Monday, November 3, 2008

Choices and Predictions '08

Well, I really don't have anything new, primarily because election day is tomorrow. So let's take one last look at the candidates and then I's'll get off to the predictions.

Barack Obama - Having read his plans to change America, I realize we are dealing with an unabashed socialist in a "clean, neat, articulate" wrapper. Based on his plans, associations, words, and such, he's the sure ticket on the fast road to the perverse collectivism that is the end of this country. As our government continues to expand in many perverse directions, picking the poster child for all solutions by government is like trying to get rid of a skin disease by ripping off your skin.

John McCain - My less favorite candidate of the two, McCain's defining characteristic is that he won't screw us as fast, the taxes won't be as bad, and he's more likely to die of natural causes while in office. I can't really stand the bastard, and I think he is the vanguard of a GOP I will have nothing to do with. I can't believe I'm going to vote for him tomorrow. Shit.

The Third Parties - On the right, we have Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr, on the left, Independent anticapitalist Ralph Nader. I'll focus on these two because they are the two biggest names, and neither of them will break 1% nationally. Of the two, Barr would be the closest to my ideology, and the person on my ballot I'd like to vote for. And if you're in one of those states that's a lock, vote for the person you really believe in. And I can't imagine anyone (except socialists) embracing either one of these candidates. But being in the great state of Ohio, I don't get that opportunity.

My Choice - I figured it out over the weekend, by weighing all the possibilities, who I would vote for tomorrow. As I already said, I will cast my vote for the McCain Palin ticket. Here's the rationale:
  • It's the best chance that my battleground state vote will have to stop Obama
  • It's the lesser of two evils in the candidates that can win
  • The next president will get a chance to load the Supreme Court
  • The Senate may get the 60-vote filibuster-proof majority
  • Sarah Palin, for the fact she's a definite shift to the right for McCain
  • Bob Barr's reference to our troops in Iraq as occupiers
  • My prediction (see below)
These are no longer negotiable points, but my explanation of why I will cast the way I will. So if you're going to get up and try to refute my points, you're wasting comment space now.

The Predictions - I have been around politics for years, as my father has played politics for decades and run for office (and lost) a few times. So as I was looking at the possibilities, I naturally called up the one person who knows... my mother. We refer to her as a political barometer, because she usually is able to see through the eyes of the undecided voter, and gauge how they will go. She did warn me she's spent more time watching Fox News, but a study from the Project for Excellence in Journalism indicates Fox News was balanced in covering the candidates (as opposed to MSNBC, who serviced Obama like an intern in the Clinton White house). So I'm still going with her pick as the probable winner. And it's what I think will be the result before I go to bed in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

I predict that the great state of Ohio, and the nation as a whole will select Barack Obama as the President of the United States.

Shit.

We're fucked.

So get out there and vote for McCain, dammit. At least then when we give him enough shit, he might sway our way! Patrick M in 2012!!!

26 comments:

Beth said...

My husband just left for a a Palin rally, if he gets any footage, I'll send it to you, Patrick.

TAO said...

Oh, Patrick....

Calm down...we are not in as bad a shape as you believe. My poster child for the socialistic future of this country is George Bush, all Obama is going to do is be the follow up or the second act to the grand opening!

I believe history will prove that the date of the "We're fucked" will actually be sometime during the Bush Administration.

The pendalum that swings too far in one direction is naturally going to swing an equal distance in the other.

Had the Republicans, over the last eight years in the white house, and controlling congress for 12 of the last 14 years, oh and after picking 7 of the last 7 justices done a little more leading in a balanced manner rather than what they did...

We would not be facing the situation you so fear today...

Now we have to hope that the democrats learn a little self control...not much of a chance...

But we will get by....we not have the best of times and we may watch as we slip further and further into medioracy but it takes two to tangle your way into the mess we are in now...

I get to vote for Obama because McCain is going to win Kentucky and my vote is useless.... :)

Of course I could always fall back into writing in "NONE OF THE ABOVE" and I have done that more times than I can count...but we are getting touch screens for the first time so now I have to learn something new....

Shaw Kenawe said...

