During this very exciting race for the office of President, I have found it very funny what non-truths people are willing to hide behind in order to support the candidate they like. Likewise, I find it interesting how the candidates paint these less-than-realistic images of themselves in order to become “one of us.” I think it’s time for everyone to finally keep it real, speak up, and tell the truth.
To that end, let me help all of you out! Candidates first...
Senator Clinton, tell the truth, you certainly have a wealth of foreign policy experience, but you were no consistent peace-broker, war-mediator, or Under-Secretary of State. You could easily stand on your record without embellishments: Yes, you did play a role in bringing a level of peace in Ireland, yes you were listed as the US Ambassador/Delegate to some conferences, and no doubt you were on-hand for some of the most important foreign events in recent world history. So just say that! Instead you’ve chosen to overstate your experience and it has gotten you in trouble. Hopefully you’ve learned your lesson now and you will just tell the truth about your foreign policy experience.
Senator Clinton, tell the truth. You are rich. Far richer than most people could ever dream. Now to those of us who pay attention, we know that recently Bill O’Reilly of Fox News actually got you to admit that you are indeed rich, but still Senator, quit trying to tout your gun-toting prowess to demonstrate that you are one of us. You don’t need to throw back a couple shots of Vodka to make me feel like you are as destitute as I. I know you live a lifestyle that I can only imagine.
On that note, Senators Clinton and McCain, quit trying to paint Senator Obama as some kind of elitist who is super-rich and can’t possibly relate to the average person. The fact is that you are richer than he is.
And on that note, Senator Obama, you’re rich too. I know that now you keep trying to remind people that you grew up without a father and that you were raised by your grandmother and that you had a rougher upbringing than McCain or Clinton, but the reality is that you currently have more money in the bank at the age of 47 than most Americans will have in the bank after 50 years in the work force.
All 3 of you are rich and the lifestyles that you have lived for years, McCain and Clinton longer than Obama, are so far out of the mainstream of America that I do doubt that any of you can truly relate to the current struggles that many of “us” are going through these days; especially since the economy is in a much worse state today than when you were “one of us.” So stop playing these games, and just tell us the truth.
Here’s one that I know will shock everyone: Senator Obama, you are a politician. I know you’ve made everyone to feel like they can just sit down and talk to you. Yes, you can even play basketball with a few of us. But make no mistake about it, you are a politician. Now like everyone else, I hope that you are not just another politician, but with each passing week you’re sure lookin’ like it.
A brief aside…
I’m currently situated in a state that has been bombarded by campaign ads from both Dems in the race. In one of Obama’s TV ads he opens by prominently stating that “I don’t take money from oil companies,” with the implication that McCain and Clinton do. Well, he’s telling the truth…but not really. As the Associated Press pointed out, he hasn’t taken money from the oil companies, but neither have McCain or Clinton because (here’s what he left out) it’s against the rules for the Candidates to take money from the oil companies. They can, however, take money from the wives of the oil executives and other people connected to the oil companies.
So, has Obama taken money from people connected to oil companies you ask? Absolutely, to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars (Clinton had taken some 300 thousand at the time the AP ran their spot, by comparison). To that I say “Senator Obama, if you’re going to tell the truth, tell me the whole truth.”
I could point to his silence about the disenfranchised voters of Michigan and Florida, the fact he left his name on the ballot in Florida but not in Michigan (which I think was a political calculation), his wavering position on the pullout of troops from Iraq (google “Samantha Power US Combat brigades”) or NAFTA (google “Austan Goolsbee NAFTA”) as other examples too. Just be clear, he too is a politician. And remarkably, he’s much more of a politician today than he was just 6 months ago.
…so dear Senator Obama, tell the truth, you’re a politician!
American people, tell the truth!!!
You aren’t voting for the remaining candidates because of the issues and their platform positions. You are voting for these candidates because of “stuff you’ve heard” but not investigated yourself, because of past perceptions, or because of emotional issues that frankly have very little to do with your everyday life. Many still think Obama is Muslim (he’s not), that Clinton has run an overwhelmingly negative campaign (many of whom likely unjustifiably hated Hillary long before this campaign began), and that McCain is old and incapable (ok, he is old).
The fact of the matter is that Senator Clinton is a good enough candidate that Women who were going to vote for her simply because she is a Woman can say that they support her because “she has the experience.” Millions of Black folks are voting for Senator Obama because he’s Black, but he is qualified enough that they can exclaim that he is the best candidate for the job. Droves of military servicemen and Veterans are voting for Senator McCain because he’s a Vet, not because they believe in the many (and often changing) positions he takes.
I know this is the factual reality because when I challenge most people on their Candidate’s positions, most can’t even articulate a single solitary position that their candidate has taken, and how it is better or even different than that of the other Candidate’s. This let’s me know that this election is likened unto every other election, where people vote on things that are emotional rather than the platforms the Candidate’s are pushing.
I must remind myself that this is politics, and politics is simply a game of psychology in which truths can be bent or largely ignored. Asking for truth in politics is like asking for eggs from a rooster...you ain’t gonna get it unless you look elsewhere. That said (and to keep with the analogy), American people and politicians alike, I know better than to ignore the hens, and I’m gonna find my golden eggs of truth, so quit trying to give me the once over; I know better.
