Now that the primaries are finally over, the race can begin! Its McCain versus Obama, and the stakes are high. While they’ve yet to put on the gloves and step into the ring, the arguments and positions are starting to emerge.
McCain
Looks like McCain is putting the Iraq war as the most important component to his campaign. He’s calling Obama inexperienced, and has suggested that they travel to Iraq together.
Obama
Obama is taking note of American’s financial woes - blaming the GOP for the economic problems, including high gas prices and record numbers of home foreclosures.
In my humble opinion, both are good arguments. In the coming months, these positions will become more defined, but before then, we should see both Obama and McCain choose running mates. At this point, its anyone’s guess.
In my opinion, financial woes are a much more important issue than the Iraq war. I like Obama’s stance on just pull out ASAP. However, the crisis in the economy is a much more complex issue, and one that doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves.
We the people, not the political body, are responsible, and accountable, for our country’s good name, direction, and well-being; it is the political body’s honor and duty to represent us, diligently, responsibly, and accountably, working in dedicated pursuit to achieve the noble high dreams and ideals all of US should desire for our nation.
We the people have abdicated our responsibility to that self-serving, ill advised, and both ethically and morally corrupt body. Since the beginning, we grew accustomed and content with just sending Richard, Bill, or George, out to the House, the Senate, and/or that other House, blindly trusting them to do their very best to serve ours, and/or our country’s interests, as a whole and not just service the special interests that help re-elect them to that grand country club they now belong. Because that’s what the political body of our creation has become, a very exclusive, privileged club, where the needs of our nation now take second, third, fifth, or even last place, behind the needs of that political body to get re-elected, and to both better and augment their club’s perks and benefits.
Our founders warned us; “eternal vigilance” they told us we’d need. We the people failed in our duty to keep an eye on the people we sent away to serve us. In the end, they wound up serving themselves. To phrase it in words I’d heard long ago but, until recently, had not been able to understand: “Now it’s a monster, and will not obey!”
When this grand new republic’s experiment got started, I believe the people serving us then earned their living through work and business they did outside and away from their government post. Serving our country’s needs back then truly was a duty for those who served at the time, that honor not yet the “career” it has since become.
When will the bright light come on, in the collective American consciousness, that as long as a politician sees his or her “service” as a career, as a way to become well-connected, powerful, and rich in ways far beyond the reach of the average American worker-citizen, that working for us is not as profitable as working for themselves. How many jobs are out there today where the average citizen, if diligent about his or her work, can aspire to retire as a full-benefits millionaire, with all the goodies and perks that a successful 30-year political career can deliver?
“Follow the money” is a phrase used today to point out the clues to where something has gone wrong. I say, let’s follow it; let’s just take a look at the great strides and upward progress the average American Worker’s salaries and benefits has enjoyed over the past 40 years, and then compare that to the great strides and upward progress that the salaries and benefits the political body enjoys giving themselves has experienced over the same period.
After all we see, hear, and read, about their behavior, over and over, and over again, the broken promises, the out-right bold-faced lies, betrayed trusts, the obscene mortgage of our children’s future… Need I keep going?
How can we the people continue to believe, over and over, and over again, in the words and promises these very same people continue to default on, time after time, after time? Are we that naive, or are we just plain foolish?
Because, I believe, regardless all we have seen, heard, and read about the current bunch now currying our favor, I will again use/paraphrase words I heard long ago that never connected, until now: “We will get fooled again!”
I believe the time has come for our republic’s grand experiment to be upgraded to its 1.2 version. Public Office should become like the Military Draft used to be: upon receipt of said notice, the average citizen – having met a well-crafted set of educational and experiences requirement for the position – would be dragged screaming into said office for a time no longer than four years, his or her only hope to be released early based on performance.
Only then shall our government’s focus shift back to the betterment of our people, and our nation. When those who would serve are citizens first, before and after their service, I believe their priorities would truly reflect the needs of our good people, and our great nation. Only then will Lincoln’s dream that “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” have a chance to become a sweet reality for US all.
P.S. To all of us who so proudly proclaim to be “INDEPENDENT” tell me this: Of what good and/or purpose does it serve to be Independent, when our choice still remains to vote for a politician, democrat or republican?
Do we really want to see change? Do we really want to make the political body reconsider their thinking? Why don’t we all go to the polls in November and really surprise the political body by doing something they probably laugh if considered? The Libertarian candidate? In my book, that would be the ultimate CHANGE message!
