Yesterday I came across somebody’s blog entry that offered this brilliant analysis of this year’s election: the choices for president are between a slug and a turd. Aside from trying to figure out which candidate was the slug and which was the turd, I thought to myself that, wow, that was one disillusioned voter.
No doubt he was tired of choosing between the lesser of two evils, and I can certainly understand that—especially because the last go-round we had to pick between Howdy Doody Dumbass and Flip-Flop McHorseface. But this year, I think I disagree. I actually think we have two people running for president that are competent and genuine.
And, really, that’s all I want in a president: can you do the job, and will you put my interests ahead of your own and ahead of the special interests.
Regardless of which political wing you belong to, I think the problem most people have is with how those in office, once they get elected, make a beeline for the deep pockets of the power brokers that can get them re-elected. After all, what is the one thing all first-term politicians want that is exactly the same? Yep—a second term.
As I’ve said before, I don’t profess to belong to any political party because I think the vast majority of them on both sides are bought and paid for (see Blagojevich, Rod and Ryan, George). I will say, however, that this year, as a matter of complete disclosure, I’m supporting the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama. But it’s not because I don’t like John McCain. Sure, I disagree with some of his policies (and certainly his awfully negative campaign—thank you, Karl Rove’s “How to Win an Election for Dummies”—not to mention his choice for VP), but I really think I could live with McCain in the White House.
Why?
Because I honestly think that John McCain, as much as Barack Obama, wants to change the culture in Washington, that he genuinely cares about the good of the people of this country more than his own skin, and that he’s able to step in and do the job with integrity and credibility. I didn’t agree much with Reagan, but was the economy good and did the Russians stay behaved? To quote Tina Fey, “You betcha!”
And to me, that’s all that matters. People get so wrapped up in superficial things (“he didn’t wear a flag pin!”) and irrelevant things (“he’s old!”), or latch onto one issue, that they become completely blind to anything else.
The fact of the matter is both men are qualified to lead this country in a manner befitting the ideals set forth by our Founding Fathers.
But that hasn’t always been the case in the voting booth. So I started to think back about the history of presidential elections—and I came to the conclusion that for the first time in a very, very long time, we’ve actually got two good candidates for president.
Think about it:
2004: Bush vs. Kerry (The Lesser of Two Idiots)
2000: Bush vs. Gore (The One That Got Away)
1996: Clinton vs. Dole (Slick Willie and Captain Viagra)
1992: Clinton vs. Bush (Governor Grab-a-lot and Read My Lips)
1988: Bush vs. Dukakis (Dude, seriously?)
1984: Reagan vs. Mondale (The Cowboy and the Sacrifical Lamb)
1980: Reagan vs. Carter (Heston’s biotch and Joe Powerless)
1976: Ford vs. Carter (I’m glad I was only 4)
1972: Nixon vs. McGovern (Paranoia and The Prairie Populist)
1968: Nixon vs. Humphrey (Tricky Dick and LBJ's puppy)
1964: Johnson vs. Goldwater ("War! War!" or "More War! More War!")
1960: Kennedy vs. Nixon
Stop right there. Kennedy vs. Nixon. That might have been the last time we had two good candidates. Of course, we know what Nixon turned out to be, but back then, he was a sitting vice president under a very popular president (Eisenhower), and might very well have gotten elected had television not been so newly prominent. And, of course, there was Kennedy, with his youth, “vigah”, heroism, and optimism. We never did get to see the full measure of what he could have become, but that wasn’t exactly his fault.
Kennedy vs. Nixon was 48 years ago. My father wouldn’t have been able to vote in that election—he wasn’t old enough yet. How sad it must be for somebody of that generation who has never had two good, decent candidates from which to choose.
I’m as jaded and cynical as they come with respect to the political and governmental process in this country. But if you don’t think the two people running for president this year are at least genuine and competent, whether you agree with them or not, you’ve got a much, much darker view of America than I do. And I feel bad for you—because it might be another few generations before we have this opportunity again.
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5 comments:
I'm a disallusioned voter, but not because of the presidential candidates this year. I've just got to my limit of trying to read and watch about everything about the two candidates, neither of which really fit my idea of the type of candidate I want (which always happens, because I'm a demogreenpublican - I believe in choice, although the choices for me and my family are typically conservative, and I want to see the country try to live in a more self-sufficent, green way). Not because I don't care, but because it doesn't matter if I care. The electoral college will do the caring for all of us. Not to mention, the president decides very little. The congress and the courts decide much more.
So I've decided to focus my time and energy on learning about my local, state, and congressional candidates.
I'll vote in the presidential election when my vote actually matters.
I totally am like my sis here. Love the post though! Anyhow I will bring you relish and the recipe is up!
Craig, You've hit the nail on the head with this one. I am leaning toward the McCain pick but am not feeling totally lost if Obama takes office - well, not based on a concern about Senator's ability to do the job.
I know many people, however, that do not feel a lot different about this campaign season than they have about the previous. These people are not among those I would call open-minded, though, and are unable to see beyond policy stances.
Let me ask this, though. Given the choice between a president that would be a check against congress and a president that would work with congress, which would you choose?
Ideally, I'd have a president that would work with congress because, ideally, congress wouldn't get too silly. However, I realize this isn't the ideal world!! I think Obama would be more able to work with congress than McCain. I think McCain has been around long enough and pissed enough people off (ironically enough, by being a maverick) over the years that he's put them off. That's the main reason I couldn't support Hillary--she is *such* a divisive person, even among Democrats, that I don't think anything could ever get done.
In the current environment, I'm struggling with what an unfettered congress might do. There needs to be a reign of reason, somehow.
I don't know that I trust the current congress to do what is in the best interest of a long term America. Silly notions that we need to put the financial welfare of our children's children in jeopardy just so we can avoid an uncomfortable moment now has motivated some pretty stupid decisions.
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