I was never passionate about politics until this election. Until this year, I could have cared less about who was President.

And then, one day about six or seven months ago, I happened to pick the elliptical trainer in front of a TV broadcasting MSNBC. Some guy was speaking in front of a crowd, but all I could do was read the subtitles. Afraid of losing my machine to another gym-junkie, I decided to not ask for the channel to be changed and made do.

I watched Barack Obama give a speech back before the election had even started.

Senator Obama was talking to people in credit card debt. He was telling him that he would save them from those predatory lending companies that got them into this problem.

That statement caused me to nearly fall off my machine. What?! This guy was blaming credit card companies for other peoples’ debt? That was ludicrous, and definitely summed up everything that pissed me out about most Americans—an unwillingness to accept responsibility for their own mistakes. People spent what they didn’t have, lived outside their means, fell into massive debt, and then blamed the credit card companies for doing this to them?!

And then here’s this guy, capitalizing on America’s inability to accept responsibility for anything. I instantly thought he was the slimiest politician that I had ever seen (yes, he was one of the only ones I had really ever listened to speak, but I still hold true to my first judgment today). I finished my workout, shaking my head that people would actually believe a snake like that.

And now I sit here, completely horrified at the thought that the same socialist snake (who is bolstered by the same kinds of people who roared their approval at his indignation over the “evil” credit card companies who “forced” them into debt) may very well become President of our entire country.

The idea of his winning makes me literally feel sick. And, I don’t feel any better when I think about how his competition isn’t living up to who he used to be. I have so much respect for Senator John McCain. He is more of a man than Obama could ever wish to be. What he sacrificed for our country throughout his years is inspiring. But, I miss my Straight-Talk express from eight years ago. Lars, my fellow blogger, has expressed this on countless occasions, and only now am I starting to agree completely.

Seeing John McCain approve the bail-out bill made me lose most of my hope. Entangling the government in the private business sector is completely against what the Republican Party believes, and yet he felt he had to reach a compromise. I feel for him. He needs to prove that he’s not the same man as President Bush, and yet he feels like he needs to stay true to his Party. But, this compromise made me sick, especially when we see the most Liberal, left candidate there is doing exactly what he wants and not worrying.

I also feel sick over Palin, and I continue to stand behind her. It’s sickening that the media is doing to her exactly what they did to George Bush—painting her to be an idiot and then replaying those clips over and over until the mindless public believes them. Here’s a woman, a moral woman who is unapologetic about her beliefs and consequently gets ripped to shreds by whoever dislikes her. (Apparently, she’s an idiot. Who cares if she was elected the governor of Alaska and fought for reform? She looked confused a few times during an interview, and that proves she’s an idiot.)

The intense focus on her “negative” qualities is ridiculous, but people absolutely believe it like rapid Pavlovian dogs who obediently react whenever a new Youtube clip is made. It’s disgusting how intensely the media scorns Governor Palin’s daughter because she made the choice to keep her baby. If this had been Obama’s daughter, we never would have heard about it. They would have taken care of the little “problem” as soon as they had found out. (And, the media would have applauded the fact that Obama supports the “women’s right” to kill babies. Obviously, I added the last part, but you can understand how I feel.)

It seems unfair that the media goes in a tizzy when the amount of money spent on Palin’s wardrobe (money she didn’t spend, but someone spent ON her), but pretty much ignores anything even remotely negative about Obama.

Don’t Obama’s collaborations with people like Bill Ayers (an unrepentant domestic terrorist) and Tony Rezko (convicted criminal who exploited minorities) prove that he lacks the judgment to handle the huge crisis he will inevitably face if he takes the office? As also pointed out in the NY Post, it’s not even the fact that he was linked to these men, but don’t the shifting explanations also show the lack of integrity on Obama’s part?

One of Obama’s most significant executive “experiences” to date was as chairman of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, which was an educational reform project founded by Bill Ayers (the terrorist). The project was a colossal waste of $160 million dollars, which, under Obama’s leadership, failed to do anything it set out to do.

Obama’s tie to Rezko (the convicted felon) comes out of his legislative “experience”, which was similar to his executive experience in that he continued to waste people’s money. According to the Post, “Obama co-sponsored several pieces of housing legislation favorable to Rezko and other slum-developers, giving them hundreds of millions in subsidies and other tax and regulatory advantages. They in turn funneled money to Obama’s campaigns and let their buildings deteriorate, even turning off the heat on their tenants in the winter.” Obama never bothered to find out how the money was being spent, but he worked every single legislative session to help provide more money for his low-brow “friends”.

I started out this post talking about my apathy for politics before this race. I never cared. And, I’m sure you can ascertain that I do care very much now. But, the other day at dinner, I figured out what it really was that I cared about.

I love my country. I love it with every fiber of my being. I am so proud to be an American, and I am so proud of everything those stars and stripes stand for. I have been since I knew what that flag stood for. (Unlike Michelle Obama, who apparently just became proud of her country.)

America’s not what it used to be. It’s not the same country that those men fought for in the World Wars. When I read about the sacrifices Americans made during those wars—doing without and donating to the war effort and growing their own food, it’s almost laughable to imagine this Give Me More Generation actually sacrificing anything.

I’m not a crier or a super emotional person, but I was so choked up, I couldn’t even get the words out. I hate what we’ve become—a nation of whiners and selfish people who care only about themselves. I heard an interview the other day with a woman who said she always voted Republican because she was absolutely against abortion. But, this election was different. She wanted to get her job back, so she’s voting for Obama. Seriously? You were always against murdering babies, but as soon as your economic security was threatened, you changed sides? Shame on you. Shame on you.

Maybe this race shouldn’t come as a surprise. Someone in my class the other night seemed appalled that I didn’t support free healthcare. “Don’t you think we deserve to be healthy?” Sure. But, I don’t think the government should get any more involved in our personal lives than it already is. I don’t think that we should force the rich among us to pay for the healthcare of the poor.

The basics of our country and economy are going to be on a bad slope if Obama wins. He’s basically discouraging any incentive people have to work hard and make something of themselves. What’s the point of busting your butt to start your own business or going to a job you hate so that you can provide for your family, and then watch the government take your money until you’re at the same level of everyone else? What’s the point? I might as well work retail the rest of my life since, if Obama wins, I’ll just reap all the benefits bought by the money taken from the wealthy.

Again, my frustration is also towards the fact that I feel like McCain is compromising when he shouldn’t, and I’m frustrated that people seem to be purposely ignorant, and I’m sad about what our country is becoming.

But, really, crying at dinner isn’t going to solve anything. I’ve people comment that they will vote for the lesser of two evils, but I don’t agree. As disappointed as I am in McCain, I won’t apply the same label Obama has to him. McCain’s not an evil in my book—he’s just not what I wish he could be.

Whoever you vote for on Tuesday might be the solution. It might be the problem. I guess we’ll see. I’m sorry I sound so emo about it all, but I’ve really just kind of lost heart with everything going on. Either way, it’s been nice blogging with and to you all.  <3

Posted on November 2nd, 2008 by Tierney Kain
Filed under: Mason Learns, Opinion