TTG and I will be staying up all night again to watch the results come in, just like we did in 2004, back at a time when I thought Bush was a better prospect than Kerry. Oh how times have changed. TTG wants McCain to win, and I of course want Obama to be the next POTUS.
Anyhoo, for people who aren’t sure what the candidate’s positions are on key issues, here’s a great synopsis drawn up by one of the editors at Yahoo UK:
1. Economy
McCain: Pledges to maintain and even extend tax cuts put in place under President Bush. He has promised to balance the budget by the end of his first term in 2013 and has unveiled a 300 billion-dollar “McCain Resurgence Plan” to buy up bad home loans from homeowners and mortgage servicers, and replace them with fixed-rate mortgages, enabling families to stay in their homes.
Obama: Promises to cut taxes for working class families and low-income homes earning less than 75,000 dollars a year, while raising taxes for those homes with an average income of more than 250,000 dollars per year. Obama says 95 percent of Americans would see their taxes lowered or unchanged. He has proposed a 50 billion dollar fund to jumpstart the economy and save more than a million Americans from losing their jobs.
2. Iraq
McCain: A fervent supporter of the US surge launched in 2007. He has vowed “no surrender” and has said he is convinced that Washington is winning the war against the insurgency. He believes it would be a mistake to leave Iraq before Al-Qaeda in Iraq is defeated and before a properly trained Iraqi security force is in place. When Iraqi troops can safeguard their country, then US troops can go home.
Obama: Said he was against the war in 2002 and has vowed to end the conflict and begin to withdraw the troops immediately. He says military commanders believe US troops can be withdrawn from Iraq at the rate of one or two brigades a month. That would take 16 months, until mid-2010. A residual force would remain in Iraq for counter-insurgency missions and to protect American personnel, but Obama is opposed to establishing permanent bases.
3. Energy
McCain: Wants to expand America’s offshore drilling and promote and expand the use of domestic supplies of natural gas. Also wants to limit carbon gas emissions but has set a modest goal of cutting them by two-thirds by 2050. He wants to build 45 nuclear energy plants, and is opposed to federal support for clean energy. McCain will also issue a Clean Car Challenge with a 5,000 dollar tax credit for every customer who buys a zero carbon emission car. He will also commit two billion a year to promoting clean coal initiatives.
Obama: Wants to limit carbon gas emissions and has fixed the goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 80 percent before 2050. He wants to pump 150 billion dollars into the research of clean energy over the next 10 years. Now supports after initially opposing limited US offshore drilling. Within 10 years, he wants to save more oil than is currently imported from the Middle East and Venezuela and create some five million green collar jobs. Obama also wants one million plug-in hybrid cars which can get 150 miles to the gallon on the roads by 2015.
4. Russia
McCain: Has called for Russia to be excluded from the Group of Eight most industrialised nations and criticised former president and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as “a dangerous man.”
Obama: Has denounced “Russian aggression” in Georgia and says pressure has to be kept up on Moscow to be more transparent and democratic. He says he will address the challenges posed by a resurgent Russia with a strategy which will encompass the entire region.
5. Health Care
McCain: Believes health care should be made more accessible, and believes this can be achieved by increasing competition in the market-place among insurers. He thus proposes replacing a tax break on employer-sponsored health plans with a 5,000 dollar tax credit enabling working Americans to shop around for coverage. He also proposes greater oversight of insurance and pharmaceutical companies to prevent them from profiting unreasonably at the expense of consumers.
Obama: Wants all Americans to be covered by a universal health care plan. His plan, based on incentives and cost cuts, would be voluntary but oblige parents to insure their children. He also wants to require insurance companies to cover pre-existing health conditions, and provide a small business tax credit to help them afford protection for all employees.
6. Iran
McCain: Says “there is only one thing worse than military action and that is a nuclear-armed Iran.” He is against any presidential-level talks, which he believes would only lend legitimacy to the regime’s hardliners. He would like to tighten sanctions, mostly economic, outside the UN sphere if necessary.
Obama: Is in favor of launching a dialogue with Iran, without pre-conditions as he says it represents a serious threat to the Middle East region and the United States. He has indicated talks would begin at a lower level first. He says if Tehran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, the US would offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal diplomatic relations.
7. Immigration
McCain: Was a key mover in 2006 legislation to try to regularize the situation of illegal immigrants, but insists on the need to secure the borders before any other reforms can be carried out.
Obama: Supports immigration reform which boosts border controls while legalizing under certain conditions the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the United States.
Good yes? OK, now go off and vote, before it’s too late if you haven’t already.
Now, from a personal point of view, let’s hope that the people who say they are going to vote for Obama, actually vote for him once they get into the voting booth, or this could be an absolute disaster for the Democrats. Also I couldn’t possibly bear TTG’s smugness if Mccain was to win. Urrgghh.
shirley
November 4
9:01 pm
I voted and I voted for Obama. I know a lot of Americans don’t share their vote, or lie about it, but I for one am proud to squawk it loud. I voted and so should everyone else who can. If we all vote, no matter who we choose, we can change, and hopefully make better, this country and the world.
Karen Scott
November 4
9:11 pm
Shirley, can I ask why you voted for Obama?
Angela James
November 4
10:03 pm
I too have a husband who wants McCain to win (and will actually vote for him) so I’m with you in hoping there’s no smugness on his part tomorrow. He’s way more likely to act smug if his candidate wins than I am.
I’ve been worthless today as far as getting work done, I’ll be glad when it’s tomorrow.
