Partis Veritas

For years the morality of abortion has been questioned and under debate by society. Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in its death. The debate over this issue differentiates with the two most popular political parties. For the most part, there is a pro-choice consensus among the political base of the Democrats, allowing the party to maintain a consistent platform in affirming a woman's right to have an abortion. Within the Republican Party, the issue has proved far more contentious - many of the more moderate and independent Republicans lean toward a pro-choice position, while the more conservative wing of the party is more pro-life. Barak Obama is working towards preserving the women's choice and protecting her rights under Roe v Wade. In July 2007 Obama agreed to sign the Freedom of Choice Act if he were elected President, allowing women to have the right to choose nation-wide. However, this act may cause the elimination of catholic hospitals, creating a greater impact on our society. Is the Freedom of Choice Act essential to our country? Obama's promises to allow a women's choice nation-wide an McCain's pro-life ideals adds to the importance of the electoral election.

In an international poll conducted by international news organization France 24, 85% of Americans believe that the most important issue to them and their votes is the US economy and the current financial crisis. As proven by this poll as well as other national trends, news outlets across most of the national TV networks as well as many web sources have focused almost exclusively on economic reports. Therefore, it seemed appropriate to delve into another matter which most people are probably unfamiliar with and uninformed. The topic up for debate is each candidate’s stance on poverty and other similar issues which affect the Americans at the bottom of the tax bracket, those relatively poor families which were struggling even before the current economic crisis.

Recently, America has been experiencing a new economic recession. It is believed that starting in October 28 million people will be using food stamps, which is a jump from the 26.5 million Americans that were using them in 2007. Fear and hunger walk hand in hand with poverty, and last year 12.6 million American households -- 11.2 percent of all American homes -- were afraid they might not be able to put enough food on the table, according to the Census Bureau. That's up more than 1.6 million households from the year 2000. Presidential candidate Barack Obama plans to deal with this poverty crisis several ways. One is by investing 1 billion dollars in transitional jobs and career pathway programs that implement proven methods of helping low-income Americans succeed in the workforce. Another way Obama is working towards reducing poverty is by raising the minimum wage to $9.50. The question is, will Obama actually carry out these plans and will they benefit our country? When the minimum wage rose to $7.25, poverty remained the same. By giving poor people more money, that doesn’t necessarily mean the money will be saved or spent wisely. There are currently 37 million poor Americans so it is essential to have a strong poverty plan in the future.

John McCain expresses his discontent with the way gasoline and food costs are hurting these Americans and promises to do several things to help aid out these families. He shows on his campaign website that he wishes to institute numerous policies, the first being a summer gas tax holiday, which would end up being a suspension of the 18.4 cent federal gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day, as well as a rolling back of corn-based ethanol mandates which he believes will help drive back down the rising food prices. Both these plans involve simply laid out programs, but one can question the practicality of some of his other listed programs. His website mentions that by sending a powerful message to world markets that our dependence on foreign oil shall come to an end soon will drive down prices at our local pumps. He also mentions that “John McCain's policies will increase the value of the dollar and thus reduce the price of oil” meaning that Americans will have a greater purchasing power for oil, gas, and food. What this website fails to mention is how John McCain’s, let alone any president’s policies, will help jumpstart our economy to the point where world markets will “bow down” to the American dollar once again. When a candidate makes a claim such as this, voters should be warned to remember that the office of President is considered the “Executive” part of the government. Every president will have to work, serve, and compromise with Congress, and all signs point to a heavily democratic congress which would put McCain’s republican policies at great jeopardy.

There are many demanding social issues in today’s world that can be attributed with poverty; reversing the spread of HIV and AIDS, reversing the spread of tuberculosis, improving child and maternal health, and achieving universal primary education are all issues that many will find hard-pressed to refute as inconsequential. While at first glance McCain’s views pertaining to the previously mentioned issues appear substantial, when compared to Obama’s plans they seem sparse; his answers lack details, direct values and actuality. If these international issues are important to you as a voter, can you fully accept his answers?

