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Agamemnon


Scranton Guy

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Obama or McCain?
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Who are you leaning towards voting for and why?

I am really not sure. Here are the positives and negatives as I see them for both candidates:

John McCain
Positives -
- A genuine American hero who served his country with honor
- By all accounts a stand-up, regular guy
- Lots of experience/knows how Washington works
- Talks a good talk about fiscal responsibility
- Has a history of independence/bucking party leadership
- Is healthy for his age
Negatives -
- May be too much of an insider
- His healthcare plan is a joke...think about it: if Microsoft and IBM can't negotiate better healthcare rates as companies (with their resources and buying power), what makes John McCain think that "Bob from Scranton PA" will have any more luck as a single consumer buying a healthcare policy?
- Seems to have "adapted" himself to be more likeable to the extreme right of the GOP (break out the "Pander Bear")
- Much of his policies...including healthcare and Social Security...seem like George W. Bush leftovers
- He seems to have forgotten the "whisper campaign" initiated by Karl Rove and company that was directed towards him during the 2000 GOP Primary (i.e., "John McCain is crazy", "John McCain fathered a half-black child", etc.)


Barrack Obama
Positives -
- By all accounts is an exceptionally intelligent guy
- "Walks the Talk"...has used his Ivy League Law Degree to help people, not make big bucks for himself
- Is a passionate speaker
- Talks about wanting to make real change in Washington DC
- His candidacy is forcing people to think hard about race relations in the United States
- Has a healthcare plan that seems to provide more of an opportunity for real, positive change
- His primary campaign was exceptionally well run and managed to beat the hands-down favorite, Hillary Clinton
Negatives -
- A painful lack of real governing experience
- A painful lack of foreign affairs experience
- His attacks on Hillary Clinton have put off many women voters
- His appeal to urban voters may seem threatening to suburban and rural voters
- Tends to rely on the "tax the rich" theme a bit too much
- If you add up his promises, they cost a lot of money
- Ties to people like the Rev Wright and support from extremists like "Rev" Al Sharpton may turn people off

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Glenn Cashuric


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RE: Obama or McCain?
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I'm leaning McCain at this point, believe it or not. Gee, maybe I should have stayed in the Republican party after all.

GC

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LusOnlyVoice


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RE: Obama or McCain?
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Obama --- I feel a vote for McCain is a vote for 4 more years of the Bush administration ... Just my opinion.

I was a Hillary supporter ... not that that has anything to do with my decision ...

I like Obama's plan for health care ... I liked Hillary's better ... but I really don't like McCain's ...

I don't know what the answer is ... but for me there is more to like about Obama than there is to like about McCain.



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Agamemnon


Scranton Guy

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RE: Obama or McCain?
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Glenn Cashuric wrote:

I'm leaning McCain at this point, believe it or not. Gee, maybe I should have stayed in the Republican party after all.

GC


Why?

Interestingly enough, some of the reasons you cite for not voting for Paul Kanjorski (who I don't like either) could be applied to John McCain as well. I'm not breaking stones here, but I'm genuinely interested in the reasons people have for voting one way or another.

As for me, I'm still not completely sure, although I'm probably leaning towards Obama. I say with the caveat that my vote could change if McCain comes out with something better on healthcare...as it stands, that's my #1 issue.



-- Edited by Agamemnon at 08:04, 2008-07-27

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LusOnlyVoice


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I'm right there with you on that Ag ... and I really don't like McCains Health Care Plan ... like I said I don't know what the answer is ... I don't know if Obama is the one who will pull us out of the health care crisis ...

Also age is quite the factor in this for me ... not that I think that the President has to be young .... however ... I would be more comfortable with a President who is not quite so old ... did I really say that ... yes ... my opinion ... and just how I feel about it.

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Thursday's Child


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RE: Obama or McCain?
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Friends of mine always refer to Obama as the next President of the United States. I'm sure they have their reasons.

Personally I am a registered Democrat, but feel I will be voting for John McCain. I do not disagree with some of the things mentioned above about both Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain.

When George Bush was elected President, many people chided him on his good-ole-boy mannerisms and to this day still refer to him as "Dubya". No big deal.

When Bill Clinton was elected President, many people (mostly women) spoke about how charming he was/is. Turned out he had a roving eye and pecker, to boot. Got him in some trouble with the Mrs., but when it came down to it ... no big deal.

Dubya's father threw up on a Japanese dignitary ... a little embarrassing for the U.S., but no big deal right?

John Kennedy philandered his way to and through the White House. Anyone have anything to say about that at the time? Again, may have been a little embarraassing for the Mrs., but again, no big deal.

Now we have Barack Obama with his ivy league education. He's a heck of spokesman, extremely charming, may very well be a heck of a leader and could possibly hold down the sushi at a japanese dinner.

