Monday, January 07, 2008
Personal thoughts about the candidates
My favorite candidate is John Edwards. I think he is the best campaigner. I think he is the best debater. I like his program for universal health care for all Americans. I like his willingness, even eagerness, to take on the big insurance and pharmaceutical firms that are standing in the way of any worth-while reform of our national health care system. It doesn't bother me at all that he is a multi-millionaire or that he makes his money as a trial lawyer. I wish that other Democrats were as enthusiastic about him as I. I see him as a sure winner against any candidate that the Republicans can field, especially their favorite at the moment, Mike Huckabee. Edwards and Huckabee are both from the South. Hence, Huckabee's Southern Accent would not give him any advantage in the most populous area of our country.
I also like Barack Obama. He is pleasant, reassuring, and optimistic about the future. I think he would make a good President. I don't know whether he has the same courage as Edwards in being willing to go against big Pharma and big Insurance. I don't know whether any of the other candidates have that courage.
I admire Mrs. Clinton. She has spunk and experience to qualify her for the office of President. Her personality seems a bit harsh. As President she might be a martinet. These may be unfair comments about her. If she is the nominee, I will certainly support her and vote for her. She has capabilities that could make her an outstanding President. We'll have to wait and see.
I admire Governor Richardson. He also has experience that qualifies him to be a good President. I don't know what his health care plan is. I think he would run a good campaign against any Republican now trying for the nomination of that Party.
Kucinich, Biden, Dodd, and Gravel are also admirable men. I could support any of them as our Party's nominee. They won't get the nomination, however, and I won't take up any more space with them.
On the Republican side, the two that I consider the most admirable are McCain and Huckabee. I don't agree with either of them and would not vote for either of them if one of the eight Democrats already mentioned were the Democratic nominee. I think McCain and Huchabee are both honest and sincere. Huckabee is a Baptist minister (as also is Jesse Jackson and was Martin Luther King) and believes in his brand of evangelical Christianity. I don't know what his opinions are of supply-side economics, the beneficial effects of tax cuts on the economy (whatever is wrong with it), and the beneficial and ruinous effects of "free trade" on the relative well-being of the affluent who buy low-priced products at Wal-Mart and of the working people who lose jobs that are transferred to low-wage countries. I think that Huckabee is dead wrong in advocating a change from the income tax to a national sales tax. I can't help but believe that if he thinks through the consequences of such a shift he would realize that the sales tax would saddle low and middle-income people with virtually the entire cost of running the government. He would realize that, comparing his own tax burden with that of Bill Gates and comparing their relative incomes, that he would be paying a much greater fraction of his income in sales taxes than would Mr. Gates. He would realize that most of the money that Mr. Gates spends would not be subject to sales taxes.
I think that Senator McCain is also honest and sincere. I give him some slack for his support of that fool we now have for President. I don't agree with McCain's view on Iraq. He thinks we can and should win. I think we can't win and that we should make the best deal we can with Iraq and its neighbors, including the "evil" governments of Syria and Iran.
I think that Governor Romney is slick, slippery, and hypocritical. As Governor of Massachusetts he was in favor of tolerating gay marriates and abortions. Now, to try to garner votes from potential Huckabee supporters, he says he has changed his mind on homosexuality and abortion. I don't believe it.
I think that Mayor Giuliani is slippery, slick, and mendacious. He touts his response to the terrible events of September 11, 2001 as proof of his ability to provide strong leadership to the nation. People who live in New York City know that before that date they didn't like at all his leadership of the City. He is a poseur.
Ron Paul is an interesting nut. He is the only Republican who opposes the Iraq war. He also opposes the federal income tax, social security, and other things that government does for the general welfare of the people. He is a libertarian. Government should leave people alone.
I have nothig positive to write about either Mr. Tancredo or Mr. Hunter.
These are my opinions. What are yours?
I also like Barack Obama. He is pleasant, reassuring, and optimistic about the future. I think he would make a good President. I don't know whether he has the same courage as Edwards in being willing to go against big Pharma and big Insurance. I don't know whether any of the other candidates have that courage.
I admire Mrs. Clinton. She has spunk and experience to qualify her for the office of President. Her personality seems a bit harsh. As President she might be a martinet. These may be unfair comments about her. If she is the nominee, I will certainly support her and vote for her. She has capabilities that could make her an outstanding President. We'll have to wait and see.
I admire Governor Richardson. He also has experience that qualifies him to be a good President. I don't know what his health care plan is. I think he would run a good campaign against any Republican now trying for the nomination of that Party.
Kucinich, Biden, Dodd, and Gravel are also admirable men. I could support any of them as our Party's nominee. They won't get the nomination, however, and I won't take up any more space with them.
On the Republican side, the two that I consider the most admirable are McCain and Huckabee. I don't agree with either of them and would not vote for either of them if one of the eight Democrats already mentioned were the Democratic nominee. I think McCain and Huchabee are both honest and sincere. Huckabee is a Baptist minister (as also is Jesse Jackson and was Martin Luther King) and believes in his brand of evangelical Christianity. I don't know what his opinions are of supply-side economics, the beneficial effects of tax cuts on the economy (whatever is wrong with it), and the beneficial and ruinous effects of "free trade" on the relative well-being of the affluent who buy low-priced products at Wal-Mart and of the working people who lose jobs that are transferred to low-wage countries. I think that Huckabee is dead wrong in advocating a change from the income tax to a national sales tax. I can't help but believe that if he thinks through the consequences of such a shift he would realize that the sales tax would saddle low and middle-income people with virtually the entire cost of running the government. He would realize that, comparing his own tax burden with that of Bill Gates and comparing their relative incomes, that he would be paying a much greater fraction of his income in sales taxes than would Mr. Gates. He would realize that most of the money that Mr. Gates spends would not be subject to sales taxes.
I think that Senator McCain is also honest and sincere. I give him some slack for his support of that fool we now have for President. I don't agree with McCain's view on Iraq. He thinks we can and should win. I think we can't win and that we should make the best deal we can with Iraq and its neighbors, including the "evil" governments of Syria and Iran.
I think that Governor Romney is slick, slippery, and hypocritical. As Governor of Massachusetts he was in favor of tolerating gay marriates and abortions. Now, to try to garner votes from potential Huckabee supporters, he says he has changed his mind on homosexuality and abortion. I don't believe it.
I think that Mayor Giuliani is slippery, slick, and mendacious. He touts his response to the terrible events of September 11, 2001 as proof of his ability to provide strong leadership to the nation. People who live in New York City know that before that date they didn't like at all his leadership of the City. He is a poseur.
Ron Paul is an interesting nut. He is the only Republican who opposes the Iraq war. He also opposes the federal income tax, social security, and other things that government does for the general welfare of the people. He is a libertarian. Government should leave people alone.
I have nothig positive to write about either Mr. Tancredo or Mr. Hunter.
These are my opinions. What are yours?
