by Peter Brock Ii

Created on: October 15, 2008

The political system in America is the greatest system in the world, and created by the greatest political philosophers ever. As much of a bold statement that is, it is worth claiming. Our first president was chosen, but the election between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson gave us the first peaceful transition of power from one ideology to another. No coup, no blood, no violence. It is safe to say this country set a precendent. A little more then 200 years later we are here to decide who will take the Oval Office. The candiates themselves must play the game well. Fortunately for me I am writing at a time when I don't have to predict who will prevail-and the previous author did a good job of doing so. So as I focus on McCain and Obama the fact must be introduced that ideology will play a major role.

Senator McCain took the primary out of nowhere. One can recall his campaign had actually fallen to the bottom and he rebounded. Now he has successfully split the Republican party (not officially) between moderates and conservatives. While some will vote because they won't jump party lines, some will simply go with Bob Barr. McCain has done a great job of persuading the public he is the proper candiate, he has financial policy holes in his Conservatism and this will hurt him. He is pro-life and this will get him votes, but the media is not going to help him so he will have to be a little more outspoken if he wants to be the next president. His foreign policy is based on one, and only one, premise and it is a legitimate one. His experience in war is more than anyone else in the running. This is his best attribute and he has played the card relentlessly. It's worth it though, because his oppostion can't claim anything but what his advisors tell him.

Senator Obama has the upper hand at the moment. Yes, the media has helped him. He however, has his own things to prove. I would argue he does not have the qualifications. When he was elected to the Senate he was asked if he would run for the next presidency and he replied he wouldn't have the experience then. He was either telling little lies, or big ones, but either way he had a serious change of heart. His foreign policy experience is empty. He is pro-choice, and this will get him the Liberal vote but he can probably kiss the south good-bye on this alone. When we look at both candiates, even through an ameture eye, we can make general distinctions. It is in these general distinctions where our indpendence emerges.

The United

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