Wes Taylor, 27, a graduate of ETSU, believes that Barack Obama is the choice to lead the country back to a healthier and unified state. 

Taylor studied philosophy and graduated in 2006.  He now works for CLW, a company that delivers appliances for Lowe’s. Taylor, an independent voter, puts his trust in Obama.  

“I believe he is not as corrupt and just a puppet in the political machine,” Taylor said, referring to Obama’s opponent, John McCain.  Taylor agrees with Obama’s policies and beliefs more than with John McCain’s.  He respects Obama for “his willingness to understand other nationalities and also his belief of taking responsibility for America’s shortcomings.”

Global warming is one main concern for Taylor. He believes that weather is changing and temperatures are rising.  Obama, he said, wants to acknowledge the crisis.  Taylor believes this is a “very urgent issue and it is being overlooked and trivialized by the McCain campaign.”

Taylor believes a tax increase is going to happen, “no matter who we elect.”

“I believe Obama’s plan is for the average American people,” he said.  “McCain is for the rich people.  He only gives breaks to the high class and big corporations,” Taylor said. 

Taylor is also a firm believer of getting the troops home safe and sound.  He does not believe it would be a mistake to bring the troops back home, “no more of a mistake of sending them in there.  We already made a mistake, taking them out would not make it any worse.”

He does not believe we will lose another war if we pull out of Iraq. 

“First of all we, as a country, didn’t decide to go to war and neither did our government.  So I feel like President Bush created his own war and he along with the ultimate decision makers will have to live with whatever the world judges them as,” he said.  “Hopefully the rest of the world won’t think that reflects the true American people.”

According to a February 2007 USA Today-Gallup poll, 63 percent of Americans wanted all troops home by the end of this year.  Another 58 percent oppose funding the troops.

Taylor looks forward to this upcoming election.  He is excited to cast his vote for Barack Obama and believes he is the best candidate to start putting band-aids on all the country’s wounds.