tax cut facts

I was watching TV and saw an advertisement supported by Obama for taxcutfacts.org. Since tax policies of the two candidates differ largely, and have been a main concern of mine during this campiagn, I wanted to check it out. The website redirects to http://taxcut.barackobama.com/. Here appears a tax calculator where you can enter in your information on annual income, dependents, age, dependents, etc. Then it calculates the tax cut you would receive under Obama versus McCain. After entering my parents' information, I received this message: "You will probably not get a tax cut under the Obama-Biden plan."
Obviously taxes are not the only important issue in this election. And what's best for my family, is not necessarily what's best for the country. I am not blind to the fact that trickle-down tax plans don't seem to be working for our economy. Not everyone who makes enough money to be cahritable is. The reality of the situation for my family is that we won't be able to afford our current lifestyle under Obama. We will have to make sacrafices. Since I plan on being dependent on my parents for another couple of years, this thought scares me. My parents both work extremely hard to give me and my sisters things they never had growing up. Under Obama's tax plan, some of those things would be taken away. I know I sound selfish, but my family has also been very generous to other people and organizations, something we not be able ot afford any more. This is really the main issue in my choosing a candidate.

Battleground PA

This video highlights the importance of Pennsylvania as a battleground state. With 21 electoral votes at stake, PA is an important state in this election. McCain is still determined that he will win Pennsylvania, despite Obama's lead in the polls. According to a New York Times article: "Losing Pennsylvania could undo any electoral gains Mr. Obama might make by winning over such longtime Republican states as Virginia, Colorado or Nevada." It is exciting to be allowed to cast my vote in such a crucial state.

McCain's campaign in the toilet?

Is McCain's campaign really going down the toilet? Calling on Joe the Plumber and attacking Obama through television advertisements have not been working for him lately. At this point it almost seems as if there is little else he could do to turn things around. I'm not saying he should publicly give up, that would reflect poorly, but I have started looking more closely at his strategy. In a swing-state like Pennsylvania, where the majority seems to be in favor of Obama, McCain has seemed to focus his efforts. The critical difference is that Pennsylvania contains some regions, such as Appalachia, that are primarily democratic, but have voted for McCain. Some Pennsylvania Democrats are keenly aware of race issues, the New York Times reported. There is a lot of uncertainty in the polls today. In addition, as the NY TImes article highlights, there may be "hidden resistance among whites to casting a ballot for an African-American". Taking the Bradley effect into account, the McCain campaign's Pennsylvania fixation becomes clearer. It is exciting to be allowed to vote is such a critical state, and it will be interesting to see what really happens on election day and if the polls correctly reflect voter turnout or not. Further, it is shocking to see that this underlying racism exists in our country. It is further surprising to see how it is largely subconscious. This is frightening because if people who are not outwardly racist, don't believe they have racist tendencies or thoughts, then nothing will be done to counteract those beliefs. It is at this point that beliefs turn into actions.

Halloween Political Cartoon

In light of the upcoming holiday, a time for tricks and treats, is this political cartoon. As a fiscally conservative person, I found the cartoon to be quite funny, but I hope that people can appreciate it regardless of party affiliation. On aspect of the cartoon that I disagree with, however, is the comment that othr kids are "too lazy". I certainly don't believe that people making less than $250,000 a year are lazy. Even people below the income poverty line are not lazy. It is important to remember how opportunity and ability come into play. I consider myself to be a charitable and giving person, but I believe that taxing people who make more money a higher percentage is unfair. Although these people may have had certain underlying advantages, they do not necessarily derserve to be taxed more for that reason.

Wardrobe woes for Palin

Palin and the McCain campaign have been receving a lot of criticism recently for Palin's wardrobe. We all know she looks good, but where does the money for her stylish wardrobe come from? The Republican National Convention of course. This NY Times article goes into detail about purchases to outfit Palin and her family. My interest is in how this influences her image and narrative. Palin is supposed to be the hockey mom - a woman other women and families can relate to across many levels and classes. "Party officials, who said they had discussed the matter with McCain and Palin advisers, said all concerned wanted Ms. Palin to present herself as a fashionable-but-sensible on-the-go working mother — a multilayered sartorial strategy, in other words, that has yielded an array of well-cut jackets and skirts, suitable for the different seasons and state climates", the article says. As a female, I am both proud and concerned with the image she is trying to create or the narrative her campaign is forming about her. Possibly more concerned. I think it's great that she is supposed to be the do it all woman, one who works and raises the kids, but this is a tough job to have. It is a common stuggle for women in today's working world: work of family. Many women feel they have to choose between settling down or advanicing in their career. Women are still discriminated against in the workforce. The fact that Palin is receiving extra attention and press because she is a women and being judged more on her appearance is also disconcerting. I am concerned that a male in this campaign would not be receiving the same criticism (in fact they haven't), and that wardrobe is rarely, if ever, part of a male candidate's narrative.

