CHANGE VS. CHANGE?

Both candidates are claiming they are the instruments of change. Can they both be right? What are they changing? Do we really need radical change? Can either of them deliver change?

First let's take a look at the political spectrum. Here is how I see it. On one end, the right, you have no government services and no taxes, pure capitalism. On the other end, the left, you have total government services and 100% taxation, pure socialism. Conservative are pulling the political rope towards the right and liberals are pulling it towards the left. Neither wants the pendulum to swing entirely one way or the other but both feel the nation needs to lean more towards their side.

Barack Obama promises of change are directed at the policies currently in place. He wants government to take care of its citizens with more government programs and, of course, he will need more revenue to acomplish this goal through higher taxes. He believes the current policies are leading the nation in the wrong direction and need to be changed. He has also claimed he will change the partisanship in the government but shows no sign of being able to accomplish this since he is considered the "most liberal" member of the Senate. In debates he has also claimed he will change some foreign policy decisions and change the way we are viewed by the world. Many of thsoe decisions appear very dangerous from the view of his opponents and exposed in the debates with John McCain and the Democratic primaries. Changing the way we are viewed by the rest of the world would be nice as long as it does not compromise our ideals and principles. The President must watch out for the interests of the U.S. and world view is irrelevant unless it is good for the U.S.

John McCain promises of change are more changes in the way Washington works. He wants to get beyond the bipartisanship currently plagueing our government where embarrassing or discrediting the opponent is more important than accomplishing anything. His view is that the current policies are headed in the right direction they just need to be administered properly. Less government intervention into everyday life of Americans and relieve the American businesses of excess regulation. McCain believes he has the ability to work in a bipartisan way. Standing up to the Democrats when they are wrong and the Republicans when they are wrong. He believes he can make policies with either side of the isle and is not scared to anger the others.

Obama is probably more equiped to change the direction and McCain is probably more equiped to change the tone of Washington. McCain has stepped across the isle more than once to write a piece of legislation with a co-sponsoring Democrat and pissed off the Republicans. Obama differs from the current administration on most matters and will create much more liberal policies.

The kind of change this country needs is to change the way Wasnington works. First, let's get rid of the leaders who have trouble following their moral compass. If they are cheating on the families or have problems with the law what makes anyone think they can suddenly do what is right for the country. If they are making decisions for personal gratification in their personal life they will make them in their votes. Get rid of all the adulterers, perverts, tax evaders and anyone else who does not follow a sense of common decency. Second, we need politicians to quit taking positions simply because of political affiliation. The political environment in Washington has become so nasty that nothing can get accomplished. As I stated earlier, neither party wants the pendulum to swing entirely to their extreme so why can't the politicians find common ground on individual bills.

The kind of change we don't need is the change in philosophy. We do need less government in our lives, we need the American people to decide how to spend their own money and not the government. BUT, we need people who will hold true these ideals and quite compromising them for personal gain, for more power or for more pork for their district. Let's put country first in every decision made in Washington. The Republicans gained power using these exact principles but went to Washington and did not fulfill their promise. They deserved their own demise. Let's get rid of them and put individuals in power who will promise smaller government and deliver and if not, get rid of them. We do not need to turn over our personal freedoms to the government and we do not need to make people more dependant upon the government.

The recent economic woes this country is experiencing is not as a result of the current administration's policies but as a result of a compromise to those policies. Deregulation did not cause the problem but lack of oversight or a propensity to ignore the warning signs in favor of a more optimistic interpretation of the facts. More government intervention will hurt our economy, making it harder for businesses to compete in this world economy. Increase regulations, increase requirements and increased taxes will force some businesses to move their businesses abroad or raise their prices only to drive the buyers abroad.

Changing the view the rest of the world has of United State's would be nice. It would be nice to be seen as the great moral and economic leader of the world again but it cannot be at the expense of our security. The President will become the leader of the free world but it does not mean we need to appease the rest of the world. He needs to watch out for the interests of the U.S. and if those interests align with a rosey view from the world great, if not too bad.

Neither candidate match the needs of the country but Barack Obama's goals are dangerous for this country. So, for the kind of change that is needed in this country John McCain IS the better choice.