Now the big day is upon us, and we all have the chance to chose who will represent us through our votes. I thought I would lay bare my soul and write out my thoughts on the various tickets and issues that we will be asked to decide tomorrow. I care not that one’s vote should be kept private, I have naught to hide and even if I did, I feel the stakes are way too high not to speak up. As there are so many tickets to look over I’ll try to keep it brief.
US First District Race (House of Representatives)
Charlie Summers (R)
Chellie Pingree (D)
Neither of these two candidates excites me in the least. Charlie is very moderate and soft spoken to the point of appearing weak at times; I wanted Dean Scontras to be the Republican pick in the Primary. However when I compare Mr. Summers to Ms Pedigree I have no choice but to chose him. Chellie’s record from when she served in the Maine State Legislature is one of Tax and Spend politics. She advocates for the redistribution of wealth, (which is a very bad idea) and she says she wants to bring Change to Washington, just like everyone else. This sounds like the mantra of campaign and not truth and or vision. Charlie I believe will at least deliberate before deciding to raise our taxes and with his experience from Iraq fresh in his mind he will look out for the best interests of our Servicemen and women. Charlie also has the benefit of knowing and working closely with Senator Olympia Snowe, which could prove beneficial when trying to get legislation passed. There is so much more but for this piece I’ll leave it at that.
US Second District Race (House of Representatives)
John Frary (R)
Mike Michaud (D)
This race is the most exciting I have seen in years. A true struggle between David and Goliath. John Frary is trying to unseat incumbent Mike Michaud in the upset battle of this century. I’ve made no attempt to hide my dislike for Mike Michaud these past years, so my excitement was great when I heard about Professor Frary’s bid. Unlike the incumbent Frary has funded his entire campaign with his own money. He has no large PAC’s or Unions to place ads for him, and even the RNC decided against funding him. This means he owes no one and can be his own man when he gets to Washington. John Frary believes in the Constitution of these United States and will defend that belief to the end. Mike on the other hand will need to take his que from whoever is running the Unions this year and vote accordingly. Hands down John Frary is the better candidate of the two.
US Senate Race
Susan Collins (R)
Tom Allen (D)
Tom Allen wants to be in the Senate to “Change the leadership in Washington.” Or so he says. I have to ask myself; has he not been a member of the House of Representatives since 1996? What change is he all of a sudden going to bring about? I mean after 12 years as a lawmaker in Washington has he not already been afforded the opportunity to reform and change the system? Perhaps Tom feels that if he is elected to a Senate seat as a junior Senator he will be powerful enough to vote against his party for once. Maybe, with the House being held by a Democrat majority these two years past, Tom Allen has felt that he was unable to put forth any ideas or thoughts that might afford a real change in the government. Subdued by his party’s majority, he silently sat and waited for just the right time to reveal his true nature, that of a reformer and a man of the people. Somehow, and I am a bit of a skeptic, I just don’t buy Tom Allen’s new stance on change, reform, or whatever you want to call it. Tom’s own words are what are causing me to vote against him. Susan Collins has my vote, as she at least has done what she says she is going to do, and that is fight for Maine and its people.
US Presidential Race
John McCain (R)
Barack Obama (D)
This is the easiest of the lot, though for some it looks difficult.
John McCain has served our nation his whole life. His love of this country and its institutions is unshakable and undeniable. He is tough, straight forward, and not afraid to take risks as we have seen with his controversial votes on Bills such as McCain/ Feingold. Though I don’t always agree with senator McCain’s decisions or ideas, I do know that his motivations are crystal clear. He believes in this nation and its people, all of them and will do anything it takes to make our country stronger.
