“RepubIcants” and “DemoCraps”

I agree with you 100%. Two pieces of literature have greatly changed my mindset of America. The first would be “I want the Earth plus 5%”. Google it, it will explain why the middle class is vanishing in America. The second is “Don’t Start the Revolution without Me” by Jesse Venture. I have not finished reading the book, but within the first 15 pages, I wanted to vote him into office. If I picked my ideal politician, he/she would be honest and down to earth, answer questions directly, and would not go back on their word, and they would make mistakes! Now I may not agree with all of their views, but I would not expect that unless I was the one running for office. I want more Americans especially politicians, to do the right thing because it is right.

And what would happen to America if we all did yoga, we would die of complacency.

For the record, I consider myself an INDEPENDENT. I have still not figured out why we need these two political parties… can’t we just vote on the person we believe will be the best choice? When it becomes “Republican” vs. “Democrat” the open minded nature of an individual to choose the best candidate becomes void.

On McCain: I could go on and on about him…but I will just say this for now…How is it that the Republicans have simply forgotten that four years ago McCain was TOO LIBERAL FOR THEM or that he was going to jump ship and become a Democrat?

On Palin: I am angry and appalled that my “Republican” friends and family (and believe me, it is definitely a majority in the state of Utah) believe that Sarah Palin was the BEST choice for VP. The minute it was announced I can’t believe how many of them said, “That was a GREAT choice for McCain!” Uh…why? Wake up! You are in denial. You have been in denial for the last 8 years! You have been deceived into believing the behavior and policies of the Republican party. They are a violation of the “religious” teachings and preachings come Sunday! I almost fell off my chair when I read that Palin said the war is a “task from God”. I don’t get the hypocrisy of the GOP, not only to use religion when convenient, but also sexism (as displayed toward Hilary, but now not Palin). So just because you consider your party the “conservative religious folk,” doesn’t mean that you should believe that John McCain and Sarah Palin are the best choice for you. DEMOCRATS ARE RELIGIOUS FOLK TOO! And… have you ever stopped to think about the fact of McCain’s age (he may croak before his first year is up)…what if it were Palin for President and McCain for VP, would you still be in denial? Open your minds, LISTEN and FACT CHECK what you believe in. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check)

As you can tell… I have decided to vote for Obama. Yes, I know he may not have an outstanding record of accomplishment in government…but to me…that is not necessarily a bad thing. The government is so corrupt with special interests, big business, etc. that maybe we should be electing a person THAT WILL WORK TO GET RID OF THIS CORRUPTION. As I have watched the life stories of both candidates, Obama showed me that throughout his life he aspired to be and is an exceptional person (Didn’t take the six figure job out of law school. Harvard Leadership. Cared about PEOPLE over money.) He shows leadership capabilities just by the way he carries himself. No one can deny the inspiration he brings when he walks into a room. He has inspired so many young people to get involved in politics that I believe this country has HOPE! And HOPE and LEADERSHIP are the two things missing from Washington. We NEED an inspirational leader who can organize a TEAM of LEADERS (Joe Biden, a Campaign staff and campaign that is not in debt, etc.) to restore the American values that make America the nation it is.

So… even though Obama may have his “negatives” as all of us do because we DO NOT have all the answers…I’m voting for and supporting him because he IS THE BEST CHOICE OF THE TWO. The “Republicans” are desperate to hang on to power, and they can deny evolution (race, religion, change, environment, America) all they want… but as for me…I choose to evolve.

OBAMA is the candidate (regardless if he is Democrat or Republican) that will make it a priority to take care of the children of the nation, and the 95% of us who are working class…

AND MOST OF ALL…the alternative is just, well, not an alternative.

Politically, I lean towards McCain/Palin. That said, I’m struggling with WHY not Obama/Biden.

Until early this year, I was a registered Libertarian. Not because I’m really a libertarian, but because I couldn’t stand the idea of registering Democrap or RepubIcant, but when I registered, there was no benefit to registering “independent.”

Then came along Huckabee. I really like Huckabee. Besides how likable he is, I was rather impressed with his response to contracting type 2 diabetes: while governor, he lost 110 pounds and now runs marathons. That sort of personal responsibility impressed the snot out of me. So, I re-registered to as a Republican, just so I could vote for Mike.

So where am I today? I’m excited by McCain/Palin, and I’m concerned that I’m not excited by Obama/Biden. I haven’t decided if this is a rationalization or not, but here’s something I’ve noticed that the press hasn’t:
- Obama is a Lawyer. He worked for a couple years between Columbia and Harvard, but basically he looks like your typical politician — it looks to me he set his sights on politics early on…and was very successful at it.
- Biden is a Lawyer. He didn’t work between College and Law School, but he’s worse than Obama in that respect…almost immediately (if I recall correctly) after graduating from Law School he went into county politics.
- McCain was a career naval aviator who at my age decided to change careers and enter politics. He’s not a lawyer and doesn’t play one on TV.
- Palin got her degree in an unusual way in journalism. Of any of them, she’s had blue-collar jobs (working on a fishing boat), and she entered politics, I assume after she discovered she had a talent for it while being a PTA mom. Palin is 1 year older than I am and sure has made a splash. I also work with a guy who owns property near Wasilla, and he speaks very highly of her.

