It’s Monday, November 3, 2008

It’s almost the end of the road and, as endings are…its bittersweet. But, I’ll celebrate as I watch the returns tomorrow night with a good dinner and a better bottle of wine.

I like politics even though some people consider that to be odd- so I’ll miss the process.

What won’t I miss? Well, I guess most everything else: constant polling, dirty campaign tactics, and general bad manners. I think that our two candidates have mostly kept their vows to be civilized, but it’s their supporters who I’m most tired of.

The excitement that’s been generated over the course of this campaign has been palatable. Everyone seems to have an opinion. While that’s a good thing, it seems to have made us completely intolerant of each other. Having an actual exchange of ideas seems to have gone by the wayside in exchange for hitting each other over the head with our ideas with the expectation that we’ll change someone’s mind.

I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with people in real life and via this blog where people question “how can you think that” or “are you really considering voting for him?” It’s come from both sides. I write this because I’m not some extreme thinker, but because I consider myself pretty middle of the road which continues to get me into trouble. It all started in graduate school where I was getting my master’s degree in social work. I wasn’t liberal enough for that program, but it seems that in my family I’m too liberal. I remind myself often that the “middle” is an artificially created space made by two massively flawed parties.

Perhaps this current phenomenon of the polarizing ideas running around in society can be traced back to our sitting president. After all, the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has been a main proponent of the its my way or the highway, your either with us or against us philosophy. It’s hard to say.

I’ve watched every moment of all the debates, read most anything I could, fact checked, and watched my #2 guy Anderson Cooper break it all down. I don’t think that John McCain is a bad guy nor do I think that he would be a bad president. I don’t happen to agree with him on lots of issues..big ones like our war. But, I refuse to use any one issue become the overall decision maker. Despite what many people say, I don’t think that his choice of running mate was a bad one- on the contrary, the most energy that McCain’s campaign ever had was due to Sarah Palin- for better or for worse. I was glad to see a woman on the ticket, but at the end of the day, voting based on gender or race is wrong so if they were trying to win my vote based on Sarah Palin’s gender…that tactic failed.

And, I’ve cast my ballot. It’s been a surprisingly long campaign, and I’m tired.

Whatever happens tomorrow, it’ll be over. So, here’s my vote as a married, 30 something, stay at home mom, advanced degreed, Catholic, hard bodied (anyone actually reading?), upper middle class…according to Wikipedia (don’t read too much into it), Independent voter. I think, for the first time in my voting life, that I’ve voted for the person that’ll win.

 

It's Monday, November 3, 2008

It’s almost the end of the road and, as endings are…its bittersweet. But, I’ll celebrate as I watch the returns tomorrow night with a good dinner and a better bottle of wine.

I like politics even though some people consider that to be odd- so I’ll miss the process.

What won’t I miss? Well, I guess most everything else: constant polling, dirty campaign tactics, and general bad manners. I think that our two candidates have mostly kept their vows to be civilized, but it’s their supporters who I’m most tired of.

The excitement that’s been generated over the course of this campaign has been palatable. Everyone seems to have an opinion. While that’s a good thing, it seems to have made us completely intolerant of each other. Having an actual exchange of ideas seems to have gone by the wayside in exchange for hitting each other over the head with our ideas with the expectation that we’ll change someone’s mind.

I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with people in real life and via this blog where people question “how can you think that” or “are you really considering voting for him?” It’s come from both sides. I write this because I’m not some extreme thinker, but because I consider myself pretty middle of the road which continues to get me into trouble. It all started in graduate school where I was getting my master’s degree in social work. I wasn’t liberal enough for that program, but it seems that in my family I’m too liberal. I remind myself often that the “middle” is an artificially created space made by two massively flawed parties.

Perhaps this current phenomenon of the polarizing ideas running around in society can be traced back to our sitting president. After all, the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has been a main proponent of the its my way or the highway, your either with us or against us philosophy. It’s hard to say.

