My turn.
I feel compelled to try to make some sense of politics in public. Am I not a blogger? And this being a big bad ass blog on which I can write anything that tickles my fancy, and yes my fancy got tickled by this election, I’m going to give it a shot.
So okay then. Thanks for that.
I’m looking back at the year. I love a good political year, and in January I figured this would be a damn good one. The Republican nomination was up for grabs, I love it when that happens, and the Democrats had some history making candidates, but most importantly, my kids were paying attention, and for that I thank Barack Obama. He wasn’t a grumpy old man, he was young and energetic and hopeful and he knew how to give a rousing speech. I think hope is good. I think eloquence is good. I think both together are very good.
Then John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate, and I thought it was interesting, if nothing else. History is being made and I’m living to see it. I was hopeful that Palin would bring something different to the table this time around. I had hope that this election, these candidates, this new media world, this go ’round, we might see an elevated campaign. A campaign that followed the high ground and brought the dignity and integrity that We the People deserve.
Alas, and alack, it’s not to be.
I’m uninspired by John McCain and anything I’ve heard him say. Palin is, ya know, Jane Six Pack. I worked with her, at least I think it was her, during elementary school PTO fundraisers, you betcha! She’s not without charm, and she’s a she, but mostly that ticket is kinda more of the same, only not, only yeah, it is the same.
Biden. Well I must admit that he’s not let me down because Joe’s been Joe since I was a sprout, and he’s definitely Joe now, only he’s not a Joe the Plumber kind of Joe. No, Biden is a Joe the Politician kind of Joe. Joe” href=”https://www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/?p=5086″ target=”_self”>I am Joe the Plumber, by the way.
And that remarkable Obama eloquence that was so uplifting in January, cuts deeply at this point, and I’m angry. I am a Midwesterner after all, and according to Obama, I “get bitter-(I) cling to guns or religion or antipathy”.
Is it over yet?
So at this late date I’m undecided and for the first time in the 30 years that I’ve been voting I’m considering staying home on election day. Perhaps Obama is right about that antipathy thing?
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the candidates, the staff, the journalists, and the talking heads, for turning what could be and should be a glorious exercise in democracy, into a race to the lowest ground. And pardon me while I praise the lord and pass the ammunition, but this bitter Midwesterner is thinking that in spite of the audacity of hope and the faith of my fathers, another election year has gone to hell.
Missy Caulk says:
Teri, oh my………
The drive-by media is out of control, I agree. I watch FOX just to get some balance. The cheating by ACORN makes me want to stay home too.
How is my vote going to count, when 200,000 people are not legally registered. There is no accountability.
The coverage on Palin has been the wickedest I have ever seen. I’ve been watching YouTube to hear what the candidates are really saying, and not what is interpreted.
This transplanted Southerner, now a Mid-Westerner is sick too.
October 22, 2008 — 7:14 pm
Joe Lane says:
Hmm, so you’re staying home on election day. I don’t blame you Teri. If my wife and I didn’t have a mail-in ballot, I’d probably be joining you. I’ve voted the Republican ticket forever now, but this year we have a Democrat and I’m not sure what else. I like Obama as a person more than any other politician. He’s a great speaker, however, he scares me. We have 100 Senators, and Obama has the most liberal voting record of all to them, according to this source.
I had given up on McCain, but today, it appears he’s back? Ya gotta be kidding me! Anyway, Teri, have fun on election day whether at home, or voting somewhere! :o)
October 22, 2008 — 7:24 pm
David Shafer says:
Great post. Gotta ask, why would you think politicians would suddenly change their behavior!
But taking a few steps back and you see it from a different light. Is America really on the verge of voting in a black man as president? Now that really would be amazing! If anyone told me two years ago that a black man would be leading going into the last two weeks of a presidential election, I would not have believed them!
October 22, 2008 — 7:36 pm
Todd Carpenter says:
I used to think voting for a third party candidate like Bob Barr was a waste of a vote. But since I can’t imagine voting for either of the big two…
October 22, 2008 — 8:10 pm
Larry Brewer says:
I decided to go ahead and vote. Chicago has highest taxes in the country, and the worst schools, as well as more murders than all of Iraq for 2007. If he changes the country like he changed Chicago, lord help us all.
