Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Election Time
I'm curious where everyone is in the election. Who's supporting whom? Who hasn't made up their minds? I was originally supporting Obama, but now I'm disgusted with all of the front runners (Obama, Clinton, Edwards), so I'm thinking Richardson. Is anyone looking at the Republicans??? Personally, I think they are from the Island of Misfit Candidates....
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7 comments:
Well Hillary scares me in that she seems to be tied to the same corporate money and mentality as GW. I like Obama's personality and initially was leaning toward him, but I haven't heard any specific ideas that really excite me. (Admittedly, I haven't really researched his platform.) I do like the fact that he had the courage to vote against funding the war when everyone else was lined up like good soldiers. (Including Hillary.) Whenever, I hear Dennis Kucinich speak, I think this guy is putting to words what I believe. Remember I'm the one who voted for Barry Commoner in 1980 when Reagan had his "landslide." Kucinich will of course never get elected because he runs counter to corporate interests , and let's face it, corporate America is who wields the most power come election season. Soren does not vote and I've always been bothered by that. However, I'm at the point after a stolen election and a suspect process in the most recent one, that I may simply sit this one out and claim, "There is no choice, they are all alike." It just feels like a sham. The war will continue, wealth will continue to be concentrated in fewer hands and we will continue to destroy the environment. Information is so diluted it can hardly be defined as information and as Neil Postman says we are "entertaining ourselves to death." I genuinely fear for Simone and Chloe. With both feet squarely planted in the middle class, I can't afford anything without accruing more debt. Simone is looking at state schools (presumably cheaper) and we can't afford them. And we make a hell of a lot of money!! But. . . the sun is out, the sky is blue, and the birds are singing. I think I'll go have a martini. (This cynicism brought to you by a beleaguered middle-class American.)
Those are all typical complaints and attitudes toward politicians in general (remember, my Dad was one of those wonderful critters) - and it's easy to put our heads in a hole and pretend that we cannot make a difference with even one vote.
I plan on voting for any Democrat who ends up the head vote getter. I cannot stomach anymore Republican - run years.....at least Hillary is smart! And I sure do hope a Democrat wins!
If we do not vote, we give up our right to gripe and complain about any of the idiots. I just want our constitutional rights back.
So, put your cynical self back on track and get out there and vote - for a Democrat!!
Terri
I agree that we don't get to complain if we don't vote, but I cannot bring myself to vote for Hillary. She is just a smarter version of shrub. Maybe she won't invade anyone with made up intelligence. But I don't think she would be any better. Media would still be consolidated, big business would still get tax cuts, and the middle class would get screwed.
There is always Green....
Let's face it, the Democrats have not done what they were elected to do once they got there. They have continually folded at every turn. Pelosi and Reid are useless. They keep saying that they do not have the votes to stop the war. Pelosi can stop the war all by herself. All funding bills are required to start in the House. Don't let it onto the schedule. Like she wouldn't be re-elected in her district if she did that??? All the Blue Dogs can bad mouth her to their hearts content to get re-elected. That's all it would take. If shrub kept the troops in the field without money, he would take the heat for it. Is it fair to the troops? No. Is it fair they are there? No. Why hasn't Reid changed the Senate rules to require that if you are going to filibuster that you actually have fillibuster? This 'We need 60 votes and we don't have it, so let's move on' crap has got to stop. They want to stop a bill, make them actually do it in public. Where are the investigations into all the illegal crap that shrub and the Republicans have done? Why isn't the NSA warrantless wire tapping program stopped? Well, that was quite a rant, wasn't it?
Typical or not, my complaints aren't unwarranted. I could continue with the happy notion that we live in a democracy and my vote counts, but let's face it,it has been clearly demonstrated that in many parts of our country votes do not count. I voted for Al Gore. He won. However, G.W. was given the election. There were numerous irregularities in both Ohio and Florida where people stood in line for hours waiting to vote (This happened in predominantly Democratic precincts)Many were not allowed to vote.
Let's say the election process works the way it's supposed to. When we elect someone who do they listen to. Yep, LOBBYISTS!!! That's not democracy.
I didn't even rant about elections... That could take quite some time. Has anyone read "Armed Madhouse" by Greg Palast? That will scare the hell out of you.
I know the feeling Mike has about the hopelessness of it all, and Pat's frustration about spineless Democrats. The cynicism of corporate republicans is breathtaking; that they would put up such an inept puppet-president to front for them, while they then plunder the budget for their own gain and make naked power grabs to create a fascist "democracy". And it worked!!!
However, the pendulum is swinging back - as it usually does when the middle class starts hurting. Bush has zero credibility and the Republican candidates are such laughing-stocks, even the Republican base can't support them. The Democrats would have to triple their previous ineptitude to lose this one. The question in my mind is what flavor of change are we going to have.
I agree with Terri that I'll vote for whatever Democrat wins. They're all intelligent, reasonable, and well meaning in my mind. The question becomes - who will be most effective in pushing a progressive agenda, and who will be most vulnerable to selling out to the standard Washington Bullshit.
I'm supporting Obama - I like his approach to solving problems practically; he is extremely bright; and I think he will communicate to America and the rest of the world that we are evolving into a true pluralistic and moral society. I like his agenda is to change the lobbying structure and provide some reform (although not as much as Edwards) - which, while not sexy - is in my mind the most important issue to fight against corporate power. He will stop this increasingly insane war and foreign policy - and stop the rest of the world in its tracks to see how he might be differnt - creating more opportunities for peace, human rights, and fair trading. While I'm not completely thrilled with his health care bill (comparied to Edwards and Hillary), these are just stances that will evolve into whatever the (hopefully more Democractic)Congress will allow.
I'm not afraid of Hillary, although she's a typical politician. She has the same agenda, but is just infuriatingly too cautious and calculating. Everytime I compare my stances to the candidate, I end up agreeing more with Edwards and Kucinich, but I fear they're less electable, and that still scares me (despite my earlier confidence). I think Biden will make a great Secretary of State, and Richardson will make a great Ambassador to the United Nations.
Whoevever wins will have a lot of damage to undo, but a ton of talent to pick from to help him/her do it. I'm hopeful, but apprehensive.
Oh boy, politics! I have been having political discussions with my son, who has decided to back (gasp) a republican-Ron Paul. I must say I am upset for two reasons, first, he is a republican, and second is he is a pro-life doctor. I shudder to think what might happen if he gets into office. Nate just shines on that aspect of RP's position. I get that he is scared for the future (as we all are), and that RP talks a good line of less government, keeping it all at home, ban the IRS (!?). He basically has a libertarian platform, as far as I can tell. He is supposed to be all about upholding the constitution. I just don't trust him (His campaign is all about trust) He is trying to get into office. I really don't trust any of them. What a sad statement. These are the times we live in.
I think Kucinich will get my vote. I think his platform is closest to mine. And I agree, he doesn't have a chance. But I will be voting.It is an important part of this diluted democracy. Plus, that gives me the right to bitch.
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