McCain vs. Obama: Abortion/ Afghanistan/ & Education

For these next few blog entries I’m going to give you a quick run-down of what the candidates have proposed & then try to determine which candidate would do the great good for the greatest amount of Americans. Since the majority of Americans make between $35-74,000 a year I will assume the middle & lower classes are the majority of America. So, lets look at the first three issues:

ABORTION

Obama/ Biden:
+ Support a woman’s choice
* Roe vs. Wade Good
McCain/ Palin:
- Make Abortion Illegal

* Roe vs. Wade Needs

Both
+ Prohibit Partial Birth Abortions
+ Decisions should be w/ States

Analysis: The president gets to nominate Supreme Court Justices who (currently) have the greatest say over these decisions, BUT historically Justices rarely vote the same way as the presidents who nominated. In many cases “liberal” leaning presidents nominated some of the more conservative Justices. The president also has the power to veto bills & laws put before him about this issue, but otherwise has little say as this is still mainly a state & family-led decision. Some people are worried having an all-democratic Congress and presidency would allow very liberal-leaning laws through, but take a look at the ultimate check & balance. 4 out of 5 of the most conservative voting judges are now serving as Supreme Court Justices. The Court is more conservative now than it ever has been in history, even if congress approves up to 4 moderate Justices the court would still be on of the most conservative in history. Another key issue here is that freedom of choice is a constitutional right women hold so McCain’s proposal is unconstitutional and couldn’t be carried through. Winner here: Tie, neither side is proposing major changes that could happen. (Abortion is always a major voting issue and the irony is that the president has little control over this key debate!!)
Record of Supreme Court Justices on Conservative Voting
More On Supreme Court Justice & Voting Records

AFGHANISTAN

Obama/ Biden
* 2 Extra Brigades
*Focus on Training Afghan Security Forces
+ Offer alternative livelihoods to narcotics farmers & social Programs
McCain/ Palin
* 3 Extra Brigades
- Focus on Winning the War, Doubling Money & Troops
- Counter Insurgency Technique (8-10 yrs.)
Both
+ Center of the War on Terror

-More Troops & More Money

Analysis: As commander and chief, the president has the most influence in foreign affairs and how our military is used (with Congress's support). It is more than clear the American people are tired of war and paying for a costly war when we have serious domestic problems at home. So, additional money & troops does not win points for either candidate. Wanted to use counter insurgency techniques in Afghanistan could very feasibly win the war in Afghanistan, but the American people are not willing to be an occupying force in Afghanistan for another 8-10 years, that is if the international community is willing to let us even! On this issue, training the security forces within Afghanistan & providing social programs that give the people other alternaitves than growing poppies is the best solution with what the American people (and possibly the international community as well) are willing to take on at this point. Verdict: Abandoning the country is out of the question, but the democrats seem to have better methods for continuing to provide support and route out terrorism.
Experts Explain What Counter Insurgency Is
US & Counter Insurgency
Another View on Counter Insurgency

EDUCATION

McCain/ Palin
- Use Title II (35%) to pay only for teachers & admin pay
+ Build more virtual class rooms for on-line classes, tutors, & other course like ACT Prep. Courses
Obama/ Biden
+ More Early Childhood Education Programs
- Make Science & Math a National Priority
+ Provide College Tuition through Community Service Programs
++ Make Community Colleges FREE!!
Both
+ Reform No Child Left Behind Laws

Analysis: This is the most important issue in terms of America's long-term success. US students have fallen behind most of the other 1st & 2nd world nations in areas like science and math. The gap has been widening recently. Both candidates believe the ideas behind No Child Left Behind (NCLB) were good, but they need reform. McCain has proposed ear-marking Title II specifically to try and lure teachers in the top 25% of the class with extra money and Obama wants to make science and math top national priorities, however both these measures seek to dictate how states spend money. Education has always been run very differently for each state and if we learned anything from NCLB it was that States need that flexibility. McCain tries to bolster the use of technology in schools by proposing more virtual classrooms, but if you've ever been in a classroom recently you know these are coveted items strictly controlled by schools & the networks they are connected with. Simply having more of them would not increase access. Coming personally from a middle class family that poured a large fortune into a college education (and will continue to for the next 3 years at least), providing college tuition at the price of good patriotism or civic responsibly is the best idea since sliced bread! For those that don't feel included to plant trees or scrub graffiti, there is always community college for FREE! (For students & returning professionals alike according to Barrack Obama's plan.) The only dirty spot on this proposal is the shear cost and ability to carry out this plan. It's something Congress had talked about for years, but getting congress to agree on a measure of this magnitude might see the same problems that social security reform has seen for the last 50 years....none. In thought it's the one of the best ideas on the board. Verdict: Democrats
USA TODAY - Comparing Math Scores
Department of Education & Labor
International Education Surveys