My take on the election
November 5th, 2008OK, you want my take on the elections? Here they are.
As you know, I supported neither McCain nor Obama. Wasn’t high on either of them. I don’t expect either of them to defend the Constitution. The optimist in me though does see Obama as keeping his campaign promise to eliminate the tax breaks for outsourcing. Good. That really helps my industry. Outsourcing is destroying the American Middle Class. We do need to eliminate those tax breaks.
This may surprise you but I was actually against the California Proposition 8. Here, gay marriage is legal, as it should be. I simply don’t believe in telling another adult what to do. Period. That’s it. Two gay men or two gay women getting married in no way affects you or me. At all. Who cares? It’s as simple as that.
San Francisco had a measure for legalizing prostitution. I hope it passes, but as of now, it’s failing. Prostitution should be legal. The fact that it’s illegal is actually physically dangerous to prostitutes. If Joe down the street sees a prostitute, it will affect you in no way whatsoever. I think the same thing if Joe’s at his house and lights a joint. It doesn’t affect you. It only affects you if he operates a crane stoned. Then you have a concern.
Both Obama and McCain are anti-gun. As you know, I believe you don’t tell adults what to do. I’d get rid of every gun law on the book. Every single one. They’re all Unconstitutional, and once again, you don’t tell adults what they can and cannot have in their house.
Ironically, I’m really hoping Obama stays healthy. I hate Joe Biden with a passion and absolutely do not want to see him running this country. I was hoping Obama picked Edwards, someone who had something about him I liked (Edwards was very anti-outsourcing).
In the local front, we had a State Senator that cannot manage money whatsoever, but she enacted a huge smear campaign against her opponent (who I supported) and it was successful. Our Congresswoman will probably be re-elected and I can’t stand her either. She wrote me a letter that was completely full of b.s. how even though over 90% of her letters were anti-bailout, she had to reluctantly support it. What a moron. So of course I voted against her. So you can personally thank her for our $700 billion going to pay for AIG Executives throwing parties.
So this election didn’t go too well for me. Pretty much nothing or no one I supported won, but I’m used to it so no surprise. See, if you’re fiscally responsible and you believe in the Constitution, you’re a Minority. Most people want hand outs and someone else to make decisions for them, because the majority of people are sheep. They can’t think for themselves. They’d rather have other people think for them.
So it goes. Michael Crichton just died, which also really sucks. If you haven’t already, pick up his book Eaters of the Dead. It’s one of my favorite 100 books of all time.
On the plus side, I lost twenty pounds and feel great. I can still do twenty chin ups and still run a mile under five minutes. I haven’t had this much energy since my early 30s. When I get around to it, I’ll explain how I did it.
Going to a party tonight with a bunch of local bloggers. I’ll be online this weekend though, because I’m expecting heavy rain so hopefully I’ll be able to hit your blogs.
I’m waiting for final statistics. I want to know how many voted 3rd party. I’m hoping for 20%. Our Independent candidate for US Senate made a real good showing.
Z told me about Crichton the minute I got home from work. BUMMER!! He was one of our favorite authors. Brilliant man! Eaters of the Dead was my least favorite of his books.
Tshsmom - Really? I loved that book. I also enjoyed Andromeda Strain. I know I read more but I’ve read so many books I don’t remember what I read any more. Oh yeah, that Nano book too I liked. Forgot the name.
Cool about MN. Wish CA would do the same, but this state is very Republicrat. Or should I call them Democans?
I can’t figure out how the hell you lost 20 lbs…you didn’t have it lose!
Ah! Something we have in common politically - I love John Edwards, too!
ZS - Your guns are safe. The supreme court is so right-leaning that you don’t have a worry in the world on that score. I was scared that Roe v Wade was gone, though, if McCain had won.
I haven’t read that Michael Crichton. I’ll have to check it out. I prefer his earlier stuff as a general rule, however.
