Can someone please explain the differences between Obama and McCain?

[NorCal510]

No essay... just some bullet points... I don't know enough and would like to know who I would prefer.

Thanks

[Don Quixote]

Long story short ...

McCain is a war hero and an unquestioned patriot. Obama has questionable associations, and his best friends hate America -- they think it's racist, bigoted, phobe, etc. I don't think Obama goes quite this far, but it's still a marked contrast.

McCain wants to pretty much keep taxes where they are. Obama wants to raise them.

McCain is more likely to aggressively prosecute the war on radical Islam. Obama is likely to end it.

McCain is pro-life, Obama is pro-abortion.

McCain is more likely to appoint conservative judges (like Roberts, Alito, Bork). Obama will certainly appoint liberals. This is especially important because federal judges do not run for their offices, and hold it until they retire. These positions are very powerful.

McCain is more likely to try to curb "pork" and excess government spending, although Republicans are not particularly strong here. Obama will certainly continue giving existing en lements, and search for more. If you think our government isn't big enough, then Obama might be the guy for you.

So that's the real short version of it. McCain is a moderate Republican, conservative in a few areas, but certainly not the conservative standard-bearer in the mold of Reagan or Goldwater. Obama, for all his talk about "change," is really an old-school liberal. If that's what you are, then Obama sounds like your man. They both believe in global warming, cap-and-trade, etc.

[Don Quixote]

Full disclosure: I am a conservative who will vote for McCain. I'm not exactly a "McCain supporter," but he'll get my vote.

I think this is actually the biggest difference between the 2. Obama has run his campaign largely around this theme of "hope" and "change." Many (but not all) of his followers certainly think he is the Second Coming! Vote for him, and the government will ensure peace, safety, prosperity for everyone. His followers see in him the realization of every imaginable hope.

Conservatives know better -- we tend to feel insulted when any candidate makes such promises. I know I do.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Nice Quixote, the kid asks you if you can give him a straight bullet point break down of the differences between the two, and you can't bring yourself to be unbiased for even one post. The only difference between you and boutons is the profanity... think about that

[Don Quixote]

I tried to be unbiased. By all means, you try.

[PEP]

One's a democrat and the other is a far left liberal.

[boutons_]

Old Sick Senile 95% McFlopPanderKeating is essentially identical to dubya and the disastrous, intentional Repug ups of the past 7 years.

In fact, as Old John, whose military experience of 35 years ago has all to with being president (as we see with dubya), moves more into mainstream Repugancy is losing his supporters of decades who stuck with him because he wasn't mainstream Repugancy, while the mainstream Repugs, as Old John's mom said, will support him while holding their noses. Repug candidates will crash and burn, penniless from huge deficit in contributions, along with Old Sick Senile 95% McFlopPanderKeating.

Obama won't be able get all his changes done, but a lot of that will be from being badly hamstrung by the legacy of dubya's ups, and obstructionism of the tiny minorities in both houses come Jan 2009 (as we saw with the GI bill and other Repug obstructionism).

Obama will win, decisively, much more decisively than dubya in 2000/2004, precisely because he is at least the non-dubya, the non-Repug. Obama is the ABR, anything but Repug, anything but more of dubya, and that's more than sufficient to win.

All rejoicing aside, what platforms candidates have has very little impact on what they accomplish in office. Was the Iraq-war-for-oil, or even fighting terrrorism, front and center plank in the dubya 2000 platform? no, but it was the Repugs/neo-c*nts primary, overriding objective in taking office.

[jochhejaam]

Old Sick Senile 95% McFlopPanderKeating ... dubya ... disastrous, intentional Repug ups
Old John, ... all ... dubya), ... Repugancy ...Repugancy, ... Repugs, as Old John's ... holding their noses. Repug ... will crash and burn, penniless ... Old Sick Senile 95% McFlopPanderKeating.
... dubya's ups, ... obstructionism ...Repug obstructionism).
non-dubya, the non-Repug. Repug,

I'm sure that was helpful.

[Trainwreck2100]

-One's a Black Guy
-One's a White guy

[jochhejaam]

Long story short ...

McCain is a war hero and an unquestioned patriot. Obama has questionable associations, and his best friends hate America -- they think it's racist, bigoted, phobe, etc. I don't think Obama goes quite this far, but it's still a marked contrast.

McCain wants to pretty much keep taxes where they are. Obama wants to raise them.

McCain is more likely to aggressively prosecute the war on radical Islam. Obama is likely to end it.

McCain is pro-life, Obama is pro-abortion.

