2008 Election

Is it our civic duty to vote if we are not educated about the candidates? John Stossel reported on this issue which showed that young adults as well as adults did not know much about politics and political leaders. As a democratic society it is absurd to forbid those who are uneducated from voting. Instead of encouraging those who are not as informed to stay home on voting day we should encourage them to educate themselves before voting day. If it weren’t for my English class I would not have taken the initiative to learn about the candidates and see what they actually stood for. I think that educating the younger age group about politics should be emphasized more. In the first video it was interesting to see how American’s look at the candidates as superhero’s. They make many claims that are appealing such as cutting taxes, creating more jobs, lowering gas prices, giving health care to everyone, etc. But in actuality can all of this be accomplished? I believe that each candidate makes claims that they know they cannot fulfill. The way they choose to execute their plan and achieve their promises is what sets them apart from one another. After researching the candidates I have decided to vote for Barack Obama. I support his plan to give tax relief to the middle class. According to Obama’s website “middle class families will see their taxes cut- and no family making less than $250, 000 will see their taxes increase. Obama will provide a package of tax cuts to help families afford health care, college and save for retirement.” This is important for me because my parents currently have to support me and my sister in college and they still have to worry about my other two siblings. John McCain does not support the middle class as much as Obama. According to the calculations based on IRS Statistics, “McCain’s health plan would require families to pay income taxes on their health benefits. Eventually tens of millions of middle class families would pay more taxes.” Obama wants to end tax breaks for companies that ship overseas which would discourage jobs overseas and more job opportunities at home. This would keep the money in America and increase spending which is what the economy needs. “News Organizations such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times say Obama’s plans add up and are more fiscally responsible than McCain’s whose plan falls at least $2 trillion to $3 trillion short.” If we want to see change we need to vote for Barack Obama to become President. He has a credible plan and he is ready to steer America in the right direction.