I feel that in view of the present circumstances in which the USA is going through in terms of the high incidence of terrorism, education needs, the delicate economic situation, social security, and healthcare needs, there is a dire need for a drastic change in the political scenario of the country otherwise the stage will be set for a downfall in all fronts which will be difficult to recoup from. In this light, a change is warranted in the choice of the President of the country especially in view of the impending elections for the topmost position. My choice for the position is Barack Obama because he is young, and can be the face of a changing America who will steer the country successfully in the 21st century as also away from the entire lot of problems that have gripped the country from almost every front. I will examine why he is the most suitable candidate from the point of view of the economy, his stand on global warming, and how his experience will hold him in high stead to best perform the role of the President of the USA.
The American media loves to criticize and take up issues that tend to doubt the ability of contenders for political positions, and Barack Obama is no exception to this. They have highlighted that if elected he may not be able to handle the job of President as effectively as his political opponents. However, this is unfounded in view of his vast exposure to political positions right from his early days. He was elected as the first Black president of his college and has chalked out his own inclusive and productive style of working in the US Senate where he focused on tackling the issues imposed by a changing and globalized 21st century. He has been the champion of ethics in regard to rooting out corruption in Congress and has taken far-reaching initiatives in foreign policy issues pertaining to foreign relations, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Veterans’ Affairs committees. He holds the Chair for Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Relations, which coordinates relations between the European Union, European countries, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Amongst all the presidential contenders it is Barack Obama who holds the maximum positions for committees dealing with foreign affairs. Obama has the requisite experience in minority matters, has worked with Republicans on government laws, and co-sponsored a law that would involve federal expenses databases that can be referred to by web users to track all grants. Obama’s experience is but a small indication of his candidature as president. He has had a very volatile past. Born to a white woman and a black man, he had to move in his childhood to Indonesia with his mother after the separation at the instance of his father. He returned to Hawai, his native place, to attend high school and went on to study political science and international relations at Columbia University. After his graduation, he worked as a community organizer for three years in Chicago and then did law at Harvard where he became the first black editor of the Harvard Law Review. Obama chose to do community service instead of a high-paying job and his abilities in understanding and gaining the respect of his political opponents have taken him a great distance in proving that he is indeed an intelligent, fair, and courageous leader.
Obama’s plan to give a boost to the economy includes several measures both short-term and long-term. To jump-start the economy he will enact a windfall profits tax on extra profits made by oil companies to fund $1000 for each middle-class family in view of the rising prices. He will make provision for a $25 million State Growth Fund to prevent states from avoiding spending on health, housing, education, and heating subsidies. There will also be an additional Jobs and Growth Fund of $25 million to prevent cutbacks in infrastructure maintenance so as to save over one million jobs. He will provide middle-class Americans with tax relief by providing a tax cut for working families, and eliminating income tax for aged people earning less than $50000. He will simplify the filing of tax returns for middle-class Americans so that tax formalities are completed within five minutes. His plans also include strengthening the American economy by first doing away with trade agreements that undermine the country’s economic security. He will formulate a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support and create more jobs for Americans and will put pressure on the World Trade Organization to stop countries that engage in unfair government subsidies being granted to foreign export companies. He will amend the North American Free Trade Agreement and improve transition assistance to help workers in adapting to a fast-changing economy. Tax breaks for companies that outsource jobs to other countries will be stopped and companies supporting the cause of American workers will be rewarded by way of tax credits. Obama intends to invest more in the manufacturing sector to create five million jobs by creating an Advanced Manufacturing Fund of $125 million. He will facilitate double funding for the manufacturing extension partnerships and invest in the clean energy economy and create extra jobs. On his agenda is to further create new job training programs for clean technologies and boost the renewable energy sector for generating more job opportunities. National infrastructure investment will be given a fill-up by creating the National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank and he will support technological innovation by investing in the sciences and by making the research and development tax credit a permanent feature. Next-generation broadband will be deployed to make it available to all communities by making optimum use of the national wireless spectrum and promoting technology applications by way of tax and loan incentives. Small businesses will be supported by way of tax relief and workers will be given more rights. Economic legislation will be introduced to protect homeowners and there will be a crackdown on mortgage fraud. Bankruptcy laws will be reformed and efforts will be made to bring balance between work and family.
Global warming is an important issue for all governments in today’s world of high-tech developments that are depleting natural resources and causing added damage to the atmosphere, which may entail disastrous consequences for future generations. In this regard, Obama has maintained a firm stand in detailing his plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least eighty percent below the 1990 levels by the year 2050. His prevention measures require industries to pay for their role in emitting greenhouse gases. Although this measure is criticized as being too burdensome on the industry, Obama has stuck to his intentions of implementing the given procedures.
References
Brad Knickerbocker, Where the ’08 contenders stand on global warming, 2007, The Christian science Monitor.
Kent Garber, Where McCain and Obama Stand on Environmental Issues, 2008, US News and World Report.
Newt Gingrich, Does Barack Obama have enough experience to be president? 2007. Web.
Plan to Strengthen the Economy, 2008. Web.