Tag Archives: Barack Obama

McCain/Obama and Small Business Issues

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BusinessWeek recently took a look at how John McCain and Barack Obama stack up on small business issues, noting that small business owners and employees make up nearly a third of registered voters:

Despite recent outreach efforts by both men, some 80% of entrepreneurs could not name any ways in which either candidate says he will help small businesses, according to a poll of 400 business owners conducted by Suffolk University for turnaround specialists American Management Services. With small business owners and their employees representing 32% of all registered voters, that’s hardly a block of voters either candidate can afford to lose.

See a graphic table featuring the candidates making their trademark hand gestures here.

Poker, Waves & the Three E’s

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If I were a poker player, I would declare “All In!”  It is in this spirit that I share a few of the thoughts/theories that have been bouncing around in my head over the past seven months:

  • Since early May, I have felt that Barack Obama would win Indiana and the White House. There you go, it’s now officially in print forever that I am going against over 40 years of Presidential history in Indiana.
  • There are two waves going on in Indiana:  One is the Barack Obama wave and the second is the Mitch Daniels wave. Both have run superb campaigns, taken advantage of massive fundraising efforts, pushed the use of internet campaigning to new heights and are clearly agents of “change.” To me, the bigger question is: “Which wave — Obama or Daniels — will carry the statewide, Congressional and House races across the finish line?”
  • First time voters WILL be the determining voter group in several races on the ballot from President down to State Representative. The amount of attention focused on this new group has been considerable, but this group deserves even more discussion than it is receiving.
  • The 3 E’s — emotion, enthusiasm and excitement — explain the three points above. To me, the biggest story of this election cycle arguably is what has driven so many people, especially first time voters, to vote.  Campaigns and issues driven by these 3 E’s are hard to measure, hard to stop and attract many new people. This applies to political, corporate or charity campaigns. Remember: Emotion drove millions of people to donate money, clothes and even blood following disasters like Katrina and 9-11, and it is emotion, enthusiasm and excitement that are driving people to vote in this election right now.

I believe a wave of significant importance is now taking place in Indiana and the country. I will save my thoughts on how the Indiana House races will be impacted for a posting closer to the election.

(Third) Party Time!

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 So you’ve watched McCain and Obama do their thing, go head to head, man to man, "Joe the Plumber" reference to "Joe the Plumber" reference, and you’re still not sure you can endorse either gentleman with your vote? Well, the folks at Free & Equal are hosting a third-party debate (McCain and Obama are invited, but not expected to show) Sunday at 7 p.m., which will be recorded by C-SPAN and streamed at Third Party Ticket.

Just exactly who will be there is still murky, since certified letters have just gone out to all candidates, say event organizers. Ralph Nader, who is on the ballot in 45 states as an independent candidate, has indicated he will show up. Cynthia McKinney, former member of Congress from Georgia and the Green Party candidate, will also be there, according to her website. Ms. McKinney is on the ballot in 30 states. Also invited is Chuck Baldwin, running on the Constitution Party ticket in 35 states.

Mr. Baldwin is perhaps the least known of the group. He’s an evangelical minister and hosts a conservative talk show in the Florida panhandle region. He also has gained the endorsement of Ron Paul, whose bid for the Republican nomination garnered a loyal and enthusiastic following.

The only question mark is Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate. Mr. Barr has made it clear that he will only debate Mr. Nader and no one else.

No word yet if these candidates will be mandated to use the phrases "change" or "my friends" a designated number of times.

Note: According to the Elkhart Truth, Barr will be the only third-party candidate on the Indiana ballot, while Baldwin, McKinney and Nader are eligible write-in candidates.

Ring the Bellwether: Key Ohio Town Still Divided

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CNN has an interesting article today on the bellwether Ohio town of Chillicothe. The town is still collectively on the fence regarding the McCain/Obama question, and may serve as a microcosm of many similar areas throughout the Midwest:

No Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio, a state that has received more visits from the candidates and their running mates this year than any other.

Inside the bellwether state is the bellwether town of Chillicothe, a town that often mirrors the state’s election results.

Voters there are divided.

With less than a month to go until the election, it’s concerns about the financial markets and the economy that dominate the airwaves at the town’s radio station.

"The only other people that’ve experienced something like what we’re experiencing now are our grandparents or our great-grandparents," host Dan Ramey said on his radio show on WBEX-AM.

