End Of Rhetoric

In one of my several recent posts asking Obama supporters to clearly identify some of the “changes” that Barack Obama promises, I was asked “exactly WHAT are the changes that McCain is going to make for the greater good of our country?”.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t answer my question. And for the past 6 months or so, this is exactly the type of response I’ve seen when any Obama supporter is asked to explain which “changes” Obama will bring to our country. Similar answers are given when people are asked to name one single accomplishment Senator Obama has achieved during his career.

John McCain isn’t the one running on the campaign of “change”.

Change for the sake of change isn’t a good thing. Higher taxes? Bigger government? Being “tested” by foreign countries?

Sure, these are changes. But not positive ones.

In recent days, sensing victory, Obama has already begun backing off from many of his campaign promises. So I hope his supporters aren’t holding their breath for any immediate “change”.

What I don’t understand is why so many Obama supporters become so defensive when asked to expound the reasons for supporting their candidate.

In a recent interview, Governor Sarah Palin said something that really struck me when asked about the political division in our country. She said: “Well, you start by not discrediting or invalidating someone because of a position that maybe they take that you are in disagreement with. You learn from them, and you do — you’re able to find middle ground on so many of these issues, like global warming, the causes of it, but more importantly, what do we do about it to clean up our planet? There is always a way to work with another person.”

Think about it. I did, and having been guilty of this myself in the past, I learned something from my favorite governor.

So, I’m not trying to discredit anyone when I ask why they support Obama. But I do expect an answer beyond “Because he’s not George Bush”, or “Because he’s for change”.

It’s impossible to learn from people, and to work with them, if you don’t even understand what their position is. Or worse, when they don’t even understand what their position is, and might just happen to be supporting a candidate because he’s a very charismatic public speaker, or because he’s young, or old, or because of of his race or wealth.

I have absolutely no problem sharing exactly why I’m voting for McCain…

• His Senate record. Contrary to what the Obama campaign would have you believe, Senator McCain has broken ranks with the Republicans more than any other Senator. This same quality is evident in Governor Palin. While I generally support the Republican platform, there most certainly are times that I completely disagree with it. McCain has been a thorn in the side of Senate Republicans on many occasions, and has the voting record to prove it. Has Obama ever voted against party lines? No.

• His Service. Watch John McCain’s biography on A&E sometime. This is a pretty good summary of what a true hero is about. McCain’s military record speaks for itself. What has Obama every risked for his country?

• Taxes. This one is easy. Do you want to pay more taxes, or less? If you really believe Obama will lower your taxes, you either haven’t actually read his tax plan, or you don’t invest any money, or have a retirement plan.

• Economy. The current economic problems are GLOBAL, not national. Take a look at Europe and Asia. Neither candidate can bring an immediate change to this economy. However, lower taxes have proven time and time again to lead to a more robust economy. I believe John McCain will set the economic sails in a better direction than Barack Obama will.

• Experience. John McCain has far more experience than the 1-term Senator Obama has. Obama supporters like to challenge the experience of Sarah Palin, but they fail to realize that Obama is running against McCain, not Palin. And there is no comparison when it comes to experience between these two candidates.

• Integrity. I don’t trust Barack Obama. This is one that can’t be qualified since its just opinion.

Compare the campaigns:

Taxes

McCain : John McCain believes we must keep taxes low to reward hard work and create jobs for all Americans.

Obama : Barack Obama wants to “spread the wealth around” and is more interested in controlling who gets your piece of the pie than he is in growing the pie.

Economic Plan

McCain : John McCain has a comprehensive economic plan that will create millions of good American jobs, ensure our nation’s energy security, get the government’s budget and spending practices in order, and bring relief to American consumers.

Obama : The Obama tax increase would come at the worst possible time for America, and especially for small businesses like the one Joe the Plumber dreams of owning. The small businesses Senator Obama would tax provide 16 million jobs in America. And a sudden tax hike for those businesses will kill jobs at a time when we need to be creating more jobs.

Energy

McCain : John McCain will break from the past to lead a great national campaign to put us on a course for energy independence. No problem is more urgent today than our dependence on foreign oil.

Obama : Barack Obama voted for the same policies that created the problem. He voted for the energy bill promoted by President Bush and Vice President Cheney, which gave even more breaks to the oil industry.

Health Care

McCain : John McCain will make health care more available, affordable and responsive to patients and he will give families more choices over their care.

Obama : Barack Obama’s plan will harm employer coverage, continues the push toward government-run health care and will damage private coverage.

Reforming Washington

McCain : John McCain has a record of working to end Washington’s stagnant, unproductive partisanship. He will end wasteful government spending and put the government back on the side of the American people.

