Where to Place My Vote in November. Romney or Obama?
I keep watching with interest the prognosticators and pundits who espouse that Obama is not a strong leader and that change to a Romney business environment may be a solution. I want someone to speak up who remembers the sequence of context better than me to present the time line scenario for the past four years. Here is my general assessment.
It is a compromise of principal and a cop out to white wash the last four years with a single stroke of bad president, bad results. Properly done, one must put into context each decision in order. Obama has had to walk on eggs throughout his entire presidency because he has been a president for the entire country, not just the Democrats. Voices inside the opposing party were saying "it is my way or no way".
A democracy is founded on negotiations. As disappointed as we may be, we cannot have our way all the time. Negotiations are affected (and sometimes blocked) by perception, by greed, by principle, and by ego.
- Mostly perceptions are partial at best and no one on either side wants to acknowledge that another can have a different but valid perception. If we want to refer to weakness in leadership, show me someone in Congress who is a good and strong leader. I submit that leader will acknowledge the perception of both sides and seek to attract the trust of all. I don’t see anyone in place or about to step up… for either party.
- Greed and ego are driving forces. Our voters, our population, our constituency, our representatives have moved more to a financial gain basis of government and not a humanity basis of government. I have never before seen in our country such anger over paying taxes to protect, care, and administer for the citizens. Our American dream has become amassing personal $Millions beyond what could be used or spent in a lifetime.
- Principles are compromised by a growing number of people. Cronyism and money has become the trump card. There are small minded individuals wielding so much money that they can compromise principles in almost anyone in position of power.
- Negotiation, the backbone of our democracy, is based on the assumption that both parties come to the table with a sincere interest in reaching a balanced compromise in the interest of both. Each is prepared to work to reach a resolution. For a party to a negotiation to take a pledge-to-God or whatever that pledge was and vow not to compromise is to become an obstruction to our Democracy. What would they do if they had the gavel of the President, the Senate, and the Congress?
An example is our health care. If there had been open and sincere negotiations by both parties, our so-called Obama Care would be different, vastly different. An acquaintance recently implied that was wasted time that should have been spent on the financial discussions for our country. I submit it was not.
At that time and in the context of the country, there were attempted discussions on our financial condition but those were as obstructed as those on health care. Anger is not a suitable element of negotiation.
Another problem that is plaguing our country is that our political manipulators have discovered the use of lies (statements contrary to indisputable fact) to elevate emotion by saying what some people want to hear rather than what is true. The ability to manipulate people because of their inability to evaluate thought critically is rampantly growing and becoming a power of governing.
I read an article this week on the subject of Obama’s being the most hated president ever. I could not disagree. We are in a world that is and has been dominated by an inherent white privilege. As that dominance is threatened, there are those who organize to maintain that privilege. It is easy to label the target of hate as the guy with the black skin and focus on building that hate. The ease of doing this is to never mention the color black but yet make all roads lead to those of color. Use birth right, use culture, use race, an artful use of suggestive inference.
Would we elect a president who is openly gay? Would we elect a president who is openly Muslim? Would we elect a president who is a female? I submit that none of those characteristics should disqualify one but if the Democrats submitted a candidate, that would become the target to disqualify, no matter how good a president they would make. That is using prejudice to trump decency and intelligence.
- We are a petroleum based economy. The current administration is working to move us away from that economy driver and more into alternate energy sources. A republican administration would stop that.
- Health Care, if everyone paid a little into the program, it could allow everyone to have a minimum of care. What is there to fear? A republican administration would end that.
- The brilliance of the human mind created nuclear power. In doing so, at the time, they convinced the world that there was no harm in mining uranium. Coincidentally, just in the interest of humanity, they gave the predominance of the jobs to the Navajos. The Navajo nation has been devastated by cancer, by death, by deformity, by a genocide on sections of their culture. It is now documented thousands of ways that the leavings from the uranium mining have irrevocably hurt crops, animals, water, the earth, and a culture. It is still spreading. That same brilliance is undertaking FRACKING. That same level of mercenary is promoting this irreversible change on our planet. A republican administration would grow this decimation.
- We are all to blame for driving manufacturing to other countries. When I was young, the trade deficit was monitored. If we were importing too much, an import tax was put on the products to enable USA made competition. The dropping of that tax was bipartisan. We need to revisit that control to move more manufacturing back to the USA. A republican administration and congress would not do this because of their commitment to big business.
