McCain: Experience is the Key

In the 1960s, the American public had to choose between two perfectly qualified candidates to be the next president of the United States, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Those who lived back then, regardless of political views, see the 2008 election as a type of repeat of that election. But 2008 is a different time, with different issues. Back then we had to worry about the evil communists and the threat they posed on the world. In 2008, there are no evil communists trying to take over the world. Clearly it is a different time with different problems in deciding what will prove to make it a historic election. Most of the United States' problems or issues have to do with the economy, and not the war in Iraq. The economy is on the tip of everyone's tongues these days and has become top priority for most Americans regardless of class. Of the two parties, only one candidate has enough experience to lead the nation's economy back to where it should be. He also has the leadership qualities that the country needs and is a man who understands what it is like to fight for his country. That man is Sen. John McCain. He has proven to be a leader through his service to our country as both a soldier and as a statesman. While Sen. Barack Obama is a very charming and enduring person, he is not the man to lead our nation.

If Obama were elected, he would raise taxes on hard working Americans in a time when most American families are already struggling with high gas and food prices, not to mention a 7 percent inflation rate. U.S. wage increases are staying steady at 5 percent, leaving a 2 percent gap behind in inflation according to a recent CNN report. Unemployment is at 6.1 percent, the highest in 5 years, according to the Federal Reserve. An increase in taxes would alienate many of the already small number of U.S. manufacturers left, and finally force many of them to move more jobs abroad. While nobody doubts Obama's intentions, he simply does not have the experience to tackle the problems that the nation is facing today. His policies would create more complex economic issues.

Obama's policy of taxing oil companies to provide a $1,000 emergency energy rebate to American families would only backfire. The oil companies would simply raise their prices on gas more to make up for the tax. This policy would also create more shortages of oil because companies like Shell or Exxon-Mobil would be more inclined to sell greater supplies to countries like China and India at cheaper rates.

Throughout his entire political career, Obama has not passed any significant legislation. Obama points out his experience as a community organizer as enough experience. Although organizing communities is a positive activity in creating a better tomorrow, it is still a far cry from running the country. It is not making decisions on nuclear policy or whether or not the air force should shoot down a plane. Even Obama's running mate Sen. Joe Biden once said when asked if he thinks Obama is ready to be President, he said, "I think he can be ready, but I don't think that being the president is something you should learn to do while being on the job." Unlike Obama, McCain is the candidate who will be ready for the job on the first day. McCain's time in the navy and more than 26 years in Congress have prepared him to be a leader and given him the experience to be the next president of the United States.

Obama has pegged himself as the voice of change and as a man taking on the Washington establishment. McCain could be the real voice of change because during his time in Washington, he has butted heads with his own party a number of times and received fierce criticism because of it. Obama really has not butted heads with anyone in Washington because he has not been there long enough. The only exception is when running the primary against Sen. Hillary Clinton. During the primary, Obama and Clinton fought fiercely over issues that they in fact closely agreed on. In his time in congress, Obama has not fathered or even supported legislation. In his time in congress McCain has passed bills on comprehensive campaign financing reform and crossed the aisle to Democrats. His record of crossing the aisle shows the character of McCain of putting his country first and not politics.

A policy of putting country first and not politics is something that the United States needs right now. It is what the country needs to strengthen our economy and fight extremists who wish the destruction of the United States and all its allies. McCain has a proven record of doing that. Obama has no record of putting politics or country first. He has no record or national political accomplishments; he is just charming.