Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 5, 2012)
Pase8___________________________________ iE1’e ^ n rtla n h O^hseruer_________________ September s. 2012 haps, the subtexts in that regard will He will recall that he ended the be the deciding factor. war in Iraq at the end of last year, as Obama will be pressing hard on promised, and will put an end to the his contention that there are and will U.S. combat mission in Afghani be vast areas where the government stan in 2014. better candidate to handle the U.S. can help fix the economy and put a And he holds a powerful trump economy. Obama is seen as by far safety net under Americans who card: His decision to order the dar the most likable and better able to have been hard hit in the aftermath ing Navy SEAL raid that killed ter understand the problems of ordi of the steep downturn. He's finally rorist mastermind Osama bin Laden nary Americans. Overall the two pushing hard in support of the health at his hideout deep in Pakistan. candidates are in one of the closest care overhaul he pushed through Vice President Joe Biden, speak A Divided Nation c o n t i n u e d f r o m fron t flooded Louisiana coast. He vowed government officials would find out “what can we do to make sure it doesn't happen again.” At times like these, “nobody's a Democrat or a Republican, we’re all just Americans looking out for one another,” said the president, flanked by local and state officials from both parties, after inspecting some of the damage inflicted by the storm and hugging some of its victims. Romney paid a similarly nonpar tisan visit last Friday to the flooded region but made no reference at the time to federal aid. Obama has been and will be argu ing that Romney brings nothing more to his quest for the White House than plans and policies that are a reprise of those employed by former Republican President George W. Bush, under whose watch the Great Recession began and the fi nancial collapse occurred. Most Americans still hold Bush responsible for the start of the eco nomic difficulties afflicting the U.S., but they are split on which candi date is best equipped to return the country to robust growth. Obama foresaw the difficulties he faced in a Chicago speech on the cold night of his victory as the nation's first A frican-A m erican president nearly four years ago. "The road ahead will be long," he said solemnly that November night in Chicago, displaying none of the euphoria of his supporters. “Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year, or even one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.” That's a message Obama will have to repeat vigorously under attack from Romney who contends the president is a nice guy who has failed to make things better. The Republican candidate drew a line under that message in a statement Monday, the U.S. Labor Day holi day that celebrates workers and marks the unofficial end of the sum mer holiday season. Romney said the holiday was “a chance to celebrate the strong American work ethic,” but added: “For far too many Americans, today is another day of worrying when their next paycheck will come.” Romney will be hitting hard on his business expertise as co-founder of Bain Capital, a private equity firm through which he amassed a quar ter-million dollar fortune. Polls show most Americans see Romney as the President Obama waves to supporters after speaking at a Labor Day rally Monday in Toledo, Ohio. presidential contests in recent U.S. more than two years ago. It was history. based on a plan instituted by Rom Their vision of America’s future ney when he was governor of M as differs across the board and, per sachusetts, although the Republi can candidate now promises to re peal Obama’s version for the na tion. Obama is pressing for higher taxes on Americans making more than $250,000 a year. Romney wants to keep Bush-era tax cuts in place, with even steeper cuts for high-income earners. Obama argues his plan will help bring down the U.S. debt. Rom Truly making a difference in the lives of ney says his ideas will do that even Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for nearly 20 years. better by causing businesses to If you or someone you know has been in an accident, make more money and pay even more in taxes even though the rate call us so we can help you with your needs. (503) 284-7838 is lowered. Obam a is pressing to keep alive the M edicare program , the m uch W? are located on the loved governm ent health insur com er ofM LK and Russell ance program for Am ericans over Street, on the second floor age 65. Rom ney — adopting the above the coffee shop. budget proposals o f his running m ate, Rep. Paul Ryan — favors converting the program to a sys tem where retirees receive a gov ernm ent voucher that they can C use in buying insurance on the H p 1 private m arket. O bam a contends * E Parking Aiea R M that will end M edicare “as we 0 333 NE I’ know it,” further accelerating Re Rtissdl R < #200 A publican efforts to privatize so O. C T cial program s for the elderly, d is 1 abled and poor. C Russell St On foreign policy, Romney nota O f Ö bly did not once mention the ongo S ing war in Afghanistan in his speech last Thursday accepting his party’s nomination. Obama, polls show, is seen as far more capable of handling Contact: U.S. foreign policy, and he will no doubt hit that hard when he speaks Phone: 503 288-0033 Fax: 503-288-0015 Thursday night at an outdoor foot e-mail: classifieds@portlandobserver.com ball stadium in Charlotte. Chiropractic Auto Injury Clinic, PC Zchon R. Jones, DC 333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212 (503) 284-7838 BI To Place Your Classified Advertisement ing to workers in Detroit on M on day, said he could put it all on a bumper sticker. “Osama bin Laden is dead, General Motors is alive.” Both Obama and Biden played heavily to American workers in their Labor Day speeches, particularly to those whose jobs depend on the auto industry. Obama injected that industry with huge amounts of government money in the earliest days of his adminis tration, preventing General Motors and ChryslerCorp. from likely going out of business, resulting in more than 1 million workers losing their jobs. Romney opposed the auto bail out and accuses Obama of profli gate government spending that he contends has done little to lift the country out of the economic mo rass. As they wrestle over the role of government, when all the chaff is separated out, voters will be left w ith a d e cisio n about w hich candidate’s vision best accords with their view of the nation. Obama will argue government does and can help the people who pay taxes to keep it in operation. Romney will counter that govern ment is too involved in Americans' lives and that everyone will be bet ter off under his leadership, one designed, he says, to minimize fed eral involvement. It's a classic Democratic versus Republican argument but one that's bulked up as if on steroids of late as the deeply conservative tea party movement gains increasing control over the Republican Party with de mands for lower taxes and smaller government.
