POSTPONE THE DEBATE! PUT COUNTRY BEFORE POLITICS

Days ago I wondered, why aren't the two men who are sitting, United States Senators, and running to assume the presidency of the United States, actively involved in the proposed, largest in history, government bailout and economic initiative that we are about implement? It would only seem logical that their potential leadership as presidents be applied in this process.

This past Wednesday, John McCain took to thinking the same way. He announced that he would suspend all of his normal campaign activities, including a scheduled debate on foreign affairs, in order to actively participate in shaping the rushed legislation to correct the economic woes that exist within several sectors of the financial market . He called upon Barack Obama to do the same.

Contrary to the opinion of critics and liberals, this was a move that called for a cessation in the political pugilism of a campaign and replace it with action. The economic policy initiative being worked on here is a an expensive proposal that requires due diligence and attention. By suspending the political exploitation of the issue to participate in the process and allow for proper attention to it, John McCain has once again put country first and shown us that he is serving a cause greater than self.

John McCain has been in the lead on this issue since 2005 when he put forward Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005. It was a measure that would have prevented the lack of proper regulation and recording practices that allowed the current crisis to get to this point. Democrats, including the current chairmen of the house and senate committees responsible for such legislation, blocked it.

Liberals Chris Dodd and Barney Franks are the Chairmen of the committees which oversaw the very aspects of the process which led to the crisis we are now in. Suddenly they are working together, holding hearings and trying to hammer out a solution to a problem that has now exploded. Where have they been prior to this? For them to suggest that John McCain is not needed to solve this crisis and that he need not to suspend his campaign to address the issue properly is preposterous. He is a sitting Senator, as is Obama. Since 2005, McCain has tried to avoid the problem we are now facing and led the way to prevent it. For the last two years, his first years in the senate, Barack Obama has campaigned for President. I would suggest that of the two, John McCain is the more rational voice on the issue. His actions to postpone that which would distract from the dire attention needed for this bailout package are not only right, they are prudent.

Detractors claim that this a political ploy. They suggest that a President must be able to handle more than one issue at a time. That is true, however, a President must also be able to demonstrate that he can properly prioritize issues and actions. A president needs the instincts and judgment that allows fellow Americans to understand the urgency of a situation. When 9/11 struck, we accepted it's obvious importance as the most immediate concern to our nation and we accepted the postponement of other priorities in order to focus on the main concern. The failing of certain sectors of the financial market does not compare to the tragedy and horror of 9/11 but it does represent the necessity for the same type of urgency for action and attention.

I am concerned with the rush of pork barrel spending, legislators to craft a 700 billion dollar legislative initiative. I understand the need for the relatively quick development of the initiative but quick is not what the government is good at. They botch up things that they work on for years, yet we are suppose to be confident in something that they throw together in days.

That being said, since there is the need for congress to quickly come up with a package that corrects certain wrongs before they start infecting other areas of our economy, I want them to spend the few days in question working on it, focused on it and not distracted from it. I want McCain's input and leadership on this issue. I want attention to detail that opposes any last minute, unaffiliated, pork barrel measures added on to this bill. I do not want to see the crisis used as a political game with bumper sticker slogans being used to solve the problem.

If this budget bailout package is not worked out in time for Friday's, than so be it. The work to create a truly proper and effective bailout package will still need to be done and I would not mind the two candidates applying themselves to it. One of the two will inherit an administration that will have to deal with the results of this legislation and I prefer them to work on it. I do not want them to be debating foreign affairs while our nation deals with the most drastic measures in the history of economic affairs.

You can call McCain's suspension of regular campaign activity a ploy but I call it a judgment call that demonstrates his sincere sense of responsibility and desire to put country first. Barack Osama's "call me if you need me" attitude democrats the judgment of his "above my pay grade attitude. Both men are elected representatives in the United states Senate and both men have responsibilities to that position. Barack Obama is taking that responsibility lightly and putting his campaign for president first.

Rules Of Washington

If it's worth fighting for, it's worth fighting dirty for.

Don't lie, cheat or steal...unnecessarily.

There is always one more son of a b----h than you counted on.

An honest answer can get you into a lot of trouble.

The facts, although interesting, are irrelevant.

Chicken little only has to be right once.

"NO" is only an interim response.

You can't kill a bad idea.

If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you ever tried.

The truth is a variable.

A porcupine with his quills down in just another fat rodent.

You can agree with any concept or notional future option, in principle, but fight implementation every step of the way.

A promise is not a guarantee.

If you can't counter the argument, leave the meeting.