The Holidays have come and gone, people have made and broken their New Year resolutions, and the political race for the presidency has reached full stride. Let the lunacy commence! It seems to me that the candidates positions from both sides of the aisle are short on details and long on simplicity. The Republicans spend a large portion of their time attempting to position themselves as heir apparent to the Reagan era whilst, the Democrats scream for change. The Democrats seem to be running against President Bush. Maybe their advisers should remind them of term limits. Since VP Cheney isn't running, it is quite hilarious to watch them castigate Mr. Bush's presidency. I guess that the primaries force them to cater to their base. For their part, the Republicans seem to scuffle over who the "true" conservative is. I have a news flash for all of the candidates; the vast majority of Americans are centrists. They don't want to be overtaxed, told how to live, nor to be expected to become zealots for any cause on the left or right. Most of us are trying to make a living, enjoy our friends and family, and live unencumbered by the constraints of an imposing government. Lets look at some of the candidates.
On the democratic side, we are forced to observe the gyrations of Senators Clinton and Obama. Former Senator Edwards is a farce and though he would never admit it, his hopes for the White House are slim to none. His vision of the "two" Americas is beyond simplistic. Senator Clinton wants us to recognize her experience level. I'm sorry but, that dog don't hunt. A quick google search on Wikipedia reveals that her sole experience in government is her stint as the junior senator from New York. We have had several successful presidents with little experience for their new job however; I refuse to have my intelligence insulted by a candidate marketing a non-existent quality. Senator Obama is the agent for change. Change to what? He rarely provides insight into what change he is demanding. Former President Clinton was also a great orator however, I believe that what an individual says is more important than the cadence or velocity of their delivery. Bottom line, both of these candidates will push for higher taxes, bigger government agencies, withdrawal from Iraq, and universal health care.
The Republicans are fighting tooth and nail for the conservative mantle. Like Senator Edwards, Representative Paul is a peripheral candidate. His allegiance to the Constitution is admirable but his virulent isolationist views and his charges of "government conspiracies" overseas tends to isolate him from the realities of modern times. Mitt Romney seems likable enough however, his views tend to vacillate with time. In my view, he tries too hard to be all things to all people. Former Senator Thompson should have remained in his stint as the DA in Law and Order. He keeps trying to draw a line connecting him to the Reagan years. Time moves forward, not backwards and today's voter has little connection to Ronald Reagan. Voters want to know what you intend to do, not what you have done. Senator McCain is a maverick who unfortunately is weighted down by his stance on illegal immigration. On the other hand, he is the only candidate with a truly global view on our role as a country in the War on Terror. Former Mayor Giuliani is currently flying under the radar as he pursues victory in Florida. Like McCain, he is a terror warrior. National security is his strength. Mike Huckabee has arisen from nowhere. He is interesting because he is extremely good at not allowing himself to be boxed into a corner. He seems to be a burr under the saddle of the party elite. It will be interesting to see how the Republicans settle their differences.
As voters it is time for us to make some decisions. What are our priorities? Do we want higher taxes? If we want universal health care, are we ready for the inefficiencies of government? Are our views on right to life, choice, gay marriage, guns and religion important enough to impair our ability to see the big picture? Do you believe in the War on Terror or not? If you believe that we are in a military and philosophical struggle against Islamic Jihadism, do you see it as a regional or global struggle? Each of us needs to look within ourselves. Our individual decision for 2008 will have extreme consequences for ourselves, our nation, and the world.
De Oppresso Liber
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