McCain's 'maverick' rep no longer true

Barack Obama has the best chance to win Wisconsin, especially if the media stops carrying water for Republicans and reports the truth: John McCain is no longer the "maverick" he once was.

McCain now supports President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy that he used to oppose. Obama's tax plan reduces taxes on the middle class three times more than McCain's, while increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans and businesses that ship jobs overseas.

In pushing for the Iraq war right after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, McCain incorrectly linked the anthrax attacks to that country and claimed we would be hailed as liberators.

Obama opposed that war early on, employing sound judgment over politics. His predictions that war in Iraq would imperil our economy, fan anti-American sentiment and distract us from Afghanistan have sadly proven true.

For all McCain's talk of ethics reform, lobbyists run his campaign and set his policies. Obama is vigilant about removing the corrupting influence of lobbyists and their money both in his campaign, in the Democratic National Committee and in the "change government" he intends to run.

In Wisconsin, Obama's community organizer experience has already mobilized millions of voters to work and vote for real change. Reporting the truth about today's McCain makes our task easier.

-- Sheri Sinykin, Madison

Obama a product of Chicago machine

Having lived in Gary, Ind., for three years, I became familiar with the Cook County Democratic Party machine. The area from Chicago's Loop down around the lake to Gary functions as a single community, and the machine runs the show.

I have read that Obama was a community organizer on Chicago's South Side. To those who watch the Cook County machine, that is code for party worker. I'd bet the group that hired Obama was getting their funds in the form of a block grant from the state of Illinois, and that the grant came from the federal government.

The machine has run Cook County for 60 years, and nothing in the form of community organizer would operate outside of the Cook County Democratic Party.

If someone here said that their occupation was community organizer, would that not raise one's eyebrows?

-- David Cartter, Madison

But would Feingold like McCain as prez?

In Sunday's Forum, columnist Chris Lato offers a textbook example of a non sequitur. He quotes a number of factual observations by Sen. Russ Feingold concerning John McCain's unwillingness to follow anyone's political playbook.

Then he states, "If John McCain could be good enough for Russ Feingold, why couldn't John McCain be good enough for Wisconsin?"

Lato should explain how it follows from Feingold's comments about McCain's personality that he would consider McCain an acceptable candidate for president, considering that Feingold's comments don't touch on McCain's policies.

Also, it's suspicious that Lato didn't give the date when Feingold made the statement. The McCain of 2008 might not have earned those comments from Feingold, while the McCain of 2004 or earlier might well have.

It is good to publish a diversity of opinions about our candidates for president, but opinions supported by logical fallacies and convenient omissions of relevant facts don't serve your readership.

-- Grant W. Petty, Madison

Obama more in touch with state values

I believe that Sen. Obama best represents the policies and values of most Wisconsinites and will ultimately be the choice of state voters.

In terms of the war in Iraq, Sen. McCain is even more of a hardliner than President Bush. Even Bush is coming around to supporting Obama's call for a time table to pull American troops out of Iraq. And most Wisconsinites don't support McCain's assertion that if needed, Iraq would have an American presence for 100 years.

Over the years McCain has evolved from the maverick of 2000 to being one of the president's top supporters in the Senate, voting 95 percent of the time with Bush in 2007.

With Obama we have a nominee who was raised by a single mother who worked hard to keep a roof over his head. With Sen. Joe Biden, we have a vice presidential nominee with a working class background. They understand how hard it is for Wisconsinites in these days of high gas prices, stagnant wages and rising unemployment to make ends meet.

Let's face it -- with McCain we have a potential president who doesn't even know how many homes he owns, yet McCain calls Obama an elitist while wearing $500 Italian loafers.

Obama/Biden is the best choice for Wisconsin and the country.

-- Charles Tranberg, Madison

Could any Republican beat Dem. coalition?

I don't know if Obama wants to be sworn in with the Koran, whether he refuses to hold his hand on his heart when the Pledge of Allegiance is given or even if he is a closet Muslim.

What chance does any Republican have in Wisconsin when most of the union employees, state employees, gays, lesbians, blacks and so on will vote Democratic every time.

Now they are willing to elect a man with no experience, but who is pretty and sort of black. If you got cancer, would you pick a good-looking, well-spoken, recent medical school graduate?

In order to win the election, the Republicans will have to use the Democratic Party's tactics. Maybe they should go to the depressed areas, State Street and the Isthmus and not only give a pack of cigarettes to vote Republican, but also a small bottle of wine. I'll drive the bus.

-- Ed Fernan, Fitchburg

Obama fulfills our Progressive legacy

The list of political "firsts" in Wisconsin's history is as remarkable as they are little known by the general public.