Interesting posts! Its funny how some view change as voting for libertarian candidates. Reform is needed to change the political cluster that is Washington! Change occurs when accountability is recognized and enforced. We have political candidates attaching themselves to every special interest and lobbyist in America in an attempt to gain votes and the all mighty dollar. These candidates do this without accountability or responsibility for the actions they or the campaign they head takes! We in American need a little tough love. Someone needs to speak for the people by telling the people some things they don’t want to hear!!! Examples of this would be: We NEED to drill for oil in ANWR and the Shelfs! We NEED to impose greater standards on automobile manufactures with regards to MPG, and quality! We did it with emissions, we can do it with MPG as well! We need to spend money on R/D to develop power plants that are more effective than what we currently have. We NEED to build more nuclear power plants!!! We NEED to increase the gas tax to pay for highways, bridges, etc. We NEED to allow criminals to be punished for the crimes they commit! We NEED to put power back into the hands of those citizens and take it from the criminals. We NEED to be able to run at night, walk the streets, and allow our children the freedom to play in the front yards without concern for those predators actively searching out victims. Society needs to put the power of the government, its communities, and its families back into the hands of the families. We have TOO MANY nut jobs in government that attempt to raise their families and yours through politics and legal “e’s.”
Its time for all those Americans to take a stand for whats right not whats right for right now!!!
As I listen to the news, especially your commentaries on how Americans are being taught to be ashamed of our country, our flag and I history I wonder what would happen if somehow we could to go back in history and bringing our founding fathers back to our time. I’ve given some thought to this and come to the following conclusions.
They would look at the way their dream of democracy with equal rights for all has turned into a nightmare that they could never have anticipated. If they did not drop dead from either heart attacks or strokes, I believe they do one of two things.
One They would stay in this time an attempt to bring about a second revolution as an attempt to remind Americans that they should not be ashamed of their country or their flag. That the America they fought, and that many died for was not dead, and only on life support until those that still have pride of their country, flag and themselves would rise up and take back their land and their freedoms.
Two They would immediately demand that they were returned to their time where they would send messengers to the British Generals offering their unconditional surrender, and consider democracy a really bad idea that would only be destroyed by fools in the future that had no concept of their sacrifices so the generations that came after them would take for granted and give it all away the first chance they had.
It’s sad to say, however, I believe they would do the latter as their short time spent in our moment in history would convince them that no matter how hard they fought, or planned for the future they would always be fools that would pervert America to suit their own twisted dreams of what our country should be, and the easiest way to line in their pockets the gold and silver.
That even today are Judas is among us. Instead of selling Jesus for silver their selling our country for dollar bills. As with the traders in history, they too one-day will pay for their sins. I only hope I’m still here to see.
Sincerely,
Stormy
http://www.stormy08.com
My uncle was also a pilot in Vietnam, like John McCain. But, he has never ran for public office. He wasn’t shot down, like McCain. My uncle had only successful missions. So, then, who was God looking over?
One fateful day, my uncle landed his Phantom on the deck of his carrier, walked onto the bridge and gave the Skipper his wings. Why? Because of his efficient flying and targeting skills, he was ordered to drop remaining bombs onto civilian locations to “destroy the spirit of the people to support the war.” That was the last mission my uncle flew, allbeit successfully.
He suffers horrible flashbacks, and he still tears up, when he recalls seeing the faces of innocent people (men, women, and children) waving in support of the U.S., as he let his payload go. So, was the order righteous, or was my uncle’s decision? Who, in that situation, was more honorable, I ask you, my uncle for walking away, or the Generals in the Pentagon who gave the order to kill civilians? My uncle had a full academic scholarship to Harvard, before the Vietnam war. He joined the Air Force, voluntarily, so he could be a pilot, because he didn’t want to get drafted into the Army to die, needlessly.
John McCain is no genius. He has only graduated from the Naval Academy. He is a brainwashed military goon. John McCain is a fearful tool of the system that created his suffering. He wants more war and more innocent men to die. (see: Freud’s; “Thanatos”.) He wants less harmony and brotherhood in the world. He IS the industrial-military complex that Eisenhower warned us about! He is NO war-hero, he is a war-monger. A real hero fights actual evil only when provoked to reestablish peace. McCain is just an unfortunate P.O.W., with unfortunate policy. God bless him for his service and sacrifice. But, I will not support his run for CEO. He is best suited to remain being a senator from Arizona.
As an Independent and former Republican, I appeal to you all; Do not blindly support this Party nominee. Find your soul and voice and WRITE IN Ron Paul for President of the United States. Our National Security and Constitution demand it.
-[ To: John McCain; Stop your Machiavellian rhetoric, intelligent people see through it. You are an Eisenhower want-to-be (see: Freud’s “Libido”). Spare us your neuroses, and choose Ron Paul as your vice-president. God will honor you for your insight.]-
Thank you, Ron Paul for giving us the “Straight talk” about “Change”.
http://www.campaignforliberty.org