Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Why I'm not voting for Barack Obama
I like Barack Obama. He seems like he's a nice guy. He appears that he really loves his wife and 2 kids. He was born in Hawaii like myself. I prefer him over McCain. But I'm still not voting for him. Here are my reasons why.
First off, I should note that I live in California. In the world of the electoral college, all of California's votes will go to the winner of the popular vote. So let's look at some history and some facts.
In 2000, Al Gore won California by over 11%. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election_in_California,_2000 It was in this election that Ralph Nader was running on the Green Party ticket and won 3.76% of California's votes. Ralph and the Green Party won a bunch of votes, but the Democrats still easily took California.
In 2004, the Democratic propaganda machine came out in force against Ralph Nader and 3rd parties. California voters feared a repeat of 2000 and 2nd Bush term. Greens backed David Cobb and Ralph was a write-in vote. Democrats fielded John Kerry as their candidate and he easily won California. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._presidential_election,_2004,_in_California I find it interesting that votes for Ralph and the Green Party combined totaled less than 1% of popular votes, yet John Kerry beat Bush by only 9.81%. This is less than what Gore beat Bush by even when Ralph was at his strongest.
In California, the number of registered Democrats surpass the number of registered Republicans by 11.6%. http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror_090508.htm Click on the PDF for historical voter registration statistics. This year, Californians and especially young voters are very excited about Barack Obama. The statistics, the history, and the energy are all in favor of Barack Obama. If he doesn't win California... then the Democrats will really need to evaluate their party.
Just last weekend I was in Ohio. In one day in Ohio I saw more McCain and Obama ads than one month in California. The Democrats don't put any money and energy into winning California because they know that they will win it.
With that in mind, I believe that the Democrats need to re-evaluate their party. I abhor being threatened to vote Democrat (A vote for a third party is a vote for John McCain. It's the lesser of two evils). Talk about the issues and stop threatening me for my vote. When it comes to many important issues, I do not agree with Barack Obama. I'm not going to get into the McCain and the Republicans because I am soooooo far in disagreement with them on so many issues.
Barack has said that he wants to withdraw troops from Iraq and move them to Afghanistan. Then if Al Queda and Osama are in their sights and Pakistan is unable or unwilling to get them, Obama is willing to attack and kill them. Can you imagine if the Chinese said that they wanted to get Uighurs on US soil and if the US was unable or unwilling to get them for them, the Chinese would do it themselves? Can you imagine the same scenario with Russians and Chechnyans on US soil? The Sri Lankans and Tamil Tigers? The UK and the IRA? Israel and Palestinians? The Mexicans and Zapatistas? I could go on but then I'd have to look up groups on wikipedia and it's a pain.
When it comes to nuclear proliferation, Obama claims to want to reduce nuclear proliferation. Yet he has also spoken on creating a missile defense shield. That shield would lead to greater nuclear proliferation as countries sought to increase their capabilities to overwhelm the shield. The dirty little secret is that you can put a cheap ass mylar sheath on the warhead and it will cover the heat signature so that a missile shield can't find it. However, if the US creates a missile shield, China will likely increase their nuclear arsenal. China's increase will lead to an increase in Russia and India's. India's increase will lead to an increase by Pakistan. And on and on with this crazy fucking Mutually Assured Destruction dance of Shiva. A missile shield is an irresponsible position that contradicts his professed goal of reducing nuclear proliferation.
At no time has Obama spoken on cutting the US military budget. The US is currently spending approximately $1 trillion a year for all defense related purposes. In 2005, the US military budget was almost as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined. Why aren't we talking about cutting the military budget? War is a racket! THE MILITARY DOESN'T NEED MORE MONEY!!! BUT EVERY OTHER SECTOR SURE DOES!!!
Gay marriage is one of the issues where Republicans and Democrats can come together. They both oppose it. WTF??? Let people get married, be happy and be legitimized under the law and their faith or lackthereof. It's as simple as that. Don't continue with the treatment of people as second class citizens.
When it comes to the economy, I have very little faith in the Democrats as they presided over NAFTA and the WTO. Ross fucking Perot was right when he talked about the giant sucking sound of American jobs heading to Mexico. Now that sucking sound has extended to the world. Republicans have continued Democrat policies. Obama has never talked about seriously reviewing and changing the policies of NAFTA and the WTO.
When it comes to Wall Street bailouts, Obama and McCain are both talking about Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. How come no one is talking about credit default swaps (CDS) and the roughly $60 trillion dollars in unregulated money? AIG and Lehman brothers probably wouldn't have tanked if it wasn't for massive amounts of unregulated CDSs. How serious is Obama about regulating the financial system when no attention is given to CDSs?