Suggesting that Romney is an unknown therefore a better vote than Obama is an incredibly inane statement for a learned man to make, yet I have heard it from some. I suggest that you consider the fiber of Obama’s principles and intent. Factor in that this will be his last term. (That is MAJOR in the significance of Presidential decisions). Factor in that even though he arrived at the White House with minimum experience (But more than Romney now has in Washington), he NOW has the experience of office.
It is “We the People” who need to speak up, stand up, and support our candidate. It is “We the People” who should ask for specific statements of intent from our representatives and aspirants. AND, when they do not state specifics, we should ask again and continue until they do. THEN, we should hold them accountable for that statement.
Finally, Obama has been vetted. We know the ghosts he is serving. Romney has not been and will not be by election time. Yes, he is apparently against taxes. He has his money off shore to avoid them. Romney is politicking and cannot tell us what he plans to do, at least not so we can understand how he will do it.
Romney is a product of the Republican Party. That party has not exhibited good judgment in the last four years. That party has not shown good intent. That is not the “UNKNOWN” to whom I would want to give the keys to the White House.
If an Obama/Biden ticket is presented. That is our best choice. However, if an Obama/Clinton ticket is presented, we just may step up the tempo to returning to our desired level of life and unity in our wonderful country.
momof3
9:17 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
Please remove your rose colored glasses that the Democratic Party is more humane than the Republican Party.For example, Obama wants to do away with the 'looking for work' and time limit for welfare, including all healthy adults. People can stay on welfare their whole life, pass on the same lack of work ethic to their kids & grandkids so that 3 generations can live on welfare and never go to or look for work. Bill Clinton, a true Democrat was President when Welfare Reform was passed. A 2 year limit was set and healthy adults needed to look for work.Obama is not a Democrat , he is a socialist. The problem with socialism is that everyone becomes more poor and no matter how hard you work, you can not solve the time and money issue for yourself & your family. Redistribution of wealth means no one creates it anymore and sooner or later, everyone suffers. Look at Italy, Greece, Ireland, Argentina, etc. Entire populations have been devastated by socialist thinking. How does promoting healthy adults to never earn a living helping them? It is robbing them of: setting a good example for their children, problem solving, planning for the future & building their own self-esteem. I apprecaite your passion to help others, but by supporting Obama, you are supporting methods in society that hurt everyone, especially the poor. I care about all people and that's why I'm voting against Obama. His policies don't work. He is bankrupting the most successful nation in the world.
Ronald
7:33 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
By supporting Romni you support the trashing of the environment. Denying social security to those that met their commitment and paid their dues and rewarding the upper 2% for the work of their parents and not their own.
Your generalizations of Socialism smack of McCarthiasm (sp?). Mom-of-3? Is that your claim to fame? What have you done for this country lately? Try enforcing the welfare and food stamp programs rules instead of allowing the programs to be milked and they would accomplish what they were intended for.
momof3
3:37 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Hi Ronald,
Why do you sound hostile? Are you seriously angry that I use momof3?Originally the account was created to voice an opinion re: public schools. Your other erroneous assumptions that I do not work to help others or that I have a disregard for the facts are also comical. I'm actually pro-environment and pro-responsible business. And I have not seen the political add you mentioned. I saw a news report that mentioned the Memo from Obama where he does want to lessen the work requirements for Welfare. It's his memo, not mine. My point is that the Welfare Reform Act is a successful program as is. Well over 2 million people went off welfare and went to work- paying taxes instead of living off your taxes.I'm all for social programs (it's a human responsibility and it just makes sense for a successful community& nation). But policies need to promote successful habits, not dependency. The unemployment rate is 8.3%. The un- and under- employed rate together is - 25%. For young adults (< 29) it's a whopping 1 in 3. http://www.gallup.com/poll/154553/one-three-young-underemployed.aspx These are the facts. Obama's policies/bankrupting stimulus packages are not effective. That's the fact. Someone needed to answer Rusty's account. That's the problem with media. Unbiased reporting has been lost. MSNBC is as far to the left as Glen Beck is to right. The news media giants (ABC, NBC, Fox) have an agenda, but fair, honest reporting is not it.
Ronald
5:10 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Mom of 3 My apologies about the momof3 comment. Obama has a habit of miscommunications. I truly wish there was an alternative BUT given Romnis position on fracking, off shore oil drilling, and unfettered running of oil pipelines from Canada through the heartland I just believe that 4 more years of Obama are so much better than 8 years of Romni with a chance for his moronic VP to get another 8.
Judith Moylan-Forman
11:12 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
@momof3
You have the facts wrong about President Obama and taking the work requirement out of welfare. This attack ad by Team Romney is blatantly false.