Obama not qualified to be President?

I came across this article and video online while searching for random information on the election. I watched the video and was shocked as a result. Phillip Berg, the lawyer in the video, claims that Obama is not a natural born U.S. citizen, and therefore, is not qualified to be President. I was not sure how credible this site is, so I checked out some other websites. I found similar information and claims on other websites. Lawsuits against Obama have been filed, but he has refused to produce any documentation to the courts. Apparently, two different versions of a birth certificate were submitted elctronically.
It is possible that Berg is completely wrong, but if so, then what is Obama hiding. The important point is that the Obama campaign has not chosen to confront Berg's claims in a straightforward manner. That is a fact. If Obama is a natural born citizen then his campaign could have submitted documentation to the court quashing this case. Instead, it has chosen to engage in a legal strategy of delay. Why would they do this if Obama's documentation were in order?

McCain's Narrative

"What campaigns peddle is not simply character but character as defined by story — a tale of opposing forces that in its telling will memorably establish what a given election is about." This quote from an upcoming Times Magazine article does a justice to the concept of narratives, which we began discussing at the start of the semester. This article takes a closer look at McCain's narrative and how it is different from the one he wrote at the beginning of the campaign season and in previous campaigns. "The selling of a presidential “narrative” the reigning buzz word of this election cycle has taken on outsize significance in an age in which a rush of visuals and catch words can cripple public images overnight." This quote highlights the importance of having a convincing narrative in today's media-driven world. Political advisors and speech writers try to make candidates seem in tune with the majority and responsive to changing circumstances. This makes developing"true character" in a candidate difficult.
The article goes into a lot of detail about how McCain's advisors and speechwriters have created his narrative. A patriotic war-hero promoting the surge in Iraq, a country-first bipartisan, a leader (not a celebrity), a team of mavericks, a fighter, John McCain's narratives reflect all these, changing with the times. All of these different narratives are designed to make voters feel a differnt way, allowing people to hopefully connect with McCain on some level. The narrative or story is interpreted by viewers and creates an image of the candidate. McCain has had several different images since the start of his campain in an attempt to resonate with several voters.
Whether or not these different narratives are working for McCain is the question. They are all interconnected, progressing as his campaign has, working Palin's narrative into his own. I guess only time will tell.

Joe the Plumber

In last night's debate, McCain referenced a "Joe the Plumber" from an encounter a man had with Obama on the campign trail. This man had stopped to ask Obama how he would be affected by his tax plan if he owned a small business that made more than $250,000 per year. McCain used this segment to capitalize on the idea that Obama's plan will raise taxes and that speading the wealth around will not make everyone better off.
This article from The Morning Call features a video showing the incident that became a highlight of Wednesday night's debate. This man has become an instant celebrity due to the mention of his name at the debate. Simply because he asked a question, he has received scrutiny and media attention that he did not ask for. This NY Times article goes into further detail.
This brings me back to our class discussions on the role of the media. Realistically "Joe the Plumber" will not be in the news for long, but what got him in the news in the first place? It also makes it seem like the media's job is to "dig up dirt" on everyone who is to be in the news. Joe the Plumber clearly had no intention of letting people know that he did not have a liscence or had fallen behind in paying his taxes when he stopped to ask Obama that question.
People should not have to worry about losing their annonymity and reaching celebrity status, even if only briefly, simply by taking initiative and becoming involved in politics.

abortion

This topic came up in tonight's Presidential debate. It is a pressing issue on which the two candidates have very different opinions. Different types of abortion were mentioned, letting people know it's a truly complicated issue. McCain believes that Roe v. Wade should be overturned; while, Obama believes that banning abortion would be unconstitutional. This New York Times page highlights the stance that each candidate takes on this important issue. The issue is complicated...when, if ever, is the right time to decide to take away a baby's chance at life? What scenarios come into consideration? Rape, the health conditions of the mother, or just a high school student are all considered. Also, what are the consequences of the Roe v. Wade decision and how would overturning this decision change things? All of these are important questions.
Abortion is a method of intervention. Rather than arguing over how to fix the "problem" once it occurs, government shuold take a preventative role. Obama mentioned during the debate that proper sex education programs shuold be put in place. Both candidates realize that preventing unwanted pregnancies is an important step, but neither think that it's the first step. More prevention programs need to be incorporated into education and earlier on. Today, more and more children are exposed to information on TV and the internet that raises a lot questions that go unanswered. Prevention is the key to dealing with the issue of abortion in the future.

