Today!

Two years of waiting. Two years of debating. Two years of t.v. ads. Two years of speeches. Two years of mud-slinging. Two years of lying. Two years of historical moments. And it all culminates today. After waiting for about 50 minutes in a line, with my one year old son in a stroller eating Cheerios, while trying to read "Young Patriots" (great read!), I entered the card board box, and officially voted. And I left, proudly wearing an "I Voted" sticker. Hopefully in the next 24 hours we will see an end to this election, and have our next President chosen. My daughter's pre-K class had a mock-election, a ballot box with two crayons and pictures of the candidates, and they received the "I Voted" sticker as well. When she got in the car she announced that she voted for John McCain, not "Rock Obama". And I asked her who won, she said "Mom, I voted for the winner. John McCain!" We'll see if this pre-K class represents the country...or just Oklahoma. I hope I voted for the winner also!

Did you vote?

Did you have anything interesting happen?

Tomorrow!

Yes Annie, tomorrow is only a day away! And can I get a Hallelujah? Before tomorrow happens, I wanted to officially endorse McCain. Call the AP, blog-writer of Moms into Politics is making a huge leap on the McCain wagon! Surprised? I doubt it! Here's why:

1. Tested: John McCain has been tested. His endurance and will were tested in the Hanoi Hilton for 5 long years. He has served our country, almost to the claiming of his life. He has the respect of our troops, and I believe, for that service he can be considered a hero.


2. Experience: Not only does he have military experience, he has been apart of both houses of Congress. He served in the House for 2 terms, and in the Senate now for 4 terms. He is the ranking member in the Armed Services Committee, and serves on other committees such as: Commerce, Science and Transportation, Consumer Affairs.


3. Accomplishments: Line Item Veto Act of 1996: giving President power to cut specific spending. McCain-Feingold: Make campaign financing transparent, and eliminate 'soft money'. HMO Reform of 2001: opposed by Pres. Bush and majority of Republicans. 9-11 Commission: With Sen. Leiberman, wrote legislation which created this investigatory commission which suggestions has helped keep us safe. Aviation and Transportation Act 2001: Co-sponsored with democratic leader. Introduced McCain Detainee Agreement: It prohibits inhumane treatment of prisoners, including prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Major supporter of the Iraq Troop Surge of 2007 which has proved a success. (To name a few).


4. Bi-Partisanship: Although Democrats say "He's voted with Bush 90% of the time", that is one of the lowest party-line voting record I could find. He has worked with anyone who could support the same cause, including Ted Kennedy, Joe Lieberman, and even Barack Obama.


5. Understanding of the Constitution: Just as a brief example, when Clinton nominated Breyers and Ginsberg for Supreme Court Justices, Sen. McCain voted to approve them. Although they disagreed politically, he knew they were qualified and that is his role in the process: to determine their qualification. This angered many Republicans, but he knew that was right.

I do not see John McCain as the perfect candidate, or someone I would agree with 100%. But, the more I've researched about him, there is no doubt he is honest, hard working, and has the best view of our government and it's role. He has experience, both domestic and foreign. He is a strong leader, but understands the devistation that is involved with war. He is the only candidate that has lived it. For those who assume, he is ill-tempered and will 'jump the gun' regarding war, you are dead wrong. You may agree or disagree with who I'm voting for, but I know the facts, his record, and what kind of man he really is. I hope you do the same.

Yesterday

Being a History major, and a Republican (we always look to the past, right?) I've been thinking about past campaigns and Presidencies, and a trend occured to me. First, I will give you examples. (This is all off the top of my head, no specific dates or quotes. Sorry)

Franklin D. Roosevelt: When he was elected, the country was in economic turmoil. His campaign was based on economic change. And that he did. However, he was also Commander in Chief during one of the world's largest and bloodiest wars, World War II. There was a major agenda shift from economy to defense.

Dwight D. Eisenhower: A well-respected military man, obviously ran for President flashing his war credentials. He came in after WWII, and the American public wanted someone with military experience. With the Korean War as an exception, he made major economic advancements during his Presidency. One being the Highway Act (1954?) which connected the country, and strengthened our infrastructure. Shifting his credentials and experience from defense into economic.

Lyndon B. Johnson: One of his campaign ads will go down in history as one of the muddiest and dirtiest attack ad. A little girl plucking the petals off a flower, then boom, nuclear bomb! Obviously campaigning on defense platforms, being a war-time President (Vietnam War), he won with a landslide. However, he was unable to end the war in Vietnam, but furthered the New Deal in creating the Great Society. He ran with a defense and war-time strategy, but his Presidency turned into an economic one.

Ronald Reagan: What kind of Republican would I be, if I didn't mention Ronald Reagan? He campaigned on limited government, and the concept of Reaganomics. However, he had to deal with the Challenger disaster, Iran Contra affair, and most famously the Cold War. His campaign focus was the domestic affairs, but a lot of his Presidency was focused on the international stage.

And lastly, George W. Bush: His 2000 campaign focused mainly on education and minorities. He didn't have a lot of international experience, and campaigned on domestic policies. However, with the events of 9-11, he became known as a war President.

