It comes down to this for me. There are several big problems we need to address immediately: ending the war intelligently, implementing an effective energy policy for the 21st Century, making heath care affordable and available to more people, and putting the Federal budget, including Social Security and Medicare, into proper balance.
There are several more issues that are important but, to me, less urgent; among them are education reform, immigration reform, and improving America’s international imagine. All the other issues of the campaign are just distractions that are generally not solvable by the President anyway.
It is also important to remember that we are not electing a King. If we were, I’d be more likely to vote for Senator Obama. His ideas, are good, his leadership skills are polished, and he’s young and energetic. The King would command and everyone would have to obey.
But we aren’t electing a King. We’re electing a President who will have limited powers to implement his own ideas, all of which will have to be negotiated to completion with a Parliament of Whores (to borrow a phrase) comprised of 535 people who are only interested in what’s in it for them.
The only thing guaranteed in our system is that the best ideas will not win. What will win – if anything -- will be negotiated compromises. Nothing major has even been attempted in years. Bill Clinton’s attempt at health care reform was the last, and it was for many people a noble idea. But it was too radical for many others, and it was badly mismanaged on the political front.
So what we need is a highly pragmatic person who will look at ideas and know when to say, “it ain’t perfect, but it is a meaningful step in the right direction and we can get it passed.” And the person saying that must have the political skills and experience to be able to achieve the goal of getting to that point. It must be someone with great credibility in Congress, who has the trust of members of the opposite party that can only come from direct knowledge.
Great ideas are wonderful, but only if they are implemented. There is only one person running who has a record of non-partisan legislative success, Senator John McCain.
OK, fire away. I can take another volley.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
19 comments:
Your post implies that BO is not willing to comprise.
I would suggest you consider how he voted on the FISA bill. His willingness to change his position on off shore drilling. (I don’t agree with either of his stances.)
However if you don’t mention ending the war intelligently, implementing an effective energy policy for the 21st Century, making heath care affordable and available to more people, and putting the Federal budget, including Social Security and Medicare, into proper balance then it is unlikely that one would even have to comprise.
I don’t hear McCain even talking about these issues. That’s the reason I can’t vote for him.
I can vote for BO because I like the fact that he brings a fresh new view and approach to old problems.
How about making snap decisions and a temper?
How about comparing the way both campaigns are being conducted? Any sense of moral relativism?
As one Op Ed writer wrote today, when you look at the way GWB campaigned, you can see his administration ministered in the same fashion once in office. Can we infer the McCain administration will follow suit?
I see a "war hero" who has compromised himself to the point that he would better present the public as a statue in the park.
rsb -- JM has spoken at length on all these topics. full policies can be found on his web site.
Hankster -- nobody's perfect. i'm trying to speak for my man -- not against yours.
Dennis, didn't you ask for shots across the bow?
yes, i did. sorry.
Dennis, I hear your guy talking about lipstick. I hear your guy “lying about BO”.
I don’t hear your guy talking about ending the war so it would be difficult to end the war intelligently.
And I fear that he would want to go to war with Iran as well.
When you go to each one’s web site, I prefer the plan BO has health care over JM.
Regarding Social Security & Medicare JM does NOT say anything on his website.
BO has solutions to make SS & Medicare stronger and available when I’m of age to retire.
Economics I prefer BO plan because it would be trickle up, JM is trickle down.
Considering the state of the economy now I believe that the money needs to be put into the pockets of the masses. Not giving corporations another tax break.
If you eliminate pork spending, you can do all that you write about AND reduce taxes. There is a person with a track record of doing such.
Jack, railing against pork barrel spending is one of the old politicat whipping boys in the book. Nobody likes it except when the honey comes home. Even the sainted Ms. Palin had her hand in the jar all the way up to the elbows. The fact of the matter is that eliminating all earmarks will only pay for about a month and half in Iraq. Its a disengenuous stunt on JM's part.
McCain has shown some desire to work with others. However, what makes it impossilbe for me to push the button for him is, are the very issues that you outline in your post. The top three are the exact ones that will make us or break us over the next 5 years. As far as Iraq is concerned, we're not at war. We're an occupying force. McCain keeps talking about victory -- over what? Who are we fighting if we're at war? How do you define defeat or victory? I don't trust McCain to end this occupation at all much less intelligently.
I think he, and his running mate, are dinosaurs when it comes to energy policy. They're in the tank to big oil.
Don't talk to me about health care. Any plan that keeps health insurance companies at the top of the health care pyramid. The arguement that "Do you want a bureaucrat making health care decisons" my answer is better than an insurance company who is trying to screw you deliberately.
Nobody has a good solution here.
Meidcare needs more choices.Especially for the under 50 crowd.Medicare is not some sacred cow to be kept in a locked box.I don't want insurance companies as the major stake holder in a national insurance program either. Do any of think thats its reasonable to to put some patient ownership into current Medicare/Medicaid programs?At some point people have to be held accountable for their health care decisions.I think all of us would agree about the mess in Iraq. Our money could be much better spent and without loss of life. So how do we do it. Listen to generals,or diplomats,ex fighter pilots or politicians. The big four that Dennis puts out there I agree.They can all be improved.It will involve compromise but it needs to be done.I think the ability to bring people together and make progress on these most important of issues is what makes a great leader. Bring both sides together. I have 50 some odd days to make up my mind.Moderation is the key to survival.
