Picking the President: Conclusion

I've looked at the two major parties' candidates since January 9 of this year. I've read the Wikipedia pages of the third party and independent candidates. Thursday is my last day on this site. I really ought to be...

Without giving them their own posts, I'll say that - had they been included in the competition - I would have given several points to some of the aforementioned third/no party candidates. Libertarian Bob Barr and Green Cynthia McKinney are two oft-overlooked candidates to whom I'd give nine and eight points, respectively.
But it's time to stop stalling and officially announce whom I'll vote for. That's the decision I've been trying to make since January 9. After more than a half-year of analyzing ideologies, making charts, making fun of Glen and starting arguments, I've decided to vote for Barack Obama.
I hope that anyone who'll be 18 by Election Day will go to the polls and make their voices heard. Some people think you're a sinner if you disagree with them and vote for someone else. I say the ultimate sin is apathy, not taking advantage of a system where everybody has a say.
I've already told you whom I'm voting for and why. I hope that this series of posts has provided you with enough facts to help you decide. Do your reading, then vote for the person you believe in.

Picking the President: Government Reform

I've set a goal: to finish this series by the end of the day. This is called cramming. Don't do it.

John McCain

• Longtime advocate of campaign-finance reform
  
• Expected to use public financing in the general election
  
• Thinks that ethics reform starts with ban on earmarks
  
• Accepts lobbyist and PAC campaign contributions

Barack Obama

• Supports expanding public financing and applying it to Congressional races
  
• Declined public financing for general election
  
• Sponsored reform to make lobbying and earmarks transparent
  
• Refuses lobbyist and PAC campaign contributions
  

Point to...McCain?!? Believe it or not, I support lobbyists and PACs. Yes, they have a lot of power, and that's democracy in action. You don't have to be a corporation or a bank to go to Washington with a cause.

Picking the President: Energy

Picking the President: Economic Recovery

...I got nothing. F an introduction.

John McCain

• Believes tax cuts will best strengthen the economy
  
• Stimulate economy with tax cuts for businesses
  
• Create personal accounts for unemployment insurance
  
• Government-backed mortgage relief for some subprime mortgage-holders

Barack Obama

• Economy and tax code too skewed toward wealthy
  
• New stimulus package with rebate checks and aid to local governments
  
• Extend and expand unemployment insurance
  
• Government-backed mortgage relief for some subprime mortgage-holders
  

I'll give this one to Obama...surprised? Too bad neither candidate wants to give the Fair Tax a try - remember Mike Gravel and Mike Huckabee? But Obama's right - the rich are getting richer, the poor getting poorer, and the middle class is shrinking. To me, his ideas are more plausible than the trickle down theory.

Picking the President: Middle East

Aren't you getting sick of all this? You aren't? Oh, OK.

John McCain

• Would attack, possibly invade, to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons
  
• Supports economic sanctions on Iran
  
• Would not meet with Iranian leaders
  
• Defends Kyl-Lieberman amendment
  
• Supports more aid to Israel

Barack Obama

• Would order air strikes to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons
  
• Supports sanctions on Iran, also positive incentives
  
• Would meet directly with Iranian leaders
  
• Opposed Kyl-Lieberman, called it belligerent
  
• Supports aid to Israel and to Palestinians
  

Point to Obama. McCain once again seems too eager to use the Commander-in-Chief part of the job, eager to use war as a first resort. At least give diplomacy a try.

Picking the President: Terrorism and Homeland Security

I have two weeks left here. Better get this done. Ladies and gentlemen, the Wakefield Étudiant presents another exciting edition of...

John McCain

• No torture, but let CIA use harsher techniques
  
• Shut down Guantanamo, try detainees in military courts
  
• Bush warrantless wiretapping program was legal
  
• Pakistan a friend, supports Musharraf
  
• NATO should send more troops to Afghanistan

Barack Obama

• No torture, same standards for CIA and military
  
• Shut down Gitmo, try detainees in civilian courts
  
• Opposes Bush wiretapping, pro-FISA compromise
  
• Fight al Qaeda in Pakistan
  
• Add 7,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan by moving some out of Iraq
  

Point to Obama. I don't see why the CIA, military, and civilian courts can't meet the same standards. Oh, and John? You know Bin Laden's in Pakistan, right?

