Hm. Big jerk? Not sure about that - and remember we are also talking about an america where the President of the United States had oral sex with a women 1/2 his age and then lied to the country and congress. And now he sells his memoirs. Politics is politics...for better or worse.
And, as for McCain, after being a prisoner of war for years, I am sure there were lots of decisions that were affected after that. Does that make him a bad man...maybe...but maybe that just makes him a man who made a choice.
It would be one thing if that were the only "jerky" thing about him. But he continues to offend and think he's above rules of common decency. The comments he's made about other candidates and even his own wife (with his version of "humor") are enough to make me cringe every time I hear him speak. And I certainly wouldn't hold Clinton up as an example of anything fabulous. America prospered during his terms, but I think that was more just part of the cycle than much actually accomplished by him.
To me it basically comes down to this: you can take a good man and make a great leader out of him. I don't believe you can take a "not-good" man and turn him into something great. Of the choices for 2008, I see two good people, and they both happen to be Democrats.
It certainly doesn't seem like McCain adheres to the "family values" he claims to have. More and more I'm beginning to think that's just a typical Republican though. See also Larry Craig.
I was surprised to see this, while also very pleased. I have lived in Arizona for 10 years. McCain has not been good to the people of Arizona. I am not sure how he would make a good president. His educational stance is what turns me off the most. I cringe when I hear him say "find bad teachers another line of work." His definition of bad teachers are those teachers whose students do not pass the mandatory state tests. As an ESL teacher in the inner city, automatically by McCains definition, I would be a bad teacher due to the fact my kids won't pass the test. The language barrier and the plain fact of the inner city pressures, abuse and more making it so they cannot pass the tests.
They do not receive any support at home, half of them are starving when they get to school, and most my kids where the same two outfits all week. That is not nearly the worst of what they go through. Not only that, but our inner city schools receive no resources. We get one workbook and have to copy it for all of our kids. I have 7 Social studies books and each group shares one. Wow, I could go on and on about the things our kids do not receive funding for but if you drive 20 minutes away kids not only have books and workbooks for the classroom but the same books to keep at home so they don't have to carry them around.
This is why I love Obama. He understands inner city life and teachers. He wants to support teachers by giving them additional training and resources. That all students have a right to an equal education no matter the neighborhood they live in. That teachers will be given pay incentives by going to professional development courses to stay in touch with the newest research that will guide us in the best practices to educate our children. Not like McCain, where he will pay teachers more for the mere fact their students do well on tests. So does this mean I go teach in a rich neighborhood so I can get those incentives? Of course not, but I do believe students and teachers should be treated equally and fairly. That my students have the potentials to rise high in this world, --just as much as the next white rich kid.
And... well of course, I love Obama for wanting to protect our environment and alternative energy. Do not like McCain for the offshore drilling which will only be a fast/temporary fix, when in the long run when my children's children are in a crisis we will have used up precious resources.... sigh...
Maybe you don't even like Obama... but as for McCain... I am glad we agree. :) We do need some serious changes and not for things to stay the same. I am not a Clinton supporter for the moral issues either... to agree with the person above. If we are looking for family values... we need to look at the Obama family. Past and Present.
I always wondered if you would bring up politics on your blog. I'll just add my two cents. I don't like McCain either, but to be honest, Obama literally scares me: his Socialist leanings, his inconsistent views and voting record, and the years spent listening to Jeremiah Wright Jr. I am interested to see the presidential and vice presidential debates. I absolutely love Sarah Palin...so far. If getting her the presidential nomination in 2012 means putting her in as VP this election, I might vote the Republican ticket. I still need to research the Libertarian nominee, Bob Barr. I've been pretty impressed with the little I've heard from him. On a sad note, will all my personal research really make any difference as a Utah voter anyway? Probably not, but at least I can vote my conscience.
Rachel, it's good to read your thoughts. Thank you for sharing. At this point, I don't know how I feel about Obama's politics, but it's something I'm going to be investigating.
Really, Mary, you love Sarah Palin? I'd have to say I don't love her. At first I thought I might be able to like her, but the more I learn, the less I like her. One thing that is likely small to most people but huge to me is that she reauthorized a bounty on wolves, and she is totally anti-environment. Read this if you are interested: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/377955_palinenvir07.html
Here's the bit on wolves: Predator control. Palin approved and expanded the state's aerial predator control program, where wolves are shot from aircraft and bears hunted from aircraft and killed upon landing. This year, her state biologists even dragged 14 newborn wolf pups from their den and, having already shot their parents, then shot each of the pups in the head at close range. Last year, her administration offered a $150 bounty for each wolf killed until the bounty was ruled illegal by the courts. Hundreds of wolves are killed each year by this antiquated state program that has no scientific justification whatsoever, but rather is designed to appease Palin's urban sport hunter supporters.
I know with my training and education I give more weight to environmental issues than most people, but I think that some of the issues are so easily addressed, that to fail to do so shows a profound lack of foresight and concern about "the big picture."
As for Obama...I don't know how much I like his policies at this point (as stated above). I have gotten a bit more "socialist" vibe from him than I am comfortable with, but I admit I need to do quite a bit more research on those issues. I do know that what politician espouse during their candidacies often doesn't come to pass, anyways. I feel like McCain would get us into some deep *$%# with the world, since he has such a temper and can't seem to keep his insulting thoughts/comments to himself.
But, yeah, I'll probably stay fairly clear of politics on the blog. Though I don't mind if people know what I think of McCain. ;o)
Oh, and if the environmental stuff wasn't enough, the fact that she wants creationism taught in schools is just mind-boggling to me. I guess it makes sense why she doesn't care enough to have an understanding of science.
