Worst, Ticket, Ever!
OK, so I don't post much. And when I do it's usually not very political. But this is my soap box, so I'm about to get political on your collective asses ;)
Quick history lesson. 2000 I was not in this country, couldn't vote, and was not really up on the election until the proverbial shit hit the fan with the whole Florida thing. So not much to say there.
2004 I voted against Bush, obviously. It's not I thought Kerry was a particular stellar candidate, but I thought the country could do better than have a moron in office. Obviously he won, mainly because Kerry wasn't a very strong opponent, and Bush managed to get out the conservative Christian vote in record numbers.
So we get to this year. Scariest Republican ticket ever! This time, unlike 2004, I would actually be worried if the Republicans get in the oval office. Here’s why.
First, in the debates and speeches they can't seem to keep their facts straight. Check out the CNN Fact Check site, which takes candidates statements and does research on them to find out the truth of them. The majority of negative facts against Obama are flat out false or misleading - about McCain? True or incomplete (i.e. true but there were mitigating factors). It seems the McCain campaign can't manage to tell the Truth consistently.
Second, The McCain campaign has started that whole 'tainted by association' game (well, Palin has, but I'm pretty sure it’s a campaign strategy and not something Palin figured she'd do on her own). Bringing up the Obama-Ayres ties. Of course, conveniently forgetting that a) Ayres terrorist activities happened in the early 70s, when Obama was a child, and obviously didn't know him. b) Ayres has subsequently become a professor at the University of Illinois and was Chicago's Citizen of the Year in 1997 - so obviously has given up his ultra-radical past. And c) Obama served with him on a charity committee, and has had a relationship that could be described as casual and cordial at best.
I was surprised at the 'tainted by association' game being pulled out by the McCain campaign, and it's not mistake that its Palin doing all the talking - because this particular game is very risky for McCain. Why? because he quite simply can't escape the association to Charles Keating of Lincoln Savings & Loan fame. But unlike Obama, McCain had an intimate friendship with Keating, going on vacations together, McCain and the family (including the babysitter!) being flown to the Bahamas. Also unlike Obama, McCain was actively involved in the scandal around the criminal events surrounding the Lincoln Savings & Loan (short version: they committed fraud and other illegal activity, collapsed and cost taxpayers $3.4bn). So it's not like McCain just happened to be friends with Keating, he went to bat for him against the House Banking Committee, and was censured for his involvement. Add to this I don't think that McCain ever learned from this that 'the market will sort itself out' anti-regulation rhetoric is not really ever going to work.
Third, I think it's about time we had a president for the PEOPLE, not the CORPORATIONS or the RICH. Any president who has been (or still is) involved in big business, or has tens or hundreds of millions of dollars really can't claim to be for the 'common working man'. I think Chris Rock said it best when he said John McCain could lose half his houses, and still be doing fine, and not exactly be watching the pocket book. Obama's situation is a little closer to most Americans.
Fourth, McCain used to be called a Maverick in the Senate. And it is true, before the Bush administration, he did often cross party lines and vote against his own party. Used to. Since Bush has come to power he has been falling in line with Republicans more and more. Part of this I think is to make him more palatable to the conservative Republican base. More and more the Republican Party has become flat-out the conservative (Christian) party, and to get elected you need to basically forget any liberal ideas, you need to vote for what's best for the good ol' WASP crowd and businesses. Would he get back some of his maverick status if President? I doubt it.
Fifth, McCain has admitted he is techno-stupid. He doesn't know how to use a computer, much less the internet. The internet is one of the biggest things impacting our society today - it's essential to how business operates, how we communicate and even national security. I think this kind of thing is unacceptable in today's world. It would be like saying you could not read or write 100 years ago, but expected to hold the highest office in the land.
Sixth, McCain is 72 years old. His medical history for the past 8 years ALONE is more than 1100 pages! Of which he would only let the media inspect a portion of it for the period of a few hours, with no photocopying allowed. The presidency is a very high-stress job - much more than that of a senator (who, after all, has 98 other senators there to share the load). Stress is well-known to decrease life expectancy and aggravate other issues (increase risk of heart failure, amongst other things). They were already saying he was too old 8 years ago, and he's not getting much younger - and to be honest, his chance of dying in office, or at the least, being plagued by health issues so he can't effectively run the country are a real danger.