October 22, 2008 — 8:29 pm
Greg Swann says:
Yesterday I was out with our handy-man so he could bid on the repairs for a rental I’m brokering. Afterward, in the car, we were talking about what we expect for 2009. As tough as things might be generally, his business is looking up, as is the part of our business that intersects with his. Anticipating the tax consequences, he said, “I am Joe the plumber!” That’s a meme, ma’am.
October 22, 2008 — 9:26 pm
Barry Cox says:
I feel your pain. I know I’m not voting for Obama, but I’m not really happy about voting for McCain either. Don’t stay home though, make a decision and get out there and vote. It’s important, and is one of the things that makes the US an amazing place to live.
October 22, 2008 — 9:57 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Hi there Missy-
I’m bummed we didn’t get to meet yesterday, I was so looking forward to it!
I think you are right- the media has to take a lot of the responsibility for the shit that we are supposed to be consuming. Their irresponsibility is alarming to me, and I would have thought that with so many competing sources of information, someone from the fourth estate would have chosen the high ground, instead they remind me of hogs at a trough. Ever watch Deadwood?
October 23, 2008 — 5:11 am
Teri Lussier says:
Joe-
I’m considering staying home, but it’s not likely. I love this process too much to let someone bully me away from the polls. Obama scares me too. Bush scared me, but I never took him for a smart guy so he wasn’t quite so frightening as a smart guy who knows the power of speech and emotion…
October 23, 2008 — 5:17 am
Teri Lussier says:
Dave-
>Gotta ask, why would you think politicians would suddenly change their behavior!
Because I have the audacity *to* hope! 😉
>But taking a few steps back and you see it from a different light. Is America really on the verge of voting in a black man as president? Now that really would be amazing! If anyone told me two years ago that a black man would be leading going into the last two weeks of a presidential election, I would not have believed them!
It’s such an amazing election! Either a black president or a female VP, either way it’s historic, but it’s been hijacked by, … I’m not sure who…? All of us?
October 23, 2008 — 5:21 am
Teri Lussier says:
Howdy Todd-
I’ve voted third party and independent more often than anything else, I just thought, like Dave said, that it would be different this time.
October 23, 2008 — 5:23 am
Teri Lussier says:
Larry-
Wow. That’s certainly a compelling reason to vote. Even if I pass on voting for president, there are plenty of issues that will make me step into the booth.
October 23, 2008 — 5:26 am
Teri Lussier says:
>“I am Joe the plumber!” That’s a meme, ma’am.
I’d love to have that as a yard sign. 😉
October 23, 2008 — 5:28 am
Teri Lussier says:
Barrry
>It’s important, and is one of the things that makes the US an amazing place to live.
You are so right. I’ll not be giving that up any time soon. 🙂
October 23, 2008 — 5:30 am
Bob says:
In a swing state, your vote can make a difference.
October 23, 2008 — 5:54 am
Teri Lussier says:
Bob-
I was talking to someone in another state who doesn’t vote, and from what I could tell, they really didn’t pay much attention to politics at all. I was shocked, especially this year, when it’s so historic, and so many issues are at play here. They said it didn’t matter because their state is so predictable that they didn’t think their vote counted- why bother?
How sad.
Another reason to leave the outrageous home prices elsewhere, and settle where the homes are reasonably priced, the weather is an ever-changing true four season feast for the eyes and senses, and your vote will actually count for something!
::trundling off to write a hyper-local blog post::
Thanks Bob! 😉
October 23, 2008 — 6:42 am
Greg Swann says:
> I’d love to have that as a yard sign.
CafePress has a lame one, but there are lots of other designs that bloggers have made and are giving away free. Frankly, your local McCain HQ should have printed some up by now.
There’s also this, a make-your-own “I am Joe the Plumber” video contest.