Picking the President: Diplomacy

John McCain

• Create a "League of Democracies"
  
• Use pressure, not talks, to deal with some nations
  
• Reduce nukes, but keep enough to deter attacks
  
• China is a competitor, expel Russia from G8
  
• Keep embargo and travel restrictions on Cuba
• Pressure U.N. to deploy peacekeepers to Darfur

Barack Obama

• Increase U.S. involvement in U.N. and NATO
  
• Talk to any head of state without preconditions
  
• Work toward world without nuclear weapons
  
• China is a competitor, do not expel Russia from G8
  
• Lift restrictions on family travel to Cuba
  
• Pressure U.N. to deploy peacekeepers to Darfur
  

Point to Obama, who kicks McCain's ass at this "diplomacy" thing. I mean, a peaceful solution to problems? I don't think McCain thinks that's possible.

Picking the President: Globalization and Trade

John McCain

Extend Fast Track Authority	Yes
NAFTA	No Changes
More Labor & Environ. Standards in Treaties	No
China	Voted against Punishing Currency Manipulation

Barack Obama

Extend Fast Track Authority	Not for Bush
NAFTA	Include Labor Rights
More Labor & Environ. Standards in Treaties	Yes
China	Challenge Currency Manipulation

Point to Obama. The last thing Bush needs is more power, and I respect how he advocates labor rights and environmental standards. He's actually more conservative than McCain when it comes to China: US law dictates that we challenge currency manipulation.

Picking the President: Education

John McCain

Vouchers	Yes
Charter Schools	Yes
Merit Pay for Teachers	Yes
NCLB: Reform or Abolish	Neither
Voluntary School Prayer	Yes

Barack Obama

Vouchers	No
Charter Schools	Yes
Merit Pay for Teachers	Yes
NCLB: Reform or Abolish	Reform
Voluntary School Prayer	Unknown

I'm giving two points to Obama. Vouchers are diverting government money from where it should really go - the painfully under-funded public schools. NCLB, like much of the Bush administration's work, is a good-intentioned but imperfect act, and some revision would help the students a little more.
And since I'm just so damn moderate, I'm also giving a point to McCain. The key word in "Voluntary School Prayer" is the first one. America was founded by those who sought religious freedom, and this nation's citizens should be able to pray.

Picking the President: Homeland Security

Hillary Clinton

Support 9/11 Commission Reforms	YES
Reauthorize Patriot Act	YES
Surveillance Without Warrant	NO
Close Guantanamo Bay	YES
Military Draft	NO
National Service Program	YES

John McCain

Support 9/11 Commission Reforms	YES
Reauthorize Patriot Act	YES
Surveillance Without Warrant	YES
Close Guantanamo Bay	YES
Military Draft	NO
National Service Program	NO

Barack Obama

Support 9/11Commission Reforms	YES
Reauthorize Patriot Act	YES
Surveillance Without Warrant	NO
Close Guantanamo Bay	YES
Military Draft	NO
National Service Program	YES

Points to the Democrats. The Constitution implies a right to privacy, which unwarranted surveillance would violate. A National Service Program can get more people involved in helping the community instead of pretending to on their "community-serving blogs".

Picking the President: Health Care

Hillary Clinton

Large-scale reform plan?	Mandate health insurance for all
Mandatory coverage?	Yes
2007 SCHIP expansion?	Supports

John McCain

Large-scale reform plan?	Leave to individual states
Mandatory coverage?	No
2007 SCHIP expansion?	Opposes

Barack Obama

Large-scale reform plan?	Affordable health insurance for all
Mandatory coverage?	Only for children
2007 SCHIP expansion?	Supports

Point to Hillary. I think we can all agree that America's current health care system is full of problems. I believe that the best way to solve these problems is by switching to the radically different universal health care system.

