Why should John McCain be president? It’s a question often asked of conservatives on campus ““ sometimes laced with a vitriolic tone.
My first instinct is to counter with the question “Why should Barack Obama be president?”
Young people seem so enamored with Barack Obama ““ his youth and celebrity status make him appear “inspiring” and yet so many people cannot name his plan for America.
The word “change” comes to mind immediately, but the substance does not follow.
I could exhaust you with endless stories of Obama’s questionable associates, but here’s a novel idea: Let’s focus on policy.
Obama’s policies are wrong for America. Obama may believe that he is “a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions,” but the fact remains that America’s traditions are based on American people, not American government.
If the literal Joe the Plumber (Ohio resident Samuel J. Wurzbacher) taught us anything about the Democratic nominee, it’s that he is bad for the proverbial Joe the Plumber (hard-working, independent capitalist) in all of us.
Obama’s promise to “spread the wealth” is chillingly reminiscent of the socialist government practice of the distribution of goods. Obama’s version of “cutting taxes” is actually “cutting a check.”
His promise of a tax cut to 95% of Americans is impossible unless he gives a “cut” to people who don’t pay income taxes in the first place. That means he is using the American taxpayer to buy votes with welfare.
He also wants to raise capital gains taxes despite the fact that the government brings in more revenue when the rates stay down.
But by his own admission, he still wants to increase the tax in the interest of “fairness” rather than any real advantage or progress.
Countries have tried this socialist model and it fails ““ most notably in socializing medicine (health care plans like those in Canada are in shambles).
Conversely, John McCain will preserve personal choice. His health care plan does not discourage employers from offering benefits to workers as Obama’s could. The GOP plan will increase options and put a little extra money in the taxpayer’s pocket to expand coverage.
McCain is also the better man for the job overseas.
Agree or disagree with the intentions, it is an undeniable fact: America is at war. John McCain has the first hand expertise necessary to handle this situation in the interest of victory.
Barack Obama repeatedly cites his initial vote against the war but what has he accomplished since it began? Complain, point fingers and vote against one of the most successful strategies we have employed: the surge.
But the best Obama can come up with is to blame Bush instead of giving him credit for the past 7 years of safe American soil.
This shameful record has reduced liberal pundits to desperation. They have tried to convince the public that McCain is the second coming of George W. Bush.
Apart from the staples of their party, this is hardly true.
His stance on foreign aid, the specifics of the war and alternative interrogation techniques directly conflict with the sitting president’s views.
Most notably, McCain differs from Bush when it comes to the environment.
Conservative Republicans often praise the concept of a smaller government, but John McCain, in the interest of slowing climate change, takes that stance literally.
McCain will use the federal government as an example in the quest for “higher efficiency (and moving) the construction market in the direction of green technology,” because “the federal government is the largest electricity consumer on earth and occupies 3.3 billion square feet of space worldwide.”
Ultimately, John McCain is the truly inspiring candidate. Where Obama sees America as broken, John McCain holds a genuine belief in the people of the United States.
He recognizes our power ““ the citizens’ power ““ to improve our country and he knows that this mindset is the real change Washington so desperately needs.
As he said in his national address at the Republican Convention:
“My country saved me, and I cannot forget it. And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God. My friends, if you find faults with our country, make it a better one.
“If you’re disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and work to correct them. Enlist in our Armed Forces. Become a teacher. Enter the ministry. … With hard word, strong faith, and a little courage, great things are always within our reach.”
Indeed, the best days of our glorious nation are not behind us. Rather they lay before us and certainly within our reach. Do you have the drive to earn it? To achieve it? Because the control is intended to be yours.
Kelly Bowers is a member of Bruin Republicans and a first-year political science student.