It’s funny, actually. McCain knows noting about economics, and it shows — glaringly. But thanks to Joe the Plumber, Americans are tuned right in to not just the monetary but the moral consequences of taxation. Way to go, Joe!
October 23, 2008 — 6:58 am
Rhonda Porter says:
I would love it if we eliminated our parties and could just elect “the best person for the job”. My teenaged son would like it politicital ads for re-election were banned from media. He thinks we should just here the politians debate and do town hall meetings. Our kids are very interested in this election–they should be.
If you stay home, you can’t bark about what happens in the future. I’ll cast my vote just so I can. 😉
October 23, 2008 — 7:12 am
Cheryl Johnson says:
… And then there’s the movement to elect Joe The Plumber as President … 🙂
October 23, 2008 — 7:31 am
Teri Lussier says:
Greg-
I cringe that the McCain camp holds Joe the Plumber so tightly to their chest. Joe was just a voter looking for answers. Skeptical, yes, but not on the attack against Obama.
In the complete conversation between Joe and Obama, Joe really doesn’t appear to be a McCain supporter at all. To me, he seems to wanting real answers from these candidates, and likewise, I didn’t see Obama uncomfortable or upset with Joe, in fact, he appeared to be grateful for the opportunity to share his ideas at some length.
That the left and the reporters chose to slam Joe so viciously is frightening. But McCain jumping in has diluted and polarized the idea that Joe is Everyman. The “monetary (and) the moral consequences of taxation” will not be heard by everyone because now it’s a McCain or Obama issue- some people have closed their ears. I think if Joe had been left to defend himself, that message might have stood a chance to get discussed at greater length.
October 23, 2008 — 8:51 am
Teri Lussier says:
Hi Rhonda-
I’ve watched my kids pay very close attention to this election, and it is such a joy to see. We have extremely heated discussions in our family, as we are leaning in 4 different directions, with only 2 people sure who they are voting for, or would be voting for, if they were old enough. I do give Obama credit for that. My kids watched the Iowa speech, and we were all astounded by it. I love a good political speech, and he gave a beautiful one. My kids saw potential- they saw a future, they saw hope.
>If you stay home, you can’t bark about what happens in the future.
Oh you are right. I may want to howl about the next 4 years, so yes, I’ll go vote for someone. 😀
October 23, 2008 — 8:58 am
Teri Lussier says:
Cheryl-
I’m not that much of a fan. Yet. Give him 4 more years and we’ll see where he stands. 😀
October 23, 2008 — 8:59 am
Geno Petro says:
Great post. I still don’t know what to do.
Geno The Dumber
October 23, 2008 — 9:55 am
Matt McGee says:
Teri – you took the thoughts right out of my brain. I can’t bring myself to vote for either candidate….
October 23, 2008 — 11:07 am
Matthew Hardy says:
There is power in decision. There is no power in ambivalence. A deadline to decide is universally useful both personally and collectively. Although life in America is nearly as perfect and wonderful as it can be, the most talked about problems are all government made. The single most beautiful thing about our country is it’s embrace of freedom. Always vote to uphold freedom and the lesser issues will take care of themselves.
October 23, 2008 — 11:17 am
Kam Hubbard says:
I’ve voted for McCain.
Actually Obama has been VERY straightforward in what Democrats will do if he’s elected: Spending more on government and raise taxes on rich to “spread the wealth”.
Obama’s tax plan is a shell game. Most wealthy people and corporations hire tax attorneys/CPAs/lobbyists to avoid paying many taxes as possible. Plus given the economic downturn possibly less rich people left now to pay into the government. Without massive changes in the tax code who’ll ultimately have to pay for Obama’s tax plan: the middle class. Why? That’s where most of the taxpayers are to pay taxes!
Obama seems to be creating his own problems which give the McCain campaign a boost in momentum: Not picking Hillary Clinton for VP thus McCain picked Gov. Sarah Palin and Obama boneheaded “spread the wealth” truth slip response to Samuel Joe Wurzelbacher who we’ve come to now know as “Joe the Plumber”.
