Which Party Is Really The Advocate Of The Poor?

Growing up in Boston, we conservatives used to refer to the town housing Harvard University as "The People's Republic of Cambridge". However, I am beginning to think that Cambridge is a right wing haven compared to my adopted home of Chicago. Chicago is a one party city consisting of liberals and far left radicals. Not to mention that it is still politically corrupt, with almost every government official getting a kickback in one way or another. It is one of the last hold outs of Democratic machine politics left in the country.

When I first moved here 17 years ago, it was more cost effective than Boston. Now, it's the reverse. Right after the last local election (how convenient), Cook County Board President Todd Stroger (son of the infamous John Stroger) raised the sales tax by 133%, making it the highest in the country. Despite a failing housing market, Stroger raised the City of Chicago transfer stamps to a whopping $10.50 per $1,000.00. Chicago also has the highest gas tax in the country. The property taxes are outrageous. All of these tax hikes are designed to get the city out of debt. Personally, I think they are to pay for the Olympics that Mayor Daley is hoping to bring to Chicago in 2016.

Unfortunately, Chicago does not have a history of fighting the powers that be. The residents here just accept that "that's the way things are". People here are struggling financially, not because of the policies of the evil George Bush, but because of the oppressive taxation by the local democratic party. That's why I always find it amazing that the democrats get the credit for being bleeding hearts when it comes to the poor.

Speaking of the poor, Obama seems to think that the only reason a woman would choose an abortion is because she is poor. This is very untrue and Obama, being a Harvard graduate, is not stupid enough to believe it. Democrats always say they want to make abortion "safe, legal, and rare". Obama actually lied at the Saddleback debate when he said the pro-life policies under George Bush have done nothing to decrease the number of abortions. However, I won't get into that. What causes the 1.5 million abortions in this country every year is not so much poverty as it is that many women view abortion as nothing more than a form of birth control. Moreover, the sexual promiscuity that is promoted in our culture by Hollywood and the music industry makes abortion a necessity for many women. Unless Obama is willing to address these issues, he will not reduce the number of abortions one iota. Restricting late term abortions, passing parental notification laws, and promoting legislation such as Born Alive Infant Protection Act does more to decrease the number of abortions than empty, useless rhetoric.

I think McCain needs to go after Obama on these issues, using the same type of populist language that the democrats usually use. It just might hit home with many people, especially those swing voters.