<p>since im 18 now, i can finally vote and I really like Obama however i wanted to know your thoughts on how his polcies will help out US, THE COLLEGE STUDENTS.</p>
<p>He hopes the system will change.
The only concrete aspect of his plan is to give a $4,000 tax credit to families if you complete 100hrs of public service.
His policies are aimed at helping 1) low income 2)minorities. Neither candidate is really talking about lowering the cost of college, but the gov already ensures an affordable college education through 1) state universities and 2) community colleges, so their are options to avoid debt. None of the policies will substantially help students, and any tax credits must originate in the house and pass in both the house and senate, so it's far from a sure thing. McCain and Obama both talk about reforming the loan process and simplifying the FAFSA(although it is quite easy to fill out), but that's why there are public schools and outside scholarships. I have no right to complain about the cost of college b/c I could have decided to go to a less expensive university and avoided any debt.
I think the candidates economic policies as a whole will be the most impactful to college students b.c we will be entering the job market in a few years and if a recession were to occur it would be difficult to find jobs while paying back student loans. And our tax money is being used to buy out investment banks and furthering our national debt.There's endless points of discussion about the economy, but those policies will have a greater affect than the (lack) of policy to lower the cost of ed(Obama's lowring of college ed. is aimed at helping the lower class/minorities, not the average middle class family, McCain has the same proposals minus the tax credit, but his health care break is twice as much as Obama's)</p>
<p>BTW I forget who but someone was talking about tightening restrictions for obtaining a credit card to protect college students.</p>
<p>"Protecting" us from ourselves really isn't helping.</p>
<p>He won't start ridiculous new wars or "bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran" as McCain likes to joke - thus he won't send more of us and/or our peers to die abroad. Kinda important.</p>
<p>The army is completely voluntary, as in no draft. Of course, persuasive...marketing is something to discuss, but I would hardly say that the President is responsible for people choosing to serve in the military.</p>
<p>The President is, however, still responsible for where he sends people in the military to fight and to die. Just because someone joins the military doesn't mean we have no responsibility for their lives.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The army is completely voluntary, as in no draft.
[/quote]
McCain</a> wants to reinstate the draft.</p>
<p>McCain doesn't want to reinstate the draft: Does</a> McCain Favor a Draft? Nope. - Marc Ambinder</p>
<p>If you're young and don't want to fight in a war then Obama is your man. One more thing McCain ain't gonna do a draft even if he wins, which he won't because it'll be political suicide. I'll put it this way people don't like this war think of it as an acid and then you add the water i.e draft and boom you got an explosion where you'll have the same exact thing like Vietnam. The only reason people aren't loosing their minds and protesting like crazy is because there is no draft. No politician (Democrat/Republican/Libertarian/etc.) would in their right mind reinstate the draft it's political suicide number one and create a lot of turbulance. McCain might want a draft, but he will in no way vote for one or reinstate one.</p>
<p>kelseyg Quote "He won't start ridiculous new wars"
Did you watch the 1st presidential debate where BO stated he would be willing to go into (w/the military) Pakistan, while McCain supports diplomacy first? BO said he would launch military strikes against Pakistan, which would mean we would be fighting in 3 countries simultaneously. McCain's "bomb Iran" statement was a poorly stated joke.
BO and McCain have the SAME stance regarding Iran and preventing Iran by any means necassary from obtaining nuclear capabilities, which again leaves the potential for "another Iraq".
BO would also support "protecting American interests abroad", such as militarily supporting Israel(as stated in the 2nd Presidential Debate). Such interventionist talk increases the likelihood of "another Iraq", and BO demonstrated in the debates his foreign policy inexperience by stating multiple time he would militarily intervene. The last thing we need is for a candidate to start talking IN A DEBATE about increasing US military forces abroad, beyond Iraq and Afghanistan.</p>
<p>wow i did not know this; Barack Obama keeps talking about giving tax cuts and giving 1,000 dollar energy rebates; where will he get all of this money with the economy the way it is and has he noticed our national debt has doubled.</p>
<p>Something will have to give. I am pretty sure Obama has noticed the national debt, because he uses it to negatively criticize the Republican party for overspending these last 8 years. Much of the national debt was caused by tax cuts for the wealthy and the war in Iraq. When Bush came into office, there was a huge surplus. Obama's campaign has said that the money he needs for tax cuts for 95% of people will come from letting the Bush tax cuts for the top 2% if income earners. Since the top 2% earn over 12% of wages in this country, it is a sizable amount of money and should fund the tax reprieve for those making under $250,000.00 annually. His other plans for healthcare and renewable energy will be difficult to implement unless the economy improves. Unless you come from a family that worries a lot about paying taxes on your investment earnings and dividends or capital gains (money earned from profitable investments, not through wages), then Obama is likely to offer more financial support. If your family desires protection for investment earnings as described above, then McCain might be more beneficial to their budget. He is calling to extend the Bush tax cuts for those making over 250,000.00 annually and to offer tax breaks on capital gains and investment earnings. It is difficult to get past the sound-bites in each campaign, but I think factcheck.org does offer a summary of both candidates plans.</p>
<p>
[quote]
BO and McCain have the SAME stance regarding Iran
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</p>
<p>Umm, I don't think Obama has ever sung "bomb</a> bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran". I for one don't want a mentally unstable old man as POTUS.</p>
<p>srunni:
You obviously didn't get that the bomb Iran statement was a failed attempt at a JOKE.