On April 21, 2003, the United States and its allies established the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) which served as a transitional government after the ousting of former dictator Saddam Hussein. This all-encompassing authority lasted until June 28, 2004. Its many defining points included the privatizing of Iraq's government, which was a monumental change from its previous form as a centrally-planned economy. The CPA was quickly followed by the Iraqi Interim Government which acted as a caretaker of Iraq between June 28, 2004 and May 3, 2005. Even as this unfolded, the US held much de facto power in the decision making for the country as Lyad Allawi was chosen to be the interim prime minister of Iraq during the handover. There were many who disagreed with the decision as they viewed him as a brute as well as "Washington's puppet". Allawi even went as far as closing down the al-Jazeera TV station because he did not agree with their record of bias and one-sided views. From May 3^rd, 2005 to May 20^th, 2006 the Iraqi transitional government was created to draft a permanent Constitution. Once complete, we reach the government of now. Simply called the current government of Iraq, it includes four major political groups and is a functioning government striving for independence.

Since 2003 we have heard about and dealt with the extreme affects from the War in Iraq. Although in all wars there is the factor of censorship, which may prevent America from seeing the complete extent of it, there is still the feeling of awareness to the casualties our country is facing. Of course with all wars there is the risk of losing lives, and often people take the "all is fair in love and war" mentality in order to avoid the truth. However, the truth is America has been subjected to 4,122 US soldier deaths and 30,182 US soldiers wounded. As of May 2007, 6,000 troops have been trained and are able to function independently of US forces (per NBC's "Meet the Press" on May 20, 2007). 146,000 American troops are currently fighting in the war, out of a total the 152,850. Sadly enough, the numbers are exponentially for those who have been affected by the war. These deaths change the lives of family members, friends and others, ultimately affecting millions. Not only have lives been changed, but the economy has too. The cost of the war and nation building is around 600 billion dollars and still rising. Without a doubt, the election is promising a change in this matter. The direction it will go balances on the President that will be elected and their policies. The War against Iraq is an extreme controversial matter with several emotions behind it, causing the 2008 election to have an even greater effect.

The Presidential candidates think similarly in some cases when regarding what to do with the troops in Iraq, and obviously, due to being in opposing political parties, have many differing points of view. The thoughts on pulling out quickly versus staying and having a more gradual pull out are defined by which party the candidate belongs to.

McCain has very strong ties to the US Military; he is a POW and has legitimately more experience within that arena, which he uses to appeal to his constituents over Obama's zero amount of experience. Yet Obama appeals to our country suppressed by a $10 billion a year war with a fresh outlook, boasting on his ability to create a much needed change within the political system. Obama focuses most of his campaigning on the negative aspects of the war such as casualties, cost, an ineffective Iraqi Government, and the debt that it has caused.

Obama's plan (from http://www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/): A Responsible, Phased Withdrawal

Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased, directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. Military experts believe we can safely redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 – more than 7 years after the war began.

Under the Obama-Biden plan, a residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq and to protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel. They will not build permanent bases in Iraq, but will continue efforts to train and support the Iraqi security forces as long as Iraqi leaders move toward political reconciliation and away from sectarianism.

McCain's Plan (from http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/FDEB03A7-30B0-4ECE-8E34-4C7EA83F11D8.htm ): John McCain on the Road Ahead

"I do not want to keep our troops in Iraq a minute longer than necessary to secure our interests there. Our goal is an Iraq that can stand on its own as a democratic ally and a responsible force for peace in its neighborhood. Our goal is an Iraq that no longer needs American troops. And I believe we can achieve that goal, perhaps sooner than many imagine. But I do not believe that anyone should make promises as a candidate for President that they cannot keep if elected. To promise a withdrawal of our forces from Iraq, regardless of the calamitous consequences to the Iraqi people, our most vital interests, and the future of the Middle East, is the height of irresponsibility. It is a failure of leadership. "