In short, I’m concerned that I’m justifying my excitement over McCain/Palin. But my summary is that in Obama/Biden, I see the same old-same old politicians. Yeah, Obama is exciting, but he’s a politician through and through. In McCain/Palin I see hope — I see hope that somebody like ME can make a difference in this country if I set my mind to it.

I just read about a very interesting experiment. The scientists were trying to learn whether you could learn hopelessness, defined as a state of accepted helplessness. If so, how is it learned?
Interestingly Presidential candidate Sen. Obama has underwritten his whole campaign with the idea of hope. Former presidential candidate, Jesse Jackson, built his career on “keeping hope alive”.
Where there is hope there is help. We all could use a little help every now and then. Obama has been able to paint a picture in the hearts and minds of the people that the most powerful government in the world is willing and ready to help them. Now that is hope! Who wouldn’t vote for that?
I, on the other hand, am skeptical of the government’s willingness and ability, for that matter ability, to help people in a lasting meaningful way. Hence, I focus on people. What can we, as individuals, do to help ourselves?
So what is making Obama’s message of “hope in the government” so popular? Obama’s message resonates with people, who for a long time have lacked hope and over time may have learned to lack help.
I posed this question to myself. Have I learned helplessness? Anyone who potentially represents help (hope) is my man. My fear is that many Americans may have learned helplessness somewhere along the way.
In the experiment, a caged dog received an electrical shock. It could however push a button that would end the shock and let it out of the cage. At the same time there was a second dog that received the same level of shock as the first dog but there was nothing that it could do to relieve the shock on its own. It had to wait for the first dog to figure out how to stop the shock to get any relief. A third dog received no shock at all.
Here is what the research showed. The first dog very quickly realized that it could do something about its situation. It would do so as soon as it figured out what to do. The second dog on the other hand realized that regardless of what it did, it did not matter. The third dog who had received no shock learned that it could do something about its situation. It did not take it long to figure out how to stop the shock and free itself from the cage.
The second dog, however, exhibited a very strange behavior. Despite the pain of the shock, it did nothing. It just laid there. It learned that it could not change its own situation so it simply suffered the pain. It yelped from time to time, but did nothing of substance to improve its own situation.
Now I wonder how many of us are like the second dogs. How many of us have yoked ourselves to a presidential candidate? How many of us have decided to endure the pain of the economy, gas prices, unemployment, foreclosures or whatever your particular pain is until one of the “Big Dogs” figures out how to stop the shock.?
Sen. McCain believes he can stop the shock and many people are hoping (voting) he can find the “STOP THE SHOCK” button. Sen. Obama believes he can stop the shock and many people are hoping (voting) he can find the “STOP THE SHOCK” button.
I humbly submit that this is learned helplessness. Believe it or not, everybody’s not hurting. We can help ourselves. We already have hope. We can bring about change in our lives today. We can bring about our own hope. Regardless of who becomes the president of the United States of America. Let’s do for self. Let’s determine what we as individuals can do to change our personal lives so that we can undo the learned helplessness that has been indoctrinated in us years throughout our lives. Regardless of who becomes president… whether it is McCain or Obama, we can affect our personal situation when a shock of life happens. We can do something about it and it doesn’t matter the breed of the first dog Democrat or Republican

My concern, is that if you (Will)do not vote, it will be like a vote FOR “the unthinkable.” My republican friend says he “hates them both” and is not going to vote. To think of 4 more years of this crap out of the White House is unthinkable. Obama may not be the strongest candidate out there based on experience to date, but there is NO choice. We have to do something. Make your votes count, but at the National level, the Senators and Congressman from your state and even at the state and local level. Demand change and demand accountability. I think we have a good Senator coming up in Mark Warner. He was a great Governor and he will be a good President in the future, if he chooses to run. Good luck with your choice.

they just manipulate the hell out of us.

This has been the story throughout the history of time. All forms of government, economics and geopolitics come back to manipulation. Most of what you see is an illusion.

