Actively read ONE of the following articles on the front running candidates for the 2008 Presidential race's views on the issue of your choice:
a) The role of government in the economy:
www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&refer=home&sid=a5019JeDatck
b) The role of government in regulating energy and resource use/ prices
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB1212966761810557-lMyQjAxMDI4MTAyODwNjg2Wj.html
c) The role of government in national defense and security:
www.worldpoliticsrview/blog/blog.aspx?id=2420
d) The role of government in regulating health care:
http://stpns.net/view_article.html?articleId=109510843610510810410
Respond to the following questions on the blog or on paper:
Summarize both candidates' views on the issue you selected. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each position. Did either candidates' views surprise you? Explain. Who's views do you agree with more on this specific topic? Why?
Did either candidates' views surprise you? Explain.
Your response is due monday, 9/8 at the begining of class. 250 word minimum.
12 comments:
Cherricka 9/5
D. The role of government in regulating health care.
Both candidates, Obhama and McCain, shared proposals on health care in which they thought would help Americans. McCain want Americans to go with private health care. He want to give Americans tax credits, $2500 for an individual and $5000 for a family. He feels that the health care that some people have now have too much paper work and it is focused on short term care, not long term wellness. It’s great that McCain is looking out for American’s health but, what about the cost of private health care. If the health care we are receiving now is about $ 2.5 trillion, private health care will not be any cheaper, if not more. Obhama’s concerns are about the Americans without coverage and people that will lose their coverage because of the failing economy. Obhama is trying to help the ones that need to be helped first, then he’ll help the rest. He proposes the “national health plan”. This plan gives Americans an option between private health care or a government sponsored plan. This is the best idea and will help Americans money wise. It was said in the article that the “national health plan” will gross about $350 million annually, which is not bad compared to the $2.5 trillion Americans are already dishing out. McCain didn’t agree with this idea but, he can’t say too much. He think he can give Americans tax credits to use on health care yet, he want private health care, which will cost way more than a tax credit. Ohama’s proposal is much more appealing to me because he’s looking out for everyone. He understands the economy is failing and he is coming up with the best ideas to save money and keep Americans from filing bankruptsy.
Jeremy Smith
G Block
With the many political agendas out there, health care is one of the most difficult issues to tackle down within the United States society. The economic instability that has been occurring in the States would thoroughly prove to be a challenge towards the universal health care agenda that Obama is striving for if he wins the election. The difference between McCain’s private health care establishment and the universal health care program by Obama is amongst the money put towards the work. McCain’s is worth $2.5 trillion, while Obama’s is worth $350 million. Although both are great and interestingly pieced agendas, these two plans cannot live up to the dispute amongst the economy. The economy should be the first priority, considering that the country owes $13 trillion, over 10 more trillion dollars than McCain’s plan. If the economy wasn’t fixed before any plan was put into action, the US may suffer one of the greatest economic struggles since the Great Depression in the 1930s.
The link to the economy article was dead, and didn’t show anything on the page.
Ian Murphy
Government
Block G
The upcoming presidential campaign between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain seems to be one of the most culturally significant campaigns in years. Both sides seem to provide entirely different opinions on subjects that they hope to improve, making the decision difficult for several voters. For example, regarding to a debate on health care, both candidates are trying to specifically define their approaches towards this matter, while retaining their own methods. Obama wants to focus on citizens who have no coverage for health care, while McCain is trying to establish tax credits for those who do. McCain is trying to avoid the involvement of the government in the issue, while Obama wants the government to be more active. I am actually a bit surprised on both points of view; as a Republican, George Bush seemed to want to get the government involved in people's affairs while McCain does not. I expected this situation to be the exact opposite of what it is. However, Obama's position seems to be on a more positive scale than Bush’s was. In fact, the health care issue did not seem to be as major a debate for his presidency, as it was in the 1992 election. Because Obama appears to be a much more responsible participant in this health care debate, I am siding with his positions of getting involved. The government needs to get things done not only right away, but also in a way that many people will consider to be fair.
