I've been nervously following the election on MSNBC for weeks now. Mostly because I fear that something will go wrong and Obama won't be elected. This is normal. I've finally come to the conclusion that the reason I'm so concerned is because presidential elections have been lost by democrats in most cases, except for Bill Clinton. (And by the way, I fared much better economically during the Clinton years.) But I've finally come to the realization, that its okay to believe that Obama is going to win. Not that I would want voters to become complacent, but that despite past experience, we can have a democratic president.
While I watch the election closely, I'm mostly interested in the financial crisis these days. I will be creating a separate blog to deal with that.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
McCain Plays Old Politics Badly
Senator McCain knows how to create an issue that will get attention. That's his tactic these days. We've seen examples of it in three different issues with "Joe the Plumber", ACORN and Bill Ayers. All three of these issues make accusations towards his opponent, get media attention and sound bites. In all three cases McCain is greatly exaggerating the issue, or outright lying. It takes a little depth of awareness to see through these tactics, or at least some willingness to really look at the issues. I wonder, does the failure of a campaign using these tactics actually mean a change in consciousness among American voters?
McCain claims Joe the Plumber will fair worse under Obama's tax plan. But in fact, Joe the Plumber makes $40,000 per year and would actually benefit under Obama's plan. If Joe bought the business he was talking about, it was found the business makes around $100,000 per year and would still benefit from Obama's plan. Clearly Joe the Plumber is not an example of how Obama's plan could hurt average working Americans, which it won't. But McCain still takes Joe the Plumber and runs with him. Even though facts are facts, McCain continues to use him as an example. He goes on to say Joe the Plumber didn't ask Obama to knock on his door. The fact is, Joe the plumber approached Obama when he was out campaigning in a neighborhood in Holland, Ohio. Yet, McCain will twist the story in any which way he wants to make his point. Does this sort of twisting of the facts make any one else other than me feel crazy?
ACORN is another example. The community organization that John McCain spoke at as recently as February 20, 2006, where he was the keynote speaker at an ACORN-sponsored Immigration Rally in Miami, Florida. Now he claims the Obama campaign is involved in voter registration fraud in cooperation with ACORN. The organization admits that they have had some voter registrations come up invalid. They have brought attention to the issue themselves. Besides, voter registration fraud is a lot less serious than actual voter fraud, which no one is claiming yet. Nevertheless, a lot of hot air is blown into the ACORN issue by the McCain campaign where there is really not much of an issue at all. McCain knows this. This is a tactic of distraction, and a tactic to sow seeds of election confusion now in case the vote is close and the results need to be contested. Again, does anyone else feel abused by this dodgy tactic? Does it make you feel angry and crazy?
The same symptoms exist with the Bill Ayers tactic. Again while Obama admits to the association with Bill Ayers on a charity board, along with many republicans in Chicago, it is not true that Obama launched his campaign in Ayers' living room, yet this accusation is repeated time and time again. We would be led to believe that Bill Ayers and Senator Obama have some sort of close knit relationship. It is totally an overblown accusation and McCain knows it too. Yet, he keeps at it. I believe most American voters are beginning to see through McCain and this old style negative politicking. In fact, if you look beyond the surface, it is a kind of crazy-making.
McCain depends on the ignorance of voters who may only be hearing sound bites on the evening news to make effective these tactics based on untruths. While he tries to reach rally hardworking conservatives, and perhaps hardworking undecideds he in a way is depending on them to be so hardworking, that they don't have time to really research or look fully at these issues. Because if the light of truth is shown upon them, these issues and tactics will be shown for what they are. To take a full and honest look these three examples of Bill Ayers, ACORN and Joe the Plumber show deceit on the part of Senator McCain.