8 comments:
Hm. Big jerk? Not sure about that - and remember we are also talking about an america where the President of the United States had oral sex with a women 1/2 his age and then lied to the country and congress. And now he sells his memoirs. Politics is politics...for better or worse.
And, as for McCain, after being a prisoner of war for years, I am sure there were lots of decisions that were affected after that. Does that make him a bad man...maybe...but maybe that just makes him a man who made a choice.
It would be one thing if that were the only "jerky" thing about him. But he continues to offend and think he's above rules of common decency. The comments he's made about other candidates and even his own wife (with his version of "humor") are enough to make me cringe every time I hear him speak. And I certainly wouldn't hold Clinton up as an example of anything fabulous. America prospered during his terms, but I think that was more just part of the cycle than much actually accomplished by him.
To me it basically comes down to this: you can take a good man and make a great leader out of him. I don't believe you can take a "not-good" man and turn him into something great. Of the choices for 2008, I see two good people, and they both happen to be Democrats.
It certainly doesn't seem like McCain adheres to the "family values" he claims to have. More and more I'm beginning to think that's just a typical Republican though. See also Larry Craig.
I was surprised to see this, while also very pleased. I have lived in Arizona for 10 years. McCain has not been good to the people of Arizona. I am not sure how he would make a good president. His educational stance is what turns me off the most. I cringe when I hear him say "find bad teachers another line of work." His definition of bad teachers are those teachers whose students do not pass the mandatory state tests. As an ESL teacher in the inner city, automatically by McCains definition, I would be a bad teacher due to the fact my kids won't pass the test. The language barrier and the plain fact of the inner city pressures, abuse and more making it so they cannot pass the tests.
They do not receive any support at home, half of them are starving when they get to school, and most my kids where the same two outfits all week. That is not nearly the worst of what they go through. Not only that, but our inner city schools receive no resources. We get one workbook and have to copy it for all of our kids. I have 7 Social studies books and each group shares one. Wow, I could go on and on about the things our kids do not receive funding for but if you drive 20 minutes away kids not only have books and workbooks for the classroom but the same books to keep at home so they don't have to carry them around.
This is why I love Obama. He understands inner city life and teachers. He wants to support teachers by giving them additional training and resources. That all students have a right to an equal education no matter the neighborhood they live in. That teachers will be given pay incentives by going to professional development courses to stay in touch with the newest research that will guide us in the best practices to educate our children. Not like McCain, where he will pay teachers more for the mere fact their students do well on tests. So does this mean I go teach in a rich neighborhood so I can get those incentives? Of course not, but I do believe students and teachers should be treated equally and fairly. That my students have the potentials to rise high in this world, --just as much as the next white rich kid.
And... well of course, I love Obama for wanting to protect our environment and alternative energy. Do not like McCain for the offshore drilling which will only be a fast/temporary fix, when in the long run when my children's children are in a crisis we will have used up precious resources.... sigh...
Maybe you don't even like Obama... but as for McCain... I am glad we agree. :) We do need some serious changes and not for things to stay the same. I am not a Clinton supporter for the moral issues either... to agree with the person above. If we are looking for family values... we need to look at the Obama family. Past and Present.
Hugs. I miss you!
I always wondered if you would bring up politics on your blog. I'll just add my two cents. I don't like McCain either, but to be honest, Obama literally scares me: his Socialist leanings, his inconsistent views and voting record, and the years spent listening to Jeremiah Wright Jr. I am interested to see the presidential and vice presidential debates. I absolutely love Sarah Palin...so far. If getting her the presidential nomination in 2012 means putting her in as VP this election, I might vote the Republican ticket. I still need to research the Libertarian nominee, Bob Barr. I've been pretty impressed with the little I've heard from him. On a sad note, will all my personal research really make any difference as a Utah voter anyway? Probably not, but at least I can vote my conscience.
Rachel, it's good to read your thoughts. Thank you for sharing. At this point, I don't know how I feel about Obama's politics, but it's something I'm going to be investigating.
Really, Mary, you love Sarah Palin? I'd have to say I don't love her. At first I thought I might be able to like her, but the more I learn, the less I like her. One thing that is likely small to most people but huge to me is that she reauthorized a bounty on wolves, and she is totally anti-environment. Read this if you are interested: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/377955_palinenvir07.html
Here's the bit on wolves:
Predator control. Palin approved and expanded the state's aerial predator control program, where wolves are shot from aircraft and bears hunted from aircraft and killed upon landing. This year, her state biologists even dragged 14 newborn wolf pups from their den and, having already shot their parents, then shot each of the pups in the head at close range. Last year, her administration offered a $150 bounty for each wolf killed until the bounty was ruled illegal by the courts. Hundreds of wolves are killed each year by this antiquated state program that has no scientific justification whatsoever, but rather is designed to appease Palin's urban sport hunter supporters.
I know with my training and education I give more weight to environmental issues than most people, but I think that some of the issues are so easily addressed, that to fail to do so shows a profound lack of foresight and concern about "the big picture."
As for Obama...I don't know how much I like his policies at this point (as stated above). I have gotten a bit more "socialist" vibe from him than I am comfortable with, but I admit I need to do quite a bit more research on those
issues. I do know that what politician espouse during their candidacies often doesn't come to pass, anyways. I feel like McCain would get us into some deep *$%# with the world, since he has such a temper and can't seem to keep his insulting thoughts/comments to himself.
But, yeah, I'll probably stay fairly clear of politics on the blog. Though I don't mind if people know what I think of McCain. ;o)
Oh, and if the environmental stuff wasn't enough, the fact that she wants creationism taught in schools is just mind-boggling to me. I guess it makes sense why she doesn't care enough to have an understanding of science.
I spelled "wear" wrong. It's really bugging me that I can't edit it. That is what I get for writing a long comment in a hurry. :) Ha ha. Grrrrrr!!!
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