Questions that Hillary, Obama and McCain Must Answer-1
Rizwan Ghani
February 16, 2008
After briefly review of Democrat and Republican wins I would like to raise issues that both parties have so far glossed over. I feel that the presidential candidates need to answer real question to help voters make informed choices because it is going to affect their daily lives-for good or bad. The Feb. 21 debate between Obama and Hillary could be the starting point for answering the questions as parties head for national election.
Obama and McCain´s Tuesday victories are no surprise and it is only matter of time that both candidates will further solidify their numbers leads. In Obama´s case his campaign will have to brace up for March 4 primaries to win hearts and minds of Latino voters and working class Americans in Texas and Ohio (Rhodes Island, Vermont) as they head for Feb. 19 showdown in Hawaii and Wisconsin. It is opined and rightly, so that Texas and Ohio could be the deciding battle for Hillary camp. The records show that Obama camp is struggling with these voters and it could be difficult to rule out a defeat unless Obama comes up with something remarkable. Otherwise also, Obama needs a win in a big state to silence his critics.
Victory in Feb.19 voting will undoubtedly help Obama´s number count. Obama now has 1215 delegates as compared to Hillary who stands on 1190. The reports of Republicans breaking ranks and supporting Obama may not be strong in number (so far 3 percent of the Republicans have admitted voting for Obama) but support from granddaughter of President Eisenhower is a definite plus. Susan Eisenhower´s motivating remarks for Obama are self-explanatory. She said that both likable men share the quality of always being optimistic about America.
In my view America is uniting behind Obama campaign's big message that focuses on uniting not dividing America; a message that talks of taking everyone along than criticizing and finding faults. In all probability Obama's vision of unifying America will grow stronger and appealing in days to come. It is something that Hillary Campaign will have to address but in all probability it will be an uphill task because political pundits are already talking of bumpy ride for Hillary in coming primaries.
In Republican camp it is hard to agree with Huckabee´s logic to continue despite political pundit´s calculation showing that logically he cannot defeat McCain to win party nomination. In my opinion apart from most reasons being voiced in American media, Huckabee´s presence is ´protecting´ McCain from being exposed on issues of national importance.
Imagine McCain as Republican Party presidential nominee facing Clinton and Obama for next seven months on issues like Iraq, economy, immigration, stem cell and education. Democrats will officially nominate Democratic Party presidential candidate in August and Republicans in September 2008. Political bloggers have rejected any possibility of Huckabee as Republican Party´s choice for vice president. Huckabee factor will put additional pressure on Democrats to draw McCain out in the battlefield who logically would continue his political mock fight with Huckabee than engaging Democrats on national issues.
Here are few basic statistics given to help understand the questions that Obama, Hillary and McCain need to answer to help the voters make informed choices. Most of these figures are available on www.stateline.org:-
a. According to ABC news poll, one child out of seventeen children will be able to attend college from the families earning 35,000 US dollars (family of four earning below 20,650 US dollar annually falls below federal poverty level; source: Kaiser Family Foundation, Oct. 2007) and one out of two children from families earning 80,000 US dollars annually.
Q1. The Plan for sending these kids to college and how will it be financed?
Q2. How will US fulfill projected deficiencies of 75,000 doctors, 100,000 nurses in health sector, IT, teachers, and unskilled labor to maintain agri-sector?
Q3. Policy on reduce drug prices, patent issues etc to provide relief to the average American.
Q4. How will these areas be addressed in the immigration policy, education policy and health policy? For example there are reports of doctors being abused by employers under J1 Visa schemes. In addition the current inherently flawed US visa system by default expects family separation until the issuance of J1 visa. http://fmgvisas.blogspot.com/2007/12/abuse-some-j-1-waiver-imgs-underpaid.html
Q5. In wake of other European countries offering attractive incentives to highly skilled immigrants including doctors, falling number of US college students due to financial constraints and growing number of college fallouts, How and Who will fill jobs in these sectors?
Note: On average a US, medical graduate ends up with debt between 130,000-160,000 dollars. The economic debt forces a chain of events in which the American graduates enter medical practice instead of going for higher education that in turn undermines countries standing at global level.
Q5. What will be the policy of Democratic and Republican presidential candidates ensure third world corrupt govts improve social, economic and political indicators in their countries to reduce immigrant´s pressure on advanced world including US?
In this regard their policy on US foreign policy interests versus support for dictators, leaders of quasi democracies ruling for decades leading to cycle of corruption, repression in those countries due to flawed policies and propped up regimes. The cases in point are sixty failed/failing states in Africa, ME, Asia and Europe.
b. According to National Association of State Budget Officers data, the projections show a fall from 81 billion dollars in 2006 fiscals to 51.2 billion dollars in 2008. The state spending are:- (i). Elementary and secondary education 21. 4 percent. (ii). Higher education 10.4 percent (iii). Transport 8.1 percent (iv) Medicaid 21.5 percent. (v) all other spendings 33.4 percent. (vi) Corrections 3.4 percent and (vii) public assistance 1.8 percent.
Q1. How can states control growing crime rates?
Q2. How can states increase salaries including those of teachers and
teacher nurses to restart/save closed/closing nursing colleges?
Q3. How can federation support states with growing budget deficit?
Note:
i. Federal and State planners need funds to plan but with unending Iraq war spending and slowing economy who and how domestic needs will be fulfilled?
ii. McCain wants to continue with current foreign policy on Iraq and Afghanistan and Hillary stands for status quo on Iraq and Afghanistan there are little chances of redirecting funds for domestic use unless these presidential candidates want to increase taxes.
iii. Reportedly, Gulf States, China and even Venezuela have poured billions in US economy. There are reports that some 40 billion dollars (independents claim 120 billion dollars) of Venezuelan petro-dollars have returned to US banking system. Dollars are pouring in billions in US economy from Gulf States. It should be interesting to see how McCain and Hillary defend continuation of current US foreign policy and still attract, maintain and expand foreign direct investment without resolving Palestine and respecting Muslims.
iv. FDI can continue but as they say in America there is no free lunch the investors will either bring corruption money as is the case of Venezuelan investments in US that is allegedly siphoned off public money by the corrupt bureaucrats or money from states where democracy, human rights, civil and
constitutional liberties will be put on hold.
Q4. In view of the above how can McCain and Hillary generate funds without increasing taxes, avoid purchasing of state assets by the foreigners, increase wages, subsidize universal health care for 45 (or 37) million Americans living below federal poverty levels?
c. In terms of banking sector:-
Q1. When and how will someone force banks to cap the maximum limit of credit card interest? Why it was not done in the first place? Only three states have introduced ´payday lenders´ scrutiny schemes to protect consumers from short-term high interest industry. Similar steps are needed to protect credit card users from abuses of credit card industry.
Q2. There is a general consensus that corrupt banking practices and flawed lending practices are equally responsible for mortgage meltdown. Will those responsible be brought to justice? If yes when and how? Should banks be made to pay for their losses or tax dollars?
Note: Reportedly, Banking Committee was briefed in 2007 that mortgage meltdown had cost US banks 65 billion dollars and independent observers are looking at loses up to 500 billion dollars in initial phase.
Q3. What are their views on mortgage lending safeguards adopted by California and Minnesota and foreclosure prevention fund adopted by nine different states.
Q4. Why should tax dollars be used for failure of individual banks flawed business deals?
Obama and McCain´s Tuesday victories are no surprise and it is only matter of time that both candidates will further solidify their numbers leads. In Obama´s case his campaign will have to brace up for March 4 primaries to win hearts and minds of Latino voters and working class Americans in Texas and Ohio (Rhodes Island, Vermont) as they head for Feb. 19 showdown in Hawaii and Wisconsin. It is opined and rightly, so that Texas and Ohio could be the deciding battle for Hillary camp. The records show that Obama camp is struggling with these voters and it could be difficult to rule out a defeat unless Obama comes up with something remarkable. Otherwise also, Obama needs a win in a big state to silence his critics.
Victory in Feb.19 voting will undoubtedly help Obama´s number count. Obama now has 1215 delegates as compared to Hillary who stands on 1190. The reports of Republicans breaking ranks and supporting Obama may not be strong in number (so far 3 percent of the Republicans have admitted voting for Obama) but support from granddaughter of President Eisenhower is a definite plus. Susan Eisenhower´s motivating remarks for Obama are self-explanatory. She said that both likable men share the quality of always being optimistic about America.
In my view America is uniting behind Obama campaign's big message that focuses on uniting not dividing America; a message that talks of taking everyone along than criticizing and finding faults. In all probability Obama's vision of unifying America will grow stronger and appealing in days to come. It is something that Hillary Campaign will have to address but in all probability it will be an uphill task because political pundits are already talking of bumpy ride for Hillary in coming primaries.
In Republican camp it is hard to agree with Huckabee´s logic to continue despite political pundit´s calculation showing that logically he cannot defeat McCain to win party nomination. In my opinion apart from most reasons being voiced in American media, Huckabee´s presence is ´protecting´ McCain from being exposed on issues of national importance.
Imagine McCain as Republican Party presidential nominee facing Clinton and Obama for next seven months on issues like Iraq, economy, immigration, stem cell and education. Democrats will officially nominate Democratic Party presidential candidate in August and Republicans in September 2008. Political bloggers have rejected any possibility of Huckabee as Republican Party´s choice for vice president. Huckabee factor will put additional pressure on Democrats to draw McCain out in the battlefield who logically would continue his political mock fight with Huckabee than engaging Democrats on national issues.
