It's 2 weeks until election day and I am an undecided voter. There are things I like about each of them, there are things I dislike about each of them. If you're passionate about one candidate or the other, here's your chance to try to win another vote for him.
Issues that matter the most to me:
- Health care for Americans
- Limitations on abortion
- Education for Americans
- Environmental preservation
I'd also love to see poverty abolished, but I'm not sure that's the government's job in a capitalistic nation.
Anyway ... I don't promise to tell you who I choose and feel free to comment anonymously.
12 comments:
This is quite a can of worms, isn't it? :)
I'm like you: there are things I like and dislike about each candidate. However, I've realized recently as I analyze myself in the lead-up to this election that the issue that I always come back to--which was probably the first issue I ever learned about and cared about--is abortion. How can we have such freedom as to allow a woman to choose...to kill her baby? What kind of choice is that?It's just not right. Freedom to commit murder is not acceptable. And I know that numerous cases of situations with extenuating circumstances have been and will be brought up. But on a gut-level, I just cannot support someone who would not make some move to restrict abortion...or even worse, would open the gates even wider to abortion access.
That's my take on it, but to be honest, I'm so skeptical of politics in general. My deepest views are more along the lines of The Myth of a Christian Nation by Gregory Boyd. God's kingdom = America is not a true equation, and we as Christians have done a grave disservice to the cause of Christ around the world by confusing the two.
Anyway, there are my two cents--for what it's worth. :)
jen,
obama worked in Chicago with the poor. he gets it. he understand the importance of starting from the bottom up. he cared about everyone.
biden is from Delaware and has so, so, so much experience.
they have a much better plan for health care. instead of just giving some amount like a few thousand (like the Republicans)they have a plan that makes sure all are taken care of.
both candidates are pro-choice.
And about sarah. all i have to say is i dont want her to represent American women. I dont want our first female vice president to be sarah. for too many reasons that I dont have time for cause my students are coming in soon. (i think she might be a puppet)
Follow your heart!
jen,
Love your openness! IMHO, Obama all the way. We've seen what a mess Bush has made in SO many areas, both foreign and domestic and McCain is way too in line with those policies for me. Maybe I just fell for his campaign line, but Obama really represents something new and different and progressive for america's future.
Plus I kinda feel like Jes about Palin- McCain's no spring chicken and I hold no faith whatsoever in Palin's ability to lead or represent well should she need to.
Sometimes you let things like abortion, etc become a lower priority in order to get someone in power for the greater good, as it were. Whoever leads america leads to some extent the world.
good luck mulling it over!
Hey Jen,
I think that it is cool that you are taking this decision seriously. Not enough people vote and even fewer take the time to really research the candidates and figure out who represents them the best.
I might have to break my thoughts into a few comments. I am not sure if blogger has a word limit :)
HEALTH CARE: This one is a pretty clear Obama win if you ask me. If you have health care that you like, you can keep it. If not, then you will be given tax credits to buy into the government health care plan. McCain wants to just give money to buy privatized health care. For Linds and me, the money he is promising isn't enough to cover our current health care. We would have to downgrade. He favors the same privatization and deregulation that we have seen the Bush administration push in the financial sector. I don't want to see that happen to healthcare. I think that the Obama plan is the first step towards socialized medicine which would (FINALLY) start to bring us up to par with other developed nations.
LIMITATIONS ON ABORTIONS: It is true that Obama is much more pro choice than McCain but there are 2 important things to consider here. #1, he is in favor of restricting late term abortions (what he said in the last debate was really informative). #2. My personal belief is that there is a lot more to being Pro-Life than restricting abortions. Obama wants to end the war in Iraq ASAP. McCain said that he would fight it for another 100 years if that is what it takes. The civilian death toll in Iraq is something that we hear very little about, but it is astronomical. I don't think it is fair to portray yourself as "pro-life" but be a steady supporter of an unjust war that has taken hundreds of thousands of innocent lives.
