Last Nights Presidential Debate - In my humble opinion

As I watched last nights Presidential debate the issue that was on my mind was "Who will fix the economy?". I work for the U.S. Postal Service. In Sundays Fort Wayne Journal Gazette page 19A there was an article that stated the U.S. Postal Service is considering for the first time in its history layoffs. According to the date that I found the U.S. Postal Service has been around since July 26, 1775. This would indeed be a historic event.


The Economy:
Each candidate presented his arguments for what should be done. John McCain proposed that we must fix the housing market to fix the economy and invest in clean coal technology. He says we need to buy back bad mortgage loans. Barack Obama says that we need to get people back to work. We need to put more money in the pockets of the working people. He says we need to invest in fuel alternatives such as solar, wind, and electric. We need to tax relief for everyone who makes under $250,000. He also says that we need lower insurance premiums and no pre-existing conditions. He also says we need to end deregulation.


I think we all are cutting back our spending at this time. I have cut my spending due to an uncertain work future. These cutbacks continue to affect the economy. Barack Obama has said what I have been saying. We need to get people working again. This just makes basic economic sense. It doesn’t matter if you rescue me from a bad mortgage loan if I can’t pay for basic needs like utilities and food due to being unemployed. I don’t have a mortgage so this wouldn’t affect me, but if I did what little unemployment insurance payments I would get wouldn’t cover my expenses for food, rent, utilities, and basic needs. Getting people back to work puts money in their hands to spend on basic needs. It will create demands for products and start a chain reaction in the economy. The question they will need to answer is what will we put people back to work doing? I think that is were the alternative to oil dependence comes in. I think creating jobs to eliminate our dependence on oil could drive our economy for quite some time. And YES this will cost us some taxpayer dollars. The rewards will be worth it. Ask yourself what happens if the U.S. economy fails? Does the world economy fail too?


I think the worst of it is yet to come. It will get worse before it gets better. It will take at least two years of the next president’s term before we see a difference in our economy. I don’t expect it to be fixed overnight. Then I believe it will be a full term (4 years) before the real benefits of the changes are felt.


International Affairs
In the area of international affairs Barack Obama does lack some experience. I also think that is were Joe Biden comes in. Joe Biden has been in Washington a long time and has the experience needed in the area of international affairs. Smart men like John McCain and Barack Obama realize what their weaknesses are. I have always said that they will surround themselves with people who know those areas that they don’t and they are willing to listen to the advice they are given and they learn from it.

Conclusion:
My choice for president is Barack Obama. If he can do ½ of the things he says he wants to then he will make a great president. He will get my vote. Let’s all remember, he can propose the changes, but he can’t pass them. It is up to the house and the senate to pass any legislation though. I was listening to my HAM radio today and a couple of people were discussing the election. The one guy says "I think we should vote the opposite of the party that is in office now in every election in the land. We should just clean house and put all new people in". Maybe, this person was right. As Barack Obama said "There is no one with out blame". I found a lot of what Barack Obama said to be very "honest". When asked if he could fix social security and medicare with in the first two years he said "We will work on it, but it can’t be done in the first two years". This is just my humble opinion, but the bigger issue is the economy.