Election Anxiety
Only the fools are not nervous about this election. Too much is at stake. By every measurement this country is worse off than it was eight years ago – and the decline continues. Every news cycle brings new anxiety – new fears for our future. And there remains uncertainty in the election outcome.
The Bush Presidency has been so abysmal that we find ourselves feeling sorry for him. George W. Bush actually believes he is one of the greatest Presidents. Everyone but Sean Hannible Lecter and his cousin Stinky Rush Limbaugh knows better. Does that mean we should vote against any Republican – not necessarily – just those who have voted with Bush most of the time.
Anyone in Congress who abdicated their responsibility to balance the powers of government should be cast aside. They should be sent home with their fat pensions and life time health care. There is no need to feel sorry for this bunch.
On the surface this seems simple enough. The solution seems obvious to this writer. But it is not this simple. The Dark Arts of Rovian Politics are again stirring their potions of hate and fear. What 
about the alternative? What if the alternative to the Republican ‘pals around with terrorists?’ What if he is a socialist? What if he looks like one of those ‘welfarites?’ What if he looks like he should be wearing a turban? Why does his wife parade around without her burqa? Did Obama really say he is going to put domes on the White House?
This is amusing sarcasm and we have had fun with words the past several weeks. But the reality is troubling. The future uncertain. The infrastructure of the United States is teetering on the brink of collapse.
- We have literally watched our interstate bridges fall – killing innocent Americans.
- We have literally watched our financial system collapse – threatening the welfare of all. Seniors are forced to continue working because their pensions have collapsed under the weight of corporate greed.
- We have literally seen our Military stretched to the limits of exhaustion. This weakness has emboldened Russia, North Korea, China, Iran, Pakistan, the Taliban, and Al Quaeda – the list goes on.
- We watch our long-time allies being careful about endorsing any of our foreign policy initiatives – we have lost their faith and trust.
- We have fallen behind all other industrialized nations in educating our children. China has just performed their first human space walk while NASA operates a thirty year old Shuttle program.
- We are unable to offer health care to twenty percent of our population. And those who have insurance have seen their deductibles and co-insurance skyrocket.
- We have watched the jobs that built America being shipped to Asia. Wal Mart’s low wage jobs thrive on the inhumane labor of foreign markets.
So here we sit, writing amusing sarcasm about Shawn Hannible Lecter. There you go – right at the top of intellectual discourse. We are just fiddling around on the roof.
The election is just around the corner.
John McCain and his Barbie Doll are all about the foolish sarcasm and fear tactics of doom. They whip the flying monkeys of ignorance into frenzied crowds. They tell us this is new and different – promising to carry this reasoning into the White House.
Our anxiety is soaring.
Barack Obama and his Iron Man propose change – specifically addressing each of the issues highlighted in this post. The world watches and hopes. The people of the world who wish for harmony and unity support Obama. Those who desire continued divisiveness support McCain.
Obama has soared in the polls because he remains steady and calm – and he has concrete solutions. Democratic operatives seem partisan in their support of Obama.
McCain has faltered because he bounces around like a pin ball, scurring from one fear attack to another. McCain chose a pretty face with a nice wardrobe to put a nice face on his effort – risking the future of America. The Republican operatives grit their teeth with embarrassment while championing McCain/Palin.
So why are we anxious?
Because the outcome is not certain. We are less than two weeks from one of the most momentous decisions ever made by American voters. McCain, with no proposals of consequence different than George Bush, follows the Bush campaign mentality. McCain has cast himself in the Bush mold while saying that he is not Bush. “… Only the Guilty Run…”
Why are Americans afraid of Obama? He is a Muslim. He is a terrorist. He is a socialist. He is a communist. He favors black people. McCain poured himself into the Bush mold because it “has been” a proven tactic to win. Note the words in McCain styled finger quotes – “has been.” McCain is a ‘has been.’
Our anxiety soars because these campaign tactics work. And what does that tell us about the level of anxiety in the American electorate? These fear tactics work because Americans are afraid. Every news cycle reinforces the fear. The Dark Arts are alive and well in this election.
Do we vote based on Fear? Or do we vote based on Faith?
Comment by Roy A on 23 October 2008:
Stoking is right. You got it down.
