October, 16 2008, 12:30pm EDT
Game Over?
For independent voters, Barack Obama won all three debates with John McCain
WASHINGTON
Pepe
Escobar, roving correspondent for Asia Times and an analyst for The
Real News Network gives his view on the final debate before November's
US election. In the debate, Obama emphasized the need to give the
middle class a tax break while McCain explained he would balance
budgets by job creations in energy independence. Escobar, however, asks
how? Without taxation? Moving forward McCain turned 'negative' by
accusing Obama of 'spending more money on negative ads than any other
political campaign in history'. Obama responded that it is McCain is
who actually spending more according to recent polls. The debate
unravelled.
On the subject of Columbia, McCain attempted to make it clear that
Obama opposes the Columbia Free trade Agreement - "the same country
that is helping us to stop the flow of drugs into our country." Obama
calmly replied that in Columbia labor leaders have been targeted for
assassination and there have not been prosecutions. 'The free trade
agreement itself does have labor environmental protections, but we have
to stand for human rights'.
Obama also scored high on education, highlighting the prospect of
creating a new school system, and the need for parents to play greater
roles in their children's education.
In conclusion,
although McCain came out swinging, Obama's strategy stayed the same:
coolly and calmly explaining each of his plans. Pepe Escobar argues
this was all pure theatre; 'outside the bubble the real world is
exploding, markets are plummeting the recession will be a depression
lasting as long as two years. Former Controller General David Walker,
estimates that the U.S is in a $55 trillion hole'. With this happening
they continue to talk about abortions and swear to balance the budget?
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