Politics is a tricky little beast. It forces you to look at an individual and make basic assumptions on how their actions are going to affect your life. I also asks you to judge their character and decide whether or not they are "good enough" to represent you. Like I said, it is a tricky little beast.
Barack Obama has received his share of character attacks. This particular email detailed some "surprising details" about Obama. Here are a few:
- Obama refuses to wear a flag pin on his lapel and doesn't place his hand over his heart when the national anthem is played
- Obama's former pastor is racist and has strong ideals concerning black empowerment
- Obama went to a Muslim school (for 2 years) and has a Muslim father
- Obama has called his grandmother a "typical white woman" and based on this remark is racist in his own way
- Obama has three Muslim names: Barack Hussein Obama
- Michelle Obama, the senator's wife, has made the statement that when her husband took the lead in the democratic primary that this was "the first time in a long while she had been proud of her country"
First off, concerning Obama's heritage. No one has control of their heritage. No one has control of the name that is given them, onless they wish to legally change it, which is another issue entirely. Rarely do children have control of what religion they practice, or what schools they go to. Parents make those decisions, not children. Where is the credit Obama should receive for not practicing the Muslim religion as an adult? Why should we be holding the Muslim faith against him? Sure, if he was a professed terrorist, or a member of a terrorist cult then I can see a point, but he is not. It certainly isn't a point I would base my selection fo president on.
Concerning his patriotism, let's get real here. Symbology or lack of displaying this symbology should not preclude an individual from serving the office of President of the United States. That seems to be a pretty petty way of disqualifying someone. Obama has proven that he is commited to serving the nation. So ask yourself this: Would I rather have someone who will offer healthcare to all people, including the poorest in our country or have someone who wears an American flag pin? By choosing John McCain that is what you are saying if you make the whole pin thing the reason Obama loses your vote. McCain wants to take healthcare insurance away as a responsibility of employers and basically make it like car insurance: the responsibility of the individual to acquire. He feels that this will cause healthcare insurance companies as well as healthcare providers too become competitive and lower their prices. Basic economic principle tells us that demand causes prices to go up. Competition may drive the price down, but it also has a tendency to drive down quality. Just look at the garbage products coming out of China (think about all the recent recalls if you need any inspiration) and you can see this principle in action.
As far as Michelle Obama's comments, I need only look at my sentiments and understand her frustration. Like I mentioned before, I am very patriotic and love this country. That doesn't mean that I haven't been disappointed in the direction it has been heading. It also doesn't mean that I'm constantly proud of what our government does and what policies it has implemented. There have been times when I have been embarrassed for our country, embarrassed of it's leadership and embarrassed at the direction we have allowed it to take.
Why have all the jobs moved to China, or India, or Mexico? Because of policies implemented by our government including the Clinton supported NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement) which basically allowed thousands of good paying automotive jobs to migrate to Mexico. That is and should be an embarrassment to our country and the people of tis country.
Now, concerning racism. I am a racist if you consider the fact that I recognize a fundamental difference between causasians and people of color. Now, the problem with racism is if you pass judgement on an individual based on their color alone. I have no problem voicing my hatred towards those to commit serious crimes, deal or take illegal drugs or show an attitude that I believe is either harmful or disrespectful towards other people. Let me be clear here: if you are white and do any of the previously mentioned things I will despise you just as much as a black man who does the same. I have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with African Americans who are bad people. This has sullied my opinion of many blacks. On the other hand those blacks like Barack Obama or Morgan Freeman or Forest Whitaker who overcome these stereotypes and become respectable members of American Society have my enduring appreciation and do more to heal the image of their race than most others. That said, there are many others that sully their race, and it is these people that I hold in disdain. Am I a racist: if they are black and happen to disrespect others, commit crimes, do drugs, beat their girlfriends, swear in public because they don't care about who hears what they are saying, or any other generally unexceptable behavior, then you're damned right I am. Black in that case however is what they are, my feelings towards them are based on what they do.
That said, I do not think that Barack Obama is racist. I think his pastor is, but you cannot make someone guilty of an act simply through association. If I rob a bank, you are inherently not a bank robber simply because you know me. People are looking for ways to soil Obama's name, and they will grasp at any branch they possibly can to do so.
For those who don't know it, Obama had a black father and a white mother. That said, doesn't that give him as much right to speak about the white race as it does to speak of the balck race? As far as I know he is as much a white man as he is a black man. There has always been this unspoken rule that black people can use the "N-word" but white people cannot. If this is the case, then why doesn't a white man (which Obama is half white) have the right to identify his own blood, his grandmother as being typical for the race? This sure is a slippery slope.
Okay, I want to get this whole thing wrapped up, so I'm moving on past the petty accusations and diatribe of a bitterman who feels his Republican buddies are up against a wall in the upcoming elections. The US economic makeup is basically a bell curve. There are far more middleclass people than there are rich or poor. If that is true (which it is) then why do we continue to put men in office that represent the wealthy under the ideals of Reagan's trickle down economic principles? (Trickle down economics is a policy that Ronald Reagan adopted under the assumption that if you give more money to the rich then they will reinvest it into America and those of the middle and lower classes will benefit. Unfortunately this principle only works if the money stays in America. Instead, business owners have moved their complanies overseas where they can spend less and keep more of the money given them by the US government.)
Obama wants to represent the middle class. You will hear McCain talk about how the Democrats want to raise taxes. What he fails to point out is that these tax increases are to be levied against the most wealthy Americans, ones that received significant tax breaks simply based on their economic standing all the while the middleclass if left to shoulder the major burden. Let me give you a great example. I pay $1500 a year in property taxes on my house. Our great governor, Mitch Daniels, just passed landmark property tax reforms that will set a cap for property taxes at $1500 a year. Now this seems like a pretty good deal, right? I will never have to pay more than $1500 in property taxes. However, a person who is currently paying $3500 in property taxes a year (and evidently makes more than I do) now gets an immediate $2000 savings each and every year. The other half of the bill raised the state sales tax by 1%. So, while I don't have any more property taxes this year, everything I buy now costs an additional 1%. You know that guy that rents the dumpy little trailer down the street and works at the gas station because he can't find a good paying job? He gets to pay more for the things he pruchases too. 1% more, just like me. Where is his tax break? He doesn't get one, he gets to help shoulder the burden of making up that $2000 that the rich guy got for living in that mansion on the hill.
That's how politics work people. I'm not telling you how to vote in the upcoming election, but will I will tell you is to look at every issue. Look at every possibility and weigh all the issues. Not wearing an American pin on your lapel doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot if you compare it to the loss of lives that will occur if we spend "another 100 years" in Iraq like McCain contends he will ensure. Even labor unions, which I am in total opposition of, are something that Obama supports but I am happy to overlook if we can establsih a comprehensive policy regarding energy reform. Americans need to make smart choices. We need to look beyond the rhetoric and make decisions which best represent the principles shared by the ruling majority of American people.
There, I've said my peace. I'm getting off of my soapbox. Comments/arguments are welcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment