Life as I Know It; Family; Lifestyle; and Healthy Living!
IMO
Published on January 19, 2008 By foreverserenity In Current Events
I'm not politically inclined, in that I don't listen to or watch everything that happens on politics. I hear about some things, but I don't make it my business to be up front and center for every controversy or not, when it comes to what is going on with the candidates. I don't have fancy words or provocative thoughts or debatable rhetoric.


I do keep myself aware of what is going on and what I hear, some good, some not so good, leaves me with lots of thoughts to mull over. The one thing that I have heard from a lot of people, and media reports, is that what is going on with our country today leaves a lot of people dissatisfied. Many people are unhappy. Some more than others. The one thing a lot of people want is change. Yes, change, the old word that has become the new word, seemingly because it's become one of the candidate's mantra.


Everyone has a reason why we (in general as a people) should not vote for one candidate or the other; or if we do, they (the politically savvy citizens and the media diehards) instantly know why we are going to cast our vote for that person. It is amazing to me that anyone but the individual who will cast the vote themselves should know why they are voting for a person. How would you know who I'm going to vote for, or why, unless I told you?


Why do people jump to conclusions? Is it out of fear? Is it because they see the possibility of what could be? Are we, the American people, so caught up in ourselves and the past that we can't see beyond that? We can't see beyond the usual assumptions and realise the expectations?


What exactly do we want for our country, for ourselves? Don't we all want to be able to put food on our dinner table, have a home to live in, be able to pay our bills and have our mini or annual vacation time? Don't we all want to be able to continue to have free enterprise, entrepreneurship and being able to live without fear?


There are so many people losing their livelihood, homes, health, dreams. It doesn't matter who created the loss or debt or whatever for themselves to be in the spot they are in. And no, they shouldn't expect someone else to fix their problems for them. But when our people lose hope, we lose every chance our country will have of surviving. Laugh if you must about ideals & dreams, but it is what makes our country what it is! That and a healthy does of realism!


If I decided to vote for the woman, is it because I'm a woman and it's about time a woman gets in to that White House? If I decided to vote for that black man, is it because I am black and ya'll know we blacks will vote for him just because he is? Or what happens if I vote for the younger, white guy? What would my reasoning be? You wouldn't know would you?


People are allowed to make decisions for themselves, as they should be. But they shouldn't feel that they are going to make the wrong choice, voting for whomever they want, just because the political climate is second guessing their choice!


If they decide to vote for the black man, why should it be they are doing it out of guilt? What exactly do they have to be guilty about? Wouldn't it be you (in general as a people) who keep singing the same song be the ones hanging on to that guilt because seemingly, the only reason why white folks do anything when it comes to blacks, and it happens to be anything in favor for or good for blacks, it's because they are feeling guilty about the past?! So is it that these whites have no intelligence to make decisions, they can't think for themselves then?


If it is for the woman, she's too aggressive and loud and thinks she knows everything, right?! She was married to the man that everybody (supposedly) loves, and he will be the one making the decisions, she couldn't possibly know how to make decisions without the help of a man, right?!


Or if it's the younger white guy, he's too good looking with his expensive haircut and indeciveness and inexperience, right? Plus is wife was ill with cancer and his kid died - the pity card right?!


Heck, none of the three or experienced enough right? How does anyone get experience? Wouldn't that be by being put in a given situation to experience whatever is 'thrown' at you, and building a reputation in learning how to handle whatever the job is to be done?


Wait, wasn't that how every other President learned to do the job they did during their reign? Were they all perfect in the decisions they made? Who put them there?

Exactly!




Comments
on Jan 19, 2008
btw, i can't get that silly obama song out of my head, the second one...obamaBAH doo doo dee doodooo obamabAH doo doo dee doo....)


! I know, that's one whacked recording!!


So, inquiring minds want to know, Donna. Who do YOU favor in 2008


I'm still undecided and that's the truth. I receive my sample ballots in the mail recently and early voting is open now. I'm reviewing and looking at who I really want to be leader of this great country of ours!
on Jan 19, 2008
Rudy's just the most talented crook among 'em.


