Newjack88

What about the conditions on the ground?

McCain says he doesn't know much about the economy.

pmrlcomm

I haven't seen the Democratically controlled Congress do anything over the last couple of years... I'm curious why everyone believes the POTUS has any control over the economy?

AdvicePlease

Tega -- You asked:

What makes you think that Obama will have a better chance of improving the economy?

I like Obama's plan for the economy -- here's a link:

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/ec...cyFullPlan.pdf

barrons

The economy will improve fine on its own if it is just left alone once the housing finance issue is fixed--which is well underway. Also need some rules for Wall Street and Hedge Funds so they can't completely wreck the economy again.

intparent

I don't see that the "housing finance issue" is well on its way to being fixed. I am the executor (family member) for an estate that owns 5 properties for sale (we managed to sell 11 before the bottom dropped out of the market -- whew!). But those 5 are not moving AT ALL. No showings in months, in spite of pricing near what seems to be the bottom of the market. A flood of foreclosed homes in the same city is making it impossible to sell, and that flood is not slowing down from what I can tell. We have rented out some of the properties (oh boy, landlord on top of my other 40 hour a week job and parenting duties!). I would not say that this issue is on its way to "fixing itself" (and I was a business major at a top 10 business school and have also worked for financial services companies for years, so I do have an understanding of the economics of this). I for one am ready to elect someone who is SMART to the White House (not a C student or or a legacy who graduated 5th from the bottom of his class) to bring a focused, coherent strategy to our economy and the other issues facing us. And I agree, we have had too many years of "looking the other way" for Wall Street and the hedge funds; I see no reason to think that McCain would have a different perspective on this than the current administration.

AdvicePlease

intparent -- Well said......I respect and honor McCain's service to our country but I also see no reason to see that he would have a different perspective on anything than the current administration. Also, a Class Rank 894 out of 899 is reason for concern.

I don't remember more difficult economic times than the current state of the US economy. My personal situation is good but the economy seems especially fragile......the recent bank failures are unnerving and, of course, bring back memories of the Bush family and the Silverado Savings and Loan failures and bailouts. Brother Neil Bush is one of a kind we can only hope.... what a disaster!

Neil Bush - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

tega

AdvisePlease, which part of his economic plans do you think will help the economy recover?

AdvicePlease

Tega -- I'm ok with Obama's overall economic plan. I'm not an economist -- and can only speak from my personal experience. I'm just a hard working mother married to my husband (we met in college) for 23 years and raising 2 children. Neither of us has ever been unemployed and have both continued our education beyond our college years. We know just how lucky we are to live in this country but are generally disgusted with the war, the state of the economy, the national debt, the mortgage fiasco, the financial company and banking problems. I think Obama is the better candidate and I can't wait to vote for him!!

tega

I don’t like a lot of his economic policies; they are not going to fix anything. They have not run models on their own policies to find out whether they will work. He is proposing stuff that wins elections but does not fix anything.

He wants to increase tax on people making $250,000 or more, but included in this group is a married New York city couple—husband firefighter with 10 years experience, his wife a Nurse with a 10 year experience, these two people are your hard working blue color New Yorkers. There is nothing rich about this couple. His plan will also significantly affect small business owners; these people create more employment opportunities than a lot of big businesses.

Yes, I am very lucky to live in this country. I moved here from another country, and I have had a lot of opportunities in this country that I would be forever grateful. This country presents so many opportunities that is unparalleled any where in the world. [A very good friend of mine moved to this country with only about $200 in his pocket to attend college, he is now working for a fortune 500 company making a lot of money. He is an example of if you work hard enough you can achieve your American dream]

We all want the country to move forward, but I don’t think Obama policies will do that.

xiggi

Since when is relying on the opinions of foreign governments and foreign citizens about whom we "should" elect the best recipe for the United States?

It's obvious they'd prefer a president that has little interest or knowledge about international affairs. After all, countries such as France or Germany have demonstrated a wonderful knack on picking great leaders who work wonders for their own country. It does seem that they are way impressed with hollow rethoric and discourses full of silly metaphors and ... nothing else. From "Ich bin ein Berliner" to ... promises of change, it also seem that overseas crowds are pretty easy to please. John Kerry probably could have electrified them as well!

And, of course, we should also make sure our next President gets the full endorsement of Teheran and Damascus.

gbesq

^ By this comment, are you implying that you approve of the current administration's performance with respect to foreign policy? I would be interested in knowing if you think America's stature in the world, as well as its ability to work with foreign nations, has improved or waned since the Clinton presidency. If it has improved in your view, then why? Do you honestly think that the rest of the world has more respect for America now than was the case eight years ago?