Picking the President: Environment and Climate Change

Hillary Clinton

Cap-and-Trade System?	yes
Support for Nuclear Power?	yes
Raise CAFE Standards?	yes
Support for ANWR Drillings?	no
Sign Kyoto Protocol?	yes

John McCain

Cap-and-Trade System?	yes
Support for Nuclear Power?	yes
Raise CAFE Standards?	yes
Support for ANWR Drillings?	no
Sign Kyoto Protocol?	no

Barack Obama

Cap-and-Trade System?	yes
Support for Nuclear Power?	yes
Raise CAFE Standards?	yes
Support for ANWR Drillings?	no
Sign Kyoto Protocol?	yes

Points to the Democrats. Global warming exists, and the Kyoto Protocol may help save our icebergs.

Glen: I like to pretend not to believe in global warming to anger people, so I'm going to voice disagreement!

Not that I'm calling anybody out or anything...

Picking the President: Torture and Guantanamo Bay

With respect to U.S. policy towards enemy combatants, Sen. Clinton generally opposes violations of the Geneva Conventions on torturing detainees, but has said that she might make an exception if use of such techniques would guarantee the safety of American lives. She also co-sponsored a bill that would have closed the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, and voted against suspending the writ of habeas corpus for captured suspected terrorists.

Sen. McCain argues that the U.S. should be a “champion of the Geneva Conventions” in order to show its full support for international human rights, and when pressed has refused to say he would authorize the use of torture, even in the “ticking time-bomb” scenario.He also sponsored an amendment in the Senate that would establish limits for the techniques able to be used for interrogation by American troops and officials. While McCain has lauded the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, he also has said that the military prison there should be shut down.

While he has not been questioned on the “ticking time-bomb scenario,” Sen. Obama is an opponent of violating the Geneva Convention regulations on interrogation techniques. He also voted against the 2006 Military Commissions Act, which would have suspended the writ of habeas corpus for Guantanamo Bay inmates and allowed them to be tried in military tribunals. However, he supports the ability to use military tribunals for enemy detainees in general. He has pledged to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

Point to McCain, who voted for the Military Commissions Act. In certain situations, safety takes priority over civil liberties. Suspected terrorists should not have habeas corpus.

Picking the President: Human Rights and Darfur

On the issue of human rights, Sen. Clinton was one of the strongest advocates for U.S. involvement in Kosovo during her husband’s administration, and in general has argued for more U.S. involvement in humanitarian issues like primary school education in Africa. She also favors greater U.S. involvement in the crisis in Darfur, though she has stopped short of calling for U.S. ground troops to be deployed to Sudan, arguing instead for the use of NATO forces to secure a no-fly zone in the region.

Sen. McCain has made a point to emphasize the importance of democracy to places like Latin America and Africa, and argues that the “greatest honor is to serve the cause of human dignity.” Sen. McCain has called for much greater U.S. involvement in the Darfur conflict, including pressuring the EU for greater economic sanctions, the UN for more peacekeepers, and the use of its own logistical and intelligence equipment to aid the conflict resolution process.

Sen. Obama argues for great U.S. involvement in Darfur – while stopping short of calling for U.S. ground troops to be deployed to the region, he prefers a strong diplomatic approach combined with U.S. pressure on the UN to deploy a peacekeeping force of at least 20,000 to the region. He has also pledged to double U.S. foreign investment in programs to supply clean water, safe food, shelter, and education to the world’s poor, especially in Africa, where he says the U.S. should focus beyond simply the Darfur situation.

Point to Obama. What he proposes is exactly what we should be doing in Darfur, and we should shed a little more light on other problems in Africa.

Picking the President: Afghanistan

Sen. Clinton argues that we are “losing the fight” to al Qaeda in Afghanistan as a result of a thinly stretched military. She would focus further military efforts in the Middle East away from Iraq and towards Afghanistan.

Sen. McCain has called the progress in Afghanistan “encouraging” and believes that it is an important battle in the greater war on terror. He also sees the conflict’s outcome as a determinant of the future and security of the NATO alliance.

Sen. Obama claims that the War in Iraq has distracted from the more important conflict in Afghanistan, where he believes the U.S. should re-focus its efforts and concentrate on garnering additional international support.

