Answer John McCain's Question on LinkedIn

[John McCain Volunteer Staff]

John McCain just posted the following question on LinkedIn!!

What is the biggest challenge America faces?
Our country is faced with challenges as we enter into the 21st century. I am prepared to effectively deal with these challenges and lead our country as President on Day 1. Please let me know what you view as the biggest challenge America faces and how you would like your President to address this challenge.

http://www.linkedin.com/answers/government-non-profit/government-po...

[Tom LaLumiere]

I put in my response. I think one of the most important things we need to do is scrap the current tax code and replace it with a new system. I also listed three end-goals that the new system should address:

1) The IRS should forever lose its power to intrude on private American's lives.
2) The K Street lobbyists should forever lose their power to influence Congressional votes concerning taxes, Federal fiscal issues and Congressional spending plans.
3) All taxes should be immediately visable to the taxpayer, that is, there are no taxes embedded or "hidden" in the prices we pay for goods and services.

[James Carder]

Dear Senator McCain,

The 'biggest' immediate challenge that I see to America would be the negative effect that an abrupt pullout of American troops from Iraq could cause.

If Iraq collapsed, as South Viet Nam collapsed in 1975, and all economic ties and interests with Iraq were suddenly severed...I believe this could have a backlash effect on the American economy, already in recession in certain sectors...plunging the United States into a deep depression such as the nation has never seen before.

Why?

Because we have simply reached the limit of our financial where-with-all. We are too overextended. We are paying too much interest on refinanced debt of the national debt and Iraq has been virtually financed by extending more debt to debt.

No longer are we able to invest in the liberation and freedom of other people without first making sure that America gets a return on that investment. We've got to stop treating our national treasury like a charity slush fund for the world. Charity begins at home.

Iraq needs to be made responsible for getting us to assist it with its war with itself.

Meaning: the war from its inception had little or nothing to do with 9/11 or the 'War on Terror'. It had a lot to do with Iraqi malcontents themselves sucking us into a war with Saddam based on their insistence that Saddam harbored 'weapons of mass destruction.'

Our interests, of course, were that Saddam sat on one of the largest remaining reservoirs of oil in the world and we didn't want that oil to eventually pass to Saddam's enemies in his demise, enemies who were perceived at the time to be far more dangerous than Saddam himself.

The 'second' biggest danger I see to America right now is that if we 'did' secure Iraq and after all was said and done, we found that private oil companies had run off with all the profits from all the oil in that Iraq, leaving the American treasury high and dry to pick up the bill that paid for their access to that oil.

The GAO and others on the ground in Iraq, must make sure that this doesn't happen because it would precipitate the same kind of effect on the viability of America's financial future as an abrupt withdrawl from Iraq could create...a withdrawl such as the Democratic candidates would have us do.

James Carder
- a friend of Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska -
Website
Blog

[O. P. Ditch]

The threat from Radical Islam, period.

http://Vets4McCain.com

[James Carder]

If a collapse in Iraq came...most definitely. The Bush Administration has already expressed fears about this...infiltration of refugees, etc and etc. and radical Islamic extremists following us home.

For the long range, it wouldn't do us any good if all that oil to fell into the hands of Al Qaeda or a secular government in Iran supported and encouraged by radical Islamic extremists in the region...not limited to Iraq, Iran and Pakistan.

Yes, beyond the immediate economic fallouts to be suffered over Iraq, there is the continuing and looming threat of radical extremism in the region, against us and against the future of Western Civilization and against the peaceful coexistence of cultures in the world.

[Jim]

I don't really know if you want someone like me to respond to this. I’m one of those people that have some significant issues with the current administration and, while I consider myself to be an independent, I’m leaning pretty significantly to the Democrats this time around. As a Navy vet (71-75) I have great respect and appreciation for your service while in the Navy, and since you’ve returned home, but I fear the last 7 years of unchecked arrogance in Washington have driven this country to a point of being economically crippled.

Of late I’ve been asking people one basic question: if Reagan is to be given credit for bankrupting the USSR in the 1980s, is Bush to be given credit for doing the same to the US in the early 2000s? It really does seem that basic to me. We’ve gone from a place where we had a chance to pay off our national debt to a point where that debt has more than tripled in seven years. Of course there were reasons, but is this level of debt acceptable? I for one think not.

