In the last two weeks we have seen some amazing speech writing and performances by modern political candidates and their staffs.
Its easy to look at what was forgotten. Both conventions missed a classic element in their content. The Republicans forgot to mention the 80,000 men and women at harms way fighting our batles around the world. The Democrats forgot to evoke God in their speeches. Doe it make Republicans less concerned with the military or Democrats God less? No. Clearly a gotcha moment was shared by both. But now with the quick turnaround with the news cycle, it seems that the focus is on gotcha rather than transparency.
Transparency is the new catch phrases of the era. It reflects are ineptitude in making our points clearly about who we are. Look beyond the rhetoric and see what is behind the organizations.
Its true the parties are on different tracks. The choices of how we get to where will be are clearly defined. Transparency put it that way. Despite rhetorical devices and beautiful metaphoric images, the message from both conventions is clear.
Presidential candidate Romney is sure that the way to increase jobs is to make business climate ideal for the millionaires that generate job for the country. Supply side, trickle down and less government intervention is the hallmark of his campaign. Reductions in government spending and fraud would be recovered to benefit the wealthy 1 percent that generate new jobs by capitalizing with their businesses. Military spending would increase because this is were the party thinks that this is where government should exercise its duty. In the campaign they want to eliminate the affordable health care plan. Health care is a major industry and should be protected like a major industry, their losses are their losses and their profits are their profits. Romney is no social conservative so their is no reaching out to the poor or the less fortunate in our society. While he claims he was poor growing up, his sympathy to that is questionable. His claim is that only a true businessman can understand job growth.
Presidential candidate and sitting President Obama has a very different prospective. His agenda is more grass roots. He feels that job growth has to come from the bottom up. Infrastructure and healthcare are his emphasis. His way to grow the economy with job growth comes from people who spend money will generate new jobs. The country will be left with a viable infrastructure. Teachers jobs have been saved through support in people infrastructure. In recent times the Obama presidency lead to investing in the middle class through job support allowed more money to be spent in local facilities. It kept teachers in homes. It supported police officers and firefighters. His plans allowed for major work to be done in our town on roads and bridges and a train overpass. So the economy will begin to grow out of its unemployment by catching up and nation building at home. Its a very different agenda.
Its clear to me that if either candidate gets into office we will need to bring the troops home from Afganistan. We will need to support our growing elderly population, of which I am one. We will need to bring in the rapid cost growth of health care and tuition. We may have to look at what we subsidize in the private sector. Are those subsidies still doing what we wanted them to do. We need to subsidize the programs that help the people that cannot truly afford their lives without it.
Despite all of the hoopla... and I am one to enjoy hoopla, the bottom line of what needs to be done is pretty clear. Congress needs to pitch out its pledges work together with the president and craft a recovery act that will work.
Just my opinion.
Pat