Patrick,

You sound like the people of the old South when Abraham Lincoln was elected. They condemned him before he took the oath of office and predicted the worst. And then South Carolina seceded from the Union, which was a self-fulfilling prediction--they left before giving Lincoln a chance to govern.

Your assessment of what Barack Obama will do is deeply colored by your ideology and the misinformation you've absorbed over the last 8 years of Republican hegemony.

Obama is a consensus builder. Should he win, he will bring Republicans into his government. Watch this guy.

And try to overcome your fears and preconceived biases.

Patrick M said...

Beth: Heard on the radio that Sarah was going to be in your general direction.

Tao: You have to at least give me credit for overstating things humorously. But yeah, a lot of this election's fault falls on the GOP for failing to lead with principle rather than adopting socialism. Had they stuck to conservative principles in the economic realm, then this would be a different race. And had they picked someone who was more conservative than the Democrats, this would be an easy election to decide.

Shaw: Again, I overstate, partially for the sake of entertainment value. As for what Obama will do, I'll wait until he starts proposing, but you know his idea of government, and mine. What's the chances I'm going to like anything he's going to propose?

Obama is a consensus builder.

At the risk of sounding bitter, FUCK CONSENSUS! Consensus is what the Bush administration has been doing on economic issues over the last 8 years. And McCain's specialty is giving hand jobs to Democrats. As for Obama, consensus is unnecessary when you have the House and a filibuster-proof Senate.

I'm not going to be pleased with any candidate until we get the one that really tries to reduce the size of government.

Bullfrog said...

A somewhat bleak, but definitely realistic point of view. I have been preparing for 4 rough years of Obama, and hoping we have a conservative revival such as was ushered in by the Carter administration. I still believe this actually be better for conservatism than letting a RINO into office.

As for holding out for a politician who will not grow government: I echo your sentiment, but am not hopeful as I don't think such an animal exists.

Anonymous said...

When you have the choice of Obama vs McCain, the choice is very easy, at least it is for me... McCain may have not been everybody's choice, but please, don't complain when Obama goes wild with your freedoms.
What's @ stake are the Constitution, the US Supreme Court, the independence of the US Senate and the safety of this Country.

IF Obama should win, the many things we, as Americans have taken for granted, will be SLOWLY downgraded to a point that most Americans will not be made aware.
And then the people who didn't support McCain will realize that they made a mistake. But of course it will be too late.
I blame Rush, Ann Coulter, Buchanan,etc. Believe it or not, they stand to make a lot of money hosting shows over the next 4-8 years complaining about the liberals.
These people didn't support McCain in the beginning. They hurt him badly, then jumped on the bandwagon once they knew he would lose. I don't believe them anymore, they are in it to make a killing for themselves.

I'm disgusted with the conservative elites. I'm a conservative, not an elitist. Where were they all this time when we needed them... God help us all.

Patrick M said...

Bullfrog: It took a lot for me to decide to vote for McCain. I really don't like him. But it came down to the lesser of two evils. And if McCain somehow makes it through, he's going to need beaten by the right to keep him straight. We failed to do so with Bush. We cannot fail again.

Mary: I'm a conservative, not an elitist.

You seem eager to blame every conservative that was pissed about the McCain nomination, when the reason they were up in arms was because McCain is NOT a conservative. And had Rush, for example, decided to be the GOP's bitch and bow at the altar of McCain, he would have essentially dissed people who have listened to him and believed that he believed this stuff. And if you hadn't noticed, they (and I in my greatness) still criticize McCain.

Yet we're all going to suck it in and pull the lever for the bastard.

If you value conservatism, then perhaps you should consider whether you are walking blindly up the path to socialism under the GOP.

If McCain loses, it's because of McCain.

Anonymous said...

No I din't say that at all.
But even if you dislike John McCain/ and Sarah Palin, how can you ignore who and what Barack Obama stands for?


"If McCain loses, it's because of McCain."
If you say so, I guess it MUST be true ... But I say that the conservative base left him high and dry.
So we ALL will get President Obama and God only knows whatever comes with him!

Anonymous said...