McCain is more likely to appoint conservative judges (like Roberts, Alito, Bork). Obama will certainly appoint liberals. This is especially important because federal judges do not run for their offices, and hold it until they retire. These positions are very powerful.

McCain is more likely to try to curb "pork" and excess government spending, although Republicans are not particularly strong here. Obama will certainly continue giving existing en lements, and search for more. If you think our government isn't big enough, then Obama might be the guy for you.

So that's the real short version of it. McCain is a moderate Republican, conservative in a few areas, but certainly not the conservative standard-bearer in the mold of Reagan or Goldwater. Obama, for all his talk about "change," is really an old-school liberal. If that's what you are, then Obama sounds like your man. They both believe in global warming, cap-and-trade, etc.

In a nuts . I don't see any innaccuracies there.

[NorCal510]

Thanks guys

Can i get the pro obama side of the story now?

[ChumpDumper]

He's a Muslim sleeper agent who wants to establish a caliphate with Jeremiah Wright as Imam.

[Mr. Peabody]

Long story short ...

McCain is a war hero and an unquestioned patriot. Obama has questionable associations, and his best friends hate America -- they think it's racist, bigoted, phobe, etc. I don't think Obama goes quite this far, but it's still a marked contrast.

Right. McCain has absolutely no "questionable" associations. I guess he's never had to distance himself from people with whom he's associated.

Also, I like how all of a sudden Rev. Wright and Bill Ayers are Obama's "best friends." Also, nice way of trying to minimize your intellectually dishonest statement there at the end.

McCain wants to pretty much keep taxes where they are. Obama wants to raise them.

Again, a gross oversimplification. Obama would raise taxes on individuals making over $250k. Your taxes would remain the same if you make between $75k and $250K. If you make less than $75k, you would see a tax cut.

McCain is more likely to aggressively prosecute the war on radical Islam. Obama is likely to end it.

If by "aggressively prosecute" you mean continuing the war in Iraq, then you are correct. Obama would begin to withdraw troops from Iraq after becoming president.

McCain is pro-life, Obama is pro-abortion.

I don't know that anyone is "pro-abortion" but I guess that's how talk radio taught you to phrase things.

Obama is against overturning Roe v. Wade. McCain has stated that he is pro-life, but also against overturning Roe v. Wade.

McCain is more likely to appoint conservative judges (like Roberts, Alito, Bork). Obama will certainly appoint liberals. This is especially important because federal judges do not run for their offices, and hold it until they retire. These positions are very powerful.

No doubt both candidates would make appointments in line with their respective philosophies.

McCain is more likely to try to curb "pork" and excess government spending, although Republicans are not particularly strong here. Obama will certainly continue giving existing en lements, and search for more. If you think our government isn't big enough, then Obama might be the guy for you.

I know McCain speaks out fervently on pork, but I don't know his own record on spending and earmarks.

I know Obama passed a law to create a Google-like search engine to allow regular people to approximately track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and loans online.

I also know that Obama revealed his own earmarks for public scrutiny.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Barack Obama on Thursday revealed the 113 budget items he has requested in the Senate — known as "pet projects" or "pork" in the language of budget reform — and challenged his fellow presidential candidates to do the same.

Obama's more than $300 million in earmark requests range from $33 million made along with other senators for a nationwide project to promote civics among students to $125,000 to add turn lanes and traffic lights at an intersection in rural Oregon, Ill.

"As a matter of transparency and good government, Obama thinks it's important that voters know who their candidates are, what their sources of income are and whether they have any potential conflicts," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. "We would hope that other candidates follow suit in disclosing their earmarks as well."

So that's the real short version of it. McCain is a moderate Republican, conservative in a few areas, but certainly not the conservative standard-bearer in the mold of Reagan or Goldwater. Obama, for all his talk about "change," is really an old-school liberal. If that's what you are, then Obama sounds like your man. They both believe in global warming, cap-and-trade, etc.

That was a very...umm...thoughtful analysis.

[Mr. Peabody]

No essay... just some bullet points... I don't know enough and would like to know who I would prefer.

Thanks

Here are some highlights from a recent Reuters article.

"On the two big-ticket issues, they couldn't be farther apart," said Dan Schnur, a California-based Republican consultant and a McCain aide during his 2000 presidential bid.

McCain was a prominent and ardent supporter of the decision to invade Iraq and vows to keep U.S. troops there until the war is won. He recently said 2013 was a reasonable date for achieving that goal and ending U.S. involvement.

Obama, an Illinois senator, was an early opponent of the war who has promised to remove U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office.

