Where are McCain’s Campaign Strategists?

October 27, 2008 at 10:00 am | In US President | Leave a Comment

This week, the Obama campaign has been extensively advertising McCain’s close connection to Bush and his policies. This campaigning was further increased when McCain even admitted that he shares a “common philosophy” with Bush. Obama has pushed this relation in his rallies, speaking about them as if they were running mates, calling McCain’s policies the “Bush-McCain philosophy”. This argument stems from Obama’s primary promise, that he will bring change to the White House if elected president.

Obama knows, and McCain should be aware by now, that change is what the public needs and wants right now. They are tired of Bush’s presidency and weary of electing someone who will keep them in the same position that they’ve been in because of his policies. Obama is capitalizing on this, campaigning intensely in showing the public that McCain will simply be another Bush if elected president. Although this may be and probably is a slight exaggeration, it seems to be a successful strategy, especially when compared to the lack of campaigning McCain has done to argue this point. Where are McCain’s advisors and strategists? Are they just sitting and watching as Obama runs ad after ad connecting McCain to Bush? Why McCain hasn’t realized the public’s extreme desire for change and is still claiming to have similar beliefs to this person, this person whom the public wants so desperately to get away from, is completely beyond me. Why continue agreeing to this and basically helping Obama’s campaign? Instead of conceding and agreeing that yes, they do have some similar policies, why not argue and discuss the policies which make him different from Bush? McCain should be spending more time telling the public how he can bring change to Washington, despite the fact that he shares the same party as Bush. If not, the gap between Obama and McCain will continue to widen.. no one wants another Bush in the White House. Please, Senator McCain, tell us why you’re any different than he is.

Dole Against Illegal Immigration

October 27, 2008 at 6:33 am | In Group 5, Source: Newspapers, U.S. Senate | 1 Comment

Americans for Legal Immigration, the national anti-illegal immigration group, endorsed Elizabeth Dole’s reelection, while claiming that Kay Hagan “made North Carolina a welcoming top destination for illegal aliens in America.” According to this anti-illegal immigration group, Dole has made an excellent effort in showing strong support for border security, as well as opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants in the United States.

Americans for Legal Immigration claim that,

“Kay Hagan has her head planted firmly in the sand when it comes to illegal immigration and she and her allies have consistently blocked tougher enforcement and supported amnesty. In fact, Kay Hagan has repeatedly criticized Sen. Dole for voting against amnesty for illegal aliens.”

Dole’s stance on illegal immigration seems critical to North Carolina, especially when considering the huge impact illegal immigration has had on our state. According to this group:

“Illegal aliens cost North Carolina taxpayers almost a billion dollars a year in healthcare, incarceration and education costs.  These are hard economic times and for Kay Hagan to force taxpayers to pay for those who sneak into this country illegally is downright unfair.”

It’s no secret that economic times are in a hard place these days, so something like this should be taken seriously by the citizens of North Carolina. If making an effort to prevent or stop illegal immigration in our state would keep more money in the pockets of North Carolinians, most voters should probably pay attention. Something like this is could be very important to the economic status of our beloved state.

Endorsements That Really Matter

October 27, 2008 at 6:32 am | In Group 9, NC Governor | Leave a Comment
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In recent weeks Republican Gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory has received a number of new endorsements. According to his campaign website, McCrory has been endorsed by The News & Observer, The News and Record, Winston-Salem Journal, and his hometown newspaper, The Charlotte Observer. But should North Carolinians really care if McCrory is the media favorite– of course not! So what if a variety of news outlets vow to distort their articles for McCrory’s benefit? McCrory’s endorsement in the News and Observer goes as far to cast our beloved ex-governor Jim Hunt in a less than favorable light–even though he played an critical part in supporting initiatives to develop NC’s economy in the 1990’s and developed NC‘s SmartStart program. What I’m really trying to say is North Carolinians should vote for a candidate who has endorsements that really matter. The Democratic candidate Bev Perdue, has been endorsed by NC State Troopers, teachers, and the NC Nurses Association as well as Jim Hunt. Bev isn’ t the media’s favor, however, the people and organizations in our state that help form the basis of our society support her. The citizens who have dedicated their lives to law and order, safety, education, and health care feel that her policies are best for the state. Does it really matter if she isn’t endorsed by the media?To view a list of McCrory’s (meaningless) endorsements:

http://www.patmccrory.com/docs/articles/Major-Endorsements.html#newsandob

Another Four Years of President Bush?