Patrick said "You seem eager to blame every conservative that was pissed about the McCain nomination, when the reason they were up in arms was because McCain is NOT a conservative."

So hes's not conservative enough for you..
Is Barack Obama?

Toad734 said...

I just read something about the Onion article headline on inaguration day 2001. Here's what it said:

"Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare of Peace and Prosperity Is Finally Over.' "

And then later:

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/bush_tours_america_to_survey?utm_source=EMTF_Onion

And how ture all that turned out to be. The difference here is that there is nothing "disease like" what you can find about Obama's policies. YOu would actually pay less in taxes than you would under McCain but I know you have a long track record of fighting for those who have more power and a louder voice and a wider range of influence than you do. Perhaps that is some sort of mental disorder I don't know.

The point about the headline is that McCain supported Bush 90% of the time. He wants to continue the bad policy of tax cuts for only the wealthy, deregulation, no government oversight, increase in Government power, another 100 years in Iraq and maybe a few in Iran and Russia, tax breaks and subsidies for oil companies, doesn't know anything about the economy, etc. That and he may die while in office leaving an airhead as President of the United States. She probably couldn't find Afghanistan on a map if her life depended on it.

We were fucked 8 years ago, now we can return to the years of Peace and prosperity. Obama's tax system isn't socialist, its almost exactly the same as it was under Bill Clinton except you and I will pay less in taxes. Under Clinton we didn't turn into Socialists, his portrait wasn't painted on the sides of buildings, he didn't create a secret police, etc.

If you really think Obama is a socialist you need to have your head examined or at least take it out of your ass.

Sorry, but if that's all you can come up with...

If you think Rich people should pay fewer taxes than you, if you want your job outsourced, if you want your childrens water and food polluted, if you want to see our health care costs continue to rise, if you want to leave your kids open for the opportunity to get drafted to fight Iran, if your think Blackwater and Halliburton deserve more resources than your kids schools then by all means vote for McCain.

Toad734 said...

Shaw:

I am all for the confederacy leaving the Union again. They can take their federal subsidies, highest crime rates, highest divorce rates, highest obesity rates, highest out of wedlock child birth rates, highest teen pregnancy rates, highest illiteracy rates, with them. They can continue to fight all the wars with the "rag heads" they want they just wont be taking our people and using our money to fund them.

The real America could lower its taxes, fix schools and poverty, believe in science and education without the burden of the red states.

Of course, the beauty of it all is that come tomorrow, the term red state and blue state will have a completely new meaning.

Anonymous said...

ANYBODY CONSERVATIVE WHO DOESN'T VOTE IS A CONSERVATIVE VOTING FOR OBAMA.
Hello Ohio, Hello Pennsylvania, Hello Virginia, Hello Colorado, Hello Florida, Can you hear me now?
I'd vote for Jack the Ripper for President against Obama the Liar. Trust me on that!!

Me, Myself, And I said...

I believe that the pollsters are going to be surprised. McCain wants to change Washington while Obama wants to change the fundamentals of America. With an Obama White House, and a Pelosi-Reid Congress, there will be a drastic change the relationship between citizens and our government as we’ve known it for over 2 centuries.

You know you’re a hard Lefty when George McGovern calls you extreme.

PS, I agree with Mary, Mary..
the choice is very easy, at least it is for me... McCain may have not been everybody's choice, but please, don't complain when Obama goes wild with your freedoms.
So becareful, You may get what you wished for.

Anonymous said...

myself typed:

'You know you’re a hard Lefty when George McGovern calls you extreme.'

McGovern did no such thing.

Why do you repeat lies?

Anonymous said...

Arthurstone ...READ THIS

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/270283.php

Toad734 said...

Mary: Exactly, thats why we are voting for Obama: Safety of our counrty, preservation of our freedoms and Constitution, the US Supreme Court! At least Obama knows who "runs" the Senate!

What have you been smoking?

Toad734 said...

Idiots:

Exactly which freedom is Obama going to take away from you?

I know plenty of freedoms Bush has taken and I know plenty that McCain plans to take.

Name one Obama wants to take!

