Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Change of Pace


I saw a bumpersticker the other day which read, "Somebody else for president."

Yeah. That's where I am.

Perhaps because I still sport the battle scars - courtesty of a "together we can" pie-in-the-sky politician who, with a straight face, once "lead" the Mass Teacher's Association into endorsing a trio of Bay State casinos - I'm just a little bit jaded on 'change'.

So I found myself hoping the Veepstakes would show me something new, though the formula was clear at the get-go: McCain needed a youthful counterpart while Obama had to shore up a shallow levy of experience.

Still, I was convinced Obama would pull a surprise candidate out of his hat. And so when he went ahead and chose Biden, my first thought was, what? - he couldn't find a woman, in the entire Democratic party - with experience?

I mean, this year an awful lot of people demonstrated, with their votes, that they felt it was time for a woman in the White House. So, even if he didn't want to lock hands with Hilary for the long haul, why couldn't Obama have looked beyond the usual suspects? Where was the 'change'?

Had he chosen an experienced, qualified woman for VP, I'll admit, I'd be a lot less ambivalent about my vote. Obama gets a lot of points for 'inspiring' people. But I'm not one of them.

Together we can disappoint.
Together we can underwhelm.

As for McCain, who did make a surprising choice, that choice was puzzling. Palin wasn't going to sway too many Hilary Democrats over to his side. But for a party not known for 'change', he did something my own party failed to do - he paid attention to the message - and chose a woman as a running mate.

And not just some hairdo in a pantsuit. A gun-toting no-nonsense multi-tasking caribou-stalking uber mom. Who, with babe in arms, prepares to send a son off to war while planning a shotgun wedding for a daughter. Youth, strength and change - wrapped in a hard-right, money-where-your-mouth-is package - should appeal to McCain's core constituency - and perhaps a cadre of younger conservative voters. And, unless her America hating past or something weirder comes back to haunt her, I think it was a smart choice.

And so now I'm just confused. The party of 'change' did the expected, while the party of the 'same-old' shook things up. That's not supposed to happen, right?

I don't want to vote Republican. It's not my party. And my values lean left, not right. But I don't want anymore pie in the sky from my party, either. I want pie on my plate.

Change, hope, experience, unity, whatever...

How 'bout - end the war, pay the bills, keep the focus, stop dependence, reform IGRA, go green, get along, do better, help the poor, the sick and the weak, aim higher. Those are some of the things I want whatever the winning ticket is to accomplish.

But of all the things I want, I really want America to stop being the Augusta National of the world when it comes to electing a woman to it's highest office.

Give 50.7% of the country change we can believe in.

4 comments:

carverchick said...

"somebody else for president"

I would say I am there also. I am an independent and usually stand smack dab in the middle of the usual political arguments. But I have no excitement nor can I find any inspiration from either of these candidates...but I will admit, I am swaying right. Maybe I too and jaded by the promises of our Governor and find only shallow words and no true agenda from Obama's speeches of change. It all sounds great....but his speeches lack clarity of how to achieve this great vision of change. Heck, Deval gave us the same story not too long ago, only to find out he planned on Casinos to make his change.

I honestly don't know how I am going to vote yet. I need to hear them debate -- out of the stage set up and "everything is wonderful" backdrop of the Democratic National Convention. Maybe then it will become more clear. One thing is clear to me, we need a president who can lead...not one who can preach. Talk is cheap - action and actual change is what is needed in this Country and I am not so sure that either of the candidates are up to the challenge.

Gladys Kravitz said...

I agree, I'd like to hear the debates. It's also so interesting to hear other people's thoughts on the race, and the candidates, especially with the addition of Palin.

Maybe one of the cadidates will help us make a decision by saying either "Casinos are great!" or "Casinos suck!"

Anonymous said...

One campaign slogan that might work for Palin is 'Barefoot and Pregnant,' but since she comes from Alaska, 'Mucklucks and Pregnant'?

Gladys Kravitz said...

But 7:45!

She's not pregnant. She's given birth and has been breastfeeding during this whole ordeal.

My respect for this woman (completely utterly unexpectedly) grows...

McCain: Geriatric like a fox.


ShareThis