October 27, 2008 at 6:31 am | In Group 3, Source: Blogs, Source: Newspapers, US President | 2 Comments
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According to AOL news, experts believe that John McCain still has some chance of winning the 2008 Presidential Election that is only 9 days away if he plays his cards right. Despite Obama’s eight point lead, McCain could pull through if he “frames the election as a choice of who’s better prepared to lead the country at a time of multiple crises.” Is this comeback possible with all the news that is flying around about the “Bush-McCain Philosophy” and the idea that there will be virtually little to no change if McCain is to take the presidency in 2009? Or is Obama’s lead set in stone?

Recently television advertisements paid for by Barack Obama’s campaign have shown John McCain stating that he voted with Bush 90% of the time during Bush’s presidency. Moreover, continuing to support the war in Iraq and making tax cuts in high class causes more problems with the middle class and lower class. Obama argues that it is essential for the United States to have a happy, working middle class in order for the nation to function properly. Speaking of jobs, according to Obama on his “Bush-McCain philosophy” the future would result in tax cuts for big corporations causing jobs to be pushed overseas and away from the lower and middle classes who need those jobs to support family and provide relief to the currently harsh economic situation our nation finds itself in.

Some say there is still hope for McCain. Global warming, campaign finance, balloon spending, and immigration are just a few of the issues that McCain has stood against Bush on. A key factor of the final 9 days of McCain’s presidential campaign is to travel through states in which he has lost ground as well as in key states such as Ohio. Perhaps one of McCain’s strongest points at this time during the race is that a Republican President is needed to “create a check on a Democratic Congress that he says is determined to increase taxes and the size of government,” according to Taiwan News. This could be important for those voters who have not decided the question: Obama or McCain? McCain offers a strong plan for the future with good ideas about education and energy but is it enough?

The United States of America is currently seeking change from what the past eight years have been. Because our nation finds itself in such a period of economic grief, it is difficult for any American to find faith in the current administration of Bush. With this in mind, more and more Americans are turning to Barack Obama to ensure change. We believe this is a good thing. Change is what we need and this nation cannot have another four years of the same economic grief and international tension that this country struggles with on a day-to-day basis.

Is Charles Hagan hurting his wife’s campaign?

October 27, 2008 at 6:31 am | In Group 4, U.S. Senate | Leave a Comment

Recently, Kay Hagan’s campaign has been attacked on the basis of its equality. A recent Politico news article puts Kay Hagan in direct contrast with her “assumed beliefs” on her campaign trail. The press recently uncovered that Hagan’s husband, Charles Hagan III, has been a lifelong member of the Greensboro Country Club, often referred to as the most prestigious club in Greensboro. Although exclusive, the club remained segregated until 1995. The spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, John Randall, insisted knowing the reason Hagan did not ask her husband to withdraw his membership from the “unequal opportunity” club. Randall further goes on to say, “She has a history of putting many things before her so–called principles. I think she needs to answer whether or not she was aware of the situation — it would be shocking if she didn’t know. She needs to explain why she didn’t push her husband to terminate his association with such an organization.”

Kay Hagan herself has never and is not a member of the club; it is only her husband who remains a member. Colleen Flanagan, Hagan’s spokeswomen, announced that Mr. Hagan supported opening up membership at the 1,000-member Greensboro Country Club, but remained a member for years despite his opposition to the club’s de facto segregation policy. In fact, her spokeswomen draws attention to the fact that Hagan pushed through a $1.5 million state grant for an international civil rights museum in the state senate and recently voted for a bill banning cross burning and the display of nooses. The woman states, “Clearly our campaign is not pro-segregation, and neither is the candidate’s husband.”

Interestingly, this is not the first time that Mr. Hagan has put Kay’s campaign in danger. This past summer when gas prices were skyrocketing, Charles’ ownership of stakes in several domestic oil wells was brought to the public’s attention by the Republican campaign. This incident did in fact affect Hagan’s lead in the race, according to Flanagan, by about 1 point to two points. However, the campaign brought its lead back up about a month or so after the information was announced and now remains at a one to three point lead against opponent, Elizabeth Dole (according to Politico.com).

Even though the republican campaign tried to bring attention on this new information, Hagan is backed by the vast majority of black leaders in the North Carolina. This is a plus for the Democrat because she is counting on strong support among North Carolina’s black Democrats to unseat Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole.

The “Rogue” VP

October 27, 2008 at 6:31 am | In Group 3, Source: Blogs, US President | Leave a Comment

Sarah Palin has been an interesting character in this campaign.  When initially introduced, she provided a bump in the polls for Sen. McCain, and helped to bring in the conservative base that he needed to strengthen.  However, ever since that initial introduction, Palin has had gaffes and scandals erupt that have caused many to question whether she was a good choice to be Vice President.  She now has caused some stress within the McCain campaign and has “gone rogue” according to a McCain campaign aide.

