No matter who ends up winning the election tonight, we, as a nation, are getting the leadership that we deserve.
Our continued apathy has put us in a situation where our only choices are bad choices. We can either choose a Robin Hood-style rockstar who promises to create a tax structure that penalizes success, or we can choose an old-school political hack who plans to continue the attack on our constitution. Neither of these candidates value personal freedom on a level that I can understand or identify with, and neither of them offer hope or change for middle-class America.
I am somewhat of an activist here on this site (and on other message boards), preaching the message of personal responsibility, ownership of your situation, and personal liberty. I’ve criticized both parties over the years for their lack of initiative and their focus on issues that don’t matter. (The baseball steroid hearings and the DMCA come to mind.) But I find myself sinking into a deep, dark depression when I look ahead to a potential four years of Democratic party domination in our country.
I hope that they overturn the Patriot Act. I hope that they cease and desist the terrible abuses of power perpetuated by the Bush in administration in spying on our own people. I hope they let the Supreme Court arbitrate Second Amendment issues in light of Heller vs. Washington, D.C. We might finally have some rationality regarding the benefits of stem cell research, reaching conclusions that are rooted in scientific fact and not religious fundamentalism. These things could be positive results of a Democratic executive and legislative branch.
I fear that my income will be further taxed to fund programs that I don’t think are necessary and will (hopefully) never use. I fear that government assistance will enable the poor in this country to remain poor, removing their incentives to work hard to better their position. I fear that universal health care plans will undermine the quality of health care overall. I fear that the elderly and that those near death will be triaged (by policy!) in order to better husband meager resources. I fear that the public education system in this country will be further changed to teach acceptance of moral choices such as alternate lifestyles to my child(ren) without my consent or blessing. I really fear that our future government will not respect the Supreme Court as the arbiter of the Second Amendment, and force a showdown between the legislative and judicial branches with legislation that limits a citizen’s right to defend themselves.
I fear we will give up on our occupation in Iraq. I fear that we, as a people, will let our government piss on the graves of those who died for the freedom of the Iraqi people. I’m not saying that we went over there for the right reasons, but the fact is that we are there now, and we have a responsibility to finish what we’ve started. The blood of our soldiers demands it.
I was left with two very poor choices today, but I got what I deserved. We, as a nation, have evolved into a post-information culture in which our votes are as meaningful to us as Prom King. We were fascinated with Obama because he was regal and presidential on camera. We were in love with Sarah Palin because she was pretty and came from humble roots. These are not good enough reasons to vote for a candidate. Both parties have used a cult of celebrity to enhance their positions among their loyalists, even adding a bit of dash and gusto to sway the independents.
We let this happen. It’s only going to get worse in the future unless we take responsibility for our franchise and our government.
![Let’s Kill Hitler [HD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hESmStH-L._SL160_.jpg)
Power to the Sheepeople !
Sorry you are so down and out, Pete. To be ruled by the people is to be ruled by idiots. Have you ever participated in an election that wasn’t shallow? Which campaign do you think relied on more shallow tactics?
Thoughts on “pissing” on a soldier’s grave:
Pete, the only thing worse than making a mistake is pressing on after you know it is a mistake. Bush “pissed” on the graves when he valued them so little that he used them for his political game. Calling them home is a big first step towards showing them how greatly we value and respect them.
I offer two analogies: Were I to invest in a company expecting certain failure I would pull my money out and set it to work in better investments. I pull my money out because I value it. But money is inanimate and I know the our military would prefer unquestioned victory and a heroes welcome. I offer this more personal analogy. Often my boss pulls me off projects that are no longer important or are likely to fail. He praises my effort and I there is no shame when I did not contribute to the failure. He reassigns me and praises me because he values me. I urge our soldiers to understand this. They are heroes. They accomplished much.
Let’s use a different analogy.
Let’s say that you are in the midst of a project that has a long-term goal. You’ve had some setbacks along the way, but the project has continued. Now, when you are close to success, your boss comes to you and says: ‘You’ve wasted five years of your life on this project. I understand that the facts show that you’re about to be successful, but rather than going to the extra mile to complete it I’m going to pull you off of this project. I’m not reassigning anyone to it. I’m just going to let it lie. Sorry.’
Let’s look at it in still a different way. When we leave Iraq we areproving to the world that everything bad they say about us is true. We’re lazy, we entitled, and we don’t have the stick-to-it-ness to finish what we start. We’re telling terrorists of the world that our will to succeed is less important than filling our SUVs.
Mr. Chris would have us raise the white flag, and have all of us soldiers patted on the head like good dogs.
Fuck that. Me and my mates have left blood on the sands over there. It has to be worth something other than ‘good job, come home.’
Keep your respect Mr. Chris. I take my measure from standing beside the men in my unit and doing a job that needs doing, even if the people I’m supposed to be defending don’t understand why its important. I don’t need to be patronized.
You misunderstand me if you read anything condescending in my comment. I take issue with soldiers that tell me to “keep my respect” and then feign some kind of unappreciated hero bull shit. Get over yourself. You and your mates want something more than “good job, come home”. What do you want for your efforts? What do you deserve?
To answer your question, I would be upset if I were pulled from a long-term project I was just neigh of completing. I’ve worked long nights and pleaded for just “one more week” during the 11th hour. In the end the shame and blame falls to my manager, not me–not when I give my all. Is it better to spare a my ego while my project saps company profits, especially when there are better places that money and my energy could be invested? Do you admire investors that lose their fortunes because they follow through with bad investments?
Our soldiers did more than their fair share of the work, even if our leaders fell horribly short. Raise a white flag? Dude, “mission accomplished”, and much was accomplished. I understand we risk it will all be undone unless we invest more blood, sweat, tears and money but the objectives were poorly justified from the get go.
You think withdrawal would hurt our international reputation? Our reputation is damned if we stay or go. However, no rational person familiar with our army would consider our military “lazy” or “entitled”. We would earn more respect for putting something ahead of our egos. No one is respected for “following through” with a bad idea.
Ditto SgtWebb
Been there , done that, different war, but the same impact. Let us finish the damn job! Blitzfike
If we pull out of Iraq and possibly Afganistan then I hope we never go to war again even if justified in the eyes of every American. We do not as a nation have what it takes to see anything through for the long haul. That much is proven.
Not finishing is worse than not participating at all.
The most recent estimates are that 3 million Republicans failed to vote before the polls closed due primarily in part to the conservatives demanding paper ballots… Way to go Pete… thanks alot…