Politics, Schmolitics

The picture above has nothing to do with my post, but it's a good way to break up all the text on the page and it's also a flower from my flower garden. The bloom lasts for 2 days and this one even struggled to look this good due to the intense sun/heat and crappy soil. Oh, I miss Cache Valley soil.

OK, back to why I am here.

I have been pretty uninterested in politics most of my life. Like so many other people my age, the combination of being more "grown-up", our frustration with the current state of things, and history being made before our eyes has actually inspired me into paying attention to what is going on in the presidential election. I have by no means become a junkie about it, but I really want to make a vote I can stand by this November.

If I had to declare my political affiliation, I think I would have to say I was Libertarian - but that's only if I had to label. I don't believe in being on one side or the other, but that's what our 2 party system has forced our country into. There are aspects of both the Republican and Democratic Party that represent me.

Initially, I was leaning toward McCain, but now I am leaning toward Obama. Part of what has turned me off on McCain is how he is campaigning. It's all anti-Obama. While this is commonplace in elections, Obama didn't start doing it until recently (at least on the stations I watch). After a certain point, I guess you can't blame him. I saw a clip of Obama where someone asked him about all of McCain's attacks. His reply was something to the effect that he is sure spending more time criticizing me than trying to promote himself. I thought that was a really good response. Imagine how much more we would learn about a canidate if they spent more time talking about themselves and less about their opponent?

Another thing that I have been surprised by is the lack of attention to McCain's first wife. Evidently, McCain was quite the ladies' man back in the day. When he finally settled down pre-Vietnam, he married a swimsuit model. Looks were very important to him and he was known for being vain. While he has in Vietnam, the first wife was in a horrible car accident. They had to remove portions of both of her legs. When he came home, she was inches shorter and had gained a fair amount of weight. McCain tried to deal with it, but eventually started stepping out on her. The first wife knew, but couldn't blame him because she felt so bad about her own appearances. He started seeing Cindy McCain long before he was divorced. I am pretty sure he married Cindy WEEKS after his divorce was finalized. Ross Perot was a good friend of the McCains at the time and even he was cold to John over this. The first wife is still alive and to this day has not uttered a negative word about McCain. You can google for this to find more info on it. In light of the whole John Edwards affair, I really am surprised that this hasn't popped up in the news. Especially since so many people think the media leans to the left. It may have been in the past, but even Bush's DUI from college made it into the news.

This may seem silly to some that something like this would have an effect on my vote, but call me old-fashioned. I guess I want a president I can respect. I do find it a bit ironic, however, that the once handsome and vain McCain is running against someone much youngerand more handsome. With that in mind, I can see how Obama's "celebrity" status is irritating to McCain. During the last presidential election, McCain was the media's favorite. He's now been replaced with a new and improved model. Almost seems like a bit of karma there.

Now with the whole nomination of the governor of Alaska for VP. I heard her acceptance speech and I was impressed with her ideals, but this is clearly a move to take all of Hillary's supporters that don't want to vote for Obama. While it may be a good move according to the voter numbers, but what does it say about McCain. He made this deicision totally unexpectedly and so uncoincidentally the day after Obama's inspiring acceptance speech. It's clearly a move to win by number of votes, not what he really believes in. This woman was only elected governor 2 years ago and her only other political experience was mayor of her hometown of 9000 people. What has been McCain biggest beef about Obama? Inexperience! McCain's camp said as governor, she has been in charge of the Alaska National Guard for 2 years so that gives her "experience". In addition to all of that, this woman has a 4 month old baby with Down's Syndrome. Call me old-fashioned again, but I don't think that running for VP she be her top priority right now.

And another thing that has annoyed me was how Obama was criticized in the media for choosing Biden because his selction of someone strong in foreign policy only confirms he is weak in it himself. No duh. If he picked someone weak in foreign policy, wouldn't he be criticized for just being even weaker? Seriously.

You would think I am anti-McCain by now and all fired up, which I am really not. This just serves as good conversation when you are in the company of people you can actually talk politics to and not get into an argument. I don't believe in being anti-anything really. While I have never been Bush's biggest fan, one of the best things about leaving USU was leaving the liberal Bush-bashing environment I was in. It's much better to be for something than against. More things can be achieved when you are working for something as opposed to against something.

Now I just need to figure out who I really am for.

Update - Just found this in the news: http://snipurl.com/3l3kf

Between her inexperience and potential for impeachment, McCain may have screwed up big time. He had to have known about this. It would be too bad to see him lose over what seems to be a hasty decision, yet if he can have such poor judgment concerning his choice in VP - what else would he have poor judgment with?