Politics, Obama, McCain, And The Economy
I am loath to talk about politics on this website for many reasons, one of which is the propensity of ideologues to “go off the deep end”. But, this is an election year and, like most election years, I’ve noticed a lot of people simply reacting to feelings, catch-phrases, talking points, and ill-informed rhetoric. If I hear one more Obama supporter who justifies their unwavering support on “We need change!” I can’t vouch for the appropriateness of my reaction. The same goes for McCain’s claim to fame being the word “Maverick”. If your political sophistication is only as deep as “change” and “maverick” you probably shouldn’t be voting.
Anyway, I digress. Choosing a candidate to vote for should be something that is well researched, thought out, and based on a fundamental understanding of history—globally, nationally, and on the individual candidate’s lives. Like when it comes to stories there is very little that is truly new and unique, the same can be said when it comes to politics and national/global policies. Trust me, all the change in the world has already been done or tried, and history is replete with mavericks.
I guess the point that I’m making is that if you are an Obama supporter/leaner who has enlightened yourself enough to actually research his proposals beyond “change” you should be be doing more than going to the Huffington Post simply to buttress your leanings. Likewise, if the “Maverick” is tickling your fancy, you’d do better than simply visiting Townhall to make yourself feel good. Instead, it would be wiser and much more sensible to research aspects relevant to issues of the day and then apply said research to—not the candidate’s stated positions—their actual histories and voting records. Granted, such an approach is not nearly as easy as reading a pro Obama/pro McCain—anti Obama/anti McCain website. Yeah, it’s a whole lot easier to turn on the TV and watch CNN, FOX, NBC, CBS, and watch a news person spew the news through a prism of personal bias, but by doing so, you’re not doing yourself or anyone else any favors.
For instance, the economy is the focus today. If you hear a blanket statement that the economic woes of today can be attributed to “Bush policies” run, don’t walk from that source. Likewise, if you hear that the tumbling credit markets are the sole responsibility of the Democratic Party. Both approaches are inanely simplistic and dangerous. The reality is that both Democrats and Republicans have been involved to some degree. You would be better served at researching the many root causes, following the chain of events, and seeing how various actions have effected the situation.
Start by Googling “Community Reinvestment Act”. This is a good starting point because from here you can jump to an almost endless source of information.
Next, with regards to a governmental reaction to the current economic downturn, I would suggest Googling “crash of 1929” and “crash of 1987”. Compare the causes and length of each downturn. Before determining what governmental fix you think you’d support, go here, here, and here. These are just examples. Don’t let it end at the links I’ve provided. Follow it through and then look for points of view that may differ. But don’t look at points of view that are not supported by facts and well-thought out discourse. When discussing politics or current events with your friends, ask them to explain and support their positions. Don’t settle for “feelings”, talking points, or banal gotcha tactics.
Above all, be intellectually honest and be open to having your mind changed regardless of what your heart says.
I’m just saying.
Oh, and right now it’s snowing. Damn, two days ago it was in the mid 70’s and now it fargin’ snowing.