Sophia

 

Dear readers,

     Today, I chose to ride ‘random’ in our writing community, for a change, and bumped smack dab into a young woman’s diary that summed up her impressions of the most recent convention.  She’s non-committed at the moment, still sizing up how her needs will be best met by the new administration.  Her candor and open dialog reminded me that each of us has a stake in who wins and without expressing our positions and our reasoning to the consideration of others, our best chance at having needs met is gambled away on thinking the other guy was right all along.  She’s reading or read this already at my invitation.  I’ve made my decision and here’s why.

Dear Sophia,

     As you know, our system of government is divided into three. However, most dissenting Americans place the burden of their situations on the Executive branch.  That condition comes with the job now, more than ever before. In reality, all three branches have their share of responsibility for any direction the USA takes to fill our role on the world stage, while caring for the needs of its citizens.  Only one of the three branches is not a mob of some sort, officiating by a majority vote.  I find it difficult to believe that ANY American elected to that high position doesn’t have the well being of his countrymen at heart in his decision making. 

     We are a two party system, sans independents and special interests candidates that have every right to run for the office.  Two parties .. two philosophies.   Democratic mentalities are social in nature .. a chicken in every pot kind of thinking.  To do this, they raise taxes. Let me ask you, if you adopted enough babies to double the size of your family, wouldn’t a bigger house be better to raise them in?  Of course, it would.  So, government grows in democratic times to accommodate the increased number of programs that are aimed to improve the life style of many Americans.  The Arts benefit, as do parks, roads and salaries. For this windfall attention, they disarm the military authority (for one) to redistribute funds. Capitalism, through businesses, will survive, but doesn’t flourish, as business tends to be the work horse measure necessary to enable people better lifestyles. So, new enterprise gives way to housing and intrastructure needs .. technology and research efforts, which is all well and good.  However, contributions of time and effort slow on the local level and dissolve as ‘Federal’ subsidies pour in.

     I’m not trying to talk down to you, Sophia.  But others are reading this also. I’m trying to be a simple as I can, to explain my choice.  The Republican mindset.  Government is for national issues and should let individual states alone.  The only exceptions are violation of Constitutional laws, acts of God and civil conflict, for example.  The governor of a state may ask for assistance at any time.  We are state governments under one federal  authority, represented there, by our elected state officials.   Republicans feel individuals deserve to exercise their freedoms, free of interferrance, so a lot falls on state and local officials to overcome their challenges. 

     I tend to like the idea of solving my own problems and knowing there are agencies, services and businesses on the local level to help me, if necessary. 

     This year’s election.   There are hawks and doves, in both liberal and conservative ideologies.  In war, I tend to be a hawk and we ARE at war. If our troops aren’t dying of heat stroke, but are rather coming home in pieces or disabled, if at all .. it’s WAR.   The problem is our citizens are not at war.  With a transgression, greater than why we commemorate Pearl Harbor Day every year, our citizens have sacrificed nothing to the cause that stripped us bear and murdered other citizens without mercy.  We have become a nation that doesn’t take any personal responsibility, unless we’re driving the vehicle that ran someone’s loved one over. We check on the war, like we would the temperature outside. It’s not OUR war!  It’s Bush’s war!  Are we children?  In many ways, we act like we are.

     Both candidates have a vision.  One has the gift of articulate speech. I think Jefferson may have had that one also, though more in print .. Thomas Paine, maybe .. certainly Franklin.  Barrack Hussein Obama does too.  On the surface, I don’t like his name .. but I can get passed that.  Frankenstein would be just as unfortunate for me.  I have more don’t’s for him, than do’s.  Being black isn’t one of them, though.  I’d have voted for Colin Powell, if he hadn’t turned it down. He was the right man for the time.  You’ll notice I said ‘man’.   In THAT time, it would have been a ‘man’.  His decision disappointed me.

     I think Obama is being manipulated and he knows it.  Lincoln was too, so don’t be so offensive to the idea and Abe fought and lost many more candidacies, climbing to his election to the Presidentcy..  Barrack is naive and idealistic.  One is good to a degree, the other is crucial.  I’m not a Biden man, but find their ticket is topsy-turvy.  Clearly, fight as you may, you know where the credible value of that ticket lies. The smart leader draws smarter people around him.  Reagan did that and the rest is history .. as with both Roosevelts.  Bush did it, but he’s a dummy, right?  All these men could make a decision, though.  All had a vision, a clear set of values and heart in what they did.  None of them were torn by any second America, the other America growing inside the first.  I detest racism in either. 

     At the turn of the century, large cities were divided by their ethnic heritages, as waves of immigrants sought freedom and opportunities not in their native land.  The position is not unlike what mexican’s find themselfves in now.  Lines were drawn to keep the ancestrial bloodlines pure.  ‘The Gangs of New York’ gave most of us a look at an example of it, but other movies have done as much, over the years. Signs of this ‘other’ agenda are loose strings hanging on the Obama nomination.