Hey Zomb! Great job losing 20 lbs. I think that I found them. It is sad about Michael C. Have read a few of his health pubs in the way too distant past. Agree that the Constitution has a darn big role and it should be followed. I too worry about Obama’s health. Was quite concerned about the potential repercussions of McCain being in office. I think that local content legislation is inevitable, and for Canada it’s an even bigger issue. At least you folks had it at one time. With the conservatives in office here, it’s unlikely to be implemented until someone more reasonable is in office. With the Dems in place in the US, there’s a greater likelihood that this will happen. AFter all, if all the jobs leave, who’ll pay the taxes to pay these guys (wink)?
I’m just glad Bush will be gone soon.
I think it’s a sad state of affairs when Californians can agree to treat our farm animals better (you know… before we eat them), but cannot handle giving gays the right to marry. I voted against Prop 8 (banning gay marriage) and I voted for Prop 2 (humane treatment of animals). I don’t agree about prostitution being legal, but to each their own. I’m not crazy about Obama, but I did vote for him. There’s no chance in hell that I wanted Palin to even be close to the White House.
Glad to see your return.
Congratulations on the weight loss and enjoy the party!
On the election front I think the whole world will sleep more soundly when George Bush leaves office. Obama appears to have given a hell of a lot of people hope. Fingers crossed he delivers.
Sucks about Michael Crichton. He wasn’t very old.
I don’t expect miracles from Obama or anything (I never expect miracles from politicians), but I’m sooo relieved McPalin didn’t win. Four years of that woman would have driven me to drink.
Kudos to you for opposing Prop 8! A friend of Richard’s sent us a scare video about how schoolchildren in the U.S. will be forced to look at picture books of men raising a child together if Prop 8 passed, as if gay marriage is any of her damn business in the first place. She doesn’t even live in the U.S. I wrote about that here: http://swallowingthecamel.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-just-dont-get-it-my-signif-other.html
Here’s the problem with a lot of constitutionalists - they refuse to accept the fact that the constitution was purposely written as a living document that could and SHOULD be changed when need be. As someone who would be denied the right to vote in the constitution, I take issue with those who believe that the constitution was perfect the way it was written.
Protecting the PRINCIPLES of the constitution is what is important - and above all, that means listening to what “We the People” think should be changed about it.
SME - The ads here for Prop 8 were worse. It said that teachers would HAVE to teach gay marriage in schools if it wasn’t banned. Of course, the SF teacher who took her class to her wedding between her and her life partner didn’t help the cause any. I wouldn’t bring my class to a wedding, no matter who was involved. But it just added fuel to the fire. The religious right jumped all over that. I think it’s a large part why the ban was passed. Scare tactics work.
congratulation on lossing 20 lbs. WOW!!
and congratulation on a new President, i’m sure he’ll be ten times better than the earlier one.
We also have a new king back home…. its an awesome day for all of us. Check out this link
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/New-King-Crowned-In-Himalayan-Nation-Of-Bhutan/Article/200811115144625
Kathleen - You saw me after losing the weight.
Bridget - Hard to say what Obama will do with the economy. If the jobs continue going overseas, nobody will be left to pay taxes.
Kate - January 20th.
Notta - Agreed on Prop 8. I guess Californians like animals better than gay. No surprise though, because Californians tend to like animals better than people, period.
Miladysa - We’ll see. I was thinking both McCain and Obama can’t possibly be worse than Bush. Knock on wood.
SME - I don’t know. I could have made some serious money as a comedian.
I’ll check out that vid.
Laura - I don’t want my Bill of Rights being altered at all. Period. I don’t want a State religion. I don’t want my music censored. I don’t want anyone touching my guns. I don’t want to quarter troops. I don’t want jack booted thugs barging into my house. Etc.
Notta - Wow, you should have heard some of the whack jobs I work with. One lady was almost foaming at the mouth for Proposition 8. Some real crazies.
