Looking for "evidence"

I’ve gotten a few comments and emails wondering about my last post...

Why don’t I try to sway political opinion? 

(I will correct misconceptions and fact check the “interesting” emails, and answer attacks, but I will not send emails of my own and will only lecture when provoked.)

It's because I really believe in the right to choose your own, no matter how flawed I feel your logic is.

I also hold back because, at this point, it’s futile.

I am in no way saying that the next three weeks don't matter.  I absolutely think they do.  I absolutely think that the most vital thing to do right now is to continue to be vigilant. It's crucial to make sure that everyone gets to vote, that they register in time, then actually pull the lever or put their ballot in the mail.  

But as in swaying?  Right now, no matter what the polls say, there are only about three undecided American voters left. 

I know one of them. She’s been asking questions that I've been answering for her---using and quoting unbiased sources of information.  

And Husband, who also knows her well, is making a chart of each side’s position on the four main questions she has, the ones that really affect her life.

Everyone else? They’ve made their decisions.

For the most part, the Obama supporters just wait to cringe at another “ya’ know,” unintelligent inexperience, ethical misjudgment and the possibility of four more years of exactly the same.

And the McCain supporters just wait for more “evidence” that Obama is a terrorist, a Muslim extremist or worse--- black ---and the possibility of a freewheeling liberal country veering toward socialism.

But everyone is worried about the state of the country, the economy and maintaining or hopefully improving the state of their lives.

Right now, it’s getting tough and worrisome for almost everyone I know, and it’s touching us, too.

Really, it’s disappointing. 

And frankly, if Obama wins, the Republicans should be psyched. Sure they’ll have to deal with four years, but he’s going to be left with such a GIANT mess that soon people will not remember how this all happened.

And I worry that will be it…

And that will be the biggest shame. 

Obama has the potential to be great, not just a good man who will be a welcome contrast, but great.

I really hope he has the chance to try.

So vote.

I Can't Be Swayed

Along with most of the world, we've been keeping a close eye on the presidential race.  We've been gathering for debate watching parties and discussing the news.  One friend has even been wearing swanky, artsy earring with her candidate's name on them. 

And all of us have ordered our absentee ballots and we're mailing them well early. 

But with all that said, I also think it's important for each person to make their own decisions, but lately it's been driving me NUTS.

First of all, I can't be swayed.  Not only am I well-convinced that my candidate is by far the best man for the job, I've already voted.

My ballot, by this time, is sitting in a pile of ballots in Gainesvegas waiting to be counted, if it hasn't already.

Second of all, here are a few things that wouldn't sway me, in any case:

1) An email forward with the subject line: INTERESTING

You can 99% guarantee that these can be easily debunked by a quick Google search or a click over to Snopes.  

In just the past few days I've clarified, among other things:

 

Obama does not advocate that his daughters have abortions.  He is an American citizen. He financed his education through scholarships, loans and his grandmother scraping the rest of it together, not through shady Middle Eastern terrorist people..  (Michelle financed her own education in much the same way.) Then they paid off the loans with the results of hard work, including law school professor'ing, Michelle's high paying jobs and several best-selling books. Also, the people who had a big hand in running Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into the ground are not his primary financial advisors.

2) A blog post in which the writer bases her passionate argument on incorrect information.

This one actually was the worst.  

The writer, who I will not share with you, is a secondhand acquaintance of mine. She is absolutely in favor of one candidate and lays out in fairly clear logic why.  

The problem (other than the misspellings) was that she was using completely incorrect, misquoted, and taken-WAY-out-of-context information. 

And, all of this information can be clearly traced to these "interesting" emails, as well as various "attack" ads that have been exposed as misleading by the mainstream media. 

The worst part is that she is a board member of a gay and lesbian rights organization.  She has five young children, all under the age of 13 and her family is having financial issues right now, as is most of the country. 

So right there you've got gay rights, education and taxes, three topics I suspect she cares about an awful lot. Three issues each candidate has absolutely opposite plans on how to address them.

And she's advocating and choosing based on completely incorrect information.

But, I am not a pundit. I will correct misinformation and share my own views when asked, but I am a firm believer that you should make your own choice. 

But also, don't trust what I have to say.  

The information is out there, just know your source. 

News stories in reputable news outlets will present both sides.  Editorials and columnists are slanted and based on opinion.  Speeches are all over YouTube.  Their Congressional records are online.  Each candidate has a website.  

It's all out there and easily accessible.

Then vote.

Crazy Uncle John and President Reverend Moore

I don't have enough time (and suspect not nearly enough bandwidth) to write about why* Sarah Palin is a unwise choice for President.   

And yes, I said president, because I suspect, if elected, there is a strong chance that Crazy Uncle John will bite it well before the end of his first term.  

And yes, I said Crazy Uncle John. 

Over the course of his campaign, McCain has reminded me more and more of a slightly doddering older relative who shows up for family gatherings.  You know, the one that you hope has just one too many whiskeys.  

He has fantastic stories, says outrageous things and will probably pinch at least one female guest's fanny.  

It's totally fun when he appears, but you wouldn't give him the keys to the family car. And, more importantly, it's great when he comes over, but also good when he goes home. 

But back to Sarah.  Husband and I have a slight disagreement about her.  I say she's a wolf in sheep's clothing.  He says she's a wolf in wolf's clothing.  

In any case, if McCain is Crazy Uncle John, she is reminding me more and more of Reverend Moore from Footloose.



...except I don't think she will have the good judgment to let the kids have prom across county lines. 

Vote for Change.

*Overall general policies, corruption charges, judgmental attitudes, book banning, misappropriation of funds, stance on personal freedoms, potential power to influence for years to come, snarky attitudes, shrill speeches, Gibson Girl hair, first passport dated 2007, using own children for political points then acting offended when people reply to the conversation she started, inaccuracies peppering her convention acceptance speech, etc....