McCain promises that he will get into office and change the way things work in Washington.  In order to get anything done in politics, you need a group that all works together well.  When you have people that try to do things their own way, it results in a simple proposal taking forever to get done, and nothing will change.  Gov. Palin, by disagreeing with what the McCain campaign as a whole has said, gives us an insight into how Sen. McCain’s Washington will work.  It seems that every time she gives a speech, she makes the headlines for saying something that is inconsistent.  McCain has promised a changed Washington, but a government run the way that this campaign has been will take longer than his time as president to accomplish any real change.

How important is education to you?

October 27, 2008 at 6:30 am | In Group 6, Source: Blogs, U.S. Senate | Leave a Comment
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The education system of today is not completely flawed; it only needs to be updated and tweaked to nurture the necessary ideas. President Bush instituted No Child Left Behind (NCLB) during his presidency and it was one of the most effective education reforms of its time. It was supposed to “increase accountability for student performance in public schools.” The act instituted penalties for schools who were not keeping up with the nation’s standard on test scores. In looking at these ideas, it presents a couple of problems. One, standardized tests are not always the indication on knowledge. Some students are horrible test takers but are amazing students where others are the opposite. Second, in most public schools there are groups of students who are not willing to learn. This happens because they personally feel no need to try; thus, it makes the whole school look bad. In theory, NCLB is awesome, but in real life it needs a lot of reforms, additions, and incentives.

Elizabeth Dole plans on meriting pay to teachers to help retain good teachers, demanding rigorous training and degrees for teachers, and spending more money on teachers for training and smaller classes.  While improving these aspects she plans on leaving parents with the choice of which school is the best.  In her opinion it is important to allow choices so that students would be motivated.

Kay Hagen plans on expanding access to pre-k education, fix NCLB, and lower the cost and availability of college.  These are all important issues and she wants to make difference  once she is elected.

But, is all this going to be enough?  Both of these candidates are working toward a common goal, but they are going about it the wrong way.  I think that there should be more focus on the quality of education people are receiving because with out basic knowledge, all scholars are not really scholars.  Standardizing scores makes it hard to truly learn insightful material.  Personally, I think,  there needs to be more change in the system and not just with the funding and regulatory aspects.

A Future Confrontational President

October 27, 2008 at 6:30 am | In Source: Newspapers, US President, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

A recent article in the New York Times brought up the issue of Senator McCain’s aggressive tendencies. In fact, even his friends say that he “would make a confrontational president.” Is that the kind of president that this country needs or even wants right now?

Although McCain is described as a “reliable conservative” in the Senate, McCain’s readiness to shift his position on issues could potentially become a problem. While a president should be willing to listen to others opinions and consider them when making decisions, McCain tends to dwell too much on what others think and tends to take losses personally. For example, McCain lost a fight over campaign finance rules, then “lashed out as his opponents [by calling them] corrupt.” With America’s current position internationally, a president who lashes out at other countries or their leaders could create even larger problems for America. In the Senate, McCain is known for “handwritten apology notes” in response to his outbursts, but this method of apology would not work as well internationally.

McCain possesses an attitude that this article says makes him a gadfly, and a gadfly certainly does not possess the qualities desired in a president. He has a decision-making style described as “instinctive, often impulsive.” He even says, “I make them as quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow if I can.” This “I’m going to win this thing and you are going to have to run me over to defeat me” attitude causes McCain to make these impulsive decisions as well as to sometimes overreact to situations. Though quick decision-making skills can be beneficial to a president, if the decisions are too rash, his effectiveness will be questioned. For example, in the past McCain has fired advisors that embarrassed him, but after firing them still sought their advice. Also, individual opinions can make him easily question his own position. His advisors say that even a “voter’s comment in a town hall meeting” can force him to totally re-look at his position. A president should be able to listen to others and respond to their opinions, but the most effective president might now be one who consistently reacts the way he seems to.

His known attitude has caused McCain to make “plenty of enemies” over the years. The question Americans now need to ask themselves is if they want a future president with an “explosive temper,” “plenty of enemies,” and a “confidence in the righteousness of his own cause that my blind him to contradictions.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/weekinreview/26kirkpatrick.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&hp

Out of Africa?

October 27, 2008 at 6:29 am | In Group 1, Source: TV, US President | Leave a Comment

For nearly nineteen years, I have barely been separated from what most others deem “my other half,” my twin sister Hannah.  Now, however, we have been distanced by several large bodies of water and land masses as she volunteers with compassion and determination in a small town in southern Kenya.

Surprisingly, not much has changed between us and every phone conversation ends in either one of two ways: yelling at each other about clothes and boys, or discussing the U.S. presidential race. Because she is not expected back in the States until March, I have been forced to remain on point with each piece of breaking news from both campaigns and the latest political predictions and analysis.

