‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ America will choose its next president today in the most important election in… ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ America will choose its next president today in the most important election in over half a century. Our nation is at war, the economy is in disarray, and an irresolute Congress has failed to deliver in the past two years. We stand at a crossroads, and it is crucial that we put the right man in the Oval Office. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Sen. John McCain can provide the right combination of leadership and experience that will help us prevail in Iraq and Afghanistan. McCain, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a distinguished Vietnam War veteran, has been on the right side of key policy decisions in Iraq, particularly with regard to the surge. He knows what it takes to be in a commanding position of the armed forces, and he has shown the potential to be a superb commander in chief. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ While his opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, has promised to exit Iraq in a 16-month withdrawal, McCain has been adamant about fulfilling our duty to the Iraqis by not leaving prematurely. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ We must also have a president in the next four years who will appoint strict constructionist judges, as McCain has promised to do, and not activists who will subvert the Constitution by showing ’empathy’ for specific classes of litigants in legal cases. An aging Supreme Court (John Paul Stevens is 88 and five other justices are 69 or older) means that it is likely that the next president will have the opportunity to stamp his influence on the Court for years to come. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ McCain also knows what is best for Americans when it comes to rising health insurance costs. Instead of allowing the government a greater hand in deciding how we spend our income, as well as mandating coverage for every American as advocated by Obama, McCain proposes a $5,000 tax credit for families and a $2,500 tax credit for individuals to help cover insurance costs. This plan will not harm employers who would be forced to outlay billions of dollars to increase employee benefits during an economic crisis under Obama’s planned mandates. The tax credit plan is flexible and will not upset the market by putting the government in a competitive position alongside private providers. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Aside from particular issues, it is crucial that the United States opposes Obama’s intent on collectivizing the economy. Obama has disclosed in recent weeks his ambitions to ‘spread the wealth around,’ much to the chagrin of hardworking men and women like Joe the Plumber. The independence of American communities and individuals distinguishes us from welfare states like Sweden and Venezuela, where people are wholly dependent on a paternal government. Let’s not declare the futility of our freedom to choose how we spend our money and live our lives by voting for a man who would rather see the government play an active role in our households by claiming more and more of our hard-earned paychecks. ‘ ‘ ‘ The change we need is not a change in the ideals we strive for as a nation. Our concepts of justice, political equality and religiousness have made us the freest country in the world, and to abandon them just for the sake of change would be a devastating tragedy. ‘ ‘ ‘ We should reform the sinister aspects of politics in Washington as McCain is committed to doing. As a senator, McCain has led the fight against pork-barrel spending and vows to veto bills that are replete with earmarks. He has never requested an earmark in his tenure as a senator. Obama, on the other hand, has asked for an average of $215.1 million per year since he became a senator in 2005, according to the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense. ‘ ‘ ‘ As we exercise our right to vote on Tuesday, we should not forget the sacrifices our armed forces have made to bring about a regime change in Iraq, and how leaving too soon could erase years of sacrifice in exchange for political expediency for Obama. We face dire circumstances abroad and at home, but we cannot shrink from enemies who count on breaking our resolve to protect freedom. ‘ ‘ ‘ McCain gives us the best hope to succeed in the Middle East and to usher in positive reform to politics in the nation’s capital. Through a lifetime of service and unimaginable sacrifice, he has demonstrated his commitment to American values even when his life was endangered. Today, vote not for change just for change’s sake, but for a type of reform that trusts the wisdom of Americans and ideals that have helped us prosper for more than two centuries. Make your vote a vote for McCain. E-mail Bart at [email protected].