Domestic Policy
With the current financial crisis it would be easy to say, "I support Obama because McCain is for the same economic policies that got us into this current mess." And I would be partly right, but I would also be being disingenuous because the economy is always much messier than how it's portrayed in blame game politics. So instead, I will appeal to my understanding of the role of business, taxes and the government.
Government and business are in a symbiotic relationship. Businesses create an economy, and taxes from that economy fund the government. A good government fosters a good society that creates workers, and more entrepreneurs to start more businesses. Everyone who owns a business in the U.S. uses the human capital created by public schools, uses U.S. infrastructure, and is protected by the U.S. military etc... Thus the government relies on business to create it's economy, but business relies on the government for a vibrant society to do business in. It makes sense then that someone who profits from a business started in the U.S., using all this country has to offer, should pay for it in taxes. And it would further make sense that the more one profits in the U.S., the more of one's profit should be subject to tax. Government and business are inextricably connected. It is with this understanding that I support Obama's tax policy to raise taxes on those making a quarter of a million a year or more, and cutting taxes on the middle class.
From 1970 to 2000 the average income for those on the bottom 90% of the income ladder actually fell from $27,060 to $27,035, and those in the 99%-99.5% ranges average income increased from 202,792 to $384,192. Those in the 99.5%-99.9% saw their average incomes raised from $317,582 to $777,450, but most strking is the increase in the average income at the very top: $3,641,285 to $23,969,767. So it is fair to say that for most, incomes have been stagnant, and it would make sense to put more money in the pockets of those who need it and will spend it, than to give more tax cuts to those who are already well off.
I also support Obama's position on closing loopholes and going after corporations who dodge taxes. In all the talk about how much the rich pay in taxes, it often gets overlooked at how much they don't. Capitalism is effective at producing great wealth because it is driven by competition to become wealthier (AKA greed). If I believe that human beings are prone to corruption and selfishness, then I have to believe we need a strong government to manage the wealth created by our economy and enforce it's tax laws. When we do this, we create a healthy society of customers for businesses and more entrepreneurs to build businesses.
In other issues, heath care continues to sky-rocket making paychecks smaller while millions remain uninsured. Obama's plan isn't perfect, but I believe it's better than McCain's plan which will increase the number of the uninsured, lower the quality of insurance and doesn't address discrimination by insurance companies. I also like Obama's policy on education with everything from merit pay to tax credits for higher education, and free community college. Education is imperative for a healthy economy and society, and for the sake of lengthiness, I'll leave it at that.
In sum, based on my understanding of the relationship between government and the economy, I believe Obama's policies are superior to McCain's. Health care is something I am greatly concerned about, and I believe it is a joke that we spend as much as we do on health care yet have so many who are uninsured. Those in that bottom 90% have also seen their wages decrease by the rising cost of health insurance and education. Therefore, I believe it makes the most sense to lessen the tax burden on people in the middle, increase the tax burden on the top, and use that money for health care and education to better our society as a whole. I also continue to believe in eliminating programs that do not work, and cutting spending where we can. Obama claims to believe the same thing. We'll see if he actually does.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Why I'm Voting for Barack Obama: Part 1
I know I can come across as a hard-core Obama supporter on this blog, but in real life I remain suspicious. I do so because, while I like much of what he says in his speeches, believe his policies are better than McCain's and like the overall vision of America he represents, in the end, he is a politician. And politicians will say and do whatever they need to to get a vote; especially this time of year. I look at his voting record, for instance, and it doesn't really represent change. Instead, it represents the same in that Obama is a Democrat and he votes with Democrats 95% of the time. To be fair, Obama came from obscurity into the national spotlight in a short amount of time, and that would require strong party loyalty. Just look how long it took McCain to get his party's nomination. Yet I still find myself questioning: "Really Barry? Line by line? You're gonna be just as into cutting as you are into spending? We'll see..." But with that said, here's why I'm voting for him.
Foreign Policy
Foreign policy is the issue for me when it comes to this election. Iraq is the reason why I said, "HELL NO. I refuse to vote Republican this year." Sadly, there was a time when I argued for going to war in Iraq. I knew all the reasons. I had an air tight argument. But even that night when the news stations interrupted regular programming to tell the American people we had begun bombing, I had a queasiness in my stomach. "I hope this was the right decision" I thought. I was wrong. The war in Iraq was criminal. Members of the administration had wanted to invade Iraq since the Clinton years, and they used 911 to accomplish that end. It was a war based on ideology and blind faith. Because the administration had blinders on, it refused to listen to any dissenting information or intelligence. Bush was dead certain. Because of this abhorrent decision, over 4,000 young men and women are dead, and thousands more are coming back, their lives changed, from injuries sustained in combat. I won't even get into the hundreds of thousands who were killed in Iraq. And for what? Bin Laden is still out there. Afghanistan is going down the toilet. Iran is building nukes, and our hands are tied because we removed her enemy in Iraq. We are arguably less safer than when we initially invaded. And we have hurt our relations with our allies.
