Politics
Wow, my Social teacher was right. Whew! I can not believe the response the Sarah Palin post has gotten. The comments being left on this and other sites I’ve posted the link to the Women Against Sarah Palin post are heated. They all make for a great read and it’s obvious people feel strongly as they debate their points.
I still am neutral. I am a registered Democrat and that is the line I always vote. I say I’m neutral because I don’t like either candidate. I think Obama is a sketchy dude. I can’t pin it down, but there is something about him that rubs me the wrong way. I don’t believe a word either candidate says, because it’s all just talk. All any of these politicians do is talk and I have yet to be impressed by any action taken.
I always liked McCain as an individual but do not see him as the leader of our country. I enjoyed watching him on The Daily Show, where I like to get all my news, but really think he is too old and too Republican (sorry, Republicans) for my taste.
That said, I was recently involved in an email conversation that started over some anti-Obama forward. I glanced at it and deleted it without thought. Moments later, there is a reply from one of the recipient’s asking to be removed from any future emails relating to the topic stating-
“This is the exactly the one sided crap that pro barack hussain obama brainwashes suckers with. this bs forgot about the hate spewing minister obama lies about never hearing hate speeches from. I bet whoever is sending this junk around also thinks that America was behind 9/11. to the America hater that sent this out, please take me off your list until you start thinking for yourself and stop being brainwashed by some power hungry, tax raising, unqualified, unpatriotic, weak, scared bigot.”
Well, I found it amusing (because I knew the sender) and was a bit surprised this person sent it out as a ‘Reply All’, since there were plenty in the ‘All’ he didn’t know. That one reply started a chain of replies to the entire email list.
It started with light replies regarding being able to take a joke or saying someone obviously “Needs a vacation” but progressed into some heated comments as the day went on. I came across one powerfully written response by Democrat Michael Soper that I feel is worth sharing with everyone today.
“This is America’s political discourse in a nutshell. A Democrat takes offense with certain characterization’s made about their candidates and puts together a list of biased facts to point out the perceived hypocrisy of the Republican claims. A Republican responds with abusive vitriol totally detached from reality that’s sole purpose appears to be to fit as much hatred and ignorance into four lines as is humanly possible. In the process he also claims that his position is patriotic and that Democrats are anti-American.
I’m sick of it!
“One sided crap†– as opposed to your well balanced and thought out response?
The correct spelling of Saddam’s last name is Hussein, not Hussain, he is not related to or in any way associated with Barack Obama.
“brainwashes†– brainwashing is the term coined to describe Soviet torture techniques used to elicit false confessions from captured U.S. pilots. America developed Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) training to prepare pilots and other military personnel at high risk of capture to cope with “brainwashing techniques.†SERE instructors are now used to train interrogators at Abu Ghraib and Gitmoprisons where brainwashing techniques are official policy. This Republican policy is very patriotic and still very effective at eliciting false confessions.
Democrats do not believe Americans were behind 9/11. We believe al Qaeda terrorists based in Afghanistan were responsible for those horrible acts. We also believe that Afghanistan is two countries to the right of Iraq.
“unqualified, unpatriotic, weak, scared bigot†I’m assuming you left out “liberal, elitist, homosexual, pedophile†due to space constraints.
…You are not a patriot; you are an idiot and apparently devoid of the minimum of human decency that would allow you to comprehend what American values are.
And yet half the country is Republican. I don’t spend my days asking people, “Are you a Republican or do you just have Tourette’s Syndrome?â€, so I must conclude that not everyone shares [his] views. So I ask you thinking Republicans to respond to my (not Obama’s) typical Democratic views. I’d love to hear opposing views, even if you think I’m unAmerican.
Iraq: I’m against the war, but I support out troops. I think that many Republicans are realizing this isn’t and has never been a conflicted position. The surge worked in cutting down the violence, much better than I or most Democrats thought. But, it still doesn’t address the real problem which is the fact that Iraq is in the middle of a civil war and our presence their exacerbates the situation not improves it.
Economy: I believe in “tax and spendâ€. It works like this: you raise money through taxes to pay for programs that keep the country safe, healthy and prepared for the future. You spend the money you raised through taxes on programs that keep the country safe, healthy and prepared for the future.
For the past 30 year, Republicans have followed the same economic formula: cut taxes + increase spending = record deficits. It works every time! Surely you guys have noticed.
Foreign Policy: I think unilaterally suspending the Geneva Conventions was a bad idea. It buys us nothing yet puts all American troops at far greater risk of torture now and in the future. It also goes against the American sense of fairness that has been in place since, well … George Washington. Oh yeah, it’s also illegal.
Torture sucks.
Lobbyists – Ours: lawyers, labor unions Yours: NRA, religious right
I’ll take the sharks over the gun nuts any day.”
I’m a democrat and I agree with all of his statements. I’d agree regardless of my political affiliation, but from what I understand, these beliefs are what make me a democrat. Michael is strong in his opinion and welcomes opposing views to debate. I, too, am interested in hearing what everyone has to say.
This does not mean all Democrats think this way or Republicans that. As a whole, though, they do. I can’t presume to know how another person was raised or what their beliefs are, but I can understand one’s beliefs are strong.
So I invite you to voice your replies here. I would love to see what you think and I plan on turning over the replies to the inviduals involved in the email. Please refrain from any hostility, we are simply trying to state our points here. Thank you.
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I kinda have to agree with our commenter almost completely. And it’s well-stated at that. The only thing I take exception to is how well “the surge” has worked. I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone that the administration has generally failed to mention the mechanics of “the surge”
http://wizbangblue.com/2008/09/12/the-us-paying-more-than-80000-in-iraq-a-salary-not-to-kill-or-blow-things-up.php
so it’s really not so much boots on the ground as it is cash in hand that gets the job done.