What scares me is that if you or any of the readers of this inflamatory (related to stoking a fire, yeah?) article are truly concerned about learning the truth as to why this county has gone so awry over the past years, then y’all would know that it is the CONGRESS that passes legislation, and it is THEY that have been pulling a lot of strings for the longest time. The Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae debacle comes to mind. (If you REALLY want to know who was behind it, just follow the money. Notice MOST of the media haven’t done so? No congressional investigations or witchhunts there…I wonder why….NOT)
And it didn’t help that so many of Bush’s own party were so willing to work with democrats that they sold their souls, along with their votes, to continue the big government spending. Genuine republicans and specifically conservatives earnestly oppose such spending and government expansion. That was a key reason why many of them were so easily defeated in 2006. Republican & conservative voters hold their representatives to a standard, regardless at times of the consequences. (George H. Bush & his “read my lips: no new taxes” comes to mind)
Unfortunately, their departure left room for more democrats..and allowed Pelosi, Reed & company to continue more of the same big spending. Notice how before that election they so proudly trumpeted Bush’s plumming popularity numbers. Now their numbers are lower than his.
Just what are the people trying to say here? Perhaps these ‘ignorant masses’ aren’t as stupid as Bill Mauer and such other like-minded might think. Those of us, who don’t limit ourselves to only the media that we like or agree with, understand. We have FAITH in the collective common sense of the American people.
Election day may come as a big shock to many who follow the messiah…just like it did to john kerry…and al gore…
Comment by Wonks Anonymous on 23 October 2008:
Thanks to RoyA for a breath of fresh whatever.
Of course all the problems really started happening two years ago when the Democrats got a tiny advantage in congress and anything that went wrong before that is the fault of the same democrats who corrupted the conservative majority.
If only we had true free market conservatism everything would be so perfect we would all die of bliss except for the few remaining democrat malcontents like yours truely.
Why do your observations remind me of all the communists I used to know who told me that the Soviet Union and China were in bad shape because they had deviated from the true line of comrade Stalin?
Comment by Col in Paradise on 23 October 2008:
well Roy and Wonks – nice try but the sub prime – and housing mortgage collapse commenced in late 2006 early 2007 – then flowed through the capital and equity markets in Easter 2007 – large hits in July/August 2007…. now before I go on go gran a Economics 101 book from the decaying public and school libraries out their and look up ‘Leads and Lags”… so the Democrat Congress majority coming in late 2006 really did get to work very quick on all your accusations….yes some culpability by all congressial people and parties is due – but spinning realitty the the Government is not responsible is ignoring the fundamental underlying principle that the Commander in Chief – like it should be in business withCEO’s et al is they are ultimatley responsible “under their watch”….and that the “buck stops here” leadership requirement… the republicans and wall street I note have dropped that totally…but back to my point – the mess was not picked up under the watch of the Bush republicans – and they are therefore ultimately responsible – but blaming others sadly has become the defense approach of this Governement whenever caught out…..
Comment by Alan on 24 October 2008:
This is all well and good. But guess what? There is a growing mountain of evidence that BO (Barack Obama) is NOT AN AMERICAN CITIZEN! The former deputy attorney general in Pennsylvania, Philip Berg, has sued Obama in court to present evidence proving his citizenship (the certificate shown on the campaign web site is a certificate of live birth – not the same thing as a birth certificate). Obama’s paternal grandmother has reportedly stated in a recording that Obama was born in Kenya (she was in the delivery room). And Obama’s mother was not a citizen either because she had him at age 19, but had not lived the previous 5 years in the U.S. (which was the law at the time).
Obama does not meet the qualifications to run for president.
Comment by CT on 24 October 2008:
Ignorance.
Comment by amy on 25 October 2008:
I am an AA female with 2 doctoral degrees from Ivy League Universities. I am surprised by the dust up about Sarah Palin’s qualifications. She is obviously new to the national scene and will take some time to catch up. However she is not running for President, she is running for VP. She has shown that she can run a state while raising a family, and has achieved an 80% favorability rating. She has a record of accomplishment we can point to.
However, Obama with all his advantages, has not achieved anything of note so far. In fact his policies are naive, impractical and ill thought out. His running mate, who knows him better than you or I, says he is inexperienced and unqualified. I believe Joe Biden.
I trust Sarah Palin’s record. Obama has none and with a Democratic Congress, proposes policies dangerous for the future of this country.
McCain/Palin 08!!!!!