Obama vs. McCain (St. Louis, Republic, Richards: middle-class, sales, lawyers)

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Why is this here anyway?

I agree more with McCain on some different issues, but neither candidate really thrills me. I'm gonna vote for McCain, but I'm not really fanatical enough to debate about it. I don't debate much anyway.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

I would recommend the book by Lou Dobbs titled "War on the Middle Class."
NAFTA is definitely a tough issue and has continued to severely hurt various regions of the US. Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois have all lost non-farm employment ever since the year 2000! That is a shocking statistic. States with more unions have been hurt quite hard. RTW states have been profiting off of this decline by attracting more auto plants and other manufacturing industries. You are right regarding the very cheap labor costs right over the border...
I am also not in favor of the NAFTA Superhighway, and I think that is the fast-track toward the North American Union.

Ah, the NAFTA Superhighway. Yet another form of corporate socialism. It will save less than 200 miles on the trip from Mexico to Canada, and is costing taxpayers billions upon billions of dollars. In Indiana, something like 94% of the state was against it (except the governor, of course), and they are carving up thousands of acres of farmland, displacing hundreds of people, and spending millions just to save 10 miles of driving between Evansville and Indianapolis. The people end up subsidizing corporate American in this case (quite possibly the worst form of socialism), just like the recent $700 billion bailout. I'd like too look into the cost to benefit ratios of I-69...I bet they are terrible.

In the end, it all comes down to what we are willing to pay for our goods. Cars, refrigerators, iPods, and computers made in Mexico or China cost a heck of a lot less because they can get away with paying their employees very little, not offering them health care, and not having to deal with things like OSHA and environmental regulations in the USA. Our appetite for cheap foreign goods is slowly killing this country as more of our dollars and jobs are shipped overseas. Now we are left with a service-based economy and a weak dollar, which just may start to reverse the process. I'd gladly pay more for things if they were built by American workers earning a real wage.

I may have to read that Lou Dobbs book next, as I've taken up quite an interest in these sort of things lately.

[tambre]

Regarding the recent bailout of the banks, I thought the saying, that they were "privatizing profit and socializing debt" was appropriate.

[Northwoods Voyager]

Originally Posted by ShadowCaver

Yeap, saw that. My warped thought is to lets take what this OP gave us and have a friendly exchange of ideas of us MO and related folks - ignoring the birth of this thread via "drive by posting", and instead making some good lemonade out of that sour fruit.

Now, speaking of smelly items here be my take on 'that one' I challenge those w/ open mind to read these articles, to help understand why I, and others, find it hard to fathom voting for this person, after really knowing more about him, his true beliefs, his past, and his most likely path of leadership:
Thomas Sowell : The Real Obama - Townhall.com
Today in Investor's Business Daily stock analysis and business news
World Tribune — Change Obama can believe in: Socialism?
NATIONAL JOURNAL: Obama: Most Liberal Senator in 2007 (01/31/2008)
Potomac Watch - WSJ.com - Obama's Magic

Yes, I do believe, after many many hours of studying & reading about this very eloquent & intelligent man that he brings to this position too much of the farthest left possible. He talks so freaking good, very passionate, very persuasive. When he first busted on the scene, I will admit that I was caught up in his speeches, his passions, as his words sound so durn good - but as I do w/ any topic of interest, I beat the keyboard apart in searching more about this person.. and what I found over the past many months IMHO does not sit well with me. I am NOT a fan of McCain - he also, as vast majority of all politicians, has unsavory skeletons in his closet too, both of people and actions - but at this point, again IMHO he is "the lesser of the two evils". Bush has gone wayyyyyyy too far in many of his actions, and some of his other actions have been totally inappropriate. Anyhow, there ya go...

Thank you,ShadowCaver for these links. I have read them and have printed them for my in-laws to read. These people are confused and appear to vote along 'party lines' as opposed to voting for the individual candidate. I do believe that if more people would read these links it would be an eye-opener and hopefully they would re-think their priorities and cast their vote for the more qualified candidates.

Again, I would like to remind people that eloquent speech and promises do not lead to a safer America. Please remember what our Constitution means. I cannot emphasize the importance of this anymore than I already have.

Nowhere in either our Constitution or our Bill of Rights, is 'spreading the wealth around' mentioned nor all of these promises for a socialistic utopia mentioned. I ask that you think twice before you commit our country to a path that will take us away, far away, form what those brave individuals fought for over 200 years ago. We must keep our states individual, united mostly for security.