EDUCATION FOR AMERICANS: Admittedly, this isn't my speciality, but I know that Obama has worked closely with the educational system in Chicago and has been heavily praised for his work there.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION: This is a huge issue for me. We have one world. If we don't take care of it, it will not be able to support humanity for very long. We are rapidly digging our future generations into a very deep hole and I think that we should take every care that we can now to minimize our negative impact on the planet and to reverse some of the damage already done. It is my personal belief that this conviction plays heavily into truly being Pro-Life. The decisions we make today will affect the ability of our children and their children to live at all. Stopping abortions now is great, but if in 100 years, this planet is unfit for human life, what is the net gain?
Obama is MUCH stronger on environmental issues than McCain. I think that Sarah Palin summed it up nicely in the debate when she said "The motto is 'Drill baby drill.'"
Obama has worked much harder in the past to develop alternate sources of energy and tighten regulations on pollution. His plans in this area are also more promising than McCain.
POVERTY: I think that there is an astounding difference between the candidates here.
McCain was born into a rich family. He owns 9 houses, 13 cars, and a private jet (think of the environmental impacts there). His tax plan strongly favors the wealthiest 1% of americans.
Obama was born to a kenyan father and a poor mother. His mom had to use food stamps to put food on the table at times. He has one house, one car, and no jet. His tax plan is geared towards the lower and middle classes. He worked with a poor segment of the population in chicago in the early part of his career. I think that he is much more in touch with poverty and much more committed to making a difference there.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: I know that this isn't one of your questions, but it is a big issue for me. I spend a lot of time overseas. Over the last 8 years I have seen our country transition from being viewed a strong nation that provides help, support, and hope to one that is viewed as an aggressor... a proud and arrogant nation that spits in the face of the UN and brings havoc to other countries to do what is best for us. I have seen us fall from being respected to being despised. I do not want to live in a despised nation. I do not want to live in a nation that unjustly invades other sovereign nations (against the council of our allies!).
McCain's foreign policy is more of the same. Obama represents a change, not only in the war, but in the basic idea of how to relate to other countries. He is open to sitting down and talking to anti-american leaders... something McCain has ridiculed him for saying. I think that respect, and diplomacy are essential, and I think that Obama embodies both of those things. McCain talks about those things as weaknesses.
I think that international polls which show worldwide support overwhelmingly pointing in the direction of Obama speak for themselves on this issue.
With all of that being said, I know that no leader is perfect. I know that Obama has made mistakes and will continue to do so. I do, however, think that he is much better suited to do that job that our country so desperately needs right now.
Collin
Wow - this will be good to get me through the day at work (it's going to be long) ....
I'll start by saying, I'm tired of this election! We've been watching all three news channels almost every night for a year now. Pat and I are both passionate about politics and end up falling on opposite sides of fence a lot of times (just ask Jes) so I'm very familiar with both candidates arguments....
Here's what I think. I don't like either of the candidates really.
McCain -
PROS: McCain is someone I have always respected. He is not an average Republican and I disagree strongly that he is the same as Bush. McCain's voting record is way more bipartisan than Obamas. McCain has stood up to his party on big issues and Obama has not voted outside of party lines on any major issue. He is well respected among our international allies and will be able to rebuild the reputation that Bush destroyed.
CON: That said, McCain has disappointed me. I think he gave up on his morales to please Republicans. Most notably he changed his position on drilling in order to suck on to his party, and worst - he picked a running mate with little experience who is not ready to be President in order to secure the Republican conservative Christian base. He is 72 years old and while he is healthy, it was flat out wrong to put our country at risk like that. The rest of my cons are listed below by issue.
