Reform vs Change? SAME thing?

Question

I don't get why people call McCain a reformer, someone who's going to reform Washington.

Then bash Obama on wanting "change"

Reform and Change are the SAME thing. The only difference is the democrats went with the obvious and easy word to help lower/middle class voters get the idea.

While the republicans used the "fancy" word reform which makes it seem different

Answer 1

No difference, there trying to differ themselves from the democrats.  

Answer 2

What McCain and Obama want to do is very different, so in essence, those two words that they're using are  VERY different and mean very different things.  

Answer 3

Change is vague.

Reform means kicking unethical and corrupt butts.

I like reform better. What about you?

Answer 4

Well, no their not.  If you spoke English, you would probably understand.  To CHANGE something is to make it fundamentally different.  To RE FORM something is to keep it fundamentally the same, but cause it to work as originally designed.

Answer 5

Yes, they are synonyms.  The real question is: who is going to bring that about?

Answer 6

Obama gets bashed because after he says we need "change," he goes no further to explain what change we need.

Answer 7

Oh, please. Look up "reform" and "change" in dictionary.com and maybe you will see the value of looking things up before spouting. "Reform" customarily refers to righting a wrong or correcting a deficiency. "Change" is actually a neutral term to begin with, and may be favorable or not when imposed on us. Initiating change for its own sake hints that "anything is better than this." Are you sure of your demographics, that Republicans are educated and Democrats wear hard hats?

Answer 8

Change can be reform of a system, but not all change is reform.  For a long time Obama gave wonderful oratory about change, but was not very specific about what his plans are (not all change is good).  He is getting more specific these days but I'm not really sure how his govt would pay for some of his plans.  McCain  tends to speak for reform (I think) because he is more of a DC insider than Obama, most people in DC would probably agree that some reform is needed; but then again reform is change & I don't think DC really likes change (only those who come into more power like it!).  It is an interesting race that's for sure & hey, that's a change!

Answer 9

People vote for what they're used to.

In this case... corruption and no change.

COME ON. What a joke.

George Bush is going to speak at the RNC?

I can't wait to see what he has to say for McCain.

"I messed up the country! Now give McCain a chance to do the same!"

Answer 10

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

they are the same thing

Answer 11

The conservatives are going to bash any liberal - whoever it is. Luckily, they're opponent this time has a multi-cultural background so they can be openly racist and discriminatory against him.

McCain isn't reform; he isn't change - he voted with Bush 100% of the time in 2008 and missed more votes than anyone else in Congress. Obama has pushed forth twice as much legislation as he has - make your pick.

Answer 12

No, they differ in big ways.

Reform means fixing the system as it is - to make it work as intended.

Change means dropping the system in favor of a new system in hopes that it will work better.

Answer 13

reform is taking an existing policy, product or procedure and making it better

change is to make something completely different

Answer 14

Obama's 'change" seems to be change for the sake of change.  Much of his "change" seems to be focused around the redistribution of wealth.  It is time for change, but not the change he wants. Stop taking the change from my pockets too.  The people in this country need to stop being a bunch of entitlement focused mirmadons.  It is time for reform such as overhauling the tax code, term limits for lifetime politicians, and the   development of business incubators in the country.  If you want Obama's change, move to France.

Answer 15

Bush took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, but it looks as if his true feelings about it came out during a discussion of the Patriot Act:

President Bush, who many believe is becoming more unstable every day is reported to have had the following exchanges during a meeting with Congressional leaders according to Doug Thompson, reporting in Capitol Hill Blue:

"GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.

“I don’t give a goddamn,” Bush retorted. “I’m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.”

“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”

“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!”

Doug Thompson wrote that he had talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper."

McCain voted yes on reauthorizing the Patriot Act.  McCain voted with Bush 90%of the time.  "In recent days, Sen. John McCain has sought to distance himself rhetorically from President Bush’s foreign policy. But on right-wing radio talker Mike Gallagher’s show this past Friday, McCain struck a different tone, proudly declaring that “no one has supported President Bush on Iraq more than I have.” “Let me emphasize that there are many national security issues that I have strongly supported the president and steadfastly so,” added McCain."

How is that change or reform.

Whatever you want to call it, change is what we need, and Obama is the one who will deliver it.  You may as well stop pretending that Democrats are stupid, the posts on YA prove the opposite.

Answer 16

Reform and change are not synonymous. Reform is to correct. Change is just different. Could be different good or could be different bad. Obama is different bad.

McCain/Palin '08

Answer 17

i look at it this way.

reform= working on our country to improve and one day be where we need to be.

change= put no work all effort in to turn our country into something we aren't and don't stand for.

help me out?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

Answer 18

Reform implies something more specific than the wider term change. Change could be anything different. Bad, good or something in between, whereas, reform suggests improvement.

When you consider the horrible decisions and terrible approvals for wasteful spending plus the sweetheart deals and corruption in the congress, reform means changing things there to put an end to such corrupt behavior. A new system and new people must be implemented asap. That calls for reform, not just a vague reference to change.

Answer 19

Change - A Democrat in the Whitehouse instead of a Republican

Reform - means ending corruption and bipartisan politics, actual working together

Look at the campaigns

Obama - McCain = 4 more years of Bush

Sounds like the only change is a Democrat instead of a Republican

McCain - selects Palin

Washington outsider with a record of reform and actually has Democrats oin her administration

Take your choice of what your looking for

More the same with a different label or actually real change