Tchoden - Yeah, congratulations to Bhutan. He seems like a good guy. He’s very young, but seems to carry himself very well for his young age.
Here’s the ironic thing about your statement. The Bill of Rights is nothing more than the first ten AMMENDMENTS to the Constitution. The founders realized that certain things required more specific clarification - and that’s good. So to me, it seems contradictory for anyone who believes in the Bill of Rights to say the Constitution should be preserved as it was written. I’m not saying the bill of rights should be changed - I agree with you there. But if the founders saw that different times required different interpretations of the issues, leaving room for re-interpretation was their greatest gift ever.
Laura - Yes. I should have been more specific.
The Constitution itself is set up to be modified and added to, but the Bill of Rights is sacred. I want no part of any of the Bill of Rights touched. That’s as perfect as something humans have ever done.
So what’s your take on Roe vs. Wade being based on the 4th Ammendment right to privacy? I’m curious because even though I know you hesitate to talk about abortion, as a libertarian I would assume you’d agree to government ‘hands off’ that kind of issue. However, in order to make that possible took an interpretation (not alteration) of the 4th amendment that was probably never envisioned by the founders.
I see the same possibilities with the 2nd - I disagree with those who think that Uzi’s, assault rifles, and rocket propelled grenades should be included in that interpretation.
Right to bear arms says to me that we have the right to arm ourselves without exception. The way I understand it is that Americans should be self-reliant in all ways, and as such would have the ability to defend themselves in case of invasion. It seems a remote possibility, but then so did Pearl Harbor. Leaving the document open to interpretation is simply a recipe for the oscillating ruling power to change the face of personal rights, which are sacred.
I wasted my vote on McCain. I couldn’t stomach giving it to Obama. It seems that he has started into his job as a centrist on national security, but it’s too early to tell. If this is true, then I’ll at least in one way have been wrong about what he’ll do.
“Leaving the document open to interpretation is simply a recipe for the oscillating ruling power to change the face of personal rights, which are sacred.”
Tell that to people who were originally excluded from the document. Sure, the constitution works just ducky for white, property-owning men. For others, we’ve had to fight to get our rights explicitly recognized in the document - hence why it needs ALWAYS be adaptable to change
You’ll have to clue me in on how other races are excluded in the wording of those rights. I see nothing about rights for all white men; the right to bears arms, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, etc, was not extended in any language to white men only. It was afforded to all people. If it has been interpreted differently by bigots then that’s a travesty. I won’t be giving up my rights just because the people that authored a document indifferent the contents of which is indifferent to race were slave owners. That document made this country great, and it’s not up for revision just because somebody wants to take our guns away.
Then please explain why we needed amendments guaranteeing rights for blacks and women to vote? It also required an amendment to end slavery.
I guess you’re right that it was bigoted interpretations that led to those exclusions, but in the real world, that’s what matters. In an ideal world, where those in power didn’t get to decide the meaning and interpretations of such documents, you are right. But I don’t live there, do you?
Notta - The schoolteacher didn’t take her class to the wedding - the parents themselves did that. It was a surprise for the teacher and her partner. I do agree with you, however, that it probably didn’t help the cause, at all. But I didn’t want you laying blame where it didn’t belong.
I’m not an expert, Laura. But my thinking is that an amendment should make clarifications to what should be glaringly obvious to people with honest good sense, or to grant rights that may have been overlooked or unforeseen. But as soon as ruling powers are given the legal ability to overturn a constitutional right, no matter how innocuous it may seem at the time, then you might as well rip it up and start over because the dam will have been cracked.
See, I would lump AK-47’s into the “Unforseen” category in regards to limitations of the 2nd amendment. But that’s just me.
AK-47s are perfectly legal in most states. Do you know how many people get killed by them? Practically nothing.
The reasons for the 2nd Amendment:
1) to protect against foreign invaders
2) to overthrow the government when it becomes a tyranny
3) to protect yourself against crime
Kathleen - Figures. I knew there was something fishy about that.