19 posts tagged “democrat”

Why is it that we follow others?   If we are truly a nation built on the individuality of people, why do some people rise while others fall?   Why do some people allow themselves to be herded to blindly follow a leader that may or may not be the right person for the job?  If history has taught us anything, it should be this – never trust your leaders. 

Trust is not something that should be offered to leaders, especially political leaders.   I do not care if the man or woman can perform miracles; you have to doubt your leaders at all times.  Doubting your leader should be mandatory because it keeps you thinking, questioning and analyzing their movements and actions.  Its doubt that allows you to see a “leader” for what they truly are – your equal that is capable of making mistakes and errors just like you.  Doubt helps you to understand that leaders are not better than you because they are simply operating on authority you gave them and you can take away.

I understand that there are people that need to trust their leaders, but that need is flawed.  Trust is something that should be earned and it simply cannot be done on a national level.   The people of this country can’t sit back and claim to know the President; they don’t know him at all.  They know the image and the brand.  They know the shiny exterior that is packaged and presented to the world, not the real person.  I don’t care if you have seen a President hug their children and kiss their wives – that is nothing more than a framed snippet presented to make the leader more likeable to the “common” people that are so willing to give away their own authority in the world.

Yes, many of you will read this and think I am talking about Obama followers, but others will look at this see Bush followers.   It doesn’t matter.  Apply it to whomever you want but you must understand that if you are willing to trust a leader without question, you are doomed.   After all, the people of Germany trusted Hitler because he was a moving and powerful leader that rescued the nation from a crushing depression and restored national pride lost during World War I.  Look what happened to that nation when trust was given rather than doubt.

We have ALL seen it before.  A group protests the ruling political party's policies and the participants are deemed dangerous to the Country, the President and even themselves.  The most recent victims of the anti-protest rhetoric are the participants of T.E.A. Party demonstrations.  From Nancy Pelosi to CNN - participants were mocked, demeaned, belittled, and even declared dangerous.   The evil "neo-con" word was thrown around too - even though some of the protestors were liberal democrats.  I won't even go into the amount of times that people attempted to race bait participants.  During the Bush years, anti-war and liberal protestors were declared dangerous and unamerican.  The Right declared these protestors to be commies, radicals, unamerican, unpatriotic and even terrorists!

Why can't Americans see that, no matter what side of the political fence you are on - protesting is a staple of a democracy, a republic and the USA?  These protestors are involved in their country and its governance that supercedes most Americans.  Their participation surpasses that of ANY elected official (to include St Bush and St Obama) because they are doing it for something more than wealth, money, power or fame.

I don't care what the person is protesting, they are doing so because they want to make the nation better.  They are doing it out of a love for their country.  They are protesting because they want to make a difference.   Unlike politicians and talking heads - they generally don't seek fame and glory.  They aren't paid.   They aren't rich.   They are there on their dime. 

So, maybe we can all sit back and respect that thes people are true Americans that are actively involved in the way that it runs rather than calling them names.

First off, let me start by saying that Obama gave me the one major change I wanted out of the last election cycle - an end to the presidency of George W Bush. So for me, anything else that changes (for the better) is gravy.  For me he has done some great things to help protect women's reproductive choice (GRAVY!).

The reason I ask this is because for so many people, they voted for a dream in 2008 not reality.  

• They voted for the troops to be magically transported out of dangerous warzones.  However, they got the very approach that McCain promised - a coordinated withdrawal of combat troops while leaving a peacekeeping force to assist the Iraqis that would be withdrawn (hopefully) in a year or so but would stay as long as needed if something changed (*cough*  remember McCain's 100 years comment?)
• They voted to end Guantanamo.  However the reality is the closure of the prison leaves 100s of terrorists without anywhere to go (we don't want them here, their countries dont want them).   The prison is set to close in a year but where will those 200+ prisoners go?   I personally doubt that they will make their way to mainland America so they will probably end up at one of the secret prisons we run (or our allies run on our behalf). 
• They voted for a new kind of "non-partisan" politics.  However we have all seen that both the Republicans and the Democrats (Obama included) are firmly entrenched in their party alliances and wars.  Just because Pres Obama declares a bill he wrote to be "non-partisan" does not make it true.   You can not expect people to go completely against their ideology and beliefs to accept legislation that is radically different.  It didn't work under Republican rule and it wont work under Democrat rule.
• They voted for an end to lobbyists that are beholden to large corporations and the rich.  President Obama even declared that his administration would be lobbyist free.  However, he backtracked on that promise within days of making it by hiring multiple lobbyists who owe companies like Raytheon massive favors.
• They voted for Obama because he would restore the USA's standing in the world and bring peace.  The reality is that plenty of countries simply don't like us and they haven't liked us for generations - with or without George W Bush.