Obama:
PROS: He is a charismatic speaker who has people excited to be part of the political system for a change and if he does 20% of what he is promising I'll be happy. I think he will build a strong coalition to lead the country. My reason for saying this is - Biden. While people all around the world love Obama, he is very weak on foreign affairs and he selected Biden as his running mate to counteract this. This was huge for me. During the primary Biden slammed Obama in the debates about not being ready to lead and was very harsh with his criticism towards Obama. I highly respected that Obama looked past this and selected someone with strengths that he knew would benefit the country.
CONS: He does not have enough experience in my opinion on foreign affairs. His initial plan to get out of Iraq was completely unrealistic and in my mind done to win the primary (since then he has changed his opinion). What bothers me most might be his voting record. He has voted "present" on many major issues. This is a political move so that you can't call him on his past decisions. A senate record is stronger in my opinion than wonderful speeches. Voting present and bypassing having to make the tough decisions leaves me questioning what he will stand for as President.
so... now to the issues as I see them....
EDUCATION - Obama wins.
He has a plan to change 'no child left behind' and to give a student loan credit for those who do a certain amount of community service each year (i believe it's 100 hours a year = $4,000 towards student loans, don't quote me on the exact figures though)
McCain seriously doesn't have a plan to deal with rising college tuition and isn't too interested in putting more money to education initiatives.
ECONOMY: Both lose.
I don't feel comfortable that either of them know what to do with the state of the economy.
HEALTH CARE: Obama wins.
McCain's health care credit is only $5,000. Average health care costs $12,000. He also advocates taxing this cost which will be an additional expense. Obama's plan is lofty but it must be tried. There are too many people without health care. It will be rocky at first and socialized health care wont' be the best service but it is better than what a lot of people currently have.
IRAQ: They are equal.
I know that will sound funny to a lot of people - initally Obama said he's going to get out as soon as possible and supported a time line. McCain said we might have to stay up to 100 years and that an artifical timeline won't work. In the end they both agree they will do whatever the generals on the ground recommend and I doubt we will get out in the next 2 years or stay 100 years and a timeline is very very tricky to incorporate. Both of them want to leave Iraq in a way that is good for the US and the generals will be giving them the same advice. Having been a POW there is no doubt in my mind that McCain wants to get out in way that doesn't leave a mess as much and as quickly as everyone else does.
ABORTION: McCain wins.
He has a pro-life voting record in his time in the senate and Obama has a very pro-choice voting record.
ENVIRONMENT: Obama wins.
McCain had a wonderful stand on the environment but has traded his his opinions for those more favorable to Republicans who make big money.
Wow that was a mouth full. I think there are big pros and big cons for both of them but I'm with Colin Powell in my vote. While I don't believe Obama will bring the major change to our country that he says, I decided that I generally fall on the democratic side of things and I respect his pick of a running mate and hope it's foreshadowing to the type of team he'll have with him in the white house.
Here's my advice - go to www.politifact.com - it's an independent group that tests the truthfulness of what each candidate is saying.
(this post took close to 45 mins - thanks for getting me closer to the end of my work day!)
First let me say that I have strong feelings about both candidates: extreme disdain.
Let me also say that my answers to your points below are based on a constitutional republic form of government and free markets.
Healthcare for Americans
There is a more fundamental question to be asked here than how much money, credit, or vouchers are "given" to taxpayers to use for healthcare. As with the rest of these issues below, the real question is whether it is the federal government's role to provide that health care (or whatever other "service" you are discussing) for everyone. Constitutionally the answer is no. Common sense and looking around at other countries should also give a hint. Countries with socialized medicine have far worse problems than our current system, as flawed as it is. Canadians who can afford to routinely seek medical care from other countries rather than have to wait to see specialists or surgeons. With socialized medicine you wait in line until the government tells you what doctor you can see. Sometimes that means waiting until you are dead.