Just looking at the actuarial data, there is about a 1 in 6 chance McCain will die before the end of his first term, and if he should get re-elected, a 1 in 3 chance he will die before the end of that. And that does not take into account medical history or taking on a high-stress job like the Presidency! And if he SHOULD die in office or be declared unfit for office, then Palin would be president, and she scares me more than McCain in office.
The constitution says the qualifications of Vice President are the same as those for President - which makes sense because the VP should be able to take over the top job at any time. So here is what scares my about Palin (continuing my list):
Seventh, Palin is under investigation in Alaska over the improper firing of the Public Safety Commissioner in that state (who oversees the State Police as one of his jobs). The commissioner says he was fired because he refused to fire Palin's ex-brother-in-law, Palin says he was let go because of budget issues. To be honest, I don't really care WHY the Public Safety Commissioner was fired, what concerns me is that Palin got involved in the issue over trooper Wooten at all.
It is a direct conflict of interest and abuse of power for Palin to be getting involved in the Wooten situation in the first place, and to be honest, sounds like her sister was complaining to her about having an acrimonious divorce, and Palin realized she's in a perfect position to get 'revenge' on Wooten for putting her sister through such an ordeal. In a similar situation, if a Judge was involved, they would be forced to recuse themselves because of even the APPEARANCE of a conflict of interest.
Now Palin asserts that Wooten made threats against her sister during the divorce proceedings - and yes, that issue should be investigated through proper channels. However the complainant in this case should then be Palin's sister, and the commissioner should not be involved at ALL until the police Internal Affairs process has completed, and potentially appeals filed. Just like any other case of accused police abuse. Either way, Palin herself should not be involved. And Palin can't really say she did not try and put pressure on getting Wooten fired, when her office had been calling the commissioner about it for over a year - including one day where they called a number of times in the same day. Aides don't take this kind of action without the person in charge knowing about it.
Also the fact that Palin was perfectly happy going along with the investigation, submitting to subpoenas, and generally helping the investigation along BEFORE she was tapped as VP candidate, and then as soon as she is tapped, it suddenly becomes a partisan attack trying to influence the presidential race and she won't cooperate with it is suspicious and ridiculous. Maybe I could see her getting away with that line if the investigation starter AFTER she was in the presidential race, but it didn't.
Eighth, Palin's religious background is scary - and in this she shares a lot with Bush, which is also scary. The whole belief that the world is 7000 years old, that the Second Coming will occur IN HER LIFETIME, and that it is her 'duty' to spread the 'Good News'. Palin official 'split' with the Pentecostal Assembly of God in 2002, however video evidence of her from 2005 with a pastor asking God to protect her from witchcraft suggests that she still holds to these ways. It's no secret I don't hold with most conservative Christian beliefs (such as the whole 'the soul is infused and life begins at conception' trash), which Palin obviously believes, but this church is beyond conservative into crazy-wing-nut-cult territory.
Ninth, Palin claims to be all about family values - such as abstinence before marriage, and even agrees with Bush's program of not teaching a comprehensive sex-ed program in schools, but instead just telling teenagers not to have sex until married (obviously they either were uncool/ugly teenagers, or they forgot that being teenagers come with hormones!). Even though studies have shown significantly higher teen pregnancy and STD rates in places that do not have a comprehensive sex-ed program. And she is such a good role model, Palin now has a 17 year old daughter who is pregnant out of wedlock! But I guess it's OK because the boy has 'promised he will marry her'.
Tenth, Palin not being particularly knowledgeable about anything specific worries me. The other three candidates can cite specific Supreme Court decisions, Laws / Bills, and even Newspapers and articles to back up their point. Palin tends to talk in generalities, and is fine when she can repeat the lines she's been given, but her recent Katie Couric interviews show when you ask her anything specific she flounders - including a simple question like what magazines or newspapers she reads to keep abreast of affairs. Add to this she has been out of North America exactly ONCE to Iraq (AFTER it was under US control) also makes me think she has no clue how the rest of the world perceives America, or about cultural differences. Hell, she only got her first passport in 2006! Contrast that to Obama, who was the most travelled senator of all the '2004 freshman' senators. But it's ok, because she can see Russia from her house don't 'cha know *wink*! .... *puke*.
All of this basically adds up to the scariest ticket I've ever seen. I'm not saying the Obama-Biden ticket is without flaw, but at least these candidates don't scare me like McCain-Palin ticket does!
Thanks for reading if you're still with me ;)
EDIT (10-Oct): Almost as if I'd planned it, the New York Times has an article on the Palin obsession with Trooper Wooten today. And it reads quite well.
