I watched a fair amount of the Presidential Nominees’ Forum hosted by Saddleback Church. I both liked it, and didn’t like it.
What I liked was that both candidates answered the same questions, and didn’t interact with each other’s answers. They were able to stay on task and not get caught up in attacking one another. I also liked that the audience was well prepped. They applauded both nominees, and did not boo them. They were respectful. Their reactions will be reserved for the voting booth, which is great.
What I didn’t like is the notion that they were somehow trying to win the “evangelical vote”. I don’t care if either of them can share the right terminology to explain their understanding of Jesus. I’m not looking for them to be my pastor, but to be our President. That has a very different set of criteria.
Both candidates playfully pandered to Rick Warren. I have no problem with that- it helped set people at ease and it was for show. They knew they weren’t pulling something over on people, nor were they trying to.
For me, the big differences between two candidates was the Obama certainly came across as more personable. But McCain’s answers (whether or not you agree with him) were more clear and decisive. Obama sounded thoughtful, but that doesn’t help me know how he’s going to lead us as a nation. For a candidate proposing change, the notion that Edward Kennedy will be one of his most trusted advisors is shocking. He is the ultimate insider, and stands behind some of the most messed up moments in American politics in recent memory. Not a good move by Barak. Nor was hemming & hawing about abortion. Women don’t get abortions because they have inadequate healthcare or don’t know they can easily and quickly find someone to adopt the child.
I thought McCain had a better grasp of economics. I also thought Obama doesn’t get that people don’t mind taxes for roads and schools (unless they fail). It’s all the entitlements and earmarks that people are frustrated with and don’t want to see their taxes raised to continue.
Obama also didn’t seem balanced his view of America, or other nations. Yes, we are FAR from perfect. We are not the only nation to deal with racism- it is a problem in every nation in which people of different ethnicities live. But I’d take our track record with the poor and disadvantaged than any other nations’. Are we jailing and murdering political dissidents? No. Religious people? No. This is, by and large, a generous nation. Think of all the humanitarian aid we provide each year- even to nations that don’t like us. Think of the numerous people, mostly Christians, who’ve given their time and money to rebuild New Orleans and other areas devastated by Katrina. Just one of my pet peeves- only mentioning the bad we do, and never acknowledging or downplaying the good we’ve done. Yes, we have some really dark marks on our record, but also some good ones.
I thought the forum was helpful, mostly. Any thoughts?
Plenty of thoughts. Obama was only answering the question about what’s wrong with America – he didn’t bring it up. And he couched his response by saying we’re getting there, we’re just not all the way there yet. I happen to agree.
McCain had a better grasp on economics?!?!? How does “I want everybody to be rich”, and “I don’t want anybody to have to pay taxes” even make SENSE???
But the worst thing you wrote was on the issue of abortion. Abortion is one of the most complicated issues we face, and yes, inadequate health-care and adoption services are two of the many problems women have to deal with. More poor women get abortions than McCain’s “rich” folk. When you live in a world where you’re kid has a better chance of going to jail than college, and you have less inherent hope for a brighter future than you’re mother did, it’s little wonder so many choose to get an abortion.
McCain’s “rich” folk live on a different planet from the women at the heart of this discussion.
I guess you didn’t hear all McCain said about economics.
1. Spending has been the problem. We have to cut spending. He wants to spend as little of our money as possible- that’s a good thing.
2. You don’t raise taxes during difficult financial times.
There are many people wanting to adopt children. Granted, some aren’t willing to adopted trans-racially, but many are. Poverty is not driving the abortion issue- often some poverty-mired teens see a kid as a way to get on welfare. Their aspirations are too low- partially because we keep them in lousy schools.
It comes back to opportunity. McCain talked about people having the opportunity to attain economic and family stability (I believe that was how he defined rich- not in terms of $$ alone). Part of that is allowing people educational oppurtunities that are currently out of their reach due to their financial condition. He wants poor kids to be able to go to good schools breaking that cycle of crime & imprisonment that is such an issue.
btw: can’t believe I’m agreeing with McCain so much. I’m not a McCain guy.
I have heard everything Phil Gramm’s puppet, John McCain, has said about economics. He is completely one-sided.
Financial times are difficult BECAUSE Bush cut taxes for the wealthy – don’t you understand that? We have debts, debts must be payed. Don’t you understand that? Paying more in taxes will keep the cost of living down. Don’t you understand that? “Cutting spending” is a wonderful political catch-phrase that means absolutely nothing. Washington doesn’t cut spending, all they do is change where the money goes. It still goes OUT, which means we need taxes to get money IN. Don’t you understand that?
And if you’re even THINKING of bringing up school vouchers, you’ve not only lost the argument, but my respect as well.
Revenues have been their highest- revenues are NOT the problem. Spending has been the problem. Spending has increased faster than revenues.
Economies grow when people can invest, and small businesses can employ other people. Increasing taxes inhibits growth.
YES, tackle the debt! But cut needless spending. They have to stop merely reallocating it.
Sounds like you understand as little about economics as most of the people in Washington. Their solution seems to be one thing : tax, tax, tax.
We are to blame for continuing to send people there who won’t cut spending.
oh, there was this factual error on Obama’s part, as reported by others http://theologica.blogspot.com/2008/08/abortion-rates-thirty-year-low.html –
USNews.com has an article on research from the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit group that focuses on reproductive issues. These findings were published in the March 2008 issue of the Institute’s journal, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.
The actual number of abortions dropped to a new low, with 1.2 million abortions in 2005, compared to a high of 1.6 million abortions in 1990.
The report does not include an analysis of why the levels have continued to decline. “We don’t regard [the findings] as good or bad,” Jones said. “It’s a descriptive study.”
The abortion rate for 2005 was 19.4 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. In comparison, the rate was 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women in 1981, 21.3 abortions per 1,000 women in 2000, and 19.7 abortions per 1,000 women in 2004.