It's been pointed out to me that my blog has recently become a repository for what annoys me about Senator McCain's campaign.
Let me say clearly - I do not dislike Senator McCain. Nor do I dislike governor Palin. I do not like them for President or Vice-President based on what I have seen during this campaign.
That said, it does not explain why I would vote *for* whomever I cast my vote for, rather it explains why I am voting against Senator McCain. The short answer as to why I have not explained where my vote is going is because I still don't know. But, I can explain why I would vote for Senator Obama, with a brief explanation of why I would vote third party.
If I were to cast a vote for Senator Obama, it would be for several reasons, some tangible, some intangible. One reason is that I agree with his sentiments on selections for the Supreme Court. Another would be that Democrats tend to be more sympathetic to my line of work, just as Republicans tend to be more sympathetic to my previous line of work.
I have my concerns about Senator Obama. I am not happy about mandated health care, which I view as a negative mark. I don't like that he's been a Senator for a short period of time. I would like to see him pull off a spending increase in a down market with jobs being lost and stick to his promise to reduce or not raise taxes for individuals and families earning less than $200k/year.
I like Senator Obama's apparent moderate temperament. He rarely seems agitated, and he seems to take some time to consider what steps to take in a given situation. Such a nature is something I view as a strength. Senator Obama seems to know what his weaknesses are and how to compensate for them. In the most recent debate, Senator Obama noted the different individuals he would look to to guide his decisionmaking. When he chose Senator Biden as a running mate, according to Senator Biden, Senator Obama's campaign told him that he would be more than a figurehead, that he would be someone whose input mattered. In short, the appearance was that it was a situation where Senator Obama recognized an area where he was weak and selected someone whose qualifications compensated for that weakness.
One thing that I really like about Senator Obama that I've seen is that he calls for action from those he would lead. He promises assistance, but at the same time challenges and imposes a responsibility. Offering financial credit for college in exchange for service, supporting a bailout while noting that people are going to have to tighten their belts.
Part of what I like about Senator Obama is that he has not wilted under pressure. He looks haggard from campaigning, as does Senator McCain, but he still bears the appearance of a man who will consider the situation before acting, weigh options and consider consequences. He seems to understand the concept of "an ounce of prevention." Finally, there is the intangible "something" about him, that indescribable quality that results in your leaning one way or another. Something stronger than a hunch, but not something you can necessarily quantify.
Now, to be fair, part of why I am not voting Republican is because I've been unhappy with the current administration, and I intend to cast a vote in part based on protest. I have been dissatisfied with the decisions Senator McCain has made during the campaign, which strike me as indicative of how he would govern as President, and I cannot vote for that. Furthermore, I am not a fan of the negative campaigning, both through commercials and through rallies, that I have seen from this campaign. However, that does not mean that I will necessarily vote Democrat just to punish the Republican. That plays into the hands of those who would prefer only a two-party system.
Instead, what I may do is vote third party Libertarian again. I like their platform of small government, which once was the calling card of the Republican Party. I like limited government interference. And more than anything else, I like having a different choice. People are dissatisfied with the way both parties have run the country for the past 8-20 years, yet are unwilling to speak with their vote and tell the parties in power that they won't stay that way if they don't get themselves squared away.
Does that help?
4 comments:
Yes, i think you can get up off the "naughty bench" now... ;)
I don't think you should feel compelled to explain who you like. With millions of political blogs out there that explain the pros and cons of all candidates, it boggles my mind that someone would get mad at you for not explaining why you like a certain candidate. Also, considering that a person's vote is personal and confidential, it makes sense to not come out and talk about the person you will eventually vote for.
Why do you like Obama or the handful of other candidates running for presidency? According to this entry, for the same reasons why millions of other Americans like Obama or the other candidates. I'm not sure what Nuje was expecting, but your "positive" analysis of the candidates isn't exactly unique.
Talk about killing the messenger...it's not your fault that McCain has so many odd quirks that make for good blogs.
Besides, your blogs about McCain are nothing compared to blogging about how good you are at making bulgolki and refusing to cook me some. Just sayin'...
Steve, thanks for replying. I voted Libertarian in '06 because I was sick of the Republicans ferking everything up. Look how great that worked out. We gave the Democrats control of the Congress and then we elect McCain as our nominee. Brilliant!!! To me, there is no debate who would be a better president. But, it appears my opinion is going to be different than the winner of the electoral college. I won't vote for O but if he wins I hope he becomes the greatest president in our history.
Jamie, Steve was replying to me. I had asked him for his educated opinion of the person he thought would be a good president. I did this because he is a friend who I disagree with, but respect. I don't think that equals "shooting the messenger."
I initially started this as a comment on the previous post, but it turned out to be so long (in 12 minutes of writing - no edits), that I felt it should be a post to itself.
Nuje and I are good friends, both with Libertarian leanings, though we both lean in from opposite directions. We respect each other and give serious consideration to what the other says. While we rarely convince the other to switch positions, having an alternative point of view is never a bad idea.
While I am seriously considering voting for Obama, particularly in light of Colin Powell's endorsement (and I'm completely disgusted that Rush, Malkin, et al have already started dragging out the "it's because he's black" card), I will probably not vote Democrat in the legislative positions. Based on what I've experienced, I believe the government is best when it is not a "unified command," and think a Democrat-controlled Congress and Executive would be as dangerous as a Republican-controlled one was. However, because of the direction I view the Republican party as having taken, I am not comfortable voting for a Republican either, though I will definitely consider the candidates before I make a conclusion to vote either Republican or third party (likely Libertarian).
My hope is that Senator Obama displays the moderate nature that his campaign has displayed (his record is very Liberal, but his campaign has been more center-moderate) if he is elected to office. But the strongest point for me to vote in favor of him is to keep from another 4 years of Republican-appointed justices.
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