Presidential Politicin' Challenge '08
After last night's debate, am I wrong in still believing that Barack Obama is the clear choice for President, being the better of two weevils?
Back in 2000, a hopeful, young, wide-eyed, 18 year old Domenic Alonzo I cast his vote in the 2000 Primaries for one Senator John McCain. The recipient of his vote seemed the absolute choice candidate at the time; Senator McCain called for a massive cleansing of the government, weeding out corruption, excess and overall bad organization. Senator McCain called for great reform. The youthful Domenic Alonzo agreed and thus got aboard the McCain train.
Then, however, I had received a huge blow to my naïve, 18 year old political mind: McCain outright refused the Independent nomination. The Republican Party nominated their man Bush. McCain sought the Republican nomination... and only the Republican nomination. Perhaps taking it too personally, I felt that McCain's refusal of the Independent nomination was a slap to the face. If McCain truly believed in for what he was calling, why had he simply conceded? Senator McCain made it clear he was loyal to his Party and obediently shuffled behind the Republicans' nominee. He had proven only one thing: he is a puppet. That is a tough statement to make, considering my continued immense respect for the man and his seeming political ideals. However, despite all that is good about Senator McCain, he has proven that he is nothing if not a man more loyal to his political affiliation than to his constituents.
Senator Obama, despite his lack of "hard" political experience, has the specific kind of experience this country actually needs. His success as a community leader is the kind of fresh perspective the US ultimately requires in the very trying times ahead. During the debate last night, it seemed very clear that Senator McCain fails to recognize a huge number of US citizens, whilst Senator Obama was sure to point out their 95% majority. Senator Obama sees the teacher and the nurse and the laborer. To Senator Obama--at least in speech--these people are not just convenient automatons taken for granted as pay-no-mind necessaries that can simply be forgotten about as they support the very corrupt infrastructure that caters only to the wealthy few in the US.
"If there is hope, it lies in the proles," wrote George Orwell in 1984. Perhaps in our time and space, our proles are not the spark of hope for revolution but for economic survival. Why should the people who sent us careening into this current crisis get away with bailouts and slip by unscathed? Why should the common US citizen pay for this out from his/her pocket? "Spend, spend, spend!" is the answer to economic woes in such a recession, yet 95% of the citizenry have no disposable income to spend outside of domestic necessities. So, how again does a tax break for bulging oil companies and the nation's wealthiest help the majority of US citizens and their fledgling economy?
Further distancing Senator McCain from his self-prided image of the "maverick, loose cannon" is his complete acceptance of Sarah Palin as Vice Presidential running mate. What? Another instance of McCain marching in step to the beat of his Party's drum. This is Sarah Palin, a woman who had attempted to ban books and fired museum officials & police officials for not being "loyal" to her. She also disservices her own sex by being obstinately anti-choice. Interesting....
I also really cannot stand the hurling of the word "elitist" around like it is a negative thing. Barack Obama is an "elitist," coming from the mouth of a third generation Annapolis legacy? I remember when the word was leveled at Senator Kerry. It was claimed he used too many "big words." Well, here's something to think about (and I'll use simple language too): how can you have a serious discussion about the Freedom of Speech if you don't know words? "Elitist" is not a pejorative in my book. I am sure that "elitist" is not a pejorative in any book except the one written by the ignorant. The US was founded by some of the greatest elitists ever assembled (read: Ben Franklin). The US Constitution was written and ratified by elitists. The prevailing notion that elite = bad comes from the notion that this country was founded by unwashed scoundrels. That is true... to an extent. The elite who founded the US were scoundrels relative to their imperial forebears entrenched in rich titles and traditions. The founders of the US were still well-read, educated men. People seem to think that because the US awards no titles and has no royalty we cannot have leaders that are cultured and enriched.
I totally agree with people who call me an elitist, especially those in response to my suggestion that we honor the vision of the olden Federalists and sustain the Electoral College by re-partitioning the votes so that more go to states with greater density of higher education institutions. I am all about the working class and I want for them more attention. However, I simply must give less political legitimacy to decisions made by people still basing [their decisions] on faith rather than something, at the very least, a little more tangible. I cannot trust the decision-making faculties of a people unwilling to accept that their very government is meant to be, in fact, secular. Education is a key property of strong leaders who aren't running on charisma alone. Aristotle wouldn't have bridges built by haberdashers....
Ultimately, though, this Presidential election shows the most promise. The next four years, despite their tribulations, with whichever candidate elected, will be much better than the past eight. I am unsure if I claim that solely on the basis that we are finally clear of the Bush administration.
