Vote for hope, vote for change.
Obligatory Election 2008 Stuff
I've been following this campaign more closely than any in recent years, save for the 2000 election when I was in my senior year civics class and we HAD to (although, we did it by watching the SNL debates. I <3 Mr. Benner 4eva.). If, by some chance you haven't followed any of it, I strongly recommend spending some time on YouTube, watching their speeches and/or the debates to help you formulate your opinion and be an informed voter.
In particular, I suggest Obama's speech that he gave after a number of (mostly racial) slurs back in February. It's about 40 minutes, and it's very powerful. I've heard him speak in person (he came to my company, and gave us a shout-out on his infomercial last night) on a subject dear to my heart, because he is focused on reversing the effects of global warming. I also recommend his infomercial from last night, and the speech at the end. It was so moving, I was all teary-eyed by the final words.
Now, keep in mind, I definitely have my own agenda, and I freely admit that I support Barack Obama. But here's some things to keep in mind:
The Candidates
McCain owns no less than 8 houses. He also owns 13 cars. I can barely pay my rent and I didn't buy my first car until I was almost a year to the day out of college. I don't feel like this is someone who can understand my financial and economic situation.
For comparison, Obama and his family own 1 house, and 1 car (an eco-friendly one, I might add). He and his wife are both college educated, and some say they are "elitist." But since when is owning one house elitist?
Economics
I feel that I've tried to everything right - I was a high-school overachiever, I did well in college and graduated with my degree, and even managed to make the Dean's List. I got a decently-paying job right after college, I got my own apartment, my own car. I'm not a burden on society, or on my parents (too much). I've got a 401(k), and I'm saving up. I don't have a lot of debt, other than student and car loans. I should be swimming along peachy-keen, right? Then why I am always under such financial hardship? My dollar is not stretching very far these days, and the cost of EVERYTHING is going up.
I want a candidate who has a solid economic policy that benefits me. This "Joe the Plumber" economic crap is nonsense because that guy is wanting to own a business. Our plumbers HERE do not have over $250,000 per year. So Joe The Plumber wants to be a business owner and yet be taxed like a regular dude. That's illogical and it's not going to happen.
McCain's plan appears to be much the same as the fucktarded policy we've had for 8 years, and what was called 20 years ago, "Reagon-omics." The theory being that if you give the rich dudes a financial break, they will give everyone below them a break too. ERRRRR, WRONG! The fat cats are NOT passing those deals down to us, sorry to tell ya. As a history major, one of our primary means of research is to discuss the difference between theory and practice. As seen here, the practice did not work out the way of the theory.
Barack Obama is suggesting a much better plan. It should be obvious, but the best way to stimulate the economy isn't to give everyone a temporary loan (seriously - how fast did you go through last spring's "economic stimulus" of $600?). The way to stimulate is to have people spend money, but no one has any money TO spend right now. Which is why a plan that gives us tax breaks will give us some breathing room. I mean, I'd love to go stimulate the economy and buy a new pair of jeans at the same time, but right now I'm more worried about putting food on my table.
Obama's plan for keeping jobs in America is also desperately needed. Too many people can't keep jobs they've had for YEARS because the company owners got a break from Bush, by outsourcing jobs to cheaper companies. I have a personally vested interest in the green-collar jobs, because that's the area that I'd like to transition to within this company. Incentives for companies to create more of these jobs is beneficial for both the economy and the planet.
Foreign Policy
Some people (including my mother), have knocked Obama for a lack of military service. They have a point, that the potential Commander in Chief of our military doesn't himself have a military background. However, considering the absolute disaster our current Fearless Leader has embroiled us in over in the Middle East, I don't think a lack of military background is necessarily a bad thing. What we need now is more diplomacy and start getting Iraq to stand on it's own two feet.
In a similar vein, but in my opinion with more validity, a lot of people are knocking Sarah Palin for her utter lack of experience and foreign diplomacy (which led to her famous statement, "I can see Russia from my house!"). The woman did not have a passport until about a year ago, an under-qualification for someone who could possibly be our 2nd in command and dealing heavily with foreign dignitaries. Does everyone in the world need a passport? No, of course not - but McCain had plenty of more qualified options in this regard. Does McCain's foreign policy experiance and military background offset Palin's utter inadequacy? Perhaps - but if that was my only sticking point I wouldn't worry about it so much. On top of all of the other problems, this doesn't help at all.
In my readings from foreign newspaper articles and hearing what people outside of this country have to say about us - we need to change, drastically. We are no longer respected around the world, and our closest allies are going to drop us faster than an ex-girlfriend if we re-elect the same nonsense as the last 8 years.
The Veeps
Sarah Palin is, in my opinion, the worst possible option for this country. She has (sort of) the qualifications due to her current position governing a state, which is different from all of the other candidates who are congressmen. However, she has spent more time pregnant than she has running a state! There is an interesting controversy whether or she tried to ban books from a public library, but the fact that it comes up at all is disturbing to me (what would be the irony that she would try to ban something like 1984?). She doesn't believe in a woman's right to choose - she believes in HER right to choose for the REST of us! She makes no exceptions for women who get pregnant by rape and/or incest to have abortions.