I’ve watched every moment of all the debates, read most anything I could, fact checked, and watched my #2 guy Anderson Cooper break it all down. I don’t think that John McCain is a bad guy nor do I think that he would be a bad president. I don’t happen to agree with him on lots of issues..big ones like our war. But, I refuse to use any one issue become the overall decision maker. Despite what many people say, I don’t think that his choice of running mate was a bad one- on the contrary, the most energy that McCain’s campaign ever had was due to Sarah Palin- for better or for worse. I was glad to see a woman on the ticket, but at the end of the day, voting based on gender or race is wrong so if they were trying to win my vote based on Sarah Palin’s gender…that tactic failed.

And, I’ve cast my ballot. It’s been a surprisingly long campaign, and I’m tired.

Whatever happens tomorrow, it’ll be over. So, here’s my vote as a married, 30 something, stay at home mom, advanced degreed, Catholic, hard bodied (anyone actually reading?), upper middle class…according to Wikipedia (don’t read too much into it), Independent voter. I think, for the first time in my voting life, that I’ve voted for the person that’ll win.

 

Okay, Fine, Coach: Full Disclosure

My brother, the Coach, left me the following comment on this post:

Your point about the “American Dream” and what we relay to our children is well founded but your arguement seems to make a potential loss by B.Obama a single cause/effect event (if he loses it is because he is black ((or bi-racial))). I think that line of thinking is misleading (there are lots of reasons not to vote for him), and it hints at at what has been called “white grief”…the idea that if I dont vote for him it somehow makes me a racist bigot (especially as a white male living in the Deep South ((Roll Tide)). See the following for an “over the top” example…

Well, good luck stumping for B.O. in Utah…I’m sure he needs it.

After I read it, I did something I’ve never done: I deleted the comment. I was pissed. I may be more liberal than my family members, but I don’t treat them like they’re ignorant because they disagree with me. Due to this, the following rapid exchange of emails ensued:

Me (in answer to his comment): I’m not talking about white guilt. When someone says,” I’m not voting for Barack Obama because he is black” or “what would happen if THEY (meaning blacks) got into the White House?” that’s straight up racism. If you read my post, I said I think its great when people vote their conscience on policy issues.

The Coach: “{You Said} as a white person and more importantly a human being, I am sad about this.” I DID read your blog and these type of comments tend to hint at White Guilt…not saying that this is the main topic of the blog, nor is it all I take away from the blog, but there is a HINT of it.

Me: I DO feel bad about blatant racism and that’s what that is/ Nothing to do with white guilt and everything to do with my feeling about societal values. Just like Bill Cosby goes around taking black people to task who choose to do drugs, abandon children, etc. Should we call that BLACK guilt? Or just straight up, good old fashioned common sense.

I deleted your comment because you chose to ignore the main point of my argument (vote for who you want on the real issues) and treated me like a dumb ass. And, its my blog and I’ll do what I want. FYI, its the first time I’ve deleted ANYONE’s comment. So there.

The Coach: I cannot BELIEVE you deleted the comment. You allow people to come on there and call John McCain a “douchebag.” You are blogging about the horror of close mindedness and you choose to delete the comment? I am truly sitting here saying WTF. I would say, “I’m telling Mom, but that would be funny and its not funny b/c I am truly pissed about it. (Editor’s note: By this time, I had already told Mom. Thats just how we roll in this family). Feel bad about whatever you want, but what you did sucks!

Me: Whatever. I’m really pissed about what you wrote too. I was shaking mad. People can say whatever they want to about politicians, but what you wrote implied stupidity on my part. You can disagree with me, but don’t act like I’m ignorant.

The Coach: Well, I would LOVE to be able to go back and read what I wrote (but its in the cyber garbage can, thanks) to see how in the world I could have made an implication that you are stupid. I will, however, not hesitate to do so now based on your actions over the past 30 minutes. For real, you will allow someone to call the person you are not voting for a douchebag, but will not allow my comments which were thought through and benign in comparison. That is straight up off the charts wacko.

