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The simplicity of voting
Monday, October 27, 2008
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After having watched all of the debates and the endless analyses by the media regarding who won and who lost, and after being bombarded by all of the negative ads from both parties, I realized that, at the end of the day, the choice is really pretty simple: John McCain is a Republican — always has been and always will be — and Barack Obama is a Democrat — always has been and always will be. Therefore, at the end of the day, I realized that:

• There is no experience, including being a Vietnam War veteran, that can prepare one for being president of the United States, so John McCain is no more qualified than Barack Obama and Joe Biden is no more qualified than Sarah Palin. McCain and Obama are good, intelligent individuals but they both have a lot to learn. Let’s just hope that they do a better job than the last guy.
• All the promises each candidate has made over the past several months are just promises, nothing more. Given the current economic crisis, there is not nearly enough money for either candidate to live up to even a majority of their promises. So save your money and don’t place any bets on what either one says because times are going to get a lot tougher before they get better.

• The same donors, lobbyists and special interest groups that supported George Bush also support John McCain and the same donors, lobbyists and special interest groups that supported Bill Clinton also support Barack Obama. So there is no “Maverick” or “Agent for Change” in this election; there are just two individuals with different beliefs and ideas. One is a Republican and the other is a Democrat.
Therefore, rather than watching the mud-slinging ads — which really are insulting — or listening to each team’s endless stream of misleading rhetoric, I just go back to the fundamentals:

• If you are basically more conservative, against abortion, against gay marriage, for winning in Iraq, against a larger government and/or for a more aggressive immigration policy, vote for John McCain.
• If you are basically more liberal, for a woman’s choice, for gay marriage, against the war in Iraq, for expanding government programs and/or for a less aggressive immigration policy, vote for Barack Obama.

At the end of the day, it may really be just that simple.

(Verhey lives in Napa.)
14 comment(s)

kevin wrote on Oct 27, 2008 4:52 AM:

" You forgot to mention if you are in favor of tax cuts, you should vote for John McCain.

If you are in favor of higher taxes you should vote for B.O. "

Rocketman wrote on Oct 27, 2008 7:14 AM:

" James, Good points, but unfortunately it is not that simple. This is a time that this country needs a TRUE leader. Not just someone who needs to develop experience. We are at war and may be heading for bigger conflicts with other nations. We need someone with the experience and the reactionary abilities to handle a crisis. One of these individuals has already proven that he can't or won't step up to the plate. War is never popular but you cannot shy away from it if it becomes necessary. It doesn't matter who attacked us on 9/11. Both parties (and it is a matter of record) endorsed this war and the dangers of the Iraqi government. Feinstein, Boxer, Albright, Clinton and more all made speeches defying and identifing the dangers of Iraq. One Presidential candidate opposed this thinking, because quite frankly, war is unpopular. What else will he do when decisions need to be made that are unpopular. Can we risk his style of leadership? I think the risks are too great! "

SFSister wrote on Oct 27, 2008 8:52 AM:

" anyone with ears can recall that Barack Obama intends to cut taxes for anyone making less than $250,000 a year, which is 95% of Americans. "

4gnapan wrote on Oct 27, 2008 8:52 AM:

" There y'all go playing on the Fear Ticket.
The GOP has been pushing FEAR for 8 years now, are we going to continue it for another 4-8 ?

Personally, Im tired of being told to be afraid of this, and afraid of that, and sign your liberties away here, please... This Government we have now is far more scary than the Terrorists.

Aren't you tired of being told how scary it is, and that big brother should be listened to?

We need to End the Politics of Fear and Begin the Politics of Hope. There is no Risk involved, nor Fear.

Whatever your choice, VOTE. "

manxkat wrote on Oct 27, 2008 9:33 AM:

" I like John McCain and Sarah Palin and voted for them last week. "

Sandra wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:00 AM:

" Is this an argument for voting the party, and not the candidate?
I really disagree with this type of thinking, as the Office of President is an executive office, and does not make policy. That falls to the congress. The President has the power to veto....that is about as much as he/she can do in asserting their will over policy. They are more important in the role of leading and setting tone. Our country needs a leader, not a republican, or a democrat. "

Sandra wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:02 AM:

" "This Government we have now is far more scary than the Terrorists."
Spend 8 years with a terrorist (if you can last that long), and then make that statement. "

Raven wrote on Oct 27, 2008 12:06 PM:

" Sandra, this government has done more damage to our rights than the terrorists ever thought of doing.... "

comment wrote on Oct 27, 2008 12:39 PM:

" Rocketman, do you think the war in Iraq has been a success? What have we gained? I know what we've lost. Thousands of young soldiers lives, Iraqi civilians lives and billions of dollars. Bush never found what he guaranteed would be there, weapons of mass destruction. Do you think the war was worth it? "

kevin wrote on Oct 27, 2008 1:08 PM:

" Do these people even read what they write, Sandra? "

4gnapan wrote on Oct 27, 2008 3:02 PM:

" Yep, we read what we write.

I have lived 8 years with Bush / Cheney, thats enough Terror for me, thank you.

But, if a terrorist were silly enough to attack me on my ground, I'm willing to defend it, lethally, if necessary.
Afghanistan is where we belong, not Iraq. I'm tired of fighting Bush's holy war.

And when my Government starts to remove my liberties in the name of anti-terrorism, then I believe it is time to re-arrange my government. We can do that here, so far...

Vote.
The world you save, may be your own. "

kevin wrote on Oct 27, 2008 6:13 PM:

" I voted for McCain because he has the most experience and has the best solutions for the Islamofascist threat.

B.O.'s solution is to negotiate "with no pre-conditions". He will cut the military at a time we can't afford it. (Barney Frank is already proposing 25% cuts).

Like him or not, President Bush made a promise to do everything he could to prevent another 9/11 and he has kept his word.

Are you prepared to deal with the "crisis" that Biden has promised will occur to test B.O.'s lack of experience? "

Raven wrote on Oct 27, 2008 7:42 PM:

" Kevin, you know as well as I do there was no proposal from Obama to cut the military at all....

Bush's promise has cost us our liberties and our treasure at 10 billion a month....imagine what could be done in say health care with that money....

as far as negotiating, Bush no talk hasn't done a lot of good so why not talk...

and as much as you my like it to be, Frank isnt running for prez and it is the prez who proposes the budget "

kevin wrote on Oct 28, 2008 6:46 PM:

" I'm the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning. And as president I will end it.

Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.

I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.
I will not weaponize space.


I will slow our development of future combat systems.


And I will institute an independent "Defense Priorities Board" to ensure that the Quadrennial Defense Review is not used to justify unnecessary spending.


Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons; I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material; and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert, and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals.

SOUNDS LIKE "CUTS" TO ME... "

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