n honor of the Conventions (and because we don't have a sponsor) we're talking about presidential politics this week. You may have missed our take on Obama and McCain, but don't miss Owen's satirical piece on issues versus scandal. So what are the family issues that will impact your decision? What should be talked about that's being left out? Who's your guy based on the Dad perspective?

I'm not going there.

Me neither. But Owen was again hilarious. He really should lay off the crack though.

chicken

Are Not!

I've just seen threads like this go balistic and I refuse to participate in the animosity that always surfaces... with that said, I'm voting for Obama. There I said it. Lemme alone.<br><br>I can't bitch too much about Bush, I voted for him, the first time. (Wait, yes I can. He's the President and yet he makes me feel smart, simply by the manner in which he speaks. I can't stand him.) But I generally go by the rule of Re-elect NO ONE!<br><br>And as Ben said, if my choice wins I feel good, if not, I feel bad, for about a second and a half. But other than that, my daily life doesn't change much, if at all.

I have met president bush 2 times since i joind the army and i must say he is a smart guy dont let is country twang fool you he is very well lets say texan but overall a very smart guy

I've gotta control myself, but I did want to point out something. You mentioned McCain wants to privatize health care and would give a $5000 tax credit maximum per family. What wasn't mentioned is he would also eliminate all tax credits companies get for giving their employees health care. If health care is an important issue for you, I really recommend you look into how much your company pays for your health care today, you will most likely find it is much greater than $5000.<br><br>Personally I think McCain's plan makes it harder for people to get health care not easier, especially if you or any of your family members have any pre-existing conditions.

OK ,<br>So you know all those undecided, undereducated, young registerd voters out there? Well I'm their king! I know so little about this race that I have subscribed to at least 4 news podcasts and they all seem to be subtlely biased in favor of Obama. Am I putting too much crazy sauce on my ribs? Anyway I want to thank any of you in advance for actually speaking your mind in this forum because it will help me and the wife really consider our vote. Otherwise I may have to continue my reighn as King Undecided.<br><br>Oh and my trainees laughed so hard we needed a biobrake after we watched the vid from Owen today.

Don't be silly. The fact that you think you don't know enough just proves that you know way more than most people.

I've made my choice for president and I don't think anything will change that between now and then. But I don't see the presidency as having as much of an impact on my family as our local leaders. The national politicians might affect broad programs and funding for programs, but money doesn't seem to have as much effect as the people who actually roll out the programs.<br><br>I say that and then I think there might be a sever exception. I'm still getting used to living in Indiana. For some reason, the state here has some supreme authority when it comes to government revenue. Last year saw a huge increase in property valuations and some people had drastic changes in their tax bills. The state government decided that the entire state would decrease property taxes and replace the revenue with a 1% hike in sales tax. How could they do this? Well, the state collects local and county taxes and then disperses the funds to the counties and cities. This gives them a lot of control and essentially makes it so that the people you elect need to convince people you didn't elect to allow your money to actually make it to programs in your neighborhood. It even makes the bureaucracy that much more complicated. When our bus system applied for a grant from the state and was awarded it, they were told to give the money back because the City Council hadn't passed a motion to allow the grant to be accepted.<br><br>With county programs being cut a minimum of 4% across the board and city officials scrambling to keep afloat, the state's in turmoil. I heard today that one city is cutting back all staff to 32 hours a week and they might still run out of money by October. But it's not really their fault. They didn't get to ask the public for more money and didn't offer to give wealthy homeowners their huge tax break in favor of increasing the taxes on everyone, unfairly shifting the tax burden to lower incomes who can't choose not to spend their money.<br><br>But let's say that funding wasn't so messed up here. If I look at the issues that affect my family the most, it involves the supply of local food, safety of local parks and schools, availability of library programs, and support of local businesses. When I lived in Columbus, Oh, these were easy to judge and the officials knew based on the success of campaigns to approve tax bills. Here in Fort Wayne, IN, it's not so easy. I will say that it looks like they're doing pretty well for all of the cuts but as things get worse, I only hope that these folks can either get even more creative or survive until enough people wake up to how ridiculous things are.<br><br>I guess it just goes to show that All politics are local.

Senator Barrack Obama. Hands down (or up). I can relate to him having no father growing up and I feel his call for personal and social responsibility, especially with fathers, is key to healing much of our national social and spiritual woes. While I agree with Brad that political action is driven locally, Obama's call to action for fathers resonates along main street for me. Health care and education are also critical issues, and McCain misses the mark for me when he talks of privatization (and don't get me started about no child left behind). The days of absolutism (either you're for the war or you're against) are like the dog days of summer - hot and uncomfortable and I think I have a yeast infection. The Audacity of Hope was a great read and really sets the stage for where Barrack is now. It was a very exciting week at the DNC.

