There are days in life that you will remember forever. Each generation has them. Moments that profoundly affect not only you as an individual, but moments that forever affect the population as a whole. These are the "Where were you when..." moments in life.
"Where were you when JFK was shot?"
"Where were you when the Challenger exploded?"
"Where were you when the towers fell?"
Sadly, these moment tend to have a negative event as their cause. Some catastrophe that manages to bring the nation together for a brief moment, giving us a collective pause, and a sense of unity, however fleeting it may be.
Yesterday was not one of those moments, even though some in this country will classify it as equal a catastrophe as the ones mentioned before.
My friends, mark your calendars, preserve your newspapers, and order extra copies of Time Magazines "Man of the Year" Issue, because history was made yesterday when Barack Obama became the first African American to be elected as President of the United States of America. This is an event that forever change our country, the effects of which will be felt for generations to come. I echo my friend Beth's sentiments, in that I am proud to say that I was witness to this milestone in our country's history.
I am not ashamed to say that I did not vote for Obama. It had nothing to do with his race. It had to do sole with the fact that I disagreed with too many of his policies. Whether or not he will be a capable president remains to be seen, and history will be the judge on that. I continue to contend that he was elected more for the sake of the historical aspect than his policies. However, I will acknowledge that I am glad that when this historical event had come to pass, It was Obama standing at the podium rather than someone like Louis Farrakhan or Jesse Jackson.
So, now that history has been made, we must all pray for our country, and for our new Commander-In-Chief. It is a proud moment in our country's history. Let's just hope it doesn't end on November 4th.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
My Second One and Only Political Rant
Okay, I lied, I have another political rant in me. But this will be the last one regarding the 2008 election, I promise.
As I mentioned yesterday, the process that many of Americans use to determine who they’re going to vote for is absolutely ridiculous. They’re not voting based on the issues or the facts. They vote based on popularity and other factors that have no bearing whatsoever on the capability of the candidate to lead this country. This election, more than any other in my memory, crystallizes that fact.
Around the office this morning, I’ve overheard a lot of people discussing who they’re voting for. And to a person, the ones who are indicating they’re voting for Obama are using the same argument.
“I want to be part of history by electing the first black president”
I’m am equal parts dumbfounded and angry at this. We are not in high school choosing a student body president. We are electing the leader of the USA. And the sole criteria that a seemingly large part of population (based on my scientific polling process of eavesdropping on conversations at my office) is selecting a candidate that will allow them to say they helped make history happen.
The fact is, those voting for McCain could use a similar argument, by claiming they want to be part of history by electing the oldest first term president and the first woman vice-president. Yet, at least in the conversations I’ve overheard or been a part of, those voting for McCain/Palin are not focused on age or gender.
What does the man’s race have to do with his ability to lead this country? Does the fact that John McCain is white mean that his policies and agendas are automatically wrong? Does race or age factor in when mass infanticide is being allowed under the umbrella of legal abortion? Does race or age factor into taxes or health care? Are we really that stupid that we, as a country, believe that electing a candidate base on their race or their age is the best criteria?
I’m not going so far as to say that Obama cannot be a good president. Nor do I believe that every Obama supporter is voting for him because of his race. I do disagree with many of his policies, but if he is elected, I will not cry foul or pout about it. But it disturbs me that if he wins, his election will have been more about his race, and not about his policies.
Sadly, no matter who wins, half of the country will be angry and upset, and the sense of unity and bipartisanship that is going to be required will become harder and harder to achieve.
As I mentioned yesterday, the process that many of Americans use to determine who they’re going to vote for is absolutely ridiculous. They’re not voting based on the issues or the facts. They vote based on popularity and other factors that have no bearing whatsoever on the capability of the candidate to lead this country. This election, more than any other in my memory, crystallizes that fact.
Around the office this morning, I’ve overheard a lot of people discussing who they’re voting for. And to a person, the ones who are indicating they’re voting for Obama are using the same argument.
“I want to be part of history by electing the first black president”
I’m am equal parts dumbfounded and angry at this. We are not in high school choosing a student body president. We are electing the leader of the USA. And the sole criteria that a seemingly large part of population (based on my scientific polling process of eavesdropping on conversations at my office) is selecting a candidate that will allow them to say they helped make history happen.
The fact is, those voting for McCain could use a similar argument, by claiming they want to be part of history by electing the oldest first term president and the first woman vice-president. Yet, at least in the conversations I’ve overheard or been a part of, those voting for McCain/Palin are not focused on age or gender.