When it comes to the draconian death penalty, Obama is for it. This is an unjust policy that has a racial bias based on a justice system that is imperfect. I don't want the state executing anyone when there is even the remotest possibility that it could execute the wrong person. And we know that people have been exonerated and released after being on death row. How many people were executed that could have been exonerated? I don't know, but I don't want to take the chance.
When it comes to healthcare I was happy to hear Obama say that it was a right for people. I actually agree with that. However, he's not talking about universal healthcare for all like most industrialized countries have. If healthcare is a right...shouldn't it be a right for everyone regardless of their situation? Shouldn't Obama be pushing for universal healthcare?
When it comes to education Obama isn't telling me the things I really want to hear. How about fully funding students through college so that everyone can benefit from a college education? How about cutting the military budget in half and giving that half to public education? Why are we cutting classes and programs? Let the arts and sciences flourish motherfuckers! Then we wouldn't have so many narrow-minded undereducated dumbasses that will cause the future structural unemployment of America!
Here's where I insert my problem with America section. McCain is right. Americans do need to serve. But my generation is rather selfish. What can I say, we grew up in the Reagan years and its rubbed off on our kids! Service has negative connotations. It sounds like I won't get paid or I'll be underpaid. It sounds like I'll have to deal with ungrateful bastards. It sounds like something you do for a little while until you get a real job. It sounds like there's a master on the other side of my service. It sounds like an inferior subservient position to be in. It would be so much easier to vote and put all my political energy into that than to make that one component in utilizing all my political energy. We tell people they are wrong for doing what they believe to be right and instead tell them to do what represents the least change from our comfort zone. I completely believe that is it wrong to tell a person to not vote for their ideals and their "promised land" but rather to vote for that which is most politically expedient. It is better to vote for the greater good than for the lesser of two evils. Aren't the issues supposed to be important??? While Obama's stances on the issues are closer to mine than McCain's, he and the Democratic party do not stand on the issues on the side of greater justice for all in all things.
Don't get me wrong. I'll be happy if and when Obama wins. A black guy from Hawaii in the WHITE house? That's fucking hilarious, ironic, and cool to think about all in one. But I have to vote on the ISSUES , where I believe America should be, and Barack is not enough change for me. Tickle my balls and tell me some shit that I want to hear!
First off, I should note that I live in California. In the world of the electoral college, all of California's votes will go to the winner of the popular vote. So let's look at some history and some facts.
In 2000, Al Gore won California by over 11%. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election_in_California,_2000 It was in this election that Ralph Nader was running on the Green Party ticket and won 3.76% of California's votes. Ralph and the Green Party won a bunch of votes, but the Democrats still easily took California.
In 2004, the Democratic propaganda machine came out in force against Ralph Nader and 3rd parties. California voters feared a repeat of 2000 and 2nd Bush term. Greens backed David Cobb and Ralph was a write-in vote. Democrats fielded John Kerry as their candidate and he easily won California. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._presidential_election,_2004,_in_California I find it interesting that votes for Ralph and the Green Party combined totaled less than 1% of popular votes, yet John Kerry beat Bush by only 9.81%. This is less than what Gore beat Bush by even when Ralph was at his strongest.
In California, the number of registered Democrats surpass the number of registered Republicans by 11.6%. http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror_090508.htm Click on the PDF for historical voter registration statistics. This year, Californians and especially young voters are very excited about Barack Obama. The statistics, the history, and the energy are all in favor of Barack Obama. If he doesn't win California... then the Democrats will really need to evaluate their party.
Just last weekend I was in Ohio. In one day in Ohio I saw more McCain and Obama ads than one month in California. The Democrats don't put any money and energy into winning California because they know that they will win it.
With that in mind, I believe that the Democrats need to re-evaluate their party. I abhor being threatened to vote Democrat (A vote for a third party is a vote for John McCain. It's the lesser of two evils). Talk about the issues and stop threatening me for my vote. When it comes to many important issues, I do not agree with Barack Obama. I'm not going to get into the McCain and the Republicans because I am soooooo far in disagreement with them on so many issues.
Barack has said that he wants to withdraw troops from Iraq and move them to Afghanistan. Then if Al Queda and Osama are in their sights and Pakistan is unable or unwilling to get them, Obama is willing to attack and kill them. Can you imagine if the Chinese said that they wanted to get Uighurs on US soil and if the US was unable or unwilling to get them for them, the Chinese would do it themselves? Can you imagine the same scenario with Russians and Chechnyans on US soil? The Sri Lankans and Tamil Tigers? The UK and the IRA? Israel and Palestinians? The Mexicans and Zapatistas? I could go on but then I'd have to look up groups on wikipedia and it's a pain.
