America

I really hate to get political, partly because I'm not the most qualified individual and partly because I don't like the arguments that inevitably ensue, but I just can't keep my take on this presidential campaign to myself anymore.



I saw an Obama ad a couple of nights ago, the longest ad I've seen, in which he is talking about how he wants people to check out his website where he details his "plan." Yes, his "plan;" now you know the direction I lean. He wants to impose a tax surcharge on oil profits and give some of that money back to Americans. Though I like the idea of free money (which, by the way, Bush already did this year, which, by the way, Obama opposed), the source of the funds troubles me. Taking away profits from companies is decidedly in contention with the greatest of American ideals: capitalism. The United States is not a socialist or communist country. This leads to my second "plan" problem: reforming Wall Street to protect investments. Investments have been protected about as much as a capitalist society can. There are even safeguards in place so that the market cannot crash like it did in 1929. If one wants investment security, use a savings account or a CD. If one wants to make money in an investment, one must take a certain amount of risk. Limiting that risk limits one's potential earnings. Warren Buffett did not get rich by purchasing CDs. He made some money; he lost a little; he made some more; he lost a little; he made a crap load; he lost a little. Just because everyone happens to be losing a little right now does not mean that the system is flawed. Barack Obama cannot fix this system without changing the foundations of American capitalism, which cannot be done by anyone. By proposing such changes he is either showing that he lacks knowledge of the foundations of the American economic system (which I find unlikely) or that he thinks that the American public will actually believe that he can and will make these impossible changes. Stop believing politicians' promises!!! Think first: is this even possible?