What does the man’s race have to do with his ability to lead this country? Does the fact that John McCain is white mean that his policies and agendas are automatically wrong? Does race or age factor in when mass infanticide is being allowed under the umbrella of legal abortion? Does race or age factor into taxes or health care? Are we really that stupid that we, as a country, believe that electing a candidate base on their race or their age is the best criteria?
I’m not going so far as to say that Obama cannot be a good president. Nor do I believe that every Obama supporter is voting for him because of his race. I do disagree with many of his policies, but if he is elected, I will not cry foul or pout about it. But it disturbs me that if he wins, his election will have been more about his race, and not about his policies.
Sadly, no matter who wins, half of the country will be angry and upset, and the sense of unity and bipartisanship that is going to be required will become harder and harder to achieve.
Monday, November 3, 2008
My one and only Political Rant
I figure that it is about time for me to put in my two-cents worth on tomorrow’s Presidential Election. I do so knowing that no one will probably read this, but it will make me feel better having provided my only political rant, so that I can go on record after the fact regardless of the outcome. So allow me to begin with the primary foundation of my argument.
The democratic election process in this country is a joke!
Actually, let me rephrase that. The election process itself is integral to our country. How we determine who we will cast our vote for has become a joke. When considering who we feel will best lead our country, should our primary consideration be how the candidates compare to the current President? Regardless of how good a job you feel President Bush has done over the last eight years, to base your decision for the next President on a direct comparison to the current one is foolishness.
This election has become about the ideal of change for change’s sake. All we hear is how bad the last 8 years have been and how our current state of affairs is a direct result of President Bush’s ineptitude. Yet, it has been documented that it takes between 8 and 10 years for the effects of policies and economic changes to be felt en masse. So the problems that we are facing now are more likely the result of changes and policies put into place by Clinton/Gore.
And the campaign policies of the candidates do not make it any easier for us to select a candidate. It has become more important in the current political climate to talk about how the other candidate will hurt the country. It has become commonplace for the candidates to attack the other’s integrity.
The result of this type of negative campaigning has removed our ability to vote for the best candidate. Rather, we are now relegated to voting for the lesser of two evils. It disgusts me that the choice for the leader of our country is to be decided not by who is best for the job, but by voting to make sure the ‘worst’ options doesn’t get elected.
And, ladies and gentlemen, we will get it wrong with this approach.
Any time the election process becomes about negativism, no good can come from it. Regardless of the winner, we will have effectively polarized and angered nearly half the population in the process. The opportunity to create an atmosphere of cooperation will have been missed, and we will suffer as a country because of it. If you need any proof, look at the last 20 years. Not since Reagan has there been a general agreement across party divide on the selection of a President.
Unfortunately, there is really no way of getting to the truth anymore in American politics. There is no way of truly discerning what each candidate can do, or will do, if elected. Every piece of information is chopped up and reformatted for sound bytes, and the result of this process is a media-influenced reality that skews drastically to the left.
For me, I can agree with come of the policies of McCain, and I can agree with some of the policies of Obama. Conversely, I disagree with many of their policies as well. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that neither candidate will be able to fully meet my desires for the leader of this country, that I will have to accept the good with the bad. But what it comes down to for me is selecting the candidate that best aligns with things that I hold firm to.
I am firmly pro-life.
I am firmly anti-socialism.
It is for those reasons that I will be voting for John McCain in tomorrow’s election.
Every other policy, agenda and issue in this election is really irrelevant in my opinion. Taxes will always go up. Health Care will always become more expensive. Companies will always look for cheaper ways to do business regardless of who it affects. Lobbyists will always pay to have their agendas pushed through. Oil will always be a concern, and new sources of energy will always need to be created. Those issues will never change no matter who is elected. The only difference will be how fast they change.
I urge you all (and by you all, I mean the 4 or 5 people who read this), to not vote tomorrow for the lesser of two evils. Rather, I urge you to take a deep, hard look at what you yourselves hold firmly to, and then find the candidate that most aligns with your ideals and cast your vote accordingly.
Good night, and may God continue to bless America…even if we don’t always deserve it.
The democratic election process in this country is a joke!
Actually, let me rephrase that. The election process itself is integral to our country. How we determine who we will cast our vote for has become a joke. When considering who we feel will best lead our country, should our primary consideration be how the candidates compare to the current President? Regardless of how good a job you feel President Bush has done over the last eight years, to base your decision for the next President on a direct comparison to the current one is foolishness.