I am a registered Democrat, but I have never voted based on party line. I’ve always tried to consider the best candidate based on their actions and character. Because of that, I have probably voted for more losers than winners in all my voting years. I am from Arizona and although I respect John McCain for his service to our country, I’m not of the belief that he is our best choice. I would prefer a leader who actually listens to people and considers their ideas and situations before making decisions. If you have ever seen anyone question John McCain on an issue, you will have notice how upset he gets. In this case, is this the person we want to handle any delicate situation, especially when it comes to foreign policy. I would prefer a cool headed individual who will think carefully before responding. I will be voting for Obama this year even though he does not have the same level of experience in Washington as most other politicians. As another person wrote in their post, this may not be the worst thing in the world. I also do not believe that all lawyers are inherently power hungry bad individuals. There are those who do choose to be public defenders who don’t make the millions they could make in Corporate Law. In this case I am willing to take a chance and place my hopes on a person who did work in community organization. At least I know he has listened to others in the past and has tried to help. To me, it says something about character. It was a conscious decision on his part to work within the community unless someone could show me otherwise. I am not so sure about the other candidates. Lastly, this is the first time in my life that I have seen a candidate get funding predominantly from the ordinary citizens out there. I myself have contributed a little to his campaign. I don’t know how much, if any, of the money Obama has accepted is from lobbyists or other outside organizations. It seems to me that if this many ordinary people are willing to give of what little they have in this economy to support Obama, then all of us can’t be wrong in seeing something in him that will make him a great President. If we have all been blinded in some way, then I guess we will all have to chalk it up to yet another political learning experience. For this one, I’m going with my gut. I hope its right as it has been in the past.

Let’s write in a lobbyist. Seems like they have their act together and are running the country anyway.

OK, generally speaking you are not a whiner. Today you are simply a whiner. Nobody is perfect, not our job, our spouses, our friends, or our politicians. But we have to choose one. You can choose the one who will not change the things you bemoan or the one who might change those things. That choice is simple.

McCain will not do the right things. He will probably not do them right.

Obama will basically do the right things. He may not do them quite right. NOBODY can tell us how we are going to fix our debt. But fighting wars that do more harm than good? Not an answer.

Biden is “a politician”. In one article you bemoan Obama’s lack of experience and Bidens over-experience as a politician. Which is it?

Which is it that matters, America? Experience as a politician, or being an outsider? I will tell you: Experience when we have it, and being a outsider when we don’t have experience! Whatever works.

I wanted Hillary and was upset Obama got the nomination. By the same yardstick I was APPALLED at the choice of Palin. Having a part-time commercial fishing business is NOT qualification for VP. As Karl Rove pointed out, being mayor of Richmond VA is not qualification for VP. As O’Reilly pointed out, Jamie Lynn Spears parents are responsible for the way they raised their child. This party clearly has atrocious double standards.

When people just fabricate truth and reality like this it is taken to a sick extreme.

But in complaining of politics generally, what you are complaining about is simply that in order to get elected you have to balance different priorities, needs, values and relationships.

Well, welcome to life, where that is what everyone must do. We all talk God with some and avoid it with others. We all accept money from a job that is only 90% inline with our values. We all give up on one issue so we can win at another. We all have little baby skeletons in our closets. Most all will take some money if it will do a greater good. We all make an issue of something with some parties but avoid it with others.

Politics is simply knowing how to get things done by balancing conflicting values. And they are no different than us, they just do it professionally.

“Do I look fat in this dress?” “No, but I find the other one more flattering.” “Are we going to cousin Bob’s or Gramma Jane’s for Christmas?” Do I take the home office deduction even though I play computer games in there? Welcome to politics. Welcome to life.

The person I would want to be President would NEVER get elected. He/she would say, “The single greatest threat to our National Security and our way of life is not terrorism, not energy, but our own debt.” Ross Perot was the only candidate who I recall ever talking about this. Nobody now talks about this and nobody is willing to take it on because the only way to take it on is for the people who would elect this person to actually suffer. Everyone would need to chip in, tighten their belts, pay more in taxes and get less in services to take care of this problem. Instead we bury our heads in the ground pretending that if we just stimulate the economy a bit more, or consume a bit more this problem will go away. We mortgage our children’s future so we can live under the illusion that having stuff is the American Dream. It has been looming since I was a kid back in the 60’s and 70’s. Now it is the elephant in the room and both Democrats and Republicans blame each other for all the broken dishes.

Our government is a reflection of our collective thinking. It is OK for us to live off of credit and well beyond our means so of course it is OK for our government to do the same.

I predict that in the coming decades it is our National debt that will sink us. If we have to fix it in 30 years it will cause untold suffering world wide. If we wisely fix it now it will just mean the wealthiest Americans and corporations will be a little less profitable.

My husband and I have been talking about leaving this country ever since George Bush hijacked the election 8 years ago. We have found this administration to be insufferable, and the thought of a candidate with the same politics chills us to the bone. That’s why we’ve been excited about Barak Obama ever since we first heard him speaking on a video 2 years ago. We are well aware that there’s no perfect candidate, but it seems that Obama’s candidacy is about forward thinking, openness, inspiration, and inclusion–NOT FEAR! These are the traits that my husband and I value; the ones that will keep us living here in the US.