Why can’t Obama close the deal? He played not to lose in the last debate with McCain instead of going aggressively for the killshot. Since that point McCain’s “Joe the Plumber” inspiration has had time to build precious momentum. Will it be enough for McCain to win? We’ll see. All I know is people who don’t like to pay taxes tend to vote in droves! Which is why Republicans tend to win more often.
October 23, 2008 — 11:53 am
Daniel, The Real Estate Zebra says:
I don’t like voting for the lesser of two evils any more than anyone else does. That being said, I will still vote for the lesser, because it does beat the alternative. Plus, I want to vote in my local elections, and since I’m going to be in the booth anyway. . .
I can’t help but think that most of the Presidents elected in the first 150 years or so of this country’s history would be completely unelectable today, just because the eloquence of expression we marvel at in the history books has since been whittled down into soundbites. It is sad, really. I mean, can anyone imagine anything like the writings of our forefathers being published today, and not being hacked to death by the media and pundits until we are all just sick of the whole thing?
One thing is for sure, we are only a few short weeks away, and things are going to get interesting.
October 23, 2008 — 12:31 pm
David Shafer says:
Tax policy is not that hard to figure out. If you allow the wealthy and corporations to lower their taxes (through whatever means are at their disposal) you either have to increase it for the rest of tax payers or run huge deficits. The percentage tax rate paid by the wealthy and corporations has been lowering for decades, through Republicans and Democrats. The only balancing factor is the increase in overall wages and investment profits. That is why the national debt tends to go down under democrats, because the growth in GNP under Democrat presidents is twice as much under Republican presidents!
The truth is that neither Rep or Democrats lower overall tax collections, just move it around from group to group. And the Republicans have demonstrated of late that they are great at spending the money too! Already the cost of the war is approaching $1 Trillion The cost of the bailouts will not be known for a while, but should be much cheaper than advertised.
Neither candidate will be able to lower taxes because of the current deficit and the social security and medicare obligations. We have been living above our means for most of the last 40 years!
October 23, 2008 — 12:45 pm
David Shafer says:
I tend to believe that the times make the man. Bush 2 had a great opportunity to become one of our best presidents and simply blew it. He was a true lightweight. Polling still has Obama up by an average of 7% with less than two weeks to go. Assuming the polling is accurate, the question is will Obama reach beyond partisan politics, and become a great leader?
I’m betting yes.
October 23, 2008 — 12:54 pm
Thomas Hall says:
For those of you who truly plan to stay home on November 4 and not exercise your right to vote, kindly shut the hell up. You’ve forfeited your right to an opinion.
America is as much an ideal as it is a country. We as Americans embrace ideals – many of which are simply not the same in reality. Equality is one that comes to mind.
Regardless of your political views, I believe you have a moral obligation to vote. We have committed thousands of our own citizens to fight in Iraq in order to provide the same right. I am opposed to the war, however, I honor our troops by exercising my right.
You fear Obama? You’re concerned that McCain is more of the same? Then make your voice heard. If you don’t like the candidates, right in the candidate of your choice. While this election proves to be historic from a presidential stand point, there are a great deal of other candidates and issues on the ballot seeking your approval.
By standing on the sidelines, you continue to enable the same system that has taken this country off course.
You know what I fear? I fear that the citizens of this country will continue to “not get it”. They will allow apathy, indifference and indecision to be the rules that govern their behavior.
Perhaps I was wrong that the ideal of equality isn’t the same in reality. Voting is the most basic form of leveling the playing field. The vote cast by the chairman of AIG is equal to the vote cast by the unemployed single mom. They both count.
October 23, 2008 — 1:51 pm
Tom Vanderwell says:
Teri,
Thank you for standing up and saying what a lot of us were thinking. I don’t have the time and energy to take up all of the political issues that are bouncing around my brain right now.
Let’s just say that if I could vote for “none of the above” and have it mean something, I would. Unfortunately, I think I’m going to have to limit it to voting for the one that I think will cause the least amount of damage and keep us safer…..
