Comments, week 1 of August on politics and morality

In response to several FWDs from
conservative or Independent cousins of late.

In my opinion, nonsensical as any,
both campaigns have been pitiful.

But I still would rather vote for the one who was, IMO, right about the stupidity of the Iraqi war, taking out troops from Afghanistan. I view this mistake as one of the greatest strategic mistakes in our nation’s history, which will cost us billions and blood for decades to come. The human cost is simply incalculable. Leadership is about judgment. No more critical decision has been made since 911`1 than the one to go to war against Iraq.

This war has cost us immensely, not only in blood and money, but served to vastly fuel Muslim radical terrorists world wide and has not made us any safer, despite the exhaustion of our military in serving 3 and 4 combat tours. The NeoCon view that we could impose democracy on a tribal society was blind. Saddam had no WMD, and the evidence is now clear that #43 rapped up a huge propaganda machine to convince us.....

Two simple facts: the Military now was the highest suicide rate in history, and 300,000 vets with PTSD, often from knowing that they on orders killed civilians. We cannot fight two wars with a volunteer army.

Anyone who was blind enough to vote for the worst and most corrupt president, not only in our life time but maybe ever, I make bold to suggest has no judgment of character. He never had any integrity to begin with.

I do not think Obama can be elected. Not because he lacks judgment or leadership ability or smartness, or charisma, new ideas or the ability to work across party lines.

In difficult decisions, humans always go for the safer way. McCain seems safer. Most Christians, including the Vatican and the Pope, chose the safer brand of Christianity, not the riskier and more vulnerable vision and lesson spelled out by Jesus in the judgment scene in Matthew 25:vv 31 ff. (sheep and goats)

It is certainly the one passage mostly overlooked by Conservative Christians who tend to prefer the presumably black and white issues such as abortion and gay rights. We are, said Jesus, responsible for our brothers no matter where they are, and on this response, shall we be judged. Oops.

Obama to win, would have to be, IMO, ten points ahead going into the November voting booth, or the Bradley effect will defeat him. I do not think that polling margin will be enough, plus I do not think the South will vote for a Black President, As I listen to friends here, many convinced that he is Muslim. That is a code word for Uppity Nigger, since it is clear that he is a Christian.

I do not think either campaign is yet speaking to the pocketbook issues. Both parties are responsible for this urgent energy crisis we have... the writing was on the way from the oil crisis of the early 1970s, but no one would listen. We have had no leadership in D.C. for years.

But if you are an investor, the economy always does better under Democrats. because of the blind knee jerk reaction against all government regulation of the Repugs which is the root source of the current mortgage crisis. A few millions dollars of regulation would have saved billions of taxpayer money now used to bail out banks and financial institutions carried away by corporate greed.

On and BTW, Repugs are always leery of government welfare for individuals. Never mind government welfare to corporations. Consider the no-bid contracts to Haliburton, Blackwater etc. since 9/11,

My opinion is no more valid or noteworthy than most. But my political education began in 1940 when my father ranted and raved against FDR as a communist or at least a socialist for his government programs in the race against Wendell Wilkie in 1940. The American Medical Assn opposed every government program as the first step toward socialized medicine.

I would say to my conservative Republican friends, every time you get your social security check or Medicare benefits, thank the Dems because your own party was against these.

I find the many smears and fears against O. typical of the dirty tricks in campaigning started by Dirty Tricks Nixon who got elected to Congress the first time by tarring his opponent, Helen Gallagher Douglas. Typical Repubs "family values" is the Machiavellian win at all costs.

Nevertheless this is the most interestng and exciting political campaign I have seen in my lifetime since I was awakened to political realities by my staunch Republican father.

God bless you all. Have a great day.
Bernard.
August 5, 2008