Ill be the first to admit that Sarah Palin handled last night's debate better than I expected. Still, sequester me with her crack-pot team of advisers for a week and I could convince you that I'm capable of memorizing a script, too. It's too bad she didn't prepare as well for the Couric interview.
I disagree with McCain/Palin on almost every issue, including some with which Obama/Biden don't disagree. But there are three issues that I'm focusing on.
1. The importance of refocusing military operations in Afghanistan. Granted, I am biased on this point because I believe my husband will be better protected by the Obama/Biden policy. Regardless, the presence of terroristic threats in this region has dramatically increased over the past five years. The August attack on our base in Khost province (across the border from Waziristan) included organized waves of at least 10 suicide bombers, almost all of whom were shot, rather than detonated. We must find a way to address this threat, and work with Afghanistan and Pakistan to stabilize the border and tribal areas. Our work in this region is as, if not more, important than our work in Iraq.
2. I am, and will always be, pro-choice. Thankfully, I never had to make the decision whether to keep, give up, or abort a baby. In all probability, I would most likely have kept the baby in that situation. I firmly believe that we should address the causes behind unintended pregnancy, whether they are age, ignorance, cultural, whatever. Education about our bodies and our options, and empowerment of oppressed demographic groups, leading to improved self-image and expectations, are the keys to overcoming this problem. I am not willing to raise every child whose mother has been convinced not to abort, and thus I think the decision should be hers, not mine, not yours, and certainly not the government's.
3. I subscribe to the school of thought in which the president is more intelligent and more experienced in governing than I am. In fact, that is my only concern about Obama. I have looked for his candidacy since he was elected to the Senate, and I believe he is up to the task largely because he has the good sense to know his weaknesses. He is extremely intelligent and has chosen advisers who complement his positions and provide the expertise he lacks. As a Senator, he understands how the federal processes - legislative, budgetary, judicial - work. He is a candidate who understands the importance of our eroded trust in the judicial branch and can remedy that by extricating the administration from its management and restoring its political impartiality. Sarah Palin's first involvement with the state budget was FY 2008! It is possible, though unlikely in my opinion, that in time she could develop qualifications approaching adequacy. But she does not have them now. I do not appreciate her colloquial manner, which she refers to as "straight talk" for the "folks". Sarah, I am not part of your carpool, I am not sitting at your kitchen table. I am - we are - intelligent, informed citizens who deserve visionary leadership and logical, experience- and knowledge-based policies in exchange for our votes.
4. Okay, I lied, there are four points. There goes my political credibility. I am a veteran, married to a veteran who is currently serving, I work in municipal government and my husband is a police officer, we have a mortgage, two cars and three kids, I am a soccer mom, I am in the PTA, I drive a minivan...this is who I am, average American, and as this woman, I am offended by McCain's lame attempt to grab my vote. The republican party is home to many experienced, qualified women who offer substance and reliability. While I would not likely agree with their politics, I would at least be able to respect their records.
Whew! I didn't really expect all that. Apparently I have some strong feelings about this election. Please, vote for change.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment