It's no longer nomination season, so I think we need a new thread.

Here we are, the beginning of June, in what will be an election in November. That makes... about 6 months in which to learn as much as we can about both candidates, and six more months to deal with political drama before the actual election.

So here it is, Obama vs. McCain. Both, in my opinion, honest, trustworthy, and straightforward guys. However, in the hyperpartisan world of today, it's just as easy to say that it's the election between those elitist naive democrats, and those corrupt, power-abusing republicans.

There are a lot of issues in this campaign, but I have paid attention to both sides and what it really boils down to seems to be this:

MCCAIN: Is said to be the second coming of Bush. An old, irrelevent senator who has tunnel vision towards ideas that have long been proven failures. However, after some time of research, this is my opinion:

McCain believes, as many republicans do, that America has a right and duty as a superpower to deal with global threats. For that reason, he believes that it was correct to go to Iraq, although the methods used were incorrect. He brought up the idea and pushed for the troop surge, which can pretty much attribute itself to all the gains made in Iraq over the past year. Because of this, he believes he has proven that he can win the war on terrorism through smarter tactics. He's honest and friendly most of the time, but is well known for being a loose cannon with a temper. As far as issues of society, he often toes the line with republicans, but is known as a maverick because he often will not, such as in his acceptance of global warming, and the U.S.A.'s role in curtailing emissions. He's a believer in the Republican ideals of economy, sticking to the ideal that businesses run best NOT when they are given government grants, but rather when they are given government INCENTIVES, and, while he himself does not have much economics experiance, it's clear that he intends to be wiser than Bush when filling government job slots. Overall he is a veteran not only of war, but of politics, and he knows what he's doing. He's NOT the second coming of Bush, although he does hold a lot of the same ideas true. He's smart, experianced, and may possibly make America better.

Obama: Is supposedly a hardcore leftwing liberal, elitist and out of touch with working class families. Not to mention he is rampantly anti-American. And let's not forget the racist company he keeps either, right? Well, not really, this is more what I'd summarize.

Obama has an idea for America, an idea that many Americans share. Rather than hating America, he sees the America of the past 8 years as an America on the wrong path. We've arrogantly flaunted our authority around the world, and isolated ourselves from those that should be our closest allies. Obama does NOT believe we shouldn't fight terrorism. Nor does he believe that the United States does not have a duty to deal with the tyrants and wrongs of the world. He simply believes that wielding force, and going headstrong and alone when no one supports us, are the wrong course. Instead, he advocates diplomacy and negotiations, as well as a larger say of the world at large in America's plan for the future. He is very passionate about changing our economy, an economy he feels has gone the wrong path. Capitalism is not wrong, but the current economy is less like a truly free market, and more like a gathering of big corporations, squeezing the life and money out of the average working man. He feels it's an embarrassment to the nation that people who are sick and poor can and do often die because of the way our health care is run. He tries to always stay honest, and tries to never become personally involved. It took months for him to fight back against Clinton, and if McCain takes the high road, I see no reason why Obama wouldn't.. which could perhaps not be said the other way around. His ideas have caught fire, and if they continue to burn then he can take them with him to the presidency and shape the nation for years to come.

neither candidate is bad. And neither one really deserves the things that are said about them. The basic summary, I suppose, can be said more like this:

Obama feels that we are on the wrong track, he feels that America needs to go in a different direction.

McCain feels that there is nothing wrong with the DIRECTION America is headed, but that America does have some problems which have not and need to be addressed.

It's the contest between the little change or the big change? Who will win, we'll find out this fall!

*sighs* My first election as a voter, and no candidates I really like. (Although, I doubt I'll ever find one. Naysaying aside...)

Little change and big change. I don't know which is better, but we need something to happen. The country is not in a good place at the moment for various reasons, one of the most obvious being the fact that we're heading for a depression. I want someone who can get us through this with minimal damage. And my knowledge of the two parties is limited to Democrats spending more....which like conservative spending can both cause more or solve existing problems.

I'm as wishy-washy as anyone about this. I don't know who to vote for...I hope the country makes the right choice.

When I look at McCain, I don't see a supposed "maverick" (who actually voted the party line for something like 95% of his votes), and I don't see someone who has a plan to fix the US economy (frankly, if the past 30 years have taught us anything, I think it's that Reaganomics cause more long-term problems than they fix in the short-term). I especially don't see someone who espouses my opinions regarding gay marriage rights, abortion rights, education standards, and climate change. Hell, I don't even see "Iraq for 100 years," Bush-part-3, or a fossilized husk of a man.

I see "bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran", calling his wife the c-word in front of reporters, and calling Chelsea Clinton the love child of Hillary and Janet Reno. I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

Clinton tells her supporters exactly what she thinks of Barack Obama as president

It's a good speech, watch it if you have time.

The only problem I see is that the "big change" isn't big enough. Indeed, from my perspective it seems to be a pretty small change. We need Kucinich!

Speaking as someone who has lived in Cleveland, Kucinich is and will always be the comedy option

Obama just *looks* like a president, you know? I'd buy car insurance from him.

Either way, I somehow see Canada as being worse or better off afterwards.

idunno.

So Obama has chosen Joe Biden as his running mate.

Time quotes anonymous Republican sources that McCain has picked Mitt Romney (though he's made no official choice and may change his mind).

Thoughts? Does this change anything?

Alternately, what about Libertarian Bob Barr, Independent Ralph Nader, Green Cynthia McKinney, or anyone else?

Well, since he didn't pick Kucinich, that decides my vote. I'm writing in Kucinich.

Somehow I get pleasure out of losing McCains. What an awful game.

McCain has announced his running mate. First term governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin.

Yea, I had no idea who she was either.

Could he make a more blatant grab for PUMAs?

Also, apparently she argued against adding Polar bears to the Endangered Species list, claiming:

Quote:

This month, the secretary of the interior is expected to rule on whether polar bears should be listed under the Endangered Species Act. I strongly believe that adding them to the list is the wrong move at this time. My decision is based on a comprehensive review by state wildlife officials of scientific information from a broad range of climate, ice and polar bear experts.

When, you know, that comprehensive review said it was the exact right move.

_________________

I'm kind've surprised. I mean, what could possibly be more obviously pandering.

Then again "I'D" be insulted if I was a Clinton supporter and McCain said essentially "you'll vote for anyone if they have a vagina"

but I guess some people actually would? o_O?

It's like he's doing everything he can to make me not vote for him.

Did I mention I don't want to vote for either McCain or Obama? Because I don't. Is anyone besides Nader running on a third party?