Why is it vital we put Senator Obama in the White House? First of all, Obama is the better candidate to help us recover from the deepening economic recession. He–not John McCain–had the foresight to see the oncoming subprime mortgage crisis. And unlike his opponent, he has been a consistent and vocal critic of the rampant deregulation of the economy that has occurred in the last eight years. John McCain has voted with George Bush and his Republican party more than 95% of the time–stripping away restraint after restraint in an effort to promote laissez-faire capitalism. The result of his actions are clear in the bleak economic picture of 2008: the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
Secondly, and contrary to popular opinion, the idea that John McCain has more credibility and better judgment in the foreign policy arena is a complete misnomer. While many admire McCain’s heroism in Vietnam–and rightly so–exactly how, may I ask, does enduring torture as a Prisoner of War enhance one’s decision-making abilities as Commander in Chief? Fast forward thirty years, and he is playing a major role in advocating for what will become one of the most costly and disastrous wars in recent US history. At one point, McCain even claimed that Iraq would be “easy.” From 2004 to 2007, McCain was a vocal supporter of “staying the course.” In retrospect, these do not appear to be examples of good judgment.
McCain likes to point out that he supported the surge, which he touts as the winning strategy in Iraq. It’s pertinent to note, however, that the surge merely coincided with the two real tide-turners in the war: the Sunni Awakening movement and the Mehdi Army’s cease fire. The Awakening represented a complete about-face in the stance of Sunni militants, who decided it would be more lucrative and advantageous to work for the United States and against al-Qaeda, instead of the other way around. Moqtada al-Sadr’s call for a cease fire ended years of Shia violence propogated by the Mehdi Army. Together, these events tentatively made allies of a major portion of the radical wings of the Sunni and Shi’ite sects, who had previously been our bitter enemies. Not only is McCain wrong in that the surge has won us the war, but his naiveté in saying so befits a man who is not as truly experienced in foreign policy as he claims to be. Next–how can we trust such a hot-headed presidential candidate? It’s vital that we grant the most important responsibility of a President, when and where to send our armed forces, to a man not likely to act on impulse. And that man is not John McCain.
Finally, John McCain’s policies are not catered towards the middle class. In a time of deep economic recession, McCain supports continuing George Bush’s $300 billion tax cuts to corporations (including big oil companies which are currently recording record profits) and the wealthy. He intends to give each household a tax credit to purchase their choice of health insurance; what he hasn’t mentioned are his plans to tax health insurance provided by employers. The net result will be health care that is neither more attainable nor more affordable. And last, McCain is blissfully out of touch with the concerns of the working class. Although he may reiterate again and again that he understands the issues “ordinary people” are facing, McCain can’t even remember how many houses he owns. That does not suit a self-professed man of “straight talk,” but rather a candidate who is willing to do or say anything to win an election.
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I knew you’d come around.
William,
You wrote: “Secondly, and contrary to popular opinion, the idea that John McCain has more credibility and better judgment in the foreign policy arena is a complete misnomer.”
Amen. But isn’t it strange how we’re meant to feel even raising the issue? For whatever reasons, people just assume that he is savvy and reliable in this area. The truth is that Senator McCain consistently displays bad, unpredictable judgment that foreshadows how quickly he would be willing to commit and risk American military and civilian lives for places like South Ossetia, Georgia, and Israel.
He’s stuck in the Cold War. I wish he’d just retire, get his Medal of Freedom and go enjoy his life.
As for President Obama. I look forward to directing my criticism and focus directly on him as soon as he is sworn in.
Good post.
RHM
There are a lot of people who may be offended by this. You should be careful where you go. Endorsements can serve a purpose. I hope this one does.
obama is a neocon. Wants to invade Pakistan. Wants to add 100,000 troops to the military. Has Madeleine Albright as a foreign policy adviser. Is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
need more proof?
First of all, thanks RHM. I feel the same way.
Toastyaroma:
I’m not sure where you’re getting your facts from.
Obama does not want to invade Pakistan. He has said that, should bin Laden be in our sights (and we have a chance to capture him) and the Pakistani government is unwilling to attempt to capture him, then we would cross the border and take him out. That’s a far cry from invading Pakistan.
While it’s true that Obama wants to expand the military, it’s part of a larger program to make the military a more respected organization. Right now, the military is struggling so hard to recruit that they’re accepting felons, sending their soldiers on a number of tours of duty that is higher than at any point in our history, and essentially tricking the uneducated into joining with $100,000 or more signing bonuses. The all volunteer force used to be honorable and respected. If it becomes that way again, we should have no problem increasing the size of the military as a side effect.
Finally, I fail to see why you’re pointing out that Obama might have something other than completely 100% liberal advisers and friends. Remember that the reason we’re in this mess right now is because Bush doesn’t listen to anyone who doesn’t think the same way.