Why I'm Not a Democrat
As a companion to the earlier post, I was thinking about my memories of JFK and Ronald Reagan. Specifically, the pride I felt in America and a sense of hope for the future.
How is this different than what we see with Barack Obama? I think of it as a matter of style over substance. With JFK and Reagan, there were specific reasons and policies that engendered those good feelings. Based in reality, they were healthy and developmentally sound.
I don't get the same feeling when I hear Obama. He's a nanny-stater who has not been very specific in what his vision of the future might be, other than Hope and Change. The Democratic nomination is (IMHO) still very much up for grabs. Obama has an almost cultish following with swooning fans. Hillary has a political machine and a "scorched-Earth" mentality that historically she has used without compunction.
This is Democratic Party politics at its finest. Identity trumps platform, race and gender are more significant than policy. "Chickens coming home to roost" is the order of the day and there will be screeching no matter who comes out on top. If leaving the Republican Party was preferable to supporting a candidate that I can't trust, why would I even consider a political philosophy that is anathema to me?
I've mentioned to my parents more than once, "This is not the Democratic Party you grew up with." I'm glad to say that they're starting to see the light.
Zarkman
If you've never read him, Iowahawk is one of the funniest guys around for dry humor and satire. This piece on Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was one of the funniest things I've ever read (kind of raunchy if you're really uptight, but I'm not, heh). If you look on the left sidebar for "categories" you'll see "Zarkman" and you can read the whole series.
Now, if you like cars, Iowahawk is still your man.
Wireless Amber Alerts
Child abductions are seriously scary. You have almost certainly heard of Amber Alerts and may have even seen the overhead signs on highways that broadcast them. What many people have never heard of is that you can get text messages of Amber Alerts in your area. The service itself is free here, but you do have to pay any applicable text message fees through your carrier. I've been signed up for these almost since they began. It's a great service and not very intrusive since you only get alerts from your own specified area. I seem to get an average of one or two each month, along with updates and when they are canceled... about 5-6 texts a month.
I don't have a financial interest here or personal history dealing with Amber Alerts. I just think it's a great service and urge you to check it out. Also, I just got one on my phone which is what brought it to mind.
No Longer a RepublicanBoth my parents are Democrats and have been all their
lives.Growing up in Detroit with many
family members employed by Ford Motor Company, or other union-affiliated
companies (Pipefitters, Steel, Truckers, etc…) makes me very aware of how
important unions are.If companies gain
too much power, the workers get shafted… big time.
Undermining DemocracySince the National Elections in 2000, has there been any
election in the world that has escaped accusations of corruption?In Mexico,
Pakistan,
the
former Soviet Republic in Georgia, Iraq, Armenia, Russia,
Kenya,
our own elections in 2004 and 2006, among many others, there have been accompanying
cries of “foulâ€.While a few accusations
may appear credible (or at least sincere), most accusations of fraud or
corruption seem to be made without a shred of evidence.Sometimes these accusations even come before the actual
election.Is this becoming standard
practice just because the losing side wants to disrupt or discredit the
results?Do they hope to win concessions
from the winners or the courts?Or is
there something more?
Two major systems that hate democracy are the Socialists and
the Radical Islamists.Both are failed
systems that promote misery and consolidate power in a select few who have no
regard for the freedoms of others.Is it
possible that one (or both) of these groups routinely contest election results
in order to undermine democracy as a system?I believe this is already happening.
After creating controversy where none rightly exists, Socialists and
Radical Islamists then point to that manufactured controversy as proof that
Democracy is unworkable.The other thing we keep seeing is attacks on voters during elections. Terror, death, and discord all to undermine Democracy. We will see
more and more of all this over the next few years as they continue to attack our
government and way of life.The
Socialist and Islamic Radical systems cannot outperform Democracy at any
level.They can only try to tear it down
hoping to fill the resulting power vacuum.Creating discord and lowering confidence in the Democratic process is
just one more way of attacking their much-stronger enemies… us.
1
This is one of the reasons i'm uncomfortable with the debate about the use of computerized voting systems in the United States.
I mean, on the one hand ... i'm a computer programmer, and I work as a polling place officer. I know from my understanding of software that these things simply aren't secure in any meaningful sense, I'm aware as a precinct officer of how surreptitious access to them might be gained, and my impresison of the nature of political systems is that, if the opportunity to abuse the system exists, someone will eventually take advantage of it.
On the other hand, there's no evidence whatsoever that advantage *has* been taken. So how do I argue that these systems are too risky to use (which I believe), while keeping that argument entirely in the theoretical, and without undermining belief in democracy itself?
It's an astonishingly difficult thing to do.
Posted by: aphrael at 21 February 2008@13:54:22 (qUuc4)
I don't think we'll ever have a foolproof system of voting, computer-assisted or otherwise. As you say, if the opportunity for abuse exists, some lowlife (my word) will take advantage of it. We do the best we can with what we have (paraphrasing John Paul Jones). Good faith skeptics are invaluable to minimizing that abuse. They point out potential flaws, usually (if they are truly "good-faith") suggesting fixes.
My concerns are not so much with them as the intentional undermining of our faith in the idea of democracy. We've seen too many times where objections and cries of "foul" are pro-forma and expected, completely without evidence. Doing this as a political strategy, IMHO, is reprehensible. I've seen it on both sides of the aisle within our system (politicos who believe that by casting doubt on the legitimacy of the process, they can limit an opponents' effectiveness), and from outside our system (claiming election shenanigans routinely just so they can point to their own claims as proof that the system is corrupt.)
Posted by: Stashiu3 at 21 February 2008@17:47:57 (Q5ggV)
Guantanamo Experience
For those of you coming here and have never seen me comment on other blogs, here is something from Patterico's that might interest you. Since we did this, I've been gratified to see how much has come out confirming my experiences.
Liberalism Disorder?
Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of the new book, "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness," makes the case for extreme liberalism being a mental disorder.
Mao Wanted to Do What?
It seems that China has some innovative thinking under the Communist system after all. Henry Kissinger recently reported that Mao wanted to send 10,000,000 (that's 10 Million!) women to the United States because that was their biggest potential export of excess "product".
Still Want to Start Up the Cold War Again?
Putin has been a thorn in our side since forever. Now, he wants to install a puppet President and keep power indefinitely as Prime Minister or somesuch. He has also threatened to restart the Cold War because of U.S. "provocations" like a defensive missile shield.
Perhaps this might help him reconsider? Yeah, of course it's a test. We're still ahead of you and will knock all your satellites from the sky. All your base are belong to us!
Sites are added to the Moronosphere and Gerbil Nation blogrolls by request. I got everyone on there who was there when they were made, so email me if you know of a new addition. Some of these are on the main blogroll as well and will remain duplicated.
The main blogroll is at my own discretion. I gratefully accept suggestions by email, but I don't do blogroll exchanges. If a site is there, it's because I personally recommend it. If it's one that is not updated often, check out the archives and you'll probably see why it's there. I will rarely remove a site from the main blogroll once it's there.
Recent Comments
sillyblindharper
*rustle, rustle* **looks around empty thread** SQUEaK! entry
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Stash
About Me
I am a Psychiatric Nurse who retired from the Army after 24 years total service. I started out as a Private E-1, made Sergeant E-5 in 23 months, then went to nursing school and ROTC to get commissioned. I am interested in politics where I lean heavily conservative, movies, music, and books. Hopefully you will enjoy what you see and come back often.
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