I’m sure regular readers have been wondering who this blog would officially endorse. After all, my posts have been so centrist. That crack is meant as both sarcasm and truth. Anyone from the Right would certainly think my posts about the election are Liberal Left and anyone from the Left would certainly agree with much of what I’ve said; hence, the sarcasm. But I also believe that my views are truly centrist and not overtly ideological. The federal government should be fiscally conservative with the funds it gets through progressive taxation. The economy should be market-driven Capitalism but not without regulation. And freedom and rights are fundamental as long as they don’t hinder or risk the freedom and rights of others.
I would have voted for John McCain in 2000. What he said he wanted to do was close to what I felt was right for the country and I believed that he believed what he said. But McCain’s Straight Talk Express has long since been put up on blocks in the front yard of redneck America. His views now are so different from what they were then, and what he says isn’t necessarily in keeping with his recent actions, that it is really hard to believe anything he says. Then, in choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate, he simultaneously pandered to the social conservatives and to the rural America who votes for somebody who looks, talks, and acts like them. Palin may be a great governor of Alaska but surely there must be somebody with a stronger background than her as the Republican ticket’s number two!
If the Presidential election tomorrow were about recognizing somebody for a lifetime of service to their country, the obvious winner would be McCain. But this isn’t a lifetime achievement award. This is a job where you need to pick the best candidate. The best meaning the most well educated, most experienced, and overall capable candidate. While it is true that Barack Obama does not have the most experience, he has shown wisdom in his choice for his number two. Even knowing that Biden didn’t completely agree with him on all his views and knowing that Biden could be a liability because of his sometimes poor choice of words, Obama picked him because he knew he was the right guy for the job.
And fundamentally, I trust that what Obama says he is going to do is what he intends to do. Both candidates fudged the truth a little when they say that they aren’t going to need to cut programs or delay some of their expensive plans due to the current economic situation. But when Obama says he intends to only enact programs that can be funded, I believe him. When McCain said that he’d find “a billion tomorrow” in government waste – that’s the sound of a main who is more hopeful than practical.
I believe Obama would be a trustworthy President. That he’ll provide the dignity and intelligence that this country needs in the Presidency – so desperately needs after 8 years of Bush. And while I believe that both McCain and Obama truly both want the job because they believe they can do what is right for this country, Obama’s the one who will. McCain was right for the job 8 years ago, Obama is right today.
There’s a lot of concern that the Democrats will “run the table” – control the Senate, the House, and the Executive Branch – and will then just “tax and spend” as Democrats of yore had. But look at Clinton’s Presidency: he had a budget surplus and government was much smaller under Clinton than Bush. The Democrats know that nobody wants bigger government than Bush 43 has created and they know that they’ve got an election in 2010 where they could get clobbered if they aren’t careful. Concern over unchecked “tax and spend” liberals isn’t justified today.
One word about the other candidates. I’m a 2-party hater. I think much of what is wrong with the current state of politics is the 2-party system. Too much us-vs.-them mentality. I think the whole concept should be scrapped and candidates should simply be who they are – everybody as Independent. However, at this juncture, there is no question that there are only two candidates remaining. Despite the fact that other names will appear on the ballot, none of them stand a chance. If you believe something different, then you are beyond hope. Therefore, if you don’t vote for McCain or Obama, it’s the same as not voting at all. That’s okay, but only if you truly believe that both are just as distasteful to you. And surely, most people will be able to pick one of the two as being more or less favorable and therefore be able to choose who to vote for or against. To all you Nader-supporting fools, if you had been honest with yourself in 2000 and voted for Gore, who clearly was less evil in your minds than Bush was, we wouldn’t be in the mess we are today.
And finally, if you are under the impression that this is a popularity contest and that you want to pick somebody like yourself, I implore you to stay home tomorrow and don’t vote. Seriously. Leave the voting to those of us who have been paying attention. (Probably not a problem for anybody who has read this far.)
Obama for 44th President of the United States of America: Nov 4th, 2008