Fact: REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS in Utah and Nevada requested the "waiver" in question so it would give them more "flexiblity" in finding employment for welfare recipients.
Fact: Health and Human Services (HHS) specifically said that it would "axe" any requests that would "weaken or undercut welfare reform OR try to avoid time limits on assistance."
Fact: HHS "would require states to increase the number of people transitioning from welfare to work by 20% in order to get a waiver."
Fact: ROMNEY HIMSELF was among those 1st Republican governors who requested this kind of waiver in 2005 that were more far reaching. Romney wanted to avoid time limits.
Fact: Newt Gingrich even said that Romney's attack ad is untrue.
Fact: President Clinton also said the ad is "untrue"- he should know as it was his policy.
Ronald
7:35 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Thanks for the 'facts'. Truth be told 'momof3' and others don't want to know the facts. Facts just get in the way.
momof3
3:41 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Truth be told Ronald- I spend alot of time looking for the facts... Maybe you could try it sometime.
Amy Leahy
11:18 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
Rusty you are so full of it. I don't even know where to start so I'll just end it here:
"The Obama That I Used to Know"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJnAp3YxCCw&feature=youtu.be
Chris W
6:28 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
I saw this the other day and almost fell off my chair.
It really does show the problem he has with energizing his base.
Amie McCountry
11:28 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
Why should John Galt Work, when John Galt isn't rewarded for it and in fact John Galt is penalized for it. Maybe John Galt - move elsewhere and take his HOPE and entrepeneurship somewhere else:)
Karen H.
2:15 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Well done Mr. Vaughan! It's nice to read some decency and common sense concerning the upcoming election. I'll skip reading the comments because, well, republicans make me depressed.
Chris W
6:31 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
That's because they are the only adults in the room warning about the unsustainable spending. Unfortunately, the tax cut pledge is preventing them from any meaningful compromise.
niallasaorsa
5:20 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Did you get a chance to ask Clinton what the meaning of IS is? Couldn't help myself.
momof3
2:32 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Hilarious! I actually watched that sad testimony of what "is" is and I couldn't believe what was coming out of his mouth on the stand, sworn to "tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth".
Ronald
7:11 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I truly wish there was an alternative to Obama. He lied about Obamacarenot being a tax. He cann't tell us where the first round of 'payoffs' went as far as unions are concerned. Holder has been found in Contempt of Congress yet continues. He ORDERED the Attorney General to stop all investigations into voter intimidation whe it concerned the 'new and improved black panther party'. And the beat goes on.
BUT - anyone that thinks fracking and offshore oil drilling, not to mention terrorist rich and environmentally unsound pipelines running from Canada through America's heartland are worth dumping Obama for needs to increase their daily medications. Four more years of Obama are better than eight years of Romney who believes in investing his personal wealth overseas rather than in America.
Count me as a die-hard Republican who will vote against Romni.
Ronald
7:27 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I also pray tht Obama dumps Bidden and picks Hillary as his running-mate. The world loves Hillary and Bill. An Obama-Clinton ticket, with Bill as Secretary of State, would guarantee that Hillary would win in 2016 and would help keep O'Malley away from the White House.
John
10:01 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
I just wish we had a choice and not have to pick the one we think will do the least harm.
Ronald
5:12 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Your mouth to GOD's ears. I couldn't agree more. My prayers are also that some day I can vote for someone and not against them.
Rusty Vaughan
10:53 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
There is so much anger expressed here. Surely many of you are not reading what you write after your anger subsides. And, do you realize the meaning or lack of meaning of your comments.
I am thankful many of you are not in my daily life. My family, my friends, and my business associates of all parties and faiths are much happier and much less angry than many who vent (as opposed to contribute) here.
Thank you very much to those few who express themselves thoughtfully, agree or disagree gracefully, and who are able to deal with their emotions in favor of their intellect.
As humans we have choices for our feelings, our thoughts, and our actions. Those choices determine our worth, our value to the space we occupy. Those choices also guide other's perceptions of us. Make good choices. Live with good intent.
Ronald
5:15 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
But we are in your daily life as seen through your blogs. If we are incorrect then correct us. Don't walk away and allow us ignorant humans the luxury of thinking we won.
Judith Moylan-Forman
1:30 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Issues
In addition to the paramount issues of Medicare and Social Security, as well as an increase in the eligibility age, here are just a few other issues to consider.
To all our reservists, dust off your uniforms. To our young, go sign up now.
