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k_puffOh, siblings. So wonderful.
Actually, me and my brother get along extremely well for brother-sister types. But we got into a little blog-argument today, over what else? Politics. Mostly because my brother is EXTREMELY pessimistic. Still, I got my feelings out there, and I really like how our two entries juxtapose each other.
Well, I've vented about McCain and now I think it's time to elaborate my feelings on Obama.
The short story is that I just don't get it. I've seen Obama supporters who are so euphoric, they glow. I've seen people who will vote for Obama because they genuinely believe he will be a great president.
I just can't bring myself to join their ranks. I truly wish I could vote for a presidential candidate, rather than against another, but I just can't do that for Obama.
Why? It all comes down to three words: IT WON'T WORK.
You think the magic formula for turning this country around is "Inexperienced Person + White House"? IT WON'T WORK.
Want to elect a half-black president to undo so many decades of discrimination and wipe out that last bit of lingering bigotry? IT WON'T WORK.
I listened to Obama's acceptance speech and I admit that he has many great ideas for fixing this country. But when the $9 trillion deficit leaves his agenda sorely underfunded, IT WON'T WORK.
To erase that $9 trillion deficit, Obama wants to balance our budget solely through closing corporate tax loopholes and raising taxes only for the wealthiest of our citizens. I'm in favor of that, but it's nowhere near enough. IT WON'T WORK.
Really, it's those last two that have me disillusioned with Obama. Once Obama realizes that he can't possibly pay for his proposals, where will that leave him? More importantly, where will that leave us? What will his supporters say, after they elected him purely on false hope and empty promises of change? And of course, there's that $9 trillion question: Can our economy really afford more deficit spending when so many banks and insurance companies are either gone or going?
To be fair, McCain's tax proposal isn't any better. Like Obama, McCain refuses to raise taxes for fear of upsetting voters. Fixing our economy will take years of hard work and sacrifice, as well as higher taxes for everyone. Not just the wealthiest among us, everyone. Yet neither McCain nor Obama will admit that. No politician will. As a result, we're left with proposals that will die for want of funding.
Because we are NINE. TRILLION. DOLLARS. IN DEBT.
So, after all of this smoke-blowing, what are we left with? Eight years of bad momentum and two voting records, that's what. McCain has voted to support Bush policies 90 percent of the time, while Obama has voted with his fellow Senate Democrats 97 percent of the time. Don't you believe either one of them when they start trying to talk about how moderate they are.
Still, there's that momentum to worry about. Bush has left an absolutely dismal legacy and his successor will have the responsibility to try and reverse that damage. Based on their voting records and for all the reasons previously stated, I've come to the conclusion that Obama is the better candidate to slow that momentum.
Obama has promised to undo the damage of the Bush Administration. He's promised to fix America. He will fail. He can't not fail, with what's been given to him. Neither can McCain. Still, Obama will at least make an effort to turn us around, and that'll be a start. It won't be enough, but it'll be a start.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I don't believe the hype. I don't buy into the optimism. This country can only get worse before it gets better and it sure as hell won't get better in the next four years.
So vote for whoever you like. Vote for McCain, vote for Obama. It doesn't matter. No matter what the candidates promise, no matter who we elect to the White House, we still have to wade through the horrid aftermath of these past eight years. If you thought the Bush presidency was bad, just wait until it's time to start cleaning up his messes.
No matter who wins, we're all screwed.
William.
William, William, William.
You know I love you. You know that I know you love politics, you love debate, and that you take this kind of thing very seriously. I am your sister, and I will always love and support you no matter what.
But William, as your sister, I feel like I'm entitled to give you some tough love.
Grow a pair.
Yes, we are nine trillion dollars in debt, as you like to say. Yes, Obama's plans to close up loopholes and get rid of outdated gov't programs eating up funding are only band-aids covering gaping wounds. But at least he's willing to go out there and HAVE a plan, not just say things like "I'm going to get rid of our debt!" and change the subject. If you're going to condemn him for not being the next messiah like some people may think he is, then you deserve all the unsatisfaction you bring upon yourself.
The real reason why Obama would make such a great President is not because of the results, unfortunately. You're right, things are going to get worse before they get better. But things WILL get better, no matter who's in office, really. These things come and go in cycles. Maybe it'll be 25, 50, 75 years before they get better, but they will.
The real reason why Obama is so great for this country, right now, in this point of history, is because of the optimism that he brings to people, the same optimism that is direly missing from your rant. Do you *remember* the last time people felt ANYTHING close to this passionate about a politician!? You said it yourself: "I've seen Obama supporters who are so euphoric, they glow. I've seen people who will vote for Obama because they genuinely believe he will be a great president." Do you realize how outstanding that is!? Do you realize how *important* that is to this country right now!?
Morale in this country is low. People need someone they can believe in. They're disappointed by washed-up celebrities, greedy corporate giants, plagiarizing and biased journalism, and corrupt politicians who can’t even *pretend* they believe in what they’re talking about. They're tired of sending soldiers to fight a war against their own guilt. They're tired of feeling like they're alone in the international community. Being a pessimist, or a "realist" if that's what you want to call yourself, doesn't make you more politically astute. It just makes you an asshole, and it means you're missing the point besides.
Obama inspires confidence. A sense of community. A sense of pride. Patriotism, even (gasp, do you know how long it’s been since people have felt PATRIOTIC!?). Whining about what he’s NOT going to do will accomplish even less then nothing. We’re tired of looking at the ground to fool ourselves that our government isn’t completely retarded. Optimism can do more for this country right now than you give it credit for.
So, if I want to put it in “realistic” words you might relate to: he can’t do any worse. Unless he turns into Palin and tries to ban books on dinosaurs. Then we might have a problem. If that happens, I give you full permission to say "I told you so".
