I’ve debated for weeks if I should make a post about the upcoming election season; certain days I felt certain I should, while others I thought maybe I should keep my mouth shut (they say never talk about politics or religion). However, this is my blog, and as an American, I have the right to discuss such things. So here goes:
Vote for Barack Obama. Please, if you care about our country and you want to make it through the next 4 years, vote for Obama.
Don’t get me wrong, I have always loved John McCain - in 2000, I was seriously cheering for him to win the Republican primary against Bush (however, at the age of 15 I was below the voting threshold). There is no doubt in my mind that our country would be in a much better place if McCain had been elected eight years ago; however, now is not the time to make up for such things.
Our country is a mess. Bush’s do-nothing attitude towards much of the goings-on in our country has put us in the worst spot we’ve been in since the great depression. I’m not even going to talk about the war; we all have our opinions about that. I am, however, going to complain about how our government has turned a blind eye to the banking system for the last 8 years. As the child of a career mortgage underwriter (my mom’s been in the business since ‘86) I remember hearing a lot about these ‘BC’ loans back around 2002-03. The mortgage business was booming at the time; all you needed to qualify for a near 100% financed mortgage was proof that you’ve had a successful renting history and a job. Bad credit? No credit? No problem!
The banks suckered these people (who obviously had problems with credit/money management) into getting these adjustable-rate loans, glossing over the fact that in 5 years their mortgage payment would double. While my Libertarian beliefs don’t allow me to let these bad credit dumb-asses off the hook (don’t be a sucker - if you have shitty credit there’s always a catch, the sooner you learn this the better), however if we expect the government to insure what these banks do, we do need to regulate them. Because I’ll be damned if I’m paying the banks out for duping stupid people into buying shit they can’t afford (guess I’m damned, for this is happening).
But back to the election: anyone with eyes can see that the John McCain that the Republicans are pimping is not the John McCain we saw 8 years ago; or even 4 years ago when he was considering running with the Democrats against Bush. This McCain has been hounded and pressured and molded by the current GOP heavy-hitters, including that bastard Karl Rove, into being something he’s not. While I don’t believe McCain would be nearly as much of a mindless sucker that Bush is and let these guys run the show, he will be at the mercy of his party and the majority holders in the game.
What our country needs right now is Obama. We need someone not tied down in Washington with years of associations and lobbyist ties; we need someone with just that little bit of naivety to go in there and really believe that change can be made. Obama’s one of the smartest men in politics, a man whose background is diverse and stone-set in the American way of life, and even though he’s not the most experienced man in the world, we’ve learned over the last 8 years that even a dumb-ass can run the White House.
Now onto Sarah Palin. I have to give her some credit, she’s quite spunky. Her crazy beliefs about book banning and sex education aside, I do respect her dedication to her career and her rise as a woman in politics. But being governor of Alaska is one thing; being VP is another thing completely. Being VP means that if something happens to the president (hate to state the obvious but McCain is quite old… he could very well not make it the 4 years in office) the VP is in charge. So the question is not, “is Sarah Palin ready to be VP”, it’s, “is Sarah Palin ready to be President”.
The answer is no. Not a chance. Yikes.
In conclusion; I think the party platforms are saying a lot - while Obama focuses on giving power back to the people; he has real plans for college students (where was his ’service for scholarship’ plan when I was scrambling around for college financing?), our future in energy and global warming, and most importantly, our economy. All while the GOP is spouting lies and stretching truths about Obama (claiming he’ll raise our taxes). Where’s your energy plan, McCain? Where’s your plan for our economy; our future?
Oh right, you don’t have one.
This blog belongs to Jade Rauenzahn, a 23 year-old web developer living in Hell's Kitchen, NYC.
I totally agree and couldn’t have said it better myself. Also, your right that is scary that if Mccain took the big dive Palin would be President kinda crazy.
The “book banning” controversy with Palin has been completely debunked. Turns out it was an internet smear blasted by some disgruntled librarian in Palm Beach, Florida. She admitted to it. She’s been since reprimanded. Yet, the leftwing blogosphere continues to spread the story as if it were fact.
I see even this Blog continues to report the lie.
