Colin Powel Endorses Obama

A surprise, and yet not a surprise that Colin Powel has come out on the side of Obama.

And it is a great relief.

Colin Powel is the one and only man in politics for which I have respect. If he, from his insider position, has examined the facts and feels Obama is the better man for the job, then I heave a great sigh of relief.

I can’t wait until this election is over and we can move on. I hate party politics for the way they focus on the negative and divide our nation.

One thing I have resolved is I am going to be a more active citizen. I will correspond with my elected officials on issues that matter to me. I will think of innovative ways of addressing issues and offer those suggestions. Hopefully, my elected officials will appreciate input. Why should all the ideas come from inside government?

For example, one thing that has been milling around in my brain is foster care for expectant mothers. Young women who choose to keep their baby, but do not have the home support they need could be placed in a foster home with people who will help her with prenatal care, preparing for her child, finances, getting prepared to take care of a child and be a single mother. It is a responsibility I would take on.

But, more on that later.

I hope if Obama is elected, and it appears he will be, Colin Powel will be part of his government.

Teachers Go Too Far

I read this today in an article by Thomas Sowell.

– “The arrogance of third parties, who take it upon themselves to treat other people's children as a captive audience to brainwash with politically correct notions, while taking no responsibility for the consequences to those children or society, is part of the general vision of the left that pervades our education system.”

As a parent, this is exactly how I have felt on numerous occasions. My ten-year-old’s teachers have been filling his head with pro-Democratic rhetoric for the last two years. Teachers I admire as well as teachers I dislike have been abusing their power to indoctrinate impressionable minds into their ideology. This is an abuse of power of the most reprehensible kind. Teachers do hold our children captive in their classrooms. In this state regulated setting, it is not their place to foster their ideals upon our children. They were hired to teach state approved subject matter, not share their beliefs or voting preferences.

If, and I do emphasize if, politics are to be discussed in the classroom, then it needs to be done fairly and in depth. Which opens up an entire cannery of worms. For example, can we really discuss the beliefs of the two parties without bring up abortion? It is a pivotal point.

Last night as we watched the debate, it kept niggling at me that my son was an Obama supporter based upon what his teachers had told him. Should I allow him to remain in the bliss of ignorance or should he be indoctrinated into the real world.

I decided to take the plunge.

I explained what abortion was. This little boy loves babies and the knowledge that people are free to kill them did not sit well with him. I explained many pro-choice advocates do not believe life begins until birth and so do not look upon it as murder. He didn’t buy it.

I hated to have to do that, but I feel his teachers backed me into that corner. It would be wrong for him to continue to believe all about the Obama campaign is sunshine and roses. It isn’t. Not by a long shot.

Some may say that now I am the one who is unduly influencing this child. Perhaps, but he is my child and as his parent, it is not only my right, but more importantly my responsibility to raise him in the beliefs as I see fit. If knowing the whole truth, or as wholly as we can ever achieve, he still decides to believe in Obama, then that is his choice. What I resent are teachers who present only the utopian image.

And, while I am on the subject. This greatly disturbs me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVn59TC2QqM&NR=1

My Muslim faith? I have a great deal of difficulty believing this was just a slip of the tongue. Of course it is possible, however, as a life-long Christian I cannot image ever making that slip. Somethings your subconscious protects you from.

If the man is a Muslim, fine. But don’t hide behind the cross just to get elected.

Journal of an Undecided Voter Vol. Two

The Democratic Convention is well underway, and no I’m not watching it. Party politics disgust me, rhetoric is nauseating and analysts make me want to shoot the TV. I watch politicians enough to get a feel of their character from body language and unscripted exchanges. Beyond that, they might as well have a bubble above their heads saying – blah, blah, blah.

I’ve been reading some strong comments in condemnation or defense of both candidates. Sways me this way and that, but still no decision.

As to what I wrote about the names, just a little quirk in a Dr Who kind of way. Bad Wolf and all. A name won’t influence my vote in any way. Being a POW does add to the pot. Who better to know the horrors of war than one who’s been there? But it’s just a piece.

Now as to the prevalent Democratic battle cry that McCain would be four more years of Bush. I’m not sold that is the truth. I’ve never seen McCain as the same kind of candidate as George W. other than they are both Republicans. What’s he supposed to say - yeah Bush sucks? That’s not how party politics work. He’s not going to bash the outgoing party man any more than Al Gore was going to say – yeah Clinton’s a skirt chasing whoremonger but I’ll bring dignity back to the Oval Office. The incumbent party candidate’s tongue is tied when it comes to addressing the last four or eight years. Another reason I wish we’d do away with parties all together.