Quick history lesson. 2000 I was not in this country, couldn't vote, and was not really up on the election until the proverbial shit hit the fan with the whole Florida thing. So not much to say there.
2004 I voted against Bush, obviously. It's not I thought Kerry was a particular stellar candidate, but I thought the country could do better than have a moron in office. Obviously he won, mainly because Kerry wasn't a very strong opponent, and Bush managed to get out the conservative Christian vote in record numbers.
So we get to this year. Scariest Republican ticket ever! This time, unlike 2004, I would actually be worried if the Republicans get in the oval office. Here’s why.
First, in the debates and speeches they can't seem to keep their facts straight. Check out the CNN Fact Check site, which takes candidates statements and does research on them to find out the truth of them. The majority of negative facts against Obama are flat out false or misleading - about McCain? True or incomplete (i.e. true but there were mitigating factors). It seems the McCain campaign can't manage to tell the Truth consistently.
Second, The McCain campaign has started that whole 'tainted by association' game (well, Palin has, but I'm pretty sure it’s a campaign strategy and not something Palin figured she'd do on her own). Bringing up the Obama-Ayres ties. Of course, conveniently forgetting that a) Ayres terrorist activities happened in the early 70s, when Obama was a child, and obviously didn't know him. b) Ayres has subsequently become a professor at the University of Illinois and was Chicago's Citizen of the Year in 1997 - so obviously has given up his ultra-radical past. And c) Obama served with him on a charity committee, and has had a relationship that could be described as casual and cordial at best.
I was surprised at the 'tainted by association' game being pulled out by the McCain campaign, and it's not mistake that its Palin doing all the talking - because this particular game is very risky for McCain. Why? because he quite simply can't escape the association to Charles Keating of Lincoln Savings & Loan fame. But unlike Obama, McCain had an intimate friendship with Keating, going on vacations together, McCain and the family (including the babysitter!) being flown to the Bahamas. Also unlike Obama, McCain was actively involved in the scandal around the criminal events surrounding the Lincoln Savings & Loan (short version: they committed fraud and other illegal activity, collapsed and cost taxpayers $3.4bn). So it's not like McCain just happened to be friends with Keating, he went to bat for him against the House Banking Committee, and was censured for his involvement. Add to this I don't think that McCain ever learned from this that 'the market will sort itself out' anti-regulation rhetoric is not really ever going to work.
Third, I think it's about time we had a president for the PEOPLE, not the CORPORATIONS or the RICH. Any president who has been (or still is) involved in big business, or has tens or hundreds of millions of dollars really can't claim to be for the 'common working man'. I think Chris Rock said it best when he said John McCain could lose half his houses, and still be doing fine, and not exactly be watching the pocket book. Obama's situation is a little closer to most Americans.
Fourth, McCain used to be called a Maverick in the Senate. And it is true, before the Bush administration, he did often cross party lines and vote against his own party. Used to. Since Bush has come to power he has been falling in line with Republicans more and more. Part of this I think is to make him more palatable to the conservative Republican base. More and more the Republican Party has become flat-out the conservative (Christian) party, and to get elected you need to basically forget any liberal ideas, you need to vote for what's best for the good ol' WASP crowd and businesses. Would he get back some of his maverick status if President? I doubt it.
Fifth, McCain has admitted he is techno-stupid. He doesn't know how to use a computer, much less the internet. The internet is one of the biggest things impacting our society today - it's essential to how business operates, how we communicate and even national security. I think this kind of thing is unacceptable in today's world. It would be like saying you could not read or write 100 years ago, but expected to hold the highest office in the land.
Sixth, McCain is 72 years old. His medical history for the past 8 years ALONE is more than 1100 pages! Of which he would only let the media inspect a portion of it for the period of a few hours, with no photocopying allowed. The presidency is a very high-stress job - much more than that of a senator (who, after all, has 98 other senators there to share the load). Stress is well-known to decrease life expectancy and aggravate other issues (increase risk of heart failure, amongst other things). They were already saying he was too old 8 years ago, and he's not getting much younger - and to be honest, his chance of dying in office, or at the least, being plagued by health issues so he can't effectively run the country are a real danger.
Just looking at the actuarial data, there is about a 1 in 6 chance McCain will die before the end of his first term, and if he should get re-elected, a 1 in 3 chance he will die before the end of that. And that does not take into account medical history or taking on a high-stress job like the Presidency! And if he SHOULD die in office or be declared unfit for office, then Palin would be president, and she scares me more than McCain in office.
