Why everyone should hope that Obama wins the election

Now, in the last few decades, our political system has gone down the toilet in it's use of personal attack ads.  Look at the way that political opponents have torn each other apart, not on the issues or policy stances, but by impugning their character.  It's sad that we all know what the phrase "character assassination" (CA) means.  Up until this campaign season, the general way it goes is that both candidates say they'll keep it clean, then one crosses the line into CA so the other responds in kind.

 

This year has proven different.  McCain has fallen behind in the polls... so he has thrown every CA attempt he can think of.  Throwing distraction issue after distraction issue at the direction of Obama.  He's tried guilt by association attacks (listen to the Common Sense podcast on that topic for more details as to why that is a logically bad argument). Tried to paint Obama as an elitist (see prvios entries of mine why being elite is a GOOD thing for our leader), or a terrorist supporter, a supporter of vote fraud (of which ACORN is NOT guilty... its at worst registration fraud, and that's even debatable).  These attacks are meaningless to the job at hand, and represent the status quo of politics. Mudslinging and name calling.

 

McCain has many many issues in his closet that could be used against him.  Yet Obama has stayed away from them.  When he said families were off limits... he walked the talk.  When he said he'd stick to substantive issues, he mainly has.  If you look critically at the attacks Obama has leveled at McCain (and they are attacks), they question his plans and his record.  I'm having a hard time coming up with an example of a personal attack that Barack has leveled, perhaps the "out of touch" lines. That may have been to far. But I can't think of many non-policy attacks.  I can see why McCain, who has made many gaffes, would lose to the cutthroat campaign styling of Bush/Rove.

 

Now, McCain and Obama have both made the facts their bitch from time to time.  Obama's claims about McCain's Social Security plans are stretched... and McCain's claim that Obama is going to raise your taxes is also false, unless McCain is speaking to a crowd of families that make more than 92K a year, which is statistically very unlikely.  (note: Obama WILL raise MY taxes... I make more than the border for a single person... I'm OK with that.  I voted for the guy last Friday).  This bending of fact bothers me... but at least these topics are germain to the issue. Also, these claims can be verified and refuted if wrong.  (thank you for the existence of factcheck.org)

 

Now I get to my point as to why we need Obama to win. There's a classic sports adage, that successful teams and strategies are copied.  If Obama wins (and it looks favorable for him at the moment), then with a little luck we'll see future campaigns stick to the issues and not try to assassinate the character of their opponent.  To show you how well it can work... I respect John McCain, I think he's a good man.  I seriously disagree with his policies (for the most part), and I agree with Obama's (also, for the most part). I do laugh when McCain makes these misstatements on the campaign trail (the recent "I couldn't agree more" gaffe was funny... but everyone knew what he meant... so I laughed, and we moved on, Just like I laughed at Obama getting the number of years he was married wrong.)  Now when I hear McCain supporters calling Obama a Socialist, Terrorist Muslim with a radical preacher... that's reaping exactly what McCain's campaign has sown.  If it wins, I fear for the country that would continue to copy that winning model. 

 

Anyhow.  Peace... now go VOTE!! 

Corruption

Goodbye Ted "Tubes" Stephens.  Let's hope the prosecution of corruption continues into ANYONE in our government who does things like this. Democrat, Republican, or Independant.  Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

 

V

Public financing in political campaigns

To the latest attacks by the McCain campaign that by not taking "public financing" was going back on a promise to take it.  Two things... the first, that is a mischaratarization of what the promise was.  I leave it to the reader to look up what was actually said.  Second, from my perspective... 3.2 Million+ donors giving an average of just $86 per person IS PUBLIC FIANCING. 

 

Here's what McCain is REALLY upset at.  If he had opened up to public financing, given that the maximum donation is still $2300, he could NEVER draw those crowds or funds. 

 

I'm voting friday... I encourage everyone to get out and vote too. Even if we don't agree on our candidate of choice, I think we can all agree that this is a hella important time in our country and we ALL need to be involved.  The only thing that I ask is don't waste your vote. By that I mean, don't hold your nose and vote for a candidate... vote for the candidate you can see being President, not just the lesser of two evils. If you have to hold your nose to vote for McCain OR Obama... Vote for Barr, or write in Buffet.  but do NOT vote for a person you don't want in office.

 

 

V

*complete disclosure, I have donated over $200 to the Obama campaign and am on the disclosed donors list. 

Happy 2000

      2000 days ago, President George W. Bush landed on an aircraft carrier and announced "Mission Accomplished" on the Iraq war.  2000 days since this tragedy of a war, and I hestiate to use the word, it's clearly an occupation at this point, was declared complete.  2000 days of Iraqis, and Americans dying in small groups, almost daily.  Can we afford another 2000? 

     Many say the "Surge has worked", and as part of a greater happening, it has helped.  But Al-Sadr has claimed a renewal of aggression if the US and the Iraqi government agree to a 3 year extension of our prescence there.  There will be many more deaths if we continue to occupy Iraq for another 1000+ days.  Is it worth it?  I leave those answers to you. 

 

V

Frakking Awesome

http://dvice.com/archives/2008/10/battlestar_gala.php

Joe the Plummer

Dear Joe the Plummer,

     You are NOT average.  In an interview this morning, you were saying that you are just an average guy who wants a house, a few cars, and a bass boat.  Oh, and that you want to buy the company that you've work for.  I want everyone to stop, and look around your life... how many friends, co-workers, and associates do you have that not just have the desire to BUY their workplace, but actually have the MEANS.  I know of ... ONE!  and he doesn't WANT to becuase the company is not well positioned.  And I'm very well compensated and run in a crowd that is pretty well off. 

    Not only does Joe want to and apparently can buy his company, but if this will result in a tax increase for him in Obama's plan, then the company worth is over a quarter of million dollars.  Congratulations, the number of people I know who can buy a $250,000 company (in a market where credit is IMPOSSIBLE to get) is now officially ZERO.  Joe... you are way above average and are deluding yourself.

    I make a lot more than the single persons limit of $42,000 that Obama's plan proposes. (I'm also way above average)  So if I vote for him, my taxes will probably see a slight increase.  I'm OK with that... I can afford it and frankly, the country is underfunding health care, education, infrastructure, and social security.  The only thing that IS well funded is the war efforts.  So, I'm ok with you increasing my taxes, if we fund domestic programs with it.  A friend of mine once told me that he would have a problem with having health care paid for by the gov't if abortion is legal becuase he would have a moral objection to paying for it... to him I ask... I have a moral objection to the war in Iraq... what should I do?  A TON more of a percentage of my money goes to that war than would go to abortion.  And that makes me sick.

 

   OK, I've rambled a bit.  I'm done now.

 

 

V

Oh, and Joe... if you get a sitcom deal out of this, that's just sick!

After 2 more days of Blood Bath on Wall Street

Here's how I think the bailout plan looks.

 

Step 1 :get a Trillion dollars
Step 2 : /shrug
Step 3 : Recovery!

 

Who put the underpants gnomes in charge!!!