If Romney becomes President, we are guaranteed war with Iran. Just look at his chief foreign policy advisor, John Bolton, who never found a war he didn't like, On Face the Nation in June, Romney said he would be willing to take military action against Iran to prevent them from becoming a nuclear threat. He also said he would not consult Congress before beginning an attack...." I don't believe we need to have a war powers approval or special authorization for military force." Backed by the neo-conservative American Jewish funders like the Sheldon Adelsons, and evangelicals who are obsessed with Israel ( the Glenn Beckers and yes, Dan Bonginos of the world) Netanyahu will get what he wants.
Choices....more clarity.
The up-tick of Wall Street and "pay back" to them from Romney. Say good-bye to any consumer protection from the predatory practices of the large financial institutions......say good bye to any limits on the kind of 'malpractice' that caused the 2008 crisis. Hello to increased interest rates on credit cards that Paul Ryan has promised.....Mostly, say good-bye to any kind of financial oversight at all. And they want Social Security to be market-driven.
As I said, these are just a few.
Richard Hertz
6:13 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
The title is very misleading...a more appropriate title would be "Can a Radical Lefty Like Myself Ever Vote for Romney? Answer: No Way In Hell!"
Rusty Vaughan
6:40 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Define "radical lefty", please. And what about me makes me radical? Thank you.
SS
5:54 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
You have another OPTION - GARY JOHNSON
http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/
http://www.facebook.com/govgaryjohnson
Tommy Warshaw III
2:31 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Rusty,
Just like many others on the unreasonable side of politics, you make inference that the majority of dislike towards Obama must be driven by race. Did you ever stop to think for a minute that many of us do not like him because of his politics and his leadership (or lack thereof). I can tell you that for all those that I know, race hasn't a damn thing to do with it. It is funny that people bashed the crap out of 'ole Gee Dubya (this not a post defending him) and it was okay, but say you don't like Obama and it must have to do with the color of his skin. That's an absurd notion. In order to truly move towards equality, people need to stop pulling the race card out of the deck once and for all.
I wouldn't classify you as radical at all (like Mr. Hertz has), but I would say that you're an extremely biased liberal. The summation of most of your blog posts is that only the Democrats know the way to carry the sleigh and everything the Republicans do is going to lead us to disaster. Newsflash. Both sides are responsible for past and current messes that we're in. Both sides have become so polarized that getting cooperation across the aisle is harder than ever. Good legislation is about compromise. This country was built on it, but this past decade has seen less of a willingness to do that. Lastly, anyone that truly believes one party or the other (in their current forms) has all the answers is a pea wit.
Rusty Vaughan
9:30 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Good response, Tommy. Thank you. I shall respond by paragraph.
Para 1: Yes, Please consider the context regarding race and his being hated. There were some who disliked Bush politics but did not hate him. I grew up in the South. I personally know many people who will discuss political differences between parties but when Obama is brought into the conversation it switches to a hate-like anger. I have, in conversations with conservatives, discussed their anger without giving my position. Then, when I started using racial expletives and being derogatory toward the color of Obama, they smiled, became non-defensive, and contributed in kind. I did not say this is the case with you but it is with many.
Para 2: I agree with both sides being responsible. Neither has strength in leadership. Would you elaborate specifically on "extremely biased liberal" an omit a label from your discussion. I am interested where you see my bias specifically.
"Good legislation is about compromise". I agree and stated as such above. When a group of legislators take a pledge not to compromise, is that not obstructing democracy?
Ronald
3:40 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
It is only human nature to use the race card if that is what it takes to inflame the public and get them to vote. Since when has losing fairly been an acceptable alternative to winning through lies? Compromise would dictate that we ran on what we did and what we believed in - not on how bad the other guy is. I bleieve that this country was built not on compromise but on the backs of the working class and the power of uniting against tyranny.
Tommy Warshaw III
3:59 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
The two factors you mentioned certainly played a part, but if you believe that compromise wasn't involved, then you're out of touch with reality. Oh wait...I forgot who it was I was replying to.
Rusty Vaughan
9:40 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Ronald, so do you have a constructive positive realistic suggestion? I would suggest that humans use race and humans are prejudiced against race but that is not an excuse for their actions especially in a democracy. If a person of color or a hispanic were my height, weight, and dressed exactly like me then we went into many businesses and/or were in a legally suspicious situation, do you think that I would not have the advantage? Do you think that either of us would be more likely suspected of a crime? If you don't, I would submit you don't get out in the world much. That is the characteristic that prevents equality and that is a factor in politics whether we want it to be or not.
Ronald
9:35 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Nice hat. The last sentence was not necessary. You have no idea who you are replying to. Do you make these assumptions at work as well? Looks as if your blogging while on company time. How about giving your emploeer a full days work.