Well here we are, just a few days short of the "big day" in America. Yes, I mean the upcoming presidential election. Yes, I had told myself I would not blog about it. So much for my plans, they don't always succeed anyway, so no big loss I suppose.
Why rant on about it any way? Well, for starters, there are many voices, more than I would ever care to try and count, that keep yelling at me that this is THE "most important election.....EVER!" Yep, that old line of total garbage. In all honesty folks, from my view point, it matters very little which one of the "big two" gets the "win" on 6 November 2012. Yes, I know all too well that the supposed "liberals" keep yelling at me, and all of us, that if (seriously folks, IF) Gobomber goes down in defeat, we and our country will be up the old proverbial creek without the paddle. Actually, we ARE there already. Don't believe me? Just check up on what now passes as our civil liberties in good old US of A. How about that First Amendment, you know, the one about free speech and free press, and freedom of assembly. Yeah, THAT one. Now, tell me how it is working out for us today, thanks be to Gobomber of course. Or what about the Fourth Amendment? You know it, it is all about being protected from unreasonable searches and seizures. How is the old Fourth working for us? I thought so. Not very well at all, and that applies to the entire Bill of Rights across the board. Just pop civil rights abuse into your favorite search engine if you doubt me. Seriously, look it up, don;t just take my word for it. Hell, far too many people in America Do just that, they take what somebody tells them as gospel, be that somebody the TV, papers, radio, or even the net. Check things for yourselves, it is the only way to really know what is truth. While I do my best to never lie to you good people, you should check my facts and not just take my say so as truth every time you read one of my rants. I promise I will never be offended by your fact checking of me, honest.
This current election is one of the longest ever in US history. It is the most expensive by far and it is still not quite over yet. Supposedly, the "big two" have raised nearly one Billion dollars each. THAT is some damn serious money in my small book. This does not even begin to count the funds raised and spent by the PACs and Super PACs or the races for the two houses of Congress. Senate seats are getting quite pricey as are those for the House of Representatives. Money drives politicos here in America. And it looks like that driver has his/her foot firmly planted to the floorboard, full speed ahead, and damn the torpedoes!
I admit that I did NOT watch any of the "debates". Not a single moment of the three "debates" between Mittens and Gobomber, nor the single "debate" between Ryan and Biden. Do I feel like I missed anything? Of course not, the net had all the postmortem and "analysis" a person could require and actually overkill on the dissecting of the latest "debate". Why do I put "debate" in quotes? Because what has been passed off as a "debate" this year were NOT actual debates at all. They were "debates". Which is to say, they had the title of "debate" but NOT the actual substance of REAL debate in any way. My personal opinion is that the last real debate in a presidential election was 1960 between JFK and old "tricky Dick" Nixon. What we have been served up this year is a very poor substitute for real debate. When the two sides demand that ALL audience questions must be reviewed before the debate even begins and the "moderators" must abide by a set script and never ask any follow-up questions, we do not have debates at all. We have, and get, stage managed crap that pretends, and not very well, at being a "debate". If you think we have had real debates in this election cycle,please go and check the net for video of REAL debates. I bet "You Tube" alone has a wealth of examples.
Why bother with the supposed "debates" any way? None of the REAL issues were ever even discussed, let alone talked about seriously during any of them. Just about every single postmortem of said "debates" I read told me so. The Iraq mess was NOT brought up, the disaster of Afghanistan was MIA, as was the shrinking "middle class" in America. What we were "treated" to was a list of "talking points" from the "big two" and we learned next to nothing worth knowing about. This, I am 1`00% certain, was by design. Keep the rubes dumb and in the dark, yep, treat us like mushrooms. Keep us in the dark and feed us manure.
I did miss the multiparty debates on the net. Oh well, we just moved earlier this month and have been busy getting settled in here and unpacking. I did find that here in Louisiana we have nine (honestly NINE) extra candidates for president on our ballot next month. Wow! I am happy that we actually have choices. I did take the time to read the campaign statements/platforms of all nine and have made my choice. No, I will not tell you who is going to get my vote. I will say that if Ms. McKinney were on the ballot this time, she would get my vote again.
All we get is crap and political garbage and they call it a "debate" or even worse, they call it news. Where is the truth in all of that? Why no mention of the president "deciding" that He can kill anybody, any where, at any time, even a US citizen? Why no mention of our eroded civil liberties? Why no mention of the sorry lack of decent health care? (Do NOT give me that Obamacare crap, it is NOT good for any except the insurance companies.) Why no mention of the missing and "off shored" jobs that used to be here for Americans? Why no mention of the vile zionist entity and its demands for war against Iran? Ah yes, you see where I am going now? Yes, into areas that NEED being discussed publicly and openly/honestly, but will NOT get anything of the sort, not from either wing of the damn war party, not as long as big money controls the two wings of that disgusting party. As I read again recently, America doesn't need a third party, it needs a SECOND party. Damn straight! What we get is the two wings of the vile war party and they have the audacity to call the country a "democracy". Holy crap, they are shipping the cow manure by the rail car load now days.
I hope I stirred some to research the candidate of their choice. Hell, maybe you might even check to see who else besides the "big two" is on your own ballot and check the "minor" candidates in the state where you live. Maybe, just maybe, I even got some of you to think about the real issues, like the poor excuse of an economy that we in the USA have now, or the idiot wars of choice with more in the pipeline. If I have, then good. If not, well, I will have to keep trying then.
semper fi
16 comments:
Yeah noting they could say would affect me at all Charlie. Actions and inactions speak louder than words and I've had 4 years of criminal acts to watch from Obama ... and the peanut gallery in the House and Senate. They can lie all they want right up to the election ... we know what comes next, more of the same. Probably a LOT more, if BOb wins ... since he doesn't need to lie at all any more, not facing another election.
I read an account of my man Rocky's 'performance' in the side-show. I'd already cast my absentee ballot for him. There is certainly nothing to look forward to after this election ... continued decline, more war, more assassinations ... Mitt/BOb ... makes no difference.
I didn't watch any of the debates either, Charlie. It's just too depressing.
I'm not sure it matters who wins the election, because both candidates have the same basic plan in mind.
I expect to see a real shakeup after the election with an attempt to radically restructure the economic system so that medicare, medicaid, and SS become profit centers for big business. This will happen under O as well as Romney. although O is probably the more persuasive leader. People still believe in him. It's amazing.
Personally, I think it is important NOT to vote in this election as the whole thing has become a transparent fraud and voting indicates that one accepts the results whether their candidate wins or not.
This is no longer a democracy, so why ratify tyranny?
I'm staying home.
Hey Mike ... let’s TAKE a poll
Agree with Mike Whitney and will not vote for O, R, or a third party. The system is corrupt. I'm agonizing over Civil Marriage for gay couples and the Dream Act. Of course, I support both, but if I believe that voting is a participation in corruption, do I even pull the lever for these issues?
Did not intend that to be anonymous.
Thank you all so far for your excellent comments. Everyone of you made good points.
Mike and Missy, YES, I know, unfortunately, that it matters not at all if Mittens or Gobomber "wins" in November. They both want to gut the social safety net. Gobomber will just be a bit more sneaky about it while Mittens and the elephants would be more open and defiant in my opinion.Either way, those of us who are on Social Security and Medicare will get screwed, big time.
OK, so what else is new in American politics? Yes, I am being cynical and sarcastic there. It is my nature to be so more often than not.
John, as to so little to look forward to after this coming election, I agree, we seem to have NO leaders at all left to choose from.Who among the active politicians out in the country would be worth voting for? Of course I felt that way in 1992 when Billy Bob Bubba first ran and won. So, I am used to being disappointed.
As to the idea of voting or passing, that is up to each of you and I totally respect your individual choices. I cannot quite yet give up and not vote. I am no better, and most likely much worse than any of you, still, I feel as though I earned my vote having done my time in the Marines and that war in Southeast Asia (Vietnam). If I didn't vote, I am not sure how I would justify that to myself at this time. Maybe come 2016 I will sit out the election. This year, I have a "need" of sorts to vote, if only for one last time. As the Peace and Freedom party is not on the Louisiana ballot, I will continue to vote for a "minor" party candidate. I read the basics of all who made the ballot in this state and made my choice. Yes, I know, my choice has no hope in hell of an actual "win" and yet, I feel I must participate. I agree the entire process has been corrupted, and yet, I feel compelled to cast a vote. At least I do so eyes wide open to the possible fraud and vote rigging. I do so knowing the entire system IS corrupted by big money among other vices that have infiltrated and taken over the system.
Again, thank you ALL for your excellent input and I DO respect your individual choices to vote or pass on voting. We all make choices in this life and nobody can criticize any of us for the choices we make if they have not lived our lives.
It is by your comments that I remain positive about humanity. I am deeply grateful to all who comment here, I am honored that you took the time to read my poor excuse for writing and then left great comments. You all give me hope for the future of the whole human race and I can never thank you all enough for that.
I always tell people to go vote even if they aren't thrilled with the choices at the top of the ballot because it's the local elections that really matter -- except this year it turns out that in our entire county, just about every candidate is running unopposed. County commissioner, township trustee, township constable, you name it, no opposition. So why bother?
Obama's corporatist must-gut-government philosophy is the logical result of 30+ years of Reagan's platitudes being peddled as truth: private is always better, government is the problem, etc. Obama's been hearing that crap since he was in junior high; no wonder he believes it. Most people under 50 do. It's going to take some truly nasty stuff happening (like people's grandmothers being evicted from nursing homes when Medicaid is eliminated and parked in their families' living rooms) before the consequences of shredding the social safety net become clear to most Americans.
As for foreign policy? Without a draft, most people just don't give a rat's patoot where the U.S. is killing people or why. Doesn't matter how many nasty overseas conflicts we meddle in, it doesn't affect the average person. (Well, it does affect the average person because every $1 spent on military adventures is a $1 not being used here for infrastructure, education, healthcare, etc., but most people are oblivious to the concept of opportunity costs.)
Hey, Charlie,
How about a rant on the website you sent me about Jesus"being real?"
I'd love to hear your take on it.
Hi Charlie,
Good wishes in your new move! I also feel compelled to vote - even though there are gross treacherous men running for the office. Comes included with a Tuesday kill list day. Yep, no mention of the kill list in the debates. Just two Chiefs in front of the tribe trying to prove who is really in charge here. One could watch the "debates" with the sound off.
Here in California, we are voting for the labeling of GMO's. If I do nothing else, I will vote for that! That, is something that matters, everyday, to me.
Stay tuned.... and I am on SSDI and all that talk gets my attention. I fear for the least amongst us. It's not broken, why do they want to keep "fixing" it?
Well, every election has always been the most important election ever since I used to watch the conventions with my dad. For sure this one is important, but how different are the two candidates? They are both owned by the banks and big business. Probably, only magic underwear separate the two. The Mormon mafia could be in charge. Hmm, its that or Killbama. Who to choose, who to choose.
Cheers!
Nan,
Thank you for your comments.
Yes when most of the offices up for election run one unopposed person, what is the vote worth? It is so disgusting to see that. The representative who is supposed to represent our area in the House has been virtually unopposed for the last 12 years or more. I can only vouch for the last 12 as I moved here in the spring of 2000. Before then, I cannot say and I am too lazy to check the elections before I moved here.
Foreign policy? Do we actually have such a thing? Some days it seems all we have are wars and more wars. War as foreign policy.
It matters so very little which of the "big two" wins next month. I think we all agree on that. The local and state offices are important and they do impact us all more immediately. Those offices are very important. But, again, if they run one unopposed person for said office, why bother to vote? The persons' immediate family will be more than enough to "win" in that case. Not quite the "democratic republic" we were supposed to have in America.
Just put me down as disgusted.
Mike,
Oh boy, you want to see me in some serious hot water don't you?
LOL, I tend to not discuss religion here. While I am not a follower/member of any organized religion, others may be. I'll be happy to discuss any topic with you by email Mike.
Dad told me to never argue religion.
Sierra,
Thank you for your input.
Yes, some of us will go vote for whatever reason no matter how futile it may be. I do NOT feel "better" for doing so, it is a duty or so I remember being taught that way back. Of course being an informed citizen is also a duty. Very hard to be really informed with the media we have in the USA now days. More like propaganda than information/news. Still, we do have the net as long as that lasts.
If I still lived in California, I am 100% certain I would vote to label GM foods. We do not have a clue what effects such "food" will have on us long term. How safe is it to eat for decades? If anybody knows, which I doubt, they are not telling us. Until we have the truth about GM foods, I think it MUST be labeled as such. We need to be able to make choices and the foods need to be labeled in order for us to make informed choices.
I also am very wary no matter which of the "big two" wins as they both seem all too eager to gut ALL Social programs. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are on the chopping block. What we who rely on those programs will do if we have big cuts, well, it will not be easy nor fun in any way. No doubt the 1% would rather we who are on any of these programs just lay down and die. Well, screw that crap! I will NOT go quietly for sure. We earned our Social Security when we worked. We paid our taxes even if we didn't want to, the monies were deducted before we got paid. So many people have only their Social Security as income now days.
One thing for sure, no matter who "wins" next month, we are in for one hell of a ride.
I agree with Chris Hedges' argument in, Why I'm Voting Green, although I voted for Rocky Anderson ...
' Those who rebel are our only hope. And for this reason I will vote next month for Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, although I could as easily vote for Rocky Anderson of the Justice Party. I will step outside the system. Voting for the “lesser evil” - or failing to vote at all - is part of the corporate agenda to crush what is left of our anemic democracy. And those who continue to participate in the vaudeville of a two-party process, who refuse to confront in every way possible the structures of corporate power, assure our mutual destruction. '
The number of votes for 'neither of the above' can make a difference ... not to the outcome of the election, but to our conception of ourselves ...
' “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any,” Alice Walker writes. '
Until we can envision a path from here to there ... well, it's manifestly impossible to take a non-existent path, isn't it?
I note that Common Dreams, that hotbed of lukewarm 'progressive' mediocrity, which usually reposts Hedges' Monday columns, failed to repost Why I'm Voting Green.
Separating the sheep from the goats at this particular point in time, aren't we?
Hey, Charlie, great post.
I guess Sandy gave us all a break from the relentless politics but it also gave Obama a boost.
It sickens me to see him running around trying to look 'Presidential' while hoping that people forget how hopeless he was during his first four years and how many promises he broke!
In six more days, the world will know its fate, know which imperial psychopath will be in the White House plotting global domination.
Sickening, isn't it?
David,
Yes, the "acting" by the war party candidates IS disgusting to the max. Only six more days till the "most important election EVER". Sorry, I could NOT resist that snark. Every election for the last 28 years! has been billed as the "most important ever". ENOUGH! I call total BS on that! No matter which of the two war party guys "wins" we will all have more war and fewer civil liberties.And, you can take that to the bank as they say.
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