My friends! I have weighed up the arguments, listened to their speeches, read the commentary and come to a tragic conclusion. Yes, I am still a Republican and if I were lucky enough to be a US citizen, the Hero of Hanoi and the Lip-sticked Grizzly would be getting my vote. The reasons are pretty simple.
I am not anti-abortion or anti-gays, I think private ownership of AK-47s is probably not the way to a safe and harmonious society and the death penalty is no way to right a wrong so I probably don't have much in common with Sarah Palin. But I do believe in lower taxes, smaller government and a robust foreign policy committed to democracy and it seems to me that John McCain is promising these thing and Obama is not.
I would love to vote for Obama but I'm afraid that I buy into the main line of attack from the Republicans. He is an inspirational figure and he has shattered political orthodoxies all over the 50 states - thank God for Barack Obama - but he doesn't seem to stand for anything except a vague left-of-centre mild socialism that thinks the government can do everything for everyone. Put simply, I will follow any politican that has personal choice and personal responsbility at the core of his or her message and nothing Obama has said suggests that he believes in either.
However, a word of warning for McCain/Palin - and I am sure both are avid readers of this blog. I am watching them very closely on Guantanamo Bay and Iraqi prisoners. There will be Republican hawks out there putting pressure on them to rescind their promises on Guantanamo and holding prisoners without charge in Iraq. Both situations have to stop the moment George Bush leaves office. Guantanamo, in particular, is a stain on the US that has to be erased as soon as possible. The US was founded on the points of freedom, liberty and justice for all. And those noble aspirations apply as much those men and women locked up in Cuba and in the jails of Baghdad as they do to hockey moms from Alaska.
3 comments:
Ah James - you're making the mistake that the Democrats want you to make. John McCain is not George Bush or Dick Cheney. After all GWB defeated JMcC in 2000 during that vicious primary race. And let's not forget how much of JMcC's speech was given over to suggesting that the Republicans had made mistakes from 2000-08. No, McCain is his own man and his speech made that clear. He is very much not Bush Mk II.
You are right in much of what you say. The Republicans don't deserve another term in office and I loathe Bush and Cheney as you do and for the same reasons. But I would be happy to vote for McCain the man and what he stands for and given that politics in the US is so personal, my vote would be for him not the Party. Remember this too. There are a lot of people out there who hate John McCain. And they include Bush and Cheney.
Finally, I disagree with you about the function of the state. I do not believe the state has any role in society - I am with Mrs. Thatcher on this one. A country is defined by universal values that the majority agree to and abide by; not by values that are imposed or suggested by the state. The state is not my friend but my servant.
My problem is that McCain has offered nothing but the rhetoric that Bush has offered up in the past 8 years and so I just do not think there will be change. His speeches, and the party speeches, are littered with references about terrorism and iraq - even at points that seem to have little to do with it. He and his party are also trying to discredit Obama on him being weak on these issues and striking fear and paranoia in the electorate as a result. It just does not seem right to me and is a continuation of Bush in my opinion.
If he does win, perhaps I will be proved wrong. I agree that the first thing he needs to do is close Guantanamo - though I have doubts that he will. Time will tell...
As for the last point, I guess we just take a different stance on this which is why you support McCain and Obama. Not so clear cut in the UK though...
Unsurprisingly, George, I am afraid I disagree on this one.
Firstly, however, it is only right to point out that America really is on for a tough choice here. Not only do they get two very strong candidates but they both offer some definable choices. I still think this race is far from over and McCain stands every bit as much of a chance as Obama. Compared to the choices we have in Britain at the moment, America is on to a good thing - which is reflected in the fact the US politics is generating more interest in the UK media and electorate than our own main parties.
However, my reasons for not wanting McCain to win are two fold.
Firstly I could never bring myself to supporting a party that is anti-abortion, opposes universal health care, supported the war in iraq, uses terrorism as the excuse for various policies and to strike fear in the people and attack the opposition, bases it much of its rhetoric and ideology on narrow form of christianity, ignored the people during katrina, has selected a VP candidate that believes creationism should be taught in schools as a science and vehemently supports the use and ownership of semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles. And how they can preach about democracy and freedom with Guantanamo Bay on their doorstep is appalling.
Secondly, I think Obama's approach is far more sensible and optimistic for American's. The Bush presidency has given the given the US, unfairly in my opinion, a virtual pariah status abroad and has been a force for polarising its own people in America. Obama is the best figure not only for the US's reputation internationally, but also to re-unite a country that is, in parts, (to use a great American term) disenfranchised.
To say he is policy light is also unfair. Speeches are meant to be captivating and inspiring. If Blair had read out a white paper on policy instead of his supposedly light-weight speeches then he would never come to power. I don't see much policy coming out of McCain's mouth in his speeches either.
Obama stands for universal healthcare - something America needs and deserves. He stands for for civil rights, a more sensible approach to immigration, he has made commitments of fuel use and his foreign policy is a breath of fresh air. As Major and Blair have shown, diplomacy is the only real way to end conflict. Speaking to Iran makes sense. The Republican approach, quite frankly, scares me!
This comes down to an idealogical choice, and while I would never say I was left wing, I do believe the state has an important role to play in society. It is great that America does have, to a certain extent, the chance to choose on idealogical grounds - far more we do!
Most importantly, this is America's election and some of the dumb criticism that British people and others give to America is a shame, because they really are making us look a bit stupid at the moment. And on that note, who ever they choose is quite frankly their choice - my opinions are based on a UK perspective.