McCain: A history of merit

By Diane Ratto

The upcoming 2008 presidential election is important for the future of America, as the winner will have the arduous task of repairing the country's foreign reputation while attempting to solve major domestic issues.

As college students, there are three main areas to consider when deciding who gets our vote: taxes, social security and the image of America abroad.

John McCain is certainly the most qualified candidate to deal with these issues.

He began his political career before most of us were born, as a congressman in 1982 and as a senator in 1986. His experience ranges from being vice president of public relations for Anheuser-Busch, captain in the U.S. Navy, five-and-a-half-year prisoner during the Vietnam War and current senator of Arizona.

The message of current presidential campaigns challenges voters to be ready for change, and claim that an experienced Washington insider will only continue in the disturbing direction America is going.

However, this argument does not account for the paramount obstacles an outsider, who does not understand the inner workings of the democratic machinery, would face.

It is extraordinarily difficult to affect change when one lacks the expertise that McCain's experience gives. McCain can utilize his experience by creating tangible results. He has always been transparent and consistent in his voting record and, unlike his potential predecessor, is not questioned about his service in the Navy.

But it is not McCain's experience that makes him the strongest candidate. It is his valor and commitment to reform the broken shell of our government.

McCain holds true to conservative values and wants to help students, like us, who are about to enter the workforce. He believes taxes should be low, simple and fair.

His proposed tax cut will help the greatly neglected middle class by permanently repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax that is paid nearly exclusively by 25 million middle-class families.

He is pro-innovation, as he will ban Internet taxes, ban new cell phone taxes and will give a permanent tax credit in the research and development field. He is dedicated to eliminating wasteful spending by stopping earmarks and pork barrel spending in addition to promising to seek the line-item veto to reduce waste.

The current structure of the Social Security system sets our generation up for failure. McCain can secure our future by supplementing the current Social Security system with personal accounts.

Medicare also threatens our fiscal future, and McCain proposes reform to reduce Medicare spending, protect seniors against rising Medicare premium payments and preserve a high quality of care.

He believes we should engage in the international conversation to lower trade barriers by entering into bilateral and multilateral agreements in hopes of renewing our image abroad.

He will transform unemployment insurance to retrain, relocate and assist workers who have lost their jobs. Technical training is essential if the country wishes to remain competitive in the global market.

It is now up to you to cast your vote. McCain's realist outlook on the economy and courage to work across the aisle are valued traits the next president should have.

Change must occur, but in a reasonable and attentive way. It is up to us to look beyond the façade to the heart of the issues. McCain has answered the hard questions that many democratic candidates have eluded. The New Hampshire voters saw it, and now it is time for us to as well.

Diane Ratto is a senior political science major.