! He's courting FL really big time!
on Jan 20, 2008
I'm pleased you are voting for someone, regardless. I can't believe there are people in your nation who bitch and whinge about the administration but then won't get out and have their say. I'm pleased you are.
on Jan 21, 2008

On JU you have many strongly opinionated, and for the most part, knowledgeable people.  That is not the case in the population at large.  As evidenced by the lack of voting by such a large portion of the population.

But you do also have many people who are going to vote - and vote for a reason that their parents told them, their shop steward told them, or their {insert noun here} told them to vote that way.  They are given 30 second sound bites for reasons, and that is all they know.  Both why to vote for X and why not to vote for Y.

They are the ones that are going to give you grief.  not out of a strong conviction on their part, but on a strong allegiance to their {insert noun here}.

On JU you will get some very strong opinions, and most will be backed up by sound reasoning, along with a desire to educate others to their way of thinking.  For the most part, no one is going to assume you are going to vote for Y.  You are on JU after all, and some of the Y proponents have surprised even me (not necessarily their reasons, just that they are going to vote for Y).

I dont know who you are going to vote for.  I know who I would like to see you vote for and can give you many reasons to do so.  Some you will agree with, and some you will not.  But you are going to vote for the person that best talks (I use that word intentionally as all candidates are just talk at this point) your talk.  Whether they walk it or not is a whole other matter.  But you will do so intelligently, of that I am sure.

And in so doing, you will be in a very small minority.  So the next time Tom Thug starts berating you for not carrying a placard for their candidate, dont debate them.  it will be a short debate as talking points do not a debate make.  Just be glad you have the opportunity to debate and discuss all candidates and issues here at JU, and on election day, vote for the candidate of your choice because your beliefs were tested with the fires of facts, not factoids.

on Jan 21, 2008
I'm pleased you are voting for someone, regardless. I can't believe there are people in your nation who bitch and whinge about the administration but then won't get out and have their say. I'm pleased you are.


Thx! Me too!! It is really in our best interest if everyone go out and vote. This will be the first time for my oldest child and we plan to go together. She wasn't going to but I talked to her about it. She felt she didn't have to and didn't really understand. I can imagine there are a lot of young people who feel the same way. Come to think of it, I have to ask her about her friends who are all now 18. They should each get out and vote and I'm going to encourage them to do so! [thx for jogging the old brain!lol]






As evidenced by the lack of voting by such a large portion of the population.But you do also have many people who are going to vote - and vote for a reason that their parents told them, their shop steward told them, or their {insert noun here} told them to vote that way. They are given 30 second sound bites for reasons, and that is all they know. Both why to vote for X and why not to vote for Y.


I understand Doc. In fact, as I mentioned above to Mark, I had no idea my daughter wasn't planning on voting until I mentioned it to her. We talked but I didn't influence her in who to vote for. I told her where to go to read more information on the candidates and the Amendments that are listed on our sample ballots. She plans to vote and we will be going to the poll together. She said she's scared because she doens't know what to do or how to vote, I told her there will be people there who can assist her with how to do the process.

What you say is true though. Young people need to be involved and feel a part of the process, to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility to their country.
on Jan 21, 2008

We talked but I didn't influence her in who to vote for. I told her where to go to read more information on the candidates and the Amendments that are listed on our sample ballots. She plans to vote and we will be going to the poll together. She said she's scared because she doens't know what to do or how to vote, I told her there will be people there who can assist her with how to do the process.

Early in life, parents are going to be a big influence, pro (or sometimes) con.  it cant be helped.  But you did the exact right thing in telling her to research.  You probably will influence her, and that is fine.  You are still her mother after all, and she is still learning.  in time, she will be well enough educated, again thanks to you, to do her own research and make up her own mind - sometimes to your consternation.

I was really not talking about your situation per se.  But of those who will not do their own research and so "x was good enough for my pa, so that party is good enough for me" is how they vote for the rest of their lives.

My son has already cancelled my vote once.  I dont expect it to happen a lot as he gets over that stage - and starts wondering where those paycheck "deductions" are going.

on Jan 21, 2008
I was really not talking about your situation per se. But of those who will not do their own research and so "x was good enough for my pa, so that party is good enough for me" is how they vote for the rest of their lives.


I got it! I understand.