politics
The countdown to the NH primary is dominating the news here, as we are so close to the border. Also, as a native of the state it is something I have always followed fairly closely. I am somewhat relieved this year that I do not have to take part in this first primary but can wait until Vermont's later in the primary season. I do not know yet for whom I will vote. I do not know as much as I could about any of the candidates, though I have done some research and had some faily extensive conversations with each of my parents about their experiences with the candidates.
I am a child of the Clinton Era. I clearly remember my third grade class debates during the 1992 primary season. The big upset was that Sean and Russ Durgin, the twins in my class, were not "voting" the same way--one went for Clinton and the other for Bush, Sr. Seats were rearranged based on political affiliations, we were 100% serious about our elections. I remember my high school US History class closely following the coverage of the impeachment trials and our debates as to our possitions on the proceedings. Again, some of the livliest conversations that ever took place in that classroom were along the dividing line of "yes, the purgery in the Lewinsky trial is an impeachable offence and should be treated as such" vs "it is not a good use of resources, time, or publicity to prosecute Clinton for lying about an affair". Personally, I was of a split oppinion. Infedelity and the lies that typically accompany it do not feel like an impeachable offence, and if Hillary was dealing with it then the rest of us should butt out--my own family history included a smaller scale, publicized and prosecuted workplace based infedelity, and my father lost his job as a result. As a family, we got over it--that was OUR business, not the publics. However, I felt that if one was going to take office as the President of this country, one had the obligation to uphold the law and the legal system and to break that promise to the country was not okay... that said, something other than impeachment seems like it could have sufficed--especially as it allowed a very personal affair to take over the political spotlight and everything else that happened in that era seemed to take a smaller media presense than it deserved and I think most of America is probably in the dark as to the more serious issues that took place in that era.
All of this said, I grew up feeling like Clinton did a rather good job as my president, and had I had the opportunity to vote for him I would have.
While I do not think that Hillary=Bill, and I am unsure of what the reality of her soundbites will bring, the thought of another Clinton ticket is interesting to me. I am also intrigued by the possibility of voting for a woman for president. I do not know what this will ultimately mean, or whether the gender issue will actually be something that works for or against her ability to make change on the issues she wishes to make change on.
Then there is Obama, who could be the charsimatic, young, idealistic, "change maker" that could get my vote. I am wary of his inexperience, but intrigued by what electing a black man could do. With both candidates I try to blind myself of race/gender and look at the issues, their records, and their potential as leaders, but it is impossible in this world for those "cards" not to come into play--especially in the general election.
Or there's Edwards, who is a weathly white man with a decent record on some of the issues that are important to me--educaiton, healthcare, poverty, tax structures...
and then there is the fact that whoever makes it through the primary season on top and gets the party's nomination will be partnered with someone to play Vice, which as we have seen with the Bush/Cheney regime is an important and effective possition in itself. Clinton/Obama is out to me as I don't think the country would go for both the first owman and the first person of color, not to mention i don't think that their possitions are particularly compatible. Edwards/Obama is one that my mom has thrown out as a dream ticket, as she thinks it would give Obama the experience and credibility that he could then run on in the future and would be a ticket that while in office could be effective and she sees as electable.
And then, after all that, there is the ultimate question of our voting systems and their credibility/lack there of. so what will happen??? who knows.
I am a child of the Clinton Era. I clearly remember my third grade class debates during the 1992 primary season. The big upset was that Sean and Russ Durgin, the twins in my class, were not "voting" the same way--one went for Clinton and the other for Bush, Sr. Seats were rearranged based on political affiliations, we were 100% serious about our elections. I remember my high school US History class closely following the coverage of the impeachment trials and our debates as to our possitions on the proceedings. Again, some of the livliest conversations that ever took place in that classroom were along the dividing line of "yes, the purgery in the Lewinsky trial is an impeachable offence and should be treated as such" vs "it is not a good use of resources, time, or publicity to prosecute Clinton for lying about an affair". Personally, I was of a split oppinion. Infedelity and the lies that typically accompany it do not feel like an impeachable offence, and if Hillary was dealing with it then the rest of us should butt out--my own family history included a smaller scale, publicized and prosecuted workplace based infedelity, and my father lost his job as a result. As a family, we got over it--that was OUR business, not the publics. However, I felt that if one was going to take office as the President of this country, one had the obligation to uphold the law and the legal system and to break that promise to the country was not okay... that said, something other than impeachment seems like it could have sufficed--especially as it allowed a very personal affair to take over the political spotlight and everything else that happened in that era seemed to take a smaller media presense than it deserved and I think most of America is probably in the dark as to the more serious issues that took place in that era.
All of this said, I grew up feeling like Clinton did a rather good job as my president, and had I had the opportunity to vote for him I would have.
While I do not think that Hillary=Bill, and I am unsure of what the reality of her soundbites will bring, the thought of another Clinton ticket is interesting to me. I am also intrigued by the possibility of voting for a woman for president. I do not know what this will ultimately mean, or whether the gender issue will actually be something that works for or against her ability to make change on the issues she wishes to make change on.
Then there is Obama, who could be the charsimatic, young, idealistic, "change maker" that could get my vote. I am wary of his inexperience, but intrigued by what electing a black man could do. With both candidates I try to blind myself of race/gender and look at the issues, their records, and their potential as leaders, but it is impossible in this world for those "cards" not to come into play--especially in the general election.
Or there's Edwards, who is a weathly white man with a decent record on some of the issues that are important to me--educaiton, healthcare, poverty, tax structures...
and then there is the fact that whoever makes it through the primary season on top and gets the party's nomination will be partnered with someone to play Vice, which as we have seen with the Bush/Cheney regime is an important and effective possition in itself. Clinton/Obama is out to me as I don't think the country would go for both the first owman and the first person of color, not to mention i don't think that their possitions are particularly compatible. Edwards/Obama is one that my mom has thrown out as a dream ticket, as she thinks it would give Obama the experience and credibility that he could then run on in the future and would be a ticket that while in office could be effective and she sees as electable.
And then, after all that, there is the ultimate question of our voting systems and their credibility/lack there of. so what will happen??? who knows.