Enter Michelle Obama with her "finally proud to be an American" because her husband may have a new job soon. Enter Michelle Obama with her hand thumping pushing for the black vote. Enter Michelle Obama making her appearances on talk shows harping that she "hasn't been greeted properly" and expects the women on The View to give her that same hand thump.

This is the candidacy for the President of the United States, not a stint for the NAACP. You meet a dignitary, you shake the man's hand and stick that fist in your pocket. You meet Joe Schmoe on the street, you shake the man's hand. And for that matter, if you meet Barbara Walters, you shake her hand. Next thing you know, we'll have gangsta rap in the Oval Office, grafitti in the rose garden and it will be mandatory to wear saggy pants hanging off the asses of the Secret Service.

Yeah, call me a racist, but it's these small things that I don't feel the United States of America is ready for. I know I'm not.



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Agamemnon


Scranton Guy

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Thursday...I understand what you are saying about Obama (and his wife Michelle). There is a certain sense of cultural difference with him that leaves me thinking that maybe he doesn't or wouldn't understand where I am coming from. But then I think that for our entire existance as a nation, the President has always been an older, white, well-to-do, male...the kind of person may not understand what it's like to a woman...or a black person...or any other minority...or poor...and we've managed to survive and prosper as a nation.

I guess for me the trick is to try and look beyond what I sense to be the cultural differences between the Obamas and someone such as myself...just as others who are not older, white, well-to-do males have always had to do...and look to what they stand for on the issues that count.

Yes, the concept of having Flva Flav as Secretary of the Interior scares, but in retrospect, the reality of having James Watt in the same position (or someone like Anne Gorsuch Burford at EPA) scared me even more.

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Thursday's Child


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Before I even laid eyes on a picture of him, before I heard about his education, his family or his political beliefs, I was put off by the man's name. Barack Obama.

I grew up with names associated with the White House like Bush Clinton Regan Carter Ford Nixon Johnson Kennedy (in no particular order and who were certainly not all innocents). I think a candidate with the name Barack Obama would have been better received by the people of my generation (and older) if our country hadn't just gone through the devastation of what transpired on September 11, 2001.

That massacre is still too fresh in my mind, and his name automatically makes me think of the names of those responsible for it. Then we see pictures of him dressed like a nomad, sporting a gun and then to find out he has studied Middle Eastern religion, even if it was only for a short period of time. Then the rantings of his zealot reverend, who he did not immediately denounce. These are not occurrences which make me feel comfortable voting for him as the Presidency of the most powerful country in the world.

Put that tag on me. Call me a racist or bigot if you feel you need to. His education, his politics and my left-handed comments about the hand thumping aside, in my heart I cannot take that chance and vote for a president named Barack Obama.


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Agamemnon


Scranton Guy

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"Put that tag on me...."

Here's your tag - HUMAN (just like the rest of us).

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LusOnlyVoice


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You are not alone in your feeling Girl ... there are many people who are afraid to vote for Barack Obama for the very reason you speak of ... that does not make you a racist ... you don't see him as being the best choice for this country ... that is what elections are all about ... and you are simply ansering the question that Ag asked.

I have my reasons for leaning toward Obama (healthcare) and you have your reasons for leaning in the other direction ... it does not mean that we can't get along ... that we have to "tag" each other with any labels ...

Discussion is healthy ... if we respect one and other ... My real decision will be made when the Vice's are announced as deep in my heart I don't like either of these candidates.

-- Edited by LusOnlyVoice at 05:08, 2008-07-30

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Thursday's Child


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RE: Obama or McCain?
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Apparently the black commumity has spoken -- through none other than some jive-ass rapper. Are we going to have people like THIS in the White House if Obama is elected?

Here are the lyrics of Ludacris' Obama Song
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I'm back on it like I just signed my record deal
Yeah the best is here, the Bentley Coup paint is dripping wet, it got sex appeal
Never should have hated
You never should've doubted him
With a slot in the president's iPod Obama shattered 'em
Said I handled his biz and I'm one of his favorite rappers
Well give Luda a special pardon if I'm ever in the slammer
Better yet put him in office, make me your vice president
Hillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant
Jesse talking slick and apologizing for what?
If you said it then you meant it how you want it have a gut!
And all you other politicians trying to hate on my man,
watch us win a majority vote in every state on my man
You can't stop what's bout to happen, we bout to make history
The first black president is destined and it's meant to be
The threats ain't fazing us, the nooses or the jokes
So get off your ass, black people, it's time to get out and vote!
Paint the White House black and I'm sure that's got 'em terrified
McCain don't belong in any chair unless he's paralyzed
Yeah I said it cause Bush is mentally handicapped
Ball up all of his speeches and I throw 'em like candy wrap
'cause what you talking I hear nothing even relevant
and you the worst of all 43 presidents
Get out and vote or the end will be near
The world is ready for change because Obama is here!
'cause Obama is here
The world is ready for change because Obama is here!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Give me Sinatra and Patsy Cline any day compared to that crap.




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