20 Jan 2009
Today will go down in the history books for generations to come. The United States of America elected her 44th president and her first African American president.
All political party affiliations aside today was an incredible day and one that will hopefully bring a better sense of unity to the people, a definite cause, and a changed and brighter future.
I voted for Obama.
That being said I am not a liberal. I am not a conservative either. I don’t vote straight-ticket. I vote on the issue. This election I was torn. With both a brother and a father in Iraq, and being a military “brat” I m generally inclined to vote right since the conservatives usually favor the armed forces. But right only barely.
This year though, my vote was split. I agree with some of conservative values, such as their support for capitalism (coming from a guy who also hates capitalism) and their foreign policy (except Mr. Bush’s). I also agree with liberal values such a a bigger responsibility to take care of the people and a desire to reform health care (not by universalizing it).
But, in light of Americas cultural and racial segregation along with the view from the worlds stage, I felt Obama would be the best fit. And thankfully he appointed a good cabinet (except Clinton).
I like Obama. I’m excited he’ll be our president for the next four years. I look forward to the changes he’ll bring. However, I also liked Bush. Yes, this goes against popular opinion, and yes he screwed up. But which president hasn’t screwed up to some degree? The fact of the matter is amongst the bad he did, was also some good. Even if it was one good thing and ten bad things, there was still good, so why hate that? Security is beefed up, especially during the inauguration. And there have been several terror threats on our country but all of them were thwarted due to our increased surveillance.
We all are entitled to who we like and dislike, and we all have our reasoning. But if you’re gonna hate someone (i.e., Bush) at least have some legitimate reason as to why. And because your friends or family do, doesn’t count. It’s cool if you don’t like Bush, just have some reason why. It’s cool if you’re a Liberal or a Conservative, just understand WHY you chose that view. I’m so sick of these robotic responses.
But all in all, today I was extremely proud to be an American. I’m proud we have an African American as our 44th President and I’m proud we came together today, despite the weather, despite the workday, and despite the heightened security to unite for this occasion.
06 Nov 2008
To start, I’ll inform you that I vote on the issues rather than the party. I think for someone to say “Democrats are stupid” or “Republicans suck” is just ignorant and close-minded. If it weren’t for the back and forth of power, the undulating ebb and flow of democracy, this country wouldn’t be as great as She is. It is the alternating control of power between Left and Right that keeps us strong. We need both Democrats and Republicans in office.
Straight-ticket voting means either you were too lazy to read the issues or you are feeling the pressure of your close friends and unable to think for yourself. Also, if you agree with all issues of one particular side there’s something seriously wrong with you because there’s no way all issues are good for you personally.
This year, however, my vote went to Obama. Do I agree with everything Obama suggests? Not at all. But I did agree with the narrow majority. And yes, I studied the issues. I voted for Obama despite my military background and even though both my brother and father are in Iraq – my dad for his fourth tour.
We all know that Presidents never do everything they say they will. It’s all political talk to get your vote so I’m not expecting too much from Obama. In fact, I’m guessing maybe 50% of what he’s proposed will pass, even with an entirely Democratic government. However, one thing is for sure: Obama has reunited America with the rest of the world; something we’ve needed for a long, long time. As of January of 2009 the world will no longer look at us as the “arrogant pricks who started the Endless War” but as Americans. We will wash the dirt off, hell they might even help us bathe, and we will all work together again.
Some might say that Obama isn’t best for this country, and politically they might be correct. But Obama is good for the psyche of all Americans and for the world. This is very good in a time when we need the world’s support. We are in the midst of a financial crisis and a war with no end in sight. Our economy is receding and it’s not just Americans who are feeling it – it’s the whole world.
Obama captured it in his acceptance speech — this sense that despite holding America’s feet to the fire, the rest of the world is rooting for it and wants it to lead and succeed.
“Our destiny is shared,” he said, “and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.”
Overnight, Americans did something their harshest critics in Europe have yet to do: elect a person of color as head of state and commander in chief. That gives U.S. citizens some bragging rights, even if a lot of us would just as soon eschew hubris and embrace humility.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081105/ap_on_re_eu/eu_election_an_american_abroad.
11 Sep 2008
Four years ago – no eight years ago, when President Bush first campaigned for the Presidency, I was 17 years old and in high school. Politics was just a thing for me and true, it held some interest, but not nearly the interest it holds now. I know quite a bit about politics and I follow them fairly closely and as I’ve gotten older I’ve become more observant to the on goings and the inner-workings. I’m appalled at the level of warfare that goes on.
Being an American, of course I want what’s best for this country. But here we are watching two other Americans criticize, slam, and overturn each other trying to show the people who’s the “better American”. They’re enemies, and while they put on fake faces for the media and for the sake of their campaign and pretend they’re not enemies, we all see through the bullshit. We know that Obama goes to bed at night cursing McCain and visa versa. When did politics become war? War splits people and devastates countries, don’t we see that? Have we not learned this lesson?
All of us can sit and bitch about the war in Iraq and we can stand and protest “love not war” all day long, yet here we are engaging personally in a war of politics. We are hypocrites. This entire country is nothing but selfish hypocrites. We’re doing exactly the same thing the Sunni’s and Sha’ites are doing in Iraq, only we use hateful words rather than AK-47′s.
Both McCain and Obama are trying show they can lead this country; that they can get her back on track; that they can repair her… But I say, they’re saying one thing and doing another. Obama and his charismatic youthfulness toy with the peoples’ emotions leaving them with little logic to go on. And on the right, McCain and his age-old stance with conservatism is too firm and too set in his ways.
That right there is the problem my friends. Bipartisanship is the problem. Who said the American people want an extreme? Maybe what’s best for us is a little bit of both? Yeah, we need some economic help. But we also need to finish our War and deal intelligently with foreign affairs. Hasn’t history taught any of us that extremes don’t work?
That being said, how can any of us stand and proclaim either Obama or McCain is the answer? The answer clearly isn’t and can’t be an extreme. Fixing this country will only happen if we merge the two sides of the fence; if we eliminate the two parties – the two schools of thought, and bring together the people.
Whoever wins this Presidency might change things, but they’ll hardly fix things. Politics in America is and always has been a roller coaster ride. We have alternating years of ups and downs, lefts and rights and sometimes loops which throw us all into vertigo. If we really want change and if we really want to fix this country, then we’ve got to eliminate this bipartisanship and become one people and become indivisible. But as long as these politicians remain stubborn and locked in their “left” or “right” ways, nothing positive will happen.
Democrats want a larger government that is more in control of peoples’ lives. A government people can rely on in time of need. It all sounds nice and wonderful when stated so eloquently, however as we all know people are selfish by nature and when given and inch we’ll take a mile. A larger government means people lose accountability and responsibility. The people become too dependent upon the government, then four, eight, or however many years later when it switches, we’re left bitching because we’ve got no one to rely on.
On the flipside, Republicans want a smaller government giving more power to local governments and the people. In a Utopian society where people care about each other this might work, but realistically people are selfish and self-centered making this form of government equally defunct.
So what’s the answer? Is there an answer?