Political firsts
As a part of my ongoing effort to exert some influence on the direction of the world, I've made my first political campaign donation ever this year. I've also acquired and exhibited my first ever political bumper sticker.
I'm backing Obama.
He's been against the Iraq disaster from the start, even when it was unpopular to do so. Hillary has been no obstacle to W's plans. Not even recently when he was sabre rattling over Iran.
Barack speaks the unpolished, un-"vetted by focus groups", unscripted truth. I want a president who thinks nukes shouldn't be an option. I want a president who wants to enter dialog with our "enemies". These are good things. Though Hillary (and the rest) criticized him for all of them.
He's not beholden to the political establishment. He doesn't owe a giant list of people a giant list of favors for a life spent in politics.
He's got reasonable economic policies. He's not spouting nearly as much anti-free trade anti-capitalist crap as Edwards is. Outsourcing is good for everyone, in the long run. And I do think corporations would sit down and talk with him. I like that he wants to talk with the entities that are part of the solution.
Obama's at least for civil unions, though I wish he'd be for full civil rights for same sex couples. But he gets a pass there. He'll not be allowing any same sex marriage bans while in office, I know.
I don't want to see Hillary in the white house. Despite her supposed expertise in taking on Republicans, she's got a woefully safe and cowardly voting record. She's gone along with W plenty. I remember some bold words from her back in 2000 about reforming the electoral college system (which I fully endorse), which is a very radical thing to say. She quickly backed off that. Because that's the safe thing to do.
My actions are a giant "fuck you" to the supposed inevitability of her candidacy. None of us have voted, and a few polls are supposed to coronate her? I know enough of polling to know that current methods are wholly inadequate to get anyone who might not vote for her. I'm wholly unreachable by pollsters, as is most of my cell phone & e-mail only demographic. Or is it that everyone in the know can see she's got the Democrat political machine in her pocket (from that life of political favors). They know the sheep will be herded to vote for her.
I want other people in California (which, according to every article you read, is sure to vote for Hillary) to know that she's not a shoe-in. There are plenty of people who have other ideas, and they're not alone.
Of course, maybe I'm naive. Maybe I'm one of those lunatic Kucinich supporters, trying to gather some steam. But I don't think so. I see a lot of Obama stickers. No Hillary stickers. Either folks have accepted her inevitability, or there's a lot less love for her than folks think there is. Or maybe NorCal isn't LA, where her friends are.
Meanwhile, I remain dumbfounded that the Republicans in Iowa like Mike Huckabee, a guy who doesn't believe in evolution. I'm frightened and ashamed that someone with that perspective is not just a viable candidate, but a front runner.
My hope is to have two candidates I could vote for. I hope not to have to choose between a power hungry shrew and a religious lunatic.
I'm backing Obama.
He's been against the Iraq disaster from the start, even when it was unpopular to do so. Hillary has been no obstacle to W's plans. Not even recently when he was sabre rattling over Iran.
Barack speaks the unpolished, un-"vetted by focus groups", unscripted truth. I want a president who thinks nukes shouldn't be an option. I want a president who wants to enter dialog with our "enemies". These are good things. Though Hillary (and the rest) criticized him for all of them.
He's not beholden to the political establishment. He doesn't owe a giant list of people a giant list of favors for a life spent in politics.
He's got reasonable economic policies. He's not spouting nearly as much anti-free trade anti-capitalist crap as Edwards is. Outsourcing is good for everyone, in the long run. And I do think corporations would sit down and talk with him. I like that he wants to talk with the entities that are part of the solution.
Obama's at least for civil unions, though I wish he'd be for full civil rights for same sex couples. But he gets a pass there. He'll not be allowing any same sex marriage bans while in office, I know.
I don't want to see Hillary in the white house. Despite her supposed expertise in taking on Republicans, she's got a woefully safe and cowardly voting record. She's gone along with W plenty. I remember some bold words from her back in 2000 about reforming the electoral college system (which I fully endorse), which is a very radical thing to say. She quickly backed off that. Because that's the safe thing to do.
My actions are a giant "fuck you" to the supposed inevitability of her candidacy. None of us have voted, and a few polls are supposed to coronate her? I know enough of polling to know that current methods are wholly inadequate to get anyone who might not vote for her. I'm wholly unreachable by pollsters, as is most of my cell phone & e-mail only demographic. Or is it that everyone in the know can see she's got the Democrat political machine in her pocket (from that life of political favors). They know the sheep will be herded to vote for her.
I want other people in California (which, according to every article you read, is sure to vote for Hillary) to know that she's not a shoe-in. There are plenty of people who have other ideas, and they're not alone.
Of course, maybe I'm naive. Maybe I'm one of those lunatic Kucinich supporters, trying to gather some steam. But I don't think so. I see a lot of Obama stickers. No Hillary stickers. Either folks have accepted her inevitability, or there's a lot less love for her than folks think there is. Or maybe NorCal isn't LA, where her friends are.
Meanwhile, I remain dumbfounded that the Republicans in Iowa like Mike Huckabee, a guy who doesn't believe in evolution. I'm frightened and ashamed that someone with that perspective is not just a viable candidate, but a front runner.
My hope is to have two candidates I could vote for. I hope not to have to choose between a power hungry shrew and a religious lunatic.
posted by Kenneth at 3:50 PM
<< Home