Me: People can call politicians whatever, but your comments were not thought through (or maybe they were, they just didn’t have anything to do with my blog entry and the two references that I cited). Your comments are all over the front page, so forget your censorship issues. We’ll see what the blogosphere has to say on this one.

Don’t say that blogging doesn’t bring families closer together…

 

My Disappointment Runneth Over

I saw this poll this weekend, and I have to admit I was surprised- but I guess I shouldn’t have been given the political conversations I’ve had in the past few days.

If I had read this article last week, I might have been shocked, but it’s come to my attention that several people in my life- people, who normally vote Democratic- have said that they will not vote for Barack Obama because he is black. I’m thoroughly disappointed. Especially because at least one of these people is one of my very favorite loved ones. Someone who should know better.

There isn’t any defense for this kind of behavior, but I guess I should point out that these people are all 70+ years old. Still, I don’t think this is much of an excuse and, fortunately or not, all votes are counted the same regardless of the age of the person who cast it. This generation of voters is also the generation most likely to be church going, and last time I looked, the main lesson learned in Church is to Love Your Neighbor.

Now, Barack Obama isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I understand that. It takes all kinds, and all that.

Fine. Don’t vote for him if you disagree on his policy views, his views on Iraq or his social stances. Educate yourself and make your own decision. That’s fine; you’ve participated in the political process by learning the issues and voting accordingly.

But, to not vote for him because he’s black…or more accurately, biracial? Sad. And, I thought (more, I hoped) that we were past this. Barack Obama is an Ivy League educated, professional, and articulate man who happens to be black. In addition to all the normal accolades, he appears to have a personal and family life to be envied.

This article breaks it down pretty well and suggests, if Obama loses the election, that he can point his finger at defectors from his own party who refuse to vote for a black man. Perhaps it’s the oldest generation still casting their ballots, maybe it’s the blue collar demographic that normally goes blue..but whatever. What’s wrong with us? As a white person and, more importantly a human being, I am sad about this. It’s maddening especially when I’ve pretty much been of the opinion that most of America is ready to move on past the old fights. It seems as if the old fights may be new again.

When we tell young children, black or white, that they can be anything that they want…are we telling them a lie just to make us and them feel better or do we actually believe it? A bit of sunshine to be floated around that makes us sound good and inclusive and socially acceptable? Because someone, perhaps his grandmother or maybe a teacher, told a young Barack Obama that he could be anything he wanted as we all tell our children. Should he have believed this trite, cliched worn phrase…. or was it merely a set up? It would be a complete and utter travesty of the American dream if he didn’t earn the presidency based on the fact that society betrayed that most simple of promises told to children everyday in classrooms and after bedtime stories. But I’m starting to think that it might happen. Vote.

 

Seven Years Later

I had to remind myself what day it is today as I took the Bear to school and saw people putting their flags in their front yards.

Every year now, I seem to forget until the day presents itself. Already this morning, as I’ve had CNN on in the background as I’ve served breakfast and drank coffee, I’ve had tears in my eyes as daughters have talked about their dads who haven’t seen them grow up, get jobs, marry, become mothers.

It’s terribly sad. And, it takes me back to that Tuesday morning.

I had an eleven month old baby and was drinking coffee watching Good Morning America in our temporary apartment outside Milwaukee, WI where we had lived for about three months. Diane Sawyer came on the TV saying that there was a report of a small plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers, and as the camera panned to a shot of the smoky tower, the second plane came around and hit the other. I’ll never forget how Diane Sawyer kind of yelled out. And, I’ll never forget, later on that day and hours into the constant coverage, when Peter Jennings admonished everyone “to go home and hug your children.” When he died several years later, that’s what I remembered about him.

Everyone has their story of what happened that day. But, I was sad for my grandparents who had lived long enough to see Washington, DC, their birthplace, be invaded. And, I was sad for my other grandfather, even though long deceased, who would have been distraught to see his workplace be hit by a plane carrying terrorists. Part of my family had attended a funeral in DC that morning and, as they headed back to Virginia across the Potomac River, reported seeing the smoke rise up from the Pentagon and the horrified faces of the joggers who were running across the bridges that span that river.