Karen Scott
November 4
10:07 pm
I hear ya. TTG will crow till the cows come home if McCain wins.
shirley
November 4
10:28 pm
Sure. I did a lot of looking up on how each candidate voted, and truth be told, before this last year I’d have been hard pressed to choose McCain or Obama based on that: they both voted very similarly.
After looking at their voting records, I checked out miscellanea, public information on personal connections, news items where they were mentioned, etc. Although I don’t agree with, or even ‘like’ (as well as I can like or dislike someone I do not personally know), some of the people Mr. Obama has associated with, I like the way he handled these associations with dignity and respect. He may have pulled out of his church, but he didn’t castigate his Reverend as much of the rest of the country did. Something I find honorable, even if I highly disagree with anyone slinging around racist remarks.
Further, I don’t like that John McCain ditched his wife of many years for a barbie doll when his wife was disfigured in a terrible accident. Honestly, I’m sure there were other things going on between the first Mrs. McCain and Mr. McCain, but leaving a woman when she needs support the most is extremely dishonorable, IMO. Despite the fact that I have high regard, respect, and compassion for John McCain’s integrity as a man who has seen the horrors of war, and suffered them, personally, his judgment on this thing bothered me tremendously.
I think Obama is young and inexperienced. I think he’s too rich to really understand, or want to remember, what it’s like to be dirt poor. BUT, I also think no matter whether he wants to remember or not, being as poor as he was at one time in his life makes a permenant mark on a person. So I think despite his wealth now, he will work hard to make the US, and the world, a better place for those suffering in poverty.
I think McCain would be a strong protector of the country, but I also believe, based on his recent voting record, that he’d spend a little too much time protecting the rich and as a result punishing the not rich. I find his choice of running mate abominable, and perhaps that was the real clincher. Any woman who thinks the right to choose is ‘wrong’ wouldn’t get my vote EVER.
In the end, though, I believe change is just a word. Both of the candidates have been spewing it for months, but considering how much this country, and the world, seem ready to choose Obama, to go where he leads with hope, I believe he has the best chance of turning that word into true action. And that’s why he got my vote.
Karen Scott
November 4
10:36 pm
Thanks for that Shirley.
JC Wilder
November 4
11:07 pm
I voted for Obama. I’m not concerned about his ‘lack of experience’ because the reality is the only people who are ready to be President are those who HAVE been President already.
George Dub-ya is only exception – he’s fit to be a school crossing guard in an area with no kids, no traffic and no schools…or people for that matter. Yes – just put him in a biosphere with no people for miles around and maybe – just maybe he won’t destroy more lives.
This country needs a diplomat as President, not another life-long politician.
K. Z. Snow
November 4
11:36 pm
I voted. Early. And often. (Just kidding!)
I voted for Obama because he’s uniquely inspiring and uniquely presidential — much more so than any candidate I’ve seen in decades — and I truly believe that, regardless of his recent past or his economic status, he will take the responsibility of leadership very, very seriously. The man isn’t enough of a politico to have sacrificed his integrity or his intelligence.
Besides, if McCain were to die in office . . . (Need I say more?)
AztecLady
November 4
11:38 pm
One of my neighbors, registered republican who voted for Bush the first time around, told me that she voted for Obama for one of the reasons Colin Powell endorses Obama–the likely appointment of Justices to the Supreme Court. She, a republican, fiscal conservative, is afraid of how things would go for civil rights under a more right wing Supreme Court (her words)
Shreela
November 5
3:52 am
I’ll be excited when non-political themed blogs get back on topic. Even celeb gossip blogs are full of political comments.
Lynette
November 5
4:14 am
Okay, I’ll ask a non political question. Sorry for being TSTL but what does TTG stand for? I know it’s your other half but what does it stand for?
AztecLady
November 5
5:26 am
TTG = TheTallGuy
😀
And History has been made!
Throwmearope
November 5
5:27 am
W00T!!!!!
Dee
November 5
5:32 am
RIGHT ON! RIGHT ON! RIGHT ON!
It gives me so much hope to know Obama will be our President. My burning hope is that with him at the helm, not only will my country settle down and focus on our many issues (the war, the economy, etc), I hope that my country will FINALLY begin to put an end to the racial tensions in this country.
As someone that has lived through the 60s and the 70s, I can’t wrap my brain around how, in the year 2008, there is STILL hatred based solely on the color of someone’s skin.
Teddypig
November 5
5:55 am
Obama Won!
AztecLady
November 5
6:04 am
His words to McCain, like McCain’s to him, give me so much hope.
Damn I’m crying like an idiot.
Lynette
November 5
6:25 am
That was the best acceptance speech ever, I think. As a black woman, this is a moment I’ll never forget. I’ve very hopeful and hope he’ll really be able to make a change once he’s in office.
I’ve never been prouder to be an American.
AztecLady
November 5
6:34 am
I love that Obama’s message was not only about winning but about the responsibility and work we are facing.
shirley
November 5
6:58 am
I think John McCain concession speech was freakin magnificent and I was also moved, deeply, by Barack’s acceptance speech. In fact, I burst into tears the minute he mentioned his grandmother. My heart just broke for him that a woman he so obviously adored and respected died just a day before the American people screamed for change by electing Barack president. I too loved that he didn’t just talk about fluff, but said we’d have to work TOGETHER to get things done and about his faith, hope, and conviction that change for the better WILL happen.
I’m just over the moon joyous right now! As excited as I was the very first time I cast a ballot and that is saying something :D!!!