Obama vs. McCain: The Health Care Debate by David Kerr explains the views of presidential candidates, Obama and McCain on the topic of Medicare. Along with views, the article also states important facts about healthcare in the nation.47 million people living in America are not health cared covered. In my opinion shared with many others, this is because of the disproportional spending of our nation. We choose to spend more on war instead on the necessities of our own people. In today’s world, when a person can not afford healthcare or is not receiving Medicaid from the government, they usually get it from his or her job. In another time, that will be fantastic but in today’s world of depression and job scarcity, it is horrible. It is disappointing that our nation spends the most on healthcare in the world yet it’s still not enough for our nation. It is very important for our next president to address Medicare and demonstrate to the people what he plans on doing about it for the people. For some people the candidate’s plans may be the final decision for their vote. From my observations, the candidates are following there par tie’s philosophy, so their plans are not surprising. John McCain, a republican, is staying very conservative and wishes for a modern free market system. This basically means that everyman is for himself. It limits the government from fully taking care of the people. McCain planes on giving a tax credit of $2500 for individuals and $5,000 for families. With the worth of the dollar now, I’m guessing this can do nothing unless all the 47 million people receive the tax credit and the cost for private healthcare decreases. Many analysts believe that McCain’s plane will demolish job provide health care coverage. McCain thinks that his plane will generate activity and “creativity” in health care plane, which basically means more business. McCain’s planes are simple. He feels that if his planes are bought out then long term wise, America will benefit. Obama feels that McCain’s plan on healthcare is too simple because there is nothing to it but the “every man for himself” attitude. McCain is really just addressing the rich class. However, I give kudos to McCain for being the first republican since Nixon to even address healthcare. Unlike McCain, Obama’s healthcare plan is focusing on the working middle class, the class that needs Medicaid the most. Obama is concentrating on the people who will destruct in a bad economy, with little money and who already don’t have coverage.
Obama’s health plan involves giving Americans a choice to pay for private healthcare or government provided healthcare, like we have in our education system. McCaine criticizes Obama’s plan and says it will cost too much money but Obama says with the right amount of tax Cuts from the upper class, efficiency and deliverance America can afford it.Obama is trying to take care of the people, all of them. With his plan the upper class still has a choice of their ownn. Obama’s plan sounds more pleasant and successful in my ears My only hope is that he delivers. ")
Khadijat.
Rachel Geissler
D. The role of government in regulating health care.
David Kerr’s “Obama vs. McCain: The Health Care Debate” details and compares John McCain’s and Barack Obama’s views on how health care should be handled by the government. McCain thinks that tax credits should be awarded to individuals for $2,500 and to families for $5,000. Families can use the money to buy private health care plans. However, it’s unlikely that McCain’s proposal will be very helpful because private health care plans cost a lot more than just $2,500 or $5,000. Furthermore, his lack of detail to this plan is another weakness because it doesn’t seem very well thought out. He doesn’t offer anything to fall back on in case his proposal doesn’t work out. “McCain’s campaign, however, argues that this kind of approach will open up a brand new market for private plans and foster “creativity” in health insurance.” Perhaps that’s a possibility. However, to strengthen his proposal, McCain should offer some examples of exactly what kind of private plans might come about and give ideas for how health insurance can become creative.
Obama, on the other hand, proposed a national health plan that would give Americans options. They could choose between private or government plans. Obama is simply trying to reach out to the 47 million uninsured Americans. Although Obama’s plan seems to be more solid than McCain’s proposal, it’ll probably end up being more expensive. According to McCain, the cost will be somewhere in the range of $350 billion dollars each year.
After considering both plans, I’d probably agree more so with Barack Obama because his approach would help more people. McCain’s proposal doesn’t seem as well thought out as Obama’s plan is. Furthermore, McCain’s plan seems somewhat one-sided. Obama, on the other hand, would be providing Americans with options. I personally wasn’t very familiar with either candidate because I don’t pay close attention to politics, thus I wasn’t surprised because I was unaware of what would be considered a normal proposal for either of the two.
Astonn De Felice
The role of government in regulating health care.
The major election issues this year are economy, national security, and- health care? Surprisingly, health care is a huge issue in the political world right now. Americans spend approximately $2.5 trillion a year on their health care, which is the largest per capita spending of any nation on earth. Both Presidential Candidates have a solution to this issue.
John McCain has a liberal, ‘free market’ approach. He proposes a tax credit of $2500 for individuals and $5,000 for families that can be used to purchase private health care plans. He believes this is a nice way to improve access to health care, and also keep the government’s role at a minimum. However, there are some flaws in this approach. For example, most private plans cost a lot more than the tax credits McCain is proposing, and for most working families, those this won’t make a difference.
Barack Obama’s approach is for a more active role on the part of the government. He says his concern is for those Americans without coverage, and those who may lose that coverage in a bad economy, which is why he’s proposing a ‘national health plan’ that would give Americans a choice between a private insurer and a government-sponsored plan. His plan would probably be the most successful in guaranteeing health coverage and dealing with the issue of uninsured Americans. However, the flaw here is the cost: $350 billion annually, which will substantially increase taxes. Obama, however, thinks that a combination of improved efficiency in the administration and the delivery of care, and at the same time, doing away with the President’s tax cuts for upper income Americans, can make up the difference.
Although both ideas seem helpful, I feel that Obama’s plan is better. McCain’s doesn’t really make sense to me; by giving us only enough money to pay for a small fraction of health care expenses is like giving someone a dollar and telling them “here, go buy a car”. Obama’s plan, however, isn’t as bad as McCain made it out to be by mentioning the fact that Obama’s plan’s annual cost would be $350 billion. Personally, the annual $350 billion sounds more appealing than the annual $2.5 trillion.
