warning: this post is actually, really, totally political. if you think you might get pissed off at me then please don't bother reading it. and if you'd like to fact-check or present an opposing (or supporting) viewpoint, I'm all for it as long as you're NICE.
so, misha is full of good questions. seriously. see the one here? I don't talk a lot about politics, really--I talk a lot about the environment. I could totally write that sentence again replacing the word "talk" with the word "care." But, since she asked...
obvs, I'm voting for obama. if you did not know this then you must not know me in person and/or must not have read any of my recent posts. :)
and clearly, my #1 reason for voting for obama is because I agree with his environmental policies. mccain's are good. obama's are better. neither is going to achieve all they say, we all know that, but I feel like if you shoot for the moon and miss, at least you'll land amongst the stars, so to speak. in my mind, mccain would be more in the troposphere.
but that's not all of it. if mccain's environmental policies were superior to obama's (i.e., more stringent, more eco-friendly, etc) that doesn't mean I'd vote for him. It's more than that. For the most part, I agree with Obama. His beliefs, his mindset. Sign the Kyoto protocol, give more money to the no child left behind, end the war, allow stem cell research, give women the right to choose, cut middle class taxes, etc.
I'm kind of iffy on the feasibility of universal health care and I honestly don't know every single thing about both candidates. To be honest, I kind of don't care. Because I believe that if we don't do something about the environment then pretty soon? Pretty soon there won't BE an economy or a war or anything else. Because we won't be able to sustain life on this planet.
doom and gloom? maybe. but I think it's true.
If you boil it down the two candidates aren't leaps and bounds away from each other. We just have one on the left and one on the right, but for the most part nobody's way out in crazy territory. Well, until you throw in Palin, but that's another topic I'd rather not delve into....anyway...when it comes to the end of the day...when we look back at this time period (if we can look back at all...more doom and gloom, sorry) we can either be a "we tried" or a "we succeeded." either a "yes, we made the changes and now can live in our climates" or we'll have to say "well, the middle section of the earth is totally uninhabitable because we're idiots." As a member of the fattest, most polluting, most hateful and bullying and most holier-than-thou country in the world, I sure as shit hope it's the former and not the latter. More than anything, THAT is why I'm voting for Obama. The rest is details. just details. We have such a HUGE opportunity to make things so much better, environmentally and otherwise, and I think Obama is the man to help us step in that direction.
And, before anyone's panties get in a bunch, I don't think a vote for McCain is a vote for us being eco-idiots or even something dumb. I think it's your opinion. Mine is different. That's all. I just honestly fear that McCain's mind will be on different issues, ones that might be more pressing rightthissecond, but that in the long term won't be nearly as signficant, and that our country will lose sight of the forest for the trees...I feel like we'll be tackling the wrong issues, so to speak (not that dealing with them is wrong, that there are other issues that need our attention more).
the end.
also, go vote--for whomever you please. As long as you DO vote you get a thumbs up in my book. :)
UPDATE: yesterday I got FIVE pieces of political mail. FIVE. Two of the same anti-Obama ads, one piece about NC's governor race, a different anti-Obama ad (and neither of those told me A THING about McCain) and a piece of mail from Obama's campaign addressed to both Matt and me telling us that early voting has started in NC. Let's see...hate mail or do-your-civic-duty mail, hmmm....
Monday, October 20, 2008
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5 comments:
Go Carrie! I can say I already proudly cast my vote for Obama and rode my bike to the polling place to do it (figured that would pretty much show who i was voting for!)
I REALLY want to see NC go democrat this year! And kick Dole out while we're at it:)
Thanks for sharing! I've considered doing a similar post, but I've had trouble collecting my thoughts.
Thanks for explaining. Like I said, I was mainly just curious.
So here's another reason I asked - I don't think it takes a genius to know that Texas will vote for McCain. I have to say, I'm voting for him as well. But it is funny how Texans live in a bubble sometimes. You only hear about everyone who is going to vote for McCain - and the truth is, I know that Obama is most likely going to win. In fact, I will be surprised if he doesn't. Doesn't mean I'll ever vote for him, but I pay attention to life outside of Texas. I have been talking to my friends here and elders and I told them this. They have been shocked that I would say such a thing. But like I said, I pay attention to what all my friends are saying in other states. I guess like you said - as long as the youth gets out and votes - that is what will make a big difference in who wins. After all, more people vote for American Idol than they do for the President.
I think Texas is a bit more split than people might suspect. However, due to places like West Texas where people are old fashioned and have that small town mentality, McCain is the only option (an online vote by my old newspaper had 157 votes for McCain and 1 for Obama... I was the one). In the more metropolitan areas (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, etc.) I feel it's more divided.
But, yes, ultimately Texas is going to belong to McCain simply because of the parts of our state that we can't control.
That being said - I'm voting for Obama.
actually dallas county tends to go democrat. i always think that's interesting.
and, good post carrie. there are the details that matter to you and the details that matter to other people and as long as you can reconcile your details within the whole package of a candidate then that's a good vote. i honestly think that this year we do not have to vote for the "lesser of two evils" but that we get to vote for the better of two goods (though one is disappointing me and looking less good by the day). how exciting to feel like an election is actually going to make a positive difference in the world! sure, it's not going to be the miracle some are hoping for but at least it seems that we're doing more than minimizing the damage.
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