Customer Reviews

Barack Obama vs. John McCain - Side by Side Senate Voting Record for Easy Comparison

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This book presents all the same pieces of legislation Obama and McCain have voted on since they were both simultaneously members of the senate. The book provides the date of the vote, a short description, and a Yea/Nay/Did Not Vote for both of the presidential candidates.

I have two problems with this guide.

First, the bills are presented in chronological order. It would be a lot better if they were sorted by issue type (foreign policy, energy, military affairs, etc.) than in chronological order. That way, I could cut to the chase and compare votes on the issues I feel take priority and not have to waste time flipping through issues I feel to be less important. Real example: "On the Resolution S.Res 38: A resolution commending the people of Iraq on the January 30, 2005 national elections."

Second, most of the bills are summarized very hastily. Many of them end in "and for other purposes." I have googled the exact text of some of these and there is a great deal to these "other purposes." I wonder how unbiased the summarizer was and exactly what all is left out of the summary. I can understand the need to summarize, but am wary of blindly trusting that these are completely fair.

In an election year where neutral and non-partisan news reporting seems to be dead, we all need facts, not more opinions based on personal choice. Start here with Barack Obama vs. John McCain - Side by Side Senate Voting Record for Easy Comparison and make an informed decision based on what has already been done, not what each candidate is promising now. I see our election system as the world's most expensive audition for actors, all playing a role in order to convince you they can pull off the performance of a lifetime. Once in office, they usually fall back to what they have done in the past which is why this book is the most valuable tool you can have at your disposal. We all hear the almost evangelical speeches, the screaming crowds, the promises and the stories of past torture and courage, now read what they do when push comes to shove and they are choosing for all of us. Remember, the best predictor of future behavior is past actions. Pay attention this year, it's more important than ever to make a choice based on education, not emotions. Choosing our president involves a lot more than promises,hope,or dancing ability. It involves using your brain and choosing what is right, not what "feels" right.

This was a fantastic comparison of the 2 senators voting records, with many surprising votes by McCain when compared to his campaign messaging. The one improvement I would have liked to see is more detail in the Vote Question section for each motion/amendment/bill.

The reason I bought the book was to help me decide which candidate to vote for. I hoped it would clarify their voting records but hte book failed to explain clearly what was at issue.. Yes, they gave links to research the whole bill being voted on however I need not have bought the book to do that. Save your money and check it out at the library.