Julia-
WOW. I just went to your site and I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like everyone to check this out-
http://yarnmaven.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/09/we-need-and-army-of-librarians.html
Anyone in favor of banning books is NOT okay in my view. That post made me sick. I’m officially voting for Christopher Smallwood.
McCain has picked a running mate that has half the country terrified. That’s not leadership. Technically, it’s terrorism.
Okay, I tend to vote along the Republican line (but am never a straight party voter, as I’m a liberal conservative, quite frankly), but really am disappointed at the candidate choices this year.
I don’t tend to be gun-toting (oh, my husband is a hunter, but doesn’t believe in several of the NRA’s platforms, and we believe in extensive gun control measures).
I’m not impressed with the economy (but do feel it took more than the current administration’s policies to screw it up, so thank you Bush AND Clinton). We are religious, but at the same time, respect the right of others to have their own beliefs and religions (in fact we have plenty of friends from all areas of beliefs).
I won’t go into the millions of other issues I have, as I’ve determined I won’t fight on the “interwebz” regarding politics. That isn’t the reason I entered the blogging world.
I just want others to know that here are many of us who aren’t on the extreme left or right of the issues. And many of us who don’t like either choice we are being offered for candidates this year.
McCain/Palin scares me. (I just can’t like her or agree with him on several things.) Obama/Biden worries me. (Maybe I have an issue with putting Oprah in the White House? And Biden just isn’t Mr. Sincerity.) I didn’t like Ms. Clinton, either, since I absolutely couldn’t stomach another four Clinton years.
I’m still trying to pick the better of the two evils for my vote.
That is exactly how I feel. I have no idea what I’m going to do. I don’t like either choice. This election is a nightmare.
Bill Clinton presided over the longest period of peace-time economic expansion in American history, which included a balanced budget and a federal surplus of $559 billion.
You should know by now what Bush and his Republicans have done to all that in the past eight years of mismanagement. The National debt is currently $9.7 trillion (PLUS the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are off the books), and today Bush is asking Congressional approval to increase the national debt to $11.3 trillion!!!!!
If you want four to eight more years of this criminally incompetent Republican catastrophe, vote McCain/Palin. I’m convinced they’ll manage to make it even worse…
So… Internet rumor predicts an Obama campaign “October surprise” — Democratic VP candidate Joe Biden will “excuse himself” from the ticket for health reasons and be replaced by Hillary Clinton.
According to Snopes, it’s hard to prove either way, but it looks to be just an internet rumor. Would this change to Clinton change anyone’s voting in any way?
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/vpchange.asp
I was looking forward to another 4 Clinton years. Our country was doing okay with Bill in the office. And we woman all know no matter who our husband is that the woman wear the pants in the family- so I’m sure she has something to do with things…perhaps!
Anyway I can’t STAND to even look at McCain he freaks me out. And the Biden dude- I’m sorry but anyone with a last name that sounds so much like known terrorists it just weirds me out.
I’d love it Biden was really stepping down and Hillary was going to replace him. That would be rock-tastic!
Sorry for the weird comments- I’m all hyped up on cold medicine!
I decided to make this a featured post. November is coming fast and I’d like to hear what everyone thinks. I left a comment in my “Women Against Sarah Palin” post and I want to repeat it here. I don’t understand why everyone is making such a big deal about her being a mother and a politican. Since when would that matter to any of us? Hasn’t nearly every male in office also been a parent? What’s the difference?
I thought these links may interest you:
- http://robertreich.blogspot.com/
- http://www.mavericksatwork.com/?p=143
- http://lessig.org/blog/2008/09/on_palins_experience.html
Obama was not my first choice, I’ll admit. He and Clinton are not as liberal as my leaning. I often feel that today’s Eisenhower Republicans are the centrist Democrats.
However, many of the people in politics respect Obama (Reich, Lessig, Dodd, etc.), and he is wisely seeking their counsel. Unless he is wrongfully usurping power, a president commander-in-chief of our armed forces, a potential veto on a bill, our highest diplomat, and person who makes appointments.
I doubt the veto issue will be a problem. His background and even temper makes him a better diplomat. Finally, based on those he’s sought to advise him, I trust his appointments will be far better than the people McCain chooses to keep company with (think Phil Gramm, Karl Rove, etc.)
i am a republican. i am voting for mccain. i do not believe by a long shot that all our countries current problems can be traced to one man. there is no possible way that bush has caused every problem we have. there are plenty of other people that are going to be involved in that. bush has a higher approval rating than our current democratic congress. that is pretty sad. and no one is talking about their historically low rating. i try not to engage in debate regarding the positions. i have come to decide that if you truly feel strongly about one candidate than me trying to tell you, you are wrong or change your mind is pointless. similar than trying to change your religion. there is a reason the independents are the target market. the undecided. for me it boils down to my sense of morality and beliefs. i disagree with the liberal views as they severly contradict what i believe to be right. those are my values. political views tend to be right in line with your views on morality and social economics as well. i will go against the grain and while i will be voting mccain/palin and i do feel she is just as qualified as her counterparts and will do an excellent job i personally don’t think any woman should be the commander in chief. that has nothing to do with my thinking women and men are not equal i just feel there are certain positions that should be held by men. i am personally disgusted by the personal attacks on her and don’t think that any other candidate have been hit so far below the belt. so yes, as much confidence as i can have and the best choice for me is mccain. i personally have issues with obama and think we are in danger as a country if he is office. you are who you associate with and his associations are very much problematic.
while i do wish for mccain to win. part of me would like to see obama win – screw things up worse and then the republicans can come back strong in four years. because he will and then we will.
regardless of what you believe – vote. your opinion matters. your vote counts. don’t complain about who is in office if you don’t take the time to help get them there.