How Sarah Palin changed my vote to Obama
The subjects which politics brings up tend to be very emotional. Of course that is on purpose, but it is easy to fall into the trap. The trap? Why to make the subjects about moral issues. No matter what your personal morals are, they are morals which are to be held “sacred.” This incorrectly takes the political discussion from governance issues to moral issues. Compromise in relation to governance issues is a matter of fact, even though the process may be extremely frustrating. The most vivid example I can think of (no doubt being American brought this to the forefront in my mind) is of the American founding fathers hashing out the US Constitution while stuck in Philadelphia. No one was completely happy with the final result and Benjamin Franklin summed up the feelings, "There are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them." (source) A product of compromise that seems to have held up fairly well. Compromise in relation to morals is an unacceptable thing. I (relative I) am correct and those that believe different are wrong. Not much to work with for middle ground, eh? The “discussions” turn from how best to govern to a the equivalent of a third grade argument. “Did” “Did not” “Did” ad nauseum… So how do we get away from it? I don’t know, but we must work on minimizing it so that real discussions can happen. I think that Richard Dreyfuss put it best, “We owe ourselves…to relearn the tools of reason, logic, clarity, dissent, civility, and debate. And those things are the non-partisan basis of democracy and without them you can kiss this thing (democracy) goodbye.” (video source) I, myself, am struggling to learn these skills.
I seemed to get sidetracked. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get sidetracked when it is dark out, nearly silent, and you have that gently breeze coming in off the water? I love nights like these. Very easy to let the imagination run wild on these nights. Umm.. where was I?
There has been a slew of news items on Palin. There seems to be multiple ethical questions/investigations. They are only investigations at this point, but they seem to have at least some merit at this time. She has lied about the “bridge to nowhere” and gets caught in, shall we call them, “contradictions” which need “clarification.” So she lies and used her office for personal matters. Sadly, this puts her on par with the other politicians in my opinion. So that is not my huge concern because my ethical expectations of politicians is very low. My concern is how many times that she utters the phrase, “is God’s will.” I was raised in a very strong Roman Catholic household. I don’t attend church often anymore because I find some church actions hypocritical, but my dad doesn’t care: “Just read the Bible,” he says and I do. Having also attended several Jesuit schools, I feel that I am fairly versed in the subject. I have yet to see how it is “God’s will” that Palin builds a pipeline in Alaska and that we invaded Iraq. (935 false statements leading up to Iraq war and excerpt from Vincent Bugliosi's new book) I have watched video of Palin claiming that at least those two examples above were “God’s will.” (video source) This may have just been pandering to the church she was speaking to, but I don’t know. And I doubt in the short time before the election that I will see an interview that delves into this subject. This scares me. It scares me because it is a fundamentalist attitude that makes what actions she feels she wants to take into actions that are now “God’s will” of which there are no questions… you either agree or are wrong. (Seems I didn’t get so sidetracked after all! Oh Mr. Subconscious, you are a sneaky one!) Now I don’t know if that is how she truly feels, but I don’t think I will find out before the election. I would rather not take the chance when the John McCain is 72 years old and has had four separate operations to remove melanoma, “an invasive form of skin cancer that claims the lives of up to 34% of those diagnosed within 10 years”, in 1993, 2000x2, 2003. (source) If Palin is a fundamentalist, I don’t want her anywhere near making huge national decisions or having the nuclear codes. Again, I don’t know if I am right, but this has made my change my vote from a third party candidate to Obama. Because I don’t want to take a chance.
7 Comments
NicoleBeeThank you for your insight! And for sharing. I wish I had anything of relevence to add, but this was a very good read. And I wanted to say so.
my15minutesyour closing is exactly why instant-runoff voting should be adopted nationally.
then you can vote your conscience, for that 3rd-party candidate, without "spoiling" the election. not having IRV is one of the ways Rep's and Dem's have been able to take our votes for granted, for so long.
it would remove the artificial dichotomy, and completely change the political landscape.
seriously. pass it on.
quantumushroomA thoughtful post. Speaking from the other side: Sarah Palin qualifies as the first victim of what can only be described as a media assassination.
It was masterful distortiontainment. Remember, "I can see Russia from my house!" Palin never said it. It was Tina Fake on SNL.
The drive-by media didn't hesitate to throw anything and everything at Palin. Rumors were constantly recycled until they sounded factual, such as the despicable nonsense about Palin's baby secretly being her daughter's (moron reporters are still asking that one).
Due to rabid media bias and lazy or nonexistent journalist ethics, the odds are excellent that you (and I) know less about President Obama's past than we do about Palin's soundbitten media rape.
Obama, as far as we know, does not say anything "is God's will", but from what I've seen of him, he does not appear humbled before anything or anyone, which I find more disturbing than assumed fanaticism.
Palin has more political experience than Obama but it's fair to say that in 2008 she wasn't ready for the national stage, as well as being gagged and hobbled by McCain's Campaign of Lame. Time will prove who has more strength of character between her and Obama.
You've stated that you read the Bible, if only to please family. Despite your level of belief, the very act of opening that book without announcing it's in order to mock or refute it makes you suspect. In the current political climate even a passing belief in God is proof enough for opponents to label one a 'fanatic' (except if you're Muslim).
Anyway, just some words, thanks for your blog and your post.
Farhad2000It was masterful distortiontainment. Remember, "I can see Russia from my house!" Palin never said it. It was Tina Fake on SNL.
Bullshit. As is the rest of your comment.
"As Putin rears his head and comes into... the airspace of America..."
curiousity>> ^quantumushroom:
You've stated that you read the Bible, if only to please family. Despite your level of belief, the very act of opening that book without announcing it's in order to mock or refute it makes you suspect. In the current political climate even a passing belief in God is proof enough for opponents to label one a 'fanatic' (except if you're Muslim).
Anyway, just some words, thanks for your blog and your post.
You misunderstood or misconstrued what I said. Seeing how it was worded, I see the potential for the misunderstanding. Please allow me to clarify the below line because that seems to be the source.
I don’t attend church often anymore because I find some church actions hypocritical, but my dad doesn’t care: “Just read the Bible,” he says and I do."
What I mean is that having looked at Church history and current actions, I find some actions that don't match the teachings of how we are supposed to act. I think I'm being slightly unfair here though. Because I am also very frustrated at the actions of many, many people who claim they are Catholic or Christian and act in a manner that is wholly incompatible with the core beliefs of the faith. My frustration is directed at them and the Church. Maybe it unfair to "punish" the Church for the actions of present day hypocrites, but shouldn't the Church do something? I've seen many members of the Church accept these actions because "oh that stuff just happens these days." Eh? Yes the following is dramatic, but it is the same excuse that a person could use when watching and not stopping a rape: "Oh, well things like that happen in the big city and if I help, my soup will get cold!"
I read the Bible QM. Not to please my family or to placate them. I read it because I want to. What I was referring to with my dad is that I think of him as one of the "good Christian/Catholics" - he actually reads the Bible and tries to follow Jesus' teachings. My dad doesn't care if I go to Church or not. He doesn't care about that, he only cares about my faith.
>> ^quantumushroom:
Despite your level of belief, the very act of opening that book without announcing it's in order to mock or refute it makes you suspect..
QM... I've read this sentence several times trying to figure out what you mean and you lost me. I mean it's obvious you are trying to undercut my beliefs or my "authority" to speak on the matter, but I'm not following your logic. Please explain.
burdturgler
curiousity...
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