I picked D, The Role of Government in regulating healthcare due to the soul fact that the other links are dead links! lol
Anyway, many articles around the internet, not just this particular article are always comparing Obama and McCain's positions on one of the most important issues in America, Healthcare opportunities. While McCain offers a $2,500 tax credit for individuals and $5,000 for families, there are many flaws to this approach. As tax credit is helpful, it does not offer a sustainable healthcare plan and it does not provide a full payment plan of promising healthcare.
On the other hand, Obama plans on providing options to the American public, either to join private healthcare or a government sponsored plan which allows not only a more affordable healthcare plan, but always provides a promising one at that! Obama wants to offer almost little to free annual healthcare, which is offered to every American.
The problem is that McCain wants you to go find your own private healthcare plan which is more money to the Private Healthcare companies which as a result keeps profit in the government spending bill. Healthcare profit should be returned to the American Citizen so that the cycle of healthcare can stay at a low to no cost and that every American can be covered.
Health care is an important topic that is debated too much. It's simple, everyone should be entitled to some kind of health care. It was mentioned that McCain is more concerned with long term healthcare rather than short term, which is great, because people need health care everyday, all the time and short term care isn't always going to do it. Obama on the other hand proposed a national health plan that would give people the option of provate health care or a government sponsored health care.
Many people also rely on insurance that is provided with their job, but with todays economic struggles, many places of employment are cutting back on budgets and lettign go of workers, leaving them with little or no coverage. Doctors visits and surgeries cost way to much money for the average person to be able to pay without insurance. Stiches on my ear to repair a split from my earing cost $6,000 to fix, imagine if I didn't have coverage, where would I get $6,000 for my ear!
So sorry for the "dead links" as Wayne called them. They worked for me Friday. I'll post them later on in the week for your own research.
It seems most of you favor the Obama plan to make an affordable national health care option. I'm wondering if those of you who do would support a tax hike to fund such a program. If not, where should this money be drawn from?
Also, how will this affect the health care industry and private doctors?
Keep the ideas coming, this is an intriguing discussion so far!
The 2008 elections is one that will make history. The candidates opinion are both very different and also very compelling. Health care is the third most important issue in this years election. Barak Obama seemingly the man of the middle class proposes a heath care plan that is more government involved but possibly will actually shows signs of improvement for the uninsured. Where as John McCain’s plan is not only awfully unrealistic but also rather minimal in the long run. Its comes as to no surprise, that McCain proposes a plan that would service private insurance companies more than the actual citizens. His plan to provide tax credit to purchase private health care plans at the rate of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 per family is a simple idea with many flaws. One being that the tax credit McCain is offering is much less then the cost of most private plans. I was slightly surprised that Obama’s health care plan may increase taxes seeing how the total annually cost could reach $350 billion dollars. Obama represents the working class so he should understand that raising taxes while making health care more accessible wont make much of a difference to the American people. However if his proposal to remove tax cuts for the rich can supply aid to the health care situation, I think his plan may actually produce results for those who are uninsured. I agree more with Obama then McCain because I feel Obama has a better understanding of what the united states needs right now, which is someone who is going to make changes that benefit the masses. Someone who is more interested in the affairs of the citizens then the relationships with private investors. Someone like Barack Obama.
George Kaluski G Block
Health care is becoming a very important issue in the presidential election. There are many americans both young and old who are worried about their health care plan. There are many americans who are living with out any health care at all. Mccain has proposed that health care should be used by buying it from private companies. In addition to this Mccain proposed that a tax credit should be extended to citizens so that they can buy health care. However Obama argues that this plan wont be covered by the tax cut that mccain is planing to give out. the simplest solution will be universal health care.
Ann Morin Youssef
G Block
Obama vs. McCain: The Health Care Debate
Healthcare is a topic that many politicians debate annually in order to find a resolution for the American public. Although overly discussed, most know that debating Health Care wins the votes of many. Most Americans look towards the future and worry about old age and unhealthy living conditions and treatments; therefore, Presidential candidates are sure to include Health Care benefits and ideas to the American voters.
Barack Obama and John McCain both show deep concern towards health care but contradict one another. As pointed out in the article, Obama is trying to aid the uninsured citizens of the nation. McCain, on the other hand, disagrees with Bush's past statements of having the government involved in public affairs although both are republicans. Both McCain and Obama make fine points for future health care, I agree more with that of Obama. Obama seemed to be more knowledgeable about this issue while McCain didn't have any "wowing" points. In agreement with Obama, I think "the McCain approach is too narrow, doesn’t help the uninsured, and doesn’t go far enough."
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