I've been rather disappointed with myself for not keeping up with the election better. So yesterday, I decided I would educate myself. In doing so, I have become frustrated, and therefore decided I wasn't really missing much.
I have watched the third presidential debate, I have read up on both websites, and I have browsed around on peoples' blogs. My research won't stop, but I feel I have done a fairly good job of seeing as much of all sides as I can.
Now, for my opinion. (This is the part where, if you don't like what my opinion is, you can stop reading. No hard feelings.)
When it comes to healthcare- and this is obviously a big issue for my family considering my husband's history- I like McCain's idea of letting the people choose who their health insurance company is, and therefore forcing companies to be more proactive in offering lower premiums and better services. However, I don't believe his plan to get it is going to be as big of a financial break as he thinks it will be. In Obama's plan, I am grateful for the idea that insurance companies will be forced to cover pre-existing conditions. I understand that will be played and taken advantage of, however Selo and I both have had to pay for exams and such that should have been covered by insurance, simply because I'm not able to provide the paperwork that states we had covered 18 months earlier (again, because I couldn't get the insurance company to provide it). I like the idea that all people will be able to get health coverage- I believe everyone, regardless of family size, income, or current conditions, should have health coverage. I also like Obama's ideas for improving healthcare overall- for patients and providers- and lowering all around costs- for patients and providers.
On the issue of energy, I see both sides. They both plan to make the US more indepent and reduce our dependency on other countries for oil. The both plan on going more green, which is better for us financially, environmentally, and will give a lot more jobs. They both plan to give a tax credit for people that purchase environmentally friendly vehicles. The way Obama and McCain plan to make these changes happen are different, but I believe both will be effective.
For education, I, again, feel that Obama's plan is more detailed, and therefore will be more effective. McCain's plans sounds good, but I don't like the idea of letting people choose to send their kids where ever they want. I am in favor of giving people more choices and therefore requiring schools to do better, however I think letting parents choose to send their kids where ever they want will become more of a popularity contest and cause more chaos than do any good. For Obama's plan, he is aware and plans to focus on the problem of losing teachers. He also plans to aide in the cost of colleges by giving a tax credit (although, I am unsure where the money for this will be coming from). I'm not too much in favor of making applying for financial aide as easy as he wants it to be, however. I feel that those who really want it will work to apply for it (by doing all the paperwork) and those who don't need it don't waste their time. It seems too easy, and that's going to make more people abuse it, and less people who need it able to get it.
After all my research, I feel it is a close decision. However, I can look at what McCain says and say "I don't like the way it sounds", but look at Obama's plan and say "I don't like X, but Y and Z are good." I can pick out exactly what I do and don't like about Obama's plans and ideas, where as McCain's are so broad that I can't do that with his. I feel that overall, Obama has a better idea of what he's doing. McCain seems shady.
McCain also does something else that really bothers me. He REacts instead of acts. For example, I went to both of their websites to compare their views. I started with healthcare. When I opened McCain's page on healthcare, I had to scroll down and read through all of his slander on Obama's plan before I got to what McCain had to say for himself. I wondered if it was typical of both parties to do such a thing, so I pulled up Obama's healthcare page to see for myself. Not so. Obama went right into what his plan was and details about it. I don't like that McCain has to attack Obama and defend himself before he can get to the issue at hand. I don't need McCain pointing out to me how wrong Obama is. I'm a big girl and I can make that decision for myself when I go look at Obama's page, I want to see McCain's issues on McCain's page.
So that's where I stand as of now. If you have another opinion, please help me out and educate me. I'm not into arguing, but I want to be sure that when I vote I am sure of my vote. And if you or someone out there has something that will persuade a still persuadable mind, please, bring it forward.
EDIT: Something else that is bothering me. I am trying to find people that I can talk to about both sides. I have found people I can talk to about Obama, but everyone I ask about McCain only tries to shove down my throat how much better he is than Obama or tells me to keep doing my research to learn about McCain. Well, after doing my research and asking around, I still don't feel that I am learning very much about McCain. I can't find someone that will just talk to me (face to face or over IM) about McCain. So why would I vote for a president that is so difficult to learn about?
