The State of the Union

I’m not one to hide my political affiliations, mostly because I don’t have any. To label something either Republican or Democrat or one of the offshoot hippie political parties is to label something by genre. It’s like going to a video store and looking for something under “Drama,” or “Horror,” or “Comedy.” The problems arise when there is overlap. “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly,” is a “Western,” but it also has a “War” element to it. But through and through, it’s also filled with a lot of “Action.” So what heading do you look for it under? Do you see how defining something by genre can get confusing?

Political parties are the same way. Trying to define an elected official or candidate under a specific banner is limiting and does not do justice to him or her. It takes away their individual beliefs and thrusts them into a category they must adhere to or face scorn from their opposition and the people they represent.

Speaking of the people our elected officials are supposed to represent, I think being affiliated to a party prevents said elected officials from effectively representing their people. The United States is a republic after all. They are elected to represent the people and what the people want. However, in order for a representative of the people to represent the people, he must first squash his own beliefs on an issue, a hurdle in and of itself, and then also fan the flame that comes from other representatives with their own agendas and special interest groups. Oftentimes, this requires a Senator or Congressman to make strange bedfellows, signing documents they might not believe in, but in order for them to get the necessary signatures needed on their own documents, they do it anyway. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. As an outsider looking in on how the system works, it’s easy to see that the system doesn’t work.

The world is organic. Business is organic. Art is organic. Government is organic. Change is an inevitability. Failing to adapt and to change to one’s surroundings results in death. It’s Darwinian. When things fail to adapt, outside forces act on the stagnation and force change, replacing the old with something new. As an inevitability, it is hard to fight change. But if you do fight change, you will lose.

Election Day is coming up in a few days. This is arguably one of the most important elections in recent history. With our economy in the slumps and a global depression practically guaranteed, a healthcare plan damaged beyond repair, as well as no end in sight to our occupation in Iraq, the result of this election will have worldwide ramifications. It is time to adapt or die. That is why I believe Barack Obama is the best fit for the next President of the United States.

Obama is new to the political game (read: inexperienced). It’s been a major point of contention to his candidacy for President, but certainly does not make him unqualified for the job. His lack of experience in the political spectrum is actually a good thing. He’s a fresh face in the crusty, stubborn old system. He’s not been around long enough to feel the influence or pull of the system. He’s still bright eyed and bushy-tailed, not tainted by the politics of politics. He’s a change of pace, something his campaign is not afraid to admit every chance they get. After eight years of living under the banner of “stay the course,” and seeing the result of such thinking, I think taking a scenic route will be a nice change of pace.

Obama is being labeled a socialist. To which, I say, no he’s not a socialist. He has socialist ideas, but that does not make him a socialist, no more than it makes Martin Luther King Jr. a socialist for believing every man to be equal. I can’t speak personally for Obama, but I do not think he’s trying to create New Russia or be buddy-buddy with China. But he does bring with him a change, a change our country greatly needs.

As for John McCain, personally, I thought the Republican Party did good to make him their Presidential candidate. He was the best man for the job in 2000, but due to defamation of character by the Karl Rove Sports Machine, Bush came away with the nomination. But for the 2008 election, McCain was chosen to represent the Republican Party at the beginning of the year. Now, in late October, we are looking at a different John McCain. To say the road to the White House has been hard on McCain is an understatement. He’s not the same John McCain we saw in January, in more ways than one.

First, look at the decisions he’s made over the past year. Sarah Palin being the most eye catching. In what seemed like an act of desperation, McCain called upon the Alaskan governor to run with him, having only met her on two previous occasions. This, merely a day after Obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate. It certainly felt like a move to bring Camp McCain into the spotlight and overshadow Obama’s announcement, rather than a sound thoughtful decision on whom best to serve as second in command. To that effect, the decision worked. Palin is probably the only thing keeping McCain in voter’s minds. But it’s hard to imagine much thought went into this brash decision. He also suspended his campaign to fix the financial crisis our country is facing now (note: McCain is not a member of this Senate committee—he merely took it upon himself to join in the eleventh hour).

These decisions feed into the persona McCain has made for himself for being a maverick. He’s a loner; a sheep strayed from the herd. Like an out of control teen on Maury, he does what he wants. Or so it seems. He’s changed sides on plenty of key issues. Once he opposed waterboarding, citing it as a definite form of torture. Now, he sees it as sound and just. This coming from a man that spent more than two years in a POW camp. At one time he did not oppose gay marriage, and now he condemns it.

I’m not going to badmouth a man for changing his opinion. I didn’t blast John Kerry in 2004 for flip-flopping on issues such as the war in Iraq. It is understandable to vote on something that seems like a good idea at the time only to realize that once it is put into action, it does not work, or additional information comes through that makes one realize the wrong course has been taken. McCain once was for allowing more immigrants to come into our country and look for work. Now in our nation’s current financial state, he has changed his opinion on that. But going back to the previous examples of waterboarding and gay marriage, really, what could have changed his opinion on those?

John McCain is not a maverick. He’s an opportunist. His vote is swung in whatever direction will get him what he wants. George W. Bush was a maverick. He did what he wanted no matter what the opinions were from the opposition, his own party member, or the people of his country. Maybe Obama is an opportunist too, telling the American people one thing, but in practice, he’ll do another. As far as I can tell though, he seems adamant to fix social security and not privatize it and cut healthcare costs to make it more affordable for all. But him not being in the game as long as McCain, we just have to take his word that he will follow through on what he preaches. With McCain, there are enough examples to fall back on that he will not, beyond the scant examples I just gave.

My opinion doesn’t really matter. It’s the opinion of our nation as a whole. This election is important. Really important. Before voting, please research both candidates and their stance on issues that will affect you and your country. Do what’s right for the country. Ignore political affiliations and look at the issues present. Don’t go in blindly, because for once, your vote counts.