What Is Up With Politics Today?

I saw a picture and explanation of the seal that has so many people flipping out.  You can check it out here.  I know several bloggers (mostly conservative) have an issue with it and the democratic fan club is back peddling and making excuses.  I guess I think that we, as a nation, have more important things to do than talk about a stupid media ploy…but here I am talking about it too :)  The difference is instead of saying how horrid I think it is or how great I think Obama is I just want to talk about the seal itself. 

• Shades of blue - I think the colors of the seal are very nice.  Understated and modern while at the same time classic.
• The Circle  - that is in place of the shield that is on the Presidential seal.  I think the new sun for new beginnings is optimistic and kind of cheerful but also for some reason a bit creepy.
• Vero possumus - Well at first I thought very possum (I’m from the south) and it made me giggle.  But then I found out it was Latin for his slogan ‘yes we can’.    Again all kinds of optimistic and yet vague…yes we can what?  anything we want to?  That I find to be a bit presumptuous for a seal….like it is giving supreme authority for the owner of the seal.
• Website - at the bottom of the seal ruins it for me.  Don’t get me wrong it’s a great publicity location and I’m sure it’s gotten his website out there even more than it already was BUT it’s a bit corny and ruins the look of the entire seal for me.

Keep in mind that I don’t really care if the new seal WAS a ploy to make people associate him with the presidential office.  All I’m looking at is the seal itself.  With that being said I think it came off as interesting but kind of creepy.  What did you think of the seal…and you can bash or love on Obama if you want :) 

As my tag line indicates this is a nonpartisan blog and to that end I’m now going to give my opinions on some of the Democratic Veep possibilites that are being bandied about over at CNN.  Some of the people I list will not be found on this list and are added just because I think they should  be on the list.  If you would like to read the official list created by really smart people you can do so here. 

·         Hillary Clinton – Of course she is the first on the list because she just finished her knock down drag out with Obama.  After said out dragging she then behaved very much like a lady and an exemplary politician by graciously conceding victory.  I really liked that about her, her concession speech made me like her more than any of her stump speeches.  At any rate, I said before it would be nice for there to be a chick in the White House and she would probably be my pick.  Yes, yes, I know there are problems with this ticket but I still like her.

·         John Edwards – I know a lot of people like him and he is one of the more recognizable names on the list BUT I tend to agree with CNN.  He’s a loser (literally, he keeps losing) so why would Obama think adding him would help him win?  Nice enough guy but not my idea of what a winning team might look like.

·         Al Gore – For me, he is the Huckabee of  the Democratic party, I just like him.  He is a likeable no BS kind of guy and he’d bring experience to the White House.  I was shocked as all get out when he didn’t run for President this time but once bitten and all.  I really think if Obama could talk Gore into running with him they might just be unbeatable.  Unfortunately, everything I’ve read indicates Gore isn’t interested in it.  I guess we’ll see

·         Unexpected – I think if Gore doesn’t pick Clinton or Gore he’ll go for someone no one has thought of yet.  Someone from left field (or is it right, I don’t usually speak sport)that will be totally unexpected.

You’ll probably notice that there aren’t as many people on this list as the Republican list and that is because I don’t think there are as many people on the list worth commenting on.  Some of them seem like desperate ploys to fill photo slots and others just don’t resonate with me. 

Who would make up your dream democratic ticket?  Do you like one of the people from my list or the list on CNN? 

CNN has a nifty little list of some of the more probable Republican Veeps that you can find here. 

I’m going to give you my opinion on the ones I like or the ones I don’t especially like but if you want to see the entire list you should definitely check out the link above.

