Answer #2 of the Presidential Election 2008 debate

I finally have succumbed to 'something' and I hope to go to bed early with this sore throat. I've taken 30 grams of Vitamin C (yes sirree, GRAMS!) yesterday and today I think I've even surpassed the 30 mark but since I've haven't been sick for a while, it's a tough little bugger. I shouldn't complain. It's only day 2. So hopefully everyone will have his answer here before I hit the sack.

Ok, this was Question #2:

Do you believe that this country needs someone to heal the wounds of the last 8 yrs ? Would you, if you believed any candidate to be able to do that, that that would be the most important activity for the next President to pursue?

Here are the answers:

Betmo:
No- we don't need a candidate to reach across the table- because they are only reaching out the politician across the aisle- and it doesn't mean a thing. The wounds that the next president has to heal are the ones in our foreign policy. We have to make an effort to repair that damage- and our image- to the rest of the world. It is up to congress to clean up the mess that they made under bushco- they are responsible for debating and making the laws- the next president needs to have the integrity to veto stupidity- not set it as a domestic agenda. We have to prioritize and the feelings of 30% of america should not matter at this point. They made a stupid decision to continue to support bushco- now the rest of america and the world need to clean up the mess. They just need to suck it up.

Robbie

Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John Edwards will likely be elected our next President, but there is no way any of them can heal the wounds inflicted by the Bush administration and their supporters during the past eight years. it's an old wound that's been there since before I was born, and now that the scab is removed, we're seeing Americans pitted against each other based on their political ideology, race, sexual orientation, faith, and gender like never before.

I know people close to me who won't vote for Obama because of his race, or for Hillary because she's a woman. Do you expect these ordinary Americans to put their differences aside if their presidential candidate is defeated in November? I don't. In fact, I expect these individuals to do what they've done since President Bill Clinton's first term in office: harbor ill feelings against the government and get their marching orders from Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and Michael Savage as they spew their hate and bigotry on our public airwaves.

The best we can hope for is that the next President will fix the economy by curtailing corporations and their lobbying and business practices. Jobs continue to move overseas. Products are not adequately tested for public safety before they hit the market. Employee's wages and benefits are trimmed every year while CEOs continue to earn record bonuses. The next President will need Congress's cooperation, but as long as our elected representatives continue to be influenced by corporate lobbyists' money then nothing will change in the next four years.

Rogel:

Ingrid question is problematic to answer. What are those wounds the next President need to heal, and did they only the cause of the last 8 years? Does the devision of Blue and Red states is the results of the Bush administration or is it a deeper division? Did the first Clintons era was harmless? Since this is a wide open question, and Ingrid demand a short answer, I will try to provide a more general answer.

Many Presidential candidates are running under the flag of calming the divisions, fixing Washington and build an administration that will work harmoniously with both parties. Not surprisingly they will all fail. They fail because non-partisan politic is bad politic, it doesn’t bring voters to the polls and it leaves very little power for the politician. If there are no choices to choose from why is it important which politician we elect?

The only advantage, and its main disadvantage, of government is it monopoly on the legal means of coercion. It is an advantage because when the government operate within its proper roll, the use of power (or the threaten of it) is justified and doesn’t cause resistance. When the police arrest a criminal, when the army protect the border and many justified activities are all within the general consensus and are widely acceptable. However, when the government increase its involvement into other areas - when its decides what is proper to watch on TV, what sexual preference is allowed, what food is permitted, and many many more issues that are better left to the individual to decide - its highlights the differences that are better remain in the private sphere.

The only way to calm the divisions is to remove the coercion power of the government. Some issues will be handle by social expectations, and many other will remain for the individual. The answer isn’t in more government, and surely not in the federal government. No magician in Washington DC can pass laws that will make everyone happy, nor should they. The only magic require is to remove regulations and give people back their right to decide for themselves.

Thanks guys, great answers. I know my question was vague and (kinda)presumptious as if you'd know what the wounds were. Btw..I have a question 3 in mind and I think you'd be surprised to know what that is. Anyhow..anyone want to agree or disagree with anyone? (civily of course)

elections 2008

i started my blog almost 2 years ago to check out some of the new fangled technology and it took on a life of its own- hence the name- life's journey. i come down squarely on the left but i don't really think of myself as a democrat- more of a progressive. splitting hairs, i know. i used to consider myself middle-of-the-road in terms of my viewpoints and stances but as i have gotten older, i have redefined my priorities and taken a hard look at issues i feel are important. i believe in reinstating the constitution and taking a look at 21st century security needs without stripping civil liberties; i believe in basic health care for everyone, equal educational opportunities for all american children, and that in a country as wealthy as we are- no one should go without basic necessities. i feel that a blend of capitalism and commonsense socialism works best. free markets with a conscience if you will. i don't believe that a few wealthy folks in this country and on this planet should determine the fate of millions of their fellow human beings and i don't believe in classcism. we are all human beings underneath- skin color, gender, or how much you have in your bank account- shouldn't determine how we treat one another. we have started a new century and this is a pivotal moment in this planet's history because we have to make changes on a global scale- and change is difficult under the best of circumstances.