I mean, Obama came out and said, seriously, that he would BOMB PAKISTAN, that seems a bit unstable to me. I don't want a guy who stands at a podium during a debate, who has NO military or foreign policy experience, who constantly criticizes our entrance into Iraq, say he will militarily strike Pakistan, effectively adding a third front to the war, ****ing more ppl off, and putting our troops in more danger.
But, I mean, attacking a 3rd Islam country sounds like a good idea when BO talks about it...(sarcasm)</p>
<p>I really don't see how McCain's military experience proves anything. He graduated 4th from the bottom of his ~900 person Air Force class (and publicly said that there was no way he'd be allowed to fly a plane with his grades if he were in the Air Force right now) and was tortured for years (which could easily have mentally destabilized him). His foreign policy experience is severely lacking. For example, he thought Putin was the president of Germany, that Iraq shares a border with Pakistan, and that Czechoslovakia still exists. He claims to be a "maverick", but he's been sitting in Washington for several decades and hasn't really done much of anything at all.</p>
<p>Now I don't see anything wrong with criticizing the Iraq war. I hate how Republicans seem to think that being patriotic requires that you blindly agree with every past action of this country. And saying that Obama wanting to attack Pakistan is wrong is ridiculously hypocritical if you support the Iraq war. Then again, Pakistan actually contains terrorists, so maybe the situation is a little different from Iraq. It was a ridiculous misuse of the military on the Republicans' part to go on this side trip to Iraq, which was what allowed Bin Laden to escape to Pakistan. If Bush had actually done his job, we wouldn't even have to invade Pakistan.</p>
<p>This election is less about whether or not people like Obama (I really don't think he's that great), and more about how much people despise McCain and the Republicans, and how much damage they've done to this country over the last 8 years.</p>
<p>excellent points, do you guys think this 4,000 dollar tax credit to college students with 100 hours of community service can actually happen?</p>
<p>Tiff90, Obama had made it clear he will withdraw from Iraq so to say the U.S. will be fighting on 3 fronts is misleading. The point you are missing is that Pakistan has always been more relevant to the war on terror than Iraq has. When BO says he will attack Pakistan it is because our intelligence leads the gov't to believe that Osama Bin Laden(our chief objective, don't forget) is hiding there.
Also when you say intervening in Israel will lead to another Iraq you are also wrong. Israel's well being has always been a staple of U.S. foreign policy and BO is just continuing that. By defending Israel he is doing nothing more than what every other president has since Israel was founded. Sure he has alluded to using military force but only AFTER using diplomacy and pragmatism. In case you haven't noticed he caught major flack for saying that he would sit down with the leaders of despotic regimes, if thats not diplomacy I don't know what is. Meanwhile, McCain just continues to spit archaic, dogmatic theory that would've worked 50 years ago but is now useless. Lets face it the chinks in the U.S. armor have been exposed, and I think BO realizes that better than McCain.</p>
<p>Le Roi M-
Well what am I to think when BO says he is going to militarily strike Pakistan? I do not support interventionist and nation building for. policy, regardless of policy. It would be impossible to safely and responsibily withdraw from Iraq and Pakistan in 16mths, because entering Pakistan will result in less troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, it would be a disaster. Again, watch the FIRST debate when the candidates discuss Pakistan. No links are allowed on here. Please listen carefully, BO makes it clear he is READY to strike Pakistan if issues continue. Basically US troops are killing Pakistani civilians and soilders, so Pakistan has a right to be ****ed at the US. I did not support the US' invasion and occupation of Iraq, and I do not today. I did support the Afghanistan
"war", but the more we get involved w/middle eastern politics the easier it is for terrorist organizations to recruit members. Our continual involvement in mid. east and latin american political affairs is sickening, especially because the ONLY reason we care is b/c they have oil. I mean, we originally FUNDED and SUPPORTED saddamm and al-qaeda/Taliban when it was convenient, and that hasn't worked out too well. We need to get out and leave them alone, and stop acting as if our way of life is the best/
Again, I did not say I don't like BO or am not voting for him b/c of Isreal, as he and McCain would both protect Isreal, which, if attacked, would lead to a war most likely with Iran or another mid. eastern nation. I do not support any candidate who so willingly militarily back Isreal, and continue to supply it w/weapons while threatening Iran b/c Iran wants weapons. Hypocrisy. Isreal is the child of England, so let them deal w/Isreal.
I don't care where McCain was ranked in the Naval academy, nor obamas. Look at Bush's and Kerry's college transcripts: they weren't too impressive, yet both were a step from the white house.</p>
<p>The difference between McCain's and Obama's foreign policy is not to big. Obama says no to Iraq, McCain says yes. On every other topic they are just about the same. So if you think you are getting out of a draft by choosing Obama you will be let down. Sorry about that. The only way to ensure no Draft is to vote for a 3rd party canidate.</p>
<p>As for what Obama will do, a tax credit us useless, since most college students don't work. Do you know how much you would have to work to be able to get a 4K tax credit. Now having a 4K grant is another thing for those doing community service.</p>
<p>if a Politician really cared about you, they wouldn't set up any plan to help you. What they would do is get rid of legislation like "Robert T. Stafford Student Loan program" and the Plus Loans, and other federal loan programs for education. Then they would desire to lift the regulation of schools lending to its own students. By this we wouldnt have student loans with high rates based on PRIME. private or alternative loans wouldn't exist, because again the rates would be to high, there would be no incentive. Then we could go back to pre 1970's where Universities would loan each student there need and they would loan this from the universities endowment at a rate of ~ 1% interest. Federal grant programs can also be cut and all ya need to do is tax less. It all worked wonderfully before the aspect of Cronyism got involved.</p>