I need answers

I really need some answers.

Here are some facts.

1. The economy, according to Alan Greenspan, is in a "once in a century" crisis.
2. Over 4,000 Americans have died in Iraq, along with countless Iraqi civilians
3. We still have not found Osama Bin Laden
4. The US produces approximately 1/4 of the world's carbon dioxide emissions and we consume the most oil
5. Some 45 million people cannot afford health care
6. Our international standing in the world has plummeted

One would think that in light of such pressing facts, we need to find solutions. One would think that with a fairly important presidential election coming up, people would want to hear about how the two candidates are going to solve these issues. One would think people want answers.

Instead, we got John McCain talking about how Barack Obama insulted Sarah Palin when he, in the midst of criticizing McCain's economic policies, said that "if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig." Don't mind the fact that Senator McCain made the exact same statement about Hillary Clinton's health care plan last winter.

Instead we get a barrage of flat out lying from the McCain campaign. I'm not joking, there are literally lies flying about the airwaves. I really like the one where McCain accuses Obama of sponsoring a bill in the Illinois Legislature that promoted "comprehensive sex education for kindergartners." In reality, he signed a bill which promoted age appropriate awareness of good touch and bad touch. Or there's that Spanish language one which accuses Obama of killing immigration reform last year. Don't mind the fact that McCain and Obama voted exactly the same. What's even more galling is that Mrs. McCain had the audacity to criticize the media for exposing such lies.

Gov. Palin has no excuse either. She claims to have "killed" the Bridge to Nowhere earmark that would have used federal tax dollars to construct a $400 million bridge to an island with 50 residents. Not so. She was for it before she was against it. And frankly, I feel it's pretty reasonable to say she's a pretty freaky person in general. For some reason, she is qualified to be a heartbeat away from the most powerful position in the world because she is a "hockey mom." Well, my mom was a "band mom," and she shops at department stores too. She might not be quite so adept as killing moose, which is apparently another key qualification. Love her as I do, I don't think my mom should lead the free world.

I forgot, she has foreign policy experience of her proximity to Russia. "They're our next-door neighbors," she said in a recent ABC interview, "and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska -- from an island in Alaska." That's fantastic. Alaska is also the closest point in the US to space (Mt. McKinley). She must also have space experience. It's also the closest US point to the North Pole, so she must also have experience dealing with Santa. This is the most pathetic form of reasoning I've never heard. If we talked about this in law school, we could probably spend months discussing how inane it is. I mean, I can see Lakeville if I stand on the road outside my house. I'm obviously in a position to officially negotiate with the Lakeville City Council on behalf of the City of Apple Valley.

I suppose this is to be expected. It's the same culture wars bullshit that has been used as a political tactic since Nixon. The same sort of thing perfected by George W. Bush and Karl Rove. I mean, it sort of makes sense. If you don't have any fresh ideas for yourself, why not just tear apart the other person?

Except the fact that this is coming from the founder of the "Straight Talk Express." This is coming from a man who I'm supposed to think is "honorable." There's nothing honorable about fear mongering. There is nothing honorable about sacrificing your integrity to get ahead. And McCain had integrity, he really did. But obviously not anymore. Doesn't the Republican Party praise our Christian origins? What sort of Christianity promotes this sort of sleaze? This is something our society should condemn, not lift up.

The fact that people want to turn this election into some sort of referendum on personalities is an embarrassment to a civilized country, I feel. Obviously, we want to elect someone who people can trust. But it cannot be that we elect people based not on their ideas, but on some sort of "image" they've crafted. Sure, Obama might sound like that kook professor you had in sociology or whatever. He might seem like a giant egghead. He's "educated." Wait a second though, wouldn't it be a positive to have an intelligent, thoughtful person in the White House. No, no, what was I thinking? That would be awful.

Seriously, I want some answers. I know I have some conservative friends out there. How is John McCain going to make this country better? How is he going to "reform" Washington when he essentially brings to the table the same policies of the last 8 years? How is he going to fix the economy by continuing the Bush tax cuts? Senator McCain is not going to lower your taxes. Literally, he's not. Check his website. Senator Obama will cut taxes to the middle class. If you're a senior making less than $50,000 a year, he's going to eliminate their income taxes. How is this a bad idea? How is it a bad idea to want to talk to countries that we don't currently talk to? Why is it that we think we're punishing people by not talking to them. It's not helping us deal with Iran. In fact, I would say its downright arrogant.

Honest to God, I want some real answers. Why should I desire to supplant eight years of near total failure with four more years of pretty much the exact same? How is that going to make things better? Seriously, someone tell me why.

The idea that we should be a nation of cowboys is a terrible idea. That's what got us into the shitstorm in Iraq. Non cooperation, arrogance, ideology driven policy. I'm not saying Obama is God's Chosen One to restore America to its former greatness or anything. He most likely will fail in some of his grand schemes. But the fact remains, Senator Obama has ideas that are different from the failed ideas of the Bush Administration. They are not the same, they set forth a different direction. For better or for worse, they are a change, a willingness to try something new. Why should I want four more years of essentially the same policy? It has not worked. Why are people afraid of doing something new? A great mentor of mine at Luther said that the reason he loved the United States is because it was always reinventing itself, it was never stagnant. This is not a time to be stagnant.

I need some answers.