The nasty news no one's talking about regarding this insane gas tax holiday supported by McCain and Clinton, is that more than 300,000 transportation workers will lose their jobs due to lack of funds.

300,000 mostly white men will lose their jobs. Got that? Paying attention now?

The association also estimates that suspending the tax would divert about $8.5 billion from the Highway Trust Fund, which pays for road and bridge repairs and already faces a shortfall of $3.2 billion. Taking that tax money from the trust fund could endanger hundreds of thousands of jobs — every $1 billion in highway money supports 33,000 jobs, by one estimate — and would push more maintenance and construction costs onto the states.

Read more.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican John McCain is making promises that would cost billions of taxpayer dollars, yet he is vague about how he would pay for them.

McCain is handing around a campaign grab bag of goodies. There are little treats like a summer gas-tax holiday and new mortgages for struggling homeowners, and there are big plums like tax breaks for corporations and families with children.

Unlike the Democrats, McCain has made a career of trying to cut spending. He rails against spending in nearly every speech.

A friend of mine, so miffed by a phone message left by a Gableman supporter (Coalition for America's Families,) got me this recording of the "loophole Louie" rhetoric coming from supporters of Gableman. JSonline doesn't_like the ads from this group. Some_outlets won't run the ads. Of course using telephone messages gets their point across without anyone watching.

The Annenberg Political Fact Check website has a page that finds fault on both sides. This independent source ends with a fairly disgusted opinion of Wisconsin Judicial politics. Listening to the telephone message against Butler, I have to agree.

I know some here, and elsewhere, would poo-poo the idea that the person who holds the title of "Most Powerful Person in the World" should have some relevant experience before getting that job.  Some of those people would even write emotional articles directed at me to shout down my arguments- I'm flattered guys.  They use rhetoric, irrelevant historical blurbs, logical leaps and emotion to promote something that feels good to them.  I think that approach to politics is extremely dangerous.  Frankly, it's not unlike what the neo-cons have done from the other side.  As progressives, we need to have a better approach. 

Back on topic, when we elect a President, we as a people, need to understand what the President's job really is.  First and foremost, it is to keep the nation safe, both from external threats, and internal.  Anybody who seeks that post, in my humble opinion, should have some credentials.  Simply having a vision that feels good isn't enough.  Vision, as wonderful as that is, won't keep me safe.  Would we hire a police chief in our city who has only been a street cop a few years?  Neither should we hire a President that has little or no experience in issues of national security. 

You may have noticed the new polling widget (look over there on your left on the front page) that lets you vote for your favorite presidential candidate. We're doing this with Newsvine , and it gives you a chance to participate on-line in a monthly national poll. You can see the results from Uppity Wisconsin, from the nation as a whole, and if you click on the button that takes you to the NewsVine site, you can look at results a lot of other ways.

Go vote for your favorite candidate. We'd like to know what you think. We'll even let you vote for Republicans. But remember, you can only vote once per month.