I was going to stay out of politics, but it's only a week until we find out if we're continuing under a middle-of-the-road Republican lite or a left-wing radical socialist.
And don't talk to me about running a negative campaign. McCain should have hit a lot harder a lot sooner. Thanks to his wishy-washy campaigning, we're dangerously close to a president who believes the Constitution is a negative document which doesn't give us enough "rights." Like the right to a welfare state, government ownership of banks and government run health care.
Most of the framers of the Constitution thought a weak, decentralized government was the safest way to prevent tyranny.
And yes, there were disagreements from the get-go. The Federalists favored a stronger central government. Though I doubt most of them could have imagined the programs FDR instituted, much less what Obama intends.
The Constitution outline the powers and limitations of the branches of government. And it was flexible enough to allow for the inclusion of amendments. Amendments which allowed for some clarification of the rights outlined by the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
"All men are created equal." Amendment 13 -- black people are men too. not property. Voting rights? One citizen, one vote. Amendment 19 -- women are citizens too.
And when Jefferson wrote about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," he was speaking of basic broad human rights. It wasn't necessary or even smart to get too specific. The Founding Fathers trusted adults to behave like adults. Given these basic rights, they could work and plan the best life possible for them based on their intelligence, determination and guts.
None of them ever envisioned government as Big Daddy, handing people everything on a silver platter.
Which brings us back to Big Daddy Obama. But what's the use. People don't seem to care. They don't research, they don't think for themselves. Even though their ignorance is aided and abetted by our Fourth Estate, in the era of the Internet, there's no excuse not to seek out as much info as your mind can hold.
Of course, if you use your new found knowledge to ask a politician a question which puts him on the spot, you risk scrutiny and investigation geared to discourage any other average Joe from speaking up.
What else. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. A long time coming, and shouldn't be laid at the feet of the Bush administration. It was mainly Democrats who forced the banks to loosen lending rules so mortgages would be more accessible to low income people. And mainly Democrats who benefited from political contributions by Freddie and Fannie officials.
But there were some Republicans who accepted contributions too. And even though Republicans in Congress and Bush in the White House say they repeatedly to reform the agencies, they maybe didn't try hard enough. The Democrats have only had the majority the last two years.
But Bush has been wimpy on domestic issues and McCain's been wimpy going after Obama, and now we're very close to paying a steep price in lost liberties and self-determination.
And Palin? The only bit of fresh air and hope in an otherwise depressing election.
Inexperienced? Sure. But the vice presidency would be a great tutorial. Much better than learning as you go in the presidency, like Obama would be doing.
Politically, she's more a classic Republican than centrist McCain. And she's not afraid to come out swinging. And that's in the face of some of the most vicious mud-slinging any candidate has had to endure. And having to endure mishandling by McCain's campaign.
Fundamentalist Christian? I've run across more than a few liberal bloggers who say her religion "scares" them. Gosh golly, don't people scare easy?
Unless you think Vice President Palin would make her Evangelical sect the State religion, with squads breaking into private homes to forceably baptize you, exactly what's to be scared of?
And so what if she believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible. Dinosaurs walked the Earth along with man 5000 years ago? If she's willing to drill for oil offshore and in Alaska, I don't care when she thinks the oil got underground.
That's all my pre-election sermon for today. Stay tuned in a year or two for my "I told you so" sermon. Believe me, I'm from a blue state. I know first hand.
We have a question on our ballot to abolish the state income tax.
Those in favor say our property taxes won't go up (and we'll all see pigs start to fly). Those against it say they will.
But it doesn't really matter, since I've already read (I wish I saved the link) that either the state government or the state Supreme Court says if it passes it's not going through anyway. So much for the will of the people.
