General Discussion

I consider myself an independent, and so far, I feel like I've seen so much bullshit.  Too much talk, too little action.  Even the talk is manicured.  Nobody comes out and makes hard statements.  Here's what I'd like to see from any of them to really have any faith.

McCain: I'd like to see him go back to being a maverick.  I feel he has been pandering to the far right too much recently.  I want him to come out and say something which shows he's a maverick even when it costs him votes.  I want to see him say something like, "I experienced firsthand that torture is an attack on human dignity.  If elected, I promise that America would never again be party to the practice.  I will shut down Gitmo and ban extraordinary rendition."  Or maybe, "I promise to do everything in my power to ensure a balanced budget by X, which will likely take both an increase in taxes AND drastic reductions to programs.  I will do this because I believe our children's future is more important than gratifying our immediate needs."  He used to say those things, but he has since backed away from those statements.

Palin: I don't really care about all the stories, good or bad.  I just haven't seen enough of her outside of staged stuff.  Whether you like him or hate him, at least Obama has done stuff like going head to head with Bill O'Rielly.  I can't really think of a decent spokesman for the far left offhand.  Whoever they're watching these days, have Palin do an unscripted interview with them.  I want to see how Palin stacks up when she's on the defensive.  I think she would benefit, honestly.  Kerry proved that you can't simply "rise above" negative politics.  Well, the anti-Palin machine is on a roll.  It's a lot stronger than the anti-Biden machine at the moment.  You have to confront this stuff directly.

Obama: This guy talks a lot.  I'd like to see an actual plan which will bring America together toward some goal that everybody supports.  How can you bring us together when half of the country hates your ideas?  That's my big question.  If you have plans that Republicans are sure to try their best to sink, what good will it do us?  Just one major bipartisan platform element.  Just one.  Something like, "One of my primary goals during my presidency will be energy independency, and I have actually developed a plan for it that both sides will support."

Biden: Well, he comes from a pretty illustrious senate position that has produced quite a few notable presidents and VP's.  So . . .   talk about it.  I'd like to see Biden spill his guts about foreign policy and how America should deal with the world.  That's why he's there, right?  Because he has experience in that area?

Edit: I'm not really looking for a blow-by-blow on why each one sucks.  I'm just wondering what each one would have to do to really convince you that they're worthy of the White House.

McCain:  lacks presidential temperment.  His understanding of finance and economics is dangerous.  McCain, however, is genuine in the respect of controlling porkbarrel spending.  His tax policies were OK before but are a recipe for bankruptcy today.  His position on Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, and even Europe are ALL bad. 

Palin:  Bush in drag.  A shameful farce. 

Obama:  Might not have the backbone to be president.  His selection of Biden, my theory, was self-less and not for politics.  He needed a powerful Senator to implement reforms, needed changed, and policies in the Senate where 60 votes are required.  Biden is the guy to do it. 

Biden:  I like him personally.  Politically, I think he is a disaster.  He is a liberal on the wrong issues and a conservative on the wrong issues.  I do not trust him, but as I said, I like him.

Overall: I would be OK with McCain or Obama, but Obama has better judgment and much better policies to improve the US, its image and reputation abroad.

Edit:  Obama's tax policies are crucially needed; he will reduce taxes on wage-earners (thank God!  My God, he is like the only pro-wager-earner/middle-class candidate) and allow for additional deductions and things for family.

Totally serious:  in one of my classes, we discussed McCain's tax policies, and we explored what the repercussions were, and we believe that his tax plans, regarding interest deductions, will have two unanticipated consequences:

1. Increase Tax Fraud
2. Encourage more speculating in real estate

McCain, with his own words and policies, wants to continue this credit, speculating Bush economy using even more credit and tax policies that incentivize it.  McCain would be horrible for the economy.  Horrible.

Neither can "convince" me of anything.  I know who their supporters are.  I know who has bought both the Democratic and Republican parties.  Overall, Obama would be a good president, or at least better than McCain who will -yes, he will- continue disastrous finance, economic, and tax Bush policies.

I would like for a candidate that finally tells the people of America the truth about government.  That the federal government cannot and should not even try to solve all your problems because in the long run it's only going to make things worse and catastrophic for us all.

I would like a candidate who told the American people that he's going to cut all the stupid programs that we've come to depend on and instead level with the people by telling American's that the only thing that is going to make this country strong is when the people make the changes.  And those changes start on your individual level and nothing happens until you get off your butt and do something other than just complain.

I would like a candidate who instead of cuts taxes, gets rid of the damn things all together.  Then he takes all that power that used to be focused on the large federal government and sends it back to the states.  That way, if the state you're living in does something you don't appreciate you can pack your shit up and move to a state that does.  It's competitiveness on the state level and it makes for a wonderful country with real choices for its people.

I would also like a candidate who tells the people to quit looking to the federal government when they disaprove with what someone else is doing.  If you don't like what your neighbors or countrymen are doing then go out in the town square and make your case for change.  If people think it's a good idea, they'll listen to you and do it voluntarily.  But this crap about stealing my earnings to force me to do something I find not for me is patently offensive and I find it overtly oppressive as well.  If you can't stand the fact that people are different and live all kinds of different lives than you do, then why the hell are you chosing to live in a free country that promises people the pursuit of their own individual happiness?