The constitution says the qualifications of Vice President are the same as those for President - which makes sense because the VP should be able to take over the top job at any time. So here is what scares my about Palin (continuing my list):
Seventh, Palin is under investigation in Alaska over the improper firing of the Public Safety Commissioner in that state (who oversees the State Police as one of his jobs). The commissioner says he was fired because he refused to fire Palin's ex-brother-in-law, Palin says he was let go because of budget issues. To be honest, I don't really care WHY the Public Safety Commissioner was fired, what concerns me is that Palin got involved in the issue over trooper Wooten at all.
It is a direct conflict of interest and abuse of power for Palin to be getting involved in the Wooten situation in the first place, and to be honest, sounds like her sister was complaining to her about having an acrimonious divorce, and Palin realized she's in a perfect position to get 'revenge' on Wooten for putting her sister through such an ordeal. In a similar situation, if a Judge was involved, they would be forced to recuse themselves because of even the APPEARANCE of a conflict of interest.
Now Palin asserts that Wooten made threats against her sister during the divorce proceedings - and yes, that issue should be investigated through proper channels. However the complainant in this case should then be Palin's sister, and the commissioner should not be involved at ALL until the police Internal Affairs process has completed, and potentially appeals filed. Just like any other case of accused police abuse. Either way, Palin herself should not be involved. And Palin can't really say she did not try and put pressure on getting Wooten fired, when her office had been calling the commissioner about it for over a year - including one day where they called a number of times in the same day. Aides don't take this kind of action without the person in charge knowing about it.
Also the fact that Palin was perfectly happy going along with the investigation, submitting to subpoenas, and generally helping the investigation along BEFORE she was tapped as VP candidate, and then as soon as she is tapped, it suddenly becomes a partisan attack trying to influence the presidential race and she won't cooperate with it is suspicious and ridiculous. Maybe I could see her getting away with that line if the investigation starter AFTER she was in the presidential race, but it didn't.
Eighth, Palin's religious background is scary - and in this she shares a lot with Bush, which is also scary. The whole belief that the world is 7000 years old, that the Second Coming will occur IN HER LIFETIME, and that it is her 'duty' to spread the 'Good News'. Palin official 'split' with the Pentecostal Assembly of God in 2002, however video evidence of her from 2005 with a pastor asking God to protect her from witchcraft suggests that she still holds to these ways. It's no secret I don't hold with most conservative Christian beliefs (such as the whole 'the soul is infused and life begins at conception' trash), which Palin obviously believes, but this church is beyond conservative into crazy-wing-nut-cult territory.
Ninth, Palin claims to be all about family values - such as abstinence before marriage, and even agrees with Bush's program of not teaching a comprehensive sex-ed program in schools, but instead just telling teenagers not to have sex until married (obviously they either were uncool/ugly teenagers, or they forgot that being teenagers come with hormones!). Even though studies have shown significantly higher teen pregnancy and STD rates in places that do not have a comprehensive sex-ed program. And she is such a good role model, Palin now has a 17 year old daughter who is pregnant out of wedlock! But I guess it's OK because the boy has 'promised he will marry her'.
Tenth, Palin not being particularly knowledgeable about anything specific worries me. The other three candidates can cite specific Supreme Court decisions, Laws / Bills, and even Newspapers and articles to back up their point. Palin tends to talk in generalities, and is fine when she can repeat the lines she's been given, but her recent Katie Couric interviews show when you ask her anything specific she flounders - including a simple question like what magazines or newspapers she reads to keep abreast of affairs. Add to this she has been out of North America exactly ONCE to Iraq (AFTER it was under US control) also makes me think she has no clue how the rest of the world perceives America, or about cultural differences. Hell, she only got her first passport in 2006! Contrast that to Obama, who was the most travelled senator of all the '2004 freshman' senators. But it's ok, because she can see Russia from her house don't 'cha know *wink*! .... *puke*.
All of this basically adds up to the scariest ticket I've ever seen. I'm not saying the Obama-Biden ticket is without flaw, but at least these candidates don't scare me like McCain-Palin ticket does!
Thanks for reading if you're still with me ;)
EDIT (10-Oct): Almost as if I'd planned it, the New York Times has an article on the Palin obsession with Trooper Wooten today. And it reads quite well.