Coming Clean on Coal Energy

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Ben Smith of Politico blogged today about Joe Biden’s remarks in Ohio regarding coal plants in America. That is, that there shouldn’t be any. This seems to back up what he said last year during the primaries, according to Smith’s blog:

"I don’t think there’s much of a role for clean coal in energy independence, but I do think there’s a significant role for clean coal in the bigger picture of climate change," (Biden said) last year. "Clean-coal technology is not the route to go in the United States, because we have other, cleaner alternatives," he said, but added that America should push for a "fundamental change in technology" to clean up China’s plants.

Meanwhile, as if on cue, the McCain campaign countered today by issuing a press release insisting their candidate will protect coal-based jobs in the U.S. via a new coalition:

The coalition will help spread the message about the importance of clean coal technology and the advantages of tapping the country’s vast coal reserves. As part of John McCain’s "all of the above" energy plan, the Lexington Project, clean coal will be a strong component of the drive to energy independence. In addition to providing domestic energy, the coal industry is a key part of the economy in several states.

This is topical for me as I was in Crawfordsville just last week interviewing the manager of Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power — the city’s public utility company — for an upcoming member spotlight in BizVoice. He stressed to me the importance of clean coal as a future energy source in Indiana. He explained that our best minds need to be working on this in the future for the good of both the state and the nation. It’s also worth noting that the Indiana Chamber has a longstanding position that clean coal needs to be part of the energy mix in our state.

Obviously, this is just one of many issues voters will base their support on this election season and just a minor point/counterpoint in the grander scheme of the 2008 electoral dance. However, it seems the two tickets have drastically different opinions on these matters — or at least different rhetoric.

Chamber Staffers Discuss Gingrich and the Upcoming Election

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Indiana Chamber communications VP Tom Schuman and political affairs VP Michael Davis recently sat down on the Inside INdiana Business set to discuss our 19th Annual Awards Dinner keynote speaker Newt Gingrich. The pair also touched on key factors pertaining to the upcoming election.

 Below is the commentary video:

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Web Site Woes for Obama, McCain

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Two expert studies resulted in the following headline: "Web sites of both presidential candidates fail to connect with users." After a quick review of the Barack Obama and John McCain Internet homes, I agree with the people who do this work and analysis for a living.  

Clutter, lack of clear labels and the ability to easily navigate to some common tasks are among the challenges. Given the fact that more web sites than not struggle with some of those same issues, the results are not surprising.

The Obama campaign has been lauded for raising money and reaching people. But if you want to learn more about the Democrat’s positions on the issues, it takes a little searching. I’m also troubled by the labels attached to different groups under the "People" header.

The ongoing Republican convention only added to the McCain clutter. Are there really 15 or more Photos of the Week that deserve front page placement? While the overall site might be more user-friendly than Obama’s, the poor first impression undoubtely turns away many visitors.

Government Executive.com has the overview and the expert comments. 

Time to Lower Federal Corporate Income Rate

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If tax rates can in fact be said to influence where companies locate and invest, the U.S. has a problem. As our economy becomes increasingly global our combined (federal and provincial/state) income tax rate is higher than every other country in the world, except Japan. Both presidential candidates have recognized the need to do something. Sen. John McCain proposes a significant reduction of the current 35% federal rate to 25%. Although coupled with other proposals and not nearly as definite or assertive, Sen. Barack Obama also indicated he is open to lowering the rates.

The U.S. can’t afford to ignore what most other industrialized countries have already figured out: the corporate income tax rates affect investment. This year China dropped its rate from 33% to 25%; and Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea, which already had much lower rates than the U.S., dropped theirs even more. And it is not just in Asia. The adjustments swept Europe with Germany, Italy, the U.K. and Spain all making rate reductions. It is truly a global thing. Other countries that are part of the wave of cuts: Turkey, Bulgaria, Israel, South Africa and Colombia.

So with so much talk of change in other contexts, it is important to point out that it is also time for a change to our corporate tax rate. A full listing of the corporate rates in nations belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, along with other revealing information on this subject is available from the Tax Foundation.

Corporate Tax: What are the Presidential Candidates Saying?

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Mark Willen of Kiplinger.com has an interesting breakdown regarding McCain’s and Obama’s views on the corporate tax. You business owners and fanatical fans of finance (sorry, I just received my certificate in alliteration) could find the distinctions intriguing.

Also, you may be surprised at what Bill Clinton’s former labor secretary Robert Reich says on the matter.

Cook: GOP Has Work to Do

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The Cook Political Report, featuring Charlie Cook, has analyzed Washington politics and national trends since 1984. His work is highly respected in most circles.

An early look at the 2008 general election proves interesting — John McCain and Barack Obama in a very close race and other Republican candidates having an uphill struggle.

Among the nuggets from Cook is the fact that a party seeking a third consecutive term in the White House only succeeds about 20% of the time.