This election has become about the ideal of change for change’s sake. All we hear is how bad the last 8 years have been and how our current state of affairs is a direct result of President Bush’s ineptitude. Yet, it has been documented that it takes between 8 and 10 years for the effects of policies and economic changes to be felt en masse. So the problems that we are facing now are more likely the result of changes and policies put into place by Clinton/Gore.
And the campaign policies of the candidates do not make it any easier for us to select a candidate. It has become more important in the current political climate to talk about how the other candidate will hurt the country. It has become commonplace for the candidates to attack the other’s integrity.
The result of this type of negative campaigning has removed our ability to vote for the best candidate. Rather, we are now relegated to voting for the lesser of two evils. It disgusts me that the choice for the leader of our country is to be decided not by who is best for the job, but by voting to make sure the ‘worst’ options doesn’t get elected.
And, ladies and gentlemen, we will get it wrong with this approach.
Any time the election process becomes about negativism, no good can come from it. Regardless of the winner, we will have effectively polarized and angered nearly half the population in the process. The opportunity to create an atmosphere of cooperation will have been missed, and we will suffer as a country because of it. If you need any proof, look at the last 20 years. Not since Reagan has there been a general agreement across party divide on the selection of a President.
Unfortunately, there is really no way of getting to the truth anymore in American politics. There is no way of truly discerning what each candidate can do, or will do, if elected. Every piece of information is chopped up and reformatted for sound bytes, and the result of this process is a media-influenced reality that skews drastically to the left.
For me, I can agree with come of the policies of McCain, and I can agree with some of the policies of Obama. Conversely, I disagree with many of their policies as well. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that neither candidate will be able to fully meet my desires for the leader of this country, that I will have to accept the good with the bad. But what it comes down to for me is selecting the candidate that best aligns with things that I hold firm to.
I am firmly pro-life.
I am firmly anti-socialism.
It is for those reasons that I will be voting for John McCain in tomorrow’s election.
Every other policy, agenda and issue in this election is really irrelevant in my opinion. Taxes will always go up. Health Care will always become more expensive. Companies will always look for cheaper ways to do business regardless of who it affects. Lobbyists will always pay to have their agendas pushed through. Oil will always be a concern, and new sources of energy will always need to be created. Those issues will never change no matter who is elected. The only difference will be how fast they change.
I urge you all (and by you all, I mean the 4 or 5 people who read this), to not vote tomorrow for the lesser of two evils. Rather, I urge you to take a deep, hard look at what you yourselves hold firmly to, and then find the candidate that most aligns with your ideals and cast your vote accordingly.
Good night, and may God continue to bless America…even if we don’t always deserve it.
Christmas is still in December, right?
Note the date. November 3rd. Keep this in mind as you continue to read…
I ventured to a local fast food establishment for lunch today as I had only 30 minutes between meetings. As I sat there and quickly ate my grilled chicken sandwich, reading my newspaper, I became aware of the music playing in the restaurant. Here is the song list as I heard it while I was eating…
“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”
“Where Are You Christmas?”
“Jingle Bell Rock”
“Hey Santa”
Again, note the date…NOVEMBER 3!!!!!!
Call me a purist, but it should be illegal to play Christmas music before the day after Thanksgiving. If I ever run for political office, that will be my platform! The only Christmas music that should be allowed to be heard prior to that day is in rehearsals for choirs/band/orchestras as they prepare for Christmas programs.
Maybe I’ll go complain to the local mall Santa about this. He’s open for business on Saturday!
I ventured to a local fast food establishment for lunch today as I had only 30 minutes between meetings. As I sat there and quickly ate my grilled chicken sandwich, reading my newspaper, I became aware of the music playing in the restaurant. Here is the song list as I heard it while I was eating…
“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”
“Where Are You Christmas?”
“Jingle Bell Rock”
“Hey Santa”
Again, note the date…NOVEMBER 3!!!!!!
Call me a purist, but it should be illegal to play Christmas music before the day after Thanksgiving. If I ever run for political office, that will be my platform! The only Christmas music that should be allowed to be heard prior to that day is in rehearsals for choirs/band/orchestras as they prepare for Christmas programs.
Maybe I’ll go complain to the local mall Santa about this. He’s open for business on Saturday!
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