Voted McCain earlier today:
http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?ref=sb#/note.php?note_id=33051713820&id=678895025&index=0
As to my reasoning behind my vote....In case you didn't hit up the Facebook link:
Economy
We're in a recession. I got that. Problem is, many people are just blaming the economic climate on a single guy (GWB) than attempting to understand the deeper rooted problems of economics, which is most notably in the housing calamity we've seen as of recent.
I could get Brandon to explain this pretty well (since he works so much in that market), but the simple fact is that the issue isn't about 1 guy's fault, it's a climate of ignorance and stupidity both by the government (Clinton & the feds were the ones that passed the laws enticing mortgage companies to go after high-risk, potential homeowners that had no viable way of making payments), the banks (the ones that actually went through with what the feds wanted), and the consumer (being dumb enough not to live within viable means).
But at any rate, one of the key issues in the economy is jobs. To create jobs you need more businesses....Right? If that's the case (which I think it is), why is Obama constantly railing against corporations, who create jobs in the first place? Why does Obama have such a pitiful rating in the senate when it comes to voting for pro-business (and I'm talking small businesses here...The ones Obama says he's for) initiatives?
If you didn't know, America has one of the HIGHEST corporate tax rates in the world today. Many countries are stealing away jobs (which we see every day), by moving to other countries. Why would any business want to be here anyway, if we tax them to death? That's a major question everyone needs to answer, and I think that's very simple. Many of the speeches I've heard McCain and Palin have noted this issue, and the need to simplify and reduce corporate taxes and issues. Only then are you going to get more jobs here in the USA than elsewhere.
Healthcare
In case you didn't know, with a democratic congress, and a far left-leaning president, the chances of universal healthcare is very high.
But take it from me when I worked in the medical industry: universal healthcare will NOT work if it's done at all. I've visited over 100 medical facilities in Ohio - ranging from nurisng homes, to major hospitals, and every kind of doctor's office in between. America is not equipped to deal with universal healthcare.
Go visit hospitals, or look in any nursing trade magazine for a job. Heck, look in your local paper. Even if your economy is hard-hit, you'll usually find a bevy of ads begging for LPNs, RNs and other medical staff. Why? There just aren't enough going around. It's my firm belief that this reason is one of the primary reasons we face such high healthcare costs in the first place: How can healthcare be cheap when medical staff get paid far above any other field, since no one works in the field?
And knowing that as a certainly leads me to believe that if universal healthcare is enacted, then we will face a collosal failure of the American medical establishment: there will be even less qualified doctors and nurses in the United States to deal with the onslaught of new patients. Healthcare quality will suffer, and we will get rationed healthcare too. I know that healthcare is a major issue, but until we fix the staffing issues, you can't force hundreds of millions of new patients on doctors.
And of course, this doesn't begin to deal with the issues of having a larger, more pervasive government. Yet again, the government would be taking out more taxes from every person's paycheck for such a system. Such a system would not be fair: Healthy people would be paying increased rates since their friends that smoke, and have poor health (many by choice). That'd be like the government forcing car insurers to make everyone pay the same rate, regardless of car or driving history.
McCain's plan is a much better one: Give everyone tax credits. If they don't smoke, and try to live a healthy, positive lifestyle, that $2,500 will go much farther (or $5,000 a family) versus those that blunder the treatment of their own bodies. Yes, there could/will be issues of those that are unfortunate (and have random health conditions), but overall, it's a much better plan than universal healthcare, which is championed by democrats and Obama.
Not only this, one's healthcare choices would still be left up to the consumer, not the government. I am, and always will be, opposed to more government intervention: What's healthcare today will be lifestyle tomorrow.
Energy
Anyone remember $4.39/gallon gas prices we had during the summer? I do. One of the most heinous things done to the American people is the fact that we're sending billions of dollars overseas to other countries to fuel our addiction to oil. According to the CIA's World Factbook, America consumes 20,000,000 million barrels of oil it does not produce a day. At $100 a barrel (which it's been up to $140 at times), would be $2,000,000,000 a day that we send overseas.
