The first presidential debate, which was originally intended to focus on foreign policy and national security, was opened by a question about the current financial crisis by Jim Lehrer, PBS anchor. He asked candidates, Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain, what their position was on the $700 billion federal bailout plan proposed by the Bush administration and how it would affect their administration when they become a president. They both admitted that the congress had to do something in order to fix this crisis. John McCain said he would stop federal spending except for veterans care, national defense, and other vital areas. While Barack Obama admitted that he will have to delay some of his spending plans; by giving priority for early childhood education and improved health care.
Regarding this financial crisis, both candidates tried to show their concerns to those people who could be struggling to find jobs and feed their family because of the crisis on Wall Street.
The foreign-policy part of the debate brought up an aggressive scene, where McCain said America is winning and Obama argued the U.S shouldn’t have started the war in the first place. He said that the U.S has been preoccupied with Iraq while there have been some other parts of the world that are potential treats to the U.S as well as the world, such as Afghanistan.
Both the candidate tried to distinguish themselves from the current president, George W. Bush. McCain blamed the Bush Administration for excessive spending and he promised he would change that. And Obama on the other hand, argued that they are the same and stand for the same policies and principles that George Bush is currently having.
Discussion questions:
Do you really think the $700 billion bailout plan will help the economy to recover?
Which candidate do you think is stronger and why? (I know there are two more debates left, but try to answer on what you have seen so far)
After this election, which America do you think the world wants to see? Obama’s land of opportunity? Or McCain’s military power?
And finally if you are interested to know who won the debate, refer to this link:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/09/30/schneider.debate.bounce.poll.cnn?iref=videosearch
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6 comments:
The 700 billion dollar payout better help to strengthen the economy or else we are even more screwed than we already are. If you ask our parents right now how they feel about retirement, they say, "what retirement?" That is no where in their future unless they are multi-millionaires. The recovery is going to be a long slow ride that is definitely going to have more ups and downs that no one will be ready for. We have to look for signs of things to come. The lagging housing market that, at least i have see, in during the last two years should have been an indicator of things to come. Guess not....
I think that both candidates have ideas about how they want to fix the economy, but neither has a clear cut lead. We will not know who is going to help us until they actually are elected and maybe not even till twenty of thirty years down the road when we look back at the crisis. Both debates have been very even, with CNN even saying that they were too close to call.
I think the world is ready to see a opportunistic America, but is that the American that is best? We cannot overlook the two wars we are involved in because of the recent economic crisis... Its a tipping scale. If you vote for one candidate you may give up something else good, vote for the other one and you lose something else. It is going to come down to what is important to the voter. Their isn't a clear cut winner that is running away with the election.
I'm not quite sure if the 700 billion dollar bailout plan will work, but I know we all hope it does. I don't even think the Bush Administration knows if it'll work to get us out of this economic crisis or not, but only time will tell and it's the only idea out there.
As for which candidate is stronger, in my opinion, it's Barack Obama. He is an immaculate speaker, and when he talks during these debates I just believe him more. It's as simple as that. John McCain makes me more nervous and tense about these issues when he speaks. He never shows any life on his face, he's just boring. Barack Obama is very intelligent and is extrememly motivated to change this country. I think he has the best plans and ideas, while McCain is just not connecting with many young adults.
Ultimately, I think America wants change and that will only happen with Barack Obama. I think people are afraid of pulling out of the war in Iraq because of how it could reflect back on us physically, and that could be a motive to vote for McCain. But I don't think the war should have ever been started, and we've been there too long and lost too many people. I don't get what we are trying to achieve over there! I have faith in Obama that he will get us out of that war safely. I believe that he would be a great leader and I would feel so much better with him at the top.
I am not sure whether the $700 billion bailout plan will work, but who is? Both candidates have the same answer, they are going to wait and see once they get the bill. Like Mark said, this process is going to be a slow and drawn out one, so Americans cannot expect an immediate solution to the crisis that the Bush Administration got us into. If everyone is right who is saying that this crisis is the worst since the Great Depression, we have a long time before the economy will be brought back to a healthy state. I dont see immediate effects, but I am sure that many Americans who have been or will be laid off from their jobs will. We need a solution. Is there even another plan besides the bailout?
From the last two presidential debates, there were no "clear winners." I think that Barack Obama has a clear advantage because he is a very eloquent and refined speaker. I think he is the stronger candidate; I do agree with most if not all of his positions on the issues at hand during this election. Obama has a way of making my worries subside, he seems very presidential already, and I am sure that many Americans feel the same way. McCain really does seem like he is like George Bush in his policies so far, which scares me. We cant afford to have another four years to go like the last eight.
The problem I see with the 700 billion dollar bailout is how is it really going to help? With declining house prices, what the point for banks to take more risk by giving loans that are worth more than the value of the house and will continue to decline. The thing that really gets me is that politicians cannot put difference aside to even help the citizens of this nation. If you look further into this bill there are millions if not billions of dollars that are going to random thing that are not even related to the crisis. This just pisses me off to no end. In my opinion McCain is a stronger candidate, but the media attacks the republican party to no avail. All these democrats throwing the complete blame on the Bush administrations and how deregulation is the problem. Can any of those democrats answer what bills during this administration led to deregulation, because the last time I check we started to add more regulations to these industries with Sarbnes Oxley. This country needs a leader who will try and work with both sides and unlike Obama, McCain does not blame just the other party for what's wrong with the United States. Obama's judgment is also a problem I feel needs to be address. I don't think I have ever heard of a president who has been affiliated with so many criminals or radicals. Looking at what Obama is proposing, this country will no longer be democratic, but rather socialist. From forcing nation wide health care at the expense of businesses to increasing the capital gains tax, I don't see where this is going to be a land of opportunity.
I do not think the bailout will help at all. The bailout is a necessary evil in that the point of America at its foundation was to prosper or fail as you wish, the freedom to do whatever you want. I believe this will only let companies who would pull through anyway throw their cash around more (like AIG has done) and for the weaker companies its like your chips going straight into the tray in vegas.
Neither candidate appears stronger on the issue of taxes, both make relevant points and have decent plans. I think if you were either upper upper class or lower lower class you'd have an opinion but as a college student, with the potential to be either really rich or really poor in the next 4 years, I personally like McCains ideas.
And I think the last question is somewhat one-sided. McCain has outlined on his website (in several places) that he intends to end the war and remove troops as soon as it is safe for both the US and the Iraqi people. Obama's land of opportunity is based on the opportunity of people who have not been prosperous to attempt to regain themselves in society. McCain gives the upper hand to the already prosperous, and will affect those less fortunate down the road.
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