Your comments are the first I’ve read that I agree with 100%. Still, one of these tickets is going to be elected and we MUST vote to choose the lesser of the evils/better of the two choices. I wish we had other choices but that is not the reality.
I do think many people fall into learned helplessness. But, although we need to work on what we can change in our own lives, we need to also participate in the bigger picture. One of these tickets will soon be making decisions that will impact us.

Will,
Quit it, will you? We, your fellow dreamers, hope to hear your optimism expressed in useful ways, different from the stream of rehashed drivel the media pumps out every minute of every day. It’s disheartening to see you fall right into the trap that has been laid for you and for all of us. That trap is simple: The notion that the election of the President of the United States is the most important thing in the lives of American citizens. IT IS NOT! There’s a book I used to read while I was a military intelligence analyst that provided some insight on this topic. “A Quick and Dirty Guide to War” has published four editions since 1985. It analyzes all the countries of the world and measures the propensity of each to become engaged in armed conflict or civil war. The United States is listed there and considered “stable” internally because it “has the illusion of overthrowing the government every four years,” a reference, of course to the Presidential elections. I believe that the pain you and others are feeling, Will, is because that illusion is coming apart. It’s like a shocking, intellectual birthing process that takes us to a new level of understanding about what America has become over the past few decades. It is not your grandfather’s country anymore, much less your father’s. The reason our country has changed is that we have have come to believe that the President is the person responsible for all our problems. We easily overlook the other 1.8 Million federal employees, plus the 535 elected members of congress and thousands of appointed positions that make government go (or not go) every day. The President is one person who heads one branch of a government made of three equal and separate parts. Of all those people, only the President is guaranteed to only be around for only 8 years or less. Everyone else can stay 10, 20, 30, or 50 years! Can you imagine the power of a 30 year government bureaucrat? The carnival atmosphere we throw around the presidential election every 4 years is a candy coating that rots the minds of the common people, keeping them from truly understanding the composition of their government and placing responsibility where it belongs. And that is the trap. The Great Oz is all smoke and mirrors. In your post, Will, you said “Bush acted like an emperor making any law he wanted for his first six years.” Was this a Freudian slip? The President doesn’t make laws! He executes the laws your congressman and senators make. Don’t like the endless string of President-declared wars? Have congress take the power away from him by enforcing the constitution and making congress declare war! Tired of lobbyists hijacking the system? Have congress kick them out! Want an answer to health care costs? See previous answer! Tired of unfair taxes? Rewrite the tax code so you and I can understand it with a high-school education…then we can see for ourselves who is not paying their fair share. Better yet, abolish the IRS and replace it with some accountants who can use a dime-store calculator to figure straight percentages of profits….and quit taxing earned income while their at it! These are all things your senators and representatives do…NOT YOUR PRESIDENT. Sarah Palin was a political stunt? Sure she was! But that’s the game, Will. The game of pretty faces, soundbites, cheap shots, character assassination, and media spin that we have allowed…nay, ENCOURAGED our political system to turn into. To get elected you HAVE to play by the rules of the game we have created, so don’t blame them for doing it well. Therefore, we have to change the game. Time to be reborn as constitutional Americans and take our government back.

Below are a few comments on some of your points.

1.Keeping an open mind

We know with absolute certainty, what doesn’t work. The last 8 years were disastrous and engaging in war with Iraq with the doctrine of a preemptive strike will probably go down in history as the worst possible action taken by any U.S. president. We, therefore, need to change from the autocratic, “hegemony of the world” thinking. Obama’s willingness and risk taking tact of visiting other countries in his bid for the party nomination exhibits his willingness to try something new and his diplomatic abilities.

2. Former staffer and observed corruption

From what I’ve seen about Tom DeLay, Ralph Reed and others actions, and the willingness of the public to be pawns in this matter is appalling. If one does the research, our presence in Georgia and the one billion dollars we have promised them has more to do with the oil pipeline in their country than anything else we hear from the candidates or the media. Your lobbyist from the oil companies at work in my opinion. It is too bad about the senior staffer. She is exactly the kind of person that is necessary to get in positions of authority to make the kind of change we need.

5. Health care costs

Health care is a real problem. Most people are not in a position to buy the best, most expensive houses, cars, clothes, boats, or whatever. Health care is no different. The best care and the finest hospitals and equipment cost more than most of us can afford. To expect someone else to pay for my health care is unrealistic. The money has to come from somewhere. Controlling costs can only be done by socializing minimum medical care and dictating payment schedules, which insurance companies already try to do. Low pay limits the quality of Doctors and equipment. The problem is everyone wants someone else to pay, whether it is through law suits, or insurance companies. No easy solutions here.

