Issues in the 2008 Presidential Elections Essay Example for Free

Issues in the 2008 Presidential Elections Essay The forthcoming US presidential election has elicited excitement from the public due to its unique characteristics. For the first time in the history of the United States there is a high probability that the next president to take the office will be either the most advanced in age or be from a minority grouping. The core of the election however is not on the superficial characteristic of the two individuals but by on the far reaching policies that affect the Americans. The purpose of this paper is to look at the nature of the policies that each candidate vows to uphold. It will also offer a persuasive opinion on who between the two candidates has the better policies. A look at the US foreign policy indicates that it revolves around a number of issues key to them being terrorism and proliferation of nuclear weapons. For John Mc Cain’s, the Republican Presidential candidate, foreign policy adversely focuses on these two issues. McCain links the ongoing Iraq war to the war on terror. To him, a win in the war will be a huge step in the eradication of terrorists especially the Islamic extremists in the Middle East. His policy points out to the need to provide additional forces in Iraq and also in Afghanistan. Afghanistan requires a surge of NATO forces to get rid of the insurgents that are currently carrying out bomb attacks against civilians and the coalition forces present. McCain’s foreign policy is mostly centralized in the Middle East. He advocates for the closer ties between the US and Pakistanis which is a strategic partner in the war against terror. He notes that America must continue to work with President Perez Musharraf to dismantle the cells and the camps that the Taliban and Al Qaeda maintain in his country (Council of Foreign Relations, 2007) On nuclear weapons McCain first target is Iran which he accuses to be a chief supporter of terrorism and hence an arch enemy of the US. He proposes the imposition of sanctions to compel Iran to forego its nuclear mission. He also advocates for the solving of the global issues through partnerships with other nations in the world through what he refers to as the â€Å"world wide League of Democracies. † (Council of Foreign Relations, 2007) In Foreign policy, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, Barrack Obama advocates for defensive attacks as opposed to pre emptive attacks. In the same breath his policy voices its opposition to the war in Iraq. He terms it as having been pre emptive. Obama’s proposal is that it is the high time that the United States began a well laid down policy that addresses pulling out the forces in Iraq. He sees no link between the war in Iraq and terrorism instead believing that Afghanistan should be the centre of attention. He argues that his core strategy will be â€Å"getting out of Iraq and on to the right battle field in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Such strategy will be backed by multilateral interactions with other partners and not through unilateral actions (George, 2008). In contrast to McCain, Obama does not believe that sanctions in Iran should be the first steps but rather he advocates for the initiation of direct diplomatic talks to address the underlying issues. (Nicholas, 2008) On health care, McCain’s core interest is on the cost and the expensive nature of health insurance cover. He notes that it is becoming increasingly costly for both employers and individuals to buy health covers. Hence, the key concern would be making it cheaper. Universal care to him is not the solution but the solution lies in addressing the factors that push the cost of healthcare. Americans, according to McCain, should be allowed to buy their insurance from any place in the nation where they deem it cheap rather than restricting them to their own states. In this hence, employers will not be compelled to provide insurance cover to their employees making his scheme to be more individual oriented (Catherine, 2008). Obama’s plan for health care differs from McCain. Whereas McCain is advocating for lesser government role health care, Obama is for increased government participation. Obama refers to his plan as advocating for managed competition where the government sponsors health care provision and also gives room to the provision by private insurers but notes on the importance of their regulation to ensure they do not deny access to some members. Contrary to McCain’s plan, Obama does not propose individual access or intra-state buying of health insurance. Obama also states that it will not be mandatory upon adults to have an insurance cover but insists that children will have to be covered (Catherine, 2008). The issue of immigration has also been given prominence in the election and it is posing tricky challenges with each candidate hoping to garner the support of over 8 million Latinos and at the same time being cautious not to vex the conservative block in their specific parties. McCain recognizes the urgency in the need to address the issue of immigration. His approach to the problem is to first seal the boarders to prevent illegal immigration then proceed from there. His policy lacks in clarity and concision especially in the knowledge that he introduced a bill in the house to address comprehensively the issue of immigration. McCain appreciates the fact that immigration is the force behind the wave of crimes that face the United States and believes that the solution lies in deporting criminals and only allowing guest workers from Latin America. He vows to introduce an electronic system that will verify the identification of workers and be able to detect aliens. This will be backed by the need to prosecute those employers that employ illegal immigration (McCain- Palin, 2008). Obama also recognizes the seriousness of the issue and how it continues to draw heated debates in the public forum. He is in support of the McCain-Edward bill that sought to address the issue and advocates for comprehensive immigration reforms. He promises to address the issue during his first year in office. Both McCain’s and Obama’s immigration policies resemble each other although Obama emphasizes on the need also to fast track the process of legalization for those that are yet to be registered in the United States, while at the same facilitating family immigrations (Farnam, 2008).. The verdict on the race to the white house indicates that it is a hotly contested election. Both candidates are running neck to neck though some polls favor Obama as having an edge over McCain. A look at the issues presented in this paper and on others in the public court indicates that both candidates have set out concrete plans to drive the nation for the next four years. However, a simple analysis of the core issues that require immediate attention reveals Obama’s policies to be better than McCain’s. Obama had vehemently voiced his opposition to the war long before his candidacy to 2008 presidential elections had become obvious. McCain on the other hand had voted for the Iraq war and has continued to support an upsurge of the military forces in Iraq. It is plausible to say that the war in Iraq has contributed a lot to the woes facing the United States today. The government has spent billions in a war that meant nothing to Americans in the face of the spiraling economic recession. McCain is vowing to continue with the war, risking more of American soldier’s lives and spending additional billions. Obama has advocated for a withdrawal vowing instead to concentrate efforts in Afghanistan which is believed to be the cradle of terrorism. This is a sound foreign policy strategy and majority of Americans are siding with him. Most Americans draw parallel between the wars in Iraq and woes facing the economy. With no additional expenditure on the war and with a better plan to revive the economy, Obama indicates he is in touch with the immediate problems facing the United States. This is further evident in his health plan. While it is clear that both candidates are seeking for the extended health coverage for Americans, Obama’s idea of regulating health insurance companies and emphasis on the increased role of the government emphasizes the importance of the government to directly safeguard the health interests of its citizens. It is indeed clear that with the proposal for a multilateral approach to global problems, the sound health policy and the recognition of immigrants’ labor importance, Obama is the natural choice of the forthcoming presidential elections.

Can a Firemans Ball be regarded as a documentary? :: essays research papers

Can A Fireman's Ball be regarded as a documentary? www.peacefulschoolsinternational.org/sftp/glossary.htm www.filmschools.com/glossary.html www.whitenoiseproductions.com/Glossary.htm www.dvdauthority.com "A film whose narrative is derived from non-fiction and does not feature actors" The ideas for this film came about purely by accident after Milos Forman and his co-writers had retired to the country to think of a proper follow-up film to Loves of a blonde. They decided to take the night off and go to the local Fireman's Ball and on the following evening they played cards with the firemen in this little town in the mountains. Using the time he spent with the firemen, he was able to bring a level of authenticity to the film. "Most definitions delineate documentary as a nonfiction work. Instead of filmmakers conceiving the film's subject in their imaginations, they find the basis of their works in real life and real events." "Instead of providing an outlet from the everyday world, documentary seeks to address our world and to educate us about it." Tries to inform the viewer of life under the Socialist Government. "Documentary subjects come from life, not from the imagination. The subjects chosen tend to possess some kind of cultural relevance, be it historical, social, or scientific." "The word "documentary" is rooted in the earliest, anthropological use of film to "document" or record field work. Now, it can mean everything from a classic documentation of life in a remote part of the world to a filmmaker's personal exploration of any subject under the sun." "Documentary subjects come from life, not from the imagination" "A documentary is a work in a visual or auditory medium presenting political, scientific, social, or historical subjects in a factual and informative manner." It is not a documentary in the traditional sense in that it is staged using scripts and is not outright informative. From the beginning of Milos Forman's career we see the mixture of black humour and observations of everyday life used in his films. A Fireman's Ball has the same type of humour and is based on the lives of a small community and their fire department. All of the firemen seem to be unable to perform their jobs due to their lack of competence. Apart from the fact that the firemen all seem hopeless, the prizes from the raffle keep getting stolen, the beauty pageant is a failure, the old man's house gets burnt to the ground because the firemen can't shovel snow on the flames fast enough and all he gets is the useless raffle tickets, even although this seems dull or sad it is actually quite entertaining and hilarious in some parts.

Me, Myself: A Rolling Stone Out to Gather Mosses!

