Perera 1
Irippuge Perera (Sean)
ENG 101
Prof. Tom Fink
The Decision in 2008
In the current U.S. Presidential race, there are two popular politicians from the Democratic Party:Senator Hillary Clinton, wife of former president Bill Clinton, and Senator Barack Obama, who has won more votes in more states.On the other hand, Senator John McCain, of the Republican Party, is already selected as the candidate. Both Obama and McCain address three major issues in the USA: two of them are mainly focused on U.S. education and poverty, and the other is dealing with the most debated topic, the war in Iraq.
Recently, the education issue has become a larger dilemma from elementary to college level. The “drop out rate” of young students is increasing every year;college tuition has become “unaffordable”for students and “30% of new teachers leave within their first five years in the profession” (Obama 08). According to On The Issues web site:
We have got to have a program of school construction all across the nation. After school programs and summer school programs can make an enormous difference in preventing dropout rates because a lot of times young people after they get out of school have no place to do their homework. And that can make an enormous difference. (Obama, “On The Issues”)
In other words, Obama plans to fundthe buildingof new structuresto reduce overcrowding in schools and to introduce high quality “after-school programs and summer school programs” to encourage students to stay in schools (Obama, “On The Issues”). He proposes to “help make college more affordable by increasing the maximum Pell Grant from $4,050 to $5,100” and providing “free public college for any student with a B-average” (Obama, “On The Issues). Moreover, to make teachers more satisfied with their careers, this candidate has a strategy to give higher salaries and more opportunities for “professional development.” Therefore, educators will have the opportunity to participate in training programs to improve their careers.
Senator Obama has done a good job on campaigning on educational issues. He has addressed three important educational issues and declared effective solutions to decrease young students’ withdrawal rate, give financial assistance to low-income college students, and motivate teachers to continue their careers (Obama, “On The Issues”). Due to the high tuition cost, college students have to face many financial problems to reach their academic goals. Having the ability to get $1,050 more as Pell Grant and gaining a free public education will make students more able to continue their studies, and it will increase the attendance of young adults. In my experience, this “Pell Grant” should also be also given to international students because they are not allowed to work except on campus, and they have to struggle with financing their tuition. Also, teaching has become an unpopular career because of its low salaries and lack of incentives. Therefore, many dedicated and talented teachers leave their jobs. Obama’s plan to increase salary scales and provide more career opportunities for advancement in this field is an appropriate step to be implemented. Then many professional educators will continue their career.
Furthermore, many high school students do not have a place to do their homework after school, and most schools are not open for students to continue their education during the summer(Obama, “On The Issues”). Therefore, launching “after school programs and summer school programs” make a considerable impact on students to persist in schools. This will allow them to have a place where they can enhance their education.
When dealing with the same issue, McCain has different plans to improve the education system in the United States. He plans to recruit more tutors for the benefit of the students to complete their classes and receive higher grades. According to the On the Issues website, “McCain wants to create a pool of military veterans, retirees and others who would tutor students in Math, Science, and English.” Also, McCain plans to introduce “internet access, with filters, at every school & library” to prevent non-relevant college work in labs (McCain, “On The Issues”). To give more assistance for education, this Arizona senator believes to form “tax free savings accounts” for academic expenditure with “tutoring, computers, and tuition” (McCain, “On The Issues”). Although, McCain is taking a different approach, it might be beneficial and practicable.
Usually Math, Science and English subjects are more challenging for students than other courses, and they need extra assistance for these areas. Therefore, having the availability to access more tutors enables students to be abetted in their quest for better grades. Because of the high technological internet access, a considerable number of students use lab computers for non-relevant college work. Due to this matter, many students with assignments have to wait 20-30 minutes in lines to access a computer. During finals, this situation is worse, and it causes students to break deadlines. With the benefit of an internet filter, all the students will have an equal opportunity to use public computers for academic purposes.Furthermore, due to the current U.S. economic recession, parents do not have a sufficient income to spend on their children’s education. According to McCain’s tax solution, parents can save the money which they have to pay as taxes, and invest it in their children’s educational growth. This is his plan for education, but there are other issues that he and Obama also have ideas on.
