On the Contrary

The election is upon us and the last few days have been interesting.  The choice could not be more stark.  But after all the disappointments of the American people making the wrong choices, I wonder if they are about to do it again.  So lets just review and see if the choice is much clearer than you think:

• John McCain claims that he has shown the character to be Commander in Chief.  He has been tested.  I guess this means that any POW is presidential material.  Let’s review the test so far.  In the Keating affair his character was found lacking.  He stood up against Bush tax cuts, immigration, and torture as a Senator, but as a candidate he flip-flop on all of them.  He has engaged in character assignation as his primary campaign strategy.  Some character.
• John McCain said he wanted to raise the level of the dialogue in this campaign.  Then because Barack wants to return the tax rate on wealthiest Americans back to the level they were before cut by Bush, he called Barack a socialist that will destroy America.  Nice dialogue John.  Oh did I mention the absurd claim that he is a terrorist because he was once on a committee with a legal American citizen who did some bad things?  Oh and don’t forget that he is a Jew hating PLO fraternizer.  Real nice dialogue John.  You and your party make me proud.
• John McCain wants to fix the economy by cutting taxes on the wealthy.  Now lets review:  Since George Bush has been doing this for the last eight years, just exactly how is this going to help?  The economy needs to be stimulated and he wants to freeze all government spending.  Maybe if you decrease regulation and help the big boys make some more money the economy will take off.  Well it will for the rich people, but the rest of us are screwed.  It’s what they have been doing for the last 30 years,  Nice plan John.
• John McCain claims he has the experience and judgment to lead.  So lets review:  What has he ever lead?  When he came back from Viet Nam, he was a “special person” so he ought to know a celebrity when he see’s one.   Because of his notoriety he had access and that access lead him to the Senate. I won’t bring up Cindy here or his first wife.   He got the name the maverick because didn’t work well with others.  He thought the Iraq war would be a cake walk and is refusing to recognize the reality that the Iraqis are about done with us.  Let’s not forget his vote on the Patriot Act that allowed the kangaroo courts at Guantamano that has yet to result in a conviction that has not been thrown out.  When the economic crisis hit, he flew to Washington and confused the situation.  When the Russians invaded Georgia he grew all bellicose and pretended he was in charge and would have reinitiated the cold war if he had the power.  And then of course is the selection of Sarah Palin, a right to lifer who thinks the world is only 4000 years old.
• John McCain says that he can make real change happen.  He knows how government works.  If the way he has run his campaign is any reflection of his ability to run the country then we are in deep deep trouble.  Added to that is that all the people he will bring to Washington are already there and in power.  Exactly how is reinvesting in the status quo change?
• Let’s not forget how the Republican Party has run their campaign.  They have used lies, fear, slurs, appeals to racism, crossed the line into inciting hate, called one candidate godless after showing a fake video, jingoism by claiming that some parts of the country (conservative parts) are more American, and anti-intellectualism.  It is a campaign designed to divide American and appeal to their most base instincts.  These people are going to unite us?  No, they are terrified of losing their free ride and have to join the rest of us and stand in lines.
• Finally lets not forget what these people and their conservative philosophy brought us over the last eight years:

1. Never ending engagement in a Middle East War
2. Skewing/misrepresenting intelligence to sell their war
3. Torture
4. Abu Ghraib
5. Rendition
6. Katrina
7. Warrantless wiretapping
8. Waiving Habeas Corpus
9. A severely damaged military
10. Guantanamo
11. The Patriot Act
12. Outing a CIA agent
13. Loss of respect in the world
14. Worsening relations with a nuclear arming Iran and most other nations in general
15. Greater dependence on foreign oil
16. The largest deficit in recorded history
17. A crashing economy and shrinking middle class
18. The largest gap between the rich and the poor since just before the Depression
19. Signing Statements
20. Monarchical Executive Branch
21. A Supreme Court leaning right of Atilla the Hun

So there you have it.  If you like all the above and you are a moron, then vote for John McCain and we can have four years of going backwards with the cast of thousands that brought you all above.  Also you can spend sleepless nights hoping nothing happens to him and the government is put in the hands of one of the most divisive and extreme right wing politician this nation has seen.  But she is cute.  Or you can make the other choice and vote for Barack Obama and end all of the above.  Gee this is tough isn’t it?  One has to wonder about those who choose John McCain.