food for thought

This sound-bite worries me because it reflects that a large portion of uneducated Americans will be voting in this year's election. The Howard Stern Show tested a "rumor" that black people are only voting for Obama because he is black. They did this by asking blacks in Harlem if they agreed with Obama's policies on certain issues, but actually described policies of McCain. They even went as far as asking if they were happy with Obama's choice of Sarah Palin as the Vice Presidential canditate. The people being asked said yes!
I was shocked that people could be so uninformed. Obviously, this is not true of all Americans, but these people will be voting in the election. People voting for candidates for seemingly arbitrary reasons happens all the time. These people in Harlem find Obama to be more relatable than McCain. They can connect with him, but have no knowledge of what he stands for.
This is worrisome because after the past eight years it is important for voters to be able to make informed decisions about who will be the next President.

Bar Stool Economics

Another joke from dad...also timely...

Bar Stool Economics
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that’s what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. “Since you are all such good customers,” he said, “I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20.” Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men—the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share?They realised that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer.So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the bar, the men began to compare their savings.“I only got a dollar out of the $20,”declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, “But he got $10!”“Yeah, that’s right,” exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved a dollar, too. It’s unfair that he got ten times more than I did!”“That’s true!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!”“Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison, “we didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!”The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up any more. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

Nonpartisan Joke

My dad sends me e-mails on a daily basis, usually stories, pictures, or jokes. Today I received this "Nonpartisan Joke":
THIS IS A NONPARTISAN JOKE THAT CAN BE ENJOYED BY BOTH PARTIES! NOT ONLY THAT, it is POLITICALLY CORRECT!!.......and so timely!

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. 'Welcome to heaven,' says St. Peter. 'Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you.' 'No problem, just let me in,' says the senator. 'Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.' 'Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,' says the senator. 'I'm sorry, but we have our rules.' And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him. Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf an d then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne. Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises . The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him. 'Now it's time to visit heaven.' So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns. 'Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.' The senator reflects for a minut e, then answers: 'Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.' So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above... The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. 'I don't understand,' stammers the senator. 'Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?' The devil looks at him, smiles and says....... 'Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted.'

While this joke is funny, I think it also reflects one crucial aspect of this year's election: change. People really feel that change is coming. Regardless of who are next President is, the country will see many changes; however, what changes occur will differ drastically depending on who is elected. Other important questions are also indirectly related to this joke. For example, what promises have candidates made that they won't be able to keep? And how will their plans to help the economy really work, if at all? The imperative questions are on the minds of all Americans.

Town-Hall Debate

I liked the style of the town hall debate and found it to be more insightful into each candidate's plans and main concerns. Obviously, the people are aware of the current situation in America - financial crisis and economic collapse - as it was clearly conveyed in the questions from the audience and those submitted online. What was also clear during the debate was the differing opinions of Obama and McCain on how to deal with the current economic situation. This NYT article summarizes key points from the debate. Neither had an optimistic view, and both tried their best to empathize with the American people. As mentioned in class today, Americans have tended to turn toward the democrat in times of financial crisis. I think that Obama comes across as the leader with the skills to tackle the problems seen in today's economy. On the other hand, he focuses so much on middle class Americans, that he fails to point out that everyone is suffering. McCain seems to address all Americans when connecting with their hardship.

Leadership

After today's activity and class discussion, I was primed to pay attention to leadership among the Vice Presidential candidates in tonight's debate. Both candidates realize the current situation, that of economic crisis, and strived to connect with middle class voters. Both were asked what they would do as Vice President, but neither really answered the question. I was particularly surprised, yet excited when each candidate was asked what they would do if either Presidential candidate were to die in office. I thought this question would be insightful as to the differences between the VP candidates and their presidential counterparts. Biden stated that he would continue to uphold Obama's beliefs and polices. As VP, Biden will sit in on all meetings with Obama and be there to provide his opinion and advice. Biden seems like particularly stong leader, one who isn't always willing to take the back seat, but in this case I believe that he is aware of his role as VP and would be okay with Obama having the final say. Palin, on the other hand, was more willing to state that she and McCain did disagree on some issues. She mentioned trying to convince McCain of her view on certain topics and stated that she was given the lead on certain issues, such as policies relating to special needs children. Palin seemed to turn questions throughout the debate back to herself and her own experience as governer in Alaska. Although, she did constantly refer to herself and McCain as a team of mavericks. Clearly there are major differnces between the two candidates ideas of leadership, but it was interesting to see that they were still able to put other issues aside and applaude eachother for their achievements when appropriate.