Obama : The American people have not seen Barack Obama forsake partisanship for progress. In his short time in the Senate, Congressional Quarterly shows he voted with the Democrat Party 97 percent of the time.

Government Spending

McCain : John McCain is committed to and has long fought for restoring fiscal discipline by eliminating wasteful government spending. Out of control spending has resulted in a weaker dollar, raising the cost of groceries and gas and killing jobs. John McCain will rein in federal spending to help our families in tough economic times.

Obama : Barack Obama plans to increase spending by nearly a trillion dollars. Already in three short years in the Senate, he has requested nearly a billion dollars in pork projects for his state and has been an eager participant in this corrupt system.

Education

McCain : John McCain will shake up failed school bureaucracies with competition, empower parents with choice, remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward good teachers.

Obama : Barack Obama wants our schools to answer to unions and entrenched bureaucracies.

Iraq

McCain : John McCain had the judgment to understand that America’s strategy in Iraq was failing and the courage to call for a dramatic change. That strategy is now working, and America is succeeding in Iraq

Obama : Barack Obama opposed the new strategy and predicted wrongly that it would fail. He voted to deny critical funds to our men and women fighting in Iraq.

While I’m certainly hoping for an upset, I fully expect Obama to win this election. Like I’ve said before, the world will keep turning and I don’t think the United States will cease to exist under our new president.

And when he is elected, I won’t be rioting in the streets, nor claiming he stole the election, nor that the election was fixed – as we would likely see from the other side.

In fact, I will support our new president, whether he’s the one I voted for or not.

This post is my sharing of facts as I know them, as well as opinion. I have no intention of debating anyone about it since I have already selected my candidate, and you – the reader – have probably already selected yours. I thought about turning off comments on this post, but have decided otherwise. I’m just answering some questions that I’ve been asked. If anyone has a burning desire to post a comment, go ahead. I will not be replying to any of them however.

Sick. Tired. All of the Above

I’m not sure if I’ve ever had election burn out like I have right now

(Um, that’s eLection burn out…)

Sure, I’ve got a vested interest in a certain candidate, and I very much dislike the other. Yet, I know that no matter who wins, the world will keep on turning. Honestly, I have more fears of the Pelosi gang than either presidential candidate. I don’t foresee either McCain or Obama destroying this country in the next 4 years, but Congress is another story.

Anyhow… I’m just ready for the end. This campaign has been going on for over 2 years now. On November 4th I’ll stand in line like everyone else, make neat little patterns on the touch-screen voting machine, then go home and relax.

Oh, yeah, and if one particular candidate wins, I’ll also pull all of my money out of the stock market and tuck it safely under my mattress, because I already know what his policies will do to the business and investment world.

But like I said, the world will keep on turning. And at least there wont be any more campaigning. You know, at least for 24 months, when it starts all over again.

Joe the Plumber in 2012.

Not Hard To Spot

Our nation is in the midst of a financial crisis.

Make no mistake about it, the current state of the financial market is closer to collapse than it has been at any time over the past 75 years.

At the time of a national – or in this case international – crisis, you’ll see the true character of people.

There are the Leaders, which head directly to the heart of the crisis, and put every effort into working toward a solution that will resolve the crisis. These are the “take charge” people. While not everyone will agree with their solution to any certain crisis, and while their actions may not always work, at least they are decisive and leading.

The others, of course, are the Followers. Followers have their place, and are just as important as Leaders, in their own way.

A General can create the most masterful plan for a battle, but without the troops, he won’t win.

The job of the President of the United States, however, requires a leader. Not someone that will follow polls, public opinion, or panels of advisers. No, it requires someone who will head straight for the center of the battle, or crisis, and lead… decisively.

Senator McCain has already suspended his campaign to fight this financial crisis in Washington, D.C. – and he is the one person who will be able to bring the two sides together – or close enough to make each side equally unhappy – so that an agreement can be made and the country can move forward.

Senator Obama has already declared his position as a follower, but has made himself “available” to the people of the country, by advising his counterparts in Washington to “call me if you need me”, while he continues to pursue his own self-interests while focusing on his campaign.

I don’t want a person “leading” our country who will be “available if we need them”. I want a person leading the country who will have already taken charge of things that I’d rather not have to lose sleep over.

We all talking about the potential collapse of our nation as we know it. Anyone who doesn’t see the depth of the financial crisis that we’re in, anyone who doesn’t see clearly how this is going to affect them, their children, and grandchildren, needs to revisit economics 101.