I'm reading dreams from my father this weekend on a trip.

How is it?

so what your saying is a man who has never served in the u.s. millitary is more capable of leading a nation at war than one who went above and beyond as a Prisoner of War, North Vietnam, 1967-1973 please some one tell me how this is at all possable hell the last time the dems were in office (clinton) servise members were sent letters saying the president has not aproved the defence buget so you may not get paid on the first if you do not do you dutys you will be placed in custody I would bet anything that if any of your civillan jobs told you were not paying you for next month becuse of a budget error youd walk off the job all any of us want is for our children to be safe and to do wel in life so lets vote for the guy that can help us out with that and a lil fact for you all sen mccain has 7 kids yep thats right 7 kids hes a dad a reely old dad probly like a great grand pa or somthing but a father to 7 kids<br><br>health care worried about the cost dont know if any of you have looked in to it but the us millitary gives you free health care yep thats right ITS FREE!!!! and just incase you have all missed it WE NEED PPL TO JOIN WERE A COUNTRY AT WAR<br><br>your worried about your kids yey so lets look at who there heros are most middle school aged kids would tell you its ppl like michael vick or pdiddy its no longer ther firean or the police or the soilder that died last week keeping the fight away from you house lets wise up ppl and lets decide is this really waht i want for my child for him or her to idlize someone whos been in and out of jail and breaking the law every chance they get or some one who is doing good in the community

Yes, that's what I'm saying. While I have respect for John McCain and thank him for defending and serving this country during his lifetime, I will not vote for him and Palin. And I thank you for your service as well. I'm a proud American, Hunter, and I understand what it took to birth this country and to keep it free. I wouldn't want to live any where else in the world and I'm happy my child will be an American as well.. We do need positive role models for our children, but you don't only have a to be a prisoner of war to be a hero, much less president. Our foreign policy is corrupt and self-serving and has made us less safe in an unstable world. We're not the shining pinnacle of pluralistic democracy any more and we must get back to that.

our foerign policy is corrupt its workining and well and as far as being un safe or less safe i totaltly diagree as far as not being the shining pinnacle of pluralistic democracy you are right and yes we do need to get back to that but we cant and wont untill the ppl really get behinde a leader and truly belive that he knowswahts right for the country

I sincerely hope that this country NEVER gets behind a leader (Democratic or Republican). Instead, I hope that our leaders start getting behind We, the people.<br><br>The U S of A should be bottom up, never top down.<br><br>Believing that a leader inherently knows what is right for a country is a playbook straight out of North Korea.<br><br>(I know top down is a necessity in the military in order to get a specific job done, but I don't think the top down principle should apply to governance of civilians).

Agreed.

I totally agree that kids need heroes like firefighters...these are guys and gals who really risk their lives in order to do good. Especially volunteer firefighters.<br><br>But please don't lump firefighters together with police officers. Police officers do a job and get paid. Their is very low risk involved in being a police officer in the vast majority of the US.

ok i understand what your saying but look most firefighters are paid as well and just becuse one or two cops messed up that dosent meen that they are not good ppl or do good thats like saying just for what happend at abu grave in iraq (4soilders touterd pow's) that now the entire army is not a good modle for kids or that we all must have done the same and let me say that as a child that had police in his life as a role modle i think it did some good as my friends in school were in and out of jail i was not never even had a speeding tickit lol

You're right. They're not all bad.

Gonna have to disagree on this one. My whole family was in law enforcement and they put their lives on the line every day they were on the street. They share equal duty and heroism in my book.

My Brother-In-Law is a cop. He gets no slack from me, and I have a scary insight into his mental state!<br><br>There have been a slew of really scary stories in the Washington Post about really bad things that cops have been doing. This slants my view for sure.

I'd like to point out that MANY, many, many people put their lives on the line every day at the job. Their work is equally important to our society. Their jobs are more risk than police officers, but they are never called heroes.<br><br>A few of these professions:<br><br>1. Construction workers<br>2. Fisherman<br>3. Power line technicians<br><br>I don't think it's fair that the police officer's union positions itself as a group of heroes like no other.<br><br>You can Google the statistics yourself, but there is more data here:<br><br>www.qualityhealth.com/psp/8-most-dangerous-jobs-in-the-world...