Two of the most outspoken
and crucial issues in this election
are the environment and
taxes. Almost every vicious
attack ad is about one of these
two issues. Whether it’s Sen.
John McCain’s offshore
drilling plan or Sen. Barack
Obama’s tax plan, both candidates
are hitting each other
hard on their opponents
stance on these two topics.
The environment and how
we affect it has been an
extremely hot issue ever since
Al Gore’s award-winning
documentary, “An
Inconvenient Truth.”
McCain supports offshore
drilling for oil. This is a controversial
stance because
many people don’t believe
this will provide the U.S. with
enough oil to offset the damage
it will do to our environment.
McCain does, however,
believe that global warming
is an issue. In 2007, he helped
to introduce the Climate
Stewardship and Innovation
Act. This bill is designed to
significantly reduce the
nation’s greenhouse gases.
He also is a strong proponent
of alternative energy
resources, including
the controversial
nuclear energy.
Obama is against
offshore drilling as
he believes its cost to
the environment is
too drastic. He would
implement an economy-
wide cap-andtrade
program to
reduce greenhouse gas
emissions to the level recommended
by top scientists.
He also hopes to create a new
international global warming
partnership to curb the dangers
of climate change.
Both of the candidates differ
significantly on this issue.
Obama believes that the environment
is too precious for us
to tinker with when it comes
to drilling. McCain, on the
other hand, thinks that the
people’s
need
for cheaper fuel and affordable
energy comes before
environmental needs.
Most elections are won
thank to taxes. The candidate
that’s going to lower the taxes
of the most people will usually
win. Republicans always
preach tax cuts, tax cuts, tax
cuts. Who gets those tax cuts,
however, is never specified.
Democrats believe in lower
taxes for the poor and higher
taxes for the rich.
This election is no different
than other ones.
McCain, despite voting
against them in
2001 and 2003,
believes that we
should extend the
Bush tax cuts. Under
Bush’s plan, the rich
got large cuts in their
taxes and the middle
class got smaller ones.
Many people believe
that this plan isn’t fair to
those in the lower tax brackets.
Obama has always opposed
the Bush tax cuts. Under his
tax plan, Obama would eliminate
income taxes for most
seniors and give homeowners
universal credit. His proposal
also lowers taxes $500-$1,000
for 150 million Americans. A
married couple making
$75,000 with two children,
one of whom is in college
would save $3,700 under this
plan. A single parent making
$41,000 with two children
would save $2,100.
If this election is an ultimatum
on change versus more
of the same, then taxes is the
ultimate judge of it. McCain’s
plan would extend the tax
cuts of the past 5 years, while
Obama would introduce a
new tax plan designed to balance
the wealth among the
classes.
There’s less than one week
until the election, and there’s
no doubt that the intensity is
rising the closer it gets to
Election Day.
Vote Nov. 4; and don’t vote
for or against someone for
superficial reasons. Vote for
the person that shares your
ideals, your hopes, and your
dreams. Only then will you
know in your heart that you
voted for the right man to
lead this country.