The actions of the two candidates over the past couple of days only solidifies my support of Senator McCain, the only choice if you want a true Leader leading our nation.

It’s A Growing Trend

The Associated Press reports this morning that a top fundraiser for Hillary Clinton, and member of the Democratic National Committee’s Platform Committee, is now supporting Senator John McCain for president.

Lynn Forester de Rothschild has said she thinks Democratic nominee Barack Obama is arrogant and has a problem connecting with average Americans.

Rothschild is a member of the DNC’s Democrats Abroad chapter and splits her time living in London and New York. She was one of Clinton’s top fundraisers, bringing in more than $100,000 for her presidential campaign. She built a multimillion-dollar telecommunications company before marrying international banker Sir Evelyn de Rothschild.

Rothschild plans to announce her support for McCain on today in Washington D.C.

Then, Just Keep On Going

I love how Sarah Palin has got Obama on the run…

Just reading this morning about his claim to have more experience than Governor Palin. I find it laughable that he’s now campaigning against a candidate for Vice President rather than Senator McCain.

Maybe Obama has finally realized that his “experience” as a first-term Senator doesn’t quite stack up to John McCain’s 26+ years of experience in the Senate. And that his role as “community organizer” isn’t quite the same as the military heroism that defines his opponent. McCain has executive experience as a U.S. Navy squadron commander. Obama has no executive experience in anything.

So, the young Sarah Palin seemed like an easy target since he clearly can’t equal McCain’s qualifications.

Yet, Obama still fails, even when compared to the young Governor.

Senate experience alone does not demonstrate Presidential qualifications. The office of the President is an executive role – a position that requires quick and decisive decision making, not days and weeks of deliberation in committee, such as in the Senate.

John McCain is a decisive decision maker and leader, as is documented in his exemplary military service.

And, Sarah?

Governor Palin also holds an executive position. She governs the 7th largest economy in the United States with a budget exceeding 9 billion dollars. She is the executive presiding over a state government which employs over 25,000 people.

State governments are a microcosm of the Federal Government. Every department within the Federal Government also exists within the State Government.

I don’t think it’s very smart of Obama to begin comparing himself to the Vice Presidential candidate, unless of course, he’s running for VP himself – but especially because he can’t even win that debate.

On the other hand, he can’t really call Senator McCain a “Washington insider” in a negative manor, considering VP candidate Biden has been in the Senate longer himself. He can’t even back up the McCain = Bush argument, since McCain opposed Bush policies about 80% of the time.

Is Sarah Palin qualified to be President today? In my opinion, no – not yet. I consider her to be a bit more qualified than Obama, but not significantly so.

However, Obama is not running against Governor Palin. He’s running against John McCain. And Senator McCain, my friends, is infinitely more qualified to lead this country than Senator Obama.

I Mean, McCain

Senator John McCain has just brought my vote back to the Republican Party. Sorry Mr. Barr, but McCain’s selection of 44 year-old Alaskan Governor Sarah Heath Palin for Vice President trumps my otherwise Libertarian views.

Put me down as a definite McCain-Palin voter in 2008.

Well, this isn’t exactly true. I am voting for Sarah Palin – she just happens to be on the McCain ticket. Considering Senator McCain’s age, there’s a good chance that he might be a one-term president, placing (the hopeful) Vice President Palin at the top of the heap in 2012.

Why my love for Sarah?

OK, let’s get this out of the way, because you know damned well I’m thinking it… Sarah Palin is, in my humble opinion, smoking hot. This GILF (the “G” is for Governor – you figure out the rest) could charm the most evil communist dictators into submission with her smile.

She is the youngest governor of Alaska, ever. She is the first female governor of Alaska, ever.

She is a former Miss Alaska runner-up.

She isn’t afraid of going against the flow, even within her own party. Sarah first gained statewide attention because of her whistleblowing on ethical violations by Alaska state Republican Party leaders. Clearly, she has an honest heart and doesn’t just follow the Party line.

Sarah defeated the incumbent governor in the Republican primary, and then went on to win the general election.

As governor, Palin has maintained an approval rating in the 80s and 90s through 2007 and 2008. That’s not a type… 80%-90% approval rating. This is almost unheard of.

I’ve studied her energy policies and stand on social issues, and I’m on board with her in both arenas.

By choosing Sarah, John McCain has made a wise decision. She will be an asset to his administration, as well as the GOP in general.

I have no doubt that, given the chance, she could bring respect and dignity back to the Republican Party. Something that has been erased over the past 8 years or so.

Oh, and did I mention that she’s totally hot?

Remember, a vote for McCain in 2008 is likely to lead to:

Sarah 2012 – Palin For President