I normally try to stay away from Religion and Politics when blogging for the same reason you do at cocktail parties. But this time its different. Too much has gone wrong. There is too much at stake to get the election wrong. So I am just going to come right out and say it: it is absolutely imperative you urge everyone you know to vote in the upcoming presidential election, and to not throw our future away by voting for McCain. We absolutely must overcome the Republicans who would vote for this person and his policies.
And here is why I believe this...
I Am Not A Democrat
First, lest any of my gentle (Republican) readers might think I am the enemy. I am not. I voted for Reagan, Reagan, Perot, Clinton, Gore, and Kerry in the last 6 presidential elections. I vote for who I think is going to be the best leader. Which really brings me to the point of this post.
While it seems I lean Democratic based on the past few elections, it would be fairer to say I lean anti-Bush. I actually was leaning towards Bob Dole, but Dole made (in my opinion) a fatal mistake during his campaign - which is the same mistake McCain is making today.
Dole's fatal mistake was that he became a different person during the campaign. Before the campaign, he was jovial and self-depricating. His humor was genuine and endearing. During the campaign, however, someone - I don't know if it was the Republican Party itself or his so called professional handlers - convinced him that in order to win the election, he had to appear "presidential." The problem was, to them, presidential meant "serious" and "down to business." You certainly couldn't make fun of yourself - someone might not no you were kidding and think you were stupid or something.
And now McCain has done it too. During the last election I commented that I thought I would rather have McCain as president over John Kerry. I don't know - maybe it was the way Kerry carried himself - or the fact that he, too, had been told to "act presidential." Whatever it was, John McCain seemed to be the "democrat" of the Republican party, with opinions and attitudes that were far closer to the center than they were the right.
Now, however, it is like the Republican Party made it clear to McCain that the only way they would back his candidacy is if he "towed the party line" including the Bush Doctrine. Without a "pinky-swear" promise to continue the policies of the failed Bush presidency, he would have had no chance to be the Republican candidate.
No Third Term of Failure
Let's take as non-biased look at George W. Bush (OK, as non-biased as possible). Don't worry, I'm going to tie all this together in a little bit.
In an unscientific survey of historians, 81% said the George Bush presidency was an overall failure. If you consider George's Resume, it rapidly becomes clear how inept the Democrats were in putting up a candidate in the past two elections. For instance:
- He ran for Congress and lost.
- Bought an oil company, but (strangely) could not find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt.
- Bought the Texas Rangers and quickly made management decisions that made them one of the worst teams in baseball (while he owned it).
- While Governor of Texas (which he could not have won without his father's help), he changed pollution laws that resulted in Texas becoming the most polluted state in the nation, with Houston replacing LA as the most smog-ridden city.
- Set a record for most executions by any governor in US history. (Which is a good thing, I suppose, if you are pro-death penalty.)
- As president, he spent all the surplus gained during the Clinton years and has single-handedly allowed the US economy to get in the worst shape it has ever been since the 1929 stock market crash and subsequent depression.
- There were more foreclosures in a 12 month period than ever before in US history during his presidency.
And the list goes on and on. You can see more (a lot more) here.
Not to sound too much like a politician, but let me be clear on this: I don't think John McCain is a bad person. His daughter was on Larry King a while back and he asked her if she thought both her father and Obama were practicing dirty politics. She said "I think politics, by its very nature, is dirty."
Even Barack Obanma, who promised to run a high standards campaign, has stooped to negative campaigning - but not to the degree or level of dishonesty that McCain has. It has really turned into a "I'll say anything or do anything to get elected." And that is really sad.
No, John McCain has changed his politics in order to become president. That's a bad thing, folks - and whether you are pro-Obama or not, it should be enough to sway you to anti-McCain. Now there will be those who say "wait a minute, Obama has changed his positions on things, too."
True enough. But from what I can tell, Obama - at least for the most part - changed his stance on things based on new information, or even correction of misinformation he was previously given. In studying this person's policies, I really can't find anything substantive where he has completely reversed course on some issue simply in an effort to get elected.
In closing, I'd like to reiterate something. I don't like politics. I don't like the rhetoric and the 20 phone calls a day we get telling us why we should vote one way or another for some candidate. (There's something the next president can do - make politicians and charitable organizations honor the "Do Not Call" registry). I won't allow signs for any candidate, party, or politician on my lawn, in my window, or on my car. But there is just no way I can believe we aren't in for a whole lot more hurtin' if John McCain is elected president. I also am not voting for Obama solely because I am anti-McCain. I truly believe he is the best option to implement the changes we need to turn this country around - for our place in world opinion, the economy, health care, and a host of other reasons.
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