9. The choice of Sarah Palin

I find it difficult to believe one man chose Palin. I think, more likely, she was chosen for McCain by the Republican Party, and to reinforce his desired image for change. The fact that he either chose her, or permitted her selection to be made for him, proves that he is willing to sacrifice the safety of our country to win this election. I agree that while Palin might turn out to be OK, there is no basis for making such a judgment. The question we should be asking is not if she might make a good Vice President, but if she is our best choice for President. I think her selection is reckless and a publicity stunt. There are many women who are far more qualified for this position.

What we do know about Obama is that he seemingly has great diplomatic skills. He seems to listen and consider his position on matters carefully. He has shown great grace under pressure, and does not make snap reckless judgments and comments. His education and background prove he has an exceptional mind and if driven by a good heart, he should be able to execute this position. Hopefully he will listen to the top advisers and think tanks and act responsibly and think things through to their end game. Most of what happens in the world is quite predictable if one wishes to expend the necessary energy to be informed. Hopefully Obama is willing to make the intellectual commitment.

In any event, we need to make a choice of the two candidates, (as you know, yoga is a refusal to choose). If you eliminate what doesn’t work, then Obama is the only choice we have at this time. Hopefully he will be better than we could possibly imagine.

YES YES YES this is the problem and I am despondent about it. Thank you for stating it so eloquently.

Now what? Not complaining. Just wondering.

…Kevin, this is not about white lies and the art of balancing different political interests. Its feels as though we are rapidly transitioning away from any pretense of democracy, and toward some sort of corporate feudalism or even fascism.

Will,
While the Democrats may not be perfect, I disagree that they are in general as corrupt as Republicans. (Joe Sleazerman notwithstanding - he is NOT a Democrat anymore!)
I think that in general, the Democrats are more on the side of the PEOPLE and the Repugnants on the side of big business and war profiteers.
Sara Palin is absolutely one of the most appalling political figures I have seen in a long time. I truly think she is Dick Cheney in a dress.
We cannot allow that woman to be a 72-year old’s heartbeat away from the presidency. We simply CAN’T afford that.
She is anti-choice, anti-environment, pro-Big Oil. Like George W. Bush, she thinks that God wants us to fight wars in the middle east.
I think Obama and the team of people he will surround himself with will at least start to clean up the disgusting, sleazy, stinking, disastrous mess that the Bu$hies have left us with.
As far as Democrats being big spenders, do you forget that Bill Clinton left us with a surplus???
I would love to see a third party truly challenge the status quo. But that does not happen because people, including very smart people like yourself, sit around and moan instead of doing something to change it.
I vote for at least SOME CHANGE right now. The only hope is Obama.

Voting the “lesser of two evils” is the sucker bet.
We voted in the Dems two years ago.. what have they accomplished? Getting informed and then voting your values is the answer and the only way to NOT waste your vote. I think Rob nailed it: “has the illusion of overthrowing the government every four years,”
We need to throw the damn lobbyists out and start holding our leaders accountable. The media has such a stranglehold on the truth that it doesn’t seem to matter how ABSURD the Palin choice is. Obama promises “change” and selects Biden who has more time in congress than MCain…ABSURD.. “smoke and mirrors”

We need to restore Constitutional America. No matter how painful it is. Is there a candidate who is promising to do this? That is who I will vote for. If we all vote our values, we can have real change. please do not buy the lesser of two evils lie.
God Bless America

The evil inherent in rewarding the republican backroom politicians by electing their Granpa and Gidget ticket in November is greater than electing a slightly less qualified Elitist, who is kinder and smarter.

I truly fear for out country if Ms God-on-my Side takes the reins. Outright contempt for people who simply hold different religious views is part and parcel of her pedigree. McCain seems a transparent enough guy, but with the likes of Carl Rove pulling the strings (no, McCain wanted Lieberman–the backroom good old boys selected Palin) the Washington DC power will still be GW Bush handlers. Be very affraid. But blame the vast majority of US citizens who ignore issues and go with the brightest flash of celebrity as their guiding light.

I say let the Dems try their hand for next four years.Period. They can be replaced, again. There are truly no other viable choices. No, I don’t actually think Obama is elitist. He is not your average Joe, either. WD

Seems to me that if so many people are against both candidates why not try to make a concerted effort to vote for a third party? Bob Barr seems like he has a good head on his shoulders, and every one of the 3rd party candidates wants to abolish the IRS so that’s a plus. I encourage everyone to read “Revolution: a manifesto” by Ron Paul and sign up at www.campaignforliberty.com and check out what is going on outside of mainstream media.

