Libertine

Obama vs McCain - let's take a quick look at both campaigns, and put the bullshit aside.

Below are a few of my thoughts on the matter. These are opinions, so if you disagree, please, post your arguments.

Obama

With the combination of his charisma and a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate, he'll have significant power if he gets elected. This has the advantage that he'll be able to get things done, and the disadvantage that if he makes bad decisions, they're far more likely to do a lot of damage.

Taking into account his relative inexperience, his VP is likely to play a large role in his administration. Expect Biden to initially be the brain behind many decisions, especially concerning foreign policy. Unlike Bush, though, Obama's an intelligent guy, so he'll become a bigger influence on policy as time goes by.

Economically, Obama's plans are somewhat unsound. It's close to impossible for him to keep all his promises and bring down the deficit as well. He'll probably break some promises, compromise on some others, and he won't bring down the deficit as much as he should. Overall, though, he should still improve America's economic situation - possibly greatly.

When it comes to foreign policy, he'll take a softer approach than the old administration. In some places, this will get results. Old alliances will benefit greatly, and he has a decent chance of booking some results in the Israel/Palestine conflict. In Iraq, however, there's a risk that he will either pull out too soon and leave behind the start of a devastating civil war, or be forced to stay long enough for the electorate to be disappointed. Also, a fairly soft approach increases chances of a country like Iran getting its hands on nuclear weapons.

Nationally, he'd probably create a deep and broad division. With the president, House and Senate being Democratic, there'd be little bipartisanship. Democratic initiatives would get pushed through fairly easily, which would undoubtedly anger conservative voters.

McCain

Lacking the full support of many in his party and facing a Democratic Congress, he would be somewhat of a lame duck president if elected. He would be forced to seek bipartisan support for most actions, which would be a good thing. On the other hand, to keep the support of his Republican base, he'd probably need to continue pandering to bible-thumping conservatives he doesn't necessarily agree with.

Considering his experience, temper and choice for VP, however, he'd definitely be the one calling the shots in the White House. Palin would probably mainly serve as decoration.

Economically, he'd essentially continue the Bush policy. Since that policy is deeply flawed, there's a good chance that if elected, McCain would actually lead the American economy into ruin.

Foreign policy, on the other hand, would not follow the Bush line. McCain would take a harder line than Obama would, but more sensible than Bush. He'd rebuild some old alliances, like Obama, but he would be less likely to achieve significant results in building new ones. On the other hand, he'd be less likely than Obama to let Iran get its hands on nuclear weapons.

Nationally, McCain would most definitely cause resentment among liberals. But being forced to deal with a Democratic House, he would not be able to follow partisan Republican lines. This would move the Republican mainstream slightly toward the center in McCain's wake. On the other hand, the religious right would be disappointed if McCain showed himself to be anything less than one of their own, and they would attempt to further increase their own political influence.


Overall, to me, Obama seems the better choice by far. It's a bit of a shame that his economic plans aren't better, and that the combination of a Democratic President with a Democratic Congress will create even deeper political divisions than exist today. However, the American economy simply can't take another 4 years of the current policies, and to continue to be a positive power in world politics, America needs close allies.

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Jon Clark - BANNED FOR LIFE

Do you even live in the US..?

fatfoo

sorry, I can't read all that

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