I'm not a bit interested in government handouts. We have and we will work for our needs. Thank you for your time.

[Marie'sBees]

I can't recall ever feeling such apathy for a presidential election. Neither candidate makes me want to run out and vote for him, and two weeks before the election I'm still undecided.

I don't understand the democratic ticket at all. A senior senator who has been in the senate since 1972 is the vice presidential candidate of a junior senator with the thinnest resume I've ever seen? I don't get it. I've researched and pored over every article I can get my hands on regarding Obama and the only thing I know for certain about him is that he gives a good speech.

Add to that the numerous articles trying to brainwash me into believing that Obama is such a perfect candidate that if I don't vote for him it's due to my inherent racism. Nice try, but I'm immune to the Jedi mind trick or any other methods of mind control.

McCain? I don't understand how he's the best candidate the Republican party could put up for nomination. He trumps Obama on experience, but that's about it for me.

After the 2000 elections I'm half convinced my vote doesn't count anyway. The electoral college will decide who should be our leader. Let us hope they choose the lesser of two evils, which I freely confess to having no idea who that might be.

I bought a new computer last week; I had a little trouble with the setup so I called Dell's customer service for help. I probably understood 1 out of every 20 words this person said. I explained to the person that I'm a little hard of hearing, especially on the phone, and if he could transfer me to someone else. I think, I'm not sure, that he just ignored me and went on rattling lord only knows what until I finally just gave up. I returned the computer. Oh, the joys of outsourcing. We sold our country for the sake of buying a $5 toaster made by people, many of them children, with no human rights whatsoever. By now, our landfills are made in China too.

I go out of my way to buy American, but corporate greed makes is increasingly difficult to do so. Perhaps this recent spate of economic troubles is our chance to stand up to these corporations and demand American made goods. Because that $4,000 computer I bought from Dell probably cost no more than $500 to make. Someone's making way too much money on the fleecing of the consumers. I think I'm just going to keep upgrading my computer until an American made option exists. I can hope.

Northwoods Voyager to me government handouts are like those $5 toasters I mention; you're robbing Peter to fill the landfill of Paul.

[ucfjtm]

Originally Posted by Marie'sBees

I can't recall ever feeling such apathy for a presidential election. Neither candidate makes me want to run out and vote for him, and two weeks before the election I'm still undecided.

Read Dick Morris' book "Fleeced" - that'll show you some recent political history and how it relates to government greed, then it'll help you understand the trouble this country could be in if one party has full control of House, Senate, and Presidency. One party already will have the House and Senate for the next couple years..

[northbayeric]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Northbayeric,

I do hope you are able to move out of CA soon. It sounds like you are truly unhappy there. Best wishes---- GraniteStater

Thank you! My wife and I generally are less than pleased with the quality of life here. But we're counting our blessings! She's doing a somewhat better job of that than I am, but until our house sells, we're making the best of it in the meantime. Spent a great 10/11 day trip up in the Gold Country.

Our CA state budget is in shambles, and I think on the federal level, McCain and Palin would be a marked improvement from President Bush re federal spending and reining in government waste. Obama would be far worse; the federal spending floodgates would completely bust open if and when he becomes President. I just don't want to see the whole nation follow in California's footsteps, economically, fiscally, or culturally. When I cay culturally, I am not referring to the increase in the Hispanic population, so long as they obey all our laws and make a concerted effort to learn the English language.

[tambre]

So, do you believe that Hedge Fund Managers should get tax breaks? If so, read this :

Tax breaks for billionaires: Loophole for hedge fund managers costs ...

Tax breaks for billionaires: Loophole for hedge fund managers costs billions in tax revenue

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by tambre

So, do you believe that Hedge Fund Managers should get tax breaks? If so, read this :

Tax breaks for billionaires: Loophole for hedge fund managers costs ...

Tax breaks for billionaires: Loophole for hedge fund managers costs billions in tax revenue

Sure, why not. Everybody should get tax breaks. Personally, I like a flat, across the board tax, that is the same rate for everybody. It's the only true fair tax out there.
Aside from that, we should massively cut back all the useless spending, and make people take care of each other on a one-on-one basis. Cut out the inept, always-and-forever corrupt government middle-man. We could rely on families, churches, private charities... whatever floats your boat. Those things aren't always perfect, of course, but they beat the ever-lovin' daylights out of bureaucracy.
We might become humans again.

[gottasellmyhome]

Military for obama!