I guess the title could scare some of you who read my blog on a regular basis, but Pappy didn't just ride into town last night. I have warned you that some of my material is just balderdash, and I leave it to you to decide what portion that might be. I am concerned about the Democrats' candidate for President of the United States this year, Barak Obama. I have probably read every e-mail sent out to bolster or destroy both candidates and I have discounted the information I feel is manipulated or taken out of context. I have never met either candidate, but John McCain has been in the public eye for a long time, and it is easier to research him because of this exposure.
Barak Obama on the other hand is handsome, charismatic, articulate, family oriented, and apparently very intelligent. The problem for me is trying to define who he is. He has not made big tracks in arriving at the lofty perch he now occupies. I am disturbed by some of his rhetoric concerning the icons of our republic, and his seeming willingness to change his stance in the twinkling of an eye when it seems to be politically advantageous. I am fully aware of the political process with all its ugliness. I know that in the reality of politics, a candidate must prostitute himself to the wealthy power brokers who control the party making the nomination. I am wondering, in the case of the Democrats, who this is? I say follow the money. Even in this arena, Obama has made radical changes in his stance on how campaign funds are raised. Who is supporting him? I can tell you from experience it is not the average Democrat.
I have tried to vote for the candidate and the party whose political platform most resembles my own value system. I have also tried to cast my vote for someone who has a chance to win. I have been more closely aligned with independent candidates in past elections, but did not vote for them because I am in touch with reality. We have a two party system and without some catastrophic failure, the President will elected from one of the major parties. Although I have not agreed with the political stance of John McCain on all issues, I feel that he is more experienced and better qualified to be our President.
I don't know what your political leanings are, or what single issue agenda you might be trying to advance, but I say err on the side of caution this year. Look at the larger picture. I spent my career digging in other people's garbage looking for evidence to support their guilt or innocence, and I have developed a keen sense for something that doesn't smell right. My visceral inclinations have been proven correct in a very high percentage of these cases. My gut feeling is, there is something really fishy about the candidacy of Barak Obama. Be careful America. Don't let your emotions override your critical thinking process - this year especially.
My definition of an expert in any field is a person who knows enough about what's really going on to be scared. - PJ Plauger