To be honest, the outlook for whoever wins the White House this fall is dreadful. The dollar has little value in the international market, we’re drowning in debt, the middle class is shrinking, and the only ones in this country that are doing well are the top 5% and the corporations that are profiting from this war. In a country where 80% of the workers are hourly employees the fact that hourly wages have been flat or falling for 30 years is a concern to me. The fact that 60% of American families earn less than $45,000 per year yet food, energy, gas and medical expenses continue to soar at double digit rates is also a concern.

I also know your stated intent regarding this war, and that has me concerned – not because I’m for or against the war, but because we’re fighting this war on borrowed money. Not only are we not asking America to support our troops with a draft, we’re also not asking them to pay for the war with increased, proportionate taxes. Why? Because they would not be willing to do so? So how are we supporting our troops – we just keep sending the same ones back to the war, tour after tour.

And no one is stepping up to a national health care policy that has a chance to putting American industry back on a level playing field with our international competitors. If GM is adding $3000 to the price of each of it’s vehicles to independently pay for the health care that Suzuki, Hyundai or others don’t have to shoulder, how are they expected to compete? And, if we have the billions needed to save Bear Sterns and the high wage jobs it creates gambling in derivatives, why don’t we have the means to try to save manufacturing jobs?

In short, what are you going to do to keep our economy afloat, and how are you going to avoid making it worse? And why do you think that a continuation of the Bush tax cuts that led us into this mess is going to help anyone? We just can’t keep printing new money, and artificially propping up a bad economy with low interest rates, so what are you going to do to get it turned around?

Thank you.

Jim

[James Carder]

Jim, check this out...more on the prophetic side, but it might help to answer some of your questions: Click

John McCain hasn't showed up on this thread yet to answer anyone's questions, but I think you've made a good post with plenty of thots that everyone has been asking themselves lately that deserve reply.

I also think that you and I could be political soul mates in some measure of our thinking...with one difference: I have already decided to take a step of faith and to support John McCain with an intent to keep my mind on God and my sights on McCain and hope and pray that he is capable of making the right decisions for the American people.

I don't know John McCain personally and I don't know that he will ever show up in any of these forums to speak out and answer some of the hard questions for himself (in writing).

What concerns me is 'where' does all the money come from for all that needs to be done for the American people?

Taxes?

I don't think so.

The American people are stretched already with their mortgages, credit card payments, student loan payments and property taxes. Some today are even losing their jobs and homes to the recession.

Where do all the replacement dollars come from to begin reversing the amount of interest we have to pay on the national debt?

There is only one solution that I know of, but I do know that there will be a lot of resistance to that idea by the conservative right...but it's probably our only recourse.

I don't expect a lot of volunteers from them and I think that those that could be part of the solution for America have already and wisely moved their assets overseas and into another currency and would just as well stand far off and watch the country sink into oblivion, quite like the Titanic!

Which leaves me with about all there is left to say, 'May God Help America'.

[Jim]

James,

Interesting ideas, but I think you don’t give American’s enough credit. I don’t think taxes are terrible, and I don’t think most people do. After all, Gore won the popular vote on a platform that opposed lowering taxes in favor of paying off the debt. I think we know we have to pay our bills, and we’re willing to do just that. What we’re not willing to do is to watch our taxes rise only to be squandered. Pork barrel spending, earmarks that favor the few, and legislation written by big industry for big industry is what angers and frustrates us – not paying our fair share.

I live in Michigan – a place that used to put the world on wheels. We’ve been deeply impacted by whatever it is that economists want to call this economic cycle. The words range from downturn and correction to recession, but in some parts of Michigan it’s already a depression. Add to our failing local economy a federal administration that believes in unfunded mandates and we end up spending more money on prisons than we do on schools!

George W. came to Michigan last year and as he was shaking hands with our Governor he was recorded as saying I won’t talk with you about bailing out your auto industry. What arrogance and what ignorance! To think of the manufacturing problems in Michigan as a local problem, and to not even see what kinds of repercussions the loss of that industry or the jobs it provides would have on the economy as a whole is amazing to me. I’m not hearing anything from John McCain to convince me that he has any broader sense of our economic troubles than does George W, but I keep listening.