To be fair, some people do tell the truth, and unfortunately it is laced with all kinds of unfounded rationales. Many people won’t vote for Clinton because she’s a Woman and, as I’ve heard several men say, other countries don’t even respect Women (this despite numerous countries having had Women leaders; India, Chile, Great Britain, Germany to name a few). Some 19% of Pennsylvania voters indicated that race played a factor in how they voted in their recent primary; most of whom voted for Clinton (I can only imagine how many more people were too ashamed to admit they wouldn’t vote for a Black person). And everyone has a problem with McCain’s age, despite the fact that the Supreme Court has several Justices over the age of 80, but apparently they’re virile enough to make precedent setting laws for everyone.
Although I disagree with many of the reasons people who actually tell the truth give, I’d rather have that than people delivering untruths veiled in a blanket of positivity or unsubstantiated basis.
So please, if you see me in the streets and you’re trying to push your pick for President, unless you can tell me about their positions, why those positions matter to you, and how your Candidate’s positions are different than the other Candidate’s, spare your breath, save me the time and just tell the truth.
-Maelstrom
2 comments:
The truth is the United States was founded, made strong, and is maintained by the exploitation of an underclass. Although many of the underclass have the right to vote, they are not aware that there is a disconnection between their vote and the candidates’ actions in our nation’s capitol. The misconception is that those elected to office truly have the underclass’ intentions in mind. Each one of these presidential candidates is simply a cog in a machine that has changed tactics but maintained its outcome by ensuring the presence of a power hierarchy. Religion (i.e., the Crusades and the Salem Witch Hunts), fear of harm or death (i.e., the Khmer Rouge and the Rangoon Junta), and hatred of a purportedly evil enemy (i.e., the River of Blood, the Nazi’s, McCarthyism, and dare I say the Sith?) have all given a minority great power, control and the ability to mobilize a misinformed majority. All the while, the majority underclass is kept in the dark about these deceptive means beyond their political “impulse time” (Hirohito’s Surrender). This time the American Aristocracy, lets the people think that they are special and therefore have the right, authority, and power to control how the nation is run. Instead, the same thing that has been occurring throughout history continues to happen, the underclass struggles.
Think about this, the Boston Tea party took place because exploited colonists were fed up with being taken advantage of but within decades the tradition was established in that self same place to exploit someone who did not share the language or the culture and could thus be exploited with relative ease.
I don’t know Maelstrom, current events have dampened my altruistic disposition. There is further proof that the government finds its troops expendable. The rich oil companies don’t care about how their business practices are hurting the nation. Merrill Lynch and other such firms are giving golden parachutes to economic kamikaze pilots and thus destabilizing the economy. I’m still bitter about the government’s response to Katrina. Americans are willing to outsource jobs either out of the country or simply outside of their citizenry to save money. Atlas is shrugging since the nation no longer prizes its gifted intellectuals to advance technology. Television is raising our youth. It seems that the common man, who once relied on and trusted these entities, can no longer expect honesty or even basic respect from them.
1. Everybody except of Kuchinic and Clinton pulled their name off the Michigan ballot, because Michigan makes that possible. (The candidates had agreed on the fact that Michigan would be punished). In Florida pulling your name of the ballot is not possible and so nobody pulled the name off. (That's atleast what the media reported at that time.) So it was not a political act to dislike Michigan by Obama when he pulled his name but he just followed the rules, like everybody else (Edwards pulled his name I believe first, Richardson did too).
2. If Obama would be on the ballot and would have campained, he might have done pretty well in the state with a significant AA community, a neighboring state of IL and a northern state (All of which are regions where he did well)
3. Disenfranchised voters (DV): Certainly there are some. But there would also be DVs if the votes were counted. Many people staid home knowing that their votes were not counted. Now saying, to bad you staid home, but my vote counts is equally unfair, it is unfair to the people who would have voted for Obama and Edwards. Ohh and those voters are anyhow not the party reps (Hillary's strongest base) that get their voices heard.
4. Why I am for Obama. Because he can differetiate. Life is not simple and leading a nation is even less. Therefore, his differentiated vision, which some call flip-flop because the cannot see differences in questions, is what really compells me. These nouances are in race, lobbing, war but also the Michigan and Florida elections. To which I will write. Michigan and Florida broke the rules, they knew that they would be punished but broke them anyhow. (The Michigan party reps did break the rules, not Joe Q voter). So to change the rules of the game in the 4th, is not right. You also have to invite some delegates to Denver. (And this is the differentiation that BO talks about) So the idea of the DNC (I guess): Have 1 candidate by the end of May and then everybody can go to Denver, because it does not matter.
The problem now occurs, what if the loosing candidate is so illusioned about HER ability and ability to win and is backed by a former president in thinking that SHE is the best person on this earth. Then the great plan of having 1 candidate is not working. And you get into this mess.
Therefore, if HC would drop out everybody can be seated. Her staying in, disenfranchises voters, those that have not voted and those that have.
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