It is said that politics are America’s “blood sport.”  Over the course of a hard fought campaign, one can expect the debate to become extremely contentious and – unfortunately – the attacks to become quite personal.  This is especially true in the “rough and tumble” world of American presidential politics.  However, during the course of this year’s historic campaign, one candidate and his supporters have taken the attacks to a dangerous level.

            In recent weeks, the tenor of the McCain/Palin campaign has changed from one of respectful debate to one filled with vitriol and contempt for their opponent and his supporters.  The whisper campaign falsely accusing Senator Barack Obama of being a radical Muslim has been present, to some extent, since he announced his candidacy about 20 months ago.  Yet, the McCain/Palin strategy – of late – has been to legitimize these rumors and lies.  Through their precise rhetoric, Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin have encouraged these whispers to explode into fits of rage.  This show of outright contempt has been on display at several of Gov. Palin’s rallies where, when referring to Sen. Obama, members of her audience feel compelled to shout things like “terrorist” and “kill him” without fear of a Palin rebuke. 

As if these calculated appeals to the most disturbing of one’s prejudices were not enough, the McCain/Palin campaign has decided – recently – to pursue another strategy which is similar in tone and divisiveness.  Last week, Gov. Palin was quoted as saying that she enjoyed visiting the “pro-American” parts of America – as if there are numerous “anti-American” areas!  Gov. Palin’s statement insinuates that those who agree with her views are “pro-American,” while those who disagree can be categorized as “anti-American.”  Strangely, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN) not only defended these outlandish remarks but went on to state publicly that she believes that Sen. Barack Obama has “anti-American” views and that an “exposé” should be done to determine whether members of the United States Congress have views that are “pro-American” or “anti-American.”  To accuse the Democratic nominee for President of being “anti-American” is foolish and absurd.  To suggest that many, if not most, of the Democratic members of Congress are “anti-American” is not only incendiary but completely irresponsible.

This recent display of neo-McCarthyism is disturbing, at best.  Since when has it been “anti-American” to hold an opposing viewpoint?  In fact, there is nothing more American than to participate in a respectful debate over contentious issues.  It is the basis on which this country was founded some 232 years ago; a country, incidentally, which was founded by men who disagreed vehemently about how this country should be structured.  The numbers of brave men and women who have given their lives for the right to freely express one’s views and beliefs in his speech, actions, and in the voting booth are too great to count.  This “freedom of speech” is the cornerstone of the great democratic experiment that we call America, and it is shameful that some would seek to quiet opposing voices in order to increase their own political influence.

By making demagoguery the central vehicle by which to convey his campaign’s core message, Sen. McCain has succeeded in putting his campaign – not his country – first.  This is surprising considering that he was the target of a similar whisper campaign executed by George W. Bush during the 2000 Republican Primary.   Yet, Sen. McCain has tarnished his reputation – that of a politician willing to put aside political motives in order to benefit the “common good” – by sinking to campaign tactics that reek of bigotry and fear mongering.  Furthermore, his policies which appealed to independent voters – like his original opposition to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, which he now supports – have been lost in his last desperate grab for the White House.  This is not, sadly, the John McCain that Americans have come to know.  It is hard to see how the John McCain of 2000 could vote for the John McCain of 2008.

Sen. McCain’s tactics of divisiveness are designed to win votes by dividing the electorate and distracting voters from the “real issues.”  When campaigns are out of ideas, when their poll numbers are down, when they become desperate to win but are on the wrong side of the issues, campaigns have nothing left to do but to try to create diversions.  Rather than further indulge these tired tactics, one needs to explore the basic issues of the contest.

Sen. Barack Obama believes in building our economy from the “ground up.”  He has proposed a middle-class tax cut for 90% of working Americans and 95% of American families.  If you make less than $200,000 as an individual or $250,000 as a family per year, according to the Obama plan, your taxes will go down.  Sen. McCain seeks to continue the failed tax policies of George W. Bush.  He continues to believe in giving tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, hoping that this wealth will, somehow, “trickle down.”  While McCain falsely claims that Obama wishes to “redistribute the wealth,” George Bush’s policies of the last eight years – policies that Sen. McCain supports – have led to one of the greatest redistributions of wealth in this country’s history.  Only, this redistribution has seen the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” grow even wider.  The McCain/Bush economic policies do not work.  Only one candidate represents the economic change we need, and that candidate is Sen. Barack Obama.

While Sen. McCain’s healthcare plan does nothing for those with pre-existing conditions or the uninsured, it actually serves to do even more harm to those in search of affordable healthcare.  At its core, the McCain plan is a thinly veiled attempt to eliminate employer sponsored healthcare by removing tax credits for employers who provide said insurance and taxing those employee benefits as income.  Sen. Obama seeks to lower insurance premiums, remove pre-existing condition clauses, while allowing each individual to keep the insurance that he already has if he chooses to do so.  This is true leadership and understanding of our healthcare situation.  This is the change we need, and we find it in Sen. Barack Obama.

Sen. Obama wishes to eliminate all income taxes on seniors making less than $50,000 per year.  Also, he will provide the needed stewardship over a currently mismanaged Social Security system.  With Sen. Barack Obama, future generations will be able to age gracefully with the confidence that Social Security will still be available to supplement their retirements.  Sen. John McCain wishes to gamble with Social Security funds by privatizing the program and placing the money in the unpredictable stock market.  Again, Barack Obama shows the calm, steady, and practical judgment that is needed in the next president.

Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin’s tired tactics of divide, distract, and conquer will not work.  This election is too important for ill-timed distractions, erratic campaign suspensions, and the politics of fear to cloud one’s judgment.  This nation finds itself in a very serious time, and it needs a serious leader with a vision of true change and hope for the future.  The choice is clear, and that leader is Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.