It’s good that we use today, September 11, to remember what happened that day- because we all know how constant references to it the other 364 days of the year have a mind and soul numbing effect as politicians try to use it to their advantage. But, certainly, we owe it to our country and the real heroes to give it the attention it truly deserves by honoring those who died that day.

 

My Thoughts on Watching Two Political Conventions

• Watching two conventions has strongly reinforced my position as an Independent voter.  I’m proud of this because, although I’d be lying if I said I understand ALL the issues, I’m at least informed and choose my position accordingly.  There are very few issues that I agree on completely with the left or right.
• I can’t stand Rudy Guiliani.  I thought that his speech last night was totally offensive.
• Sarah Palin was a good VP pick for John McCain.  Despite the fact that I disagree with her on many issues, I think that she has proven that she is a reformer and isn’t afraid to shake up her own political party, if necessary.  No doubt, she has proven that getting involved on the local political scene can have massive impact.  I bet that she will inspire lots of stay at home moms to join the PTA or run for local office.
• She is being portrayed as if John McCain plucked her out of a neighborhood Pampered Chef party instead of from the governorship of the largest state in the union.
• Despite this, I think it was truly unfair of her to basically laugh at and downplay Barack Obama’s community organizing experience.  No one, republican or democrat, has a story to compare to John McCain’s military service, but that doesn’t mean that other people’s experience isn’t valuable or necessary.  What happened to compassionate conservatism?  Barack Obama, like Sarah Palin, EARNED his way into office- one vote at a time, not on a family name or fortune.
• I don’t remember anyone at the Democratic convention eight years ago laughing at George Bush’s less than stellar academic career or the fact that he has, in large part, used HIS family name and fortune to get into office.

I’m just gettin’ started…anyone else have thoughts on this…?

 

Overheard This Afternoon on CNN

A man discussing politics on the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer: Barack Obama is seen as the pick of the Democratic National Committee, not the Democratic Party.

A Hilary Clinton supporter discussing VP pick Sarah Palin: John McCain’s pick is patronizing to all women.

It reminds me of an interview featuring a transsexual that I read awhile ago who wondered aloud when society would break away from the old fashioned manner of defining gender by sexual organs. While sympathetic to the transsexuals plight, I’m just wondering how she would’ve liked to pursue that particular aspiration. Anyway.

These people are probably the reason why I will never commit to the Democratic Party. I won’t commit to any party, probably, except the Benevolent Dictator Party.

Also heard on CNN this week: an email to Jack Cafferty in which the writer described the Clintons as acting like “Spoiled Royalty.” Love it. That’s exactly what they are. I have advice for them: Move On. 1996 is over. The American people have spoken, and the well-oiled Clinton machine can be put away.

It’s time that the politicians and media realize that New York is not the epicenter of American life and realize that women are tired of the stereotypes that they’re put in. I, for one, am tired of the old litmus tests: abortion, immigration, etc. I understand that these are important issues, but they shouldn’t be the deciding factor for any candidate. Nor are the stereotypes of the happy, stay at home mom with a passel of kids that they home school appropriate. We shouldn’t choose a president or vice-president over this.

What’s wrong with choosing a leader based on their ability to lead?

 

History In the Making

As I’ve sat here over the past week trying to get that damn website up, I’ve been a political convention junkie. What can I say? It’s in my blood.

My politics run left of center, and I identify myself as an Independent voter. I definitely have a fascination with Barack Obama and think that he will make a terrific president. He’s making people care again about politics and that’s a quality that you can’t manufacture or bottle or learn.

However, last year I watched a documentary about Sarah Palin who this morning was announced as John McCain’s running mate. I was so impressed with her story and her unusual road to politics as governor of Alaska less than two years ago. She’s impressive, and I thought then that she was a woman going somewhere big. To be sure, her politics are much more conservative than mine. But, that doesn’t take anything away from her ability To Get Things Done. She seems to stick to her values, her beliefs, and that’s another quality that is lacking amongst people as a whole and politicians in particular.

