--On Friday night, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told a raucous crowd in Columbus, Ohio, that Obama needs to beef up his policy plans.
"He needs to do something about those skinny legs ... make him do some squats. ... If we could only do something about putting some meat on his ideas," he said to loud cheers.
The GOP governor introduced McCain at the rally, said the Arizona senator "is built like a rock" and called him a "real action hero."--
That was just too funny for me not to post it. I've been more quiet (comparatively) about this election than I usually am about my political views. That's because I see two things in this election: blind hope and blind fear. People will vote for Obama out of blind hope that he will suddenly change the United States. People will vote for McCain out of blind fear that the country will go socialist otherwise and that we will become militarily weak without him. Who can support either of those?
Both candidates scare me, that's for sure. Why doesn't anyone else think that it's frightening when a man has built up such a cult of personality that he can give a rally in Berlin (even though Germany is not the country he's running for political office in) to 200,000 people, most of whom have absolutely no idea what his actual policy is or even what he is saying, for that matter. It just smells a little too dictator-esque for my liking. Also, it is a wonderful point to bring up that we are spending 10 billion dollars a month in Iraq. That is disgraceful. Good job, Obama, on asking people how many schools and hospitals and scholarships we could get out of that money if we weren't spending it on poorly planned military action. But wait a second. Obama? Hasn't your campaign raised more money than any other campaign in history? And didn't your campaign raise a record $150 million in the month of September alone, to be used for 30 minute long T.V. ad campaigns and to pay the salaries of your enormous campaign team? How many hospitals could THAT money build? How many foreclosed homes could be bought and given back to families with THAT money? Oh Obama, you're a tricky one.
And John McCain...a real action hero? Did you know that a 73 year old man whose neck skin sags could be considered to be "built like a rock"? Come on guys. This is just getting ridiculous. I know you think it's all cutesy, Sarah Palin, to talk like "real folks!" talk. But we're not stupid, Republican party. We don't need you to all put on your best Midwestern farmer's accent and talk to us about baseball and being a hockey mom. That's not what I want to hear about and that's not how I want to be talked to. Also, accusing the Democrats of wanting to turn the country socialist? Where did you pull that one out of? It is probably the worst piece of rhetoric you could have thrown into the American lexicon. Now "enemy" and "socialist" can become one in the same again. Good going. And let's entirely disregard the fact that many socialist nations are some of the most stable in the world. Socialism isn't just Hugo Chavez's word vomit, John McCain. No, it is universal healthcare, like you find in most of Europe. It is universal education, which means that EVERYONE has the chance to go to college without having to worry about footing a $50,000 a year tuition bill. Now, I'm no socialist, but come on, Sarah Palin. Socialism is not the enemy. Fear-inducing neo-conservative dialogue and divisive politics are.
I have already voted in the elections, I mailed in my absentee ballot last week. The first election I've ever been able to vote in. And yeah, I voted for Bob Barr.
2 comments:
Hi Valerie, I hope u wont be too offended that i left a comment here. Ye, from time to time, after i found ur blog website on fb a few weeks ago, i read some of the stuff uve written, to get an insight to a person i clearly know nothing about.
on to this posting "suffering from suffrage, first ima say i understand ur skepticism over obama, ie how he raised bucket loads of money only to spend it on advertising when there are more important needs to be met. there's something hypocritical about that, even if i may argue to be able to achieve his plans he has to reach the people? but ya $30m is a bit too much.
then to my main point on what u said about "blind hope", as an outsider looking in, maybe its not all blind. his allure to the masses is monumental, in and outside the U.S., but maybe its cos hes identifying the issues that ppl feel are important?
perhaps uve read this already, but check out this article in the ny times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11kristof.html
it isnt all related to ur post but just shows that his hope and rhetoric has a real premise, and we're all waiting, American and non-, for him to transpose it into actions on the ground.
so as an insider looking in, he shouldnt be all that scary, should he?
lov f
Hey, nice to hear from you. And no, I'm not offended at all. My skepticism about Obama is not entirely about how much money he has raised or about how he uses it. It is also about how one man cannot fulfill the hopes of the world, even though that is what he promises. Everyone seems to think that he will heal the Middle East, make Africa a number one priority, cool tensions with China and Russia, solve our illegal immigrant problem, reform healthcare, make education free, legalize gay marriage, and push America back into the center of the global stage. One man cannot do this. He cannot fulfill all of his promises. I feel sympathy for him because everyone thinks he will save them, and when expectations are so high, it is impossible to meet them. Don't get me wrong, I am incredibly proud that I was able to witness this moment in history and I am proud of my country for the outcome of this election. But at the same time, I wish everyone, Americans and otherwise, could really sit down and look at his actual abilities and his actual policy.
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