• Mike Huckabee - without a question this is the man I hope McCain chooses.  I love most of what Huckabee has to say and I think he brings the fresh face non good ol’ boy feel that McCain is going to need if he wants to win.  I know he’s still a white male and it would be nice to get some diversity but DANG I like Huck
• Charlie Crist - he’s being thrown out as a possible because in theory he could help bring McCain Florida. I like the fact that he isn’t a traditional politician (he is single with no children) BUT I live in Florida and I know a lot of people who don’t like him.  He’s made some interesting changes since he’s been in office.  He’s way down on my list of a dream Veep.
• Jeb Bush - Speaking of Florida…why isn’t he on the possibilities list?  I love Jeb!  I know, it would probably strike people as a ‘third’ Bush term but really they are nothing alike.  He’s right under Huck as my favorite
• Condoleeza Rice – Well…it would be nice to have a chick in office Just not sure if this is the chick for the job.  I don’t know why but she doesn’t do it for me.  The only real reason I have is that I don’t think she has done that well in her current position, but I am willing to acknowledge that could be because she wasn’t allowed to.
• Carly Fiorina – If he’s going to pick a chick (I’m a chick so I can call other women chicks if I want to) I like this one.  She has business experience and it really would be nice to have a woman in the White House.  She brings a fresh face and change if you will to a candidate who could use a dose of both. 

Who do you think the Republican Veep will be?  Do you think it will be someone off of my list or the list made by CNN or neither?   Do you have a ‘dream ticket’ you’d like to see put together??

Mr. McCain says he is disturbed because Mr. Obama had pledged to accept public financing and is now refusing that same financing.  He immediately followed his disturbed comment by saying that he would now reevaluate his commitment to use public financing.  In this clip he later said he wasn’t disturbed because it would now be possible for Mr. Obama to outspend him in the election but because Mr. Obama broke his word to the American people. 

Well now.  I can get behind being upset if he broke his word (not saying I agree here just that I can understand the comment).  I mean who wants a president who is going to lie, right? Wait, let me stop laughing.  Ok, so assuming that McCain is upset because he is so shocked and dismayed about someone lying (again, we’ll look at the reason Obama changed his mind later just go with me for now) how in the world can he possibly say he’s considering doing the same thing?  And with a straight face!  I mean if you are so upset that someone else lied, or broke a promise, or changed their mind then how in the world can you then justify doing the same thing?

Obama’s reasoning for changing his position on public financing was stated as not wanting to take part in a ‘broken system’.  I happen to agree that the system is broken and I’m actually ok with him changing his mind.  I don’t consider it breaking a promise TO change your mind in most instances, especially if you have a valid reason.  BUT that really isn’t the issue today.  The issue is that McCain says he’ll reconsider (read I’m going to spend as much as you do bub) his pledge to accept public financing. Why?  Not because he has a moral opposition to the system but because Obama is doing it.  McCains’ “if he can so can I” attitude bothers me much more than Obamas’ ‘broken system’ reasoning. 

Now I am disturbed.  I don’t like to see someone who might be my next president using the grown up equivalent of “he hit me first”.  I’ll see if McCain decides to use or abandon the public financing and what his reasons are when he does decide before I make any long lasting decisions about his character.

What do you think of Obama’s decisions and McCain’s remark?  Do either disturb you?

In this short video Obama explains why he is opting out of the Public Financing System.

Many of you may not know exactly what the Public Financing System is so I’ll save you the work of having to research it and tell you that everything you need to know about it can be found here. 

The reason this is such a big deal is because Obama is practicing what he has been preaching. He says he wants to change the way the government is run and I think this is a good indication that he means it. I think it is fairly ballsy to say he will only use the money his supporters donate and it could put him at a financial disadvantage. I suppose I am impressed. I don’t like everything Obama says he wants to do with our country but I do like him. I’m not sure why but his personality just grabs me and makes me think he is genuine.

BUT this post isn’t about what I do or don’t like about Barack Obama it is about the fact that he is already ushering in changes and that he appears ready to back up his rhetoric with some action. This political season is shaping up to be one heck of a ride!

What do you think about Obama’s latest announcement? Did it impress you or do you think it is a media ploy?

I am an Eclectic Bird and my interests in politics are as eclectic as my interests in just about everything else.  I will be talking with you primarily about what is going on in U.S. politics but from time to time I will also include World Politics as they grab my attention.  As this is an election year much of my time will center around the candidates and what they have to say but I will also tell you about the political songs, movies, websites and the like that I find and enjoy.  I definitely have views on issues that  are my own but I can’t say that I have found that those views align especially well with any particular party.  Therefore, this blog will be nonpartisan BUT it will definitely be biased by what I believe.  What do I believe?  To find that out you’ll have to keep reading my blog.

While you are waiting for that information why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?  What is your political allegiance?  What issues do you want to see moved to the forefront of the national discussion?