Moreover, poverty is another devastating problem in the United States. Almost 37 million Americans are considered poor (Obama 08), and over 7 million Americans are unemployed (U.S Department of Labor). According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Coalition website, 3.5 million people are facing the homeless problem (LAHSC).As a response for this issue, Obama has emphasized a housing construction program called “Affordable Housing Trust Fund” in which will be provided shelters for low income families, and he believes that having this kind of fund can significantly decrease the homeless rate in the country (Obama 08). And, to create more employment opportunities and distribute resources fairly among employees, Obama acknowledges increasing the minimal “wage” rate and contributing $1 billion for jobs and career development plans that helps “low-income Americans succeed in the workforce” (Obama 08). According to the Obama 08web site, “Obama will create 20 Promise Neighborhoods in areas that have high levels of poverty and crime, and low levels of student academic achievement in cities across the nation.” These communities will help with “early childhood education, youth violence prevention efforts and after-school activities” for making lives more meaningful in those destitute areas (Obama 08).
The Illinois Senator has competent solutions, for the poverty menace, that can reduce higher poverty rates and statistics. Granting $1billion for career empowerment programs helps to educate the labor force by giving them new skills and abilities that suit the modern work environments. Therefore, currently unemployed people will have the opportunity to apply for many jobs, which relate to their qualifications. In the prevailing workforce, 2.2 million employees earn only the minimum wage rate or below (U.S. Department of labor), and they have many financial difficulties in meeting their even most basic needs such as food, clothes, rent, transportation and medicine. Accruing the basic payment level benefits these people to improve their lives by enabling them to earn more income for essential needs. Also, Launching a housing project fund and introducing 20 furnished neighborhoods are two serviceable steps, which can directly address poverty. Then many homeless people and low-income families will get the chance to find a shelter that suits their budget.
Regarding the problem of destitution, McCain addresses several solutions to be implemented. First, McCain also has a plan for affordable housing:
John McCain is proposing a new “HOME Plan” to provide robust, timely and targeted help to those hurt by the housing crisis. Under his HOME plan, every deserving American family or homeowner will be afforded the opportunity to trade a burdensome mortgage for a manageable loan that reflects their home’s market value. (McCain)
Therefore, many homeowners will get a low interest loan to pay their mortgages, and they will not have to leave their neighborhoods. This senator also has plans to reform the tax procedures for “middle class” people: “John McCain will permanently repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) – a tax that will be paid nearly exclusively by 25 million middle class families” and he suggests increasing“the personal exemption” per “dependent” by $2,500 more (McCain).Moreover, for the unemployment crisis, he wants to “provide training programs with quick assistance to workers seeking new skills,” grant “tax” releases for firms that hire employees from “high unemployment areas”and create “empowerment zones” in those areas that suffers form lack of jobs (McCain, On The Issues; McCain).
According to my views, McCain has appropriate solutions for poverty issue. First, having the ability to get a fair interest loan to pay mortgages is a necessity at this moment, because about half of the monthly income has to be allocated for housing, and people do not have enough money to spend on even food, clothes, and medicine. Second, reducing the prevailing tax rates, and increasing the “personal exemption for dependents” make people more able to fulfill their needs, and it “saves middles class families nearly $60 billion in a single year” (McCain). Because of the current recessional period, workers have to face an unemployment problem, and even college graduates have to struggle with finding a job. Accordingly, forming “empowerment zones,” launching skills training programs and helping with tax exceptions will help unemployed people to get into some kind of job they need.