     It seems that what your church pastor or what your spouse espouses, whether militant or racial .. at ANY time in their life, doesn’t warrant concern or scrutiny, when you’re standing in a spot you never dreamed you’d be in .. never thought even possible in your lifetime.  But, it does to me.  I’m waiting for a youthful poor judgment activity to be uncovered on either member of the GOP ticket, on an issue that defines a  belief as clearly as these two examples do, for the Obamas. Your pastor and your wife’s college theme, both damning to the country that protects and provides your opportunity to stand as you do today.   What are patriotic hardworking Democrats thinking?  If Mrs. McCain burned an America flag in her twenties, for whatever reason, would that be brushed aside, covered up as youthful ignorance?  Michelle Obama chose her subject to write on and it undermines her and her husband, as the leadership family of the free world.  My pastor preaches love and salvation.  What’s on your pastor’s mind again?? 

     Every family passes a torch to its posterity in legend and folklore of family traditions and beginnings.  It’s unfortunate that the ‘black experience’ was so horrible, it needs to be lived and relived in many black families, in a way that compels its brightest and strongest minds to remember they are ‘ink spots’, instead of human beings with unalienable rights as Americans.  How often are the rest of us addressed as white Americans?  I question where racism is really flourishing in our country.

     This election.  Democrats want to regain power in the White House with Congress in their pocket.  The Republicans didn’t invite the loss of life in an act of war and would be negligent to mimimize it for any sake. Winning the senate in 2004 DID NOT stop the war, as expected.   Bush has been stubborn and worked with great resolve to win more than the obvious.  It’s cost lives.  With influence in Congress, he’s initiated a ‘surge’ at last, that is working.   Democrats can’t argue it and finally admitted it. The war will end in the new administration, I assure you.   Will it end with tax increases or tax rebates?  McCain chose a woman. I liked that. The White House will have TWO women in it. Two powerful influencial women and a veteran legislator with conviction and values I understand.  

     Hillary never had a chance with me.  Her paths and her husband’s have always been for their second dream of putting a Clinton back in one way or another.  He DID say he wished he could serve another term, while still  President.  On day one of W’s father’s term in office, half the nation breathed a sigh of relief. Scandal in high places was gone. 

     You can’t look at the news of yesterday or last month or today and have an understanding of the directions things are going.  In that voting booth, I want to be helping to elect an American .. a red, white and blue true to our country’s values individual.  A nobody’s man who’s realistic eye is on the best future for every citizen .. no axes to grind, no misconceptions of the games that politicians use to get their way.  He needs to be a fighter, a crusader .. for what will leave things better than he found them. 

     I don’t think Obama will continue his campaign presence in world affairs, if he loses this election.  Mccain, though, has been unchanged for decades.  He isn’t in Bush’s pocket and never has been.  He votes his heart.  The chances are greater that his imput with the President has been more effective on war issues, than the other way around, if his voting record is at issue. 

    If your vote hinges on one, maybe two, issues only .. abortion, wages, gas .. your vote is lost to the greater concerns.  Wages have a schedule to follow for pay increases for work done.  Gas (energy) issues will take time, but will be improved regardless of who wins.  Abortion is a moral responsibility decision and right now it’s legal and safe.  The moral regards an unborn fetus not a character judgment of the person that made a choice that gave her premature responsibility that she’s unprepared to take.   These are individual issues, not issues that pertain to the safety, well being and prosperity of a people, regardless of color, in a free society.
It may reflect the conscience of Americans, but not their potential.
The issues are far greater than personal comforts and historical firsts .. a woman, a black.  It’s a narrow viewpoint if that’s what won your vote.
You have a responsibility to all of us to weigh and sift the hard facts .. wait for your heart and mind to make peace with your conflicts and vote.

     We’re overdue for a black man to step forward and demonstrate patroitism and commitment to American values, even though history is peppered with fine black individuals that did just that.   Does Obama convince you that’s his intent?  We’re overdue for a woman to sit in the White House with actual authority to govern and serve her country, while demonstrating her gender’s intelligence and significance to mankind.
Are you worried Sarah will fail in that?  She has lived the American Female experience in our country, hasn’t she? Isn’t she equipped to win?

     McCain and Biden may reflect the old guard .. simply due to their experience and tenure in Government.  Where can they best use their skills?  We DO want a skillful Chief Executive, don’t we? A skillful Commander-in-Chief?  One that knows what’s at stake and can respond quickly with a decision. I worry that this campaign is one of shallow wishful thinking and desperation .. instead of sound consideration and knowledgible decisions.  

     God help us ..

     

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