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threeplusfire) wrote2008-02-21 08:33 pm
threeplusfire) wrote2008-02-21 08:33 pm
Austin Democratic Primary debate
I'm watching, and Hilary just said something that flabbergasted me. she said she has represented America for 15 years in various ways. Now, I understand she did make important moves as the First Lady. She promoted women's rights, universal health care and shelter for refugees of the Balkan wars. But, being the wife of the President is *not* the same thing as being an elected representative serving constituents in my mind. WTF? I understand Clinton was a very active First Lady and worked to be more than a figurehead. But she was not an elected official with the same responsibilities and obligations. I don't want to denigrate her contributions at all. But I do think it was a wacky thing to say, especially given the attacks she faced in her first Senate campaign.
I sort of hate the debates in a way. Especially when Hilary totally ignores a question from James Ramos of Univision to talk about health care instead. If we were in UIL debate competition, she's get the smack hard for a bullshit move like that. Additionally, it is just not respectful. Or when Hilary and Obama keep trying to interrupt each other. It's all terribly polite, but irksome. It is sort of funny to watch the faces they make at each other.
This is a hard vote for me. There are things about both candidates that I like. It's exciting to think the Democrats have a huge opportunity to shift the color and gender politics of our country. I love Obama's stances on just about everything with the glaring exception of gay marriage. It makes me want to scream 'Seperate but equal!' at him, that he would give all the benefits but deny the name of marriage and its place. I like Clinton's ideas about universal health care, about fighting for as much as possible. But I resent and mistrust her statements that we need to 'wake up' and 'get real' about this election.
All issues aside, to me at least, this primary can be boiled down to two very simple choices about political style. Do we want to fight within the system, to take the currently running rivers of influence and cash and use them to our advantage, do we address our future with a certain grim pragmatism? Or do we want to fight from outside, do we want to claw and kick and scratch out a new way of politics and address our future with great hopes and dreams unfettered by our years of cynicism? There's much to be said for both approaches.
Given the politics of fear in the past eight years, I can only vote for hope.
I sort of hate the debates in a way. Especially when Hilary totally ignores a question from James Ramos of Univision to talk about health care instead. If we were in UIL debate competition, she's get the smack hard for a bullshit move like that. Additionally, it is just not respectful. Or when Hilary and Obama keep trying to interrupt each other. It's all terribly polite, but irksome. It is sort of funny to watch the faces they make at each other.
This is a hard vote for me. There are things about both candidates that I like. It's exciting to think the Democrats have a huge opportunity to shift the color and gender politics of our country. I love Obama's stances on just about everything with the glaring exception of gay marriage. It makes me want to scream 'Seperate but equal!' at him, that he would give all the benefits but deny the name of marriage and its place. I like Clinton's ideas about universal health care, about fighting for as much as possible. But I resent and mistrust her statements that we need to 'wake up' and 'get real' about this election.
All issues aside, to me at least, this primary can be boiled down to two very simple choices about political style. Do we want to fight within the system, to take the currently running rivers of influence and cash and use them to our advantage, do we address our future with a certain grim pragmatism? Or do we want to fight from outside, do we want to claw and kick and scratch out a new way of politics and address our future with great hopes and dreams unfettered by our years of cynicism? There's much to be said for both approaches.
Given the politics of fear in the past eight years, I can only vote for hope.
no subject
Basically, this is what I think it's going to come down to for me. The two candidates are not that different in platform. Yeah, there are some important small differences, but they're still both just Democrats. Likewise, neither of them actually has the ability to create the changes they advocate. That power lies first with us as the electorate, and we've done a piss poor job of electing people capable of change, and secondly with Congress, and our Congress is currently too busy fighting about who's right to do anything useful. So since I see no difference big enough to make my decision, I'm going with the guy who inspires people and seems to be able to unite. What I think obama can do that Hillary can't is inspire us, as a community, to work for the change we want to see. If he can be even marginally successful, then I think we'll be more willing to elect more people like him and that's when we'll actually see the change he's talking about.
Campaigns are all about rhetoric and smooth talk. The candidates have no business promising anything because the system is designed to prevent them from delivering, and that's why this year I'm not making my final decisions based on what legislation they say they can pass. I think what we have to do is realize that, then pick the vision we think is best and do the leg work to achieve it. That means volunteering for campaigns and in the community and finally not tolerating the status quo any more. We'll continue to get Bushes and Hillary Clintons until kingdom come if we continue to allow them to be successful.