Polls are open in the east. New York Times this morning calls it an 'epic campaign'.
Nona and I voted early, at the city clerk's office downtown, a couple weeks ago; waited in line about 45 minutes. I'll miss (for the second pres election in a row) the ambiance of the official polling place, but it wasn't much anyway, and the clerk's office had a good feeling anyway, with theo other voters in line.
Historic. I can't believe Obama will lose. The man has been unstoppable, even with the McCain campaign's focus on dirty tricks the last 2 months.
Historic. First black man as president. Wow! This day has been a long time coming, and about time it happened. Not only a black president, but a well qualified one. Young, but so much enthusiasm, good policies, and calm in the face of a 2-year storm of campaigning.
Historic. A woman picked as vice president material. A vast mistake, as far as I'm concerned, the particular woman picked. Sarah Palin would grate on me for 4 years if McCain won, especially that voice and too- quick-for-thinking responses to questions.
But 8 years of the worst presidency in my lifetime, perhaps all of America's lifetime, have been devastating. 8 years of moving the nation's wealth upward to those already with far more wealth than anyone could possibly use. 8 years of unbelievable incompetence - think Hurricane Katrina, pre- emptive war, the continuing Iraq boondoggle, the failure to tackle al Qaida in their homeland (as they attacked us in our homeland). 8 years of thumbing executive noses at the laws that Congress has passed (they should all be thrown in the clink for a long time, if not hanged for treason). 8 years of monitoring my telephone calls and emails without just cause or warrants. 8 years of rewarding executive and financial incompetence in the public and private worlds. 8 years of crippling deficits and debt piling up, and the worst economic meltdown in 80 years. 8 years of watching America's world reputation sink into the mud. 8 years of watching America's inventiveness, creativity, entrepreneurial expertise, craftsmanship exported to foreign nations. 8 years of continuing to allow, and actually abetting, the deterioration and actual destruction of our environment.
Obama offers real hope of emerging from this mess chastised, re- invigorated, ready to offer real, class-less solutions to problems, ready to lead the world once again with our example of fair mindedness, equality of opportunity, vigorous creativity and craftsmanship.
Al Qaida's main tool in recruiting soldiers to their cause is America's decadence, declining spiritual values, and imposition of policy in the homelands of Muhammad and his followers. We have allowed our nation to slip into that state, a state in which al Qaida carries the truth. It is time for us to recover our original ideal bearings and give the lie to the terrorists' justifications for attacking us. The terrorists may liken themselves to warriors, but they are criminals and murderers and should be approached as such.
John Kerry's proposed policy of fighting an 'intelligent' war in Iraq, although vastly better than the pre-emptive war policies of Bush, should be replaced with a policy of finishing what we need to finish in order to clean up the mess that has been made, then getting our act together to implement policies that will restore America as an admirable leader in the world. And we can attack terrorism with policing policies, not the beloved war machines of the republicans.
- B Dylan |
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