November 5th, 2008. Mark today down in your calendar. Grab copies of every newspaper you can find and save the front page. Today is a historical day in the history of our country. We elected the first non-caucasian President in our country's history. I hestitate to say first "African-American" or first "black" President because President-Elect Barack Obama is actually of multi-racial decent, being born to a white mother and black father. Of course the media plays it up as first "black" president, but then again the media usually slants things to whatever is the most sensational. Regardless of how you want to classify Obama, what occurred last night was historic.
In the interest of full-disclosure, I voted for John McCain last night. I was actually quite conflicted over who to vote for. I see myself as fiscally conservative, yet socially liberal. According to some, that makes me a "moderate" or "independant", but actually I think that makes me pretty American. I posed the question of why someone can't be both fiscally conservative and socially liberal on Facebook, and you would be amazed at the number of messages I received saying, "Me too!" or "That would be the perfect candidate." The problem with yesterday's election is that those of us in that camp didn't have the "Perfect candidate".
The two party system has become a detriment to this country. If you were to look at McCain and Obama 2 years ago, prior to the whole campaign bluster, they weren't that different. McCain was a left leaning Republican, and Obama was a right leaning Democrat. The campaigns forced both to move away from the center and to their respective "party lines." McCain isn't a blood red Republican, and Obama isn't a ocean blue Democrat. They, like many people in this country are more shades of purple.
My ultra right and ultra left friends have said, "You can't be in the middle! Then you don't stand for anything!" This couldn't be further from the truth, and that mentality is part of the problem. Why can't I be pro-choice, but anti-tax? Why can't I believe that the government shouldn't give entitlements, but also have no problem with gay marriage? Why can't I be Christian, but still accept other's religious beliefs? This is still America last I checked, and I shouldn't have to be labeled Conservative or Liberal, Republican or Democrat. It's time us moderates have a say, quit catering to one side or the other, and find out what is best for the country as a whole. No more Red states or Blue states, let's color the map Purple!
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Well said!
ReplyDeleteUh, perhaps I'm being naive here, but you sound like you are a Libertarian.
ReplyDeleteGranted the candidates we put forth in the Libertarian are far from ideal, it is still better than two wrong choices.
Many people are turned away from the Libertarian party because it has a tendency to attract a "fringe" crowd to put it lightly. But if enough people become involved with Libertarian ideas and support the party, we would stand a better chance of putting forth viable candidates.
Libertarians say:
-Get the federal government out of responsibilities that the constitution doesn't provide to it. Government is inefficiant and America (the people) will be better served at the local level.
-Freedom and Liberty. The government doesn't provide this, the people retain by default. Anything else is a crime. Legalize gambling, drugs and prostitution.
-Give the states back the rights the constitution provides them and the people.
The point is that many people share Libertarian ideas and values yet we cannot seem to organize into a party to fight for this. The Libertarian party exist now and we should all be supporting them.
You have made some very good points. I had a difficult time deciding as well, because I share parts of both parties ideologies; and the lesser of two evils is still not a good enough answer (Libertarians.) Good government is hard to achieve when each party is more interested in who is better.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to change anything is to get active in your causes, find like voices, and keep an open mind.
It is so much easier to take the easier, well worn road than it is the purple, less traveled one.