The Ballyfermot Blogger

The main points of the Presidental Race are listed and rated below, look at them, they’re good on paper but we’ll draw some disconcerting thoughts from these promises later

Economy	Star Rating
Obama’s Stance on the Economy
Barack Obama has offered a detailed plan to get America’s economy back on track, by creating new jobs and easing the burden on hardworking Americans by offering middle-class tax cuts three times the size of McCain’s.
McCain’s Stance on the Economy
John McCain’s economic policy is the same as George Bush’s. It ignores middle class Americans, giving $200 billion in tax cuts to corporations, including $4 billion in tax breaks to Big Oil, while leaving over 100 million middle-class Americans with no relief. Economists say McCain’s plan will add $3.4 trillion to the national debt.
Education
Obama’s Stance on Education
Barack Obama puts children first by investing in early childhood education, making sure our schools are adequately funded and led by high-quality teachers, and reforming No Child Left Behind.
McCain’s Stance on Education
John McCain supported George Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans instead of much-needed funding for our students, teachers, and failing local classrooms.
Energy & Environment
Obama’s Stance on Energy
Barack Obama will invest in alternative fuels and renewable energy, including a plan to increase America’s energy efficiency and create 5 million new “green” jobs.
McCain’s Stance on Energy
John McCain has repeatedly opposed renewable and alternative energy proposals, has promised oil companies a new $4 billion tax break and hired a number of powerful oil lobbyists to run his campaign.
Ethics
Obama’s Stance on Ethics
Barack Obama has been a leader on government transparency - refusing to take donations from lobbyists or PACs, improving disclosure and creating a database where the public can track federal contracts and earmarks.
McCain’s Stance on Ethics
John McCain has no less than 177 lobbyists working on his campaign, including many of his top advisors. McCain’s own campaign manager continued to receive money from Freddie Mac until August 2008.
Foreign Policy
Obama’s Stance on Foreign Policy
Barack Obama will continue the long American tradition of smart diplomacy to keep the country safe while improving America’s standing in the world.
McCain’s Stance on Foreign Policy
John McCain will carry on George Bush’s policy of unilateral action that puts American troops in harm’s way without exhausting diplomatic options.
Health Care
Obama’s Stance on Health Care
Barack Obama’s health care plan will provide accessible, affordable coverage for all, and it will reduce health care costs for families.
McCain’s Stance on Health Care
John McCain’s health plan would tax health benefits for the first time ever - imposing a trillion tax increase on working families and leaving millions without heath care.
Homeland Security
Obama’s Stance on Homeland Security
Barack Obama supports increased security measures for our airports, ports, and land borders, part of a national plan to protect American’s infrastructure and keep our communities safe.
McCain’s Stance on Homeland Security
John McCain opposed increased screening of cargo entering the United States and opposed increased security for airport, port and boarder security.
Iraq
Obama’s Stance on Iraq
Barack Obama will work with his military commanders to responsibly end the war in Iraq. Obama will refocus our resources on al Qaeda in Afghanistan and finish the fight with the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11.
McCain’s Stance on Iraq
John McCain has no plan to end the war in Iraq, and would keep spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while the Iraqi government sits on a huge surplus. McCain calls Iraq “the central front of the war on terror” even though Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us are getting stronger in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Seniors & Social Security
Obama’s Stance on Seniors & Social Security
Barack Obama is committed to ensuring Social Security is protected and viable for this generation and the next. And Obama will eliminate income taxes for seniors making less than $50,000 — benefiting more than 7 million seniors.
McCain’s Stance on Seniors & Social Security
John McCain supports President Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security and would gamble the Social Security Trust Fund in the stock market. McCain’s tax plan leaves 37 million seniors without much-needed relief.
Taxes
Obama’s Stance on Taxes
Barack Obama provides a middle class tax cut for 95 percent of American workers. Middle class families will get three times the tax relief from Obama than they would from John McCain.
McCain’s Stance on Taxes
John McCain’s plan leaves 101 million American households with no tax relief, while giving $200 billion to corporations, including $4 billion tax cut to oil companies.
Veterans
Obama’s Stance on Veterans Affairs
Barack Obama supports our troops - both in combat and at home. He voted to provide armored vehicles and body armor for our troops fighting abroad, and will fully fund veterans’ medical care and restore competence to VA planning to ensure our veterans have the resources they need when they return home.
McCain’s Stance on Veterans Affairs
John McCain has repeatedly voted against increases in veterans’ health care, against mental health and brain injury services for veterans, and will ration veterans’ health care to vets with combat injuries, reducing the resources available to our vets.
Women
Obama’s Stance on Women’s Issues
Barack Obama works for America’s women - supporting a woman’s right to choose, equal pay for equal work, expanding the childcare tax credit and paid sick leave for parents.
McCain’s Stance on Women’s Issues
John McCain wants to overturn Roe v. Wade and his party’s platform opposes all abortions - even in cases of rape and incest. McCain also opposed the Equal Pay Act, and the landmark Violence Against Women Act.

Totals Obama’s 35  Democratic Donkeys to McCain’s 12  Republican Elephants.

So there we have it Mr Obama has promised the World to the American people and at what cost? If I was to hazard a guess, $350 Billion US Dollars or about 10 billion per Donkey over his term, considering that the US National Debt is running at 11 TRILLION at the moment plus interest I would think that these expensive promises will be hard to implement, well, without spare cash i’m sure. I guess Obama will wake up with a severe hangover this morning thinking ” Just what the hell did I promise the American people to get them into bed last night?” and by “Dawns early light” he may just be counting the vast cost. Only time will tell whether this Christian convert (Barack Hussein Obama) can pull this off, but he will need every bit of his confidence and luck to do so. God bless America.

McCain’s policies would have in fact saved Americans money but at horrific quality of life costs, so maybe he’s better going back to making oven chips instead

Information taken from http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

Images taken from http://www1.istockphoto.com/

Ratings by me