"I know the pain war causes. I understand the frustration caused by our mistakes in this war. And I regret sincerely the additional sacrifices imposed on the brave Americans who defend us. But I also know the toll a lost war takes on an army and on our country's security. By giving General Petraeus and the men and women he has the honor to command the time and support necessary to succeed in Iraq we have before us a hard road. But it is the right road. It is necessary and just. Those who disregard the unmistakable progress we have made in the last year and the terrible consequences that would ensue were we to abandon our responsibilities in Iraq have chosen another road. It may appear to be the easier course of action, but it is a much more reckless one, and it does them no credit even if it gives them an advantage in the next election." –John McCain

As it is almost impossible to ignore, I feel it necessary to address the most apparent criticism of Colin Powell’s endorsement so far. Not only is one of the most respected African-American leaders of our country endorsing the popular African-American senator, but he himself was once considered to be the man with the highest chance of becoming America’s first African-American president. There are those who would incite this as reasoning behind his endorsement while many, such as Mr. Powell himself, rebuke this statement. What Colin Powell says helped him cross party lines and endorse a democratic candidate were the actions of the Republican Party during this election; he specifically mentions the negative attacks upon Senator Obama’s character and the false intimations that Obama was Muslim. He criticizes his party for this approach stating that “The really right answer is what if he is?” as he then continues by praising the contributions of millions of Muslim citizens to American society. BBC’s North American Anchor Justin Webb expressed his satisfaction with this statement by agreeing that there should be nothing wrong with a seven year old Muslim child dreaming of one day becoming President, he goes on further saying “after all America has a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant story to tell when it comes to religious liberty and tolerance and togetherness. Second to no other nation on earth in fact.” (Webb, Justin. "Colin Powell's America." Justin Webb's America. 20 Oct 2008. BBC. 21 Oct 2008 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/2008/10/colin_powells_america.html). Now, while the US was built upon the notion that we as people should be free of religious persecution, many instances in our past refute that approach. Pro-Protestants could be severely bigoted towards Catholics during the era of 13 colonies, anti-Semitism, while much weaker in the US compared to Europe, still has a foothold in our society as proved by The Crown Heights Riots of 1991. This country has its fair share of religious maladies, and that kind of discrimination probably will not wane soon enough.

Colin Powell also cites the appointment of Governor Sarah Palin as flawed decision-making by Senator John McCain. In a point-blank quote he says “I don’t believe [Palin] is ready to be president of the United States,” however “[Joe Biden] is ready to be president on day one.” Mr. Powell cites his disappointment with her inexperience as well as her representation as a move towards the right of the political spectrum, something which he hoped his party would avoid.

McCain downplayed the importance of the endorsement citing that he and Colin Powell had a respectful disagreement and by presenting examples of the many other Secretaries and war heroes who have endorsed him. So far I have not seen any articles which show John McCain defending his running mate’s readiness to become president of our country; should that topic have been left untouched by him? Pat Buchanan, a famous republican political commentator, brought up the issue that this endorsement was simply based upon race; George Will as well as Rush Limbaugh echoed that same fact. It seems that the Republican Party is conservatively trying to downplay the endorsement by undermining Mr. Powell’s motives. Perhaps immoral perhaps not, these negative attacks upon character are pushing away moderate republicans like the former secretary of state. Why do these negative attacks continue to spill out from the right, when the issue upon negative attacks has become a polarizing issue for the party?

On the opposite spectrum, canvassers for Obama have tried to claim this endorsement as a major step towards bolstering Senator Obama’s foreign policy credentials and leadership qualities. While several haunch liberals have disliked Colin Powell for his actions during his time as secretary of state, many were quick to grab hold of his endorsement as a sign of coming victory. The democrats’ reaction to this announcement can be agreed as being predictable therefore I won’t use blog space explaining their actions.

Welcome to the search for shared truthfulness, a blog with which I hope to encourage inquiry into the political decisions of the candidates, promote the questioning of the actions taken by both parties, and instigate the debate over the daily actions of the presidential nominees from now up until Election Day. The election process is a convoluted and polarizing subject, and for undecided voters such as me, the narrow-mindedness of other bloggers and pundits further clouds the facts of the issues. Therefore, by analyzing the posts and readings of other popular political blogs from an unbiased standpoint, I hope to find and share a semblance of truth to help promote educated decision making on Election Day.