Presidential Candidates

Disclaimer: As you probably already know, I lean a bit right of center in my core beliefs.

This is actually pretty fascinating to watch, if you pay attention.

First, the Democrats got control of both the Senate and the House in the last election. They were euphoric with this victory for a while, and did get some bills passed. But then they turned out to be massively, ludicrously ineffective in producing the most significant results they had promised their backers. In particular, they announced failure in Iraq a wee bit prematurely. And they had promised to force President Bush to pull the troops out, at which they totally failed. They have achieved little but vitriol in this term. They nearly caused major problems for our military in a theater of war, by balking at the financing. So the Democratic Party has not shown much competence or effectiveness while in office so far.

Now, the Democrats have Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Hussein Obama vying for the candidacy for President of the United States. They hope to put one of these two people into that office.

Hillary Clinton, it has become apparent, lies so glibly and frequently that it may be pathological. And so does her husband, who perjured himself under oath while a sitting president. They both have a sort of reality distortion field around them. Hillary’s flat-out pack of lies turns into ‘misspoke’. And Bill “depends on what you mean by ‘is’“. Hillary wants you to think that her experience as first lady translates into real diplomatic experience, when that participation did not include any real negotiating.

Barack Obama, it has become apparent, does not have any real understanding of the core beliefs of the rest of us. He simply doesn’t have the background. He displays a certain arrogance, as does his wife; they are both elitist, just as Hillary says. Additionally, he apparently stands by the beliefs of his former pastor, who is racist and anti-American, and preached hate from the pulpit. Obama has run on a platform of rhetoric, without supplying much in the way of details. He has no experience with foreign diplomacy, and no military experience at all. He’s a college kid with no real-world experience.

Both of these people have a huge lack of experience. Neither has any military experience; neither has any real diplomatic experience. Both have made huge promises that neither can deliver, particularly promising jobs and wealth in states that are presently economically depressed - promises made to get votes. Both are running on a platform of change, but without laying out details. Both want universal health care, a wonderful idea on the face of it - but somebody has to pay for that. Ultimately, the individual tax-payer will bear this cost, and it won’t be cheap.

The Democrats are in trouble. The party has chosen it’s candidates poorly, and their Democratic Congress hasn’t done so well either.

Compare them to Republican John McCain, who does have real military and diplomatic experience; is a bona-fide war hero; suffered real torture as a prisoner of war for 5 1/2 years, refusing to leave ahead of others who had been there longer. He went into politics in the early 80’s, gaining more experience both Democrats lack. So far as I am aware, the press hasn’t caught him in a lie, although he has made a gaffe or two. He is willing to admit if he doesn’t know all about a subject (the economy), which I find refreshing. He is against pork-barrel spending, and has demonstrated this by his actions, not just words.

John McCain appears to be an honorable man, and capable as well.

This is how it looks from where I’m sitting. Even though I lean a bit right, I’ve tried to describe here exactly what I see, insofar as it is possible to be unbiased. It looks to me like, ignoring which party they belong to, a rational person would pick McCain.

So how many people will choose the next president based on gender, or color, or political party, rather than character and experience?

-Pop