stat counnnter

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Mixed Thoughts on the Election

First, I think that if Obama is elected, whoever the Repubs run in 2012 will appear to the American people like a George Washington and will be a shoe-in even though there will be no such resemblance in reality.

Second, Americans resoundingly rejected the redistribution plans of McGovern because he stated them explicitly just as Obama is doing now. Therefore, if Obama is not likewise resoundingly rejected, then I think America is in deep trouble.

Third, Obama is no fuhrer. But I do think there are fuhrer wannabes out there who are taking notes. They want to see what Obama can get away with; how receptive the American people are to explicit collectivist ideas; how much government encouraged class hatred Americans have bought into; do Americans still want to stand on their own two feet or do they want to be led; what is the nature of Obama's opposition and so on.

Fourth, these wannabes are watching McCain too. They want to see how, even if, McCain inspires opposition to Obama's policies. A potential fuhrer will notice that both parties favor involuntary servitude. Check. That's a requirement. But his biggest concern will be which party is most eager to do away with free speech. Right now, with their desire to silence talk radio, internet blogs, return to the fairness doctrine, and label dissent as hate speech, it is the Democratic party. He will notice too how well the people's thoughts are controlled by the press.

On the other hand:

Sixth, one of the things that may stand in Obama's way is the Democratic Party's own philosophy of pragmatism. I think some of them actually fear Obama going ideological on them. Pure pragmatists will see an ideological bent by Obama as being highly impractical and dangerous to the party's re-election chances in four or even two years. There's a good chance they'll side with republicans in opposition to Obama's 'extreme' policies. Others however, like the Pelosis, Reids, Schumers, etc. will get solidly behind Obama's 'extreme' policies because, despite their outward shell of pragmatism, they are ideologues. Their ideology is collectivism-altruism. That's the beauty of being a pragmatist: it allows its adherents to have their ideology--by labeling it as being 'practical'-- and eat it too--by claiming they don't have one.

Seventh, there is the Supreme Court. Now any institution that can sanction Eminent Domain, declare a life giving gas, carbon dioxide, a pollutant, is not an institution to be relied on for salvation. Nevertheless, they do exist and even though it may take years for a challenge to an Obama idiocy to reach the court well, like I said, they do exist. Also, there is the advise and consent of the Senate which could slow things down.

Eighth, if I were a fuhrer wannabe I would try to determine which party would provide the smoothest sailing to dictatorship, i.e. which party gets the most Resistance when in power. Let's see: the democrats have the press in their back pocket and this is great. But when in power they get stiff Resistance from the repubs. However, when in power, the repubs go out of their way to enact the Dems' agendas and get very little Resistance. So for the smoothest way to fuhrerhood, I should be a Republican. Folks, that's scary.

Ninth, there were times I thought America was finished but it wasn't. I thought we were done when Nixon declared wage and price controls. Again during the Carter years when his altruism paralyzed his response to the hostage taking and his ignorance of economics froze him to do nothing in response to skyrocketing interest rates.

The above is mostly conjecture and I could be wrong on much of it. As things stand right now, it looks like Democrats will retain control of congress so my intention is to vote solidly republican for all candidates to provide more resistance to dem agendas. I can't see myself voting for Obama. He's just too anti-American. I may vote against him by voting for McCain or I may leave that spot blank. McCain is a long term threat. Obama a short term one.

Still thinking.

6 comments:

Amy said...

Hi Mike!

I really like your thinking, and agree with it. Very clever looking at this election from the furher's point. The unsolved question for me is regarding "punishing" the republican party by not voting for them. I initially agreed with the idea that *perhaps* the repubs would "learn" from not being elected, thereby forcing them to reexamine their religious policies. I'm wondering if this could ever work. I don't see a lot of evidence that this would work, where they would give up on stem cell and abortion opposition and focus on individual rights and limited government. Rush Limbaugh even called on conservatives to weed out the pro-choice elements among the party and to enforce the repub's religious ideas. I'm curious - what do you think?

In the meantime, I am leaning toward abstaining from the presidential election, voting for Senate and House republicans, yes on 1 and yes on 2. McCotter especially because he voted No twice on the bailout, and I'd like to reward him for that. I would like to see all those in favor of the bailout get booted -- mainly because it was a flagrant slap in the face of the American people who were overwhelmingly against it. I don't want to see, say Carl Levin, getting away with it and being re-elected.

I'm pretty sure about two things: Obama will give us an increased dose of the same poison, but McCain/Palin will give us the somewhat of the same along with a dose of a new poison -- religion as patriotism/forcing pregnant women into birth/curtailing stem cell research even further/prayer in the schools/etc. I'm most concerned about reproductive freedoms and especially the promotion of the Christian religion as a founding tenant of America.

So try not to get too nauseated tomorrow morning. I'll be bringing Atlas Shrugged to read while I stand in line.

Anonymous said...

Given everything, "my intention is to vote solidly republican for all candidates to provide more resistance to dem agendas." ... seems the wisest choice, and it's certainly how I'll be voting.

I'll be disppointed if Obama wins the Presidency.

I'll be disppointed if McCain wins, too.

But then, it's been a long time since I've been enthusiastic about a Presidential candidate.

On the other hand, despite everything, the battle is far, far from over ... fight on, sir!

Michael Neibel said...

Thanks Amy! I agree that I too would love to punish the Repubs by not voting for them but I'm afraid that we must stay alive first. That may mean voting for Repub seats this election just to give the Dems more resistance. And I too have doubts that such punishment would even work. But I do think it is worth a try.

Yes I heard Rush L's invitation to choicers to leave the republican party. I might write to a repub, after the election, explaining that I won't be voting for him again because I'm a pro-choicer and Rush invited me out of the party so good bye.

I like your idea of taking a copy of Atlas Shrugged to read while in line. I'll do it too.

Anon: Thanks too.
"But then, it's been a long time since I've been enthusiastic about a Presidential candidate." Yes and that is why I've promised myself to not fault any objectivist for how they vote in this election including abstention.

Amy said...

So I brought my BIG hardcover Atlas Shrugged, with the Atlas holding up the title cover art which is the most recognizable, to the polling place this morning and read it while waiting in line. I didn't receive any comments, but I was happy I had it. It felt like an anchor to reality.

I had already decided to abstain for president, and thought that while I wasn't going to check anything anyway, I wrote in "Ayn Rand" and filled in the circle.

I'm not even going to pay attention to who wins for president for a while, but I will track and be happy if: Andy Dillon is recalled, Carl Levin loses, and Thaddeus McCotter wins. I guess I can look at the presidency this way - at lease one of those goons will get their comeuppance.

Have a good day Mike, and remember to eat chocolate if things get you down. After all, it will be a beautiful day and 70 degrees!

Michael Neibel said...

Hi Amy:
I took my paperback copy of AS but there was no line. At 1:30pm there were only myself and three others to use the twelve booths available. But I did set my copy of AS on the table for poll workers to see while I presented my driver's license.

I'm afraid that Carl Levin will probably win easily unfortunately. In a campaign ad I saw of his yesterday he lied to the people telling them that greed and a Wall Street run wild were the cause of the meltdown. Sad. As far as House Reps go, I'm stuck with Carl's brother Sander-two of a kind. I would like to see one of them lose but they're both big supporters of labor so the people will still vote for them no matter what.

Thanks for the tip on cheering up with chocolate, and it is a beautiful day. So I will walk around the block today and tonight when I watch the returns I will have a bowl of butter pecan ice cream with chocolate on top.

Amy said...

Butter-pecan WITH chocolate?! That will make any day happy. Cheers!