We don't need a president that employs these sort of tactics. It makes me feel crazy and dysfunctional. Much like what has been going on the past 8 years in our country's leadership. My hope is that people are waking up to this sort of negativity in politics, and not accepting it any longer. The polls seem to be bearing this out, as McCain's standing has slipped as he has introduced these attacks. Real leadership and honesty is what's needed. On the other hand, Obama has shown much more integrity, honesty, steadiness and inspiration. He has shown strength in his ability to build a grassroots organization, and will be a true populous president. He is well accepted around the world and will help restore the positive image of the U.S. internationally. As I write this on the day Republican Colin Powell announces his support of Senator Obama on Meet the Press, I have to emphasize the credibility to his words that Obama has what it takes to be an excellent president.
McCain claims Joe the Plumber will fair worse under Obama's tax plan. But in fact, Joe the Plumber makes $40,000 per year and would actually benefit under Obama's plan. If Joe bought the business he was talking about, it was found the business makes around $100,000 per year and would still benefit from Obama's plan. Clearly Joe the Plumber is not an example of how Obama's plan could hurt average working Americans, which it won't. But McCain still takes Joe the Plumber and runs with him. Even though facts are facts, McCain continues to use him as an example. He goes on to say Joe the Plumber didn't ask Obama to knock on his door. The fact is, Joe the plumber approached Obama when he was out campaigning in a neighborhood in Holland, Ohio. Yet, McCain will twist the story in any which way he wants to make his point. Does this sort of twisting of the facts make any one else other than me feel crazy?
ACORN is another example. The community organization that John McCain spoke at as recently as February 20, 2006, where he was the keynote speaker at an ACORN-sponsored Immigration Rally in Miami, Florida. Now he claims the Obama campaign is involved in voter registration fraud in cooperation with ACORN. The organization admits that they have had some voter registrations come up invalid. They have brought attention to the issue themselves. Besides, voter registration fraud is a lot less serious than actual voter fraud, which no one is claiming yet. Nevertheless, a lot of hot air is blown into the ACORN issue by the McCain campaign where there is really not much of an issue at all. McCain knows this. This is a tactic of distraction, and a tactic to sow seeds of election confusion now in case the vote is close and the results need to be contested. Again, does anyone else feel abused by this dodgy tactic? Does it make you feel angry and crazy?
The same symptoms exist with the Bill Ayers tactic. Again while Obama admits to the association with Bill Ayers on a charity board, along with many republicans in Chicago, it is not true that Obama launched his campaign in Ayers' living room, yet this accusation is repeated time and time again. We would be led to believe that Bill Ayers and Senator Obama have some sort of close knit relationship. It is totally an overblown accusation and McCain knows it too. Yet, he keeps at it. I believe most American voters are beginning to see through McCain and this old style negative politicking. In fact, if you look beyond the surface, it is a kind of crazy-making.
McCain depends on the ignorance of voters who may only be hearing sound bites on the evening news to make effective these tactics based on untruths. While he tries to reach rally hardworking conservatives, and perhaps hardworking undecideds he in a way is depending on them to be so hardworking, that they don't have time to really research or look fully at these issues. Because if the light of truth is shown upon them, these issues and tactics will be shown for what they are. To take a full and honest look these three examples of Bill Ayers, ACORN and Joe the Plumber show deceit on the part of Senator McCain.
We don't need a president that employs these sort of tactics. It makes me feel crazy and dysfunctional. Much like what has been going on the past 8 years in our country's leadership. My hope is that people are waking up to this sort of negativity in politics, and not accepting it any longer. The polls seem to be bearing this out, as McCain's standing has slipped as he has introduced these attacks. Real leadership and honesty is what's needed. On the other hand, Obama has shown much more integrity, honesty, steadiness and inspiration. He has shown strength in his ability to build a grassroots organization, and will be a true populous president. He is well accepted around the world and will help restore the positive image of the U.S. internationally. As I write this on the day Republican Colin Powell announces his support of Senator Obama on Meet the Press, I have to emphasize the credibility to his words that Obama has what it takes to be an excellent president.
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