Nov 08
3
Reminder to vote! It’s not over yet!
Although I do stray from the topic of personal finance occasionally, I usually don’t write that much about my political views. However, considering the importance of this presidential election, I feel impressed that I should share my thoughts on the choice that we have in this election.
First off, don’t think this is decided by a long shot. Although the media has all but declared the election for Obama, the votes still have to be cast. There are many reasons to believe that the polls are wrong due to flaws in the polling process, including the massive number of new voters, the honesty of voters in responding to pollsters, voters that do not have traditional landlines, and general errors in sampling. Remember that four years ago most polls said that John Kerry was going to win, only to find George W. Bush winning at the end of the night. My point is that you shouldn’t allow the media to convince you that the outcome is already decided and to discourage you from voting. Your vote can make a difference.
Let me preface my other comments by saying I’m not overly impressed with either candidate. This is truly a lesser of evils situation. However, I have cast my vote for John McCain because I truly fear for our future under a President Obama. Here are a few of the reasons:
1. Undivided power – The beauty of our system of government is separation of powers which is intended to keep the government in check. But what happens when all three branches are controlled by the same party? There is little doubt that the Democrats will control Congress with even larger majorities, perhaps even passing the 60 member threshold in the Senate which could kill filibusters by the minority party. If Obama wins the Democrats will also control the executive branch, and considering that the next president will likely appoint at least two Supreme Court justices, it is highly likely that the Democrats will effectively control the judiciary in short order as well. That would leave no roadblocks to the Democrats enacting their radical policies, and even if there is a blacklash by the electorate in the 2010 midterm Congressional elections there is a lot of damage that can be done in a short period of time that could take generations to unwind.
2. Taxes – Sure the idea of 95% of Americans getting a tax cut sounds great, but who is to say that would actually happen? The Obama campaign can’t get it straight what the threshold for tax relief would be (Obama and Biden have been quoted at $300,000 on the high side to $120,000 on the low side), which makes me think that the threshold for those worthy of a tax cut will drop significantly after the votes have been cast. To pay for all of the new programs Obama has promised, those who actually pay taxes will see a significant tax increase. This will cause a prolonged economic slump, as those at the higher end of the spectrum lose the incentive to continue earning at such high levels, which will trickle down to the small business owners that depend on those people as customers.
3. Guns – The Democrats have for years tried to eat away at our second amendment right to bear arms, and if they control the Congress and the White House there will be little to stop gun control efforts. This could come as an outright ban or taxation to such a high level that it effectively keeps ordinary citizens from affording guns. If this happens there is little that the American people could do to defend themselves against a criminal element, or if things get too out of hand, an unjust government.
4. Defense – The Democrats have already openly discussed reducing defense spending at a time when we face so many threats to our national security. A weakened defense puts our sovereignty in jeopardy.
5. Socialism – Socialism is just wrong – period! And that is exactly what Obama is offering. Obama’s tax plan is a massive wealth redistribution scheme aimed at making the average American completely dependent upon the government for their livelihood to solidify their political power for generations to come. We are already seeing this in the proposals by the Democrats to do away with 401(k) accounts and invest those moneys in a government fund earning a 3% return. It sounds a lot like Social Security, and we all know how poorly that program has been managed. But it achieves the objective of reducing your ability to be self-sufficient and makes you more dependent on the government for survivals. Socialism has failed all over the world, and it will fail in the US as well.
This is a very important election. I truly believe we are at a crossroads in our history, and the wrong choice here will change our nation forever. So make sure you go to the polls and cast your vote. The future of our nation may depend on it.