This last point was why I started questioning the war in the first place. After 911 we had the support of the world behind us. Some of our biggest critics were saying, "we are all Americans now." There was so much good that could have come from 911, but the administration squandered it's political capital on Iraq. And this leads me to Obama. In an increasingly globalized and pluralized world where America is on it's way to becoming one of many super powers, we need someone who can forge a strong relationship with the global community. McCain, with his support of the foreign policy of the last eight years, is not in the position to do this. Obama is the perfect person to accomplish this, with his stunning rhetorical skills and ability to mobilize the masses, he is the charismatic figure America needs to represent her to the world. He also has never supported the war in Iraq, and therefore does not carry it's baggage. His foreign policy views are complex and he refuses to see the world in the manachean way of the Bush administration. Fareed Zakaria says this:
"Obama rarely speaks in the moralistic tones of the current Bush administration. He doesn't divide the world into good and evil even when speaking about terrorism. He sees countries and even extremist groups as complex, motivated by power, greed and fear as much as by pure ideology. His interest in diplomacy seems motivated by the sense that one can probe, learn and possibly divide and influence countries and movements precisely because they are not monoliths. When speaking to me about Islamic extremism, for example, he repeatedly emphasized the diversity within the Islamic world, speaking of Arabs, Persians, Africans, Southeast Asians, Shiites and Sunnis, all of whom have their own interests and agendas."
And, also, because of this last point, if we are attacked again, I will feel much safer with a President Obama in the White House. I am confident he'll provide sane leadership in a time when the populace is seeing red.
Foreign Policy
Foreign policy is the issue for me when it comes to this election. Iraq is the reason why I said, "HELL NO. I refuse to vote Republican this year." Sadly, there was a time when I argued for going to war in Iraq. I knew all the reasons. I had an air tight argument. But even that night when the news stations interrupted regular programming to tell the American people we had begun bombing, I had a queasiness in my stomach. "I hope this was the right decision" I thought. I was wrong. The war in Iraq was criminal. Members of the administration had wanted to invade Iraq since the Clinton years, and they used 911 to accomplish that end. It was a war based on ideology and blind faith. Because the administration had blinders on, it refused to listen to any dissenting information or intelligence. Bush was dead certain. Because of this abhorrent decision, over 4,000 young men and women are dead, and thousands more are coming back, their lives changed, from injuries sustained in combat. I won't even get into the hundreds of thousands who were killed in Iraq. And for what? Bin Laden is still out there. Afghanistan is going down the toilet. Iran is building nukes, and our hands are tied because we removed her enemy in Iraq. We are arguably less safer than when we initially invaded. And we have hurt our relations with our allies.
This last point was why I started questioning the war in the first place. After 911 we had the support of the world behind us. Some of our biggest critics were saying, "we are all Americans now." There was so much good that could have come from 911, but the administration squandered it's political capital on Iraq. And this leads me to Obama. In an increasingly globalized and pluralized world where America is on it's way to becoming one of many super powers, we need someone who can forge a strong relationship with the global community. McCain, with his support of the foreign policy of the last eight years, is not in the position to do this. Obama is the perfect person to accomplish this, with his stunning rhetorical skills and ability to mobilize the masses, he is the charismatic figure America needs to represent her to the world. He also has never supported the war in Iraq, and therefore does not carry it's baggage. His foreign policy views are complex and he refuses to see the world in the manachean way of the Bush administration. Fareed Zakaria says this:
"Obama rarely speaks in the moralistic tones of the current Bush administration. He doesn't divide the world into good and evil even when speaking about terrorism. He sees countries and even extremist groups as complex, motivated by power, greed and fear as much as by pure ideology. His interest in diplomacy seems motivated by the sense that one can probe, learn and possibly divide and influence countries and movements precisely because they are not monoliths. When speaking to me about Islamic extremism, for example, he repeatedly emphasized the diversity within the Islamic world, speaking of Arabs, Persians, Africans, Southeast Asians, Shiites and Sunnis, all of whom have their own interests and agendas."
And, also, because of this last point, if we are attacked again, I will feel much safer with a President Obama in the White House. I am confident he'll provide sane leadership in a time when the populace is seeing red.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thoughts on Last Night's Debate
The analysis coming out about last night's debate consistently have reported that there was no train wreck, there was nothing special or that it was Sarah Palin's night. One thing I will say about Palin is that she didn't crash as bad as I thought she was going to, based on the first half an hour. I thought it was going to be a slaughter when the topic was bankruptcy and the mortgage crisis, and Plalin gave a yes/no answer, then procreeded to ramble endlessly about energy. I was stunned. A couple questions later Palin, obviously getting nervous, called Senator Biden "Senator O'Biden." Thankfully, for her sake, her performance didn't continue to decline and she regained control.
