I'm voting for McCain.
I could tapdance around saying it, but I can't make the points I'm about to try to make until you know that.
So. In an effort to be as fair-minded as I possibly can -- and because I'm really not looking forward to voting for McCain, and was hoping someone would make a compelling case not to -- most of my current-events reading has been by progressive pundits, most notably by those writing for, and quoted by, the Daily Kos and the Huffington Post.
As a result, I've seen countless accusations of wrongdoing and non-specific fugg-headedness leveled at Republicans in general and McCain, Palin and Bush in particular over the course of this very long election season. I started to say I've seen all of them, but of course I have no way of knowing that I have. I'm only human, I've doubtless missed something.
One thing I've missed, for example, is any proof or confirmation that any of it is actually true. The news cycle on each incident starts with an accusation and, despite progressively (no joke intended) more intense name-calling, never really moves beyond it.
But then, the progressive intelligencia never really responds to accusations from the conservative side, either. They ignore the question, dismiss it as irrelevant, or question the motives of the accuser. Sometimes all three.
The so-called debates were no help. The one thing everyone seems to agree on is that the issues facing America today are far too complex to be boiled down to a 90-second answer. So, of course, that's what both major-party presidential candidates were asked to do. The Lincoln-Douglas debates took all day.
I should add that conservates are not innocent of the disinformative failings I've observed in progressives. But, in general, conservatives address issues, while progressives talk about feelings.
More importantly, conservatives speak of winning the war, whereas the most progressives will commit to is ending it, consequences to Iraq, Afghanistan and America's international standing be damned.
Okay, that's not quite true. Progressives are gearing up to fight a war that is much more important to them: The one that is going to engender riots in America and make the streets run red with blood.
I'm speaking, of course, of the impending doom and second American Civil War that will ensue if Barack Obama does not win next Tuesday.
I'm so weary.
But, of course, remember how disoriented progressives were four years ago? They cannot be counted upon to do the rational thing if they again succumb to that state of despair.
A key plank in the Democratic platform is gun control. If it were to come to a left-right civil war, who has all the weapons?
Is it "hate speech" for me to point that out?
Are Obama and McCain the best we can do?
1 comment:
As I wrote to you and other friends on a related matter, I am also weary unto death of this campaign season. At 56, I thought I had seen every way Americans could debase or subordinate their bonds of friendship, their personal integrity, their professional responsibilities, their common decency, even ties of family in the service of damned politics. I was wrong. (And you know the incident I’m referring to.)
Let’s just get it over with. I’ve little affection and substantial disagreements with the politician I am supporting for president. I think his opponent could do substantial damage to the country. But the United States will survive either.
I’m not looking to emigrate to ‘more-civilized’ Europe or Canada. And I’m not contemplating buying an assault rifle. I’m here for the duration. I’m an American. This is where I live. That is more to me than wearing – or ostentatiously not-wearing – a flag pin.
Now let’s have the only poll that really counts, and get his damned thing done.
RNB
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