Barack Obama is something of an enigma; he has some shady friends and associates. He has not done anything of significance in his time as Senator from Illinois, yet he feels qualified to lead our nation during this turbulent time. I am sorry for those who are supporters of this candidate, for obviously they are under such a cloud of despair they’ll cling to any thought of hope. They cannot see that what Barack is selling is nothing but a lottery ticket. They feel all full of dreams of a society in which they will be the primary beneficiaries, but soon it will all come crashing down upon their heads the harsh reality of capitalism and base economics. The senator from Illinois is neither ready or able to lead this nation, nor do I fully believe he has the love of this country’s institutions in his heart enough to try to preserve and protect those institutions rather than undermine them. I shall not cast a ballot for a catch phrase and a dream, therefore I’ll not vote for Obama, but for McCain.
As I close I must urge each and every one of you to go forth and honor our forebears and their sacrifices that guarantee us this right to vote for our leaders. It is not only our right, but our duty to vote and to do so wisely. Try and think not just of personal interests, but of the nation as a whole, of what has made and still makes us the greatest experiment in freedom throughout history.
Slainte’
Blighter
US First District Race (House of Representatives)
Charlie Summers (R)
Chellie Pingree (D)
Neither of these two candidates excites me in the least. Charlie is very moderate and soft spoken to the point of appearing weak at times; I wanted Dean Scontras to be the Republican pick in the Primary. However when I compare Mr. Summers to Ms Pedigree I have no choice but to chose him. Chellie’s record from when she served in the Maine State Legislature is one of Tax and Spend politics. She advocates for the redistribution of wealth, (which is a very bad idea) and she says she wants to bring Change to Washington, just like everyone else. This sounds like the mantra of campaign and not truth and or vision. Charlie I believe will at least deliberate before deciding to raise our taxes and with his experience from Iraq fresh in his mind he will look out for the best interests of our Servicemen and women. Charlie also has the benefit of knowing and working closely with Senator Olympia Snowe, which could prove beneficial when trying to get legislation passed. There is so much more but for this piece I’ll leave it at that.
US Second District Race (House of Representatives)
John Frary (R)
Mike Michaud (D)
This race is the most exciting I have seen in years. A true struggle between David and Goliath. John Frary is trying to unseat incumbent Mike Michaud in the upset battle of this century. I’ve made no attempt to hide my dislike for Mike Michaud these past years, so my excitement was great when I heard about Professor Frary’s bid. Unlike the incumbent Frary has funded his entire campaign with his own money. He has no large PAC’s or Unions to place ads for him, and even the RNC decided against funding him. This means he owes no one and can be his own man when he gets to Washington. John Frary believes in the Constitution of these United States and will defend that belief to the end. Mike on the other hand will need to take his que from whoever is running the Unions this year and vote accordingly. Hands down John Frary is the better candidate of the two.
US Senate Race
Susan Collins (R)
Tom Allen (D)
Tom Allen wants to be in the Senate to “Change the leadership in Washington.” Or so he says. I have to ask myself; has he not been a member of the House of Representatives since 1996? What change is he all of a sudden going to bring about? I mean after 12 years as a lawmaker in Washington has he not already been afforded the opportunity to reform and change the system? Perhaps Tom feels that if he is elected to a Senate seat as a junior Senator he will be powerful enough to vote against his party for once. Maybe, with the House being held by a Democrat majority these two years past, Tom Allen has felt that he was unable to put forth any ideas or thoughts that might afford a real change in the government. Subdued by his party’s majority, he silently sat and waited for just the right time to reveal his true nature, that of a reformer and a man of the people. Somehow, and I am a bit of a skeptic, I just don’t buy Tom Allen’s new stance on change, reform, or whatever you want to call it. Tom’s own words are what are causing me to vote against him. Susan Collins has my vote, as she at least has done what she says she is going to do, and that is fight for Maine and its people.
US Presidential Race
John McCain (R)
Barack Obama (D)
This is the easiest of the lot, though for some it looks difficult.
John McCain has served our nation his whole life. His love of this country and its institutions is unshakable and undeniable. He is tough, straight forward, and not afraid to take risks as we have seen with his controversial votes on Bills such as McCain/ Feingold. Though I don’t always agree with senator McCain’s decisions or ideas, I do know that his motivations are crystal clear. He believes in this nation and its people, all of them and will do anything it takes to make our country stronger.
