I am honestly flabbergasted that there are so many people in this country – people who I personally know, who I know to be in the middle class of America (so fully affected by the state of the country) who I know to have loved ones in Afghanistan and Iraq, who I know to have lost their jobs, who I know have filed for bankruptcy, who I know to be scared about the futures of themselves and their families, who are STILL considering voting for John McCain and with their vote, hoping for 4 more years of the same failed policies we have seen for the last 8 years with W. John McCain has ridden shotgun with George Bush with his close to unwaivering support on everything Bush has done.
I can’t understand how people can honestly look at a side-by-side comparison of the candidates – because everyone has, right???? RIGHT?????? – and still be seriously thinking that John McCain and SARAH PALIN(?????) are going to make things better?
I’ve laid out some tools and comparisons in my blog entries in the past. Here you can check out a tax calculator, here you can see a chart from CNN Money regarding tax plans and what you can expect for tax savings based on your income.
If you go to Select Smart, you can actually choose the 2 candidates and compare their positions side by side to get the real picture of what we’re looking at here. Here are some highlights – it may be boring to read it all, but it’s too important not to…and, to make it a little easier, I have linked to some other sites for info on committees, acts, unions, etc. Click the links for more info, but be sure to come back here!
War authorization:
OBAMA: As a state senator, he spoke out against Iraq war, before the war started. Has long favored a phased withdrawal.
McCain: Supports Bush’s surge, in fact, calls for more additional troops than Bush recommends.
Security/liberties:
OBAMA: He voted against and later for bills to reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. “Let me be clear: this compromise is not as good as the Senate version of the bill, nor is it as good as the SAFE Act that I have cosponsored. I suspect the vast majority of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle feel the same way. But, it’s still better than what the House originally proposed. This compromise does modestly improve the PATRIOT Act by strengthening civil liberties protections without sacrificing the tools that law enforcement needs to keep us safe.” –February 16, 2006 Source. Obama supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 83 percent in 2005-2006. “Senator Obama is a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and has supported efforts to base homeland security spending on risk rather than pork-barrel politics. He has also introduced legislation to strength chemical plant and drinking water security and to enhance disaster preparedness.” -Campaign site
McCain:Has voted for the PATRIOT Act and it’s revisions. He generally opposes the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union
Social Security:
Obama: Social Security: Senator Obama supported the interests of the Alliance for Retired Americans 100 percent in 2005.
McCain: Would allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves.
Budget issues:
Obama: Senator Obama voted against the most recent effort to raise the national debt limit. The current national debt has exceeded $8.6 trillion dollars, and nearly $4 trillion of that debt is now held by foreign governments. Our national debt and annual budget deficits effectively tax all Americans by adding to the amount of interest paid to service U.S. borrowing.” Source Obama supported the interests of the National Taxpayers Union 6 percent in 2005.
McCain: For 2001-2002, the Concord Coalition gave Senator McCain a rating of 95 percent.
Abortion issues:
Obama: supported the interests of the Planned Parenthood 100 percent in 2006. Obama supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 0 percent in 2005-2006. Obama supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 100 percent in 2005.
McCain: supported the interests of the Planned Parenthood 0% in 2006. He supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 75% in 2005-2006. He supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0% in 2005.
Capital punishment:
Obama: says the death penalty “does little to deter crime” but he supports it for cases in which “the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage.” As as state senator, Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases. Source Obama [favors] the death penalty for only the most heinous of murders, such as serial killing. But Obama qualified his stance, saying that his support eroded further when looking at how the death penalty “is currently administered in this country.” Obama supported a federal moratorium on capital punishment.
McCain: Supports the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
Marijuana:
Obama: Famously admitted to using illegal drugs in his book. On the issue of medicinal marijuana, Obama said that if the “best way to relieve pain and suffering is through medicinal marijuana,” then it’s something he’s open to.
McCain: Opposes legalization. Supports expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
Minimum wage:
Obama: Voted for increases in the minimum wage.
McCain: Has voted both for and against minimum wage bills about an equal number of times.
Health care:
Obama: “Too many hard-working Americans cannot afford their medical bills, and health-related issues are the number one cause for personal bankruptcy. Promoting affordable, accessible, and high-quality health care is a priority for Senator Obama.”
McCain: Opposes universal health care.
Prescription drugs:
Obama: “To help lower the cost of prescription drugs, Senator Obama has supported efforts to allow American seniors to purchase prescription drugs in Canada and bring them back to the U.S. He also has supported giving Medicare the ability to negotiate lower drug prices.”
McCain: Supports expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
Immigration issues:
Obama: supported the interests of the American Immigration Lawyers Association 88 percent in 2006. Supported the interests of the U.S. Border Control 8 percent in 2005-2006. Supported the interests of the Federation for American Immigration Reform 0 percent in 2005.
McCain: Increase the number of visas issued for agricultural workers. Relax restrictions barring legal immigrants from using social programs (e.g. public housing, food stamps).
Supports amnesty/permanent legalization for illegal aliens and temporary legalization for illegal aiens as guestworkers.
And if comparing their positions somehow does not frighten the bejeesus out of you, doesn’t the thought of Sarah Palin becoming president when McCain dies or becomes debilitated while in office? You want someone who, when asked which newspapers she reads she replies, “oh, ya know, any and all of them that have been put in front of me over the years” leading our nation?
Another thing to consider? Political candidates not only exaggerate claims against their opponents, they often make things up! Wow! You can do some fact checking at factcheck.org. You may be surprised at some of the things you find out.
They’ve got The Whoppers of 2008 and The Whoppers of 2008 — The Sequel
These guys cut straight through the BS and tell you what the real story is. It’s easy to sit back and believe the things your candidate tells you. It’s smart to do a little due diligence and find out what the facts are.
Oh – editing to add….oops forgot something:
