With less than two weeks left in this campaign season, I am still not 100% positive on my choice for president. There are really tough questions that I am faced with. One, is Obama really this courier of hope or is he going to run our country even further into the ground?
For starters, I have immersed myself into the Internet to research the candidates. I know that all of their “promises” are propaganda. Even the ones they actually do care about still have two other branches of government to filter through. My major strategy now is to focus on experience and decision making abilities. McCain has miles of both. Obama really has neither.
His choices in the past have been as a lawyer fighting banks to force them into giving loans to low income people (watch this: Burning Down the House – Our Economic Crisis); to associate with a known domestic terrorist (he still hasn’t denied); and my least favorite, disrespecting the flag. Obama’s famous photo of not respecting the flag during the Pledge of Allegience angered me deeply. As a military man, I cannot fathom the possibility of serving someone like this. My friend actually emailed his campaign HQ and asked about this and they told him, “Sometimes he salutes the flag, and sometimes he doesn’t.”
For those who may be curious, it is actually a U.S. Code to place your hand on your heart during the Pledge or National Anthem. In all of my anger, I still chose to have an open mind and try to find somethings about him that may be positive. I turned to Google with the battle-cry from the theologian Janet Jackson, “What have you done for me lately?” I was not surprised to find what I did…nothing. The only thing that bloggers are saying is, “He gives me hope.”
Whew, hope. That will get us out of our mess. Seriously, are we relying on a lawyer who is known to associate with terrorists and chooses when he will be a patriot to run our country?
I open the floor to you, what good has he actually done? Comments?
This whole terrorist thing has really gotten out of hand. Obama has commented on the whole Ayers situation several times, one of which was during the final presidential debate. Journalists, bloggers and Obama himself have been setting the record straight when it comes to Ayers, but because it’s the buzzword of the decade, McCain simply keeps using the words “terrorist” and “Obama” to further use fear as a political tactic to win this election. Terrorism, as a whole, has become the new red scare–Something the government as a whole will continually throw out during a press conference, speech, etc. to make sure all of the American people know that “terrorism” is a threat to this country. It is a word that has been so overused that it now holds the same weight as any other word in the English language. The American people have had it shoved down their throats for nearly a decade now and it simply just doesn’t hold (most of) our attention any longer. Ayers wasn’t a big problem until the Gallup showed McCain down by a few points. This is a horrendously ugly election and McCain is just fortunate enough to have as many people as he does hanging on his every word.
Maybe terrorism is simply a “buzzword” for you, but I am in the military. It is not a buzzword. I am an Iraqi Veteran and have seen things firsthand to indicate there is no buzz. So, Simply because you and the other ADHD Americans are tired of “hearing” about it doesn’t mean it is not real.
I have a proud family lineage of military members and we have all defended our flag and to patriotism actually means something. Until the words of the National Anthem are more than just words, I would not expect you to understand.
You never answered my question about what good he has done, instead you are taking the democratic (lawyer) strategy of misdirection. As far as him being involved with Ayers…anyone who associated with that man and had any inclination of what he stands for is a supporter.
If this picture of Ayers does not make you angry, you need to evaluate your values.
here is the link…it did not embed in the lasyt post.
Sorry it is long: http://images.google.com/url?q=http://www.canadafreepress.com/images/uploads/Ayres_Stomps_US_Flag.jpg&usg=AFQjCNE4gpq7F84gaNDlY4Ipuc2FNtj2aA
To me, there are two items at play in this thread.
Not saluting the flag makes a person a non-starter to me. In the military, you salute the rank of a person, not the person himself/herself. If Obama at any point decides that the concept of the U.S. is not worth saluting, he can be commander in chief somewhere else.
On the Ayers issue, it is very different. I don’t necessarily take him to task for an “association”. I have had dinner or met with all kinds of people in my life. Doesn’t mean I agree or even like them.
For me and how I came to my choice, I looked at things like the state of economy and health care – two main issues that conerned me.
After reading what many experts had to say, and listening to the candidates – I prefer Obama’s approach. The Bush plan certainly hasn’t worked – and McCain’s plan is just continuing the same policies.
Health care – I don’t need an expert to confirm that McCain’s plan would be truly devasting to the entire country.
My husband and I both used to like McCain – but that was years ago. Now he doesn’t quite seem to know what he is doing, he has no clear message (other then give more money and tax cuts to the very rich). And I have to agree with Colin Powell’s assesment of Sarah Palin – she just isn’t qualified. Granted VP is just VP – but in McCain’s case his age and several bouts with cancer, make his choice of VP a very big concern.
I realize that what any candidates says at the stump is mostly a lot of noise and whippipng up the crowds – so promises, etc. I tend to ignore – but rather focus on the overall plan.
Also I do think McCain has crossed the line from asking questions and comparing policies and ideas to simple trying to spread fear and divide the country – that is something I can not respect at all.
As far as Ayers – according to McCain just by having a brief association means every one Ayers ever speaks to is a terrorist then every single Republican on that education board then is a terrorist, as are all the professors and students at the university where he teaches, and we should have every single one of them arrersted. Obama has condemned Ayers actions – Obama was only 8 at the time. McCain has far more connections to some truly evil folks – his transition team leader for one and lobbyists on behalf of Iran, and there are several others which are easy enough to look up – all his associations with these folks were for money (greed). Obama served on an education board with several other prominent folks including Republicans – for improving education purposes.
As far as the flag – yes it is important, but weighing all the huge situations facing our nation – that incident will not affect my vote. And to be fair, I won’t hold it against McCain either when his campaign allowed the huge American flag to lay on the ground after a convention last week – and never addressed the situation afterwards – (he could have said we will get volunteers, scouts, or veternas to help out so it never happens again).
So what has Obama done for me – he’s laid out a thoughtful, intelligent plan for America to recover, he has adddressed the needs of the middle class and has a plan to help folks with health care and stop foreclosures, he has chosen a qualified vice president that helps me feel more secure should the unthinkable happen, he also lays out a plan to bring this country together and find common ground so we can work together to make our country whole and prosperous.
Will it work? I don’t have a crystal ball – but I prefer working together for the good of everyone, and yes even to hope – rather then McCain’s current view of “us” against “them” and that some parts of America are anti-American.
Each and every one of us is a real American.
“As a military man, I cannot fathom the possibility of serving someone like this.”
First, Thank you for your service to our country!
I’ve never served in the military but my instincts have kept me alive more than once and I’m sure you have counted on yours for the same ~ no need to CHANGE that now.
As far as preying on peoples hopes & fears ~ consider this:
“Jim Jones attracted a large following to his Peoples Temple through sermons on tolerance, social responsibility and community.” (community organizer?)
“Jim Jones carefully revealed only as much of himself as he needed to to any given audience — the inner circle of Peoples Temple, his larger congregation, local politicians, or his various female companions. Much of the time he hid behind his sunglasses and let others project their hopes and fears through him.”
I see many similarities between the two. Obama is just a bit slicker with a higher goal.
Like Jim Jones, Obama has been very involved / interested in Civil Rights.
Like Jim Jones, Obama’s loyal following began in a big church.
Like Jim Jones, Obama has a very loyal media following.
“When local reporters suggested investigating Jones and the secrecy surrounding many aspects of the Peoples Temple, their editors or publishers would discourage them.”
The many similarities between them is undeniable and Wright taught Obama well when it comes to gathering a following.
Today I found a new radical association and posted it on my website. I’m sure you will find it interesting.
I have actually had in-depth conversations with Republican and undecided friends about the whole hand-over-heart” issue. Yes, the U.S. Code does state that and Yes, Obama didn’t put his hand over his heart (in that picture) during that particular steak fry. But also, the code states that the American citizen should face the flag. Neither Bill Richardson nor Hillary Clinton, nor even the wife of Iowa’s governor are facing the same direction; are they disrespecting the flag? Hmmm…this one seems a bit of a red herring to get hung up on, especially since recent footage of House Minority Leader John Boehner recently emerged of him not even standing during the Pledge of Allegiance in the House and he has repeatedly been caught on tape not wearing a flag lapel pin. Is Mr. Boehner un-American? Meh…I don’t think so.
I switched party affiliation in 2000 to specifically vote for John McCain because I didn’t want that pandering moron Bush to get elected and Gore gave me a weird vibe every time I heard him speak. Unfortunately, Mr. McCain has engaged in the very tactics that derailed him in 2000; you may recall them. Bush’s team forwarded the rumor that his adopted Bangladeshi daughter was actually an illegitimate love child of McCain and an un-named African American woman. The Rove attack machine also circulated a rumor that Cindy McCain was a pill-popping addict that was constantly on the brink of passing out. McCain was infuriated, calling Bush a cross between the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion: a man with no brain, no heart, and no courage. He also demanded why the media wasn’t paying attention to the issues McCain was bringing up; namely that he was trying to find a centrist streak in the Republican party and blasted the “intolerant religious right” which derailed the mission of the Republican Party. In 2008, I switched again because rather than remain in his centrist mode, McCain courted Jerry Falwell, who said 9/11 was God’s retribution against the U.S. for allowing feminists and pagans live here. He then courted Texas evangelical Hagee who said that Katrina was God’s punishment on New Orleans for having a Gay Pride parade. He then courted an Ohio minister (whose name escapes me right now) who said that Islam was a Satanic religion and should be wiped off the face of the earth. Then the straw that broke the camel’s back was his choice of Sarah Palin as VP nominee: Palin attended rallies of the Alaska Freedom Party which advocates armed secession from the United States, attends a pentecostal church which believes that Homosexuals can be “prayed straight,” and as mayor of Wasilla, she had books banned because they mentioned homosexuality or other “unGodly themes.”
If only John had stuck to his guns and remained the principled man he once was.
Thanks for the Blog, I enjoy reading it!
Thank you everyone for your well thought out responses. I guess I will just have to agree to disagree. Although, I still never got an answer to my question other than he served on an education board andthat he gives us hope. My question was about what good he HAS done not what he “promises” to do.
Thanks again for the excellent dialogue.
That’s just it. Barack Hussein Obama has done nothing for this country and in my opinion will do more harm to our country than good. Why anyone would think it’s a good thing to vote for someone who attended a black liberation theology church and associated himself with it’s radical minister for 20 years, who has a relationship with a non-repentant former American terrorist and a Palestinian activist/terrorist, is way beyond me. Not to mention the fact that Obama doesn’t honor the American flag, he voted against funding for the troops, he was against the troop surge, he was against taking action against Russia’s oppression over Georgia, he believes in spreading the wealth around, he believes our founding fathers made a mistake writing the Constitution as a charter of negative liberties (what the states/federal government can’t do to you. Obama thinks it tragic that the Constitution doesn’t say what the states/federal government MUST do on your behalf). It’s obvious Obama has socialist beliefs. The media is in the tank for Obama and won’t report the facts about him. Did you read the article about the L.A. Times suppressing the release of a video tape that shows Obama along with Bill Ayers at a farewell party for Palestinian activist/terrorist Rashid Khalidi? It’s a pretty sad state of affairs as far as the press is concerned.
Michael you said “But also, the code states that the American citizen should face the flag. Neither Bill Richardson nor Hillary Clinton, nor even the wife of Iowa’s governor are facing the same direction.” Go back and look at the picture. All three bodies are facing the way. Hillary’s and Obama’s heads are turned. The flag in the background is a backdrop and if there is an actual ceremonial flag displayed then you face that one or the sound of the music/speaker.
Laura-I think you have hit the nail on the head. That is why in 7 comments from people other than myself, I never got one single “answer.”
Come on Obama “supporters,” I am calling you out. What good has he done? Give me something from his polital “career” that has benefited you or I.
Well, unfortunately Obama has now become president-elect. I can rightfully say I voted for McCain because sometimes you just have to pick the lesser of two evils. Even at my young age its not hard to see that Obama has done nothing thus far for this country. McCain spent more years as a prisoner of war than Obama ever spent in office; if that doesn’t strike you as sad I dunno what does? Why would you elect a President to run an entire country that has never had experience running anything; let alone an entire country.
As sort of amusement I must say Nostradamus once predicted the world would change drastically once a “dark leader” gained control for a period of time over a large country (It is of course more specific than that). I also can’t help but remember lessons on the Mayan end world prophecy (Dec. 21 2012), which states the world will come to some sort of a conclusion on, or around, that day. Obama will of course now be Prez in 2012; *whistles. I know I know, many of you Obama supporters will cry irrelevant but…kinda scary if you ask me.