Yet she had no problem pairing her famous lipstick with a $160,000 wardrobe. I absolutely do NOT care that it was going to be donated to charity afterwards - that's more than FOUR TIMES what I make in a YEAR. That where the Republican campaign dollars were sent. Whereas Obama used his considerable funding to put together a thoughtful, touching, and meaningful Infomercial of Change to broadcast across the country.
Palin is also totally incompetant - she doesn't know what the Vice President does in regards to the government operations, which frightens me. She doesn't care about the environment, and is all for drilling our way to hell for oil. She, and McCain, have stirred up tremendous controversy using their fear tactics in this campaign, alluding without out-right saying it, to Barack HUSSEIN Obama as a terrorist or friend-of-terrorist (not true), a Muslim (not true), anti-Christian (not true) liberal whackjob and all sorts of other shenanaigans.
In contrast, Joe Biden, Barack's running-mate, has one of the highest qualifications. His foreign diplomacy experience, and just his years of experience in the Senate, period, will offset any complaints about Obama's considerably shorter experience. Biden also grew up in a small town in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and I think that he can absolutely relate to my personal life experiences.
[Interestingly, I just spent 3 paragraphs focusing on Palin's problems and one on Biden's qualifications. Seems I'm not a little adverse to fear tactics, am I?]
In conclusion
The socio-economic policies of the two Republican candidates scare the holy bejeezus out of me. If they are elected, I honestly believe that our country will slide down a slippery slope and we will go the way of the Roman Empire. We are currently in the worst financial crisis since 1929, and remember all your history lessons about the Great Depression? The only way we got out of that was the stimulus of WWII. And we really don't want to repeat that, do we?
Barack Obama and Joe Biden have everything that I want in my leadership candidates - they are not just educated but they are intelligent and competant (trust me, there's a difference between education and wisdom). I feel that they truly understand our problems today and want to start fixing them. I can relate to their lifestyle, and I feel like they would understand mine. The projected policies that they have been promoting include health care, tax cuts, and environmental concerns. They have the smarter policies, and have run the best campaign.
So, that's my spiel. Please, please, please get yourself informed and VOTE. This is a critical turning point unlike any election we've seen in recent years. The government's decision affect you, whether you vote or not. But if you can have your say, then your voice will join a million other voices. I will only tell people to vote their conscience, but I honestly believe that Barack Obama is the far better choice. Unlike the last election, a vote for Obama isn't a vote against McCain - it's a vote for change, for the better candidate, for a brighter future.
Also: the snippet from last night's Informercial of Hope that features McKinstry! Makes me awfully proud to be working for McK right now!
I've been following this campaign more closely than any in recent years, save for the 2000 election when I was in my senior year civics class and we HAD to (although, we did it by watching the SNL debates. I <3 Mr. Benner 4eva.). If, by some chance you haven't followed any of it, I strongly recommend spending some time on YouTube, watching their speeches and/or the debates to help you formulate your opinion and be an informed voter.
In particular, I suggest Obama's speech that he gave after a number of (mostly racial) slurs back in February. It's about 40 minutes, and it's very powerful. I've heard him speak in person (he came to my company, and gave us a shout-out on his infomercial last night) on a subject dear to my heart, because he is focused on reversing the effects of global warming. I also recommend his infomercial from last night, and the speech at the end. It was so moving, I was all teary-eyed by the final words.
Now, keep in mind, I definitely have my own agenda, and I freely admit that I support Barack Obama. But here's some things to keep in mind:
The Candidates
McCain owns no less than 8 houses. He also owns 13 cars. I can barely pay my rent and I didn't buy my first car until I was almost a year to the day out of college. I don't feel like this is someone who can understand my financial and economic situation.
For comparison, Obama and his family own 1 house, and 1 car (an eco-friendly one, I might add). He and his wife are both college educated, and some say they are "elitist." But since when is owning one house elitist?
Economics
I feel that I've tried to everything right - I was a high-school overachiever, I did well in college and graduated with my degree, and even managed to make the Dean's List. I got a decently-paying job right after college, I got my own apartment, my own car. I'm not a burden on society, or on my parents (too much). I've got a 401(k), and I'm saving up. I don't have a lot of debt, other than student and car loans. I should be swimming along peachy-keen, right? Then why I am always under such financial hardship? My dollar is not stretching very far these days, and the cost of EVERYTHING is going up.
I want a candidate who has a solid economic policy that benefits me. This "Joe the Plumber" economic crap is nonsense because that guy is wanting to own a business. Our plumbers HERE do not have over $250,000 per year. So Joe The Plumber wants to be a business owner and yet be taxed like a regular dude. That's illogical and it's not going to happen.
McCain's plan appears to be much the same as the fucktarded policy we've had for 8 years, and what was called 20 years ago, "Reagon-omics." The theory being that if you give the rich dudes a financial break, they will give everyone below them a break too. ERRRRR, WRONG! The fat cats are NOT passing those deals down to us, sorry to tell ya. As a history major, one of our primary means of research is to discuss the difference between theory and practice. As seen here, the practice did not work out the way of the theory.