We created the first kindergarten school (1856), were the first to establish a progressive income tax law (1911), the first to enact an unemployment compensation law (1932) and the first to prohibit legal discrimination against women (1921). And it was a Wisconsinite -- Edwin Witte -- who wrote and managed the Social Security Act of 1935 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

So what's next? We stand on the precipice of proving that race is not an insurmountable obstacle to being elected president.

The fact that Obama has been able to maintain his campaign focus on national issues un-related to race is a powerful indication of his intelligence, integrity and wisdom. Obama has no choice but to make race irrelevant to his campaign if he is to have any realistic hope of winning the election.

Obama is the better representative of the progressive political legacy of Wisconsin. He is more dedicated to promoting the quality of life of the average American citizen. Wisconsin will do the right thing and elect Obama.

-- Jac D. Bulk, La Crosse

McCain's duplicity will lose him Wis.

The Sunday Forum columnist described Wisconsin as "an independent state that likes its mavericks and underdogs." That explains precisely why Wisconsin will not vote for John McCain, a deceptively partisan senator who voted with George Bush 95 percent of the time last year.

-- Andrew Luskin, student, Middleton

Wisconsin knows when change needed

Obama has the best chance to win in Wisconsin. Our country can't go on the same way after eight years under the Bush administration. Wisconsin is an independent state, but its citizens know when it is time for a change.

They know that the economy, environment and health care -- among other things -- need to be examined and changed. Maybe people with money can stand a few more years of this, but not middle- and low-income people. Social Security and Medicare -- needed by these people -- are both going to need help to stay afloat.

Some of Sen. Hillary Clinton's followers are bitter, but do they think switching to McCain is going to get things done? Lets hope most of her supporters aren't so easily led astray. Hillary Clinton has already endorsed Obama.

They say Obama lacks experience. Well, give him a chance to prove that all people don't have to be in their 60s or older before the experience starts. We need a change.

-- Rita Moen, Blanchardville

McCain loses in direct comparison

Forum columnist Chris Leto's superficial projection that Wisconsin voters favor John McCain over Barack Obama misses the realities of our state's political landscape.

Regarding issues, Wisconsin voters favor Obama's positions for ending the occupation of Iraq, reversing the tragic course of U.S. foreign policy, repairing the Bush economy, universal health care, education and social justice. Out of touch with reality, McCain loses on all issues, especially foreign policy.

As to organization, Obama has dozens of campaign offices statewide, thousands of volunteers and huge numbers of new voters marshaled during the primary and enlarged through the grassroots efforts currently underway. The McCain campaign projects attack ads and controlled visits.

With his strategic global vision and overseas experience, Obama has a clearer grasp of foreign policy and makes rational decisions. A cold warrior, McCain's tactically limited foreign policy views are simplistic and often not well considered.

Obama gave General Motors assembly line workers a clear economic plan; McCain spouts political expediency and promises continuing Bush measures that brought us to the brink of recession.

The son of an admiral, McCain demonstratives repeatedly how out of touch with the American people he is, while Obama, son of a single mother, excelled academically and has worked for the middle class while forging an amazing political career.

Wisconsin voters will focus on the candidates, show sound judgment and support Obama in November.

-- Gary Shellman, Glendale

McCain's become a country club Rep.

Barack Obama will win Wisconsin because he is more like the average Wisconsinite than John McCain is. McCain has gone from being a POW war hero, to being a country club Republican who doesn't even know how many houses he owns.

Even though I am a pro-life social conservative, I connect with Obama's background and general understanding of the issues facing America. Obama also understands that the Bush/Cheney/McCain way of running foreign relations has been a disaster for America.

Those of us with mainstream Midwest values understand where America has gone wrong in stomping on the Constitution, the Iraq war and not understanding the need to fix health care in America so all of us have access to it.

Obama's name may sound funny to some Badger state ears, but his values are right in line with most of ours. He is one of us.

-- James D. Curtin, Madison

List of reasons for Obama victory grows

The Wisconsin election is too close to predict, but I am glad to write about why we need Barack Obama, and remind people that it is crucial for Obama to win Wisconsin if he is to become president.

Think about the wars of aggression and the torture that have shamed us before the world. Worry about the economic crisis, our environmental crisis or remember that gas was $1.46 a gallon before Bush invaded the Middle East. Consider the more than $400 billion deficit the Bush/Cheney administration is leaving for our children and grandchildren.

The list of reasons that we cannot risk a McCain presidency goes on and on. We cannot endure four more years of the same failed policies. We cannot risk having a president known for his hot temper and volatility in control of the nuclear button.

Fortunately, Obama brings a steady hand, a thoughtful mind and an inspiring voice to help guide us towards a saner, safer future. He needs us to work to elect him, and he will need the whole country working together to deal with the many problems facing our country and the world.

-- Midge Miller, Madison