Election 2008- Crash Course

FrankieJ

Hi everyone.

I am an 18 year old, undecided registered voter. I need a crash course to decide who i should vote for. Topics, belifs, facts. Anything that could persuade me to vote for either party. Please, start with the basics, then work up to the more important stuff.

I haven't really followed politics at all, so anything you can contribute will help.

Also, please don't get this thread deleted by cussing and bashing other peoples beliefs. If you have differing opinions, state them, but don't call each others names, argue, etc.

Thanks so much.

--Frank

Dirtie_Frank

FrankieG wrote:

Hi everyone.

I am an 18 year old, undecided registered voter. I need a crash course to decide who i should vote for. Topics, belifs, facts. Anything that could persuade me to vote for either party. Please, start with the basics, then work up to the more important stuff.

I haven't really followed politics at all, so anything you can contribute will help.

Also, please don't get this thread deleted by cussing and bashing other peoples beliefs. If you have differing opinions, state them, but don't call each others names, argue, etc.

Thanks so much.

--Frank

Do some research on yourself because the Obama supporters will tell you his positives and McCains negatives and Vise Versa. Best of luck and good job for getting involved

jeffbr

FrankieG wrote:

Anything that could persuade me to vote for either party.

My first bit of advice is to consider that there are more than 2 parties, and one of the other ones may more closely represent your political/social/economic views.

Don't think of an election as trying to pick a winner. What you should actually be doing is voting for someone who shares your values and will vote the way you would.

TDMize15

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_United_States_presidential_candidates,_2008

This could possibly be helpful.

The first debate is September 26th.

I'd be glad to give you my ideas of what each party is, but no one is humanly capable of not being biased towards things.

jimed14

you have 50 days ... take a breathe ...

This was posted in a different forum I frequent, posted originally by the Assoc Press ... please feel free to correct anything that is wrong.


Obama-McCain: Where They Stand

From the Associated Press (AP)

ABORTION

McCain: Opposes abortion rights. Has voted for abortion restrictions permissible under Roe v. Wade, and now says he would seek to overturn that guarantee of abortion rights. Would not seek constitutional amendment to ban abortion.

Obama: Favors abortion rights.

AFGHANISTAN

McCain: Favors unspecified boost in U.S. forces.

Obama: Would add about 7,000 troops to the U.S. force of 36,000, bringing the reinforcements from Iraq. Has threatened unilateral attack on high-value terrorist targets in Pakistan as they become exposed, "if Pakistan cannot or will not act" against them.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE

McCain: The co-author of McCain-Feingold campaign finance law, he plans to run his general campaign with public money and within its spending limits. He has urged Obama to do the same. He applied for federal matching funds for primaries but later turned them down so he could spend more than the limits. Federal Election Commission belatedly approved his decision to bypass the primary funds, but rejected McCain's claim that he needed no such approval. McCain accepts campaign contributions from lobbyists.

Obama: The presidential campaign's fundraising champion has brought in $390 million. He plans to raise private money for his general election, despite his proposal last year to accept public financing and its spending limits if the Republican nominee does, too. Obama refuses to accept money from federal lobbyists and has instructed the Democratic National Committee to do the same for its joint victory fund, an account that would benefit the nominee. Obama does accept money from state lobbyists and from family members of federal lobbyists.

CUBA

McCain: Ease restrictions on Cuba once U.S. is "confident that the transition to a free and open democracy is being made."

Obama: Ease restrictions on family-related travel and on money Cuban-Americans want to send to their families in Cuba. Open to meeting new Cuban leader Raul Castro without preconditions. Ease trade embargo if Havana "begins opening Cuba to meaningful democratic change."

DEATH PENALTY

McCain: Has supported expansion of the federal death penalty and limits on appeals.

Obama: Supports death penalty for crimes for which the "community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage." As Illinois lawmaker, wrote bill mandating videotaping of interrogations and confessions in capital cases and sought other changes in system that had produced wrongful convictions.

EDUCATION

McCain: Favors parental choice of schools, including vouchers for private schools when approved by local officials, and right of parents to choose home schooling. More money for community college education.

Obama: An $18 billion plan that would encourage, but not mandate, universal pre-kindergarten. Teacher pay raises tied to, although not based solely on, test scores. An overhaul of President Bush's No Child Left Behind law to better measure student progress, make room for non-core subjects like music and art and be less punitive toward failing schools. A tax credit to pay up to $4,000 of college costs for students who perform 100 hours of community service a year. Obama would pay for his plan by ending corporate tax deducations for CEO pay and delaying NASA's moon and Mars missions.

