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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW West Coast leads way in automatic voter registration ... Central Point man nabs suspect for Medford police ... UPDATED: Republican Allen Alley announces bid for Oregon governor ... West Coast leads way in automatic voter registration ... Central Point man nabs suspect for Medford police ... UPDATED: Republican Allen Alley announces bid for Oregon governor ... Our choice: Obama The country needs a new direction, and he is best equipped to take us there The American public approaches the Nov. 4 election with a profound sense of weariness. Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 17, 2008 at 2:00 AM Posted Oct. 17, 2008 at 2:00 AM » Social News The American public approaches the Nov. 4 election with a profound sense of weariness. The past eight years have seen the United States' prestige and power in the world sharply diminished. American soldiers continue to die in two wars that now have dragged on longer than this country spent fighting World War II. "Enemy noncombatants" continue to molder in a prison camp in Cuba; some of those captured by the U.S. have been tortured in violation of international agreements this nation once defended. The economy has taken body blows in recent weeks, and the long-term effects of the Wall Street meltdown are still unknown. Americans have seen their retirement funds evaporate and are worried about their jobs, their mortgages and their children's future. Polls show a majority of voters think the country is on the wrong track. This election will produce no magic solutions to any of these problems, but it is clear that America needs to reverse the damage wrought by eight years of what most agree has been a failed administration. Nov. 4 will give voters the opportunity to choose the direction the country will take going forward. We think Sen. Barack Obama offers the best chance to put America back together, to regain its stature in the world and to reinvigorate its economy. Sen. John McCain made a point of stating during Wednesday night's debate that "I am not President Bush," and he was right. He's not, but his policy proposals would largely keep the nation on the course established by the Bush administration. In contrast, Obama's positions on taxes, the economy, health care and foreign policy reflect a thoughtful, deliberate approach that differs sharply from the policies that led us to this point. On taxes, he proposes cuts designed to bolster the middle class, while allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire for those in the top income brackets — cuts that overwhelmingly favored the richest Americans. McCain proposes to renew the Bush tax cuts, offering little relief for ordinary Americans. Obama's health-care plan is not a single-payer, government-run system, nor would it provide the universal coverage that some advocate. But it does attempt to extend coverage to more Americans and to end some of the discriminatory practices that keep too many citizens uninsured. McCain's plan does far less to expand coverage, and would require individuals to settle for less than they need or, in the worst cases, none at all. The candidates' differences on foreign policy are perhaps the most stark. Here again, we favor Obama's approach. Obama has assembled a world-class team of experts from across the political spectrum who share his belief that America's traditional role as the world's most powerful force acting alone cannot be sustained in the changed global landscape of the 21st century. They — and Obama — see the need to forge multinational coalitions to address the threats of terrorism, pandemic disease and climate change. To them, great powers moving chess pieces around the globe is a world that no longer exists. McCain is still steeped in that world, and his foreign policy pronouncements reflect that. He told the New Yorker that "I want the 21st century to be the American century." The chances of that becoming reality anytime soon were squandered by the recklessness of the past eight years. McCain might well be less reckless than Bush internationally, but his strategic moves during the campaign are not reassuring. The choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate, while successful in briefly igniting the Republican base, backfired as voters learned more about her. His decision to attack Obama's character when he fell behind in the polls was equally ineffective. Obama's critics often denigrate him for his eloquence, which they imply is mere rhetoric without substance. We disagree. This country desperately needs cool, rational leadership in frightening times. If that leadership is expressed with more eloquence than we have been accustomed to in recent years, so much the better. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 17, 2008 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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