Presidential Election

[JYB]

I am so happy to see Barack Obama doing well! Tonight's victory in NC & his near victory in Indiana has basically guranteed his nomination in my eye.

Hey, it's not like i don't like John McCain. He has done a LOT to serve this nation and has been an honorable man but hear me out :

Imagine a boy in the middle east, a boy around the age of 12. Let's say a 12 year old boy in Iraq.

He walks by a television set and there, on the television is in image of a light skinned black man and under his image reads "Barack Obama : President of the United States of America."

Wow.

That kid's view of the United States is changed forever. The old caucasian man in a suit image is gone and this kid might say to himself, "hey...what is that? wow...america is changing. america is progressive...america is moving in a new direction."

And that view won't belong to just that kid. It might belong to everyone in the rest of the world and perhaps, even in our own country. Perhaps racism and hate will diminish and people will live in peace.

So, let's be real : Hillary stayed in this race because of racist white people in mainly rural areas who couldn't come to grips with voting for a black man. Gross. It's 2008 people!! People are people: judge someone based on their character. If you don't like someone for something, make it a legit reason; don't say it's something based on the color of their skin.

Anyways, enough of my talk. I'm a 23 year old white man and I support Barack Obama for president.

[Pinseeker81]

I have no issue with Obama because of the color of his skin. I don't like him because he's a Socialist. It's the same reason I don't like Clinton. I'm not even wild about McCain, because of many of his views.

People swoon all over Obama because he's cooooool, and he loooooks gooood. They get so caught up in how he makes them feel now that they ignore what he'll do if elected. Universal health care? *shudder* Just shoot me now and get it over with. Let's just take the greatest system in the world, and put it under Government control! there's a plan... He'll also raise your taxes, so get ready to write that check.

So many people want to go ahead and have the first black president that they don't even care if he's a bad choice. You really think terrorists are going to not hate us because we had a black president? They will hate us until we either convert, or we're all dead.

"America is changing, America is progressive, America is moving in a new direction..."...from countries that are still stuck in the 12th century? By their own choice I might add. Not gonna happen.

Why do we need to change? People talk about "change". It's the buzzword of the times that people throw around, and they don't even know what needs changing, or what would be changed.
"We just need to change, man"! Hitler brought change. Stalin brought change. I'm not in any way saying Obama is akin to the likes of those guys, but it illustrates the point that change just for the heck of it isn't a good thing.

His wife doesn't like America, his pastor doesn't like America, I don't get the feeling he likes it that much either, and he wants to lead us?

The man might be a cool guy to play a round of golf with, or just to hang out with, but his politics are so far off the deep end it's scary.

[crawf061]

I'm going to go out on a limb and agree with both of you.

I think that Obama would bring a breath of fresh air to our foreign policy. The fact that his name is what it is, and his color is the hue it is means that people in other parts of the world would automatically see us differently. Terrorists might still hate us, but I bet there are lots of Europeans that would give us more respect. (By the way, it was extremely ignorant to imply that someone is a terrorist just because it is a person in the middle east)

However, I will not vote for Obama because his domestic policies are the suck. They align with his extremely liberal tendencies* and I believe the government should stay out of things (like healthcare) as much as possible.

This election is becoming the same dilema that we have had the last couple of elections. We have to vote on the lesser of two evils (Obama's domestic policies vs. McCain's foreign policies).

I'm probably not going to vote for either next fall. I liked Ron Paul's conservative ideas, though many of them were far too extreme.

[lamebums]

I registered as a Republican last year to vote for the governor of Kentucky (Ernie Fletcher lost by 40 points).

And now I'm so sickened by John McCain and the winner-take-all rules in states that Republicans would never win anyway (California, New York, New Jersey) that I'm going to vote Democrat just to send a message to their establishment.

Nothing pisses me off more than the scum traitor he is peddling his amnesty bill with Teddy Kennedy and how he is now baldly lying about his "conservative principles".

I'm another conservative who will probably end up voting for Hillary because she's smarter than John McCain, she knows when she's been caught lying, and most importantly she is more conservative than John McCain.

[/political rant]

[Pinseeker81]

I wasn't implying that just because this theoretical boy is from the middle east that he's a terrorist. There are many people from over there that are great people. I've met some of them.

I also don't think we'd get any props from Europe because we had a black president. How many European countries have black presidents themselves? France? England? Germany? Italy? Do as we say, not as we do?
That said, I don't care in the least little bit what Europe thinks of me. If they like us, bonus, but I refuse to sacrifice my core beliefs to appease people who not only have no bearing on my life, but also have their own issues. Pull the plank out of your own eye before criticizing me for the splinter in mine.

If there were a black man running who I though had the right political views, and I thought he would make a good leader, I would vote for him in a heartbeat.

[Pinseeker81]

I registered as a Republican last year to vote for the governor of Kentucky (Ernie Fletcher lost by 40 points).

I think it's a pretty far stretch to say Hillery is more conservative than McCain, though he isn't much of one himself. McCain Feingold for example.

But voting for Hillery just to spite McCain, I would argue, isn't advisable. I would vote for neither before going pure socialism.

[crawf061]

If there were a black man running who I though had the right political views, and I thought he would make a good leader, I would vote for him in a heartbeat.

I wasn't trying to say that I thought you wouldn't vote for him because of his skin. I was just saying that I agree with the OP that it would improve how the world views us. It is alright if you don't agree with me. After all, it is still just politics.

I refuse to consider Hillary as a viable option. Not only are her policies ridiculous, but I think the last 20 years have given us more than enough of the Bush and Clinton families. You would think that we vote based on royal blood or something.

