An Open Letter to John McCain and Barack Obama
Dear John and Barack,
I have one simple question for each of you (answer seperately, please): What exactly are you going to do for ME?
I'm 28 years-old, I'm white, I come from a comfortable middle-class background, and like a lot of people my age, I'm trying to find a career and chart my own course in life. For the past year I've heard a lot of mumbo-jumbo said by and about both of you guys, but for the most part it just sounds like vague jabs, over-analysis, and hyper-nuanced statements that don't actually mean anything. Because, let's face it, once you get into office, all bets are off.
So, why exactly should I vote for either of you guys? What are you going to do for me?
Homeland Security & The War on Terror?
I currently live in a small town in rural Pennsylvania. Al-Qaeda is not exactly knocking on my front door. I used to live in New York City, so yes, I "get it." But I've got news for you, if somebody wants to put anthrax on the subway or bomb a bus terminal, it's GOING to happen, whether or not you put John Wayne or Richard Simmons in the White House. I fail to see how any grandstanding on either of your parts is going to keep this country safe, whatever that means in the first place. Other than starting another war, committing more troops, or otherwise causing MORE violence (which is basically what all of this chest-beating about the War on Terror is about) I don't really see what either of you is going to do to "keep us safe."
Why not tell me, specifically, how you plan to work with other nations, diplomatically and technologically, to build up a world-wide coalition against terrorism, which is far more of a problem in other countries than here. Tell me how you're going to strengthen our borders, make security more efficient and effective, and make sure terrorists are not operating within the U.S., rather than how you're going to bomb another country if someone messes with us. While you're at it, tell me how you're going to do all this while still safegaurding my personal privacy. That's something I want to hear.
Taxes?
They say you, John, want to keep taxes low, and they say you, Barack, want to raise taxes, especially on the rich. Okay...well it seems to me that regardless who's the president, taxes only ever go in one direction. Furthermore, as somebody who doesn't make a lot of money, and whose total net worth probably couldn't even buy a steak sandwich at Denny's, this issue doesn't really move me either. No matter who wins this fall, I'm going to have to pay my taxes. Part of that is going into Social Security, which isn't even going to exist by the time I need it. The other part of it is going to finance some government programs, and infrastructure, and other things of which I'm not acutely aware. I don't make a lot of money right now, I don't expect to have a lot of it to spare, so TAX AWAY!!! But here's my point--how about GIVING me something in return for it!! Like, for instance, healthcare? Or access to a subsidized education? Give me something I can USE!
As for the whole notion of "big government," I think that ship sailed a long, long time ago. The days of the "hands-off" government are long, long gone. They probably stopped sometime at the beginning of last century. If big government means having a national health service, or having government sponsored university education, give me big government, cause it's not going to get smaller either way.
The Economy?
Just tell it to me straight: neither of you knows how to fix what's going on now. Fine. Nobody does. This is what we call a colossal F*CK UP. It has to be borne out. No $600 dollar checks or promises of lower taxes are going to fix this. How about suggesting some ways in which we might PREVENT the next colossal F*CK UP? There needs to be a free market in this country, that's the only way technological and industrial progress can continue. But can you figure out some way to get a handle on things so these Bubble's stop f*cking up the economy? This is the second one in a decade. We barely got up off our feet after the Tech Bubble and we walked right into the Housing Bubble. Tell me how we can watch out for the Green Bubble, or whatever the next one is...but don't pretend you can magically fix (or even explain) what's been going on for the past year.
As it affects me? I was basically broke before, I'm basically broke now. The economy had little to do with it, except that now gas is more expensive. But, I recognized I was broke and didn't overextend myself, thus, when the economy turned south, my exposure was minimal. Nobody who was financially secure and financially prudent before the Housing Bubble has now found themselves destitute. If they are, they're few. The one's who got the shaft were the ones who had overextended themselves (for whatever reason or necessity), and just got squeezed to the limit. I don't suggest calling people "whiners," but how about, after we get through this, we start introducing the notion of "financial responsibility" again, and stop being a nation of Credit Junkies? How are either of you going to help with that?
Religion, Abortion, Same-Sex Marriage?
Can you both please keep these issues out of the race altogether? These are moral issues, not political issues, and I don't see why we keep wasting valuable time on them. Religion, first off, was one thing the Founding Fathers specifically wanted to keep out of the political and governmental realm. Yes, they put "God" on our currency, and back then most people and politicians believed in some form of religion, but the whole point of this country was to separate church and state. These things are only issues because they matter to your voters. Shouldn't that be reason enough to have a stance? Well, maybe...and maybe not. People care about a lot of stuff they probably shouldn't...like American Idol. But you don't have a position on that, do you? Abortion is never going to be outlawed, nor is same-sex marriage, nor is anyone ever going to tell me what religion to practice. So stop focusing on these things, at all.
So...back to my original question: What are you going to do for ME? Furthermore, is there really anything you CAN do for me? Election Day is November 4. On November 5, I'm still going to have the same problems as I did the day before, and frankly, neither of you can really help me with any of them.
That's not to say I won't vote for one of you and, honestly, I've pretty much made up my mind. So you can argue, and point the finger and quibble about who said what, and how they said it, and how they looked when they said it, and what you're going to do, and what your opponent is going to do, and what your opponent is not going to do that he says he's going to do, and what your opponent is going to do that he says he's not going to do... But you've already won or lost my vote. And not because I think my life is going to be dramatically different either way, but because I like--or dislike less--the direction where I think you might take the country, and where that might lead, and so on, and so on, and where the country might be 20 or 30 years from now.
I take it back. Don't even attempt to answer this question, because you can't. All you can do is shepherd my country, my people, through the next four years and not do something outrageously stupid like lead us into another war or destroy our economy. You can't even deliver, honestly, on most of the things you promise. It's just not possible. So, I'm not asking for you to do something incredibly smart, just DON'T do something incredibly stupid.
Is that too much to ask?
Grant
I have one simple question for each of you (answer seperately, please): What exactly are you going to do for ME?
I'm 28 years-old, I'm white, I come from a comfortable middle-class background, and like a lot of people my age, I'm trying to find a career and chart my own course in life. For the past year I've heard a lot of mumbo-jumbo said by and about both of you guys, but for the most part it just sounds like vague jabs, over-analysis, and hyper-nuanced statements that don't actually mean anything. Because, let's face it, once you get into office, all bets are off.
So, why exactly should I vote for either of you guys? What are you going to do for me?
Homeland Security & The War on Terror?
I currently live in a small town in rural Pennsylvania. Al-Qaeda is not exactly knocking on my front door. I used to live in New York City, so yes, I "get it." But I've got news for you, if somebody wants to put anthrax on the subway or bomb a bus terminal, it's GOING to happen, whether or not you put John Wayne or Richard Simmons in the White House. I fail to see how any grandstanding on either of your parts is going to keep this country safe, whatever that means in the first place. Other than starting another war, committing more troops, or otherwise causing MORE violence (which is basically what all of this chest-beating about the War on Terror is about) I don't really see what either of you is going to do to "keep us safe."
Why not tell me, specifically, how you plan to work with other nations, diplomatically and technologically, to build up a world-wide coalition against terrorism, which is far more of a problem in other countries than here. Tell me how you're going to strengthen our borders, make security more efficient and effective, and make sure terrorists are not operating within the U.S., rather than how you're going to bomb another country if someone messes with us. While you're at it, tell me how you're going to do all this while still safegaurding my personal privacy. That's something I want to hear.
Taxes?
