Most Americans are sick of Bush-type management and they want the change that Obama is promising.
But Obama has problems.
It is not that he is young and has less experience than McCain.
Other presidents have been younger and had less experience.
Age is not a factor in management.
Many major activities during WW II and other wars where handled or are now being handled by men in their twenties or even teens.
World conquerors and monarchs have been much younger.
If a man is or woman is 35 years old or older and a native-born American, that is the only requirement to serve as president.
Also, experience and longevity are not the same thing.
An elected official is more likely to have had one year of experience thirty-five times than to have thirty-five years of actual experience.
We all have seen calcification in government where old timers never change so they can not make change.
We can not expect needed changes from them nor should we.
We need a stick-in-the-mud or two to keep us from drifting too far from the correct path.
McCain has problems because of his age and his ten-pound health history.
No president has taken office at his age and only Reagan turned into his seventies while in office.
McCain is sort of out of the main stream of technology saying that only his wife knows how to operate a computer.
He would not be "the technology president.
" Also, picking his running rate show a lack of judgment.
But these situation nor the possibility that he will probably not bring major change to government will stop him from being elected.
Most all Americans like McCain and know that the swift-boating he is doing is just politics.
The most difficult problem that Obama has to solve is that his father was black, he has a black wife and children and the fact that almost all blacks will vote for him.
Too many Americans think the White House is just that.
Even though many fine black men and women have served and are serving or country everyday does not count with some.
The fact that Rice and Powell or other blacks or mixed-race folks have tramped the halls of the White House doesn't matter.
Some just do not want a black family in the White House.
Martin Luther King had the dream.
Will the American people take a chance on Obama despite his race? Let's hope that we all vote on the issues which hopefully will eventually be discussed in this campaign.
They are to me: 1.
Russia: How will we keep the Bear in her cage? Are we going to let her bite us on the rear? We need to reduce the threat of war rather than starting them.
While we screw around, Osama bin Laden sips his lemonade in Mecca.
We need to point a needle at that guy rather than shot- gunning whole nations.
2.
The American Dollar: Since it is near worthless, trade is helping to restore some value.
But it is a major problem and we must get rid of the Bush deficits just as we had to get rid of the Reagan deficits.
There must be some fiscal responsibility in government.
3.
Living Cost: Fuel has increased inflation because fuel is used in industry.
When fuel cost increases, everything else soon follows.
My grocer says he orders groceries one day at one price and they come in the next day with a higher price tag that he must pay.
He says that he is continually change prices in his computer system.
My bank balance tells me he is right.
4.
Technology: Blowing money on technologies year after year that never produces anything for the people of our country is stupid.
We should put our money in more promising technologies, take some chances on new technologies, that can improve our economy, reduce fuel cost, clean our environment, cure cancer and heart disease and diabetes and Alzheimer's and other debilitating diseases.
Shooting off expensive rockets in the hope that some day we can occupy other planets is just a dream that is not going to come true.
We need to entertain our scientist but we don't have to let them keep their hands in the money barrel.
They say that their technical developments from space exploration help us to live better.
Well, maybe they do but couldn't we get the same results by better directing funds? We need to get technology back into the classroom with mandatory subject matter if we are going to maintain a technical presence on this globe.
5.
Crime: We need to reduce crime.
We tend just to measure the crime rate.
Tens of thousands are suffering in prison and not contributing to society.
We need to teach children right from wrong in our schools, not the names of the counties in our states.
We spend endless time and money in our judicial system.
Other countries are more efficient.
We need to look at what other countries are doing.
Many crimes are drug related.
Temporary Marshal Law could resolve many of the problems quickly and keep many from obtaining drugs and then committing crimes.
6.
Illegal Aliens: I have to have a passport to go to Mexico or Canada.
If that is true, then I think that aliens should all have passports (and visas too in some cases).
Green cards are printed and sold for $40.
00 or more.
Dump the green cards for passports.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
I hope the American people will put more demands on our candidates.
We must make them answer important questions rather than swift-boating.
I realize that swift-boating is one way to win an election but I'd sure like to know what McCain or Obama would do to improve our situation.
I don't expect they actually will give us specific actions they would take.
After all, they are just politicians.
I think it would be a disgrace if this election is resolved by race issues or age issues, too young or too old.
Let's get to the issues, look at the proposed solutions, and then vote.
Both parties now have platforms.
The Republican Platform looks like it was written by bureaucrats and is more comprehensive than the Democratic Platform.
Both are mainly hype.
Maybe there is some meat in them.
If you can stand to read the stuff you might find some meat in them.
It was interesting to me that the Republican Platform blames Democrats for the Bush War Deficits.
Well, what did you expect? I like the McCain family and the Obama family and I would be happy to see either family in the White House.
But I want to know who will bring change and how each candidate plans to do it.
Fly Old Glory!