Another Uninspiring Group of Candidates

This was originally written for the Penn State Daily Collegian and can be found here.Back in 2004 I was electrified by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. Armed with exciting rhetoric like “common dreams” and novel concepts like “civil rights,” Obama seemed like the great hope for the future of American politics.

As it turns out, that may have been a mistake. More often than not, it seems American voters are not paying attention to important aspects of the campaign and find themselves wooed by “straight talk” or sob stories like John Edwards’ constant references to Natalie Sarkisian’s death because of leukemia.

Moving as it may be, what Edwards has failed to mention is that Sarkisian’s survival rate, even with the new liver, would have been very slim. And instead, another patient with a better rate of survival somewhere else lived.

I’m not in love with our health care system either, but it’s even worse when a tragic death like Sarkisian’s is abused by these candidates for political gain.

Obama is no exception. His campaign is rife with convenient ad hominem arguments. Unfortunately for Obama, his voting record doesn’t support these claims. Early in his term as senator, Obama vetoed a bill that would cap credit card interest rates at 30 percent, claiming the amendment was poorly written. Be that as it may, the amendment also would have spared thousands of Americans from debilitating debt that has us staring an economic recession in the face.

Other Obama policies, such as “health care for hybrids” have me questioning whether Obama is truly the progressive choice we need in office or just another liberal lining his pockets with lobbyist money.

-AW

~ by ACW on January 26, 2008.