Posted on 09/13/2008 7:36:55 AM PDT by Schwarzeneger
Why I am voting for McCain over Obama
1) Economy/Taxes: McCain will tax the country less. Even if you believe Obama's tax plan (and that's a stretch because he has NEVER voted for a tax cut when given the chance in congress) Obam claims he will cut taxes on 81% of Americans, but he will raise taxes MORE than McCain overall. In other words Obamas tax plan raises more taxes overall than does McCain's. Where will Obama get his taxes from? From those making more. What Dems don't seem to understand is that most Americans are employed by small business. Many if not most of those are structured as S corps where the company’s income is in the owner’s name. The S corp. offers an advantage in many respects. However all the profits are shown up as income to the owner, even if he reinvests that the following year. It makes them look rich when perhaps they are not. But either way taxing them makes it more difficult for them to provide benefits or even to hire. It’s no stretch that raising taxes on these groups can and will slow the economy, and therefore slow the tax receipts. In other words you raise the tax on these guys and still take in fewer taxes. As a bonus you also slow down the economy and increase unemployment. We don't need this with a recession coming or here already. As far the tax cuts from Obama for the 81-95% of the families, it doesn't matter if you lose your job or your salary goes down or you lose benefits.
2) Security: McCain will protect the country better than Obama. Obama is green and has no record and no history of working with the Military. Obama talks a good game but essentially has a liberal record. He’s a large green scary unknown. He has zero international experience. Its true that Palin also has zero international experience, but Pain is NOT on the top of the ticket. We face a renewed Russian problem as well as terrorists both in and outside of our country. I trust that McCain is NOT A WIND TESTER on this. He has shown a willingness to stand up and do what is needed even when it is not popular (surge). He has provided CLEAR LEADERSHIP on this. Obama has not. Obama did stand up and say it was wrong to invade IRAQ which is now the popular stand, but I'm not so sure it was a wrong move, and I am sure that once committed we need to successfully finish the job, not hamstring our success with hindsight management. Obama has tempered his answers but I just don't trust him to follow through.
3) Conservative Judges- By far to me one of the largest problems we have in our culture is the undisciplined Judges who basically legislate from the bench. Judges have more power IMO than almost any other individuals. At the federal level the damage done by liberal judges who legislate from the bench has been catastrophic. It messes up the entire American system, since essentially the people's legislation gets ignored, and in many cases (like abortion) states are prohibited from implementing their own policies (the policies that those communities want). This is true for case of gun control, and government condemned use land etc. Nothing has more potential for subverting our rights than undisciplined federal judges. McCain is for appoint strict constructionist judges. Obama is definitely NOT. He hated for example Anton Scalia, and Clarence Thomas and basically all the conservative constructionist judges and has said so publicly. There will be several Supreme Court justices appointed this term. Conservative judges are safer as they resist implementing even conservative ideas if they are not specifically spelled out in the constitution.
3) Real Reform - McCain and Palin offer a real chance at true reform. McCain and Palin has shown that he/she will work even against their own party to reform the system. That means painful (to the DC insiders) changes which an insider like Biden would never do. They are beholden to the power brokers. McCain has shown that he can muster forces from both Democratic and Republic sides to get things done. Obama HAS NO SUCH record and Biden has the opposite record. The reform I'm talking about is NOT JUST earmarks. A radical change in our system, needs to take place which will restore our system back into a fairer system which reflects what is best for the country. McCain/Palin have a record, Obama and Biden do not.
4) Health Care- Although I am concerned about people not being covered and the high cost of Health Care, I see the liberal solutions basically bankrupting the system or turning into a worse system which essential gets rationed. This is a complex problem which needs REAL complex solutions. The Dems seem to want to give it away to everybody at any cost. This would be great if it really was possible, but practicality tells me this is irresponsible. I trust McCain more than Obama to enact responsible solutions to this problem while still maintaining the best health care in the world. McCain has more experience and more connections to get this job responsibly done.
5) Responsible free trade- We have structured this new "World Economy" in the Bush and mostly Clinton administration in such a way as to not benefit our people in the long run. Building up countries like China's infrastructure so that we can have cheap Wal-Mart spatulas. We now have to borrow money from China? What's wrong with this picture? Frankly both parties are at fault here. We need to get back to basics and create a system in which we maintain an economy which produces jobs and products here in the US at fair rates. Unions screwed themselves here and also helped create the problems. I'm afraid that Obama will not do anything about this. I'm not confident that McCain will do much about this but I think he has the most chance of changing these kinds of policies. We need free trade but it has to be responsible free trade and not the selling of America.