[JYB]

well, it doesn't look like ms. clinton is in and it def. looks like Obama is so, we'll have to see what happens next.

[golf_junkie27]

I'm another conservative who will probably end up voting for Hillary because she's smarter than John McCain,

Is that because her lips are moving? If Hillary Clinton were a man, she'd be John Kerry. Nothing annoys me more than someone not admitting their mistakes or stating that they thought it was the right decision at the time. She does, neither.

I'm a registered Democrat and the party just sickens me. Their next original thought will be their first. I won't go on a long rant but the thought of her being President? Geez.

[michaeljames92]

Universal health care? *shudder* Just shoot me now and get it over with. Let's just take the greatest system in the world, and put it under Government control! there's a plan...

are you serious? i thought australia's health care system was pretty bad. but the united states is far worse than australia. australians are given basic care by the Aus government(medicare) which allows the public, access to care in public hospitals. but most people have private health care such as HBF, medibank private, the list goes on. where as i've seen numerous articles about america's health system

[Pinseeker81]

are you serious? i thought australia's health care system was pretty bad. but the united states is far worse than australia. australians are given basic care by the Aus government(medicare) which allows the public, access to care in public hospitals. but most people have private health care such as HBF, medibank private, the list goes on. where as i've seen numerous articles about america's health system

Yes I am. It's privately run. The free market is ALWAYS better than anything Government controlled. No one has to go without it. I can walk in and see a doc in about 10 minutes. And did I mention it wasn't Government controlled?

I do not want them taxing me more for Socialist healthcare, then telling me what doctors I can and can't see. Then having to wait to see them. Being FORCED to go to the doctor whether I want to or not. America's system isn't perfect by any means, but it is the best.

[michaeljames92]

ok i partially agree with you, however what happens to the under priviledged people who can't afford health care?

[Shindig]

ok i partially agree with you, however what happens to the under priviledged people who can't afford health care?

I'm glad you asked, because the answer is quite interesting. Those are the people that are well served by our (capitalist) health care and are also the people that are screwed the worst by socialist health care.

The number of charity hospitals in this country in astounding. It's decreasing, due to some government interference problems (all in the name of expanding care to all), but you'd be amazed how many poor people can free or pay-what-you-can health care in this country. There are some hospitals in this country - there's one not too far from me - that won't admit you for non-emergencies if you can afford to pay for health care. Meanwhile, socialized medicine tends towards poor (but equal) quality for all, except the very rich who can afford to leave the country to get their own private care. It leads to a huge disparity in care quality between what the rich get and what the poor get.

[immts007]

I think health care in the U.S. is a mess. And because of the intimidating nature of the costs, the poor and uninsured only seek care when it is an emergency -- which is not efficient, economical, or healthy long term. I have 'good' insurance (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) and I find it cumbersome and discouraging, and don't use it as often as I should because of anxiety over whether I will actually even get the attention I need/want.

I can't count how many times we've had to waste time on the phone with the provider/insurance company because we were billed full cost for something that should have been covered. There is a $ value attached to that circus as well on both ends, and cumulatively it must a huge amount, because when dinner party talk turns to medical issues, it seems to be the rule rather than the exception.

Pinseeker if you are able to to see a good doctor in 10 minutes whenever you want to, that is absolutely amazing. That has certainly never been my experience. Unless it's urgent care/emergency room.

Studies have shown that preventative care is far better for the people and their collective pocketbooks, but our system discourages that through fear of escalating costs, the fine print of what's covered and what isn't.

That is my experience and my opinion.

[Rusty2228]

I'm glad you asked, because the answer is quite interesting. Those are the people that are well served by our (capitalist) health care and are also the people that are screwed the worst by socialist health care.

I would love to see some facts to back up these assertions. Some numbers, a little anecdotal evidence something. Maybe even number of charity hospitals vs. non-charity hospitals. Is the disparity bigger than some care vs. no care?

FACT: Grady Hospital in Atlanta Charity hospital. 30% are uninsured. So that means what 70% are insured, doesn't seem like people are being turned away for having insurance. FACT: The United States ranked 37th in overall performance for its healthcare system according to the World Health Organization. FACT: We are the only "industrialized" country without a universal health care platform. (If our current system IS the best way, why aren't more people following us? And consequently why are we ranked so low by the WHO?) FACT: Over 40 million people are uninsured. Now I am aware of the cons against it (eg. having to pay for smokers if you don't smoke, increased doctors visits for less serious issues, etc...) but the biggest one seems to be cost. Well I hate to break it to you but in some form or another you are paying for the uninsured. Money is a pretty closed system, you can't print more of it and you can't write off debt without it coming from someplace.

[JYB]

Let's be honest: who here has healthcare?

I don't and i've been employed as a model for 4 years with the largest modeling agencies in the world. sick (literally, i get sick a lot)

[JeffG]

Let's be honest: who here has healthcare?

I am independently employed (own/run insurance agency) so I bought my own individual health plan (Blue Cross). Only runs me $100 a month for decent deductible ($1,500) and copays. Wife is employed and gets health coverage through employer.

[crawf061]

I don't and i've been employed as a model for 4 years with the largest modeling agencies in the world.

You should consider getting a part time job at Starbucks. All of their employees are covered (though I'm not sure if there is a minimum number of hours that you have to work per week or whatever).

Personally, I believe in a small government. I believe a government that truly cares about its people does not give hand outs to everyone. I know there are people that are in tough positions that need help, but I don't think that it is the government's duty to do this. I think it is the citizens' duty to take care of his/her fellow citizens and that the government should just protect our freedoms.