But this is what is just killing me, and this is what I loathe about American politics. Everyone is saying she debated well. But if you actually listened to her versus Senator Biden, her answers and arguments sucked. I would bet that over 50 percent of what she said was the same thing over and over again. Half of what she said was populist, homespun, gibberish, and slogans about her and McCain being "mavericks." I was ready to shoot myself if I heard the word "maverick" one more time. Meanwhile, Senator Biden clearly had-- agree with his positions or not-- command of every issue spitting out facts and statistics to back up everything he said. Like one commentator I heard this morning said: Senator Biden appealed to those who respond to rational arguments while Governor Palin appealed to those who respond to emotion. And this is why Palin just drives me insane. She is the embodiment of, the concentrated form of, everything that is wrong with American politics. Her interviews, to any critical listener, are a joke! Tina Fey used one of her answers, word for word, in a parody of her! She obviously doesn't know crap about the world outside of Alaska, but because she supposedly "relates" to people because she's a hockey mom and uses folksy vernacular, her performances are lauded.
To be fair, Biden also tried to appeal to the common man himself, which he had to do considering what he was up against. And he also used slogans and sound bites as well, but no one can doubt that he is ready to be President. This debate was like watching a high school student take on a professor. And, yes, they both stretched the truth as well, and Yahoo posted a fact-check here.
Lastly, I would be saying all of this if I were still a Rush Limbaugh listening conservative. The fact that a large portion of the country trusts Palin, based on what we've seen of her, to be President is terrifying to me. Being a hockey mom, a good parent, down-home, middle-class etc... are not reasons we should vote for anyone. And, thankfully, before this debate more and more people began realizing she was a bad choice. In a week, after this debate is forgotten about, maybe people will continue coming to their senses.
But this is what is just killing me, and this is what I loathe about American politics. Everyone is saying she debated well. But if you actually listened to her versus Senator Biden, her answers and arguments sucked. I would bet that over 50 percent of what she said was the same thing over and over again. Half of what she said was populist, homespun, gibberish, and slogans about her and McCain being "mavericks." I was ready to shoot myself if I heard the word "maverick" one more time. Meanwhile, Senator Biden clearly had-- agree with his positions or not-- command of every issue spitting out facts and statistics to back up everything he said. Like one commentator I heard this morning said: Senator Biden appealed to those who respond to rational arguments while Governor Palin appealed to those who respond to emotion. And this is why Palin just drives me insane. She is the embodiment of, the concentrated form of, everything that is wrong with American politics. Her interviews, to any critical listener, are a joke! Tina Fey used one of her answers, word for word, in a parody of her! She obviously doesn't know crap about the world outside of Alaska, but because she supposedly "relates" to people because she's a hockey mom and uses folksy vernacular, her performances are lauded.
To be fair, Biden also tried to appeal to the common man himself, which he had to do considering what he was up against. And he also used slogans and sound bites as well, but no one can doubt that he is ready to be President. This debate was like watching a high school student take on a professor. And, yes, they both stretched the truth as well, and Yahoo posted a fact-check here.
Lastly, I would be saying all of this if I were still a Rush Limbaugh listening conservative. The fact that a large portion of the country trusts Palin, based on what we've seen of her, to be President is terrifying to me. Being a hockey mom, a good parent, down-home, middle-class etc... are not reasons we should vote for anyone. And, thankfully, before this debate more and more people began realizing she was a bad choice. In a week, after this debate is forgotten about, maybe people will continue coming to their senses.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
My Morning With Barry
About an hour ago I arrived home from my first political rally. Last night, I found out that Barack Obama was going to be in town this morning at Calder Plaza, which is this large open area in the middle of downtown in front of city hall. I have the day off today for school, so I decided I would go.I got up early with my wife, and the two of us headed downtown. She, unfortunately, had to work, so I just rode with her since she works blocks away from Calder. We got downtown with enough time to walk to a local coffee shop and get some Pumpkin Spice Lattes. As we walked back to her work it started to lightly sprinkle. I forgot my umbrella, so I started worrying I would be walking back to the car, after the rally, cold and wet. Thankfully, it never started raining, but the sky remained flooded with dark gray clouds. Predictably, the line was long going several blocks down the street, and wrapping around the corner for another block or so. I brought my Stats textbook, so I could get some reading done while I waited.
After filling out a card, and getting through security, I was pleased to find that I wasn't stuck in the back of the crowd as I expected to be. I was in the middle with a pretty clear view of the podium. After several speakers, the Pledge, the National Anthem, and a perfunctory prayer filled with thee's, thou's, beseeches and other Elizabethan words and phrases, and after listening to the same play list over and over again which consisted of like 90% country songs (if i went to a McCain rally would most of the songs be rap and r&b?), Obama finally took to the stage. He gave a great speech (of course) about the economy, jobs, taxes, spending and cynicism. He ended by movingly speaking 
about how so many Americans have worked hard to achieve their dreams, saying, "There have been those who said, I may not be able to vote, but maybe someday my child or grandchild will run for President of the United States." This moved me because, at the very least, it was worth seeing Senator Obama because I'll be able to say that I've seen the first African American President of the United States in person.
about how so many Americans have worked hard to achieve their dreams, saying, "There have been those who said, I may not be able to vote, but maybe someday my child or grandchild will run for President of the United States." This moved me because, at the very least, it was worth seeing Senator Obama because I'll be able to say that I've seen the first African American President of the United States in person.The second after Obama finished speaking, the dismal sky broke apart, and warm sunlight poured through the clouds...
It really did... It was weird.
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