When it comes to nuclear proliferation, Obama claims to want to reduce nuclear proliferation. Yet he has also spoken on creating a missile defense shield. That shield would lead to greater nuclear proliferation as countries sought to increase their capabilities to overwhelm the shield. The dirty little secret is that you can put a cheap ass mylar sheath on the warhead and it will cover the heat signature so that a missile shield can't find it. However, if the US creates a missile shield, China will likely increase their nuclear arsenal. China's increase will lead to an increase in Russia and India's. India's increase will lead to an increase by Pakistan. And on and on with this crazy fucking Mutually Assured Destruction dance of Shiva. A missile shield is an irresponsible position that contradicts his professed goal of reducing nuclear proliferation.
At no time has Obama spoken on cutting the US military budget. The US is currently spending approximately $1 trillion a year for all defense related purposes. In 2005, the US military budget was almost as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined. Why aren't we talking about cutting the military budget? War is a racket! THE MILITARY DOESN'T NEED MORE MONEY!!! BUT EVERY OTHER SECTOR SURE DOES!!!
Gay marriage is one of the issues where Republicans and Democrats can come together. They both oppose it. WTF??? Let people get married, be happy and be legitimized under the law and their faith or lackthereof. It's as simple as that. Don't continue with the treatment of people as second class citizens.
When it comes to the economy, I have very little faith in the Democrats as they presided over NAFTA and the WTO. Ross fucking Perot was right when he talked about the giant sucking sound of American jobs heading to Mexico. Now that sucking sound has extended to the world. Republicans have continued Democrat policies. Obama has never talked about seriously reviewing and changing the policies of NAFTA and the WTO.
When it comes to Wall Street bailouts, Obama and McCain are both talking about Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. How come no one is talking about credit default swaps (CDS) and the roughly $60 trillion dollars in unregulated money? AIG and Lehman brothers probably wouldn't have tanked if it wasn't for massive amounts of unregulated CDSs. How serious is Obama about regulating the financial system when no attention is given to CDSs?
When it comes to the draconian death penalty, Obama is for it. This is an unjust policy that has a racial bias based on a justice system that is imperfect. I don't want the state executing anyone when there is even the remotest possibility that it could execute the wrong person. And we know that people have been exonerated and released after being on death row. How many people were executed that could have been exonerated? I don't know, but I don't want to take the chance.
When it comes to healthcare I was happy to hear Obama say that it was a right for people. I actually agree with that. However, he's not talking about universal healthcare for all like most industrialized countries have. If healthcare is a right...shouldn't it be a right for everyone regardless of their situation? Shouldn't Obama be pushing for universal healthcare?
When it comes to education Obama isn't telling me the things I really want to hear. How about fully funding students through college so that everyone can benefit from a college education? How about cutting the military budget in half and giving that half to public education? Why are we cutting classes and programs? Let the arts and sciences flourish motherfuckers! Then we wouldn't have so many narrow-minded undereducated dumbasses that will cause the future structural unemployment of America!
Here's where I insert my problem with America section. McCain is right. Americans do need to serve. But my generation is rather selfish. What can I say, we grew up in the Reagan years and its rubbed off on our kids! Service has negative connotations. It sounds like I won't get paid or I'll be underpaid. It sounds like I'll have to deal with ungrateful bastards. It sounds like something you do for a little while until you get a real job. It sounds like there's a master on the other side of my service. It sounds like an inferior subservient position to be in. It would be so much easier to vote and put all my political energy into that than to make that one component in utilizing all my political energy. We tell people they are wrong for doing what they believe to be right and instead tell them to do what represents the least change from our comfort zone. I completely believe that is it wrong to tell a person to not vote for their ideals and their "promised land" but rather to vote for that which is most politically expedient. It is better to vote for the greater good than for the lesser of two evils. Aren't the issues supposed to be important??? While Obama's stances on the issues are closer to mine than McCain's, he and the Democratic party do not stand on the issues on the side of greater justice for all in all things.
Don't get me wrong. I'll be happy if and when Obama wins. A black guy from Hawaii in the WHITE house? That's fucking hilarious, ironic, and cool to think about all in one. But I have to vote on the ISSUES , where I believe America should be, and Barack is not enough change for me. Tickle my balls and tell me some shit that I want to hear!
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