They say you, John, want to keep taxes low, and they say you, Barack, want to raise taxes, especially on the rich. Okay...well it seems to me that regardless who's the president, taxes only ever go in one direction. Furthermore, as somebody who doesn't make a lot of money, and whose total net worth probably couldn't even buy a steak sandwich at Denny's, this issue doesn't really move me either. No matter who wins this fall, I'm going to have to pay my taxes. Part of that is going into Social Security, which isn't even going to exist by the time I need it. The other part of it is going to finance some government programs, and infrastructure, and other things of which I'm not acutely aware. I don't make a lot of money right now, I don't expect to have a lot of it to spare, so TAX AWAY!!! But here's my point--how about GIVING me something in return for it!! Like, for instance, healthcare? Or access to a subsidized education? Give me something I can USE!
As for the whole notion of "big government," I think that ship sailed a long, long time ago. The days of the "hands-off" government are long, long gone. They probably stopped sometime at the beginning of last century. If big government means having a national health service, or having government sponsored university education, give me big government, cause it's not going to get smaller either way.
The Economy?
Just tell it to me straight: neither of you knows how to fix what's going on now. Fine. Nobody does. This is what we call a colossal F*CK UP. It has to be borne out. No $600 dollar checks or promises of lower taxes are going to fix this. How about suggesting some ways in which we might PREVENT the next colossal F*CK UP? There needs to be a free market in this country, that's the only way technological and industrial progress can continue. But can you figure out some way to get a handle on things so these Bubble's stop f*cking up the economy? This is the second one in a decade. We barely got up off our feet after the Tech Bubble and we walked right into the Housing Bubble. Tell me how we can watch out for the Green Bubble, or whatever the next one is...but don't pretend you can magically fix (or even explain) what's been going on for the past year.
As it affects me? I was basically broke before, I'm basically broke now. The economy had little to do with it, except that now gas is more expensive. But, I recognized I was broke and didn't overextend myself, thus, when the economy turned south, my exposure was minimal. Nobody who was financially secure and financially prudent before the Housing Bubble has now found themselves destitute. If they are, they're few. The one's who got the shaft were the ones who had overextended themselves (for whatever reason or necessity), and just got squeezed to the limit. I don't suggest calling people "whiners," but how about, after we get through this, we start introducing the notion of "financial responsibility" again, and stop being a nation of Credit Junkies? How are either of you going to help with that?
Religion, Abortion, Same-Sex Marriage?
Can you both please keep these issues out of the race altogether? These are moral issues, not political issues, and I don't see why we keep wasting valuable time on them. Religion, first off, was one thing the Founding Fathers specifically wanted to keep out of the political and governmental realm. Yes, they put "God" on our currency, and back then most people and politicians believed in some form of religion, but the whole point of this country was to separate church and state. These things are only issues because they matter to your voters. Shouldn't that be reason enough to have a stance? Well, maybe...and maybe not. People care about a lot of stuff they probably shouldn't...like American Idol. But you don't have a position on that, do you? Abortion is never going to be outlawed, nor is same-sex marriage, nor is anyone ever going to tell me what religion to practice. So stop focusing on these things, at all.
So...back to my original question: What are you going to do for ME? Furthermore, is there really anything you CAN do for me? Election Day is November 4. On November 5, I'm still going to have the same problems as I did the day before, and frankly, neither of you can really help me with any of them.
That's not to say I won't vote for one of you and, honestly, I've pretty much made up my mind. So you can argue, and point the finger and quibble about who said what, and how they said it, and how they looked when they said it, and what you're going to do, and what your opponent is going to do, and what your opponent is not going to do that he says he's going to do, and what your opponent is going to do that he says he's not going to do... But you've already won or lost my vote. And not because I think my life is going to be dramatically different either way, but because I like--or dislike less--the direction where I think you might take the country, and where that might lead, and so on, and so on, and where the country might be 20 or 30 years from now.
I take it back. Don't even attempt to answer this question, because you can't. All you can do is shepherd my country, my people, through the next four years and not do something outrageously stupid like lead us into another war or destroy our economy. You can't even deliver, honestly, on most of the things you promise. It's just not possible. So, I'm not asking for you to do something incredibly smart, just DON'T do something incredibly stupid.
Is that too much to ask?
Grant
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