Old proverbs made new, so is the scripting of my life so far. Thus at the outset I thank the Almighty for presenting me a unique kaleidoscope to look through and to bask in the joy of discovering the unknown! The Journey I breathed first at Taiwan, then turned into teens at Shanghai and now I'm busy shaping my life in US. My horizon zoomed on gradually, and surely, it couldn't have been better! I hope someday I could boast about myself as a happy citizen of a global village. Thankfully, it was not the case of uprooting, and instead it all went like a series of happy adventure so far. Of course, a few hiccups were there, but who cares if it took some sweat to rise from a non-starter to a first boy in English Class at 7th grade (Shanghai), or for that matter, to adapt to the ethnic cuisine there? Who cared either, when it took some extra effort to excel in the Basketball Varsity Team in spite of a shorter height! Challenges actually serve as springs beneath the launching pads – so I have learnt from my experience – the greater the challenge, the greater the scope to attain a new height! I liked them all. With this spirit, this humble fish has now reached the sea, thankfully with time and tide by its side as guardian angels – one to provide the power of young mind, and the other, which is YOU, to provide me the scope to utilize that power, let alone guiding and governing me towards the right direction. As for the rough shades, I am lucky to have seen off the monotony of a run-of-the-mill life or political storms at places. I still detest the identical uniforms and rigid routines at Taiwan School, or political tension between Taiwan and Shanghai. These are the humdrums I've left behind. Yet I will obviously carry with me the simplicities of Taiwan and the financial/economic knowledge that I could garner from Shanghai. I would always salute my teachers at Villanova (the premier school of Shanghai) for cementing my basement of knowledge and rousing my craving for more of it. And why not? This business school has equipped me bit by bit, to meet all the challenges of academic and social circumstances whatsoever anywhere! And my parents! Words would fall short to describe their contribution in my life. It's because of them I could develop the attitude to find rhythm in diversity, to walk through the tough terrains of the unknown and to appreciate anything good anywhere.   It's this attitude that has made my transitions smoother and enjoyable – why, today I love English language no less than Taiwanese, or for that matter Chinese. Thanks to the unique and varied grooming, today I comprehend one adage from my heart:   â€Å"The more you learn, the more it opens up for learning.† Coming of Age I love my pond, I love that bigger lake too and now I'm excited about my prospect in the sea! So what if I think to raise more capillaries in my brain through varied social, academic and spiritual sparks? The bigger the canvas the bigger scope for its painter! I dream to be a part of the US society, an active molecule to its social, academic and cultural chemistry. I dream to be a big fish in Economics. Big fishes need sea, and so I am here! And yes! It would never be all about taking. Thanks to the new age gurus, I'm a firm believer of the Law of Giving. Thus it has to be a unique symbiosis between my world and me. And this is the world for me. Study and masterminding scopes cannot be better than what is available here. The fuss about politics is absent; the freedom of expression is highly regarded. These are the ideal conditions for a student to grow. Here I will be able to continue my co curricular activities too – I can brush up my Basketball skills again, or the debating skills I earned from the Student Association body. I can renew my writing or editing skills. I can unwind with community services. I can bask in the warmth of friendship. Here's the scope. Here I will be able to light a thousand bulbs in the hall of my heart. It's here I'll be able to air, care and share all of me. This place is the ideal example to establish the law of giving. This is my choicest springboard for actions. And who doesn't know, actions speak louder than words? That is my mantra and with that I'm merrily waiting at your gate. Knock knock knock! Open the door and let me in! I've wonderful dreams waiting to be unearthed. Let that happen here! Ends

Origins of Morality Essay - 1411 Words

The moral philosophy that we know and recognize today in the Western world is slave morality, a morality which puts forward ideals of fairness, equality, and democracy. However, many centuries ago during the medieval times, master morality was the norm; a morality that favors those superior in strength, beauty, intelligence, and status. Master morality preceded slave morality. Friedrich Nietzsche was a philologist, who used his knowledge of words to trace the origins of morality from their ancient definitions. He said that morality was something that man had created, specifically the nobles, for they were in a position that enabled them to declare what is to be considered good or bad. The concept of â€Å"good† was created when the†¦show more content†¦From this hatred and ressentiment, they start a slave revolt in morality with the emergence of a new philosophy that makes the poor, oppressed, and persecuted â€Å"good†, consequently, making those with power wh o had excessive lavish lifestyles â€Å"evil†. They said â€Å"let us be different from the evil, namely good! And he is good who does not outrage, who harms nobody, who does not attack, who does not requite, who leaves revenge to God, who keeps himself hidden as we do, who avoids evil and desires little from life, like us, the patient, humble, and just† (Genealogy of Morals, pg. 46). The slaves turned their weakness, impotence, and inability to fight back into something meritorious. Nietzsche said they were the most devious kind because they lie about not wanting power, when in truth they also want to dominate the nobles. Their reward is eternal life, in the kingdom of god, in heaven where they would be looking down on their masters below who are burning and suffering in hell. Although, it took thousands of years to convert the noble’s morality into that of slave morality, they had succeeded using religion, an ideology for the weak as we have seen the Jews infl uence Romans because Christianity was founded from Judaism. The supreme rights of the majority triumphed. Comparatively, another philosopher, Jean Jacques Rousseau offers another explanation on how morality had developed in the history of humanity. He returned to the very beginning when manShow MoreRelatedMorality And The Origins Of Morality852 Words   |  4 PagesNietzsche understands â€Å"morality† as the set of values typical of the European society of his days. In this sense, it is safe to say that Nietzsche opposes morality and that genealogy serves the ultimate goal of undermining it. 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The true definition of religion is â€Å"an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or group of gods.† Note that morality has the separate definition of â€Å"beliefs about what is right and wrong behavior† and the counterpart of religion is atheism, or the lack of the â€Å"belief in the existenceRead MoreChristian Morality Has Become A Tale Of Shame930 Words   |  4 Pages According to Nietzsche genealogy of Christian morality has become a tale of shame – wherein the weak promote the propagation of a lie and foster a mistaken explanation for suffering. By overloo king the will to power that occurs naturally in all the people, Christianity cages, and dulls the will preventing it from expressing itself. This in turn creates problems by removing the individual’s ability to master their own life – turning them into puppets under the guidance of the government. 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