I'm not a US citizen and like most of Europe I wouldn't even dream of voting for anyone but Obamam (if I could) but I don't like his promised tax cuts.

Its a vote winner, sure, but to start shrinking the state's income in an economic downturn, as unemployment and inflation are going to start increasing seems dangerous. Keynes knew that you needed more govt. help when things were going badly, not less.

Anketell

actsfourthirtyfour.blogspot.com

Mike,

I didn't see the whole thing, but from everything I've read, watched, or heard, Obama held his own on McCain's turf. What's more important, while some of the pundits have given this to McCain on points, most polls give it to Obama -- often by a wide margin. Debates help undecideds choose. Obama helped himself, though for many he'll still have to close the door. But unless he blows the next two debates he should be on his way to the White House. And here in Michigan he's beginning to to take a commanding lead!

I saw the debate and I wish their was another choice. But, no such luck. We are either stuck with a liberal junior senator who has promised a campaign of change. The only problem I see is it is politics as usual from him. Where is the change in his campaigningand if he is going to balk on how he runs his campaign what will he do wi th the power over the largest capitalistic democracy in the world. On the other hand we have a politics as usual republican with seemingly no ability to control his war like tendencies and although has shown some constraint in getting away from the lax physcal princilples of his republican party over the past 8 years I'm not quite sure Mccains maverick attitude toward life is ready for the oval office.I wish Jimmy Carter was running.Iguess it really doesn't matter what I do though cause I don't think Obama has a chance in South Carolina and from what I can remember we still elect our president with an electoral college. Perhaps these swing states neither blue or red will choose for us all.

Anonymous,

I understand your concern. However, I can't fathom how you could say Obama is not a change from what we have in the White house now. By saying this do you mean that Obama has similar policies to Bush? I can't imagine that is what you mean, but it sounds like it.

In nearly every way, Obama appears to be a stark contrast (change) to what we've had the last 8 years. He has championed more transparency in congress (even sponsored a bill to help clean up campaign contributions) while Bush and Cheney seek secrecy and stealth tactics. Obama's own campaign refused money from lobbyists which has been a big change in how to run a campaign. His attitude of diplomacy first rather than bombs first is a welcomed change.

When we elect presidents, mainly what we are doing is choosing the staffs and appointments that they will in turn bring to Washington. McCain has hired most of the same people that Bush used to run his campaign and advise him (look it up!). Almost certainly, McCain's cabinet members will be people like Phil Graham who is his key financial advisor and who passed the legislation to allow Enron to run wild with energy futures trading and drive up energy prices. Also, Graham was influential in helping to privatize freddy and fanny which is a root cause of this financial meltdown. Karl Rove is fully behind McCain and I suspect many of the Bush policies in the last 8 years are really Rove policies with Bush as his mouth piece. McCain's campaign manager is a lobbyist for freddy/fannie and nearly his entire staff are current or former lobbyists for the energy and defense industries. That is more of the same irresponsible privatization, deregulation, and tenancy toward corporate welfare at taxpayer expense. It is evident in his new bailout proposal and his desire to have 700 billion go directly to his own appointed staff member to spend without oversight. That is scary. Do you really want these people to remain in control of our budget or do you want a change?

Obama will also be influenced by those around him and his greatest impact will be the people he appoints to his staff and running the many government agencies. He has clearly selected a different group of people with a different set of ideals about keeping corporate interests out of government. We should pay close attention to the people he puts around him. After much research, I've determined his advisers are less partisan and more responsible. That alone makes up my mind. I hope you'll do the same kind of research.

I don't seek to convince people to vote for Obama, but I do hope to convince people to do research and find bipartisan information about the rhetoric. If you can dig deep into the data and come away with the conclusion that Obama is 4 more years of Bush, then by all means don't vote for him. If you are basing you decision on shallow partisan rhetoric or spin zone media fabrications about either candidate, then please don't vote.

http://dontvote.org/

You are all idiots.