Cyrus
Iron Chef - Master Emeritus
A lot of you will be happy to hear that on Tuesday, October 21st, I proudly and ultimately cast my ballot for the United States Presidency, as well as a variety of other offices on the federal, state, and local levels. I'm no first time voter, but this is my first time voting for president!
-A little about me-
Now, it's no secret: I am a politics addict. I guarantee you that I am well-watched, well-read, and well-listened on these things. It's not that often when I'm caught totally off guard in the voting booth. Since my exposure to the OJ Simpson trial in 1994, and since my exposure to conservative talk radio around the third grade, I've been hooked. At the moment, I enjoy the opportunities granted to me through College Republicans, as well as my friend's, Jess Fields', pseudo-Libertarian magazine, The Anthem.
It's also no secret that I'm a conservative Republican. If I could, I would have (and still would, in retrospect) voted for George W. Bush in '00 and '04. Hey guys, when you're stuck, and you really feel the second evil is that bad, then vote for the lesser evil! First past the post, remember?
However, it's a little-known fact that I have a mean Libertarian streak to me, and am unafraid to make loose cannon votes on ideals alone. The likes of Kinky Friedman, Ron Paul, and Wayn Allyn Root have similarly-powerful messages for the likes of McCain/Palin/Obama/Biden.
Now that you know a little about me...
-Who I actually voted for-
For the first time in my life, I voted a straight Republican ticket.
Yes. In the most unfavorable year for Republicans...The most conflicted year I've had with my party since 2006 (I voted for two Democrats, three Libertarians, and the rest Republican that round), I voted deliberately for each one.
Why?
I'll tell you why, but to simplify things, we'll look at the top of the ticket: John Sidney McCain, and Sarah Louise (Heath) Palin. Most of you won't care to hear about the likes of Rob Curnock or Rick Davis (a local candidate... not McCain's campaign manager).
We'll take a look at why they got my vote.
We'll especially take a look at why none of their major opponents (Obama/Biden, Barr/Root, McKinney/Clemente) received my vote.
Since polarized party politics are just that kind of a beast, I'd like to start with the bad...Issue by issue.
I'll start with the simpler, more clear-cut issues to me. For me, these are such topics as gun control and abortion.
Then, we'll move onto the complicated matters. Like the economy, and foreign policy.
It's gonna be a fun ride - especially for you Dems that are just completely convinced in Obama (to whatever degree you choose...Either as just a good option we need in a post-Bush era, or messiah)!
Back to back posts merged. The following information has been added:
Part #1: Gun Control
Cynthia McKinney doesn't have a lot to show on the subject of Gun Control. My friends at www.ontheissues.org are very useful, and relatively fair...And they don't have much to show for her.
Just one vote NO against a prohibition on misuse lawsuits, and a NO against decreasing the waiting period to purchase a gun. The latter was a surprise when I read it, because I found out for the first time that she was sane on one issue.
Ironically and hypocritically, she is a fervent admirer of anything with the Black Panther name on it...*Shakes head.
Bob Bar, in an almost stereotypical fashion, reverses on this with regard to McKinney. He loves decreased waiting periods, but also detests frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers. I wish I could have more to say on him here, because I respect him a good deal more than McKinney, but...Oh well.
NOW, for the major hitters:
Barack Obama does not have a lot to show for his time in the senate. According to my other friends at votesmart.org, Obama has voted Yes on a child safety lock amendment, No to the same lawsuit issue McKinney would say no to, and "Yes" to preserving a citizen's second amendment rights to hold onto a gun during an emergency scenario.
However, his more questionable days of gun control legislation span back to his days in the Illinois State Senate.
Since this entry's supposed to be simple on facts, but heavy on ideology, I'll cite only one of the many problems I have with Obama back then: his voting No to this law:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/Bil...D=3&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=7961&SessionID=3&GA=93
Essentially, voting "yes" to that law would ensure Illinois residents similar securities enjoyed by Texans, under our so-called "Castle Laws," which preserve one's right to defend his property and life against intruders.
Barack Obama voted "no." This instantly turned me off when I heard about it.
Two days later, our friends at factcheck.org would post an evaluation of the NRA's outcry against Obama's policy...Where, after calling out the NRA on their mistakes, begrudgingly admit that Obama "was" against this bill.
I won't even run the risk of distorting this thing's context, so read as much or as little of it as yourself:
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_rifle_associations_true_story.html
So, with "horrible," "meh," and "meh" (respectively), Senator John McCain does not have to do much to win me on this issue.
Unlike the other three, John McCain has a giant history to draw from...Which is both good and bad for his campaign. Again, according to our friends at Vote Smart, McCain has almost never wavered on gun rights; yet, he hasn't been one of the stubborn outlier senators on such issues as firearm safety locks.
VERDICT:
Second amendment rights don't weigh a lot on my conscience, but they do on my friends. I know people who've been hurt by crooks, who have been hurt by being bred into societies that actively discourage gun ownership (thus discouraging self-defense for the physically weak), and have even been punished for their attempts to protect their property.
I don't care if it says it in the constitution or not, but John Locke, one of our true founding fathers, made us keenly aware of our inalienable right to property. Our nation's Founding Fathers, while not willing to guarantee the protection of that much, did give us the nod indirectly through the Second Amendment. It's an important issue, even if it doesn't affect you personally.