ENERGY

McCain: Favors increased offshore drilling and federal money to help build 45 nuclear power reactors by 2030. Opposes drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Proposed suspending the 18-cent a gallon federal gasoline tax but idea got no traction. Global warming plan would increase energy costs.

Obama: Now would consider limited increase in offshore drilling. Opposes drilling in Arctic reserve. Proposes windfall-profits tax on largest oil companies to pay for energy rebate of up to $1,000. Opposed suspension of the gas tax. Open to tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for short-term relief from high energy costs. Global warming plan would increase energy costs.

GAY MARRIAGE

McCain: Opposes constitutional amendment to ban it. Says same-sex couples should be allowed to enter into legal agreements for insurance and similar benefits, and states should decide about marriage. Supports the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages and gives states the right to refuse to recognize such marriages.

Obama: Opposes constitutional amendment to ban it. Supports civil unions, says states should decide about marriage. Switched positions in 2004 and now supports repeal of Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages and gives states the right to refuse to recognize such marriages.

GLOBAL WARMING

McCain: Broke with President Bush on global warming. Led Senate effort to cap greenhouse gas emissions; favors tougher fuel efficiency standards. Favors plan that would see greenhouse gas emissions cut by 60 percent by 2050.

Obama: Ten-year, $150 billion program to produce "climate friendly" energy supplies that he'd pay for with a carbon auction requiring businesses to bid competitively for the right to pollute and aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. Joined McCain in sponsoring earlier legislation that would set mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions. Supports tougher fuel-efficiency standards.

GUN CONTROL

McCain: Voted against ban on assault-type weapons but in favor of requiring background checks at gun shows. Voted to shield gun-makers and dealers from civil suits. "I believe the Second Amendment ought to be preserved _ which means no gun control."

Obama: Voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to suit. Also, as Illinois state lawmaker, supported ban on all forms of semiautomatic weapons and tighter state restrictions generally on firearms.

HEALTH CARE

McCain: $2,500 refundable tax credit for individuals, $5,000 for families, to make health insurance more affordable. No mandate for universal coverage. In gaining the tax credit, workers could not deduct the portion of their workplace health insurance paid by their employers.

Obama: Mandatory coverage for children, no mandate for adults. Aim for universal coverage by requiring employers to share costs of insuring workers and by offering coverage similar to that in plan for federal employees. Says package would cost up to $65 billion a year after unspecified savings from making system more efficient. Raise taxes on wealthier families to pay the cost.

HOUSING

McCain: Open to helping homeowners facing foreclosure if they are "legitimate borrowers" and not speculators.

Obama: Tax credit covering 10 percent of annual mortgage-interest payments for "struggling homeowners," scoring system for consumers to compare mortgages, a fund for mortgage-fraud victims, new penalties for mortgage fraud, aid to state and local governments stung by housing crisis, in $20 billion plan geared to "responsible homeowners."

IMMIGRATION

McCain: Sponsored 2006 bill that would have allowed illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S., work and apply to become legal residents after learning English, paying fines and back taxes and clearing a background check. Now says he would secure the border first. Supports border fence.

Obama: Voted for 2006 bill offering legal status to illegal immigrants subject to conditions, including English proficiency and payment of back taxes and fines. Voted for border fence.

IRAN

McCain: Favors tougher sanctions, opposes direct high-level talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Obama: Initially said he would meet Ahmadinejad without preconditions, now says he's not sure "Ahmadinejad is the right person to meet with right now." But says direct diplomacy with Iranian leaders would give U.S. more credibility to press for tougher international sanctions. Says he would intensify diplomatic pressure on Tehran before Israel feels the need to take unilateral military action against Iranian nuclear facilities.

IRAQ

McCain: Opposes scheduling a troop withdrawal, saying latest strategy is succeeding. Supported decision to go to war, but was early critic of the manner in which administration prosecuted it. Was key backer of the troop increase. Willing to have permanent U.S. peacekeeping forces in Iraq.

Obama: Spoke against war at start, opposed troop increase. Voted against one major military spending bill in May 2007; otherwise voted in favor of money to support the war. Says his plan would complete withdrawal of combat troops in 16 months. Initially had said a timetable for completing withdrawal would be irresponsible without knowing what facts he'd face in office.

SOCIAL SECURITY

McCain: "Nothing's off the table" when it comes to saving Social Security.

Obama: Would raise payroll tax on wealthiest by applying it to portion of income over $250,000. Now, payroll tax is applied to income up to $102,000. Rules out raising the retirement age for benefits.

STEM CELL RESEARCH

McCain: Supports relaxing federal restrictions on financing of embryonic stem cell research.

Obama: Supports relaxing federal restrictions on financing of embryonic stem cell research.