AdvicePlease

Tega -- We do all want the country to move forward and I think Obama's policies will get us there.

Your quote:
"He wants to increase tax on people making $250,000 or more, but included in this group is a married New York city couple—husband firefighter with 10 years experience, his wife a Nurse with a 10 year experience, these two people are your hard working blue color New Yorkers. There is nothing rich about this couple."

I understand that different areas of the country cost more but I do not agree with you that "There is nothing rich about this couple." Hopefully they are already enjoying great tax benefits by deducting their mortgage debt. They also, of course, have the freedom to move about the country where in almost all states an annual income of $250,000 would definitely be considered well off.

I'm thrilled that your friend moved to this country with $200 to attend college and now is working for a fortune 500 company making a lot of money. That's a wonderful story. I expect that my children who were born in this country will also be successful. They will certainly need to earn good money to pay off their expenses and any accumulated college loan debt. I am happy that the US can continue to be a dream for both American born and those who come looking for opportunities.

I think there will be more opportunities for all and cause for great celebration if Obama wins in November. No matter who wins in November there will still be cause for a collective national sigh of relief that we've somehow managed to survive the last 8 years.

marite

The importance of luck.

As I considered this past week's news, I've been reminded of the Battle of Waterloo, as interpreted by my high school history teacher. She reminded us of Napoleon's reliance on artillery and then concluded philosophically: "But what could you do,with artillery in a place that was called "Water--l'eau? It rained and rained just before battled was engaged." In other words, it was sheer bad luck that Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo in the shape of bad weather, not the result of Wellington's superior strategy.

Anyway, I feel that McCain has been the victim of bad luck lately. He'd planned a foreign trip for last March, having become his party's presumptive nominee without much trouble and not having a lot to do between then and the convetion. Great photo opps, lots of media coverage and thus free publicity. That was the idea. The problem? The Democrats were still going at it tong and hammer, and the media and the public were all focused on them. McCain's trips hardly registered with the public (hence some of the posts on CC).

Apparently Obama had planned a foreign trip last year (before McCain taunted him): See below:
Gordon Brown tries to rebuild bridges with Barack Obama after snubbing him last year - Times Online

The Obama visit did not take place last summer and could only be undertaken once he had finally secured the nomination. Hence the July schedule. Which happened to be a slow news month, allowing Obama to dominate the press coverage. And then, Maliki handed him a bit of good luck on a silver platter; at the same time, the White house decided to engage in talks with both Teheran and Pyongyang, so accusing Obama of being willing to talk with enemies lost much of its bite.

And when McCain tried to get some good visuals by flying to an oil rig, Mother Nature refused to cooperate.

Thinking of all this reminded me of my long ago history lessons. Some people have all the luck and others don't.

xiggi

^^--^^

The respect of foreign nations for us is indirectly proportional to their own self-interests. There is a reason countries like France loved Jimmy Carter a whole lot more than Ronald Reagan. Of course, the Frenchies also loved Jerry Lewis and found the sexual escapades of Bill Clinton endearing, if not amusing. Above all, they, as well as all their socialist neighbors, love to see the United States ridiculed and defeated as opposed to be respected. Nothing would please them more than a resounding defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Goes a long way to "prefer" a candidate a la Obama ... which they are pretty sure will be easily manipulated as he learns to deal with our European "allies" and Arab enemies.

As far as our "stature" in the world, if you believe the Iraqis who endured the Clinton/Albright cynical genocide loved us more in 2000 than today, you are seriously delusional. That part of the world showed how much they loved us on 9/11. Their terrorists did show how much they respected and feared us through various attacks under your favorite sleeping-at-the-wheel philanderer, who only started looking at foreign affairs when his loose zipper and even looser interpretation of the word IS got him into trouble.

While our current administration deserve few kudos, we should remember that it inherited a government that had been allowed to perform inadequately for years though inattention.

Our current administration did not have the choices of the previous administration in dealing with terrorism and other enemies.

As far as our ability to work with foreign nations, Clinton with his choice of Madeleine Albright demonstrated amply how NOT to do it! Do you think the Arab world was impressed by such a choice, especially after her performance at the United Nations?

The Clinton presidency will be remembered as one of worst performances in international affairs, and while that will not make the Bushes' any better, it is what it is!

marite

Xiggi: I agree about Albright. I don't agree that the French like to ridicule the US. They used to; but they've got a serious case of Americanophilia now. Sarkozy is just an example of it.