Politics
Every four years the US gets to enjoy the Summer Olympics and then the Presidential Elections. I’ve been following with more interest than usual because I like Obama. Though I liked him more before he was running, and more during the Democratic Primary. I understand the repositioning he needs to do for the general elections, but whatever.
One thing, I find that I cannot stand at all is reading the comments on news articles and blogs. It was horrible when it was Obama versus Clinton, and it is just as bad now with Obama versus McCain. The comments always seem to quickly degenerate into a mess of talking points and innuendo.
I didn’t really follow politics too much but I am saddened by the state of politics. I don’t think the modern Republican leadership is necessarily evil, but I think they have a different idea of what is right and good. I see myself as a citizen of the world with the US being an equal partner, whereas maybe modern Republican philosophy sees the US as being big brother. Bill Clinton’s “power of our example, not example of our power” pinpoints this difference in philosophy. Palin’s “change to advance career versus career to adance change” came off as a weak ripoff but I’m going to guess much of the audience didn’t follow Clinton’s speech.
I think I would have liked McCain better 8 years ago. But this time around, I think he has essentially “sold his soul” for this last(?) chance at being President. Questionable tactics and polictical agents used against him them are now being employed by him this time around. What was the “Straight Talk Express”, now seems to say whatever is policitically convenient or on the talking points memo for the day.
Another thing that bugs me is that the Republican leadership seems to be exploiting the Evangilicals. Using prapoganda and leveraging “moral” issues, they are getting votes they may not necessarily have otherwise. Sure, some of the Republican parties leaders may have similar values as the Evangilical base, but I think the leadership knows politically they do not see eye-to-eye. Republicans have been historically aligned with big business and are anti-union. How do these align with small town people? Of course, when this is brought up, the opposition is painted as elitest and talking down to the people. Cheney’s daughter, Rove’s religion (or lack of one), McCain as a fairly liberal senator (pre-Bush), Mitt’s liberal tenure as governor, Guiliani’s cross-dressing - I don’t really have a problem with any of it, but I don’t think they’re being honost with the voter base they’re courting. I believe they are exploiting them to advance their own agenda. I wonder how often politicians use the phrase “God Bless …” off camera.