Now that both Party conventions are over, I have just made up my mind to support the Democratic Party's candidate for President, Barack Obama. It has not been easy to come to this decision but after looking at what has happened to the US and global economy, and in particular the unfolding
Nightmare on Wall Street, I do not believe that John McCain has the intellectual fortitude or the right emotional temperament for the job that will have to be done to recover from Bush's disastrous economic policies. He has served America honorably and I salute John McCain. But, in my opinion, this is way beyond his depth. Finally his choice of a Creationist like Sarah Palin, while winning him enough brownie points to actually take the lead in several prominent national polls, only suggest to me that he doesn't fully understand what we are now all up against. I've had it with the Religious Right and their anti-Science agenda. America is better, far, far better than they represent it to be. I've decided, like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, that I'm personally and deeply OFFENDED by all that creationist claptrap and that no supporter of it deserves my respect, or my vote.
Albeit reluctantly, I choose to support the better man for a better America: BARACK OBAMA whose statement on the still evolving news of Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy, the sale of Merrill Lynch, and troubles at AIG (the USA's biggest insurer) follows:
"The challenges facing our financial system today are more evidence that too many folks in Washington and on Wall Street weren't minding the store. Eight years of policies that have shredded consumer protections, loosened oversight and regulation, and encouraged outsized bonuses to CEOs while ignoring middle-class Americans have brought us to the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression."
UPDATE:From ScienceBlogs a great new group blog that addresses the US Presidential Elections from the point of view of the key scientific issues of the day.
A Vote for Science.Bookmark it y'all!
23 comments:
Dean,
Good decision. A vote for Obama is a vote against the tyranny of religion over American politics. It's time for rational americans to make a stand.
To paraphrase McCain;s line about Obama willing to lose a war to win an election, I say that McCain is willing to sacrifice rationality to win an election
With Republican John McCain gaining in U.S. presidential polls, Democrats have a short checklist for his rival Barack Obama:
* Tie McCain to an unpopular President George W. Bush.
* Let no charge go unanswered.
* And stress plans to fix the economy.
I think that the whole brouhaha with creationism in schools is a reflection of the liberal relativist position espoused by the establishment. Liberals fall easily to conceptual confusions.
They have the same problem in England,in Oxford and they have the Holy Prophet Richard Dawkins is in there!
I don't think Obama can really reverse that.
I salute and respect your choice, Dean.
Admittedly, it is difficult to go against or dispute your litmus tests of “intellectual fortitude or the right emotional temperament”.
How exactly are these esoteric qualities translated to realities that may be easily quantifiable and/or calculable?
If it’s simply gut feelings or some inner personal enlightenment and discernment, then I can accept that too.
Cpngratulations for a good decision.
When it comes to the bottom-line, Obama will definitely raise the taxes on households with income in excess of $30K a month. Not salary but total-income (from stock-options, rental property, etcetera).
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/14/MNRI12RK2N.DTL
I go for Obama too but what is likely going to be his policy with respect to the Philippines? Any ideas, Dean?
Between the two, Obama definitely is better. However, Ron Paul is the man who truly understands the situation. I suggest check his website, the one ronpaul for president...something like that.
Although the elections in America still fails to pique my interest, considering that re ricelander's query, I dont think it'll make the slightest bit of difference to the Philippines who wins -- theyre policy towards us won't change -- I have to say that pinning your hopes on 'rational Americans' is wishful thinking. There is no such thing as a rational human, at least as far as elections are concerned. :-D
Hi Johnny,
do you think ron paul might be to the GOP what ralph nader was to the Democrats? I guess he refused to endorse John McCain?
hey dean, but obama isn't going to promote democracy abroad. hehe. and he doesnt seem to be fascinated with the neocons?!
"The challenges facing our financial system today are more evidence that too many folks in Washington and on Wall Street weren't minding the store. Eight years of policies that have shredded consumer protections, loosened oversight and regulation, and encouraged outsized bonuses to CEOs while ignoring middle-class Americans have brought us to the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression."
Oh, he failed to mention the Bush years brought us the mess of the Iraq invasion. And i recall you support it. After all, we were the first Iraq, right? Cheers, dean!
to ricelander: Obama will also raise taxes (on those making over $300,000 a year) to provide more foreign aid to Muslim countries. Obama is also willing to listen to the Muslim complaint and to slow down the sending of missionaries and priests to Muslim countries.
I remain skeptic over Obama. Democrats in general talk good, but end their term in disaster, if not economically, politically.
Clinton, the suave talker is after all a liar. Yeah, Bush gets blamed for everything that goes on but, look, it's a democratic congress.
At any rate, may the best man win. Unfortunately, it's a toss up since both candidates are unproven.
What I care about is how the new US president views and treat the Phil. What id GMA does not step down, for example. What would the new US president do, if anything?
Nony
Good decision DJ...... now to give the talibani religious errr those on the far right of the political spectrum a fit don't miss out on the big event on the 23rd of September....
Don't expect too much too soon any changes to USA-policy towards Pinas should McCain win. Mccain's first priority is the Fnma/FreddieMac/ LehmanBrothers /AIG crisis, and McCain will move as fast as a 95-year-old sloth and get a commission to first analyze, then determine candidate solutions to the crisis. And then after that, he will get a second commission to determine if there is reality to American jobs being lost overseas via outsourcing. If there is no problem, then nothing to solve. If there is a problem, then he will get another commission to brainstorm for solutions.
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And McCain knows all this because, in his own words, "I was chairman of the Commerce Committee that oversights every part of our economy."
This very rich old man does not even remember that the commerce committee's scope legally excludes "credit, financial services, and housing".
Dean, I don't think Ron Paul will get Obama's votes if he ran. He will get more of the conscientious independent voters; those who do their honest research and look for the person who truly has the heart for best of American and the world.
Obama's voters know the war is right but many are not that sophisticated enough to see that Obama is not that much different from McCain in certain issues. The Democrats are good in social equality, anti-racism, health care but are terrible in pro-life issues.
McCain's voters include the following: the ones with vested interests (the rich, elite), the racist Southerners and the gullible religious types who focus on one issue alone, specifically abortion. The current Republicans have to push for that issue as being "pro-life" is the only issue they have that they can be proud of. Otherwise, they are a racist, elitist, corrupt, war-mongering party.
Ron Paul maintains that the real Republican party has been hijacked by these neo-conservatives and so the characteristics of the Republican party I mentioned are not what they are supposed to be.
Ironically, Chuck Baldwin has shown that the Republicans have vetoed Ron Paul's pro-life bills consecutively for several years when the Republicans had control of the White House, Senate and Congress. So much for being a pro-life party. see this site:
http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin465.htm
For those surfing in this blog, I suggest reading up more about Ron Paul and his views.
johnny,
i didn't pay much attention to him during the primary. but i will look a lil more carefully now. thanks for the heads up!
dean, have you already sent your absentee voting ballot for this election?
john, Nope. I'm a procrastinator, hehe.
Hi Dean,
sorry for the following mistypes:
It should have been written:
Obama's voters know the being anti-war is right.
It should also have been written:
who truly has the heart for the best of America and the world.
Hope you can spread the word re: Ron Paul.
But if limited between the two, Obama would be the lesser idiot.
Screw McCain. He's a living dinosaur.
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Barack_Obama's_Iraq_Speech
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