Ironic, a woman who was attacked for being “too libertarian” and “too moderate on social issues” a few years ago, when she challenged the social conservative Frank Murkowski machine, is now attacked while running for VP for being “too socially conservative.”
The ignorance of those not understanding libertarianism is astounding.
Eric - thanks for taking the time to reply. Glad to hear that book banning controversy was proven to be false - with so much information flying around it’s sometimes difficult to discern fact from fiction.
That being said, I still stand by my beliefs that our country needs a change that only Obama can provide. While the GOP talks in vague words about reform, they lack the mentality of change that is necessary for our country to thrive in the 21st Century. They seem oblivious to the huge economic turmoil that we are facing on many fronts - from our financial sector to our energy crisis. McCain is perfectly content with us continuing to ship our jobs overseas; he says our economy is “sound” at it’s heart, when it’s really in a sad state.
McCain needs a better energy plan other than “offshore drilling.” We should bring back the ‘old days’ of people-powered innovation. Our government should support and reward the people for coming up with innovative technologies which will drive us into the next century and allow the US to continue to be a world leader. Thomas Friedman is right with his book Hot, Flat, and Crowded - whoever solves our energy crisis is guaranteed to be the superpower of the 21st century. Obama’s energy plan seems to give more power to the individual American in this respect; while McCain’s is focused on giving too many tax breaks to oil companies who have been reporting grossly excessive profit margins the past few years (gee is an oil man President?).
I hope you are not confusing me with the ‘bleeding left’, trust me, I’m not down with that game. I believe in the rights of the people, in a very Jeffersonian way, both socially and economically.
I guess if Fascism is the change you desire than Barack Hussein Muhammed Obama, the friend of Terrorists William Ayeres and Kenyan Islamo-Fascist murderous dictator Raila Odinga, is the logical choice. As for me, I’ll choose Liberty thank you. I don’t need someone stealing all my money from me through taxation, aligning America with Islamo-Fascists worldwide who want to take over America and institute Sharia Law, or instituting Nanny-state regulations like nationwide smokin bans, a 55 pmh speed limit to “save the planet” and mandatory seat belt laws.
We fought and defeated Adolph Hitler in the 1940s, and now liberals like you want to bring Naziism back to the United States under the guise of the Indoenesian/Kenyan Radical Muslim Obama.
Shame on you. You are a disgrace to America.
Eric,
I’m really sorry for your very skewed and inaccurate opinion of both myself and Obama. I don’t know where you get away with calling Obama out as a terrorist, but I can assure everyone reading that there is absolutely no basis on that and it’s incredibly small-minded of you to write such things.
I’m shocked that you were so harsh on me about some mistaken Palin issue when your views on politics are so skewed that even falafelgate Bill O’Reilly would send you to the nuthouse.
I’m leaving your comment up as evidence of how horrible your gross misinterpretation and small-minded racism actually is. Obama is not going to raise taxes for the middle-class, quite on the contrary he is the only candidate spouting a second round of relief in the form of a $1,000 energy credit. The only taxes he plans on rising are those on the upper class - there’s an upper-class tax break set to expire; Obama plans to let it while McCain says he will make that tax relief permanent. This tax only affects people making > $200,000 a year, which in any terms is not middle class.
Personally, I’m not a fan at all of these “nanny laws”, and yes, it is the ‘bleeding left’ which is responsible from banning people on doing things that could potentially harm themselves. However, while the right wing complains about these things, they in turn push their neo-conservative Christian values on the population - banning women from being able to get abortions (I would never get one but in a Libertarian frame of mind I am not going to shove my personal beliefs on others).
It’s a double edged sword.
…and I think I’ve given you too much attention. Go have fun spouting your absurd “Obama’s a terrorist” comments on other blogs, thx.
And where do you see “racism” in my comments? How dare you call me a racist. I’m married to an Asian woman. I speak 12 languages. I’ve visted 25 nations worldwide. Don’t you dare call me a racist.
I gave 4 years of my life to the United States Military. I fought for my country so that ingrates like you would have the freedom of speech to spew out your statist- loving crap. I think you owe me an apology.