I have always been Independent because I think party lines just exasperate what we all hate about politics. Simply put - Obama is an excellent and charismatic speaker, but he lacks substance and true decision making ability. Let’s be serious, he votes “Present” at senate hearings so he doesn’t have to take a stand on issues, and now he’s vying for Commander in Chief? He bends to the special interest groups which have been continually using more of my tax dollars and are depleting the infrastructure. He needs much more experience on making important decisions and choosing the right people to help him, way before he gets into the top dog seat where those decisions could literally tear our country apart. I’m not saying that someday, he’d likely be a great president - but certainly not now. He is a thin book, with a fancy eye-catching cover, a well written prolog, and a good marketing strategy and a few scantily written verses!
There’s no comparison to McCain’s novel, yes a little torn around the edges, but what a self-sacrificing and inspirational life. The man’s not perfect and it would realistically be awesome if he was 10 years younger, but he knows how to lead, how to make intelligent and informed decisions, and how to keep us out of the hands of radical Islamic terrorists. He’s running for the right reasons, for his Country, not for himself. I have to say as being involved in public safety for many years, it’s amazing to me how many people are so ill-informed about the threats to our national safety and stability. If you think the biggest problem is high gas prices, or only 87% of Americans own a car and only 97% own televisions or the unemployment rate is up to almost 6% - you are truly naive. We actually have an exceptional standard of living in comparison to most countries and the only way to keep it prosperous is to have a leader that knows how to keep us safe. He is truly an American hero, paired with a wife who is far more self-sacrificing than most average Americans could ever imagine, let alone want to aspire to be. Unfortunately, in an ever increasing culture of entitlement, these self-sacrifices are a deterrent to many because they really just want what is best for themselves, not the county as a whole.
McCain will keep our Country safe from fundamental terrorists, and if you are naive enough to think that isn’t a viable threat then you need to waken your senses, read some books, travel to the mid east, or at least speak with experts who know. The threats are great, and if we are not safe in our Country - nothing else will matter. Despite what you feel about Pres. Bush, we have not had a significant attack under his watch - but there had been many attempts here, and many successful attacks oversees. You think our economy is hitting some rough spots, think about what would happen with another 9-11 type attack or worse yet, a nuclear attack tied into the Iran/Israel conflict.
Don’t be blindsided by dazzle, look at the substance - pay attention to the debates. You will never agree with everything one party offers, but focus on what is most important for our survival and who has the experience to carry out decisive decisions.
As for Palin, give her a chance – we’ve heard about the inexperience of Obama for close to 2 years - she’s only been public in this thing for a few days. Although, cutting all the pork barrel spending and government reform is a great ticket to start with.

For what are we voting?

It’s profound to recognize that people have different ideas about how voting is supposed to work. I felt a little naive when somebody told me we’re supposed to vote for what is in our own self-interest. In this way, the result is supposedly in the best interest of the majority- and that’s what democracy is about according to the person that told me this. In this manner, we are all vying for a result that will benefit us individually, and there are winners and losers.

I hadn’t had the idea that democracy was about competing for your self-interest. I had the idea that we vote for what we believe is in the best interest of us all as a society. When I vote that way, I believe I am still voting in my own self interest. I am better off living in a society where everyone is doing well and content that they live with fairness. This doesn’t eliminate capitalism. It just means we attempt to legally cooperate to give us all the same rights and opportunities to participate in the economy and society.

If we vote with the hope that our individual advantage will be with the majority, so that we are one of the winners, then there will in fact be a majority of self-interest in control. And if you’re not in that majority, then you lose. With the success of that majority, it gains power and wealth, which further establish its dominance.

Eventually, the members of the majority still vying for their self interest, can only increase their power and wealth by eliminating members. As they do that, each individual gains the power and wealth of those eliminated from the majority. The “majority” can shrink to where they no longer are the majority in terms of population, but they are the majority of power and wealth. We sometimes call them “the elite.”

Our founding fathers created a system of government and law to protect liberty and justice within a democratic (republic) and capitalist society. It had protections to prevent individuals from taking it away, and processes for remedying transgressions to it. However, this system relies on individuals and representatives to recognize transgressions, and act upon them. The masses must be awake and participating.

If the majority, that is no longer really the majority (the elite), has enough wealth and power, it can prevent the true majority (the masses) from perceiving what has happened. It can manipulate the media to create opinions convenient to its system. When the elite gets that far, its members are no longer conscious of what they have created. They are removed from the suffering of the commoners and their eyes remain fixed on their tradition of increasing wealth as if they were entitled to have it. Some of the elite give donations so that they can convince others and themselves that they are good people, while their hubris allows them to believe a donation removes them from responsibility for the system they control.

How can we remedy this? What if the masses became educated about what’s happening, and what if they changed their ideas about how to vote? What if we actually educated people about voting? What if people changed for what they are voting?

The elite still utilize voting in order to maintain the appearance of democracy. They’ve attempted to eliminate a paper trail to make election fraud easier. While they’ve not had complete success with that, they have continued to increase control by other means. Maybe someday their control will be so great that they will think elections that are no longer necessary.

I can only hope that the masses wake up and recognize their personal responsibility to participate in the society in which we live. This doesn’t mean that you just show up to vote. It’s much harder than that. You have to educate yourself regularly. You must find information other than what’s being spoon-fed to you by the elite’s systems. You must recognize that whatever amount of money you’re making cannot make up for the massive redistribution of wealth occurring nationally and globally. And no matter how much stuff you buy, it will not make up for the loss of the society that you took for granted.

