Review of Presidential Candidates - Part Four

The last installment of our review of the candidates begins now!

Party: Republican Party
Candidate: John McCain

If you live in the U.S., you have certainly heard of the Republican Party. The official platform of the GOP for 2008 will be ratified at the convention this week; all ninety-two pages of the 2004 version can be found here. They are generally advocates of fiscal and social conservatism. They also support a strong national defense. This broad description does not account for the massive increase in the federal budget deficit where spending decreases have not been commensurate with tax breaks.

John McCain has been on the national stage for some time now. He has been in Congress since 1983 with most of that time being in the Senate. He gained national recognition as the son of an admiral who was captive in a Vietnam POW camp for five and a half years. McCain has gained a reputation as being a maverick who can work with Republicans and Democrats alike to pass legislation. He is probably best know recently for his support of the "Surge" strategy in Iraq. He has recently chose Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate.

Sen. McCain (R-AZ) deserves respect for the horrific episode he experienced in Vietnam. His family has a strong military history. This is so much at the core of his being that it concerns me deeply. I'm not going to poke fun at his comments on Iran or Iraq which may paint him as a warmonger. But, I do truly feel that his deep love and respect for the military (which is honorable) makes him too hawkish and scares me. I believe that he truly cares. I believe that he can work with the Democrats. That isn't enough for me. Working with Democrats will mean more spending and more government. His deep care for the safety and reputation of this country will mean more military endeavors. He will not get my vote.

Party: Democratic Party
Candidate: Barack Obama

The Democratic Party is, of course, the main rival of the Republican Party. In a generic sense, they are considered to be more liberal or left-wing on fiscal and social issues. In truth, the two major parties do not differ that much. Democrats are more willing to increase taxes - especially so-called progressive taxes which impact the rich. The tend to place more emphasis on social programs, but demonstrate equal willingness to promote democracy throughout the world. The idea of promoting democracy is often code for willing to use our military strength against people we don't like. Their 2004 platform can be found here.

Sen. Obama (D-IL) is in his first term in Washington and most recently was a member of the Illinois General Assembly. He is young, charismatic and a brilliant orator. He has shown that he can galvanize the support of millions and is the odds on favorite to win the Presidency due to his charisma and ability to call for a change from the ways of an unpopular Bush administration. His "Blueprint for Change" summarizes his views and plans for the country. Joe Biden (D-DE) is the party's candidate for Vice President.

The conservative pundits and talking heads in the mainstream media will point Obama as a Marxist. Deep in his heart, he very well may be. But, he's smart enough to know that as a candidate for the Democratic Party he has to walk the line. His proposed policies are not as socialist as McKinney, La Riva or Moore. He is for big government and has a plan to solidify a base with the masses by villianizing the rich and big business. And, he'll probably get away with it. When it comes down to it, I'd probably tip my cap to Obama over McCain as his stance on foreign policy will be much safer for all of us. I have no doubt he can lead. His so-called inexperience is not an issue as he has shown with his campaign that he can effectively manage a large organization with a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars. That's not enough for me to vote for him.

So, this leaves me to two semi-finalists: Baldwin and Barr. When it comes right down to it, my views align much more with Bob Barr. The Constitution Party stands for a lot of good things, but their moral authority toes a dangerous line in today's society of 300 million people. Further, Baldwin's protectionist approach to trade would likely force a regression in the economy. Barr is a politician. There is no doubt. In some ways, that makes me more comfortable with; in other ways, it makes me not want to trust him. But, when it's all said and done, there probably is no such thing as a perfect candidate. So, for what it is worth, I am officially throwing my full support behind Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party for President of the United States.

Join me in supporting Barr!