TAXES

McCain: Pledged not to raise taxes, then equivocated, saying nothing can be ruled out in negotiating compromises to keep Social Security solvent. Twice opposed Bush's tax cuts, at first because he said they were tilted to the wealthiest and again because of the unknown costs of Iraq war. Now says those tax cuts, expiring in 2010, should be permanent. Proposes cutting corporate tax rate to 25 percent. Promises balance budget in first term, says that is unlikely in his first year.

Obama: Raise income taxes on wealthiest and their capital gains and dividends taxes. Raise corporate taxes. $80 billion in tax breaks mainly for poor workers and elderly, including tripling Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credit for larger families. Eliminate tax-filing requirement for older workers making under $50,000. A mortgage-interest credit could be used by lower-income homeowners who do not take the mortgage-interest deduction because they do not itemize their taxes.

TRADE

McCain: Free trade advocate.

Obama: Seek to reopen North American Free Trade Agreement to strengthen enforcement of labor and environmental standards. In 2004 Senate campaign, called for "enforcing existing trade agreements," not amending them.

fuck

Vote for McCain if you like killing people who aren't American and persecuting minorities.

Dirtie_Frank

_outlaw wrote:

Vote for McCain if you like killing people who aren't American and persecuting minorities.

My case in point

FrankieJ

Thanks everyone.

Since I'm almost the only one in my class that can vote I wanted to make sure I fufill my duty.

Jim, thanks, that is exactly what i was looking for.
I will read it in the morning though, too tired now.

Any input is still welcome. Just trying to get a feel for the candidates.

FrankieJ

Dirtie_Frank wrote:

My case in point

yes, I thought I would see some of this, but hopefully everyone won't be extremely biased, a little is ok.

ACCBootlegGoddess

Jimed14....You ROCK!!!!!!!!
Thank you SO MUCH!!!!

I've been asking in so many threads on this forum for exactly what you just posted and all I was getting was shit like "I'm not voting or McCain so much as I'm voting against Obama."

I REALLY hope there are WAY more SMARTER Americans then there are reactionary, stupid and gullible ones. (not saying all republicans are this...if you look at both candidates platforms and then decide that McCains is more in line with your beliefs...great for vote for him).
I may be in favour of Obama, but I would never begrudge someone for voting Republican if they KNOW all the issues and where BOTH parties stand...and actually AGREE with the candidate they are voting for and not just voting along party lines cause you have been a lifelong supporter of said party...or voting because you hate the other candidate more than you hate the one you are voting for.

fuck

Dirtie_Frank wrote:

My case in point

Ok.

You don't have to like killing non-Americans, just not mind it.

digster

Someone on this board pointed me to ontheissues.org, which keeps track of what the candidates say (and what they have voted on); a good way to see if their record backs up the talk. They have sections on both presidential candidates and both VP candidates there, and they break it down by topic as well. Good huntin.

Cosmo

FrankieG wrote:

Hi everyone.

I am an 18 year old, undecided registered voter. I need a crash course to decide who i should vote for. Topics, belifs, facts. Anything that could persuade me to vote for either party. Please, start with the basics, then work up to the more important stuff.

I haven't really followed politics at all, so anything you can contribute will help.

Also, please don't get this thread deleted by cussing and bashing other peoples beliefs. If you have differing opinions, state them, but don't call each others names, argue, etc.

Thanks so much.

--Frank

...
Don't vote because of what other people tell you... find out on your own.
Don't buy into that Republican vs. Democrat crap that Cable Television so-called 'news' networks are selling. Remember... you are an American First. You are not a Republican or a Democrat by birth... but, you are born an American... party affiliation is your choice. Republicans or Democrats are NOT your enemy... People who want to crash airplanes into your office buildings are. A divided nation has never won a war... and never will.
A Reality Check... Campaign Promises are NOT promises. Campaign Speeches are not what the future will hold. Politicians are used car salesmen trying to get you to buy what they are selling... themselves. Buyer beware.
You are given a choice of two people who are on opposite sides of the same coin. Choose the one you believe will do the least amount of damage to your nation.
...
Pick issues that are important to you and find out where each candidate stands on those issues. The best you can do is verify their actions... such as how they voted on those issues. Do not rely on websites other than those that represent the governing body... i.e. U.S. Senate or House of Representative websites instead of KarlRove.com or michaelmoore.com.
The most powerful thing is an informed voter. Politicians fear them and strive to keep us mis-informed. Cut through the bullshit.
vote for your Congressman and your 2 state Senators.. they are your closest links to the government. see where they stand on the issues that you are concerned with and either support or oppose them based on that.
Negative Campaign ads means that the candidate who is using them has nothing good to say about themselves. You're best of ignoring them all. Television is your enemy.