6) Culture Decay - Hollywood and our general culture has decayed to the point of no return IMO. There is no responsible leadership on the unbridled disgusting behavior and smutty crap that is coming out of Hollywood and the internet. It makes the job of parenting very difficult and is producing a warped culture. We haven't even begun to see the results of this irresponsible spewing. And its prevalent in this culture you can't avoid it unless you live in a cave. For example the PORN on the internet is overwhelming. And there is any easy solution that could aid parents and decent folks. A set of IP address in a certain range could be allocated where the smut merchants can have their sites and the range could be easily blocked. Current filter are all but useless. For example http://xxx.whateversite.com where the xxx set of IP adresses area located to the PORNO crowd. Software could easily block that set of addresses. Once put in place we would have to be serious about internationally blocking sites that don't comply. I think this is a serious problem. Also the Hollywood crowd needs to clean up their act. Irresponsible behavior like drug use, promiscuity and drunkenness need to be punished/discouraged and we need to promote and uplift good behavior. This is sometimes difficult in a free society but it isn't impossible. McCain and Palin are more conservative than are Obama and Biden and although none of the camps are discussing this problem I have to believe that the conservatives seem more likely to solve this problem.
7) Social Security - I am actually more comfortable with Obama's solution of reforming social security. I don't believe privatizing it (as McCain wants to do) will produce good results.
8) Illegal Immigration - Here is another issue where I believe we need to make large reforms. We need to have a system in place that does not promote illegal immigration. Bush has been an abysmal failure on this issue. I don't hear what I think is the solution from either camp, but McCain sounds the most fair on this topic. What needs to be done is to absolutely crack down on illegal immigration and on states like Maryland that harbor and promote this. Its an assault on the rule of law to have these laws but basically allow the immigration because we believe that we couldn't find people to do the work these illegals are doing. This is just a basic unfair system. I believe if go back to actually following the law, we will be doing what is right (why is this even debatable?) and we will have fewer problems replacing these workers than is feared.
9) Overall move toward Socialism - Obama and Dems seem want to move the system toward an overall socialist system I fear this. I want to maintain a fair free market system where the government does its job and gets out of our way otherwise. We have too many laws and too much government intrusion. What are the ten words I hate to hear: "I'm from the federal government and I'm here to help." Limited small efficient government. Lately the Republicans like Bush haven't followed those principals but relying on the Dems to do it is not the answer. Things can get worse!
Why are you voting McCain or Obama?
“that many would not save the money “
So, you are a socialist in that you believe that you and government knows better and you have no trust in the people to fend for themselves. Where does the government get its money if not from the very epople who say can’t fend for themselves? It seems the government cannot fend for itself without stealing from the people.
Its my belief that the Social Security funds will not be tapped out. The powers that be can always inflate their way out it. In other words they can pay you the amount promised but the actual worth of those funds (even though they are technically indexed) will not be what was promised. In this way the SS payments will be made but the actual value of those dollars will be deflated as the economy inflates. Because of this I predict a constant ongoing pseudo-inflation, no matter who gets into office. It unavoidable. there is no free lunch. We need to follow with our commitments but we need to learn our painful lessons and not raid the funds. Also we need to stop allowing the SS funds to be used for everything and anything. it is a retirement security blanket not a an open source dipping fund.
[1] I love my country
[2] There’s a bear [and some rabid camels and pandas] in the woods.
Its an unfortunate reality we are in we are committed. And, the private sector is still available for real retirement funds. I am clearly not a socialist, but I am realistic IMO on this issue.
Hehe
yes...rabid Bear Panda and Camels out there!
“Its an unfortunate reality we are in we are committed.”
I haven’t resigned myself to believing that.
Under the US Constitution, spending bills cannot be made into the future, meaning future generations are under no obligation to pay SS. There is no contract that you could possibly take into court and demand payments. In fact, SS is nothing but a 15% additional tax that goes straight into the general fund. There is no social security trust fund and you have no account.