Points to the Democrats. Jon Pebley contrasted Iraq and Afghanistan thusly:

"I've been to Iraq twice, there's not much action. They try to make Iraq look so bad, but Afghanistan is as bad as Iraq was two years ago."

Too bad we don't have enough troops to adequately deal with these conflicts.

Picking the President: China

Sen. Clinton has been a critic of China’s human rights abuses since her stint as First Lady, but still voted to grant “Most Favored Nation” trade status. She calls China a “competitor” rather than ally or enemy. When pressed, she did not favor using a potential boycott of the 2008 Olympic Games as a diplomatic tool with China.

Sen. McCain has said that while China’s economic progress has been astonishing, it continues to restrict domestic human rights and impede world order on issues like Darfur. He argues that the U.S. must “insist that China use its power responsibly at home and abroad.”

Sen. Obama sees the essential challenge of “build[ing] relationship that broadens cooperation while strengthening our ability to compete” with respect to China. He authored letter to U.S. Ambassador to China asking for answers regarding contaminated Chinese imports. He sees China as a competitor rather than ally or enemy.

Points to McCain and Obama. We may not be boycotting the Olympics, but it would have been a nice embarrassment for China. Make them regret the whole human rights thing, right?

Picking the President: Iran

Sen. Clinton prefers diplomacy, but will not rule out military action. She has made contradictory statements regarding use of tactical nuclear weapons: in 2006 interview, said she would not use them; in 2007 debate, said she would not take option off the table.

Sen. McCain has called for greater diplomatic pressure and UN sanctions to deter Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but has also not ruled out use of the military, including tactical nuclear weapons, to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, which he calls the “tripwire” and “the only thing worse than the U.S. exercising the military option.”

Sen. Obama says he would utilize diplomacy, sanctions, and (as a last resort) air strikes to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear capabilities, but believes the U.S. military is too overstretched to consider ground troops against Iran while still in Iraq.

Point to Obama, because the military just can't afford to go anywhere while it's still in Iraq and Afghanistan. Back in '03, Iran was a bigger threat than Iraq. Five years later, Iran still has nuclear ambitions, but diplomacy is the only way we can deal with them.

Picking the President: More Gay Rights

Allow gays to serve openly in military	Clinton, Gravel, Obama
Supports Don't Ask/Don't Tell	McCain, Paul

Points to the Democrats. There's no reason why we shouldn't let these "sinners" serve. Again, the religious Americans are just looking for a group to bully.

Glen: But they are sinners, and thus deserve to be bullied!

Shut up. I don't understand the Republicans' thinking here. If these people are sinners, why shouldn't we send them to die in Iraq and Afghanistan? Oh, that's right, because their "sins" disqualify them from receiving that "right."

Picking the President: Gay Rights

Supports same-sex marriage	Gravel
Supports civil unions for same-sex couples	Clinton, Obama
Supports neither, but opposes Federal Marriage Amendment	McCain, Paul
Supports Federal Marriage Amendment to ban same-sex marriage nationwide	Huckabee, Hunter, Romney...l.o.l.

Point to Gravel, because, as stupid as it is, there's a difference between a marriage and a civil union. A civil union is recognized by the law, but not necessarily by religions. These religious groups, including my own, the Catholics, need to get with the times and give same-sex couples the respect they deserve.

Glen: But homosexuality is immoral, and same-sex couples shouldn't have the right to get married!

Shut up. A same-sex relationship may not be your cup of tea, but gays aren't doing anything wrong. Instead of persecuting this group of people, people should be focusing on bigger problems.

And for the love of God, and this goes for anyone reading this post...don't start another flame war.

Picking the President: More Crime

Keep marijuana illegal	Clinton, Huckabee, McCain
Let individual states decide	Paul
Legalize medical marijuana nationwide	Richardson L.O.L
Decriminalize the possession and use of marijuana	Obama
Legalize marijuana entirely	Gravel

I think marijuana should be treated like alcohol. I suppose that's what Obama will do. I'm not encouraging the use of marijuana, though. Those who possess and use other, more dangerous drugs, should be punished for doing so. The prohibition of marijuana is distracting the law enforcers from busting people for those worse drugs. Obama's tied for second with McCain, with Gravel in the lead.