I think you’re right about this medium though – John McCain won’t show up here to answer anyone’s questions or to hear our answers to his. It’s a shame. But I’ve said my piece – rant and all – and I’ll be one of those ones in November that ends up voting for the candidate I think might come the closest to understanding that there really is an economy, that a 9 trillion dollar debt really is bigger than a 3 trillion dollar debt, and that we’re quickly running out of time to fix anything.

To one last point – I haven’t the stomach for occupation, and even less for imperialism. If occupying Iraq as a means of seeking repayment for our war debt is the only answer I fear we’ve seriously lost our way as a nation and as a people. But hey, we’re taking that 2 billion a day from China, so who am I to talk about societal ethics?

Take care and good luck in November.

Jim

[James Carder]

Jim, I think that taxes are different in different areas of the country.

I didn't mean to imply that I have no faith in the American people, that I do, but on the other hand, I do think that we are in bigger trouble than we realize with the economy, especially when it comes to dealing with the costs of Iraq and the 'War on Terror' in general.

I do agree that the integrity of those who have lead us into this situation has not been exactly loyal to the American people nor in the best interests of the nation.

Generally, I'm of the opinion that most Congressmen once they get to Washington spend money like a drunken sailor and that's the bottom-line of it all. This is what happens when someone else is managing another peoples' money with virtually no commitment to accountability.

I realize that we don't pay as much taxes as other people in other countries...but again, there are countries where there aren't any taxes at all. I work in one of them. This country also has a national health system for its citizens, all paid for by the government. All the revenue in the country comes from oil and gas.

I just wonder what our politicians would do if they didn't have our money to wheel and deal with in Washington, D.C.?

'Look out Corporate America', is all I've got to say!

[James Carder]

I think that the biggest 'spiritual' challenge that the country faces is in getting itself turned around on 'Roe vs. Wade' which may be at the root of all the nation's woes.

I believe that abortion should be banned except to save the life of the mother and that any decision to abort should only be made by the father of the child. If the father of the child is not available, then the decision to abort should be made by the doctor or person doing the abortion.

This conviction is predicated on my belief that 'life begins at conception' and that the taking of the life of an innocent unborn child does not justify rape, fornication or adultery of any kind by an adult.

Two wrongs simply don't make a right.

Otherwise: fornication, rape and adultery cannot be morally corrected or justified by the murder of an unborn child."

Once these sins are committed, the only redemption from them is repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Those who believe and repent will live by faith that their sins have been forgiven by God...and this is the justice and mercy of the Lord.

...which says, 'the JUST shall live by faith'...and 'woe unto those who keep the poor from judgment.'

'Judgment' in this case meaning both correction or condemnation.

This is pretty tough talk...can the nation survive it?

My website: Click

[www.mccaingooglegroups.com]

Very Rarely do I agree 100% with posts I see around the web. This is an exception.
Great Site as well Jim.

[Jim]

James,

You’re losing me a here. Yes, I’m a parent, and yes, I consider myself to be Christian, but my belief system tends to be oriented toward the love, acceptance and understanding Christ spoke of. I also believe in the separation of church and state, which is another of my problems with John McCain right now. I feel he is far too willing to pander to the religious right in trying to win votes.

Abortion, gay marriage, and family values are all things that the ultra right trot out to scare people into voting for them. Given that they were pretty much unopposed in the first 6 years of the Bush administration and passed no laws in support of those supposed values, I doubt they believe in them either. Again, are they pandering for votes, or, as a party do they really believe these things? I think they're just pandering. If not, why no laws banning either gay marriage or abortions? I wouldn't have supported either, but my point here is that they didn't either.

I don’t buy into the idea that any one group is saved, and another destined for hell. If I did I’d have to look at more than half the world as destined for that fate, and I don’t think that the loving God that Christ or Mohammed talked about would allow that to happen. So, next weekend I’ll be one of the many people that will pack into a large room to listen to the Dalai Lama when he visits Ann Arbor. Am I a Buddhist? No, but I do appreciate much of what he teaches, and I do want to understand what he believes.

It must be very difficult living in the Middle East as a minority – a Christian in an Islamic area. I can understand where it might even drive one to greater orthodoxy, but I would ask you to consider that when Jesus was asked (at the Last Supper) what he would have his follower’s do he said they should love each other.

Good luck in whatever you do.

Jim

[Don Castella]

Amen
Very well said Pastor. Those who trust in the grace of God have peace in their hearts that transcends the troubles of this present world. His grace is a gift for all that believe to enjoy forever.