which brings me to the 2008 presidential election here in america. i come down squarely for dennis kucinich. i have followed the platforms of all of the democratic candidates from the start. each candidate has a website that is easy to find with google. i have also peeked at their voting records as the big 3- and dennis k- and the folks who have dropped out already- have them. interesting, no? congresspeople instead of the usual crop of governors. with a few exceptions, of course. that is how i based my decision to vote for dennis k. i don't watch the staged photo ops that pass for debates in this country at this time. i search out the answers i am looking for through the voting records and the public stances on issues. i am sorry to see many states moving the primaries up earlier- but i have a feeling that there are money issues behind that. i live in new york so we vote february 5th. there is much to watch this election season- and not just the candidates. folks are on the alert for fraud and manipulations in iowa and new hampshire. not many folks know that wyoming also had one. with the emotions running high already- it is going to be interesting to watch. i guess i am wondering how voting can remain honest with the election system we have in place. folks talk about how everytime we vote- our government changes peacefully and without the turmoil and civil strife in many other countries around the world. i would ask the questions- is it really the government we want elected? or is it the government we are told we want?

other resources:

electionline.org

just $6- campaign finance reform

project vote smart- candidates' voting records

New Year, New Goals

(nabbed this picture from Engage East Midlands, sorry guys)






I have been very absent these past months, and when the kids go back to school next week, I'll be back 'in running'. This being the 2008 Presidential election year I want to try to round up a few bloggers for a weekend discussion/sound-off. I have already eyed a few and even started writing them an email when, family distraction arose and someone turned off the computer.
Anyway, I have spotted a Ron Paul supporter amongst the blogs I frequent (when I do check out blogs), and I know who would be a definite gung ho Democrat supporter AND an Independent one as well. If anyone does happen to know of a willing, and intelligent, (no reactionary)well-thought out Republican, all the power to that and let me know.
My intended format would be; first, have the invitees state their reasoning for their preferred political persuasion. Then, each week, I'd ask them a question and they'd have all week to think about an answer that would be posted on the weekend. I am hoping on an interesting (AND civilized) discussion. I know that there is an existing blog that has all the various groupings side by side but, aside from forgetting the name of that blog, I would like to just gather a group of people to discuss something in a more personal realm.
Anyhow, I have one more exam to finish for this week (did the other one and passed), so I'll let the cat out of the bag in case some of them would be visiting to see where the heck I've been!
I'm calling out for;

Betmo! Life's Journey is a great blog and even though she's already a contributor to other interesting sites, I'm hoping for a wee contribution on her part. She speaks her mind AND is very passionate about being against religion. Not too many people feel comfortable with that position, whether it's voicing it or hearing it from others, so I appreciate her candidness.

Cyberotter. Donkephant was one of the blogs that joined up with Bloggers Against Torture and even though many blogs joined up, a little circle of bloggers ended up writing on the BAT site during the awareness month and we got to know each other throughout that process. I believe that CO is a veteran and he even did a bike ride through some states to do fundraising for veterans (looked all over his site but couldn't find the references post, CO, help!). Anyhow, he recently officially endorsed Ron Paul so I thought, PERFECT! The more differences the better. So..shout out to CO..please join this little group. Here in Austin TX I have seen Ron Paul signs and bumperstickers for AGES even before you'd see any Rep or Dem bumperstickers so his supporters are pretty loyal and vocal.

Robster!! Robbie previously from Independent Opinions (no longer accessible), obviously an Independent, now he can be found at Wiccan Warrior (can't access it if you're not a LiveJournal user and then it's for friends only). Unfortunately it's at LiveJournal and even though I signed up so that I could comment on Robster's site, it never did get processed! ANYhoo.. speaking of vocal and fiery, that would be Robbie. That also explains the reason why he does not allow anonymous comments since he must do something to irk either democrats or republicans. That said, he's really a decent guy..you know how it is in troll land, there's plenty of them roaming around. If this election 2008 roundtable does get off the ground, I expect a few of them to snort around here too. Par for the course I guess.

So we got our Independent, our Libertarian I guess, or Libertarian leaning, and we got our Democrat. Don't feel insulted or slighted if I didn't mention 'you', but if YOU would like to join the frey (sp?), please let me know. As an Independent myself, I believe that even within the Democrat and Republican ranks, people vary in their stances and endorsements.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll get the official invite out. Now, it's dinner time and getting things ready for the last exam that I will do tonight.
Happy New Year guys. This girl's back in town!! (woohoo!)