Now, I don;t want President Obama to fail.  In fact, I want him succeed.  I just know that there were a LOT of naive people that believed Obama to be this mythical figure that could solve the world's woes.   They believed he would bring peace while protecting us from all harm.  They believed he would bring an economic revival that would make the poor rich (or at least middle class).  They thought he would fix our educational system.   They thought he had magic in him that would fix everything.  So I wonder this, at what point will their fantasy view of Obama end and reality set in?  

Worse yet, will their inevitable disillusionment with Obama lead to a return to their apathetic voting practices?  I would hate to see Sarah Palin come into power because Democrats decide to not vote (thats how we got Bush!)

President Barack Obama excited me when he declared that his administration would be a "no-lobbyist" zone.  It established a sense of integrity in him and his administration.  Unfortunately, in his first week in office, he broke that rule with the nomination of Bill Lynn, a former Raytheon employee/defense industry lobbyist, to the office of Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Now, in my wanderings, I found that many people are confused by what a lobbyist does, so let me explain.   A lobbyist is an individual that uses the contacts, relationships they have built, influence and money for a client to get favorable legislation and/or spending passed in government.   Now, the clients can be anybody - non-profit organizations, charities, issue oriented collectives, and commercial entities.  Basically - they are the people that get Congress to act.

In the case of Bill Lynn, he is a commercial lobbyist for Raytheon.   If you don't know who Raytheon is, they are the defense company that was awarded a 3 BILLION dollar contract in December to sell/implement/manage the American Patriot missile system to the United Arab Emirates in December '08.  This is the man that made their governmental contracts a reality.  Now, Obama wants him to help hand out those contracts as the deputy secretary of defense.  

Can you say conflict of interest?   Can you say preferential treatment?

Obama criticized other politicians for doing this very thing - he was supposed to be above handing out jobs to lobbyists who paid were beholden to companies.   For me, this knocks his claims of a "new kind of government" to an all-time low.   Had he not promised me a better, more honest government, I would not even care about the nomination.  It would be just another lobbyist getting a job.  However, Obama SWORE he would be different.  He set the rules but broke them the first day.

So where is the change that I can "believe" in?  Right now, I only see hypocrisy.

President Obama began declaring that his economic recovery package was non- or bi-partisan before he ever stepped into the Oval Office.   While many people sat agreeing that Mr Obama's bill was indeed a bi-partisan wonder that would save the country, they forgot to do one thing - ask the opinion of the other party.  You see, most of the people talking were die-hard Democrats.  Republicans have made their thoughts known over the past couple of days and guess what happened?   The Republicans don't like the bill.  Shocker.

Now, I am still debating the merits of the bill as I am a fiscal conservative (socially extremely liberal).  So I have not decided where I stand on the bill.  However, I do no one thing - the bill is EXCEEDINGLY liberal.  It follows the Democrat platform almost verbatim.  So how did Mr Obama ever think that it would pass as some non-partisan approach to economic recovery? 

It really frustrates me that Obama makes a decree and expects everyone to fall in line with his thinking.  I spent the last eight years of Bush jr doing the same. 

Like it or not - the change of our governmental seat happens today in just a few short hours.  No matter who you voted for in the Primaries and the General Election - today is the day we welcome a new President and say goodbye to Bush. 

Today is a day of promise, hope and positive contemplation.   Today is a day that we have a President that has made no mistakes while in Office.  Today is the day that we have a President that has committed no crimes or acts of moral ambiguity.  Today is the day that we will see people across the country celebrate our President, our Government and our nation.  Today is the day that we will see people proclaim their national pride.  Today is a day that America will see the ultimate racial glass ceiling broken.  Today is the day that most people will look to Obama and see a man that has the potential to do a good job.

I say that this will be the best day of his Presidency not because I expect him to be horrendous President.  I say it because this is the first day of a term of office that will face challenges.  Before he leaves office he will be required to change his own policies.  He will be required to mitigate the damages of a bad decision.  He will be required to compromise on his agenda.  He will be required breaks campaign promises.  He will have to face scrutiny for military, economic and policy decisions. 

So today President Barack H Obama should enjoy himself.   This term of office will not get any better than the celebrations of hope today.

On November 4, 2008 - I joined with the masses of voters here in the Metro detroit area and voted for President.  Up until the point where I stepped into the booth, I was undecided.   I did not know who I would vote for even though I had educated myself on EVERY issue.   In the days before, I tried to make up my mind using every information resource and election tool available on the internet.  I was even stumped at a non-partisan site that had me fill out a survey of issues so it could match me to the proper candidate - I matched 48% Obama and 48% McCain.  In the end it came down to Palin and her conservative views, attacks on reproductive rights, and I hate to say it - McCain's age.   I voted for Barack Obama because I was worried that if the office took a toll on him - we would end up with a Palin Presidency (possibly worse than Bush).