Our founding fathers warned us against such socialist programs for a variety of reasons that hold true today. We need to phase out SS without compromising those that have already been taxed into retirement and must rely on that very limited income.
I want to hear a candidate speak to those issues, not tell us the status quo will be maintained.
Look we are comitted to paying out those who have paid in. Defaulting on that is no solution.
Yes we could (as Bush decried) do an opt out solution but that will only become a Freddie or Fannie as people essentially complain that the private sector has lost their retirement funds. In other words the gov. will essentially have to pick up the bill anyway IMO.
The answer to me is to DEFLATE (already happening) and REFORM NOW. No more 15% into the general fund. Put the money in a real ss fund now. And pay out the funds and realize the will be deflatted for several years out until the responsible actions implemented begin to take over. It will be painful for a bit but its the only responsible solution IMO.
We sure don't need a Communist Organizer in the White House!
I have always had one simple reason that has remain unchanged: The Supreme Court.
That alone makes me terrified of President Obama.
And of course get a REAL handle on spending. The dollar is going to suffer some but as we become more stable, and implement solid reliable fiscal policies the dollar will eventually rebound. Its just like a prudent household that recovers by implementing prudent actions and discipline. They don’t default on their commitments but rather manage them given what they have before them. The DEFLATION of SS payouts in unavoidable and essentially becomes a sort of pseudo rationing, but no one is left out. It s ridiculous that our actions have gotten us here but we must responsibly get ourselves out without.
reason enough
Had a long response typed up, but my reasons boil down to: these are two extraordinary people, rarer than one in a million, and they can be trusted to always do the right thing.
It’s enough for me.
I have never been a McCain fan, but I am willing to vote against someone like Obama.
I wish I heard your long reply, and some more details, but I understand what you are saying.
Way to put your Country first Lt.
Completely agree with you.
Supreme Court—we’ve got a better chance with McCain.
I agree with what you say up to a point. I'm betting that you are not in your 6th decade, probably not even close or you wouldn't be so eager to trash SS.
Reforming the system is like changing tires on a car rolling down I94 at seventy MPH. The tough nut to crack is what do you do for the people who have been paying into the system for their entire working life and are now nearing retirement. We all realize that the "trust fund" is a sham and the currents receipts are used to pay current benefits for current retirees. We realize that we face retirement with nothing but a government IOU in hand. Hopefully we have had enough sense to invest some of our discretionary income and most will have pensions and perhaps 401Ks and 403Bs. But we have sunk a lot of money into the system and expect to see a return even if it has to come from a generation x dude's FICA tax levy.
If you just abolish the system as you suggest,you will see a march on Washington that will look like a silver wave breaking on the shore as an army of crabby old f@rts descend on the halls of power and proceed to take the place apart, brick by brick. You'll see Representatives and Senators introduced to the fine art of tar and feathers complete with a ride out of town on a split rail and that's just for openers. I expect that some might seize the Treasury and proceed to print our own d@mn money.
Not a pretty picture is it? I've heard it said that life is beautiful and death is peaceful, it's the transition that's terrible! Everyone knows that the Social Security system as it is today is not sustainable for much longer. It is a 'Ponzi scheme' and it worked fine when there were sixteen contributors for every retiree. Now we are down to two to one, soon to be one to one as the 'baby boomers' start cashing out. Succeeding generations of spineless politicians have 'kicked the can down the road' by trying incremental patchwork fixes, but no really sound answer as appeared as yet.
Just refunding the money that you have paid in would be a start although hugely unfair to those singled out for the hose job of the century. I sat down with my FICA records (available from the SS administration, if you haven't checked your yet you should as you only get three years to catch any mistakes they might make in your account!) and totaled them up from 1960 to date. The sum was not enough to be really impressive and maybe you might be able to live on it for a year or two at most. Then I applied a little math to a spreadsheet and dug out the Dow averages for the last sixty some years. The glory of compound interest and the time value of money resulted in a seven figure nest egg! How 'bout that, I could live comfortably forever on just the interest! This fact bears out your original statement about people doing better for themselves which shouldn't be a problem as SS has a rate of return around 3% and the Dow is historically in the 10% to 12% range.
It is obvious that I will not be able to live 'comfortably' on SS alone, but I do have a valid claim on about $1400 a month. The question remains how do you intend to finance that current obligation?
Regards,
GtG
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