I have to get this out of my system
I don't want to get too political in my LJ, but
the choice of Ms. Palin as Mr. McCain's vice-presidential candidate has me terribly vexed. TERRIBLY.
(BTW I'm an Independent by principle, but tend to vote Democratic because I often agree with their platform/ideas. I have voted Republican on occasion.)
What troubles me most about the choice of Ms. Palin is the fact that it looks like the Republicans conducted a focus group and picked a VP candidate who superficially hits all the big 'markets' they're aiming for. Obviously I disagree with practically all of her stances, but if she had more substantial experience I could at least have some respect for her. Right now it looks like she's running on her charisma and ability to speak with a near fanatical glint in her eyes. If this situation had happened to the Democratic Party, I would be embarrassed for them. To my disbelief and horror, instead people are fawning all over Ms. Palin and proclaiming ad nauseum how wonderful she is.
And because they feel energized by her selection, all the loudest, most fanatical self-described moral majority/religious right types have come out screaming about how abortions are inherently evil, the Iraq war is a necessary 'holy' mission, giving tax breaks to corporations and the people in the highest tax brackets is more important than giving tax breaks to the middle- and working class, and all illegal immigrants are job-stealing criminals.
Why aren't people talking about other issues as well? That still astounds me! What about our standing with the rest of the world, the importance of international diplomacy, the healthcare system, how we can handle a bunch of baby boomers getting on Social Security at the same time? Oh yeah, and maybe we could try reaching a compromise on the whole offshore drilling thing instead if proclaiming it the best idea since sliced bread. (I'm undecided myself because I know it may become more of a necessity in the future even if I don't like it.)
So many of my angry liberal buttons have been pressed lately, I almost panic at the thought of McCain getting elected. I try to calm myself down with the facts that (1) McCain has a history of being fair and willing to cooperate with people other than Republicans (although I admit I am seriously questioning that lately) and (2) the Democrats control Congress at the moment. Then again, McCain is kind of old even if he is in good health, and I'm afraid the Republicans will ramp up their smear campaign tactics and scare more people into thinking that all Democrats want to do is force sex ed on kids, force women to have abortions, allow illegal immigrants to commit crimes, and let homosexuals take over. *eyeroll* People, there are OTHER issues that have a hell of a lot to do with our daily lives too, although I still fail to see what someone else's sexual orientation or personal reproductive choices has to do with an individual. (Also, isn't preventing pregnancy in the first place a way of preventing abortions? And yet teenagers are only allowed to know about abstinence. Paging the Sex Police! If Kenneth Starr needs a job, I have a perfect one in mind for him.)
What happened to the real Republican Party that actually focused on the way government is run instead of pandering to and manipulating various groups just to get votes? Who would've thought big business and socially conservative fundamentalists could be such good bedmates?
I have to release it here so I don't accidentally spill at work. It's bad form to mention politics in one's workplace. One time I started getting indignant about the mortgage crisis, particularly about the lack of oversight and the companies' greed that drove them to give risky high-interest mortgages to people. One of my superiors quickly pointed out that no one forced those people to buy houses that were beyond their means. I quickly shut up because there was no point in arguing. It's true that the buyers were greedy too, but if the companies are willing to stoop to preying on people who unfortunately don't know any better, then it means they obviously have few qualms about doing anything that will help them turn a profit. I also got into a heated discussed about transgendered people with one of my coworkers. As an 'evil liberal' I'm afraid to speak up at times.