And to quote Forrest Gump, that’s all I’m going to say about that.
Tom
October 23, 2008 — 2:19 pm
Teri L says:
Geno-
😀
Matt-
Third parties… Write in… Protest vote…::sigh::
Matthew-
>The single most beautiful thing about our country is it’s embrace of freedom. Always vote to uphold freedom and the lesser issues will take care of themselves.
That’s always what I base my decision on- freedom.
October 23, 2008 — 4:24 pm
Teri L says:
Kam!
So nice to see you!
>All I know is people who don’t like to pay taxes tend to vote in droves!
I believe you are right. That might be the one constant year after year- the Boston Tea Party lives on!
October 23, 2008 — 4:28 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Zebra!
>the eloquence of expression we marvel at in the history books has since been whittled down into soundbites. It is sad, really. I mean, can anyone imagine anything like the writings of our forefathers being published today, and not being hacked to death by the media and pundits until we are all just sick of the whole thing?
I’m more angry about that than anything else, and I don’t believe it’s the media’s fault entirely. I think the handlers, or strategists or whatever they are called this year, encourage that kind of crap.
If you’ve ever watched c-span, politicians go on and on and on when they think no one is looking. They can all talk, and they are not always entertaining to listen to. Someone has to coach them on catchy bits.
The media, of course says that we have short attention spans. Bah. Try us. Prove me wrong.
October 23, 2008 — 4:35 pm
Teri Lussier says:
David-
>We have been living above our means for most of the last 40 years!
We, perhaps, but not me. Not me. No sir, not me.
October 23, 2008 — 4:39 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Thomas!
You win the prize for most passionate comment.
>I believe you have a moral obligation to vote.
I agree. But. It doesn’t bother me if people choose not to vote. That is a choice. We are free to make that choice. Praise the lord…
October 23, 2008 — 4:47 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Tom-
>And to quote Forrest Gump, that’s all I’m going to say about that.
Oh, c’mon. Speak up (while you have the chance).
October 23, 2008 — 4:50 pm
Equity Release says:
With the name of Palin, we atleast have some reason to see the poll campaigns :p
Also I would prefer Obama over McCain but in the end my choice is restricted to me 😀
October 23, 2008 — 8:31 pm
Bob says:
Voting is a right, but it is also a privilege.
Earlier this week I commented somewhere that since this election is determined by the electoral vote, and barring some super natural event, California will go to Obama making my non-Obama vote pointless, I would write in Ron Paul to make a small statement that no one will likely here.
That was until yesterday, right up until I took a sip from my first cup of coffee.
I had 15 minutes to spare before an early meeting, so I walked into a local coffee house to grab a quick cup. In front of me, an 84 year old man with a cane handed the the cashier a signed picture to hang on the wall where they have bits of news and community notes posted.
I asked what it was and the teen age cashier said, “He was on the cover of some magazine when he was 19”, as she handed me the photo copied cover.
It was this November 1, 1943 cover of Life Magazine.
The frail gentleman in front of me said he was the 19 year old fighter pilot in the picture. The plane was the P-47 Thunderbolt, the plane that single handedly turned the war against the vaunted Messerschmidt of the German Luftwaffe.
Being the history buff that I am, I had to know more. He told me he flew 98 missions and recorded 19 kills.
Fast forward to now. Reading these comments made me think of Mr. Devaney, the man at the coffee shop. I started writing this comment and hit Google for a pic of the cover. The next two hours was a stream of consciousness journey online that uncovered some amazing accounts of what these pilots did to preserve my right to vote.
As for the man at the coffee shop, I couldn’t find a shred of evidence that he was who he claimed, but it doesn’t matter. He re-directed my attention back to the generation of my father, who was in Guadalcanal during WWII, and who has never not voted – ever, because he knows first hand the price that was paid for that privilege.
I don’t care your affiliation or who you vote for, but out of respect for those who have given so much to allow you to do so, please vote.
October 23, 2008 — 8:55 pm
Roberta Murphy says:
Democracy is not a spectator sport.
