Obama vs. Palin

[nplenzick]

Wellardmac wrote:

Oh dear, where do we dig up these whack-jobs?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep...sarahpalin

I really think McCain made a huge mistake, I knew about this stuff. Some say McCain did this to steel Obama's thunder from his speech in front of 85,000 people. It definitely worked for the senator from Arizona.......at least in the short term. The long term is something else. Other's are saying that when all the facts come out about Palin she will resign her position for personal reasons.

[nplenzick]

Wellardmac wrote:

Review on the science positions of the candidates. Palin has not yet been vetted, but it's not going to be pretty.

http://sharp.sefora.org/innovation2008/mccain-obama/

http://sefora.org/2008/08/22/obama-picks...n-science/

The first link above is excellent! Unbiased information. If science is important to you read it and pick your candidate!

[Wellardmac]

nplenzick wrote:

[b
There lies the difference between you, myself and Obama. Obama is very highly educated and could have easily made millions in a law firm, he could have had the easy life and continue teaching constitutional law. Yet he feels he could make a difference, a difference for the common man. You may not like his platform but you have to admire his intellect and his desire to do public service. If all the highly educated people you would like to see just used that education for monetary means then what are we left with in politicians?

You make a good point, but we all have different talents that we use to make a difference in the world. Mine is in creation of new science, not politics.

He may be a smart and talented person that is a gifted orator, but he needs to be more than that to be deserving of the Presidency. There are many talented people out there that do not deserve to be President.

It has to be more than just words and to date Obama (or any other candidate) has not convinced me that he is worth my vote. I hear a lot of words and a lots of policies designed to be popular. Sadly, popular doesn't always make something right... in fact more often popular is wrong.

Obama has not won my vote and in fact the things I've seen of his platform convince me that he will be wrong for the businesses of this country and as a result wrong for the economy of this country. When your policies are not pro-business and pro-economy then we all suffer.

Sorry, as I said all earlier, none of these candidates are up to snuff. I want a Mulligan.

[Wellardmac]

nplenzick wrote:

Wellardmac wrote:

Review on the science positions of the candidates. Palin has not yet been vetted, but it's not going to be pretty.

http://sharp.sefora.org/innovation2008/mccain-obama/

http://sefora.org/2008/08/22/obama-picks...n-science/

The first link above is excellent! Unbiased information. If science is important to you read it and pick your candidate!

Do you think I would post something without reading it first?

I'm a scientist - for me it's all about acquisition of unbiased data. Emotion doesn't come into any decision I make - it's all about data and logic.

Several assessments that I've seen peg the candidates as follows for their pro-science votes:
Obama - 50%
McCain - 30%
Biden - 35%

None of them are ideal when it comes to being guided by data and science.

[emayer]

Wellardmac wrote:

Review on the science positions of the candidates. Palin has not yet been vetted, but it's not going to be pretty.

http://sharp.sefora.org/innovation2008/mccain-obama/

http://sefora.org/2008/08/22/obama-picks...n-science/

In regards to Palin's religious views, if it serves as a moral compass for her (or anyone else) who cares? Must we be atheists or agnostic to be leaders? I respect the fact that she believes in something, and actually lives by it rather than when convenient.

I'm curious, as someone rooted in science, how can you say Palin's views are not going to be pretty without factual data? What defines a pretty science position?

As for Obama, I hold is oratory skills in the highest regard. Like dmano, I'm still waiting for solid commitments on positions like energy, education, foreign policy, and the economy. Thus far, and with what limited decisions he's made, I remain unimpressed....

[dmano]

My thoughts exactly.

[Wellardmac]

emayer wrote:

In regards to Palin's religious views, if it serves as a moral compass for her (or anyone else) who cares? Must we be atheists or agnostic to be leaders? I respect the fact that she believes in something, and actually lives by it rather than when convenient.

I'm curious, as someone rooted in science, how can you say Palin's views are not going to be pretty without factual data? What defines a pretty science position?

No, there's nothing wrong with using religion as a moral compass, but they should separate their religious views from their decisions and not put religion first and foremost. The Guardian is a high quality newspaper that does superior research and reporting when compared to most found in the US. If the article is a correct reflection of reality, then it would appear that Palin puts emotion and religion before all else - that is where she would be in the wrong and very dangerous.

My comment about her decisions (not specifically science based decisions) not being pretty were more based on the fact that she appears to put religion first in her actions. That's just as bad as GW and is what got us into the mess of the last 8 years. We need to get religion out of politics, there's no place for it.

I'd be amazed to find an article like that written in the US. Fundamentalism is alive, well and very strong in the US. The media picks on Muslim fundamentalism while ignoring that the US is a hotbed of equally dangerous christian fundamentalism.

emayer wrote:

As for Obama, I hold is oratory skills in the highest regard. Like dmano, I'm still waiting for solid commitments on positions like energy, education, foreign policy, and the economy. Thus far, and with what limited decisions he's made, I remain unimpressed....

I agree totally here.

Sadly the things I'm seeing on his tax policy do not impress me.

[Wellardmac]

Run down of candidate positions on issues. This information is put together by a collaboration of academics and based out of Harvard University.

There's a lot of information here. Something for everyone and it's all based on publicly available information on the candidates - comments, votes, etc.

Barack Obama
http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm

Joe Biden
http://www.ontheissues.org/Joe_Biden.htm

John McCain
http://www.ontheissues.org/John_McCain.htm

Sarah Palin
http://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm


It's unfortunate that we have no moderates in this election.

Based on the publicly available information, take this quiz and see where you stand relative to the candidates.

http://www.speakout.com/VoteMatch/quiz.a...z=Pres2008

[dmano]

This is the important one. http://www.speakout.com/VoteMatch/Pres2008.asp

We should take a pole on your answers to see if you are voting correctly.

I came out 48% McCane, 38% Obama


Read each items information first to vote the right answer.

[Wellardmac]

dmano wrote:

This is the important one. http://www.speakout.com/VoteMatch/Pres2008.asp

We should take a pole on your answers to see if you are voting correctly.

I came out 48% McCane, 38% Obama


Read each items information first to vote the right answer.

If you take the quiz the important pierces are at the bottom
i) where do you fit in the spectrum for political philosophy? (click on the analysis and explanation link at the bottom right)
ii) what is your personal vs economic percentage?