I watched her take the stage just a few minutes ago with her family including her infant son with Down’s Syndrome. She’s impressive. She supplies the youth and energy that McCain needs and she doesn’t seem apologetic about wanting to break through that glass ceiling. I like that she is Her Own Girl and never underestimate that.

One way or another, history will be made, and it’s going to be fabulous to watch.

 

On Voting Democrat in Utah

My vote today counted for more than it will this November. 

Watching all the primary votes come in this evening on CNN, one of the analysts said that he was going to say three words that wouldn’t be said again during this election year: democrat, Utah, winner. 

Utah, by many counts, is the reddest state in the country and will no doubt be counted in the column of the Republican nominee come November.  Honestly, I haven’t decided who I will vote for in the presidential election this fall, but it really doesn’t matter because the state of Utah will throw its collective weight behind the GOP nominee.  Today, I actually got to cast a ballot and then tune in to see if my vote made a difference.  Turns out it did as my vote for Barack Obama was one of 44, 905.  Who-hoo.  Hilary got 33, 411 votes. 

Just listening to the talking heads of TV.  Karl Rove, in fact, said that Barack Obama’s victories today happened in traditionally red states (like my current state) that he has no hope to carry in the general election.  He says that Barack Obama appeals to idealistic democrats that want to assert themselves in their traditional red state atmospheres.  Sounds familiar.  Not that I usually listen to what Karl Rove says, but it seems as if he has a point. 

 

Don’t Wanna Be An American Idiot

New Hampshire, Iowa, caucuses (caucusi?), primaries. 

Are you tired of the 2008 election yet?  I am because its been going on since 2006. 

On one hand, I am tired out of the constant media attention given to all the candidates.  You tube, CNN, Jay Leno, and even all the bloggers.  I guess we’re all talking about it.  We know all kinds of obscure things about them from their wives’ piercings (Dennis Kucinich) to religious underwear (Mitt Romney) to past flirtation with drugs (Obama).  Do any of these things have anything to do with these candidates’ abilities to run the United States of America.  Maybe.  But, I kind of think not.

But, I wonder if all this fluffy information just diverts the average American from the real news and the real information regarding political processes.  Every four years, the big media outlets spend time “educating” all of us about the meaning of a caucus and why Iowans shape the run for the presidency.  Why, then, can’t I remember the next time the whole thing rolls around again? 

Someone recently sent me an excerpt from a book by Lee Iacocca.  It seems that, at the ripe old age of 82, he has decided that he has a lot to say.  In the excerpt, he says, and I paraphrase,  that our generation needs to put down their iPods for five minutes to be a little more invested in the world around them.  As much as I love my iPod, I agree.  It just seems like politics as usual goes on around us because we are too busy scheduling “playdates” (have I talked at all about how I dislike that word) for our kids and watching the View.  Or perhaps the constant attention paid to Hillary’s pantsuits and haircuts just numbs us all to the real story.  Or the constant examination of how the polls look at any given five minute slice of time.

That’s why I find it hard to pay attention, maybe.  I would love to find a politician that I can be invested in.  As the years go on, politicians seem to evolve further into scripted and polished robots, but at the same time their ability to be trusted diminishes and that’s hard to get excited about.  It seems like the moment is always ripe for floundering on the issues or perhaps under the desk in the Oval office. 

I like what Lee Iacocca said about our leaders.  I hate to point fingers at individuals, but I think that he is 90% right.  It takes courage and hard work to negotiate with people with whom you disagree.  It takes courage to admit mistakes.  Those are the marks of a true leader, and so far from the carefully worded spin that we hear from everyone. 

I know that it is supposedly impolite to discuss politics, but I was born inside the city limits of the District of Columbia so I apologize, it never fails to interest me.  I really want to know what people think- are you tired of the elections already?  Do you care one way or the other?  Do you think that we are all immune to something we should care about wholeheartedly?