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McCain brings flip-flops to Florida, now opposes federal disaster insurance fund

Submitted by AmyW on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 3:30pm.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
by Amy Weiss

Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and John McCain (R-AZ) are both campaigning in Florida on Friday, trying to appeal to voters in the swing state. Democrats are highlighting McCain's position reversal on a proposed National Catastrophic Insurance Fund, a fund that would help victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters. McCain now opposes the measure, despite its strong support from important McCain backer, Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

The fund would provide national disaster relief insurance, rather than placing the burden on individual states. According to the Boston Globe:

The proposed fund -- sought by Florida officials and others, but stuck in Congress -- is designed to help more property owners get insurance at lower premiums. It would be funded by the federal government and by states who choose to participate, and would spread the risk across the country and limit insurers' liability so they can offer affordable rates.

The DNC provided a timeline of McCain's position in a press release. In March 2007, the Palm Beach Post said, "Crist praised McCain for his support of Florida issues such as a national catastrophic fund for disasters and a continued oil drilling ban off of Florida's coasts."

In April 2007, the Bush Administration said it opposed creation of such a fund.  

In January 2008, McCain made it clear he did not support the fund and would rather use money toward improving the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). McCain said at a town hall, "I do not support a national catastrophic insurance policy... That insurance policy is there and it's called FEMA and it's called national disaster preparedness... I still do not have confidence that FEMA is capable of handling those responsibilities."
 
In response, Rep. Ron Klein (D-FL) criticized McCain's assessment. The Palm Beach Post said Tuesday:

Noting that FEMA's role is primarily to respond to natural disasters and does not involve homeowners insurance, Klein said McCain's position showed a "lack of understanding of the problem of significant proportions."
McCain also said he was "not in favor of spending $200 billion a year simply for the state of Florida," while the Congressional Budget Office estimates the proposal would cost $25 million per year.

Obama supports the creation of the fund and characterized McCain's position in a statement saying, "Once again John McCain has made clear that he is much more interested in standing with George Bush than getting the facts right or doing what's right."


A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

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WHEN WILL AMERICANS WAKE UP?!

Submitted by josephconrad on Sun, 08/03/2008 - 10:11pm.
In 2001, BUSH, THE WEALTHY WHITE BOY 1%-ERS & THE GOP STOLE the FIRST Bush Preisdneital Election. In 2004, just to prove how STUPID & COWARDLY AMERICANS WERE & ARE, BUSH & HIS ZIONIST FASCISTS STOLE THAT ELECTION TOO! As America approaches Election 2008, OBAMA & MCCAIN are rivaling each other on who can be the most PROFOUND & BLATANT 'TURNCOAT'! McCain has LIED ABOUT EVERY POLITICAL ISSUE IN AMERICA! OBAMA has show REPEATEDLY HE IS A COWARD, SELLOUT, TRAITOR & JUST PLAIN DECEITFUL BUMB! WAKE UP!
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Flip Flopper

Submitted by Neva Stoltz on Sun, 08/03/2008 - 7:29pm.
Obama and his supporters should be quiet about the flip flops of McCain. Obama continues to flip flop every day according to the polls. He may say something today that he will completely change tomorrow. Now he is for off shore drilling and now he wants all delegates seated from Michigan and Florida. How pathetic can he get?? The man for change means he is for changing his previous statements depending on how the wind blows. His flip flops are getting worst than the other candidate! Of course his supporters will deny all and stick by their man, while calling anyone that questions, a racist and repug. Buzzflash used to be a good source of news, but has turned into a destroy McCain site, just the way they were out to destroy the Clintons. Disgusting!
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The Obama-McCain Debates

Submitted by Raggae on Sun, 08/03/2008 - 1:52pm.
Senator Barack Obama's campaign is saying that they're willing to a agree to a format of 3 debates coming 2 weeks after both parties conventions are over. The McCain camp will certainly use this statement to suggest that Obama is afraid to expose his lack of substance against a more experienced candidate like theirs. From a logistical standpoint the Obama response makes sense, his 50 state strategy emphasizing so-called swing states will require plenty of time on the road, to schedule a series of 10 debates could be chaotic leaving both campaigns haggling over locations and times creating a distraction from their strategy. John McCain's newest brain trust comes from the Karl Rove school of mud slinging, expect them to become very vocal responding to Obama's decision to request limiting the debate schedule to 3 instead of the 10 John McCain asked for. The McCain camp is betting the house that Obama won't agree to McCain's challenge so that they're able to turn it into a sign of Obama's weakness, the risk for McCain of course is having Obama agree to a series of 10 debates ... remember what happened the last time Obama accepted one of McCain's challenges? The risk for Obama if he accepts McCain's debate proposal is that it could drastically bog down his schedule, can Obama afford to accept this McCain challenge?
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Obama Campaign Had Better Bank This

Submitted by ernieson on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 8:00pm.
This stuff needs to be added to the BIG list of McCain's dirty laundry. McCain is firing the cannons of mockery at Obama. I sure hope the Obama ad guns come out and put McCain's record out there for the electorate to see. Songbird of the POWs (who call him "SKUNK") with 31 propaganda videos produced for N Vietnam, the USS Forrestal tragedy with 186 deaths due to his hot dog wet starting. adulterer and cheater-betrayer on 1st wife, personally responsible for the losses of 5 planes, "Bomb,bomb, bomb Iran",supporting exporting cigarettes to Iran to "Kill more Iranians", gaffe after gaffe, flip flop flop flip, Keating 5 involvement. etc. The barn is full if the Obama campaign is willing to use it in the smear game started by McCain and Steve Schmidt. McCain does not do what he says he will do (run a clean campaign), and is a betrayer of trust. He is too old, too slow, and too untrustworthy to be POTUS.
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