Mindless Tripe and Star Studded Glamour Appeal

I doubt that these will be my final comments about this particular election cycle, regardless of who wins what office.  My observations about Election 2008 are being written on the eve of a truly historical presidential election, one that will likely have a profound impact on where our nation will be headed for decades to come.

Barack Obama as our nation’s first African-American candidate (okay, he really is half white) and Sarah Palin as just our nation’s second woman vice-presidential candidate have heightened interest in this campaign, perhaps well beyond what we could have ever expected. Then again, how many of us thought that Hillary Clinton would represent the Democrats this November and that someone else, besides John McCain, would win the Republican nomination? This year has certainly had its share of surprises!

This particular election though has bothered me considerably, especially as the Democratic candidate’s obvious shortcomings have not been fully vetted by the media which has been openly supporting his candidacy throughout. What we have here is an attractive candidate, one with star-studded glamour appeal, a top notch orator — at least as long as the teleprompter is working!

But, we also have a candidate who holds some dangerous views, a person who is sending out strong signals that he’ll be spreading the wealth (your wealth) around, sitting down with dictators, and ushering in what will likely be a new era of repression not seen in this country since the McCarthy era. With the Fairness Doctrine rising up out of the dust, abortion on demand implemented across the board, and the likely appointment of at least two Supreme Court justices who devalue life, the spiritual darkness ready to descend on our land is thick and heavy. That is, if Obama wins.

My other beef with this election is the mindless tripe I constantly find online. Certainly, online access to the news and the blogosphere have impacted the way news is disseminated tremendously, but it is clearly one-sided.

Worse, is the public’s willingness to embrace a candidate whose mantra of Change, Hope, Believe says absolutely nothing, giving warm touchie-feelies to millions of adherents. Mindless and empty platitudes combined with dangerously vapid hyperbole from a throng of hysterical supporters who you dare not cross.

On the Republican side, we have John McCain — a centrist candidate who admittedly did much damage to the conservative movement. Until Sarah Palin came along, his chances of winning the election were quite small, but by pulling in a charming, but quite unknown conservative from Alaska, his campaign received new life and the conservative base has been energized to a level not seen since Ronald Reagan was president. Credit Palin, not McCain with this energy, but I’m not about to be too hard on McCain who truly fought for our country, suffered the consequences, and has a track record that Obama can only dream of.

The media has done their best to rip apart Sarah Palin but for those of us who love our God and our nation, respect life, and prefer minimal government intervention, Governor Palin is the right tonic for a political party that has taken its lumps. True, we know of her shortcomings as we do know Senator McCain’s, but Obama (and Biden) have quite a few of their own, difficult as it has been to learn of through the newspapers, network news shows, and other sources controlled by the left.

As for me, I’ll continue to share what I believe to be important on this blog as well as on other sites that I manage. I would hope that relevant news would be disseminated by the mainstream media, but we’re not likely to see that happen regardless of who is in the White House or what political party controls Congress. That leaves this responsibility to bloggers and online journalists who have a passion for the truth and don’t want our nation to sink into one party obscurity where their thoughts are your thoughts or else!

My Endorsements For This Election Day

One of the Most Significant Elections of Our Lifetime

Early voting has been going on for some time here in North Carolina and I haven’t gotten to the polls yet. Whether I vote before November 4th or wait until polls open on Election Day, you can bet I’ll be there at some point to make sure that my voice is heard. I hope that you are planning to do the same.

The following are my choices for several contests directly impacting me and the reasons why my vote is going to a particular candidate:

President/Vice-President of the United States of America — The only conservative candidate running this year is Sarah Palin, therefore my endorsement of the McCain/Palin ticket is a lock. John McCain has certainly lived up to his maverick label for many years, going against standard Republican policy particularly in the area of immigration reform. Though I disagree with McCain on several decisions he has made (even vehemently), this man offers a clear alternative to Obama/Biden with his choice of Governor Palin being a stroke of genius.

Barack Obama is untested, unknown, and a controversial figure. He also has a magnetism to him that I do not like, has been a strident supporter of abortion, and has strong socialist tendencies that I cannot support. Purporting to support the average American, his tactics to destroy “Joe the Plumber” while having antipathy for those who cling to guns and their religion prove that this man is an elitist who shouldn’t hold the highest seat in our land.

United States Senator, State of North Carolina — Elizabeth (Libby) Dole has served admirably in the U.S. Senate during her first term and should be sent back to Washington, DC. Working with the McCain administration, I believe that Libby would be an effective voice for good immigration reform, defend American interests abroad, and see to it that America’s reliance on foreign fuel sources is reduced.

Kay Hagan is relatively unknown to me, but I know that she serves in the North Carolina Assembly, via the 27th district, a position she has held since 1999.  Top national Democrats have targeted this election, concluding that Dole is vulnerable and have poured millions into Hagan’s campaign. Hagan’s actions have been given a lot of scrutiny from Republicans who contend that she has raised debt levels in the Tarheel State, enough of a reason for me to fear what she would do in D.C.

United States House of Representatives, State of North Carolina (District 4) — I learned about Republican candidate William (B.J.) Lawson through online sources and quickly realized that he wants to unseat incumbent David Price in my district. Lawson has a strong libertarian streak and has been making a compelling case that Price’s campaign is being funded by corporate interests. Lawson’s appeal to Libertarians and Constitutionalists is evident, good reasons for me to support his candidacy.

Governor of North Carolina — I’ve been a resident of North Carolina for four years and have had plenty of time to understand how politics works here. Most residents are conservative and tend to vote for Democrats on the state level, while regularly sending Republican U.S. senators to D.C. Almost always, the state opts for the Republican presidential candidate.

State politics, however, reminds me of the good ‘ole boy network where backroom deals and other favors are routinely dispensed.  Our state has seen enough scandals over the past several years, many of which have taken place under the leadership of our outgoing governor, Mike Easley. Pat McCrory’s stance on illegal immigration, education, government reform, and economic development resonates with me and that is why he is getting my vote. Bev Perdue, on the other hand, seems to represent the type of network I would like to see disappear in this state.

There are a lot of other contests being waged which impact me that I haven’t mentioned here. Still, when it comes time to go to the polls, I’ll carefully study what each candidate is proposing and vote accordingly. There are no bond issues or referendums on the ballot this year.

This election cycle seems to have gone on and on and I’ll be glad when it is over. However, I’m very grateful for the right to vote and hope that you are too.