WHY are people voting for McCain?

[Julia_N 2]

My husband and I are both college-educated professionals who have never been on welfare and both of us lost our jobs during the GW Bush regime. I've watched our standard of living go down and retirement funds erode through the lousy economy. It's time to get the Republicans out and let someone else have a shot. McCain might have been viable a few years ago, but I'm too afraid he'll croak during his first term and I certainly don't want the Queen of Alaska as my president. Being a small-town mayor and small-state (in terms of population) governor does not necessarily give you much "executive" experience. Her degree is in journalism -- a rather worthless degree in the long run, speaking as someone who has one -- and hers wasn't even from a very good j-school.

[Wheetsin 714]

I believe (this is not one of the things I have followed most closely) Obama defines middle class as 150k/annually or less, but I don't know where his "or less" would transition into lower class.

McCain - was asked to provide a specific number at which someone transitions from middle class to rich. After saying it was $5 million, he said "...I don’t think you can". So who knows how he is defining it.

How's that for a non-answer? :biggrin:

Last night, during his Saddleback Church presidential forum, Pastor Rick Warren asked both Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) to “define rich.” With regard to tax brackets, “where do you move from middle class to rich?” Warren asked.

Obama said, “if you are making $150,000 a year or less, as a family, then you’re middle class.”

McCain, however, dismissed Warren’s question, asking in jest, “How about $5 million?”

WARREN: Everybody talks about, you know, taxing the rich, but not the poor, the middle class. At what point, give me a number, give me a specific number. Where do you move from middle class to rich? […]

MCCAIN:

How about $5 million?

No, but seriously, I don’t think you can, I don’t think seriously that the point is I’m trying to make, seriously, and I’m sure that comment will be distorted but the point is…that we want to keep people’s taxes low, and increase revenues. … So, it doesn’t matter really what my definition of rich is because I don’t want to raise anybody’s taxes. I really don’t.

[plain 12]

I kind of get McCain's answer, Wheet. Sure, he chose an absurdist style to make his point, but I think his point is this: Income is not strictly a numbers game. $150,000 for a family living in Manhattan is not the same as $150,000 for a family living in Texarkana.

By the $150,000 mark, I guess I'm damn near scraping poverty level!!!

BTW, I also *heart* the idea of a flat tax.

[Nanook 2]

That's why I feel a runaround because you can't just give a flat amount $150,000, that could still buy a house in some areas and in California forgetaboutit... So will we ever know what the candidates will do for the economy, it worries me still.

How do you know when a politician is lying? When his/her lips are moving:w00t:

[BeckyinTn 0]

I am voting for McCain becaue I still don't have a clue where Obama stands on anything. I want specifics not just general ideas. I feel he has had enough time after running for a year to know what he is and is not going to do. But this is only my opinion.

[missy4gordon 0]

I kind of get McCain's answer, Wheet. Sure, he chose an absurdist style to make his point, but I think his point is this: Income is not strictly a numbers game. $150,000 for a family living in Manhattan is not the same as $150,000 for a family living in Texarkana.

EXACTLY!!! Thank you for pointing that out!

[gadgetlady 4]

The whole point about what defines "rich" doesn't matter one iota. Just because one person or group of people arbitrarily defines you as "rich" doesn't mean they then get to take 50% of your income just because they think you're perfectly fine living off the other 50%.

In comparison to Obama's half-brother living in Africa who makes $1 a month, we're all rich! Barack Obama's 'lost' brother found in Kenya - Telegraph

[missy4gordon 0]

Obama's plan for redistribution of wealth is just plain WRONG!

[Great2BThin 5]

Obama gets my vote too and the vote of most people I know and I'm in conservative Colorado.

Colorado, conservative??? Not anymore? It sure used to be. I lived here many years and then moved away for 25 yrs, it's definitely become way more liberal and I've lived in both extremes over the years, very conservative Utah and a liberal California (bay area). Actually I believe Colorado is pretty 50/50 and that is why we are getting so much media and political attention lately. Both candidates are in and out of the state all the time trying to win our 'swing state'.

[MicheleK 8]

Obama's plan for redistribution of wealth is just plain WRONG!

Not to mention a tad pink around the edges.

