Obama is the needed leader of our time

For readers still trying to get beyond the election rhetoric, I would like to share some reasons I will be voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden:

* Like Republican Colin Powell, the former secretary of state and ex-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I believe Obama is the “transformational leader” needed for our time.

* Social Security: Obama and Biden have pledged to protect Social Security and keep it solvent by asking those earning more than $250,000 to pay a little more to help keep the system sound. By contrast, John McCain has proposed privatizing social security. Were that to happen, Social Security would be subject to the volatility of the market — such as over the past few months where the stock market has lost about a third of its value.

* Health care: Obama and Biden are committed to protecting and strengthening health care. For example, instead of asking seniors to continue to pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, Obama will allow the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices for persons covered by Medicare, just as it does for veterans. McCain claims that his plan will provide tax savings of more than $3,000 to families in the lowest tax bracket with a tax credit that would be paid to the insurance provider. But this would provide no help to millions of families who cannot afford to purchase private health insurance.

* Taxes: Obama’s proposed tax cuts would cost less and provide a more just tax policy than McCain’s. According to an analysis by the respected, nonpartisan Citizens for Tax Justice, under Obama’s plan the lowest 20 percent of taxpayers would receive an average tax cut of $485, while under McCain their average tax cut would be only $236; Obama’s plan would provide the most wealthy 1 percent with an average tax cut of $4,962 while under McCain’s plan these wealthiest Americans would receive a tax cut 40 times larger — $202,827.

I have a vision of America where we take responsibility for each other through just taxes, an inclusive health care system and guaranteed Social Security for those who have served and are now retired. That’s why I will vote for Obama and Biden.

Hunter Mabry

Waynesboro