2008 Presidential Poll

WASHINGTON (AFP) — White House foes Barack Obama and John McCain traded new shots over the limping US economy Monday, each hoping to connect with voters on the top campaign issue, less than four months from election day.

Each candidate accused the other of misleading Americans over their tax policies, and of advocating strategies that would hinder growth in a grim period of rising job losses, soaring energy costs and a housing crisis.

After scuffling over Iraq last week, Republican McCain and Democrat Obama were set for a week-long duel on the economy, which polls show is the premier concern of voters heading into the election on November 4.

“You’re working harder than ever to pay bills that are getting bigger than ever, and there’s not much left over at the end of the month,” Obama said, in remarks released ahead of an appearance in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“You’re trying to juggle the demands of work and family … for millions of families, these everyday worries and long-term anxieties have grown considerably worse over the last year.”

Obama’s plane was however forced to make an unscheduled landing in St. Louis, Missouri, en route to Charlotte, owing to a mechanical problem, and it was not clear whether his speech would go ahead as planned.

McCain was also making an attempt to sympathize with the struggles of voters in the heartland.

“Americans are having a tough time, but we’ve been through worse, and beaten longer odds,” McCain said in portions of a speech he was due to deliver in Denver, Colorado, venue for the Democratic national convention in August.

“All you’ve ever asked of government is that it stand on your side, not in your way.

“I intend to do just that: to stand on your side; to help business and not government create jobs; to fight for your future and not the personal ambitions of politicians and bureaucrats.”

Obama vowed to spread the benefits of globalization, make sure free trade pacts included labor standards to protect US workers from cut-price overseas economies and promised to ease the tax burden on the middle class.

“Senator McCain said earlier this year that America has made ‘great progress economically’ over the past eight years,” he said.

“He believes we are on the right track, and he’s launching a new economic tour today with policies that are very much the same as those we have seen from the Bush administration.”

McCain meanwhile released a statement from more than 300 professional economists, praising his economic blueprint as a “comprehensive, pro-growth, reform agenda.”

The Arizona Senator argued that Obama would raise taxes on American workers, small businesses and families, a contention the Obama campaign rejected.

“Senator Obama’s tax increases will hurt the economy even more, and destroy jobs across this country,” McCain said.

Senator McCain was set to promise he would balance the US federal budget in four years, Politico.com reported.

Recent opinion polls and exit polls from the Republican and Democratic primary races show that the economy is the issue most pre-occupying voters.

A CNN/Opinion Research survey last month for instance found that 58 percent of Americans thought the economy was extremely important, compared to 50 percent who thought that Iraq was extremely important.

Economic woes are especially vexing in key battleground states like Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, which have lost tens of thousands of jobs in recent years.

Neither candidate appears to have yet carved out a decisive edge on the economy, and both are expected to hammer the issue in the run-up to the election.

“At certain times over the last 16 months I have found, for the first time, my patriotism challenged - at times as a result of my own carelessness, more often as a result of the desire by some to score political points and raise fears and doubts about who I am and what I stand for.”

Barack Obama spoke these words as a result of attacks on his patriotism prior to Independence Day – a day when Americans remember their allegiance more than ever. It is no surprise that at this time, candidates take the opportunity to prove to us they’re as keen to wave a flag as any red-blooded American.

Obama has taken the high road, vowing to never call into question the patriotism of his opponents. But his response has materialized in more subtle forms, as well. The initial challenges of his patriotic nature came early in his campaign, when pundits in the opposition criticized him for not wearing a flag pin. He countered by wearing a pin more often.

Failing to place his hand over his heart during a rendition of the national anthem, (untrue) rumors about refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and the interpretation of sentiments expressed by his wife during campaign speeches have also contributed to his speculated reputation as less-than-patriotic.

The truth may be that patriotism is, for politicians, measured by polls and not allegiance. Or it may be that all candidates are superiorly patriotic by nature – the drive to lead a country may be steered by a love for it. Obama’s attitude is, presently, of the former; his swelling idealism before the 4th of July can hardly fail to inspire even the staunchest of opponents – if their patriotism is true. Whether or not these attitudes will prevail once the fireworks have silenced remains to be seen.

Your thoughts about patriotism and politics are welcomed, so please take advantage of our comments area to share your opinions.

Barack Obama has promised that the Environmental Protection Agency, under his command, will strictly regulate pollution that comes from large concentrated animal feeding operations. He will also offer better incentives for farmers to conduct sustainable agriculture. Obama is also a strong supporter of alternative fuels, such as ethanol, and is also promoting more fuel efficient standards on automobiles. During his time as a senator, Obama has introduced numerous pieces of legislation to reduce the amount of mercury and lead poisioning. Obama is also a strong supporter of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration, and even co-sponsored the Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act. In 2005, Obama voted yes on a joint resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency. In an effort to reduce the amount of pollution caused by lead-based products, Obama has proposed a tax credit to help people to remove lead-based housepaint.

John McCain has put 3.5 billion acres of land under wilderness protection, increasing the preservation of public lands. McCain also repealed Bill Clinton’s executive order that banned roads in more than 50 million acres of pristine wilderness, believing that the idea that Washington knows best and that local residents cannot be trusted to do what’s right in their own backyard was the epitome of federal arrogance. Much like Barack Obama, Senator McCain also voted yes on a joint resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency. Senator McCain also authored an amendment to the transportation authorization bill that would require funding for demonstration projects be covered by their respective state allocations, as opposed to being funded individually. McCain has also co-sponsored a resolution for the International Whaling Commission, which would end commercial whaling and illegal trade in whale meat.

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Rising oil and fuel prices in the US have made energy concerns a central focus of the general election battle. McCain favours lifting the existing moratorium on offshore oil drilling and leaving it up to the states to decide whether to explore for energy sources in coastal waters.

“The next president must be willing to break with the energy policies not just of the current administration, but the administrations that preceded it, and lead a great national campaign to achieve energy security for America.” (John McCain)

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