Oh, gee, isn’t that nice. Obama doesn’t really want to raise taxes on the “middle-class.” Really? Can you explain for us than why it is that Barack Hussein Muhammed Obama has the most Far-Left voting record of ANY UNITED STATES SENATOR!! He scored a perfect 100 on the Marxist ADA scale two years in a row. Obama is endorsed by the Communist Party USA. He is aligned with Marxist Dictator Raila Odinga of Kenya and even campaigned in-country for Odinga in 2006. This was right before Odinga’s Marxist troops incinerated 600 non-Mulsims who were supporting his opposition in a Church, shooting to death those who tried to flee. Obama is also best friends with open Marxist William Ayeres who has visited Fidel Castro and Cuba on numerous occasions over the last few decades.
And you honestly believe a Marxist like Obama is “not going to raise taxes” on the middle class?
Could you kindly provide some evidence of Obama’s “fiscal conservatism.” Maybe as a State Senator in Illinois.
Oops, that won’t do. Cause one of Obama’s IL Senate colleagues - State Sen. Rauschenberg, said of Obama, “Nice guy, but he’s got a voting record to the Left of Mao Tse Tung…”
I’ve got news for you lady. Those “Religious NeoCons” you talk about are a very small segment of the Right-wing. All Libertarians and most Conservatives these days oppose smoking bans, bans on gambling, 55 mph speed limits, 21 drinking age, reverse racism through affirmative action, and politically correct speech codes on college campuses.
It’s the Democrats, especially in California, who have pushed for statewide smoking bans, outlawing free speech through political correctness, 55 mph speed limits and mandatory seat belt laws. If it wasn’t for Republicans, both Conservatives and Libertarians, we’d all be living in a Safety Nazi Fascist State.
You are insinuating that because Obama has a Muslim name (a result of his Kenyan father) that he’s a radical Islamic terrorist. Your quote:
“Indoenesian/Kenyan Radical Muslim Obama”
Why do you need to bring his Indonesian/Kenyan background into it at all?
I did say I opposed such “nanny laws”, and I do. The bleeding left pisses me off as much as the next Libertarian, however, I am putting Country First, as the GOP likes to say, and our country’s biggest problem right now is it’s economy, not these frivolous laws.
Once McCain comes up with a solid energy plan; a solid education plan; a solid economic plan; let me know. Let me know when he gets out of Karl Rove’s pocket and the pocket of Big Oil. Right now all he can do is backlash at Obama, and smear politics is worse than nothing at all.
The thing that’s nice about this country is that one man cannot turn us into a dictatorship. Our system rocks because we have checks and balances.
Sure, in Obama’s history, yes he has IN THE PAST supported higher taxes. I’m not arguing that. However, if everyone was judged solely on their past actions, we have a cokehead for a President.
I’m mostly just annoyed by the smear campaign and the misinformation that was abundant at the RNC about Obama raising taxes on the middle class. He is aware that our economy is not in that state right now; he is the only one promoting additional tax RELIEF for Americans.
Even Megyn Kelly understands that these tax claims are bunk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OviYjJWIYbY&eurl=http://wtfpolitics.com/
I find this a well reasoned post and the book banning issue is not an internet rumor. Here is a link to an article in the New York Times, which unlike bloggers, sources their material.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/politics/14palin.html?ref=politics
Quote
“The new mayor also tended carefully to her evangelical base. She appointed a pastor to the town planning board. And she began to eye the library. For years, social conservatives had pressed the library director to remove books they considered immoral.
“People would bring books back censored,” recalled former Mayor John Stein, Ms. Palin’s predecessor. “Pages would get marked up or torn out.”
Witnesses and contemporary news accounts say Ms. Palin asked the librarian about removing books from the shelves. The McCain-Palin presidential campaign says Ms. Palin never advocated censorship.
I would hazzard that Mr Dondero is here to rack up his McCain points and has little interest in an actual discussion where each side might benefit and learn from each other.
PS. I actually volunteered for the McCain Campaign in 2000, the first time I was ever excited about an election and I was saddened with how the Bush Campaign employed the same type of politics he is now practicing. When this contest began I would not have been disappointed if he had won, but now I see that he has just become a tool for the far right.
PSS. Do not feed the troll.