News
I hope everyone watched the presidential debate last Friday. This first debate gave a glimpse into how our next president will lead us into the future. Both candidates showed their strengths, but also some very strong fundamental differences.
John McCain appeared to be confrontational and negative in his approach, often resorting to accusing Barack Obama of not understanding foreign policy and making statements that were untrue. One blatant example is McCain claiming he supports the troops and he has been endorsed by all veteran organizations. In reality, his voting record on veteran issues and military spending has been less than supportive, and the Disabled American Veterans gave him a 20 rating on a scale of 100, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) gave McCain a D rating. Obama got an 80 out of 100 rating and a B rating from the IAVA. During the debate, McCain rarely looked at Obama. as if he wouldn’t acknowledge his presence. This doesn’t seem to be the behavior of someone who wants to reach across party lines and find solutions to our nation’s issues.
Barack Obama was articulate and knowledgeable, often agreeing with his opponent when John McCain made a valid point, but also explaining how his plan would differ from his opponent. Obama’s approach was positive and factual. He demonstrated his willingness to find common ground, to seek bipartisan solutions to our economic problems. Obama demonstrated his commitment to diplomacy first and using our military only when it is needed. He is committed to restoring our standing as a world leader, and shedding the George Bush image of world bully.
John McCain’s main message was reducing government spending. While he claims to want to end earmark spending, such as the bear study in Montana, he ignored the mating habit study of crabs done in Alaska requested by his vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin. McCain also promises to cut taxes for everyone. Under his plan, I would get about 0.7 percent tax cut (approximately $320). Not much for us, the working class. Those making over $2.87 million a year will get a 4.4 percent tax cut (approximately $269,364). He also proposes to reduce taxes on corporate businesses, which already pay the second-lowest rate in the world after loophole deductions. He also plans to tax insurance benefits, which means we will pay more for insurance benefits, or employers will offer less to their employees. The Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan group, estimates McCain’s plan will reduce federal revenues by $3.7 trillion over the next decade. So it appears that his plan is to reduce revenues and cut programs.
McCain stressed his experience by implying that his world travels gives him experience to deal with the world issues. Unfortunately, just being there does not make you an expert on that country, unless you believe that being able to see Russia from Alaska makes you an expert on Russia, as Sarah Palin explains.
Barack Obama’s message was that we will build a strong America by investing in ourselves. Investing in renewable energies and fuel-efficient cars that will create new jobs. Closing the loopholes and tax breaks for companies that take their business out of the United States. Giving tax breaks to the working class who need them the most. Obama’s plan for America will not come for free, but we will be investing in ourselves instead of sending our money to China, the Middle East, etc. Under Obama’s tax plan, everyone making under $250,000 would get a tax cut. Those making over $250,000, and particularly those over $600,000, will be asked to contribute a larger share. A person in my income range would get a tax savings of 2.4 percent (approximately $1,042), which would help a lot in these hard economic times. Obama’s tax breaks will also reduce the federal revenues, but the Tax Policy Center estimates the reduction to be $2.7 trillion, $1 trillion less than McCain’s 3.7 percent revenue reduction.
On November 4, when you cast your vote, what kind of president do you want? McCain’s “shoot from the hip style and ask questions later” decision-making approach, or Obama’s diplomacy-first approach. A president who surrounds himself with lobbyists who write legislation for their own financial gains, or a president who believes in putting the needs of the working class ahead of the wants of the special interests. McCain, who changed his views in order to get the Republican nomination, or someone like Obama who sticks to his principles, but is willing to compromise for the good of the nation. I, for one, believe we need more than campaign rhetoric to solve our nation’s problems. Therefore, this Republican will be voting for Barack Obama for president of our United States.
John McCain appeared to be confrontational and negative in his approach, often resorting to accusing Barack Obama of not understanding foreign policy and making statements that were untrue. One blatant example is McCain claiming he supports the troops and he has been endorsed by all veteran organizations. In reality, his voting record on veteran issues and military spending has been less than supportive, and the Disabled American Veterans gave him a 20 rating on a scale of 100, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) gave McCain a D rating. Obama got an 80 out of 100 rating and a B rating from the IAVA. During the debate, McCain rarely looked at Obama. as if he wouldn’t acknowledge his presence. This doesn’t seem to be the behavior of someone who wants to reach across party lines and find solutions to our nation’s issues.
Barack Obama was articulate and knowledgeable, often agreeing with his opponent when John McCain made a valid point, but also explaining how his plan would differ from his opponent. Obama’s approach was positive and factual. He demonstrated his willingness to find common ground, to seek bipartisan solutions to our economic problems. Obama demonstrated his commitment to diplomacy first and using our military only when it is needed. He is committed to restoring our standing as a world leader, and shedding the George Bush image of world bully.
John McCain’s main message was reducing government spending. While he claims to want to end earmark spending, such as the bear study in Montana, he ignored the mating habit study of crabs done in Alaska requested by his vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin. McCain also promises to cut taxes for everyone. Under his plan, I would get about 0.7 percent tax cut (approximately $320). Not much for us, the working class. Those making over $2.87 million a year will get a 4.4 percent tax cut (approximately $269,364). He also proposes to reduce taxes on corporate businesses, which already pay the second-lowest rate in the world after loophole deductions. He also plans to tax insurance benefits, which means we will pay more for insurance benefits, or employers will offer less to their employees. The Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan group, estimates McCain’s plan will reduce federal revenues by $3.7 trillion over the next decade. So it appears that his plan is to reduce revenues and cut programs.
McCain stressed his experience by implying that his world travels gives him experience to deal with the world issues. Unfortunately, just being there does not make you an expert on that country, unless you believe that being able to see Russia from Alaska makes you an expert on Russia, as Sarah Palin explains.
Barack Obama’s message was that we will build a strong America by investing in ourselves. Investing in renewable energies and fuel-efficient cars that will create new jobs. Closing the loopholes and tax breaks for companies that take their business out of the United States. Giving tax breaks to the working class who need them the most. Obama’s plan for America will not come for free, but we will be investing in ourselves instead of sending our money to China, the Middle East, etc. Under Obama’s tax plan, everyone making under $250,000 would get a tax cut. Those making over $250,000, and particularly those over $600,000, will be asked to contribute a larger share. A person in my income range would get a tax savings of 2.4 percent (approximately $1,042), which would help a lot in these hard economic times. Obama’s tax breaks will also reduce the federal revenues, but the Tax Policy Center estimates the reduction to be $2.7 trillion, $1 trillion less than McCain’s 3.7 percent revenue reduction.
On November 4, when you cast your vote, what kind of president do you want? McCain’s “shoot from the hip style and ask questions later” decision-making approach, or Obama’s diplomacy-first approach. A president who surrounds himself with lobbyists who write legislation for their own financial gains, or a president who believes in putting the needs of the working class ahead of the wants of the special interests. McCain, who changed his views in order to get the Republican nomination, or someone like Obama who sticks to his principles, but is willing to compromise for the good of the nation. I, for one, believe we need more than campaign rhetoric to solve our nation’s problems. Therefore, this Republican will be voting for Barack Obama for president of our United States.