Barack Obama is something of an enigma; he has some shady friends and associates. He has not done anything of significance in his time as Senator from Illinois, yet he feels qualified to lead our nation during this turbulent time. I am sorry for those who are supporters of this candidate, for obviously they are under such a cloud of despair they’ll cling to any thought of hope. They cannot see that what Barack is selling is nothing but a lottery ticket. They feel all full of dreams of a society in which they will be the primary beneficiaries, but soon it will all come crashing down upon their heads the harsh reality of capitalism and base economics. The senator from Illinois is neither ready or able to lead this nation, nor do I fully believe he has the love of this country’s institutions in his heart enough to try to preserve and protect those institutions rather than undermine them. I shall not cast a ballot for a catch phrase and a dream, therefore I’ll not vote for Obama, but for McCain.
As I close I must urge each and every one of you to go forth and honor our forebears and their sacrifices that guarantee us this right to vote for our leaders. It is not only our right, but our duty to vote and to do so wisely. Try and think not just of personal interests, but of the nation as a whole, of what has made and still makes us the greatest experiment in freedom throughout history.
Slainte’
Blighter
5 comments:
Today's the day, go McCain!
Palin's a crazy bitch who shouldn't be allowed to run a lemonade stand.
Tuna
Tuna for someone who has in the past avowed to be non political your passion is somewhat of a surprise. Passion aside, I tend to dismiss such statements as yours as you have provided no real argument to back up your case or assertion. I am a bit taken aback by your lack of follow through. I do know you are more capable than that.
Might I suggest you refrain from the drive by media assault tactic and try to use the calm, deliberate reason you are so well known for instead. I daresay you would come off in a better light.
Slainte'
Blighter
Tuna this is for you: So sad one cannot make a comment without swearing and attacking.
Considering Al's comment "I am sorry for those who are supporters of this candidate, for obviously they are under such a cloud of despair they’ll cling to any thought of hope." regarding persons who are voting for Barack Obamba, a negative response might be a little justified, since it's calling into question my own capability to decide the issues for myself.
However, my knee jerk response might not have been wholly appropriate in context. If you would like me to go into more detail so be it, I shall do what I can to oblige.
I'm traditionally against the Republican party due to the fact that they tend to be on opposite sides of certain issues that are important to me. Two that are relavant to the current situation are Religion and the Environment. Sarah Palin's past religeous associations would be right at home three hundred years ago. Since her nomination she has changed churches in order to attempt to distance herself from past affiliations, but that was a marketing ploy to try to make people think she had nothing to do with any crazy hard core right wing religous conservatives when in truth she was in bed with them all along.
She has pushed continually for drilling in ANWAR, she was against a bill that was attempting to make illegal the shooting of wolves from airplanes. Her response to these issues is that we don't understand the Alaskan ecology as well as she does.
I have yet to see her comport herself in any way that convinces me that she is in any way capable of running the country, the state of Alaska, or a McDonalds.
Prior to her nomination to the candidacy of Vice President for John McCain I was somewhat on the fence between the candidates.
McCain I was against partly because under him I saw things going forward as "Business As Usuall", which is what got us into this whole mess in the first place.
Obamba was an untried element. I felt his heart was in the right place, and that he had good intentions, but I wasn't sure of him.
McCain's nomination of Palin secured Obambas vote from me. It shows one of two things about the man. One, that he possibly agrees with her on certain key issues which I am against; or two, that he's capable of making some monumentally stupid decisions.
I can understand the marketing decision to take a woman as a running mate to oppose the "Oh Wow, first non-white President" factor, but are you telling me that Sarah Palin is the best choice you could come up with?
Ted Nugent is a gun toting lunatic, and I'd support him as a VP Candidate before I'd do anything to support Palin in office.
Tuna
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