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Edited on Sun Jul-06-08 07:55 PM by bushmeat
I am in disbelief... the following is entirely about a fellow I know at work - (lets call him Joe) and chat politics with. Joe just floored me and told me he was considering voting for Obama provided:
1) Obama doesn't change, he sticks with his politics as they currently are etc.
2) McCain doesn't change his, he sticks with his politics as they currently are etc.
Joe's is no dummy, he is very smart and is very knowledgeable about history. Joe's hot button issues are gas prices, the huge deficit, the economy, the bloated government, illegal immigrants, the Iraq war, and terrorism. Up until recently he has had concerns about Obama's patriotism and Obama's willingness to do whatever is necessary to defend the US from terrorism.
Joe is a common sense type of guy so we agree frequently on non-partisan and non-wedge issues but he IS a lifelong flat-tax conservative republican and I AM a lifelong progressive Democrat. Joe admits that real conservation requires high gas prices but that the government needs to help Americans adapt and make the move since we a hurting as individuals economically. Joe wishes the government would help make cars get better mileage and help make them more affordable. Joe admits that the cost of health care is killing GM and our economy.
I have never witnessed Joe change his opinion like this (in 5 years) about politics. He believes most of politics is pure gamesmanship to get elected and to get reelected.
Joe is a strictly by the rules kind of guy. If you had a military base to secure you would want him at the front gate. He admits his views diverge widely from Obama's on many issues. Joe is an NRA member and has a concealed permit. He believes that to secure the US that ICE should have permission to shoot illegals at the border who run.
But Joe also believes that voters and politicians should do whatever is best for their constituents and for the country as a whole. Joe believes in limited protectionism to secure American jobs. I think he is neutral on abortion. Joe thinks corporate subsidies are as bad or worse than welfare was before Clinton. Joe strongly supports widespread use of targeted subsidies to protect critical production so long as the price isn't subsidized.
Joe supports a common sense approach to most issues. He is aware of the global degradation of our planet by man, he believes global warming is a long term crisis but we have worse shorter term problems. He is against the everglades buyout because the government is letting big sugar walk away from causing a widespread environmental problem at a huge tax payer expense. It angers him that we are moving several billions of dollars from the tax payers to big sugar while they degraded the environment and will walk with no liability. He thinks McCain's tax policies are a ripoff for the lower & middle class.
Joe thinks McCain's energy policy is garbage both in the short term and long term. He thinks McCain's economic policies will only worsen the price of gasoline. He understands that true conservation and conversion of the US to a nation with energy security will only occur with a Manhattan Project type energy policy. He sees McCain's oil drilling, 300 million prize for batteries and gas tax holiday as gimmicks. He understand that the only way we can solve this is to have a 20 year plan that involves attacking the problem from as many angles as possible but starting with HUGE increase in government investment in the basic scientific research that is required before any breakthroughs can occur. Because of national security needs he advocates moving the focus (to the greatest extent possible) of military expenditures from weapons research to on research to energy.
Joe supports removing the tax giveaways to big oil but is against a windfall profits tax on energy companies except for one situation. If the windfall profits were to be spent on a Manhattan-type energy project where the results and rewards from the research would be shared with the energy companies. Sort of a situation where we force them to do what is best for their stockholders in the long run rather than the short.
Without speculating on how this change in Joe has happened, the bottom line is Joe NOW believes Obama will do whatever is necessary to defend the US from terrorism, will do a better job on energy, the economy, the environment, tax relief for the lower and middle class.
How Obama will accomplish all of these things is certainly unknown to Joe but we do agree on one thing; since McCain is Bush's 3rd term the ONLY way we will have a chance at improving this country is if we change Washington. Obama's intelligence is obvious to him. Obama's willingness to incorporate ALL ideas, independently of partisan politics, and finally choose the solution or set of solutions, or creative new solution based on the best of all ideas is the type of President this country DESPERATELY needs.
/edit - I am still stunned even after rereading this. If you knew Joe you would be too... Obama, just keep it up man. Whatever it is, you've got it!
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