I have spent the morning thinking about politics, never a good thing! I began by reading the transcripts from the Vice Presidential Debate. Then I got side-tracked, reading blogs and news reports by liberals, conservatives and so-called unbiased sources.
I am, like many Americans, fed up with party politics and the mess that we are in. Regardless of your party affiliation, it is not possible to defend certain actions of the current administration such as – waging war under false pretenses, increasing government by 40%, condoning torture and decreasing civil liberties. However, it is not accurate or honest to blame everything from global warming to the subprime mortgage problem on George W Bush and Dick Cheney.
The problem is that both parties are using the dissatisfaction of the American public to promote their agenda which increasingly appears to be to get elected, no matter what. Bring back the John McCain of 2000 (don’t you wish he had been nominated then!). He would never have chosen Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential candidate. While the Vice Presidential choice has always been a political expedient and about helping the candidate to get elected (hearken back to Kennedy’s choice of LBJ, someone whom he found distasteful), John McCain is not young. We have to seriously consider Sarah Palin as president. Do we honestly think that John McCain believes that she can do that job? Is it not more likely that he believes that he will be in office for a full term? Still we have to consider the possible consequences of this choice.
What about Barack Obama? He went to a church for twenty years and called Pastor Jeremiah Wright his mentor. When videos surfaced showing Pastor Wright preaching an alarming message of intolerance, Barack Obama quickly disassociated himself from his former church. What are we supposed to make of this?
The point is that both sides are distorting facts, spinning stories and trying not to alienate any segment of voters. The media has lined up and taken sides and we are left to do our best to sift through the BS. We really won’t know what the candidates will do until they get to Washington. Don’t forget that George W Bush was touted as a centrist who would bring bi-partisan cooperation. He would cut taxes and reduce government. In fact, he has turned out to be something quite different.
It is easy for us to throw up our hands and say, “Politicians are all the same. It doesn’t matter who gets elected.” Well, the past eight years have proven otherwise. So once again, I ask, what are the most important issues to me and how will these candidates handle them? I keep coming back to our foreign policy. It continues to amaze me that Americans think that other countries will welcome us with open arms when we invade their nation to “liberate them”. During a recent 60 Minutes episode Lesley Stahl appeared to be mystified when an Iraqi vendor in the marketplace said that things were better under Sadam Hussein. It seems that although “freedom is nice”, electricity is better. When you reduce people’s standard of living in the name of freedom and liberation, they are not very grateful.
Barack Obama’s statement that he would talk to the leaders of countries that we deem “enemies” has been called naive and used against him. However, we make friends and allies through understanding, not through bombs. (One point to Obama.) On the other side, John McCain continues to talk about winning the war in Iraq. What exactly does winning mean at this point? We lost when we invaded Iraq on false pretenses and thereby created fertile grounds for extremists while alienating the general population. (Minus one point to McCain.)
We are creating the same anti-American sentiment in Afghanistan. Neither candidate talks about leaving Afghanistan, but we need to understand that we will never “win” anything by alienating the inhabitants of a country. When we “accidentally” kill civilians, their friends and relatives are bound to form some lasting hatred for the US no matter how good we believe that our intentions are. (No points to either candidate).
So I ask you, what are the important issues for you? Which candidate appears to be the better choice based on your beliefs? I have read many thoughtful posts and comments online today – some supporting Obama and some supporting McCain. I have also read many intolerant, biased and just plain mean posts. Despite the latter I believe that the majority of Americans are reasonable people who want prosperity, respect and peace for our country. We recognize that these are perilous times and that our choice matters. I pray that we choose wisely!
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