McCain could be another Eisenhower, which would be good for the Republican party, good for the country, and good for politics.  However, I agree with Kurush that McCain is trying too hard to pander to the Republican base for him to look like much of an Eisenhower.  What made Eisenhower such a great president wasn't that his base liked him.  In fact, his base was very wary of him.  What made Eisenhower great was that everybody could like him, because everybody could agree with him on some level.  It isn't this whole nonsense of "voted with Bush 90% of the time."  How can McCain vote with Bush when Bush has no vote in the Senate?  The problem I see, and many voters like me who are on the fence, is can John McCain be independent enough to break away from the extreme wing of his party?  So far by his actions in this campaign, he can't.  What McCain needed to do is be the centrist he always was after the primaries.  After all, what is the Republican base going to do?  Sit home and let Obama win?

This is Obama's election to lose, in my opinion.  He seems to have everything going for him, and from what I've seen even people who don't agree with him still respect him.  But Obama's got a serious flaw: he gets flustered when people aren't all that nice.  His stump skills are better than anyone I've seen, but he doesn't do so well in Q&A.  It was all well and good when in the primaries.  But now we're in the GE, and the negative ads are starting to take their toll on Obama.  Someone who runs the sort of campaign Obama is running is vulnerable to getting too caught up in "attack mode."  It is for this reason I think the debates will show us more clearly the type of president Obama will be.  Is he going to be a Kennedy who transcends politics?  Or is he going to be a Lyndon Johnson who fights all the time to get his way?  Or is he going to be a Carter who is hesitant to committ to a stance?

Palin is the true inheritor of the Reagan-Bush-Bush legacy: a legacy that is in dire need of a savior.  The fact that she's a woman from humble origins is exactly what I think needs to be done to heal the conservatism that Palin represents.  However, I think Palin's true impact is going to be felt in the broader social arena.  She has effectively offered an alternative to the feminist/Oprahist version for women without looking like some throwback to the fifties like Phyllis Schlafly.  If she ever gets a morning talk show of her own, Oprah's reign as the undisputed queen of the female conscience will be challenged.  That being said, I don't think she's the right pick for VP.  Whatever her "executive" credentials may or may not be, what matters more are her Washington credentials, because the VP is the person who has to be on the phone making deals courtesy of their hefty rolodex.  That's why Kennedy picked Johnson.  That's why FDR picked Truman.  That's why Carter chose Mondale, Why Reagan picked Bush I and why Bush II chose Cheney.  It's also why Obama picked Biden, because while a VP isn't going to win or lose an election for anyone, the person picked can sure be a help when it's time to govern.  If elected, Palin will simply be a songbird locked in a gilded cage at the Naval Observatoy, who will be let out only to break the occasional tie in the Senate.  Someone like that has no business moving in to the Naval Observatory.

Biden is everything good about Lyndon Johnson with less of the bad of Lyndon Johnson--specifically in terms of foreign policy.  Like Lyndon Johnson, I don't think Biden could ever get to be president if he had to campaign for it.  That being said, I think he could be a very effective president; by effective I mean he'd be able to get legislation passed and push his agenda.  Whatever that agenda is, and whether it will be good or not, is a matter that is largely unknown.

OK.  I thought about this more, and it is a good question!

To Convice Moi

McCain needs to prove that the Republican old guard and apparatus will not control the executive nor any sort-of policy settings.

What?

(1)  The Bush people must leave.

(2)  Totally reform his tax plans.  Oh, God.  Please.

(3)  Iraq.  Get out.  And

(4)  The "new" enemies Russia (maybe not so new), China, and Syria and Iran will not be attacked. 

Obama

(1)  Show you can lead.  Show me you can stick to your promises to fix the economy;

(2)  No more flip-flopping:  bank bailouts, privacy rights, Iraq (he keeps supporting the funding);

(3)  Sponsor bills now to (a) reduce taxes; (b) cut spending; (c) get out of Iraq.

My Concern

I follow where the money goes (military contractors and investment banks) and they usually always give equally to Republicans and Democrats. 

No matter what happens:

• Military contractors will do well
• Investment banks will do well
• Both will get bail-outs when there is trouble, especially if they have "clout" (political connections, nearly all do; and are big)

So much money is going to Obama is worries me.

Since you're talking about the candidates of the two major parties, my answer is an easy one: Nothing. There is nothing they could say or do that would convince me to vote for them. I wouldn't trust anything they did even if I agreed with it.

Originally posted by Tuor7

Since you're talking about the candidates of the two major parties, my answer is an easy one: Nothing. There is nothing they could say or do that would convince me to vote for them. I wouldn't trust anything they did even if I agreed with it.

If the Republican party were a dog, it should be shot for giving us such a lousy parade of policies and leaders that has brought us to where we are: record debts, lost wars, broken dollar, empty treasury, horrible economy.  And such a pathetic line of posers:  Huckabee, Romney, and now Palin.  Sad. 

You should explore the Democratic party more.