Why do you want change?

I don’t want change. 8 years ago, I was making 18,000 dollars a year, I was 24. Today, partially due to President Bush’s middle and lower class tax cuts. (Yes, for the lower and middle class too) I have been able to increase my salary through my hard work and the success of each of my employers to 62,000 dollars a year. I am married now and blessed with a beautiful son.

For 2008, the Federal tax brackets for a single (unmarried) person are:

•10%: from $0 to $8,025

•15%: from $8,026 to $32,550

•25%: from $32,551 to $78,850

•28%: from $78,851 to $164,550

•33%: from $164,551 to $357,700

•35%: $357,701 and above

This applies only to amounts above $8,950 (assuming the standard deduction of $5,450 plus one personal exemption of $3,500) for an individual. For example, a single individual without children pays:

•0% of the first $8,950 of income,

•10% of the income between $8,951 and $16,975,

•15% of the income between $16,976 and $41,500,

•25% of the income between $41,501 and $87,800,

•28% of the income between $87,801 and $173,500,

•33% of the income between $173,501 and $366,650, and

•35% of the income exceeding $366,650.

For 2008, The value of each personal and dependency exemption, available to most taxpayers, is $3,500, up $100 from 2007. The new standard deduction is $10,900 for married couples filing a joint return (up $200), $5,450 for singles and married individuals filing separately (up $100) and $8,000 for heads of household (up $150). Nearly two out of three taxpayers take the standard deduction, rather than itemizing deductions, such as mortgage interest, charitable contributions and state and local taxes.

Two higher tax brackets were added at the top in 1993, and then taxes in all brackets were lowered in 2001 through 2003 as follows:

1992 1993 -2000 2001 2002 2003 - 2007

15% 15% 15% 10% 10%

15% 15%

28% 28% 27.5% 27% 25%

31% 31% 30.5% 30% 28%

36% 35.5% 35% 33%

39.6% 39.1% 38.6% 35%

Here's what it is, as far as the economy goes, Bush is not to blame. Banks hand out loans to people that can't pay it back and then we get into this bind.

Also Clinton left us with very little to work with as far as the military goes. So when September 11 strolled on by, we had to almost completely rebuild our military, costing us a ton of money as well. And please don't say retaliation was a bad idea. If someone sucker punched you as hard as they could, would you just stand there and cry or seek revenge?

So that's what happened with a lot of our money.

As far as oil prices and such go, a large portion of that had to do with the effect Katrina had on American refineries. A simple solution would be to build more right? Well it will take up to ten years to produce any oil from these new refineries, meaning our "energy crisis" may have already been solved by the time we see any of that oil. So we became more dependent on foreign oil, but because we were at war with the countries in which the oil lies, the prices rose. There we have our gas issue.

As for Iraq, I do believe it was necessary to invade both Iraq and Afghanistan in defense of our national sovereignty. Had we had a better military at the time of invasion, we may have hit less speed bumps. But the media has an endless love affair with negative stories, so unless you are truly interested, you have not seen the progress we have made from the war.

So I made my point that what we have been doing the past eight years is not grounds for "change." But if we keep on moving farther away from our foundations, we eventually won't have any and crumble to the ground.

I'm with many others here....I've done better in the last 8 years than the previous 8 years under Clinton.

I'm sure you've noticed the definite lack of any substance other than belittling your question, from the Obama-ites.

Most of us Obama Opposers know full well his vague ramblings about "change" is all it takes to win over those poor, dumbed down haters responding here. They never think with their heads, they just want to "feel good" about their poor choices and one bright example is the 110th Congress that they voted into majority in 2006.

Had they not won those seats they would be complaining bitterly about how awful congress is, but since the Libs are the majority they utter not a sound about how much this useless congress sucks.

They just want to have an even suckier government, because in their tiny minds that would be better than any Republican.

Good, fair question

1. The Patriot Act bypasses the 4th through 8th ammendments of the constitution directly. The President is supposed to defend the constitution, not attack it.

2. The President still has emergency powers he did not let go of, for the war in Afghanistan, which was abandonded several years ago. These emergency powers allow him powers from all three branches of government, effectively making every member of the executive branch judge, jury, and executioner.

3. The current administration does not want to do their jobs or view themselves as public servants working for the American people. Direct quote from Good Morning America,

"RADDATZ: Two-third of Americans say it’s not worth fighting.

CHENEY: So?

RADDATZ So? You don’t care what the American people think?

CHENEY: No. "

4. Our current president inherited a balanced budget, and increased the national debt by nearly two trillion dollars

5. By promoting programs like TIPS and legislating in favor of special interest groups, the current administration has divided the country to the point where it is near civil war.

Of course, there would be advantages if there wasn't a change. If Bush dropped the pretense and just declared himself President for a third term, it might be the first thing he really can't and shouldn't do that people would actually notice and try to do something about. Maybe change isn't what we need after all.

if you need sources then you are too narrow minded

by listing beliefs are the same thing to a person who has been living in this "god forsaking country", trying to make ends meet, then realizing you efforts are washed up because the institution that have your income went belly up on proceeds that the executives were hoping on selling for a profit, also don't mention the fact that our military, once praised by different countries now are seeing the weakness of them, not to mention the fact that in the last eight years the only type of job creation out there was joining the military which was being executed by a war monger, I'm sorry I refuse to join under those conditions, so all of this you are asking for SOURCES how dare you question my beliefs and judging them on not being RELIABLE enough for your pressious question because you are to blinded by the same line of crap that your party is dishing out, and the same party that CLAIMS that have ties with terrorist, which the own vp pick has been associated with, by her husband, and had fund raising events with that same terrorist group (my definition of terrorist is one that has stated that "wants to seceded for the union") THE ALASKAN INDEPENDENT PARTY

Excuse me for sounding a bit testy but are you serious? Do you honestly think that an administration that condoned torture is a good thing? That shredded the US Constitution and abused power unlike any administration in history doesn't need to be changed? The economy is in free fall, US soldiers are still dying. This country need a radical change in direction or it will become a helpless giant, broke, weak and at the mercy of China and every other nation that holds paper on us.

Well change is something that depends on who you are and your ideals ...me i would like our elected leaders all of them to work together and do what is best not convenient at that point and time......ahhh why bother they are all in one way or another in someones pocket except the people they work for US its a revolving door none of them are going to change crap pelosi said she will have one of the most ethical congresses ever seen "lied" they all suck and McCain will not help and neither will Obama, the mice are following the respective pided piers over the edge

Change can be good or it can be bad too... So be careful what you wish for. The last 8 years have been good to me, and pretty much everyone around me as well. Some are in tough times some are not. But even those who are struggling are not that bad off.

Go to the two candidates websites, look at their economic plans, McCain's makes sense and is obtainable. Obama's doesn't make economic sense, it's outlandish spending without consideration for where the money will be coming from. It also seems to ignore the fact that by raising taxes on 150, 200, 250k earners, those earners who own companies will have to cut jobs, and raise prices on their products. This just isn't good common sense.

some do no longer fall for the "substitute" because it suits the voters. The NRA is going to spend $40 million this autumn on promoting against obama. it variety of feels they did their homework on his stance against gun possession and are not confident he has replaced merely because he stated anybody has a constitutional suitable to undergo palms. His previous statements about helping the DC gun ban and human beings clinging to their guns is what they base their opinion of obama on. If the NRA replaced into no longer against Gore, he ought to have received quite of Bush, so they do have impact. voters who fairly study a candidate aren't from now on fooled by obamas human beings captivating rhetoric.