Another major issue for the candidates is the war in Iraq. With the continuous wasting of resources on the war, more than 59% of the budget has been assigned for this tragedy, and now theU.S. economy has to deal with arecession. Every week $2.7 billion is spent on this war in Iraq, and the total allotment for this war has gone beyond $611 billon (National Priorities; On the Issues).According to obama.senate.gov website,
Our troops have performed brilliantly in Iraq, but no amount of American soldiers can solve the political differences at the heart of somebody else's civil war. That is why I have introduced a plan to not only stop the escalation of this war, but begin a phased redeployment that can pressure the Iraqis to finally reach a political settlement and reduce the violence. (Obama Offers)
In short, Obama affirms this is the suitable situation "for a policy" which makes a reconciliation to stop this war, and return U.S. armed forces in Iraq (Obama Offers). However, he insists that a "limited number of U.S. troops" should stay in Iraq for national security, controlling "counter-terrorism" and "training of Iraq security forces." For the rehabilitation of the Iraq economy, this politician plans to spend $10 billion on construction projects, employment originating programs, and "economic development" (Obama Offers).
As a presidential candidate, Obama has the correct approach to boost the U.S. economy by ending this war, and commanding the U.S. army to return. Calling off this war saves billions of dollars for the American government, and this money can be invested on U.S. and Iraqi economic development. On the other hand, he contemplatesspending $10 billion for reestablishing the Iraqi economy.Although the U.S. government wasted $611 billion to destroy Iraq, only $10 billion is expected to be invested on redeveloping the Iraqi economy. This is only 1.6% of the total war expense. Also “655,000 Iraqis” were killed in this war, and “3.4 million” Iraqis fled from Iraq(Stop war). Obama’s suggestion to spend only $10 billion is inadequate. From my perspective, the U.S. government should budget at least $50 billion, and launch various public and private sector charitable organizations to help for the developing process of the Iraqi economy.
For the same issue, Senator McCain has the opposite position, and he reforms strategies to win this battle. According to Wall Street journal, “Sens. Obama and Clinton argue that the U.S. needs a plan to get out of Iraq, While Sen. McCain argues the U.S. needs a plan to win in Iraq” (Seib). Also, the candidate wants to conquer Al Qaida, and get rid of them.He “believes that if we had set a date for withdrawal or if we do set a date for withdrawal, Al Qaida will then win and we’ll see chaos and genocide” (McCain, “On The Issues”). Further, the neighboring country, Iran is to be threatened by the senator’s plan. According to On The Issues website, “The US strategy in Iraq should be to defeat al-Qaeda, to reverse the increasing influence of Iran in Iraq…” (McCain, “On The Issues”). The senator opines that his “talent”, “background”, and “experience qualify him” to win this war, and he “would much rather lose a campaign than lose a war” (McCain, “On The Issues”).
War is not the answer for a political solution, but peaceful and fair agreements between thetwo parties. The senator’s position to continue this war is not the correct choice to be implemented at this moment, because not only the U.S., but also all the countries are facing an economic depression. Thus, instead of wasting resources, we should increase the national production, and move forward for a prosperous future. On the other hand,Iran is another separate country, and the US does not have the right to interfere for their influence, unless through United Nations. Now all the countries should get together, and make plans for an economic development.
Both presidential candidates have their own positions for major problems in the U.S.: education, poverty, and the war in Iraq. For the education issue, Senator Obama plans to introduce summer school programs, more monetary grants for students, and reform salary scales and launch training programs for the teachers. At the same time, Senator McCain intends to hire more tutors, introduce tax exemption savings accounts for education, and a filter for the public computers with internet access. Also to diminish the poverty situations, Obama approaches to establish a low cost housing project and neighborhoods. For having more career enhancement, the candidate is going to raise the minimum wage level and provide skills development plans. Likewise, Senator McCain wants to grant a low interest loan to pay mortgages, change middle class and employer tax policies, and start short vocational training programs. It is true that, Senator Obama needs to stop the war in Iraq, while Senator McCain plans to continue being in Iraq, and defeat both Al-Qaeda and Iran’s impact.
Although both candidates have both debated and important positions, Senator Obama’s positions are more vital and appropriate for this moment. Mostly the position for the war, this candidate’s plan to discontinue while making agreements with Iraq, shows a peaceful, respectful and flourishing future for the whole world. On the other hand, at this moment we have a republican government, and we know how it controls our country for 8 years. Therefore, I believe this is the ideal time to have a democratic administration for a real change.