Actually, me and my brother get along extremely well for brother-sister types. But we got into a little blog-argument today, over what else? Politics. Mostly because my brother is EXTREMELY pessimistic. Still, I got my feelings out there, and I really like how our two entries juxtapose each other.
Well, I've vented about McCain and now I think it's time to elaborate my feelings on Obama.
The short story is that I just don't get it. I've seen Obama supporters who are so euphoric, they glow. I've seen people who will vote for Obama because they genuinely believe he will be a great president.
I just can't bring myself to join their ranks. I truly wish I could vote for a presidential candidate, rather than against another, but I just can't do that for Obama.
Why? It all comes down to three words: IT WON'T WORK.
You think the magic formula for turning this country around is "Inexperienced Person + White House"? IT WON'T WORK.
Want to elect a half-black president to undo so many decades of discrimination and wipe out that last bit of lingering bigotry? IT WON'T WORK.
I listened to Obama's acceptance speech and I admit that he has many great ideas for fixing this country. But when the $9 trillion deficit leaves his agenda sorely underfunded, IT WON'T WORK.
To erase that $9 trillion deficit, Obama wants to balance our budget solely through closing corporate tax loopholes and raising taxes only for the wealthiest of our citizens. I'm in favor of that, but it's nowhere near enough. IT WON'T WORK.
Really, it's those last two that have me disillusioned with Obama. Once Obama realizes that he can't possibly pay for his proposals, where will that leave him? More importantly, where will that leave us? What will his supporters say, after they elected him purely on false hope and empty promises of change? And of course, there's that $9 trillion question: Can our economy really afford more deficit spending when so many banks and insurance companies are either gone or going?
To be fair, McCain's tax proposal isn't any better. Like Obama, McCain refuses to raise taxes for fear of upsetting voters. Fixing our economy will take years of hard work and sacrifice, as well as higher taxes for everyone. Not just the wealthiest among us, everyone. Yet neither McCain nor Obama will admit that. No politician will. As a result, we're left with proposals that will die for want of funding.
Because we are NINE. TRILLION. DOLLARS. IN DEBT.
So, after all of this smoke-blowing, what are we left with? Eight years of bad momentum and two voting records, that's what. McCain has voted to support Bush policies 90 percent of the time, while Obama has voted with his fellow Senate Democrats 97 percent of the time. Don't you believe either one of them when they start trying to talk about how moderate they are.
Still, there's that momentum to worry about. Bush has left an absolutely dismal legacy and his successor will have the responsibility to try and reverse that damage. Based on their voting records and for all the reasons previously stated, I've come to the conclusion that Obama is the better candidate to slow that momentum.
Obama has promised to undo the damage of the Bush Administration. He's promised to fix America. He will fail. He can't not fail, with what's been given to him. Neither can McCain. Still, Obama will at least make an effort to turn us around, and that'll be a start. It won't be enough, but it'll be a start.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I don't believe the hype. I don't buy into the optimism. This country can only get worse before it gets better and it sure as hell won't get better in the next four years.
So vote for whoever you like. Vote for McCain, vote for Obama. It doesn't matter. No matter what the candidates promise, no matter who we elect to the White House, we still have to wade through the horrid aftermath of these past eight years. If you thought the Bush presidency was bad, just wait until it's time to start cleaning up his messes.
No matter who wins, we're all screwed.
William.
William, William, William.
You know I love you. You know that I know you love politics, you love debate, and that you take this kind of thing very seriously. I am your sister, and I will always love and support you no matter what.
But William, as your sister, I feel like I'm entitled to give you some tough love.
Grow a pair.
Yes, we are nine trillion dollars in debt, as you like to say. Yes, Obama's plans to close up loopholes and get rid of outdated gov't programs eating up funding are only band-aids covering gaping wounds. But at least he's willing to go out there and HAVE a plan, not just say things like "I'm going to get rid of our debt!" and change the subject. If you're going to condemn him for not being the next messiah like some people may think he is, then you deserve all the unsatisfaction you bring upon yourself.
The real reason why Obama would make such a great President is not because of the results, unfortunately. You're right, things are going to get worse before they get better. But things WILL get better, no matter who's in office, really. These things come and go in cycles. Maybe it'll be 25, 50, 75 years before they get better, but they will.
The real reason why Obama is so great for this country, right now, in this point of history, is because of the optimism that he brings to people, the same optimism that is direly missing from your rant. Do you *remember* the last time people felt ANYTHING close to this passionate about a politician!? You said it yourself: "I've seen Obama supporters who are so euphoric, they glow. I've seen people who will vote for Obama because they genuinely believe he will be a great president." Do you realize how outstanding that is!? Do you realize how *important* that is to this country right now!?
Morale in this country is low. People need someone they can believe in. They're disappointed by washed-up celebrities, greedy corporate giants, plagiarizing and biased journalism, and corrupt politicians who can’t even *pretend* they believe in what they’re talking about. They're tired of sending soldiers to fight a war against their own guilt. They're tired of feeling like they're alone in the international community. Being a pessimist, or a "realist" if that's what you want to call yourself, doesn't make you more politically astute. It just makes you an asshole, and it means you're missing the point besides.
Obama inspires confidence. A sense of community. A sense of pride. Patriotism, even (gasp, do you know how long it’s been since people have felt PATRIOTIC!?). Whining about what he’s NOT going to do will accomplish even less then nothing. We’re tired of looking at the ground to fool ourselves that our government isn’t completely retarded. Optimism can do more for this country right now than you give it credit for.
So, if I want to put it in “realistic” words you might relate to: he can’t do any worse. Unless he turns into Palin and tries to ban books on dinosaurs. Then we might have a problem. If that happens, I give you full permission to say "I told you so".