As we enter a period of increasing population and diminishing resources, we are going to see difficult times that can result in anger and conflict. This too is a manner in which we vote. For what are you going to vote with your electronic ballot, your money, your time and energy?

See this image online: www.yessy.com/tawesstudio

“When the Far Left and the Far Right Cannot Find the Middle, It’s Dictatorship”
by Dennis Tawes

Another important relevant fact that needs to be considered in regards to the Republican ticket is McCain’s health. While I certainly do not wish him ill, he has a reoccurring medical problem (melanoma) that has a high mortality rate. So the VP slot is critical.

Not that I agree with everything Michael Moore believes, one thing he said made a great deal of sense. He said on a Larry King interview recently something like, if your working on you car and you reach for a wrench and it turns out to be the wrong size, you AT LEAST, reach in your toolbox and try another wrench. You don’t keep trying to make the wrong wrench work! We should try letting the democratic candidate have a shot at it. If that doesn’t work, than we’ll kick him out and try another. I feel, AT THE VERY LEAST, we should not reward the same party whose candidate’s policies are very much the same (90%) as Bush’s in the last 8 years.

Take a good look at Bob Barr, Libertarian candidate. Don’t let yourself be resigned to the fact that “only a Democrat or Republican can win.” It’s only when people start voting for what they believe in that things will change. Get Barr into the debates. He must have 15% in polls. He will add something to the debate that the status quo dems and reps are trying to avoid.

Wow, I agree with so many of you, and the choice this election is by far the most difficult. I will however, be voting for McCain/Palin. I think both parties are extremely arrogant and wrong in thier constant attacks on each other, however at the end of the day, I am voting my conscience. My husband and I believe in hard work, not hand outs! We sre SO tired of being FORCED to pay for lazy people who do not WANT to work.People who sit around and WAIT for the Government to “send them thier check” month after month and year after year…This has to STOP!!We cant afford these deadbeats anymore..So theres the “fundamental” reason I will vote for the Republican Candidate.Good Luck to everyone making thier choice as well….

This is great reading. Edgy. Compelling. Clearly our system of governmental leadership is broken and it’s no surprise that lobbyists are the puppeteers behind it all. Don’t like it, but not surprised.

I agree with Rob and was “hoping to hear your optimism expressed in useful ways.” You have the talent. You have the skill and ability to create so much positive, enlightening energy. I challenge you to express the same views differently so as incite your readers to take action for real change. I’m not yet sure what the “real change” is, but I think it would look more like the concept of our country’s founders than the concept of our current system of law making.

When Rob says: “we have to change the game. Time to be reborn as constitutional Americans and take our government back” I want to know HOW? What is your plan, Rob? Support the Libertarian? Run a write-in campaign? The problem is money. How will we find enough money to compete against the RNC and DNC money machines? How much will it take to “change the game”? Where do we start?

“What is the solution?” is a conversation I often have with my boys. Is the answer Revolution? Is it a Grass-Roots efforts (starting with this blog)? Is there, someplace, a ground-swelling movement in its infancy that will bring an unknown leader to our presidency?

I don’t have an answer yet, but Will, I know you can do better.

One more thing. The Tax Accountant in me wants to know your source for the comment: “1/3 of the profitable companies of the Fortune 500 pay no taxes at all.” This “fact” doesn’t jibe with me. Is it simply Conventional Wisdom?

I received this through email today and thought it appropriate that I post it as a comment to this blog.

WHO’S BEING DUPED????

I’m a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight….. * If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you’re “exotic, different.” * Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story. * If your name is Barack you’re a radical, unpatriotic Muslim. * Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you’re a maverick. * Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable. * Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you’re well grounded. * If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate’s Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran’s Affairs committees, you don’t have any real leadership experience. * If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you’re qualified to become the country’s second highest ranking executive. * If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you’re not a real Christian. * If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you’re a Christian. * If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society. * If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state’s school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you’re very responsible. * If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family’s values don’t represent America’s. * If you’re husband is nicknamed “First Dude”, with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn’t register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable. OK, much clearer now.

Will,

Your comment that: “So, after the last two weeks I am still unresolved [about for] whom to vote“ scares me – really. As a well informed adult American you can’t decide between two clear and distinct choices?

Your “analysis” and that of most of the posters (except for constitutional Ron – hurray) misses the BIG PINK ELEPHANT standing in the middle of the room.

Our political system has 2 (and only 2) major parties, because it represents the essential political ideological debate. You can call it left versus right, but more specifically it is capitalism vs. communism, individualism vs. collectivism, and traditional “Americanism” vs. “Europeanism.”