Barack Obama is suggesting a much better plan. It should be obvious, but the best way to stimulate the economy isn't to give everyone a temporary loan (seriously - how fast did you go through last spring's "economic stimulus" of $600?). The way to stimulate is to have people spend money, but no one has any money TO spend right now. Which is why a plan that gives us tax breaks will give us some breathing room. I mean, I'd love to go stimulate the economy and buy a new pair of jeans at the same time, but right now I'm more worried about putting food on my table.
Obama's plan for keeping jobs in America is also desperately needed. Too many people can't keep jobs they've had for YEARS because the company owners got a break from Bush, by outsourcing jobs to cheaper companies. I have a personally vested interest in the green-collar jobs, because that's the area that I'd like to transition to within this company. Incentives for companies to create more of these jobs is beneficial for both the economy and the planet.
Foreign Policy
Some people (including my mother), have knocked Obama for a lack of military service. They have a point, that the potential Commander in Chief of our military doesn't himself have a military background. However, considering the absolute disaster our current Fearless Leader has embroiled us in over in the Middle East, I don't think a lack of military background is necessarily a bad thing. What we need now is more diplomacy and start getting Iraq to stand on it's own two feet.
In a similar vein, but in my opinion with more validity, a lot of people are knocking Sarah Palin for her utter lack of experience and foreign diplomacy (which led to her famous statement, "I can see Russia from my house!"). The woman did not have a passport until about a year ago, an under-qualification for someone who could possibly be our 2nd in command and dealing heavily with foreign dignitaries. Does everyone in the world need a passport? No, of course not - but McCain had plenty of more qualified options in this regard. Does McCain's foreign policy experiance and military background offset Palin's utter inadequacy? Perhaps - but if that was my only sticking point I wouldn't worry about it so much. On top of all of the other problems, this doesn't help at all.
In my readings from foreign newspaper articles and hearing what people outside of this country have to say about us - we need to change, drastically. We are no longer respected around the world, and our closest allies are going to drop us faster than an ex-girlfriend if we re-elect the same nonsense as the last 8 years.
The Veeps
Sarah Palin is, in my opinion, the worst possible option for this country. She has (sort of) the qualifications due to her current position governing a state, which is different from all of the other candidates who are congressmen. However, she has spent more time pregnant than she has running a state! There is an interesting controversy whether or she tried to ban books from a public library, but the fact that it comes up at all is disturbing to me (what would be the irony that she would try to ban something like 1984?). She doesn't believe in a woman's right to choose - she believes in HER right to choose for the REST of us! She makes no exceptions for women who get pregnant by rape and/or incest to have abortions.
Yet she had no problem pairing her famous lipstick with a $160,000 wardrobe. I absolutely do NOT care that it was going to be donated to charity afterwards - that's more than FOUR TIMES what I make in a YEAR. That where the Republican campaign dollars were sent. Whereas Obama used his considerable funding to put together a thoughtful, touching, and meaningful Infomercial of Change to broadcast across the country.
Palin is also totally incompetant - she doesn't know what the Vice President does in regards to the government operations, which frightens me. She doesn't care about the environment, and is all for drilling our way to hell for oil. She, and McCain, have stirred up tremendous controversy using their fear tactics in this campaign, alluding without out-right saying it, to Barack HUSSEIN Obama as a terrorist or friend-of-terrorist (not true), a Muslim (not true), anti-Christian (not true) liberal whackjob and all sorts of other shenanaigans.
In contrast, Joe Biden, Barack's running-mate, has one of the highest qualifications. His foreign diplomacy experience, and just his years of experience in the Senate, period, will offset any complaints about Obama's considerably shorter experience. Biden also grew up in a small town in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and I think that he can absolutely relate to my personal life experiences.
[Interestingly, I just spent 3 paragraphs focusing on Palin's problems and one on Biden's qualifications. Seems I'm not a little adverse to fear tactics, am I?]
In conclusion
The socio-economic policies of the two Republican candidates scare the holy bejeezus out of me. If they are elected, I honestly believe that our country will slide down a slippery slope and we will go the way of the Roman Empire. We are currently in the worst financial crisis since 1929, and remember all your history lessons about the Great Depression? The only way we got out of that was the stimulus of WWII. And we really don't want to repeat that, do we?
Barack Obama and Joe Biden have everything that I want in my leadership candidates - they are not just educated but they are intelligent and competant (trust me, there's a difference between education and wisdom). I feel that they truly understand our problems today and want to start fixing them. I can relate to their lifestyle, and I feel like they would understand mine. The projected policies that they have been promoting include health care, tax cuts, and environmental concerns. They have the smarter policies, and have run the best campaign.
So, that's my spiel. Please, please, please get yourself informed and VOTE. This is a critical turning point unlike any election we've seen in recent years. The government's decision affect you, whether you vote or not. But if you can have your say, then your voice will join a million other voices. I will only tell people to vote their conscience, but I honestly believe that Barack Obama is the far better choice. Unlike the last election, a vote for Obama isn't a vote against McCain - it's a vote for change, for the better candidate, for a brighter future.
Also: the snippet from last night's Informercial of Hope that features McKinstry! Makes me awfully proud to be working for McK right now!
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