(Politics are a different story:-)
October 23, 2008 — 8:56 pm
Heather Rankin says:
Teri – The whole thing is frustrating in my book but I’ll still be in the process, for sure. Three of my children can now vote and we’ve had some healthy discussions. YouTube has better coverage than any media outlet to date!
Bob – My father passed away just about two years ago now. He was a submarine navigator in WWII on the PonPon which came dang close to sinking. He then served in Korea. Never talked about any of it much till he got older, and as he put it, a bit more removed.
My children have read the story of the PonPon and “grandpa” always wore his reunion baseball cap with PonPon emblazoned on it.
While one of my children holds totally different views than the other two voting, the thing they all agree on is ‘you gotta vote’ out of respect for granddad and respect for the Navajo Code Talkers (that’s a whole post right there) or shut up.
“Liberty can not be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.”
— John Adams
October 23, 2008 — 11:37 pm
Teri Lussier says:
ER-
>With the name of Palin
If only they had the same sense of humor! 😀
October 24, 2008 — 4:25 am
Teri Lussier says:
Bob-
I’m humbled by your story. Thank you for sharing that here, and waking me up a bit.
And to think I always took you for a curmudgeon… 😉
October 24, 2008 — 4:29 am
Teri Lussier says:
Roberta-
Politics is a contact sport? 🙂
October 24, 2008 — 4:30 am
Teri Lussier says:
Hi Heather-
Your father would be proud of you.
If my mom read this post, she’d be giving me an earful for even saying such a thing as I’m considering staying home. And for the next four years she’d bring it up whenever we talked. We just don’t *not* vote, although, like I said, this is the first time I’ve considered it.
Our son is 18. His first election ever! Can you imagine? We discuss politics every single day with him, he talks about this all the time, in fact he’s considering changing majors to Poli Sci. He’s always followed politics- he used to watch talking head shows when he was 3! 😀
He knew who he was voting for, until Colin Powell endorsed Obama. Powell was an early hero of Jack’s, so he’s weighing all this out, rethinking the whole thing… It’s a delight to watch this.
Our daughter is 16, can’t vote, but refuses to let that stop her from giving her opinion. 🙂
I don’t know if you read Missy Caulk’s comment above, but she’s been watching YouTube for information as well. I tend to consider it for entertainment purposes, music mostly, but I will need to pay more attention to the serious stuff that is there.
October 24, 2008 — 4:46 am
David Shafer says:
>We have been living above our means for most of the last 40 years!
We, perhaps, but not me. Not me. No sir, not me.
Teri,
You can not divorce yourself from this reality. It has effected all of us. If you voted for Bush 2, then you voted for deficits. It manifests itself in many ways. Imagine, your real estate business if Wright Patterson AFB were to close down. Balancing the budget would mean spending alot less on our military, perhaps closing more bases! We are all in this together, whether we vote or not, whether we are Rebs or Dems, whether we have debt or not!
October 24, 2008 — 5:33 am
Teri Lussier says:
Hi David-
Yes, we are all in this together. I’m not divorcing myself from this. I said “We” because I understand that we have taken on this debt as a country.
My family has chosen not to take on debt, and that was what I was referring to with the “not me”.
This is what it is. I am part of this. I get that! I do imagine my RE business without WPAFB! Without GM! That is my reality! That is what I’m dealing with as every single day I wake up and see this very real possibility! You really have no idea, no idea at all…
The next president, the next congress, it could literally shut down my business, this town, the people I love… Yes, David, I really do understand that every single vote affects me. I feel this more than any other election because there is so very much at stake in Dayton right now…
Wow. That’s a raw nerve. Back to work…
October 24, 2008 — 6:21 am
Bob says:
Heather – when you write that post on the Navajo Code Talkers, please let me know.
Teri – just goes to show how incomplete a picture can be with non-verbal communication.
October 24, 2008 — 7:35 am
Heather Rankin says:
Finished the post of the Navajo Code Talkers here
http://www.lakepowellrealty.net/2008/10/25/code-talkers/
October 25, 2008 — 12:14 pm