John McCain - 1st
Barack Obama - 2nd
Bob Barr - 3rd
Cynthia McKinney - 4th
Part #2: Abortion (Post 17)
Part #3: Vice Presidential Picks (Post 20)
Part #4: Health Care (Post 78)
Part #5: Associations 87 and 97
Part #6: Illegal Immigration (Post 64)
Part #7: Economics and Budgeting (Post 98)
Part #8: Foreign Policy
-A little about me-
Now, it's no secret: I am a politics addict. I guarantee you that I am well-watched, well-read, and well-listened on these things. It's not that often when I'm caught totally off guard in the voting booth. Since my exposure to the OJ Simpson trial in 1994, and since my exposure to conservative talk radio around the third grade, I've been hooked. At the moment, I enjoy the opportunities granted to me through College Republicans, as well as my friend's, Jess Fields', pseudo-Libertarian magazine, The Anthem.
It's also no secret that I'm a conservative Republican. If I could, I would have (and still would, in retrospect) voted for George W. Bush in '00 and '04. Hey guys, when you're stuck, and you really feel the second evil is that bad, then vote for the lesser evil! First past the post, remember?
However, it's a little-known fact that I have a mean Libertarian streak to me, and am unafraid to make loose cannon votes on ideals alone. The likes of Kinky Friedman, Ron Paul, and Wayn Allyn Root have similarly-powerful messages for the likes of McCain/Palin/Obama/Biden.
Now that you know a little about me...
-Who I actually voted for-
For the first time in my life, I voted a straight Republican ticket.
Yes. In the most unfavorable year for Republicans...The most conflicted year I've had with my party since 2006 (I voted for two Democrats, three Libertarians, and the rest Republican that round), I voted deliberately for each one.
Why?
I'll tell you why, but to simplify things, we'll look at the top of the ticket: John Sidney McCain, and Sarah Louise (Heath) Palin. Most of you won't care to hear about the likes of Rob Curnock or Rick Davis (a local candidate... not McCain's campaign manager).
We'll take a look at why they got my vote.
We'll especially take a look at why none of their major opponents (Obama/Biden, Barr/Root, McKinney/Clemente) received my vote.
Since polarized party politics are just that kind of a beast, I'd like to start with the bad...Issue by issue.
I'll start with the simpler, more clear-cut issues to me. For me, these are such topics as gun control and abortion.
Then, we'll move onto the complicated matters. Like the economy, and foreign policy.
It's gonna be a fun ride - especially for you Dems that are just completely convinced in Obama (to whatever degree you choose...Either as just a good option we need in a post-Bush era, or messiah)!
Back to back posts merged. The following information has been added:
Part #1: Gun Control
Cynthia McKinney doesn't have a lot to show on the subject of Gun Control. My friends at www.ontheissues.org are very useful, and relatively fair...And they don't have much to show for her.
Just one vote NO against a prohibition on misuse lawsuits, and a NO against decreasing the waiting period to purchase a gun. The latter was a surprise when I read it, because I found out for the first time that she was sane on one issue.
Ironically and hypocritically, she is a fervent admirer of anything with the Black Panther name on it...*Shakes head.
Bob Bar, in an almost stereotypical fashion, reverses on this with regard to McKinney. He loves decreased waiting periods, but also detests frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers. I wish I could have more to say on him here, because I respect him a good deal more than McKinney, but...Oh well.
NOW, for the major hitters:
Barack Obama does not have a lot to show for his time in the senate. According to my other friends at votesmart.org, Obama has voted Yes on a child safety lock amendment, No to the same lawsuit issue McKinney would say no to, and "Yes" to preserving a citizen's second amendment rights to hold onto a gun during an emergency scenario.
However, his more questionable days of gun control legislation span back to his days in the Illinois State Senate.
Since this entry's supposed to be simple on facts, but heavy on ideology, I'll cite only one of the many problems I have with Obama back then: his voting No to this law:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/Bil...D=3&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=7961&SessionID=3&GA=93
Essentially, voting "yes" to that law would ensure Illinois residents similar securities enjoyed by Texans, under our so-called "Castle Laws," which preserve one's right to defend his property and life against intruders.
Barack Obama voted "no." This instantly turned me off when I heard about it.
Two days later, our friends at factcheck.org would post an evaluation of the NRA's outcry against Obama's policy...Where, after calling out the NRA on their mistakes, begrudgingly admit that Obama "was" against this bill.
I won't even run the risk of distorting this thing's context, so read as much or as little of it as yourself:
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_rifle_associations_true_story.html
So, with "horrible," "meh," and "meh" (respectively), Senator John McCain does not have to do much to win me on this issue.
Unlike the other three, John McCain has a giant history to draw from...Which is both good and bad for his campaign. Again, according to our friends at Vote Smart, McCain has almost never wavered on gun rights; yet, he hasn't been one of the stubborn outlier senators on such issues as firearm safety locks.
VERDICT:
Second amendment rights don't weigh a lot on my conscience, but they do on my friends. I know people who've been hurt by crooks, who have been hurt by being bred into societies that actively discourage gun ownership (thus discouraging self-defense for the physically weak), and have even been punished for their attempts to protect their property.
I don't care if it says it in the constitution or not, but John Locke, one of our true founding fathers, made us keenly aware of our inalienable right to property. Our nation's Founding Fathers, while not willing to guarantee the protection of that much, did give us the nod indirectly through the Second Amendment. It's an important issue, even if it doesn't affect you personally.
John McCain - 1st
Barack Obama - 2nd
Bob Barr - 3rd
Cynthia McKinney - 4th
Part #2: Abortion (Post 17)
Part #3: Vice Presidential Picks (Post 20)
Part #4: Health Care (Post 78)
Part #5: Associations 87 and 97
Part #6: Illegal Immigration (Post 64)
Part #7: Economics and Budgeting (Post 98)
Part #8: Foreign Policy
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