Posted on
October 2, 2008 in
If I need to have my spleen removed, I want someone truly exceptional doing the job, and not Jo Sixpack. I want the surgeon whose brilliance and creativity and education make him or her stand out from the crowd and even arouse the envy and resentment of ordinary people. Does that make me an elitist? If so, I’m okay with that. I’ll let the non-elitists have the surgeon with the 100 IQ.
High elected office is no different. I spend enough time dealing with dullard elected officials in the courthouse that I know that I don’t want any more in the White House. I don’t want my elected officials to say “eye-rack” for Iraq. Or “eye-ran” for Iran. Or “nucular”. I don’t want a Vice President who thinks that what that office needs, after eight years of Dick Cheney, is more power. Or one who can’t name a single news periodical (seriously: “all of them”?). Or one who can’t name a single Supreme Court case (other than Roe v. Wade . . . and Roe v. Wade).
The Bill of Rights: that’s where you’ll find our freedoms, and it’d be very hard for outsiders to take it away. The last people to have a chance? Maybe the British in 1814? Arguably the Nazis in WWII? Certainly not the Viet Cong or the people of Iraq or Al Qaeda.
It’d be hard, for that matter, for insiders to take it away unless we gave it up. We won’t give it up unless we’re scared. What are you scared of? There are things worse than death. Some would have us give up our freedoms to protect . . . our “freedoms”. I understand “economic freedom” (the freedom to keep Wal-Mart afloat),
but I don’t even know what “national security freedom” could possibly
be. I don’t want anyone anywhere near the halls of power who thinks
that calling something a freedom makes it a freedom. When we fight terrorism, we’re not fighting for our freedom but for our safety. Not that there’s anything wrong with that — I’d give up a lot for safety, but I’d give safety up for freedom.
It’s nice to think that quite literally anyone could be president. But just because they could doesn’t mean they should.
Mark: You definitely said what I feel. I cannot stand this Joe Sixpack crap any more. And let me say, she and John McCain don’t give a crap about Joe Sixpack anyway. What a bunch of CRAP. Anna
When I see all those red working-class states, I don’t know if I feel amusement or pity?
Scared of?
Foreign armies: No
Terrorists: No
The Boogeyman: No
Paternalistic politicians: Yes
Police: Yes
The State: Yes
This woman is an idiot. That’s fine for the Mayoralty of Wasilla, Alaska. Not so much for the person “one heartbeat away”, as they say.
I didn’t get to watch a lot of the debate on TV. I had Back-to-School night and so was listening on the car radio driving home. What was really noticeable in this medium was her tone. She was frequently insulting, condescending, and smarmy sarcastic. This is the style of defensive people who really are trying to hide the fact that they don’t know a lot. I know, because I hear it in the voices of 16 and 17 year olds a lot. Childish and disrespectful are two more qualities we don’t need more of in the White House.
Just “gosh, no”?? You’re far more restrained than I, my friend.