Unfortunately, an adult level national debate about these concepts is pointless because one side is driven by “thinkers” and the other side by “feelers.” Right now the balance of power between these two groups teeters on a knife’s edge – be afraid, be very afraid.

America is now well on its way to what Nobel Prize Winner Friedrich Hayek referred to as “The Road to Serfdom” (in his book by that name).

The Road to Serfdom was placed 4th on the list of the 100 best non-fiction books of the twentieth century compiled by National Review magazine and also appears on Martin Seymour-Smith’s list of the 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written.

From Wikipedia:

Hayek’s central thesis is that all forms of collectivism lead logically and inevitably to tyranny, and he used the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany as examples of countries which had gone down “the road to serfdom” and reached tyranny.

Hayek argued that within a centrally planned economic system, the distribution and allocation of all resources and goods would devolve onto a small group, which would be incapable of processing all the information pertinent to the appropriate distribution of the resources and goods at the central planners’ disposal.

Disagreement about the practical implementation of any economic plan combined with the inadequacy of the central planners’ resource management would invariably necessitate coercion in order for anything to be achieved.

Hayek further argued that the failure of central planning would be perceived by the public as an absence of sufficient power by the state to implement an otherwise good idea. Such a perception would lead the public to vote more power to the state, and would assist the rise to power of a “strong man” perceived to be capable of “getting the job done”. After these developments Hayek argued that a country would be ineluctably driven into outright totalitarianism.

For Hayek “the road to serfdom” inadvertently set upon by central planning, with its dismantling of the free market system, ends in the destruction of all individual economic and personal freedom.

Wow.
Let’s repeat that last part for clarity:
“…dismantling of the free market system, ends in the destruction of all individual economic and personal freedom.”

So with the slow erosion of all economic and personal freedoms hanging in the balance, are you still undecided about for whom to vote?

Gary of September 17th- you just said it all more eloquently than I could ever- great job! I also just wonder how many are cluing into the integrity shown by Obamas campaign in that they have not taken the 84 mil in campaign money from the us treasury that McCain did opt for and they have not taken money from the very banks that are now being bailed out.. as McCain has. People want more than talk, I think these facts demonstrate that Obama also walks the walk.

oops one part of that last message is not true…check out open secrets website for info on campaign monies….

I still go with Obama but am just a bit more informed!!

I review federal tax forms all day long in my job as a financial aid advisor. Why does a person earning $30000 per year with two total exemptions pay nearly $2000 in federal tax, but a family of ten earning $70000 per year pay zero tax? It’ stime we took a look around us and realize that some of our problems are caused by overpopulation and start removing the financial incentives to have more and more children. The planet is overburdened and the quality of life of every being on the planet suffers for it. Humans as a species and Americans in particular have been irresponsible and using more than their share. I know it’s not politically correct to suggest this, but I’m done with being politically correct. Wake up and face reality.

Now ministers who benefit from the non profit status of their church are going to tell people how to vote which is illegal. I don’t need religion or government to tell me how to think. God gave me a brain and I know how to use it. We were also blesed with five senes, look around, listen and come to your own conclusions. If churches want to become involved in politics let’s start collecting taxes from them and stop calling them churches. That should bring a fe million more dollars!

American politics have been corrupt from it’s inception. Any “real” choice, is exactly the opposite, it is NOT ! People need to realize that the SAME people (the people that matter) back BOTH choices, all for different reasons. Capital Hill is an absolute JOKE ! I want everyone to ask yourself one question; How far have we’ve come as a nation, really ? Can we honestly say that we are any better off then we were at any time in previous history. That’s an easy answer for me. Go back in time and see what they were talking about in the campaigns, is it any different today ?
If nothing is REALLY changing, or I should say, progressing, then what are these campaigns REALLY about ?
Just like one of my heros said awhile back, “this country was bought and sold a long time ago”.
You know the whole political arena, and the people in it, are one big club, and guess what ? YOU AINT IN IT !
It’s all one big facade, it’s fake. People, the dumbing down of America that started years ago is showing itself more and more each year. “They” did a great job of it. Wake up ! Listen to what these people actually tell you, and research it. It’s easy to get the real answers. Do your OWN research ! The mainstream media and newspapers will not give it to you.
The Bloods and Crips of Capital Hill will continue to be bought and sold. Just notice, the people in the “race”, who are truly honest, and telling the American people the truth get cut real quick. Two examples, Ron Paul and Dennis Kuchinich. Dennis runs on a campaign of peace and love, WOW, we can’t have that. The military industrial complex doesn’t like that, no money in peace and love. Ron Paul understands there is a need to get rid of illegally founded institutions like the “Federal” Reserve and the IRS. But we all know the people that are truly in power can’t have that either.
The bailout is about one thing, FINANCIAL MONOPOLY ! AIG had 1 trillion in assets, guess who owns them now ?
If me or you had an outstanding 35k school loan, are we getting bailouts for them ?
Money talks and you know what walks.