Here are few basic statistics given to help understand the questions that Obama, Hillary and McCain need to answer to help the voters make informed choices. Most of these figures are available on www.stateline.org:-
a. According to ABC news poll, one child out of seventeen children will be able to attend college from the families earning 35,000 US dollars (family of four earning below 20,650 US dollar annually falls below federal poverty level; source: Kaiser Family Foundation, Oct. 2007) and one out of two children from families earning 80,000 US dollars annually.
Q1. The Plan for sending these kids to college and how will it be financed?
Q2. How will US fulfill projected deficiencies of 75,000 doctors, 100,000 nurses in health sector, IT, teachers, and unskilled labor to maintain agri-sector?
Q3. Policy on reduce drug prices, patent issues etc to provide relief to the average American.
Q4. How will these areas be addressed in the immigration policy, education policy and health policy? For example there are reports of doctors being abused by employers under J1 Visa schemes. In addition the current inherently flawed US visa system by default expects family separation until the issuance of J1 visa. http://fmgvisas.blogspot.com/2007/12/abuse-some-j-1-waiver-imgs-underpaid.html
Q5. In wake of other European countries offering attractive incentives to highly skilled immigrants including doctors, falling number of US college students due to financial constraints and growing number of college fallouts, How and Who will fill jobs in these sectors?
Note: On average a US, medical graduate ends up with debt between 130,000-160,000 dollars. The economic debt forces a chain of events in which the American graduates enter medical practice instead of going for higher education that in turn undermines countries standing at global level.
Q5. What will be the policy of Democratic and Republican presidential candidates ensure third world corrupt govts improve social, economic and political indicators in their countries to reduce immigrant´s pressure on advanced world including US?
In this regard their policy on US foreign policy interests versus support for dictators, leaders of quasi democracies ruling for decades leading to cycle of corruption, repression in those countries due to flawed policies and propped up regimes. The cases in point are sixty failed/failing states in Africa, ME, Asia and Europe.
b. According to National Association of State Budget Officers data, the projections show a fall from 81 billion dollars in 2006 fiscals to 51.2 billion dollars in 2008. The state spending are:- (i). Elementary and secondary education 21. 4 percent. (ii). Higher education 10.4 percent (iii). Transport 8.1 percent (iv) Medicaid 21.5 percent. (v) all other spendings 33.4 percent. (vi) Corrections 3.4 percent and (vii) public assistance 1.8 percent.
Q1. How can states control growing crime rates?
Q2. How can states increase salaries including those of teachers and
teacher nurses to restart/save closed/closing nursing colleges?
Q3. How can federation support states with growing budget deficit?
Note:
i. Federal and State planners need funds to plan but with unending Iraq war spending and slowing economy who and how domestic needs will be fulfilled?
ii. McCain wants to continue with current foreign policy on Iraq and Afghanistan and Hillary stands for status quo on Iraq and Afghanistan there are little chances of redirecting funds for domestic use unless these presidential candidates want to increase taxes.
iii. Reportedly, Gulf States, China and even Venezuela have poured billions in US economy. There are reports that some 40 billion dollars (independents claim 120 billion dollars) of Venezuelan petro-dollars have returned to US banking system. Dollars are pouring in billions in US economy from Gulf States. It should be interesting to see how McCain and Hillary defend continuation of current US foreign policy and still attract, maintain and expand foreign direct investment without resolving Palestine and respecting Muslims.
iv. FDI can continue but as they say in America there is no free lunch the investors will either bring corruption money as is the case of Venezuelan investments in US that is allegedly siphoned off public money by the corrupt bureaucrats or money from states where democracy, human rights, civil and
constitutional liberties will be put on hold.
Q4. In view of the above how can McCain and Hillary generate funds without increasing taxes, avoid purchasing of state assets by the foreigners, increase wages, subsidize universal health care for 45 (or 37) million Americans living below federal poverty levels?
c. In terms of banking sector:-
Q1. When and how will someone force banks to cap the maximum limit of credit card interest? Why it was not done in the first place? Only three states have introduced ´payday lenders´ scrutiny schemes to protect consumers from short-term high interest industry. Similar steps are needed to protect credit card users from abuses of credit card industry.
Q2. There is a general consensus that corrupt banking practices and flawed lending practices are equally responsible for mortgage meltdown. Will those responsible be brought to justice? If yes when and how? Should banks be made to pay for their losses or tax dollars?
Note: Reportedly, Banking Committee was briefed in 2007 that mortgage meltdown had cost US banks 65 billion dollars and independent observers are looking at loses up to 500 billion dollars in initial phase.
Q3. What are their views on mortgage lending safeguards adopted by California and Minnesota and foreclosure prevention fund adopted by nine different states.
Q4. Why should tax dollars be used for failure of individual banks flawed business deals?