In the past, Hannah and I have only differed on a few subjects in relation to the United States’ government: Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and the level of importance the impoverished regions of Africa can and should hold in our foreign policy. In a recent discussion, she offered insight on the popular beliefs and opinions held by Kenyans, in regards to one of  America’s most important elections to date.

“Barack is everywhere. You’ll be riding on public transportation and all you see are signs and posters all over the windows, and he is in the paper daily. Even though the Kenyan government is facing a lot of conflict and corruption, Africans have hope in Obama’s possible victory. They’re naming all their new babies ‘Barack’ or ‘Obama’ and because his father was Kenyan, most people I run into claim to be his relative- a cousin, a niece, an uncle- anything to be tied to him. They honestly believe he will do something for them if elected and that he can truly understand their plight better than John McCain ever could or will.”

Due to my sister’s current location and stories describing the complete ruin and downfall of Africa’s cities and countries, I have grown frustrated and irritated by the complete lack of attention foreign nations in need have received in these incredibly long campaigns and presidential race. In the last brawl of Bush v. Kerry, HIV/AIDS research and aid remained a spotlight issue, garnering national attention and press. This time around, circumstances and positions have been vastly different or unknown. Both candidate’s  and party platforms remain fairly vague on the issue of African relief and any media coverage opportunity such as a major network debate or interview have all but abandoned the subject.

Though I understand the nation is facing serious domestic and economic problems, we must demand answers on more alternative issues besides  $150,000 wardrobes and even the biggies of war, the economy, and energy. As the president, McCain or Obama will be asked to do and consider much more for the continent of Africa than they have so far considered. If we are to look out for ourselves and the welfare of our nation, it is still possible to promote positive initiative and action for others.

Obama’s prospective plans are more specific than McCain’s.  McCain does not even address the issue of relief on his website, which does manage to include his position on far-reaching issues of “Natural Heritage” and the “Space Program”. Obama’s website  defines goals for ending genocide in the region of Darfur and doubling foreign assistance funds from $25 billion to $50 billion by the end of his first term, but avoids details of his proposals and how exactly he will accomplish them.

Is the U.S. and its presidential politics out of Africa for good? Let’s hope not, at least for Africa’s sake.

For more information, visit the ONE campaign’s website and link to their candiate comparison.

http://www.onevote08.org/ontherecord/compare.html?c=8&&c=13

Shooting Down the Candidates’ Positions on Gun Control

October 27, 2008 at 6:28 am | In Group 7, NC Governor, Source: Newspapers | Leave a Comment
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Republican Pat McCrory says that he strongly supports “the right to keep and bear arms for protection and recreation.” Democrat Bev Perdue has said repeatedly that she supports stricter restrictions on the sale and storage of firearms in the state of North Carolina.

McCrory says that he has long been a supporter of gun owner’s rights, and that “law-abiding citizens should not have to forfeit their constitutional rights due to the abuse and criminal activities of a few.” McCrory policy statement on gun control is strongly worded, but lacking in details.

Democrat Bev Perdue’s position, which is not present in her issues platform, seems exceedingly weak and vague. She has provided few specifics, and the press statement she released regarding guns only highlighted her support for a single bill. While she, in that bill, supported stricter penalties for guns that are brought to school, she certainly has not argued adamantly for either side of the debate. Despite her support for stricter regulations, she has received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, which, it appears, she is none too happy about.

The reason the NRA spokesman gave for the endorsement was that the NRA wanted “”to make sure that candidates are supportive of the rights of law-abiding gun owners while simultaneously being very tough on criminals.” To us, this statement appears to be extremely similar to Pat McCrory’s stance. To this day, we do not understand why the NRA has supported Perdue.

But ultimately, we feel that both candidates have the wrong position on gun control. We feel that while the second amendment does guarantee an individual’s right to bear arms, as the Supreme Court ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller, that right is fundamentally incorrect. We don’t think that anyone has the right to own a gun. It is a tool of destruction, and negatively impacts society far more than we realize. In fact, more Americans were killed by non-military gun violence from 1979 through 1997 (651,697) than died in all wars since 1775 (650,858), according to the report. The US also has the highest rate of gun deaths among the 36 most industrialized nations in the world, according to a report published by the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Gun control will serve to diminish gun violence, but it is not the true answer. The answer to reducing America’s stunningly high level of firearm violence is simply to remove the firearms entirely. The real reason that people resist such measures isn’t that they dispute the figures: it’s just that some people like guns. While we sympathize, the cost to society of having firearms so readily available is far too high to bear.

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