[KarinaM 0]

IF the economy is the #1 issue in America why would you vote for McCain? He stated not long ago (Sept 15,2008) that the fundamentals of our economy is good:blink:. Seriously? Then just today or yesterday, he said the problem with the economy is corporate greed and would have a commission (much like the like 9/11 commission) study it. WTF?! So basically he is saying he doesn't want to deal with the economy! AND lets not forget his TOP economic advisor stated just a few months ago in JUNE/JULY of THIS year that there was nothing wrong with our economy and that the American people were a bunch of "whiners". Does this sound like a person who is for the people? It is just infuriating to me that this race has become "tight"! I mean it's pretty bad when Karl Rove says the McCain campaign is lying and running a bad campaign!! UGH I will never understand what people see in McCain!

I agree 100% with eveyhing you said. I'm from Brazil and the funny thing it is that I see on my brazilian channel things that are not allowed to show in our television. The WHOLE wold it is sorry for americans for the past 8 years of Republicans at the government and how they were able to DESTROY or at least to a darn good job with our economy and how ugly we look out there with a very stupid president doing whatever he wants and we just let it happened not doing anything about his stupidity.

I do not understand how people will not sign up to vote when it is so important. I believe voting it is not only a previlege it is a OBLIGATION.

Mr. Mcain can be a great soldier, but honestly we DO NOT NEED A SOLDIER we need the miracle of change. Obama might not be a miracle but I will not take 10% chance with Mr. MCcain.

[drstan1 0]

Mcaine is bush light with a temper being controlled by medication he is a very serious threat to America He and Cindy dearest have led seperate lives for their entire marrage Its very dangewrous bullshit Pallin is a big believer of witchcraft.

details will emerge they always do.

[Gracey 7]

The Republican constant spin of Democrats increasing out taxes makes me laugh. We are currently living under the worst debt than we have ever had in the history of the country. So it's OK to spend billions upon billions on the war but not on programs for our fellow Americans. Good idea.

JWRN - spare me the stereotyping. Not all of any group does or thinks the same! SORRY FOR THE CAPS; JUST TRYING TO DIFFERENTIATE MYSELF. I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING ABOUT ALLLLLL REPUBLICANS OTHER THAN WE MIGHT DIFFER ON POLITICS. WE ARE ALL THE SAME HUMANS IN GOD'S EYES.

1) Democrats want someone to take someone else's money and feed the poor. Republicans want to take their own money and feed the poor themselves. REPUBLICANS LIKE RONALD REAGAN WANT "TRICKLE DOWN" ECONOMICS THAT FAIL. DURING HIS REIGN, THE RICH GOT RICHER THE POOR GOT POORER. BUT YES, THERE ARE TOO MANY ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS AND TOO MANY WITH THEIR HANDS OUT.

2) Democrats want to fight corporations and hug terrorists. Republicans want to work for or run corporations and fight terrorists. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I WANT TO HUG A TERRORIST. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY BEYOND ABSURD. I WORK FOR A CORPORATION.

3) Democrats want the right to legislate equality. Republicans want to the right to earn equality. REPUBLICANS JUST WANT TO THINK THEY'RE ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE.

4) Democrats want to save the earth despite the presence of people. Republicans want to save the earth because of the presence of people. WHAT REPUBLICAN WANTS TO SAVE THE EARTH? UNLIKE WHAT MRS. PALIN THINKS, WE HAVE DONE THIS TO OURSELVES; THEREFORE, WE NEED TO GET OURSELVES OUT OF IT.

5) Democrats select stances that will enhance their positions with special interest groups. Republicans select stances they believe are correct. SERIOUSLY? WE WANT TO DISCUSS SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - LET'S DISCUSS THE NRA AND OIL COMPANIES. THEY GIVE HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO THE REPUBLICANS!!!

6) Democrats will use any means, including legislating from the bench, to achieve their goals. Republicans will surrender an issue rather than rape the U.S. Constitution. BY THE BENCH, DO YOU MEAN THE SUPREME COURT? IF SO, THE COUNTRY HAS VOTED IN A REPUBLICAN PREZ THAT HAS APPOINTED MORE CONSERVATIVE JUDGES. IT'S DEFINITELY GETTING MORE AND MORE SWAYED TO THE RIGHT. REPUBLICANS SURRENDERING....GOOD ONE.

7) Democrats will stab their own friends in the back (Hillary Clinton) as soon as someone seemingly better comes along (Obama). Republicans still honor their fallen political heroes and even adopt fallen Democrats (see Dick Morris and Bernie Goldberg). YEP, McCAIN CONTINUES TO SUPPORT BUSH EVEN THOUGH HE IS THE WORST PREZ IN HISTORY.