Could you imagine what would happen if we took that $2,000,000,000 a day and instead re-invested it in American businesses? The economy would be going even stronger, and gas prices would be less inclined to fluctuate as they have in recent months.
Now, some may argue 'but this would create environmental problems in the US! It'd hurt the environment!' Of course it would - But do you think that OPEC countries (many of which are 2nd and 3rd world) are doing a better job of protecting their environment than America would, if we drilled here? I would argue that the world would be cleaner if we did it here, since there would be first-rate standards imposed on drilling, as opposed to the anything-goes mentality of middle eastern nations, and other nations we get oil from.
And may I ask: Should we be funding Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, with our money? I find it hypocritical that many attack the idea of funding terrorism, or rogue nations if they are friendly, or unfriendly nations (like North Korea), yet fund them MORESO by our oil imports.
McCain has been a big proponent of drilling in the US. I need only remind everyone that it was in the mid-90s, and in the early part of GWB's administration that we had the opportunity to drill in ANWAR. That very oil that would have been drilled would be helping us out TODAY if it wasn't for various congressmen/women and senators that were opposed to drilling in the US. Look at where we are now, both in the world, and when it comes to energy funding.
And of course, we need alternatives to oil as well. McCain has a good "Let's fund everything" strategy - hydrogen may not work. Ethanol may not work. But given the adequate funding, and a mentallity of exhausting every avenue (including oil) is a much better idea than only funding a specific form of alternate energy. America needs 100% of it's energy produced in the 50 states, not rouge states.
Political balance
Think about it for a moment. Unless a miracle happens, we are going to have a radical left president (and he is radical left. Goto projectvotesmart.com and look for yourself), and a left-leaning congress as well as a house of representatives.
For the first time in 30 years, we will have an entirely left-leaning administration. Some may find that a great thing, but I don't think it's going to really lead America further. You only have to look at Europe for proof. Many of the things they are doing will not work in America (their corporate taxes are far lower, so despite their income taxes, businesses can still work there). Socialism will run rampant in the US, and we will descend into further government controls in every aspect of life. It will happen, since there will be a strong majority of democrats in both the congress and senate.
Now look at the other aspect: If John McCain gets elected, he will be a moderate-right leaning president, with a left-leaning congress. There will be balance, as both parties and the president will need to work together to get legislation. There will be a strong sense of checks & balances, and citizens will win out in that sort of scenario.
Social/Values Issues
Echoing the aforementioned issue of balance, Christian values and rights will be decimated underneath an Obama leadership and democratic legistature. Abortion rights, and the 30 years of pro-life legislation will be wiped from American laws in a matter of years, if not months.
Gun control will be stricter than ever, if not banned from the public on some (if not many) measures.
Furthermore, hate crime legislation will be most likely passed, forcing citizens from not having a voice concerning social issues. Pastors in churches will be silenced about hot-button issues, and depending on who is in power, will determine what people can, and cannot say.
As a Christian, all those things, and 5,000 more are big issues to me. The last thing I want to see is the vocal, radical minority have it's will opposed on the majority of citizens, but under such leadership, I do not believe the majority's desires will be met at all, and we will have minority rule (regardless of the minority). Marriage will become meaningless, single moms will be the rule, and not the exception, and society will continue to take the long, slow slide down the 'anything goes' and 'moral relativism' side of life. None of those things will cure the woes of society, and I promise that.
There are a ton more things I could say, but won't. It should be noted that my wonderful Grandma, for the first time in her LIFE will be voting for a Republican president. She has never voted for once since she began voting more than 50 years ago, yet switched because she understands the gravity of the situation.
And I will leave with this: People don't understand (both sides) who they are voting for much of the time. Adolf Hitler was voted in by citizens. Hugo Chavez was voted in by citizens. Vladimir Putin was voted in by citizens. The point is that unless you understand the issues, and candidates, people can be in danger of voting for the wrong person and party due to slick promises, back door dealing, and nice TV ads.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