I'm not ready to trade bipartisanship for ending the war responsibly in 2013,as McNovacains' plan calls for. The Iraqs' have already agreed to Jobamas' 16 months plan. Go with it.
The only thing either candidate will have to do with cleaning up Bushs' economic mess is to hire the best advisors.
I almost wish we were electing a king. With a king we'd atleast be heading in one direction for a given time. Then erect the Great Wall of the USA. Nothing comes in or out til we get ourselves together.
I'm not 100% for either guy. I like parts of both. We'r asking these guys to carry too much weight. Small steps please. The kid has the better war plan,he's fresh air, & we can get the "black thing" over with.
Interesting..."ending the war intelligently, implementing an effective energy policy," etc...sounds much more like a vote for Obama than one for McCain!
The bottom line lies in your first issue listed, ending the war in Iraq. This issue alone will filter down and impact all of the others you list, if McCain continues on the same mis-informed path. Obama, on the other hand, will remove American troops quickly, but carefully, and then will allow the currently misused resources from Iraq to find and deal with the ACTUAL terror threats in other countries. It is true that you have to take Obama's words and plans "on faith," but I am comfortable doing so and I'll tell you why...
It's true, that McCain has more "time served" experience in government; I would even agree that he had a better record in bipartisan legislation than many senate members (operative word is HAD). Until about 3 years ago, I would have been thrilled that McCain was the Republican nominee...I maybe would have even voted for him. But his downfall, in my eyes, began with his misguided, over-reliance on war to solve our terrorist threat issues. Currently, his views on all of the issues you mention, are perfectly inline with George Bush's. It's OBVIOUS to me that I can't vote for that. And, his recent ability to "stoop" to new lows in his campaigning drops him even more in my eyes...
So, I look to Obama. And I find that I agree with ALMOST everything he plans and says he will do. Yes, I have to take a bit of a gamble in hoping that he WILL attempt to do them, since he doesn't yet have a proven record of doing so on such a large scale. I'd rather gamble on the hope of someone with more intelligence and ability to reach and understand people than we've seen in recent years, then be left to deal with 4 more years of the disastrous policies of George Bush. I believe Michelle Obama summed up my feelings most accurately, when she stated that she wants us to base this election on the hope of what could be, instead of being controlled by fear of the unknown...I'm paraphrasing a bit, but that portion of her speech pretty much sums it up for me.
So, I'm not sure how to even respond to your "King" comment; frankly, I don't understand the analogy. How someone who grows up a biracial kid raised by a single mom, who gets himself into Harvard and President of Harvard Law Review, and then decides to turn down the six-figure salaries on Wall Street in order to become a 20K a year community organizer in the South Side of Chicago...well, you get where I'm going with that...I'm just not sure that his journey is one that is normally equated with a "King."
Yes, McCain HAD an excellent record leading up to about 2003. Since then, his policies, and therefore his political future, has not followed suit. If you base your vote on the past, you will most likely be disappointed in the near future. Good luck with your blog and your decision.
if i had a crystal ball i'd base my vote on the future, but i don't, so i look at what both men have done in their careers and find few accomplishments to support an Obama vote.
I agree the sum of accomplishments should indicate the measure of the man, therefore setting forth a level of reasonable expectations.That's why the only king in America will be Elvis.Obama point of giving up money for trying something is noble. Although,very backward.Maybe he should of went to wall street and made a killing,assuming he was really smart enough.Or does that path lead to shameless American materialism. Unless you are Bill Gates.
D'blank, doesn't recent actions carry any weight. Are you saying you are going with the Yankees with their impressive past numbers even though this year they have been dogs. [sorry to denigrate dogs]
Does organization in running a successful primary campaign account for something? Obama has been at this for over half the time the Governor of Alaska has been in office, probably a lot more.
Do you feel good about the John McCain of the last few months? Which John McCain would be the one in the Oval Office?
prove me wrong, pork spending is the worst spending our country does
JB you should ask Palin since seems to be so good at getting the pork>
if running a good campaign were an indication of success as president GWB would be a combination of Lincoln and Roosevelt.
A winning campaign is one thing. An honest one is another. GWB's administration has proven to be an extension of the dishonest campaign he ran.
Am I off the mark when I say that McCain's transgressions on false and misleading accusations far outweigh Obama's? Straight Talk Express? McCain's campaign resembles GWB's. Is this the sort of "experience" we can expect to see in office? At what point does an honest man compromise himself and become dishonest?
Obama is saying most of the things that I agree with. Is he going to be able to deliver, who knows for sure.
McCain is saying very little I agree with. Will he change his views and work with Democrats to change the course W has us on, who knows for sure.
I would rather vote for someone who espouses views that agree with mine, who may not be able to get them passed, than someone with views I disagree because he might change those views.
Post a Comment