The chasm is similar on taxes. McCain supports extending President George W. Bush's cuts and cutting corporate tax rates, while Obama would let Bush's cuts expire for wealthy Americans -- those making more than $250,000 annually -- and raise capital gains tax rates, another item that normally affects primarily high-income earners.

The two already have clashed over Obama's opposition to McCain's idea of a summer holiday from the federal gasoline tax. Obama called it a political stunt that would provide little help, while McCain said the idea could give a slight boost to struggling families seeking a vacation.

The two candidates have sharply different approaches to health care reform, which consistently ranks as the second-biggest domestic issue after the economy in national opinion polls.

McCain would use tax credits to help shift from employer-based insurance coverage to an open market system where people can choose from competing policies.

Obama would keep the existing job-based system and expand government involvement. He supports universal health coverage for the 47 million Americans without insurance, although he would only require coverage for children.

[NorCal510]

thank you mr peabody that was really helpful

[Don Quixote]

Well, my intention wasn't to write a long essay. As requested by the OP, I did a quick bullet-point analysis of the candidates. And I fully disclosed my endorsement of McCain.

As for calling him "pro-abortion," fine, have it your way. He's radically pro-choice.

Second, by all means, bring up McCain's questionable associations. I'd love to hear them. If it's the Parsley/Hagee thing, I don't think that qualifies -- they're hardly close to McCain. They're certainly not associated with him the way that Ayers/Wright/etc. are associated with Obama. And before anyone accuses me of being a right-wing scaremonger, I am more than willing to give the Anointed One the benefit of the doubt here. But if you're not bothered with the black liberation theology preached at Obama's longtime church (which is not representative of the black church in general), then good for you. But it bothers me.

Lastly, if anyone honestly believes that President Barry will aggressively go after the terrorists overseas, and take the necessary steps to protect us here (e.g., secure the border, a coherent and comprehensive immigration policy, and the Patriot Act or something like it), then I applaud your faith in him. I think McCain would be much tougher on terror.

[Wild Cobra]

How about explaining it this way.

McCain is a leftist.

Obama is so far to the left, he's fallen off!

[Don Quixote]

I wouldn't say McCain is a leftist. He is certainly a compromiser when it comes to political ideology, but he's not really a lefty either.

Obama, though, most certainly is. And I'm fine with him running as a liberal, BTW. He ought to be upfront and honest about what he believes. I'd welcome it.

[balli]

The only thing McCain is a compromiser about is what he formerly believed in. These days he's completely flip-flopped from where he was 4+ years ago and considering his tax plan for those making $250,000+, his stance on the war, his stance on healthcare and his empty promises to make government smaller, I'd say he's not only a conservative, but rather a broken man pandering to the most dangerous neo-conservative wing of the Republican party.

I don't know what that makes him other than a schill to crazy ideologues, but to classify him as a leftist is idiotic.

[xrayzebra]

I wouldn't say McCain is a leftist. He is certainly a compromiser when it comes to political ideology, but he's not really a lefty either.

Obama, though, most certainly is. And I'm fine with him running as a liberal, BTW. He ought to be upfront and honest about what he believes. I'd welcome it.

I don't think he is capable of being honest about much of anything. When called on any of his "agenda" he backs off and changes his position or friends. He is a party hack made in the Daly Democractic party machine. Pure and simple.

[boutons_]

"He ought to be upfront and honest about what he believes"

dubya/ head/Repugs/neo-c*nts were NOT upfront in 2000 about their primary commitment to invade Iraq, but you're surely OK with that.

[Don Quixote]

I dunno. I think Barry is fairly honest about who and what he is. Moreso than the Clintons anyway. He's had to dance a bit after being held to task for his associations, but overall the public has learned enough about the man to (potentially) make an informed judgement. I am skeptical that his radical leftism will get him elected, though.

[johnsmith]

Is it just me or is it damn near impossible to make sense of anything Boutons posts at this point?

[MannyIsGod]

I dunno. I think Barry is fairly honest about who and what he is. Moreso than the Clintons anyway. He's had to dance a bit after being held to task for his associations, but overall the public has learned enough about the man to (potentially) make an informed judgement. I am skeptical that his radical leftism will get him elected, though.

Man, when Obama is a "radical lefist" I really wonder how far from extremes we've come.

Seriously, radical lefist eh?

Crazy.

[Don Quixote]

You don't think he's a far lefty? Maybe not boutons-lefty, but he's pretty far left. He shouldn't run from it, though. He should embrace it. He ought to rock it.