What I do like about this election is the involvement of the populous. Something some people want to attribute to Obama. Horse hockey. There’s a generation out there who has decided to take things into their own hands and that greatly encourages me. They turned out last election because they didn’t like the way things were going. Democracy in action. For when all is said and done, politicians are supposed to be working for us. When millions of voters start caring and paying attention to what’s going on, things change.

So, I am still concerned Obama’s not experienced enough and will try and give the sun moon and stars with no way to pay for it. I am concerned McCain is too old, too entrenched in Republican politics and too dug into Iraq.

Iraq, my feelings…. I want the hell out. Here’s what has bothered me from the start. Everyone knew our reasons for going in were false. The position Bush put Colin Powell in is inexcusable. My belief is this was more of a continuation of a family vendetta than national defense. George Sr. didn’t get Sadam so George W. finished the job. Was he a despot? Or course, but I don’t see us rushing into African nations where people are oppressed and starving to death. But, then, they don’t have oil.

The other thing that has bothered me is the mentality of the region. I don’t believe they want peace. If peace isn’t wanted, all the peacekeepers in the world won’t bring it.

But, there are the economics. We do need oil. We are hooked like an addict on heroin. What if we had changed our ways back in the 70’s when oil prices skyrocketed? Instead we went from Gremlins to Hummers. Stupid, lazy, gluttonous Americans that we are. So here we are. What if we hadn’t been pouring billions of dollars into the region purchasing oil for the last thirty years? Would we even have the terrorist issues? Would they have the funding? Would they have an incentive?

My feelings are we can’t get independent from that region fast enough. If we don’t need them, aren’t in their homelands, aren’t pouring billions of dollars in…. What would foreign policy look like? Oil has dictated our foreign policy for far too long.

I want to be independent from foreign oil. I want to be independent from the world. I want to know we could close our borders and take care of ourselves. I do believe it is time we spent more time looking inward.

Journal of an Undecided Voter - Vol. One

This will be the first entry in my journal of an Undecided Voter. I really have no idea which candidate I will choose come November. When the political surveyors call, I honestly tell them I am completely undecided. Were the election held today, they ask, who would you vote for. I don’t know, I answer. If you assigned a particular candidate a percentage of possibility, what would it be? Fifty percent, I answer, much to their consternation. But, I digress.

So, here’s what's on this undecided voter’s mind – Obama’s choice of running mate. When I read he had finally announced, I went to the most impartial source I knew for information, BBC news. Sideline – if anyone knows of a reason not to view this source as impartial, please enlighten me.

Joe Biden. Interesting on so many levels. Not one of which makes me feel better about Obama as a candidate. I agree it is an admission of his inexperience. Admitting he doesn’t know what he’s doing in the foreign policy arena. Admitting he doesn’t appeal to the most basic sector of the population.

And exactly how is this good old boy, this Washington insider going to aid Obama’s campaign for change? Biden is supposed to help woo the blue-collar vote. But, aren’t we to be voting for President, not the package? I know that’s the way it’s done in politics, but when all is said and done, the signature that matters won't be Biden’s. What guarantee is there that Biden will have any input at all?

And does anyone else see the terroristlike names? Osama Bin Lauden? Bin Lauden – Biden? Barack Hussein Obama? Osama – Obama? Sadam Hussein – Hussein. Ok, Ok, I know they are just names, but still, feels a little weird in the mystic or sci-fi kind of way.

But what disturbs me the most in the selection is what I’ll call the Cheney Syndrome. The inclusion of a pseudo-elected character in the power pool. Face it; we let Cheney get away with a lot of things solely because he wasn’t the President. He acted under the radar. Acted with as much power and authority as the President. I don’t want to get into that scenario again. If a candidate cannot get elected on his/her own merits, they he/she shouldn’t be president.

Joe Biden as a cabinet member may be a great choice, as a VP it causes me great concern. Just who will be running the government? Cheney- Bush (funny how his name came to mind first) at least stood on the same platform. Will Obama-Biden use a bi-level platform, a split stage, individual soapboxes?

I don’t know, it just doesn’t gel for me.