Well, the hype is over. Biden was chosen as the VP candidate. Some are happy, most a relieved, but I'm in limbo.
I have to say my whole take on politics has become skeptical, and I have a sinking feeling about how corruption seeps into the best of candidates, because they have to play the game to be in it.
I kind of started out really hopeful, and inspired by Obama- until he did the turnaround on FISA, and then announced he'd like to send 10,000 troops into Afghanistan.
I felt betrayed & disappointed.
The champion of Civil Rights & teacher of the Constitution was FOR illegal wiretapping, after he said he opposed it???
The announcement of the surge in Afghanistan blew me away. A surge is a surge & war escalation by any other name is still one & the same.
I won't go off the deep end & vote for McInsane..... but I am not blinded by the hoopla of the announcement, the convention, or the democratic party itself.
I just can't buy into the excitement, because a part of me is thinking these Dems, who have been a majority since 2006, failed us. They failed to impeach THE most criminal executive branch in the history of this country.
They failed to use the power of the purse to stop funding the illeal occupation. They failed to refuse to allow the supreme court to tipping to the extreme right. They failed to do anything about torture and abuse. They failed the prisoners in Gitmo. I don't connsider these items to be small, differences of opinion.
I consider them to be gross Human Rights violations. Against Constitutional & International laws.
Serious and deadly violations, and in conflict of the true spirit, and very foundations of this country.
So I am watching.. waiting
I desperately WANT change, but I have serious doubts about if the system is too broken for the kind of change I hope to see.
That being said I made links to other blogs to check stuff out~
Dusty: Has a story about security for both conventions.
Each city has a $50 million dollar Homeland Security budget.
Denver has what has been dubbed a *Freedom Cage*... a fenced area where protestors can freely express themselves- out of site from the convention center.
Dada: He explores the realms of cognitive dissonance (Urban Survival): "That's where you're told one thing ('The sky is green') and your eyes or ears tell you something else.
Spado: He's in the neighborhood of hte repub convention & speaks of 1s2 Amendment rights "What kind of a democracy is this if we let citizens become unnecessarily intimidated about being tazered, pepper-sprayed, infiltrated, spied on or photographed by cameras installed on public streets?"
ChrisPosted a comprehensive list of where Biden stands on the issues. Here's a sampling:
•“Strongly” supports Roe v. Wade, but opposes public funding for abortion. (Hmm maybe not so strong??? )
• Opposes same-sex marriage but supports civil unions. Voted yes on the Defense of Marriage Act, which denied Federal benefits to same-sex couples and allowed states to ignore same-sex marriages sanctioned by another state. (flip or flop.... not sure?)
• Supports direct engagement with Iran “to exploit fissures within the government and between the government and the people." (Noooooooooooooooo!)
Maybe some of this is why I'm not jumping for joy about the Biden decision.
Where do YOU stand on these issues?
7 comments:
Fran I definitely understand your disappointment. For me, it's not where I stand on any particular issue, it is the overriding all consuming need to oust the worst party. Since McCain converted to neoconism, he has the potential to be even worse than Bush (I never thought I'd think anyone could be worse).
So I don't agree w/Obama or Biden on many issues, but in looking at the presidency, I am looking at potential. Obama/Biden have the potential to do much good. McCain only has potential to make things a hell of lot worse. We don't have a viable 3rd party, so those are the only two cards we have to play.
Now as for the dems in general, they have let us down, no question. I'd like to see Cindy Sheehan hand Pelosi her ass.
The conventions, both dem & repub, are starting to sound like the opening ceremonies of the olympics to me -- all showy glitz for the TV audience, while in the hidden background, human rights are being stomped into dust.
Thanks for the perspective. I never expect any politician to be 100% aligned with my agenda, but so many lives have been lost, and we can't really sweep those serious problems under the rug. The dems have some splainin' to do.
I would not vote for McCain if he were the only candidate on the ballot, I think it is important we are not blinded by the glitz & media blitz, while they throw confetti & drop red white & blue balloons ( I will love it when a presidential hopeful declares the balloon drop wasteful & donates that portion of the budget to homeless kid education or medical needs.
Seriously- how many people hours work time is wasted blowing up balloons, then cleaning them up & putting all that latex in the landfill?).
My ideal president would instead make confetti out of copies of the Patriot act & celebrate with that.
I agree they have potential.... but Obama has shown his potential to escalate war in Afghanistan, and let the warrentless wiretapping go on. I'm a bit concerned about Bidens hard headed approach to Iran.
It's hard to cheerlead the democrats when democracy is so compromised.
Biden sees abortion as something to be tolerated, not as a woman's right. Opposing federal funding also reflects a class based elitism on Biden's part.
if the dems made confetti of the patriot act, we would all be dancing in the streets! at the repub convention, in an effort to show who's got the biggest war hard-on, McCain would direct the repubs to make confetti of the constitution. of course, first they'd have to rescue it from Bush & Cheney's Executive Restroom Toilet-paper holder.
Thanks for the link chica! ;)
I posted on Biden's pros and cough...con's (as in conservative) today as well.
I am with you..he ain't no progressive and mostly I stand on the opposite side of him on most issues.
Fran, I stand by your side. No kiddin' I relate so closely to your post. Thanks for saying it so well.
Lib: Youv'e got that right. It's the poor folks who need abortions funded- and or social services to help raise the child for 18 years.
The funding is key. I think if men could become pregnant, the government funding picture for abourtion would change.
I'm not thrilled about his gay marriage policy either. What do';t they understand about EQUAL rights???
dk: Hah! You are right about the constitutional toilet paper.
Dusty: We have to move forward with our eyes wide open. We can't be fooled again by the dems either. the repugs are already a known lost cause, for the most part.
BE: You are a champion of Human Rights activism, so I am sure you can't help but observe the long list of injustices- immigration rights included on that list.
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