| It can be difficult to sift through all the issues as the | | | | workers came close. The teachers are next. There |
| candidates throw barbs at each other this year. This | | | | are too many educational requirements for teachers. |
| is a summary of what I can gather along with my | | | | Some of the best potential teachers have little formal |
| own opinions. | | | | education, some are moms and dads with work |
| THE ECONOMY: | | | | experience. Higher pay? Are you kidding me? |
| Obama: Wants to enforce labor and environmental | | | | HEALTH CARE |
| standards on free trade. Wants to tax oil companies. | | | | Obama: Coverage for children. Require employers to |
| Would allow limited off-shore drilling in exchange for | | | | share cost of providing insurance similar to federal |
| alternative energy. | | | | employees. Says it would cost $65 billion after making |
| McCain: Supports free trade. Would lift ban on | | | | system more efficient. Wealthy families would pay |
| off-shore drilling and support oil, gas, and alternative | | | | more taxes to fund it. |
| fuel production. | | | | McCain: Individual tax credits to make insurance more |
| The Boomer: Nixon started us into this mess and | | | | affordable. If you get the tax credit, you cannot |
| others used free trade as a stop gap to a falling | | | | deduct the portion paid by your employer. |
| economy. We are now stuck with free trade. | | | | The Boomer: If employers have to give insurance |
| Boomer suggests a mandatory import tax where the | | | | similar to federal employee insurance, won't they be |
| funds support small business job creation and a | | | | able to hire fewer employees. Aren't these the |
| gradual decline of free trade until imports match | | | | employers that are asking unions for cuts? Making |
| exports and Americans go back to work at a decent | | | | the system more efficient? Come on now! When we |
| wage. Tax your Toyota. Turn the Toyota factories | | | | can't really solve problems lets just have the rich pay |
| into Ford plants. | | | | for it. No one has the guts to go after the medical, |
| ABORTION: | | | | drug, and insurance industries who have profits similar |
| Obama: Favors abortion rights. | | | | to the oil industry that everyone bashes. |
| McCain: Opposes abortion rights. | | | | FOREIGN POLICY: |
| The Boomer: This is one area where the decision has | | | | Obama: Would meet with Iran's President - wait, |
| to be a little grey. Abortion should only be allowed | | | | maybe not. Be diplomatic with Iran and press for |
| when the mother's life is in jeopardy or it is medically | | | | tough international sanctions. Opposed troop increase |
| evident that the baby will not be born alive. | | | | in Iraq - wait, maybe not until the end of 2009. |
| DEATH PENALTY: | | | | McCain: Tougher sanctions against Iran. Willing to |
| Obama: Supports the death penalty for crimes which | | | | have permanent peacekeeping force in Iraq. |
| " the community is justified in expressing the full | | | | The Boomer: I am tired of fighting for the world. Let |
| measure of its outrage". | | | | France have a go at it. Maybe the Russians will |
| McCain: Want to expand the federal death penalty. | | | | pummel a few more countries. Maybe Iran will |
| The Boomer: All pre-meditated or multiple murders | | | | aggravate Israel who will pummel them. Let the |
| should result in the death penalty. | | | | Taliban take over Pakistan and then blow the whole |
| EDUCATION: | | | | place up after evacuation of democratic citizens. |
| Obama: Reward teachers with higher pay not tied to | | | | Then let them return and help them rebuild. No one |
| standardized test scores. Tax credits for college | | | | talks about foreign aide either. Our kids are killing |
| students who perform community service. | | | | each other on the streets and we give everyone |
| McCain: Parental choice of schools. Vouchers for | | | | else aide. Movie stars build schools and give aide all |
| private schools. Supports community colleges. | | | | over. Do they ever look out their own windows? |
| The Boomer: It seems no one knows what to do | | | | BOOMER'S VOTING TIPS: |
| here. The collapse of the family along with gangs, | | | | 1. Never believe the media polls. They are pointed at |
| drugs and other addiction problems in our | | | | certain demographic groups. |
| communities are the cause of failed education. The | | | | They were so so wrong in the primaries. |
| government didn't learn yet that vouchers didn't | | | | 2. Read responsible internet reports about the issues |
| work in housing and will not work in education. Who | | | | and then decide. |
| pays for the tuition the government subsidizes for | | | | 3. Vote. Even though you know they won't deliver |
| allowing community service? WE DO. The steel | | | | on half the promises they make. |
| workers prices themselves out of jobs, and the auto | | | | |