Wednesday seemed to be an interesting day. At 4:30 p.m. the Dow dropped over 733 points. Three and a half hours later, the two candidates took the stage for the last time before Election Day at Hofstra University.
I hope it isn’t just me who thinks this, but if the Dow plummets over 700 points in one day, it’s clearly a bit of a problem for many Americans who invest in financial securities of some sort. Mutual funds have lost value. Stock prices have dropped. Municipal bond funds have taken a nosedive. Already three investment banks are gone and Morgan Stanley was not at its best shape ever last week.
While I certainly wish there was an ideal candidate to vote for after last night, there was not. The debate seemed nothing more than a joke. When Bob Schieffer, the moderator, brought up the issue of how dirty the campaigns have become, I felt as if I were watching an adult attempt to resolve a conflict between two children. Do I care what McCain thinks of Congressman John Lewis’ comments, which are “so hurtful?” Absolutely not. I want to hear about the issues that concern the average citizen. Maybe I would like to know how the two candidates would handle those greedy Wall Street executives who defrauded the American public, or more about the credit-rating agencies who gave mortgage-backed securities top-notch ratings. I’d like to feel confident about the economy and not nervous. I would like to know that in May, I, along with hundreds of other Binghamton University seniors, can feel confident and secure about the future of the job market.
The issue of “Joe the Plumber” has also brought about a side of Obama that has certainly pushed me away. When it comes to redistribution of wealth, I believe it is probably the worst thing that can happen in this country. If I work like a dog and earn a few hundred thousand dollars, I want to keep as much of it as possible and not support the free riders in our society. It’s wrong and not what this country’s founding fathers wanted.
Another issue that wasn’t touched upon on Wednesday was that of illegal immigration. Americans wonder where the jobs are … there you go. Illegal immigrants come into this country every day to work (illegally) for much less than American citizens and dodge the good old 1040s that are due every April 15th. Defenders say, “Oh, they take the jobs that we don’t want to do.” If Americans need to make money and we take away welfare, they’ll work those jobs.
My family immigrated to the United States from Argentina legally in the late 1980s and started with very little but were all college educated. They never once tried to stay after their visas expired. Instead, they waited and were granted green cards because they would be able to contribute something to society. Even though I’m a first generation American, I believe that immigration needs to be cracked down on.
Unfortunately, I’m still not decided on which candidate I will vote for. Both candidates share views with me, and I believe both candidates are ass-backwards on certain issues. As much as we need change, we need someone who will uphold the values on which America was founded. If issues regarding the economy are not touched upon soon, I will end up, like many others, voting for the third candidate — the election should not be choosing the lesser of two evils.