So now I will stand up and support our new President Elect.  I am going to hope that the Democratic Party can actually do the good that it promises to do.  Obama certainly has the tools to do it - charisma, charm, intellect and a Democrat controlled congress.  If he blows the promises and does stuff I hate - I will disagree out loud.

McCain moved me with his grace last night during his concession speech.  He told booing supporters to be quiet.  He told them that BArack Obama was HIS President.  I loved that he was able to handle defeat without throwing a temper tantrum or calling for recount after recount. 

No matter your candidate - you have to admit that both men fought hard.  The race was MUCH closer than anybody thought it could be after 8 years of George W Bush, a failing economy and an endless war. 

So congratulations to both men on ending such a hard fought campaign with grace and dignity.

OK.  In the 6th grade, I can still remember political campaigns of the time.  I knew what my parents wanted.   I thought Reagan and Bush Sr were supposed to be cool because Dad said so.  Kids are so easily lead in their belief systems.  However, we never wore political crap to school.  We also didn't wear stuff that was meant to cause a controversy or disruption in the school.

Last week a six grader in Aurora, Colorado was suspended for causing a disruption in school when he wore an Anti-Obama shirt that went beyond campaign slogans and moved into the realm of derogatory rhetoric.  It said "Obama - A Terrorist's Best Friend".  This shirt was not designed to campaign or support any candidate.  the shirt was not meant to be a positive statement about anybody.  It was meant to offend.  It was meant to cause a stir at the school.  It hit its target.  When the child was told to turn the shirt inside out or to go home and change - he refused.  the result?  A three day suspension and a dad whining about his child's "freedom of speech".

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In 2007 the Supreme Court (Morse Vs. Fredrick) ruled that students should not receive First Amendment protections in school when the school has a clearly defined student code of conduct.  In 1969, the Supreme Court stated that students could wear protest armbands so long as they did not cause a disruption.   Clearly, the shirt caused a disruption and that was what the boy was suspended for in the end - the disruption and his refusal to change the cause of the disruption.

I have to laugh though.   I've been hearing a multitude of conservatives complaining that had it been an anti-McCain shirt, the result would have been different and the shirt allowed.  Wrong!  The child had a sister who wore the same shirt and managed to go the whole day without being suspended because there was no disruption in her class over the shirt.  It was the disruption the boy caused and then the boy;s choices that got him suspended.

Since when did our children become political billboards?  It great to be politically active and to show your children their future rights.  However, turning your child into a zombie spouting empty rhetoric or participating in the lowest level of the political machine - mudslinging - is not acceptable.  Teach children to use critical thinking to analyze a candidate.  Teach your children to engage in respectful, mature debate.   Pissing people off just because its fun is not what kids need to learn!

“Make no mistake about this, Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Lets get that straight.”

“She’s easily qualified to be vice president … and quite frankly, might have been a better pick than me. But she’s first rate. I mean that sincerely. She is first rate. So let’s get that straight."------Senator Biden

Ok, so why is Clinton not the running mate?    We have been told that Biden was the most qualified candidate and that is why he was chosen.  However, when talking about Clinton to a crowd in New Hampshire - he put him out as an equal if not inferior to Senator Clinton.  What the hell? 

So if she was as qualified as Biden, if not more so, why not choose the woman that would bring a guaranteed 18 million votes to the campaign?

Somebody better tell Biden to never go off script again.  He comes up looking like an idiot.   Guess what Senator Biden, Clinton supporters don't want to here she could have been a better choice - it doesn't instill confidence.  It doesn't make us want to vote for you or your buddy.   It actually makes us question why, if she was the better candidate, was she never truly considered. 

Does anybody have one of those little receivers that Bush and Rove used?  Clearly, Biden needs some guidance.

Ladies and gentleman, I have noticed a disturbing trend in American politics.   There is a large majority of voters that are voting based on popularity rather than being informed voters.   What's worse - the popularity of the candidate is created by the same system that gave us "stars" like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and the cast of "The Hills".

What happened to people that actually went out and learned about the candidates?  In the 18th, 19th and part of the 20th century information was difficult to come by and voters relied on what the news agencies and candidates told them.  This generation has no information accessibility issue - with the internet and half a brain people can find anything they want on the candidates.  So why are people relying on sound bites and packaged information from spin masters? 

People WAKE UP!   You are about to vote for the leaders of your country.  You should put thought into this process.  You should stay up at night wondering who is right for the job.  You should be doing research on their voting history, policy proposals and other pertinent information. 

It doesn't matter WHO you vote for but that choice needs to be an informed one!  Don't let the news agencies, television shows and  (ie corporate america) make that choice for you.   They do NOT have your best interests at heart - they have theirs.  Get the facts and VOTE!

Come on people.   Get off your asses and educate yourself before casting that ballot.  People have DIED for this right and are still dying for this right -  we should show some respect and do it responsibly.

In the immortal words of GI JOE - Knowing is half the battle!