election thoughts
I sat there watching John Kerry-Heinz talk gleefully about Ted Kennedy's victory in Massachusetts, and I had to wonder....who votes for that guy? and who cheers when he wins? I mean, Massachusetts, he's your guy and you have that right, but I see Ted Kennedy and what comes to mind is the old National Lampoon spoof Volkswagen ad, with a picture of a Volkswagen Beetle floating in a lake and the caption, "If Ted Kennedy drove a Volkswagen, he'd be President today." That or Jabba the Hut. Either that guy is running unopposed, or the Republican party in Massachusettes is so inept they can't put up a candidate to run against him that's remotely credible, or both. How he becomes the best choice on any ballot, running for anything beyond lounge lizard, is beyond me.
I look at the mood this nation has taken, and the resulting vote last night, and I can't help but think, Bin Laden is right. Americans are soft and can be outlasted. Make the battle cost them something and they'll back down. Make freedom cost them dearly and they'll give it up. All I can say is I'm so glad Americans in the 1770's were made of stronger stuff. I'm glad Americans in the 1940's thought principle meant more than they do now. I mean, seriously, could you picture Cindy Sheehan or any of her supporters ever coming out with a line like, "My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country" or "Give me liberty or give me death?" Oh, puh-lease. I don't like watching our boys die any more than anyone else, but I do know there are times you have to stand up for what's right. Sometimes doing that costs more than you'd like it to, but it still has to be done. I also don't like John Kerry-Heinz playing the "that's nice for you people who never wore the uniform to say" card. I wore it for at least twice (and probably three times) as long as John Kerry-Heinz did. I was just a bit better at dodging bullets. Call me the non-hero. People have very short memories, and I fear it will cost us in the end. I would also love for that fear to be unfounded, but that's a dream world I can't live in.
The short memories give me cause for hope on another front though. If the Republicans had held on to both houses for the next two years, the road would have been paved with gold for a Hillary Clinton presidency. The backlash against Bush and the Republican grip on both houses of congress would have been enough in and of itself for people to lose all reason and just become reactionary and hand Hillary the White House. Now, I have hope. The Democrats have a chance to water that reaction down, and remind those with short memories why they voted for Bush in the first place. They may have reason to actually give us a candidate that can appeal to a more moderate segment of the population, instead of believing they can just stick it to us and foist Hillary on the country. Yeah, I have hope.
You would think after reading all that, that I'm bitter about the election, and I'm not. It wasn't like I didn't see it coming. George Bush has turned a lot of people off in this country, including me. I think we were right going into Iraq, but I think once there, we could have done a better job with the situation. I'm not ready to throw the baby out with Rumsfeld though. I'm disappointed, sure, but not surprised, and not, like some in the past, threatening to pack up and leave. I still believe it's the best system out there for making a government work. I'd much rather it be what it is, working the way it does, and be part of a minority, than have it be any other form of government. Besides, these Democrats make me feel more needed than I have in a long time. They're counting on my tax money to fund their pipedreams, even if they don't inhale. That's OK though. I'm used to giving to faith based charities....even government mandated faith based charities.
I look at the mood this nation has taken, and the resulting vote last night, and I can't help but think, Bin Laden is right. Americans are soft and can be outlasted. Make the battle cost them something and they'll back down. Make freedom cost them dearly and they'll give it up. All I can say is I'm so glad Americans in the 1770's were made of stronger stuff. I'm glad Americans in the 1940's thought principle meant more than they do now. I mean, seriously, could you picture Cindy Sheehan or any of her supporters ever coming out with a line like, "My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country" or "Give me liberty or give me death?" Oh, puh-lease. I don't like watching our boys die any more than anyone else, but I do know there are times you have to stand up for what's right. Sometimes doing that costs more than you'd like it to, but it still has to be done. I also don't like John Kerry-Heinz playing the "that's nice for you people who never wore the uniform to say" card. I wore it for at least twice (and probably three times) as long as John Kerry-Heinz did. I was just a bit better at dodging bullets. Call me the non-hero. People have very short memories, and I fear it will cost us in the end. I would also love for that fear to be unfounded, but that's a dream world I can't live in.
The short memories give me cause for hope on another front though. If the Republicans had held on to both houses for the next two years, the road would have been paved with gold for a Hillary Clinton presidency. The backlash against Bush and the Republican grip on both houses of congress would have been enough in and of itself for people to lose all reason and just become reactionary and hand Hillary the White House. Now, I have hope. The Democrats have a chance to water that reaction down, and remind those with short memories why they voted for Bush in the first place. They may have reason to actually give us a candidate that can appeal to a more moderate segment of the population, instead of believing they can just stick it to us and foist Hillary on the country. Yeah, I have hope.
You would think after reading all that, that I'm bitter about the election, and I'm not. It wasn't like I didn't see it coming. George Bush has turned a lot of people off in this country, including me. I think we were right going into Iraq, but I think once there, we could have done a better job with the situation. I'm not ready to throw the baby out with Rumsfeld though. I'm disappointed, sure, but not surprised, and not, like some in the past, threatening to pack up and leave. I still believe it's the best system out there for making a government work. I'd much rather it be what it is, working the way it does, and be part of a minority, than have it be any other form of government. Besides, these Democrats make me feel more needed than I have in a long time. They're counting on my tax money to fund their pipedreams, even if they don't inhale. That's OK though. I'm used to giving to faith based charities....even government mandated faith based charities.
Labels: Politics
John put this out here at 9:08 AM
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