Invasion of the Body Snatchers*
* – No copyright infringement intended.
I have said it since all of this began – I refuse to support a candidate just because he (or she) represents the opposite of the person in office now. I like to think I remain undecided until I have researched the candidates thoroughly and only then will I vote based on my informed opinion. However, I have recently become more and more disturbed about my friends support (one could say blind support) of one candidate simply because he represents the opposite party. Maybe it is my interpretation – hell, I could even be wrong. All I know is that when I try to discuss politics with them, there is no other position than that of their “Chosen” candidate. And it does not help that I have found myself breaking a cardinal sin of partying with this election. I am discussing one of the off-limits topics – politics. (The others are abortion, marriage, and religion.) Each of these topics has so many different opinions that it is envitable that the conversation will breakdown to a shouting match – especially if beer is involved. The reality is that there are just too many opinions to be lumped into one group or the other – yet, this is what is happening this time. Because a certain candidate is not Bush or from his party, he must be supported.
I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the far majority of my friends are younger, single, married without children, gay, or part of a minority. They do not have the same concerns in life as I do. I am concerned for education, taxes, and wish to have less government in my life. Yet, neither candidate falls easily into these qualifications. If I look to a certain “Chosen” candidate there are things he proposes that I support. And there are some that I do not. On the other side, a certain “Old” candidate has some good ideas too. But here again, there is some stuff that is just crap. So the best I can do is select the best of two bads.
Did you ever see the 1970s version of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”? The one with Donald Sutherland? That is how I feel here. I feel like everyone has been replaced by pod people and I am running for my life. (And yes, Missus is Brooke Adams.)
I just hope that I do not fall asleep near one of the pods.
October 8, 2008 at 2:43 pm
I am happy this shit will be over soon. The main reason why I got interesteded in the election in America at all was that my bosses are Americans and support the guy that’s not in a party with Bush (to not write his name). Personally I think if I would have had to vote, I’d voted for another guy that was in a party with Bush but isn’t the one who’s name reminds of burgers (not saying his name here is kind of funny
). Just because he didn’t wanted to democratize the whole world. All “whole world” ambitions scare me. I wouldn’t agree with his view on weapons, but I understand that if freedom is taken serious and the ideal followed consistent, it implements some things that sound not so pleasant. As in the end of the process a maximum of freedom leads to anarchy. That reminds me of Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Dispossessed.”
I wouldn’t tell that my bosses though, because they are too much on a crusade.
They have other employees in southern France and those are opportunists and even wear t-shirts of the candidate my bosses “fight” for. But that isn’t the body snatchers, I fear that’s human.
October 8, 2008 at 3:01 pm
There’s always Ralph Nader. Isn’t he running again this year for like the zillionth time??
October 9, 2008 at 2:40 am
You’re not alone buddy. I’ve got serious problems with folks voting one way simply to make a statement against an incumbant who’s leaving anyway. Honestly, I voted for Bush not once but twice because he was the best representation of my thoughts on government. That’s not saying I don’t think some very stupid things haven’t been done. But I sure am not about to say “Let me vote this guy now because Bush messed up here and here and here.” We have no guaranties that anyone else wouldn’t have done any worse.
Overall neither candidate totally represents what I would like to see but the “Chosen” you mention so many whom we know supporting I CANNOT support as a small business owner. There’s nothing patriotic (a phrase this candidate has confused) in paying more in taxation because you built something that works. Its a flat out lie that very few businesses would be affected by his 250k tax rule. The truth is these businesses will have to layoff employees to cover these new taxes and that is government interferring with the economy in a very negative way. Success be damned because you’re charged more under his plan.
I also have serious concerns about the healthcare proposals. If we were to truly think long and hard about what has been suggested and compare it to how well other programs are running, it doesn’t look so good anymore. Want examples…ok… Medicaid- Bankrupt, Highway and Transit Trust – Bankrupt, SSI – Bankrupting by 2019? (maybe sooner), National Economic Controls – 1.3 trillion in aid so far and the flames have yet to die on the train wreck that was “affordable housing”; and we want to trust them to insure our health? No Thanks!