Secondly, we should start asking the question, "Why do I need to buy health insurance in order to go see the doctor for a sore throat"? We buy insurance for unexpected or unforeseeable events such as car accidents and death. Going to the doctor or taking your kids for regular checkups is not abnormal or unexpected. The extreme cost of healthcare today is BECAUSE the government is involved, not because they haven't done anything. Until large corporations (HMOs, insurance companies) and government got together to help us "manage" our care, people did not require health insurance to see doctors or stay healthy. Most people purchased catastrophic health insurance to cover surgeries or hospital stays.
Limitations on Abortion
On this one I partially agree with Collin's comments. Pro-life should mean all life. Including those of non-Americans. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world have died due to the US's actions from wars and sanctions. I believe Christians have no business giving their assent to anyone in government who does not condemn both abortion and war as murder. If someone is not willing to do that then they are not "pro-life".
Education for Americans
As above, this is not the government's responsibility to provide. Government intrusion into education makes things worse, not better. The government has a near monopoly on education as it is and cannot seem to teach basic skills to children. Private and home schooled children have repeatedly and measurably surpassed government-educated children in standardized testing. Given that the government spends much more per student than private schools, if they would simply get out of the way, the free market can provide this service at a much lower cost and with much better quality than the government can. I know what you will say, "Most people can't afford private school." That is true today where there are relatively few private schools compared to public schools. This means that prices must be higher due to the demand. However, if ALL schools were privately owned and operated, then the price would drop dramatically, and chances are the amount you pay in school taxes today would be more than enough to send your children to "private school".
Environmental Preservation
This is such a vague topic. I believe in preserving the environment also, but the way to do it is not through more government intervention. The only way to ensure the environment is preserved is through private property rights. Private property owners generally tend to want to maintain the value of that property. Polluting or destroying its value is not in their best interest as it has no future value for them or anyone who may be able to buy it later. This is true whether it is a car, house, or huge tracts of land. If I destroy someone else's car or home, I must make restitution for that because I have destroyed their private property. Land and natural resources should be no different and private property owners should be compensated by those neighbors who choose to pollute and therefore destroy value.
The government cannot and will not provide environmental preservation. Most pollution that occurs today is completely legal and was made so by legislation from the federal government. Carbon credits, vouchers, etc do not solve the issue. They merely allow pollution to go to the highest bidder.
In the end, you are asking the largest polluter in the US (the federal government) to make sure people don't destroy the environment. Kind of like asking the fox to watch the hen house.
Abolition of Poverty
Jesus says in John 12:8, "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." As Christians we should make every effort to alleviate suffering and poverty, not ignorantly though, but with this knowledge that they will always be among us. It is our responsibility to address the issue not leaving it to the secular government to do so. Marvin Olasky traces the history of Christian charity in the US in his book The Tragedy of American Compassion. He is able to show that not only was poverty a much smaller problem in our past when Christians were actually doing what they should be, but that when Christians engaged the government to "fix" this issue, poverty only increased. The reason is this, that government has nothing to offer except money. They also have no incentive to get people back out of the system after they are "back on their feet". When you subsidize something (like providing welfare for people who won't work) you get more of it, not less poverty. Only Christians are able to engage the poor with answers to both their physical and spiritual needs.
I read a Voter Issue Guide from www.wallbuilders.com It helped clear up some things for me.
Here are the positions of both candidates on some key issues--very simply put. It comes directly from the literature I received.
Traditional Marriage in Federal Law(supports fed defense of marriage act) McCain-YES Obama-NO
Cloning (supports human cloning) McCain-NO Obama-YES
Opposes Judicial Activism (supports originalist supreme court justices) McCain-YES Obama-NO
Homosexual Education (supports curriculum that promotes homosexuality) McCain-NO Obama-YES
Energy (Supports expanded drilling for oil) McCain-YES Obama-NO
Human Life (supports protecting the lives of children who are born alive and survived a botched abortion) McCain-YES Obama-NO
Business Freedom (Opposes laws forcing business to favor homosexuality) McCain-YES Obama-NO
Opposes Gay Pride (refused to support gay pride celebrations) McCain-YES Obama-NO
Iraq War (supports immediate removal of troops from Iraq) McCain-NO Obama-YES
Youth & Abortion (supports transporting minor girls across state lines for a secret abortion without parental knowledge) McCain-NO Obama-YES
Gun rights (Opposes an assault weapons ban) McCain-YES Obama-NO
Partial Birth Abortions (Opposes partial birth abortions) McCain-YES Obama-NO
Traditional Marriage in States (supports state marriage ammendments in CA and FL) McCain-YES Obama-NO
Parental rights in Education (Supports parental choice of school in education) McCain-YES Obama-NO
These facts were distributed by Liberty Counsel and Liberty Legal Institute. Each position is specifically cited in the literature and probably listed online as well.