Shaw Kenawe said...

don't complain when Obama goes wild with your freedoms.
What's @ stake are the Constitution, the US Supreme Court, the independence of the US Senate and the safety of this Country.


I don't think mary, mary has been paying attention.

Under 8 years of Republican government, we had the suspension of habeas corpus, we tortured, we spied on American citizens, and we instituted the Bush doctrine of pre-emptive war.

Obama has not done one thing to interfere with your Constitutional rights. But you've been asleep or, at the very least, uninterested while George Bush abused them.

What the hell did you mean by your post????

Anonymous said...

http://sweetness-light.com/archive/obamas-wonder-pastor-rev-otis-moss

Anonymous said...

read this said...
Arthurstone ...READ THIS

Yawn.

Even Lieberman supports the Employee Free Choice Act.

Yet another false claim against Obama.

You obviously never have had any use for McGovern up to now.

Why start?

He's wrong on this one.

As he said on Fox "this is not a big divide me and Obama'.

Next.

Patrick M said...

Mary: What more do you want? I'm voting for McCain. However, I'm just looking at who's socialism I'm going to have to fight. I'd prefer McCain's.

Toad: Thanks for the TP.

Anbiv: I don't think I'd go that far, but I like the enthusiasm.

My: It helps to be in a battleground state.

Toad: Exactly which freedom is Obama going to take away from you?

1st amendment with the fairness doctrine, 2nd amendment, including your shotgun, because it's all for the public good.

Shaw: Obama has not done one thing to interfere with your Constitutional rights.

He'd have to do something other than vote present. He may get the chance.

All: Thanks for the fun back and forth. Be sure to join in the live blog!!!

Anonymous said...

patrickm typed:

'1st amendment with the fairness doctrine, 2nd amendment, including your shotgun, because it's all for the public good.'

Yawn.

Pretty weak Patrick.

Obama and the Democratic majority in congress will not take away your 1st & 2nd amendment rights. Guns are here to stay and your ability to speak will in no way be impaired.

Best of all one always has the unequivocal right to a runaway imagination.

Cheers.

Toad734 said...

I can assure you your shotgun is safe. No politician will ever come for hunters shotguns!!! Bush actually would probably have been the one who was most likely to do that since he wanted to give the Feds so much power to do what they wanted to to average citizens but even he didn't so I think you are safe. How about this; If Obama shows up and takes your shotgun, you can have mine. Now, will he try to make it harder for 9 year olds to get AK-47 street sweepers? Maybe. Obama has never really been all that anti gun, especially not for someone who lives on the south side of chicago which has a super high gun death rate.

Again, the fairness doctrine is dead. What has he said which makes you think he will reinstate it?

Patrick M said...

Arthur: Toad wanted example, I provided. I could have gone on, but then the damned post would be out of control. And it's too late in the race for it to matter now.

Guns are here to stay and your ability to speak will in no way be impaired.

There are plenty of countries that said this that now have lost that right. And I can document the results of the fairness doctrine. So it's not a weak argument.

Toad: No politician will ever come for hunters shotguns!!!

Read this piece from the Washington Times and then try to convince me otherwise. I've already independently verified some of Obama's voting record listed there, and I have no reason to doubt the rest of it. I could also cite many a country that has banned virtually every gun.

How about this; If Obama shows up and takes your shotgun, you can have mine.

No, but the thug that shows up to do so will have to take that weapon from my Heston style. After getting the lead out, if you know what I mean.

Now, will he try to make it harder for 9 year olds to get AK-47 street sweepers?

Why do you make such patently stupid fucking statements like this. No one (except maybe some criminals and the insane) is in favor of this. And there are definitely laws that already prevent it.

What has he said which makes you think he will reinstate it?

I did a little research. On the surface, Obama opposes the Fairness doctrine. Nancy Pelosi, however, has a different view. And with the possibility of the Dems in absolute control, I could see the bill hitting his desk. Then he'd have to take a principled stand to veto it. I have yet to see him take a principled stand (as in vote) apart from the left fringe.

Anonymous said...

Hmmmmm.

Looks good for the Dems.

Mandate?

Patrick M said...

Arthur: It's a possibility.