A reader writes: I just finished reading "The Dark Side" and one of the things that struck me the most was the fact that so many of the people involved in condoning and justifying torture in the administration were devout Christians. And yet few if any of these people, up to and including the Christian-in-Chief, seem to have had any hesitation or misgivings about these practices. Correct me if I am wrong; but these are the same people who claim that the example of this 1st Century Pacifist who was himself tortured to death is the guiding lite in their lives. I don't get it.
This is an informing chart. If you click the link, you will see it in several forms. From reading more about it, I understand that McCain is trying to even out the already heavier tax burden that the rich bear. Obama will attempt to give us a more progressive income tax by shifting more of the burden to the richest people in the country. I would like to think that even if I were in the top 1% of the wealthiest Americans that I would still prefer Obama's plan. I guess I'll never know.
I can't stop reading blogs and watching news coverage of the presidential campaign. I realize that I am partisan, but I also hope that I am not partisan to the point of labeling my side as good and the other side as evil. I'm finding that this is really hard not to do. Its so easy to fall into the trap of making everything an argument about personality. I could easily say "Sarah Palin is just like George W. Bush. She's never traveled abroad and uses her religion to justify her personal opinions." There is so much there to attack, that it's hard not to focus on those things. But then the republicans win because Americans vote for the person they'd most like to have a beer with instead of the person with the positions that will most benefit their lives in the next 4 years. So, I can say that what McCain/Palin are calling change is essentially a continuation of the Bush years. And I can say that McCain chose her as a tool to energize the religious right (which so far has been successful). But that doesn't tell you why Obama would be a good president.
Speaking of the religious right... It bugs the hell out of me that they've gotten so excited about Palin before really knowing anything about her. She's Pro-life/Anti-gay/Evangelical therefore she'll be a great potential president. Do they not remember that they are voting for John McCain, for whom James Dobson said he would not vote under any circumstances. She says the right evangelical key-words so conservative Christians love her. But morality encompasses more than just a couple of issues. What about lying? She and John McCain have been putting out so many dishonest claims. Do any of them care how honest their Christian candidate is?
Of course, none of what I have said above will change any minds. For most people, the line is drawn and their heels are dug in. Palin could maul a baby like the pit-bull she claims to be, and they would find a way to justify it. I do understand that voters on both sides are this way but my personal view is that one side is putting out a lot more lies than the other. So, I'm including 3 videos. The first one is all about facts. It comes from the nonpartison factcheck.org. The next two are from The Daily Show. I still don't understand why John Stewart does such a better job at pointing out political bullshit than real news outlets do.
If you are still undecided, there is no excuse. Do a little research. Think about how you want this country to look in 4 years. Do you want things to be the same? Or should we take a chance on a change in policy? And remember: Abortion is legal and that won't likely change no matter who the president is. And, thankfully, gay marriage will be here in a few years whether you like it or not. So why make a decision based on these two wedge issues? If you do, then you are letting yourself be a puppet of a political tactic perfected by a man who isn't even a believer himself (think Karl Rove).
I was willing to give her a chance. I'm trying very hard to be even handed and not over partisan. I can admit that John McCain is probably a good man, and probably wouldn't be bad president (unless he really does believe that the Bush years have been good). But I just couldn't sustain it while watching Palin speak tonight.
It started well. She looks like Tina Fey, so she gets a pass in the beginning. But all I saw when the camera panned the audience was a bunch of smug assholes. The young ones especially. Young Republicans drain all hope from inside of me.
I guess I just hold out hope that a politician that wears their religion on their sleeve might have a bit more integrity. Of course why would I still believe this after Bush? According to the right-wing, evangelical Christian voting block, the only thing required to prove you're a Christian is a Pro-Life, Anti-Gay, Pro-War platform. Who cares about saying things you know aren't true about your opponent just for political gain. I realize both sides do it, but for some reason it's way more frustrating when the side with all of the Christian cheerleaders does it.
She also lost me when she made fun of Barack Obama for wanting to restore Habeus Corpus for prisoners held in U.S. detention centers. The terrorists are so scary. They want to kill you. Vote for McCain and me. This sums up the latter half of her acceptance speech.
I dedicate this diatribe to Liza. You asked for more posts :)