Pattern: When the country is focused on domestic issues during a campaign: economy, health care, immigration, social issues, etc., the country is then faced with international struggles (WWII, Vietnam, Cold War). When we elect a President based on the fear of war, we face financial and internal downturns. This 2008 Presidential Campaign has turned solely to the crisis in the economy. I believe most voters are electing someone who they believe will strengthen our economy. Which makes me wonder if history will repeat itself, yet again. Will there be some generated international incident as Joe Biden warned? It seems to fit the pattern. Will we learn from history? What do you think?

Are you listening?

The election is nearing and I am dumbfounded as to what could happen. If you are listening to the media Obama is our next president. This is what confuses me. I have been reading voraciously all I can about this man. I have read all he has to say and have considered his allegiances and friends and tried to be open minded and not judge based on wild claims and far right accusations.

I have noticed something about the discourse amongst voters and it is this. McCain followers seem to be cautious about his ability to fix all the problems but they have shared a genuine outline as to why they feel he is the best choice. Specifics are given as to what they feel he will do how he will lead and his basic philosopies. They are also honest about what they feel he can't or won't do. Obama followers seem to like him and feel like he is inspiring and gives good speeches and will bring about CHANGE. I have yet to read a blog or article that truly outlines what he will do that doesn't just go on and on about George Bush and the mess he has made. It is only "He will bring about Change Change change". What is this change and really will it be good for the country. In one comment made on an earlier post the commenter said that she hopes that when Obama gets in he will govern from the center. That is a confirmation to me that even that person knows that he is very very far left and just hopes that he will reign himself in. What if he doesn't reign himself in? What if he seats far left judges that make gay marriage legal nationwide, reinstates the fairness doctrine and changes the second amendment to be restrictive to the extreme....all Democrat philosophies. I just can't fathom voting on that pretense.....this is our country. I reiterate. I wish I could go back in time and have Hillary be the democrat nominee, I would take her right now happily. She and her husband have been oddly low key in their support for him.....I think that even they are not 100% on board.

I am extremely concerned, as an avid constitutionalist, about his philosophy. Today when I read his quote regarding bankrupting the coal industry and then read how he is is firmly in favor of NO on proposition 8 I am again at a loss as to why this man is being followed so religiously. He says he is against gay marriage but this stance does not support what he says. I find this on so many of the issues. What will this change he promises be? What is in his background or record that supports this change he offers. There just seems to be no substance to these change claims other than he is so charismatic, well spoken, cool calm and collected.
Give me the substance, show me what he has ever done that backs up his claims. Show me that he is a man who will fight tooth and nail to protect the constitution, freedom of speech, the right to bear arms and marriage. I just can't find it, not in his track record, his voting record, his friends philosophies or what he says (constantly).

Even a democrat senator and Obama supporter said this week that Obama has no political courage. Well, lets hope he finds that at somepoint down the line.

I don't care who you are...

This is amazing. Amanda Jones' father was a slave until he was a young adult. Her mother was born just after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. She has been an active voter, her first vote was for FDR. She voted when there was much persecution against black voters, and even had to pay a poll tax. I can't comprehend the true change she has seen our country go through. Watching her people evolve in the eyes of the majority from less-than-human status, to second class citizens, to equals in the human family, and now possibly filling the most powerful position in the world. It is an amazing transformation our country has been through in the past 250 years.

The entire world suffered from the slavery plague, and our country fought a divisive and bloody battle to give them their freedom.

It has been over 150 years since people like Harriet Tubman, and Fredrick Douglass fought for the abolition of slavery. It has only been 145 years since the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by the great President Lincoln giving the slaves their freedom.

It has been 53 years since Rosa Parks was thrown into jail for sitting at the front of the bus, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and lead to the desegregation of the transportation system.

It has only been 47 years since the Freedom Rides began their lunch counter sit-ins, changing our society with non-violence. It has only been 45 years since Martin Luther King, Jr gave his "I had a dream" speech. It has only been 43 years since the Voting Rights Act was passed, allowing for equal registration for black citizens.

Only in our country is it possible for this dramatic of a change to happen in such a short amount of time. You can feel it among all voters, the excitement of this historic election. Early voting actually has lines of people waiting!

Whether you are voting for Barack Obama or John McCain, or even Bob Barr; you can't deny it is a turning point in our country. And for someone like Amanda Jones, who is voting for Barack Obama, has witnessed this evolution firsthand.

Just thinking...

Can you tell I've had a lot on my mind? (And my son is taking really long naps. That is the only way I can post!) I was just thinking...

What it would be like to be the first President in the 21st Century. We have never before had such ability and accessability to scruitinize every single move our Commander and Chief makes. The internet. Youtube. Google. The era of Instant Media. Even President Clinton was on the beginning of the technology age. Can you imagine how much worse the "Monica-gate" would have been with Youtube? It makes you wonder, with how quick we get information, how much faster the government and President has to make decisions. We have immediate intelligence, which can change in an instant. Presidents of the 18th Century, Washington and Adams, had months to methodically react to world and local events. Presidents of the 19th Century, Lincoln and Grant, also had weeks to plan and plot the movements of the Civil War. Presidents of the 20th Century, FDR and Kennedy, were given some breathing room to not give knee-jerk reactions, which avoided major catastrophe's. But as I've watched the Bush Presidency, I've almost pitied him for welcoming this new wave of politics. Not only is he put under an extremely focused microscope, he doesn't have as much time-luxary as previous Presidents, who are only now being more scruitinized. Can a 21st Century President be successful? Or will the technology age essentially assassinate each President?

Extremes

Which is more disturbing?