I have watched the third presidential debate, I have read up on both websites, and I have browsed around on peoples' blogs. My research won't stop, but I feel I have done a fairly good job of seeing as much of all sides as I can.
Now, for my opinion. (This is the part where, if you don't like what my opinion is, you can stop reading. No hard feelings.)
When it comes to healthcare- and this is obviously a big issue for my family considering my husband's history- I like McCain's idea of letting the people choose who their health insurance company is, and therefore forcing companies to be more proactive in offering lower premiums and better services. However, I don't believe his plan to get it is going to be as big of a financial break as he thinks it will be. In Obama's plan, I am grateful for the idea that insurance companies will be forced to cover pre-existing conditions. I understand that will be played and taken advantage of, however Selo and I both have had to pay for exams and such that should have been covered by insurance, simply because I'm not able to provide the paperwork that states we had covered 18 months earlier (again, because I couldn't get the insurance company to provide it). I like the idea that all people will be able to get health coverage- I believe everyone, regardless of family size, income, or current conditions, should have health coverage. I also like Obama's ideas for improving healthcare overall- for patients and providers- and lowering all around costs- for patients and providers.
On the issue of energy, I see both sides. They both plan to make the US more indepent and reduce our dependency on other countries for oil. The both plan on going more green, which is better for us financially, environmentally, and will give a lot more jobs. They both plan to give a tax credit for people that purchase environmentally friendly vehicles. The way Obama and McCain plan to make these changes happen are different, but I believe both will be effective.
For education, I, again, feel that Obama's plan is more detailed, and therefore will be more effective. McCain's plans sounds good, but I don't like the idea of letting people choose to send their kids where ever they want. I am in favor of giving people more choices and therefore requiring schools to do better, however I think letting parents choose to send their kids where ever they want will become more of a popularity contest and cause more chaos than do any good. For Obama's plan, he is aware and plans to focus on the problem of losing teachers. He also plans to aide in the cost of colleges by giving a tax credit (although, I am unsure where the money for this will be coming from). I'm not too much in favor of making applying for financial aide as easy as he wants it to be, however. I feel that those who really want it will work to apply for it (by doing all the paperwork) and those who don't need it don't waste their time. It seems too easy, and that's going to make more people abuse it, and less people who need it able to get it.
After all my research, I feel it is a close decision. However, I can look at what McCain says and say "I don't like the way it sounds", but look at Obama's plan and say "I don't like X, but Y and Z are good." I can pick out exactly what I do and don't like about Obama's plans and ideas, where as McCain's are so broad that I can't do that with his. I feel that overall, Obama has a better idea of what he's doing. McCain seems shady.
McCain also does something else that really bothers me. He REacts instead of acts. For example, I went to both of their websites to compare their views. I started with healthcare. When I opened McCain's page on healthcare, I had to scroll down and read through all of his slander on Obama's plan before I got to what McCain had to say for himself. I wondered if it was typical of both parties to do such a thing, so I pulled up Obama's healthcare page to see for myself. Not so. Obama went right into what his plan was and details about it. I don't like that McCain has to attack Obama and defend himself before he can get to the issue at hand. I don't need McCain pointing out to me how wrong Obama is. I'm a big girl and I can make that decision for myself when I go look at Obama's page, I want to see McCain's issues on McCain's page.
So that's where I stand as of now. If you have another opinion, please help me out and educate me. I'm not into arguing, but I want to be sure that when I vote I am sure of my vote. And if you or someone out there has something that will persuade a still persuadable mind, please, bring it forward.
EDIT: Something else that is bothering me. I am trying to find people that I can talk to about both sides. I have found people I can talk to about Obama, but everyone I ask about McCain only tries to shove down my throat how much better he is than Obama or tells me to keep doing my research to learn about McCain. Well, after doing my research and asking around, I still don't feel that I am learning very much about McCain. I can't find someone that will just talk to me (face to face or over IM) about McCain. So why would I vote for a president that is so difficult to learn about?
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