8) Democrats will march around and throw blood on people wearing fur and protest the harsh living conditions of chickens. Republicans are against abortion. I'M JUST AGAINST A BUNCH OF OLD MEN TELLING WOMEN WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR BODIES. BIDEN SAID THAT THERE ARE 40+ SENATORS OLDER THAN HE IS AND HE'S 65ish!! ALL OF THOSE OLD RICH MEN COULD GET THEIR RELATIVE AN ABORTION EVEN IF IT WERE ILLEGAL.

I DON'T LIKE THAT THE ULTRA RIGHT-WINGERS WANT PRO-LIFE NO MATTER WHAT BUT WE HAVE NOTHING IN PLACE TO HELP THESE MOTHERS ONCE THEY'VE HAD THE CHILDREN. YOU'RE IN POVERTY, AMERICAN FEMALE? DOESN'T MATTER-HAVE THE CHILD. YOU'RE ON DRUGS, SAME. IT'S OK TO BRING CHILDREN INTO A WORLD OF HELL?

9) Thanks to a few conservative radio shows and a single unbiased news channel, Democrats don't feel like the Fairness Doctrine would hurt the first amendment. Republicans haven't changed their stance on freedom of speech despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of the media are liberal. FOX, RUSH....

10) Democrats rejoice when someone they disagree with dies. Republicans, as usual, cherish and respect life. THAT'S A DISGUSTINGLY STUPID GENERALIZATION BUT IF YOU WANT TO BELIEVE WE ALL HAVE HORNS, HAVE AT IT.

[Gracey 7]

This is politically neutral:

I saw Bill Clinton on Larry King Live, I believe. He said that it used to be that 40% voted Democrat and 40% Republican so the politicians were going after the remaining 20%. Now it's closer to 45-45 so they're going after 10%. Presuming that's true, that's pretty wild if you think about it. Both parties spend major bucks for 10% of the population. Crazy.

[aprilapple 1]

I posted the following in another thread but I though t that it would be appropriate here as well. I am sorry to be repetitive but it is something that I needed to get off of my chest:

There are Republicans that have expressed through various forums and media outlets that they are disappointed with their party BUT can't bring themselves to vote for Obama because he is "scary". Was there a memo sent that officially adopted using this adjective to describe Obama?

There are also Republicans that will not vote for Obama because of his skin color (there may be some Dem. that have crossed over because of this as well), they have also tried to plant lies claiming that he is a Muslim and when they type his name they will put HUSSEIN in all caps to drive home their point.

This is the USA and everyone is entitled to their opinion. I would respect the Rep. more if they admitted that their main issue with Obama is skin color and his name. Not the cliche' of inexperience (they support Palin for crying out loud and will defend her stupidity -yes I said it - on the issues).

Ahhh, but they fool themselves and try to fool America by saying that his skin color or name does not matter. Bull shiggity!

But to their defense, they are simply following the tone and demeanor of their leader McCain. Last night, this was validated through his actions. He looked away when shaking Obama's hand. He would not even look at him even after the moderator, Jim Leher instructed the candidates to do so (and no, the fact that he has an adopted daughter from Bangladesh will not be accepted as evidence to the contrary, nor will the I have a black friend rule be allowed) McCain was undignified, condescending, and insulting. He looked very familiar to a southern girl like myself. I was waiting for him to say that he would "stand in the white house doors"-re: Gov. George Wallace- before he would see Obama as president.

Those of us that have experienced intolerance and discrimination witnessed an all too familiar scene.

Think about it: For those that have struggled with discrimination or intolerance because of your weight. You KNOW when someone is treating you "differently" regardless of how subtle the gesture. Then, they would feign innocence or use the "I have a fat friend" cop out.

No I am not "paranoid" or a "conspiracy theorist." The same was said of civil rights workers (strange fruit was a figment of their imagination I guess). It is what it is.

I applaud Obama for remaining dignified and focused as he was name called in a public forum . I wonder how he learned that life skill? Experience, perhaps?

I throw down the gauntlet to anyone that begs to differ.

As we say where I am from ,"Republicans there's no future in your frontin'!"

You are the ones that are truly scary.

Edited September 28, 2008 by Apple8<)