Empty Promises?

“I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington…I’m asking you to believe in yours.” Barack Obama leads us to believe that the coming election is the most important political decision of our generation. He promises “Change We Can Depend On”, but it is not the change we need. Yes, both candidates promise much for the next term, and that fervor has spread through the American public. But as America faces economic collapse, two foreign wars and an ever-increasing national debt, there is little that one can hope our president will do in the next four years – regardless of who is elected.
After the $700 billion bailout, the economy has continued to run rampant. But, $700 billion is just part of the governments’ intervention into the economy – the purchase of AIG cost $85 billion, about $29 billion was pledged in the purchase of Bear Sterns by JP Morgan Chase, and the Congressional Budget Office says the bailout of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae could cost up to $25 billion. So this begs the question: with almost a trillion dollars committed to the economic crisis, where does either candidate find room for the oh-so-generous tax breaks that they promise?
Yes, Senator McCain offers tax cuts, but not as many as Senator Obama does. The problem is that both plans to cut taxes raise the national debt. From Obama, a $1000 family “Making Work” tax credit is available to 95% of working families. Now of course this will bring votes, but will the votes be rewarded? There is an underlying paradox that his plan misses: the bailout is going to be paid for by taxpayers – the same tax payers that Obama and McCain want to give tax credits and tax breaks to. So, how do they plan to actually pay for the bailout?
Whoever takes leadership in January is also stuck with an over-extended military. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are quietly being won by American forces, and though the end is in sight, it is still a ways away. The war in Afghanistan costs the government about $2 billion a week for 30,000 troops. Further, if Senator Obama begins to remove troops from Iraq, it will require much attention. Thus, if the President is focused on fighting and/or ending our foreign engagements, less will be focused on the broad range of changes promised to come from Washington.
And, as we are on the topic of foreign affairs, where, among all of the major issues facing our next leader, does either candidate find time to have talks with foreign leaders in Israel, North Korea, and other foreign nations that McCain and Obama want to engage? As we near voting time, I fear I cannot believe a word that spits from either candidates mouth.
When we turn to domestic issues, it is also unlikely that Senator Obama will bring about the changes he promises with regard to healthcare. He wants “affordable, accessible health care for all Americans” but he forgets that it will cost billions. In fact, he believes that, when in full swing, the program will cost about $50-60 billion each year. And, on top of that, he wants to cut coverage costs by $2500 for each insured family. Though this may sound great on paper, the implementation of such a plan would cost more money that the country has at hand – unless we want to be more financially subservient to the Chinese banks that loan the government most of its money.
The main issues of this election are straight-forward: healthcare, war and the economy. Both candidates promise change to Americans but neither have the power to instate this change. Our next leader will not be “he who brings change”. Rather, our President will be swamped with rollover issues from the Bush Administration. It’s less of a question of qualification: Senators Obama and McCain may be equally qualified to lead. It is a question of timing. This election, the only change may be the political party of our President. Though many Americans have bought into the “change” promised by both candidates, few realize that these promises are likely to be empty.