Presidential Election

I was hoping to avoid this topic. Seriously, it always gets messy. Unfortunately, I have such a strong feeling about it and so much frustration that I want to get it off my chest. I am not sure which is more unsettling to read, this post or the creepy crawlies in my last post. So, as a warning, if you have a low tolerance for logic and reason, you may want to read this one with your eyes closed. 

First, after careful introspection I do not consider myself a democrat or a republican. I have always tried to categorize myself into one of these boxes, but each election I found my views changing back and forth. I found what I really feel comfortable with is to look at the candidates and then evaluate them as potential leaders. Do they look presidential? Do they have a past that may not be perfect, but shows a strong character of caring about people, and their country? Do they have charisma that can win over a hostile audience, and bring a calm voice of reason to tense situations? I don't want someone who seems so set in his ways and so filled with pride that he is not capable of taking a small step backwards in order to make great strides forward later. I am just a person who wants a qualified leader who can lead in tough times.

Now, I watched the primaries, and in my opinion the best candidates seemed to have reached the top of their respective race. However, at this point I think the choice is pretty one sided. Barack Obama is clearly the better candidate. I am dismayed at the fact that the polls are so close. 

It is not that I am all about being a democrat and would vote for anyone who ran as a Dem. Look, I actually voted for Ronald Reagan and I am glad I did. He was a strong leader and what I thought we needed at the time. I believed his trickle down theory of economics would work. It didn't, but it sounded like it was what we needed, and he was willing to try it because he thought it was best for the country. The thing is, it was tried, and we found it did not work. We need to learn from these things. Pumping money into the economy at the top does not work. Greedy people run big businesses and all the money we pumped into the corporations went to golden parachutes and bonuses to CEOs instead of passing it down to workers who could actually use it. For those not getting it, those workers are us. We have much more of a need for a raise in our salaries than the CEOs do. I mean, if you can't live well on the first $10 million will the additional 300 million dollar bonus really improve your happiness? Especially when that money came from tax breaks and incentives that were set in place so that the profits could be used to improve the lives of the workers who made it all possible. Anyway, I digress. 

I feel the way I do about Obama because I watch the news. I used to be a supporter of John McCain at one point. I was a soldier, I was in a war. I feel for him, and I know he is strong on veterans rights and cares about how we are treated. I respect his valor and sacrifice for the country, but being the most well known veteran/ former POW isn't what makes a president. It was a good start though, but he lost me along the way. Being a president is about character. John's whole campaign seems to be to take a fact, and then alter it to the point it is no longer true, and then state it as the truth even when all facts are presented against it. That is part of the frustration I talked about earlier. I am frustrated first that someone who seemed to be a good person has such deep flaws in character that he chooses to stoop that low consistently, and secondly, that this tactic works because so many people are uninformed and refuse to check facts themselves, or even listen to the facts when they are shown to them. Possibly, people hear the facts and know McCain lied, but have decided that is how politics are and it is OK. EIther way it all starts with McCain's inability to maintain his honor and dignity in a difficult fight. How do you think the rest of the world sees him now? As another politician who would say or do anything to try and win. That is probably why in a BBC poll of people around the world "...on average 49% preferred Mr Obama to 12% in favour of Mr McCain." And McCain says he wants to change our ugly image around the world, he is a part of that ugly image. 

OK this is going to run long. Stick with me a little longer. McCain chose Palin as his running mate. No one doubts that the reason for this choice was to steal away the women voters that wanted Hillary to win the Democratic Primary. I understand that these voters were up for grabs and I don't have a problem with him trying to choose a woman to be his VP in order to grab them. It is just that he put such little thought into the choice that it annoys me as a voter. I am sure Sarah is a great person, and a good mother. She is just not VP material. Definitely not presidentail material. How many other women could better fill this slot? Let me give you an example: Condaleeza Rice. Can you think of a better candidate than her? She has what I would want in a leader. Look at her, she has been involved in every major international crisis. Not by stopping by and saying he was there. Not by taking the one day quick press tour that makes you look presidential when in fact you learned nothing and did nothing of consequence. Condoleeza is intelligent, well-spoken, and would not need to be protected from the press. People know her views, and know that she has the ability to go into a hot spot and when she leaves there is at least a temporary truce in place to give people time to think more clearly. She is someone who could stand on her own merit and not be just a token woman who fills the spot but shouldn't speak unless it is specifically her talking points given to her by the campaign leaders. Now that is what we needed, not a Palin. Sorry John, bad choice. I am hoping Condoleezza was not overlooked because of her race. I didn't see many people of color at the republican convention. 

Obama is not perfect. He has flaws too. The point is his flaws don't seem as great of character flaws. Rev. Wright incident? Some people would choose to vote against Obama because of Rev. Wrights views. I don't think Obama could be an anti white racist when half his family is white. ALso, wouldn't there be something in his past to indicate he held these types of views? Clearly, at least to me he is the person who most likely could bring a real dialogue about racism to the forefront. A white leader can't do that effectively, and a black leader can't do that effectively either. Neither could speak from a neutral ground they would both have a tainted perspective. 

Also, when it comes to character, I see all the fact checking that is done about the campaigns rhetoric. I can not recall once when the news checked facts about Obama and found them to be out right lies. ON the other hand, it seems every day I see McCain or Palin's facts checked and the conclusion is that they are deceptive and untrue. I understand that in American politics this may be normal, but I hold my vote for the person who can show me some I can trust his facts. I have seen what happens when we are lied to as a nation by our president. It now costs us 10 billion dollars a month. Did that have any impact on why we have a weak dollar? Or why our financial system is in crisis and we have a huge deficit? Hmmmmm  I think this election I will go with the persn I can trust to deal with the world diplomatically, and not make up facts to get us into things we should not be involved in. I would love to hear your views for or agaist mine in the comments. I'll keep my mind open to new ideas if you will.