Obama's Speech
I was out last night and when I got home I was busy playing with my dogs, so I didn't get a chance to watch the Obama speech. I did however, take the time to read a transcript of the whole thing and I have to say I'm not impressed. Criticism of Obama and the Democratic convention in general has been, in part, centered on a perceived lack of substance, and Obama's speech did nothing to allay the fears of those who think he's an empty suit who's a very gifted public speaker.
Other than offering an alternative to Bush/Cheney/McCain, Obama offered little in terms of what an Obama presidency would mean in the policy department. What I took from the speech was that he wants to fund new social programs through increased taxes on corporations that send jobs overseas. Other than that, there were plenty of Kennedy-esque platitudes and promises for a better future, but very little in terms of real policy.
Whatever you may think Obama's speech should have been, the truth is he really needed to provide some substance, to convince me and to convince voters who actually care about what policies a presidential candidate plans on enacting. We're less than 2&1/2 months out from the election and to still not have been giving anything substantive from the Obama campaign is more than disappointing. Along with the terrible Biden pick, it's enough to make me at least reconsider John McCain.
Other than offering an alternative to Bush/Cheney/McCain, Obama offered little in terms of what an Obama presidency would mean in the policy department. What I took from the speech was that he wants to fund new social programs through increased taxes on corporations that send jobs overseas. Other than that, there were plenty of Kennedy-esque platitudes and promises for a better future, but very little in terms of real policy.
Whatever you may think Obama's speech should have been, the truth is he really needed to provide some substance, to convince me and to convince voters who actually care about what policies a presidential candidate plans on enacting. We're less than 2&1/2 months out from the election and to still not have been giving anything substantive from the Obama campaign is more than disappointing. Along with the terrible Biden pick, it's enough to make me at least reconsider John McCain.
posted by lonely libertarian at 9:41 AM
3 Comments:
Cont. from before:
McCain's ideology certainly isn't a perfect fit for you. I get that. But let's look at one more example between the two, energy policy.
Obama's energy policy is centered on $150 billion in hand outs taken from the tax payer and distributed to enterprises to invest in UNPROVEN technologies.
McCain's does offer a $300m reward (.002 of Obama's planned handout) for the first to meet (I believe) some sort of battery run car with certain standards. McCain's other initiatives are centered on tax incentives for investment in R&D in renewable fuels. McCain wants direct government involvement in the production of new nuclear power plants, a proven technology and something the free market actually can't really do. In other words, something where government involvement actually can work.
We know that the free market will allocate resources efficiently and the government will waste that $150b. History has proven that beyond a shadow of a doubt.
So in an election between two imperfect candidates, I again ask, how is this even a choice for you? One of these two men will be president. And we may disagree on McCain, but policy wise, Obama is about as anti-small government a candidate as we've seen in a long time.
We don't need direct government involvement in the development on nuclear power plants, we need less government involvement. Not a single nuclear power plant has been built in this country since the 70's precisely because of too much government. The regulatory costs are so high and the regulatory hurdles so great that the private sector hasn't even bothered trying.
So you're disagreeing with me on a technicality. The reality is that right now, the status-quo in all reality prevents the development of nuclear power plants. So we need an advocate to tear down those barriers, which McCain has promised to do. I misspoke. What I mean is a change in policy is neccessary to allow for the building of new power plants. Current regulations need to be changed.
The status-quo however does not block development of other techs by the private sector.
You have McCain, who is aiming to fix the nuclear problem and allow for new power plants to be built.
And you have Obama, who isn't addressing the fact that we are blocking proliferation of a proven technology. And instead wants to use our tax dollars to pay for investment in unproven technologies...TECHNOLOGIES THAT CORPORATIONS ARE ALREADY FREE TO EXPLORE.
So I apologize for mis-speaking, but your disagreement is on a technicality.
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