I agree that Bush's spending has been a bit out of control. That said his tax cuts helped the economy, that is not up for dispute, the economic evidence backs it up. But Obama is going to increase spending, so how does this eliminate our debt? In economic terms lets look at it this way:
Say that I am the President and I want to build a new White House. It will cost 10 dollars. I can either A) Borrow $10 at a 10% interest rate, or I can B) raise taxes to generate the $10.
Whatever my course of action, I will lose out on the 10% interest rate and nothing more. If I borrow the money I will have to pay back $11 due to the interest rate, creating a net loss of $1. If i raise taxes for the money, I lose out on the money I need to pay the debt ($10) plus the loss of the 10% interest I could be generating ($1) so in total $11, for a net loss of $1. The basic premise of borrowing versus taxing has no major difference in economic terms. (That said the spending is where the problems come in, I agree Bush has spent a ton, but Obama has promised to increase spending)
Further, the idea that he will not tax the middle class is outrageous. I do not know who he thinks the capital gains tax increase is going to hit. It will hit middle class pension funds that are invested in the market. Further, historically lower capital gains tax rates have generated more revenue, so if he wants to generate more money to pay for his programs, shouldn't he be lowering the rates?
It is a monopoly because government subsidizes HMO's and will not let any new competition into the market. Further, everyone in this country has access to healthcare. If you cannot afford it, visits to public hospital ER's are free of charge.
We can talk to Iran all we want, the EU has been doing it for years and they have accomplished nothing. Further, the idea that we do not talk to Iran through back channels is outrageous, like it or not, we already do talk to Iran.
I was also more speaking about his Iraq policy. I think that the moderate muslim nations look at Iraq and would view a pullout as the US abandoning our word. I feel that this would only hurt our image in the area. Further, Saudi Arabia has made it clear that a pullout would not be acceptable (they are our biggest oil supplier, like it or not we have to pay attention) and Turkey has said an independent Kurdish area is not an option. If we pullout to soon the Kurdish area will simply declare independence and force the Turkish hand. (Turkey cannot allow this because they suppress a massive Kurdish population in their own nation to maintain power)
No, I can assure you I will not be. I have made investments and done quite well, I already am in the highest tax bracket and have plenty put away for a job search. That said, I think the "encouraging" people should come in the form of rewarding them for getting a job, not paying them to not work. Where is the incentive to work if that is the case?
I agree we cannot use oil forever. That said with new drilling techniques all this environmental talk is bogus in my view, we can drill and not disrupt the environment to any great extent. I think that a switch to alternative energy will take well over a decade or two to complete and in the meantime, why not drill our own oil? At the very least it will create new jobs and bring profits into an American oil company...
I do not see McCain the same as Bush at all. He has openly attacked Bush in the past and written legislation that has gone against the Republican platform. Obama has been a rubber stamp on the other hand. You are correct that Obama is a candidate of change, I just view it as a change for the worse.
