What Is Up With Politics Today?

As I was flying to Orlando I was seated next to a very nice man.  He was my age +1, single with a serious girlfriend, lives in Ohio, and works as an engineer (civilian) with the Air Force designing planes.  He is a practicing Catholic and he likes classic rock, especially the Doors, and he was studying for a class in leadership that looked at how generals and presidents who ‘d been in  a crisis situation handled themselves.   (what can I say I like to listen to people talk about themselves).  Why does any of this matter?  Because we started talking about the election, of course.  He was dressed conservatively and I pegged him for Military (I was close)..but he was youngish and looked intelligent so I thought maybe he would be voting for Obama.

Nope.

He’s voting for McCain.  Well of course I had to ask why…his reason?  Because McCain is prolife.  What?  Really?  I asked him if that was the only reason and he said, yes.  It is more important to him to save the life of an ‘innocent’ than anything else and he felt McCain would be more likely to put people in the Supreme Court that felt the same way. (McCain wasn’t his favorite in the primaries but is better than Obama according to Mr. Engineer)  Wow.  I was shocked.  We talked theology and politics for the rest of the flight and he wasn’t stupid…he had well thought out reasons for what he believed, which I respect.  I wasn’t able to trap him with logic or scripture…he wasn’t just spouting bullshit but had thought it all out. 

I was impressed.  I didn’t agree (obviously) but it is nice to know that some McCain supporters have good reasons other than the scare tactics that camp has been blowing or random fear.  *of course I would prefer if they would look at the larger picture but…at least it is a real reason and something he feels strongly about and he wasn’t at all negative about Obama just very sure about what he believed*

So for any of you wondering if there are logical and thoughtful people voting for the McCain camp, the answer is yes.  You (we) probably just don’t agree with them

Tomorrow is the day we’ve all been waiting for (for what feels like a very long time).  While I usually say I don’t care who anyone votes for as long as they do vote I want to amend that today.  I want you to not vote for McCain.  If you are in a battleground state, please vote for Obama.  If you are in a state that Obama can’t lose or can’t win vote for Barr and make a statement to our Republican leaders that we want them to change (because everyone will see a Barr vote as a vote McCain lost).  If you read my blog on a regular basis you already know I voted for Obama but that my heart (and policy beliefs) are with Barr.  If you can’t bring yourself to vote for Obama please consider voting for Barr instead of McCain.  I really believe that Barr represents many of the things that most McCain voters believe in.  Please, please, please, vote…for Obama …or Barr

PS

I’ll be back live tomorrow as well, for any who have missed me

I have been fighting with myself for the last several days about who to vote for.  I know I said I decided I was going to vote for Barr but as I’ve been out and about I’ve been talking to different people (You’ll be shocked I’m sure but I love to talk to people and I swear I could strike up a conversation with a deaf mute) anywho everyone I talked to was voting for McCain.  Everyone. 

As you all know I live in Florida, a ‘battleground’ state that now has a chance to go either way.  Usually Florida goes Republican so voting for Barr would have been a symbolic vote for me.  (I’ve decided I am straight down Libertarian and have never voted Democrat in any major election) BUT….I don’t want McCain to win.  I don’t even want him to win a little bit as a matter of fact I want him to LOSE.  After a lot of thought I realized that if I voted for Barr and McCain won it would be partially my fault (on the flip side if I vote for Obama and he is the socialist lefty that I fear I’m screwed and I just sold my sold my soul to the devil) but ultimately there were several things I do like about Obama and so I played my ‘you have to choose’ game and decided that if I had to choose between just Obama and McCain I’d choose Obama.

So….I voted for Obama. 

Now I’m going to have to make up for it by becoming rabidly libertarian for the next four years

PS

I’m sorry Bob

For Mrs. Palin…my boy Trent (purr) with The Hand That Feeds.

“You’re Keeping in step

In the line

Got your chin held high and you feel just fine

Cause you do what you’re told…

What if this whole crusade’s

A charade

And behind it all there’s a price to be paid

For the blood

 On which we dine

Justified in the name of the holy and the divine…”

PS

If you are a twisted little rhino you can find that other song here.

Any other requests?

The name of the song is Fake It and the band is Seether.  What does this have to do with my political blog?  Well the video has nil to do with politics but I was listening to the song earlier and they lyrics hit me as being quite appropriate for how I’ve been feeling about politicians in general and John McCain specifically.  I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m disappointed in him and well…yeah.   

“Who’s to know if your soul will fade at all

The one you sold to fool the world

You lost your self-esteem along the way….

Good god you’re coming up with reasons

Good god you’re dragging it out

Good god it’s the changing of the seasons…

You’re such a ….hypocrite…”

What is the difference between John McCain and Barack Obama?  According to Bob Barr, not much..actually ‘not a dime’s worth of difference’.  H e focuses on their response to the economic crisis. . . actually he comes down pretty hard on McCain.  As we all know, I hate that thing. 

Now I know most of you reading this are voting for Obama.  I’m not going to try to change your mind but if you are thinking about voting for McCain this is for you!  Don’t do it!  Watch the video and think about all the times McCain has claimed to be a maverick or against pork and realize that it’s just talk. 

No, really.  According to CNN a group has counted all of the jokes made about either the dems or the pubs in the last five weeks (since Palin was put on the ticket) on late night television…the results?   286 jokes about McCain and Palin and 42 about Obama and Biden.   You can watch the experts talk about the reasons here.

I suppose that there is the perspective that any media coverage is good media coverage but really….McCain and Palin being a made into a joke on the late night talk shows is going to hurt them on November 4^th.  Why? Because who’s going to vote for someone who is already the punch line?  We shouldn’t have that much material on someone in the executive office till they’ve been there for a few years.  I think is just another nail in the coffin of the republican ticket. 

So for all of you who were thinking about voting for McCain instead of Barr because Barr doesn’t have a chance.  Think about it this way….McCain doesn’t have a chance either so you might as well send a message to the government and vote for Barr

PS

I will be able to find out with the rest of you who Powell endorses because I can’t walk or drive due to an unavoidable collision with the ground earlier today.  Silver lining and all that.

I’ve read people who think it will be Obama and some who think it will be McCain.  The fact that the McCain camp has let slip that they are worried it will be Obama strikes me as a distraction tactic, but I could be reading strategy where there is none.

What would it mean if he did endorse Obama…well it would certainly take the wind out of the sales of the McCain claim that Obama doesn’t know enough about the military or foreign issues.  Everyone recognizes Powell as an authority and I would think him backing Obama would pretty much solidify Obama’s win.  A Republican of that stature backing the democratic nominee…wow. 

What if he endorsed McCain?  I don’t think it would matter that much.  McCain has already said he’s the one that had the experience and the war know how etc. so Powell saying it would be more like validation but not shocking.  After all same party and in theory same beliefs.

Now Powell has said before he wouldn’t issue an endorsement and so he must have a really good reason for deciding to do so now (well Sunday and dang it I’ll be on the road all day so I won’t find out who till late that night!). 

I love surprises

Letterman is harsh and McCain came off looking like a well….I’ll let you watch it and decide for yourself.  I will say I can’t believe McCain thought it would be a good idea to go to Letterman after pissing him off. Wouldn’t it be fun to get all of the candidates on the Letterman show and let him moderate? 

Who knew McCain could be funny?  Check out this video and watch for HRC reaction about halfway through which is priceless.

Now go to this blog to watch Obama be even funnier