was HILARIOUS!!!  You ARE “this administration”!!!!!!!!!! 

10:36 p.m.:  Should Barack have said that? 

10:37:  I CAN’T WAIT until that VP debate!!!!!!  Now THAT should be entertaining!

10:38:  So tell me, what did you think of the debate?  Who do you think won?  Tell me your thoughts. 

Posted by TRAVERS for BET’s YOU(th) VOTE!!

Yesterday I was walking home from work and ran up on the above protest in NYC’s Financial District.  While government officials were attempting to find a solution to the U.S. financial crisis, several hundred people took to the streets to demonstrate just how they feel about the $700 billion Wall Street bailout proposal that Ashley mentioned in her post earlier today.

Check out the video to watch these New Yorkers GO OFF, and let me know if you agree or disagree with the proposed $700 billion Wall Street bailout!

BE WARNED:  THE VIDEO ABOVE INCLUDES STRONG LANGUAGE THAT SOME MAY FIND OFFENSIVE.  KEEP THAT IN MIND BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY!

Hit me up to break it down.

 TRAVERS

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Posted by Ashley Slayton for BET You(th) Vote

Whoo hoo! Senator John McCain confirmed minutes ago that he would participate in the presidential debate scheduled for tonight. Well it’s about time! I was starting to think he’d gotten a case of cold feet and would pull a no-show.

The senator’s campaign released a statement saying he was optimistic that there has been progress toward a bipartisan agreement- a complete turn around from the statement he released earlier this week when the senator said he would suspend his campaign and delay the debate “until we have taken action to address this crisis.”

Maybe the senator decided to go on with the debate due to the rumors circulating that he was hurting, rather than helping, the progress of the bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said he believed an agreement had been reached Thursday until the presidential candidate arrived ”and then that completely fell apart.”

McCain will fly back to Washington and continue working on the financial crisis after the debate at the University of Mississippi tonight. While the long awaited confirmation certainly added to the anticipation, he certainly is cutting it close. Politicians are so dramatic.

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