Back in 2000, a hopeful, young, wide-eyed, 18 year old Domenic Alonzo I cast his vote in the 2000 Primaries for one Senator John McCain. The recipient of his vote seemed the absolute choice candidate at the time; Senator McCain called for a massive cleansing of the government, weeding out corruption, excess and overall bad organization. Senator McCain called for great reform. The youthful Domenic Alonzo agreed and thus got aboard the McCain train.
Then, however, I had received a huge blow to my naïve, 18 year old political mind: McCain outright refused the Independent nomination. The Republican Party nominated their man Bush. McCain sought the Republican nomination... and only the Republican nomination. Perhaps taking it too personally, I felt that McCain's refusal of the Independent nomination was a slap to the face. If McCain truly believed in for what he was calling, why had he simply conceded? Senator McCain made it clear he was loyal to his Party and obediently shuffled behind the Republicans' nominee. He had proven only one thing: he is a puppet. That is a tough statement to make, considering my continued immense respect for the man and his seeming political ideals. However, despite all that is good about Senator McCain, he has proven that he is nothing if not a man more loyal to his political affiliation than to his constituents.
Senator Obama, despite his lack of "hard" political experience, has the specific kind of experience this country actually needs. His success as a community leader is the kind of fresh perspective the US ultimately requires in the very trying times ahead. During the debate last night, it seemed very clear that Senator McCain fails to recognize a huge number of US citizens, whilst Senator Obama was sure to point out their 95% majority. Senator Obama sees the teacher and the nurse and the laborer. To Senator Obama--at least in speech--these people are not just convenient automatons taken for granted as pay-no-mind necessaries that can simply be forgotten about as they support the very corrupt infrastructure that caters only to the wealthy few in the US.
"If there is hope, it lies in the proles," wrote George Orwell in 1984. Perhaps in our time and space, our proles are not the spark of hope for revolution but for economic survival. Why should the people who sent us careening into this current crisis get away with bailouts and slip by unscathed? Why should the common US citizen pay for this out from his/her pocket? "Spend, spend, spend!" is the answer to economic woes in such a recession, yet 95% of the citizenry have no disposable income to spend outside of domestic necessities. So, how again does a tax break for bulging oil companies and the nation's wealthiest help the majority of US citizens and their fledgling economy?
Further distancing Senator McCain from his self-prided image of the "maverick, loose cannon" is his complete acceptance of Sarah Palin as Vice Presidential running mate. What? Another instance of McCain marching in step to the beat of his Party's drum. This is Sarah Palin, a woman who had attempted to ban books and fired museum officials & police officials for not being "loyal" to her. She also disservices her own sex by being obstinately anti-choice. Interesting....
I also really cannot stand the hurling of the word "elitist" around like it is a negative thing. Barack Obama is an "elitist," coming from the mouth of a third generation Annapolis legacy? I remember when the word was leveled at Senator Kerry. It was claimed he used too many "big words." Well, here's something to think about (and I'll use simple language too): how can you have a serious discussion about the Freedom of Speech if you don't know words? "Elitist" is not a pejorative in my book. I am sure that "elitist" is not a pejorative in any book except the one written by the ignorant. The US was founded by some of the greatest elitists ever assembled (read: Ben Franklin). The US Constitution was written and ratified by elitists. The prevailing notion that elite = bad comes from the notion that this country was founded by unwashed scoundrels. That is true... to an extent. The elite who founded the US were scoundrels relative to their imperial forebears entrenched in rich titles and traditions. The founders of the US were still well-read, educated men. People seem to think that because the US awards no titles and has no royalty we cannot have leaders that are cultured and enriched.
I totally agree with people who call me an elitist, especially those in response to my suggestion that we honor the vision of the olden Federalists and sustain the Electoral College by re-partitioning the votes so that more go to states with greater density of higher education institutions. I am all about the working class and I want for them more attention. However, I simply must give less political legitimacy to decisions made by people still basing [their decisions] on faith rather than something, at the very least, a little more tangible. I cannot trust the decision-making faculties of a people unwilling to accept that their very government is meant to be, in fact, secular. Education is a key property of strong leaders who aren't running on charisma alone. Aristotle wouldn't have bridges built by haberdashers....
Ultimately, though, this Presidential election shows the most promise. The next four years, despite their tribulations, with whichever candidate elected, will be much better than the past eight. I am unsure if I claim that solely on the basis that we are finally clear of the Bush administration.