Some of my thoughts...
I don't believe Obama has a good plan for our health care system at all. He wants to make our country a socialist nation. With all the undocumented residents in our country, that is what has been wrecking our healthcare system--people who can benefit but pay nothing into the system.
About the economy, I'm not rich in my bank account or business, but it's a scary thing to posibly elect a leader who plans to make the poor in our nation rich by, in essence, making the rich poor. Most of the wealthy in our nation have gotten there by working hard at it, and they are the ones who provide jobs for others--those who so choose to work hard and gain their own financial success. They have moved their businesses out of the USA because taxes on US businesses are 35%--the second highest in the world--as opposed to other countries like Ireland who tax businesses 11%.
Obama believes in big government and the idea that government should be involved in most aspects of the American life. McCain believes in the American people and getting the government out of the way, in order to allow people to live and thrive in their creativity and ingenuity. (Something like that anyway).
I think big government is a HUGE mistake. It has grown to enormous proportions already and needs to be reined in and decreased, even though that means we won't be entitled to everything we've been getting along the way. I'd rather have lower taxes and have the option of spending my own moneythey way I choose rather than giving it to the govt and allowing them to decided what I may or may not need. I certainly don't need a health care plan that includes paying for an abortion (not even for my children).
That's all I have for now.
Hey Jen,
Its great you are seeking information to inform your voting As I teach my students: all information is bias whether it is from a professor in a university or a racist. However, some information is more reliable and verifiable. That's why its great that you are asking for information on this oh so important topic... and then going out and following up doing some research!
I suggest listening to a speech by both of the candidates in its entirety to help inform your decision. You most likely can access these speeches on the candidates websites.
Good luck in your decision! And in case you are wondering my Momma is for Obama! and I am too!
Charlie.
For the first time in my life, I am going to vote for a democratic candidate.
McCain's health care plan is just plain horrible.
Continuing to give tax breaks to big oil is truly silly.
Staying in Iraq for who knows what reason is also silly.
Continuing to give tax breaks to companies that outsource jobs overseas is the poster child for stupid.
Saying the economy is sound in the face of the biggest meltdown since the Depression shows no sense at all.
I have ALWAYS been for small government and as little regulation as possible. Now I see what that will lead to, and I have to say the people who put controls on the economy after the Great Depression were not nuts, they were brilliant. It was a mistake to take those controls off, even in the name of small government.
As usual, the best way lies in the middle, not at either extreme. No regulation is bad, too much is also bad. We need somebody to push us closer to the middle, and Obama is the one for the job.
It pains me to say it, but I will be voting for Obama this year. Not because I think he's the bomb, but I am so sure the McCain is just more Bush tactics, and that is unacceptable.
I was inspired by you, Jen, so I did a post on politics today. Yikes! :)
I hope your decision-making process is going well and bringing you some peace.
Jen, I'm sorry to keep bugging you; but I just watched a short video (just under 4 minutes) that someone passed on to me today about the candidates. It was gripping to me and may be helpful for you as well? Here's the web address: http://www.americaschoicenow.com/
I'll try to stop bothering you now. :)
i started to write a comment, but it turned into an essay, so i decided to just make it a post on my blog.
Dave's Election Essay
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