- Neither candidate spoke much about illegal immigration; both presented similar uninspired approaches to the issue that should probably be in the top 5 on the priority list.
- Neither candidate offered an approach to health care that addresses the root causes of the problem (over-inflated costs); they offered government handouts instead (probably because they can’t afford to lose campaign donations from the insurance companies).
- Both candidates promise to eliminate the influence of “special interests,” but graciously accept large donations from the very same “special interests.
Although I disagree with Obama on several issues, the gaps are not very wide. His analysis of the Iraq/Pakistan/Al Qaida situation almost exactly matches mine, and his proposed approach is fairly close to mine.
I like the general direction of Obama’s tax proposals, but I worry a little about the details of the implementation.
- We should not be offering subsidies and tax breaks to oil companies that are making record profits. Nor should we offer bailout funds to financial institutions that use them to pay bonuses to the executive jerks that put the companies in the tank.
- We should offer not handouts, but rather issue contracts to companies for the development and production of alternative energy sources.
- We should tax the huge amounts of "unearned" wealth amassed by hedge fund brokers, insurance companies, athletes, entertainment personalities, etc.
- We should tax the roughly 6,600 multimillionaires who paid no taxes last year. But we should not increase taxes for someone merely because he grossed $250k last year in a small business.
- Some fine distinctions have to be made with respect to increasing taxes on corporations (which, done wrong, could damage the nation’s economic health) or increasing taxes on personal income (since most everyone can get along comfortably without a yacht, a fifth car, or a third house, or two hundred suits).
Unfortunately, neither the congress nor the president seems to have the ability or the desire to ensure that all earnings are accurately reported, or to make the necessary distinctions regarding what kinds of wealth are taxable.
I sincerely hope that Obama shows better judgment in selecting his future associates and advisors than he did during his political rise (Ayers, Wright and Pfleger are not the people I want to see advising our President). And I hope that Obama’s future actions directly support the admirable goals that he delineated during the campaign.
Throughout his campaign, McCain demonstrated that he could not make good decisions. His energy plan was superficial, his health plan was foolish, and his financial plan was virtually non-existent. From his choice of a running mate, I concluded that he did not want a potential 2012 presidential candidate to be tarnished by a probable loss this year. He declined many opportunities to communicate his plans for the future, and appeared to pander to the rightists instead.
I'm glad that I decided to vote for Obama, and that a majority of Americans came to the same conclusion.
Rob
