jorgelito

So here we are in mid-July with about 3 1/2 months to go or so. Where do you stand on the presidential election (and others) so far? Have you changed your mind? Have you been persuaded by a new candidate? What issues are you most concerned with?

Last we discussed this, I was 51-49 in favor of Obama, my key concerns being Obama would raise taxes among other issues concerning foreign policy.

Since then, I have been reassured that Obama will NOT raise taxes and I like his foreign policy push concerning our armed forces. Specifically shifting forces to Afghanistan and having an exit strategy for withdrawal from Iraq. I have grown to like Adama and appreciate his "bipartisan" (multipartisan?) approach and his reach across the aisle. Despite his moronic comments concerning speaking Spanish, I like Obama's reaching out to all Americans and not just pandering to certain demographics. Let's see if he is sincere and meets with the most marginalized groups, Native Americans and Asian Americans.

I would like to hear more on his economic ideas, environment, Veteran Affairs, and gun rights.

How effective he can be remains to be seen.

McCain, (my previous favorite) has not stepped up to the plate as much as I had hoped. There are many concerns he has not addressed and I am beginning to feel marginalized.

So now, I am leaning 75-80:25-20 Obama.

What say you TFP? US and foreigners? What are your opinions at the mid-summer mark?

laconic1

I'm still undecided between McCain and Barr. I just feel Barr is a bit of a Johnny-come-lately when it comes to libertarian principles, for example voting for the PATRIOT Act and being against it now. And seeing as to how Colorado could very well be the pivotal state in this election I might not have the luxury of throwing away my vote on a third party candidate this year. I'd feel better about McCain if he starting sending stronger signals about having a strong economic policy other than just making tax cuts permanent and saying earmarks are bad. I have yet to hear a word from him about debt reduction. I'm not thrilled with either of them to be honest, and Obama does not appeal either.

ratbastid

I've been strongly for Obama since he was a minor player early in the primaries.

I have to confess, his rightward shift over the last month or so has disturbed me, particularly regarding FISA. I'll still vote for him, but his candidacy has lost a bit of its luster for me.

I do think he's the best choice for foreign policy issues--including Iraq/Afghanistan. McCain's own economic advisers think his econ policy is full of shit. There's really only one choice, and I still think he's a good choice, but I wish he'd stick to his guns rather than trying to triangulate some mythical "center", a strategy that has killed the last two Dem nominees.

jorgelito

That's an interesting perspective Rat. I didn't think of it as a rightward shift. But I guess it worked because he has got me more now.

Perhaps the mythical center is not a myth?

ObieX

Honestly i haven't seen anything coming from any candidate that would make me want to push my vote their way. At one point i may have been concerned with pushing the republicans out and getting anyone else in there but right now i don't see that as something thats worth fretting over after what the dems did with their new found power last election. They did absolutely nothing. They did LESS than nothing. In many cases they even facilitated Bush in his anarchy.

While i see McCain doing the same old, all i see Obama doing is taking the same old and re-arranging it like a shell game and calling it something else. His recent vote on the FISA bill was just sickening, I don't think McCain even showed up for the vote, but i actually respect that more than voting for immunity. He just fed Obama enough slack to hang himself on that issue.

Maybe I'll just write in Ron Paul. He seemed genuinely honest and strait-forward.

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