Ugh! Politics!

When I heard who McCain's running mate was for the preidential election I was so excited! I had heard some about her in previous news on how she has handled the corruption in Alaskan government, how she put the previous Alaskan governor's private jet on Ebay because the state needed the funds far more than she needed a plane, how she put a stop to the ridiculous "bridge to nowhere." Since being chosen as the Republican VP running mate, comments I have heard from those who live in Alaska have been equally encouraging. It is said that citizens of Alaska believe she is the very best governor they have ever had, that she is as upright and honest a person as they've ever known, that she is a very strong Christian woman. In my mind, all excellent qualities for a VP, or for a President. But most of what I read in the mainstream media since her surprise selection has been ugly, and to my mind, irrelevant. "McCain's campaign has been trying to tamp down questions about whether the Arizona senator adequately researched his surprise vice presidential selection or whether he chose the first-term governor without fully looking into her background. Nicolle Wallace, a senior McCain adviser, told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Tuesday that Palin disclosed her daughter's pregnancy during the vetting process, and that the McCain campaign had been forced to reveal the pregnancy publicly Monday because of "lewd and outrageously false rumors" spread by "Democratic-leaning blogs and a few in the mainstream" media. She did not identify them. Since McCain publicly disclosed his running mate on Friday, the notion of a shoddy, rushed review has been stoked repeatedly." Stoked by whom (do we need to wonder)? When you look at what Obama does to anyone who questions him, including what he has been trying to do to Dr. Dobson and Focus on the Family Ministries for publicizing a little-known speech Obama himself had given, I find it frightening the lengths to which Obama's campaign will go to in his attempts to win this election.

In a perfect world, the candidates would simply let you know who they really are, what they really stand for, what they would really do if elected ~ and let the voters decide what they want/need. But in the real world, we had better be ready to do our own "investigation," be willing to look at facts about each, and get out there and vote our convictions. We can't believe most of what we are told through the media, we have to be willing to find the answers on our own. Again, in a pefect world, truth and facts would be reported in the news, as devoid as possible of a reporter's or his boss's personal opinions or bias. But in the real world, we are told only what they want us to know, always with the obvious slant of the news media's personal bias. When you read the section above that I copied from a news article on the selection of Palin for VP, did you notice the venimous way it was written? "McCain's campaign has been trying to tamp down questions" ~ not answer or address but tamp down. "The McCain campaign had been forced to reveal the pregnancy publicly" ~ instead of had answered questions honestly, revealing that Palin's daughter was pregnant. And all this over issues that I have to ask ~ what do they have to do with her qualifications as VP? If that is all they can come up with to question whether she is qualified, I say they have proven the Republicans' choice for them.

And I HATE what politics have become! It is so unfortunate that it is this way, because so many Americans, especially the young, have no faith in the process anymore, and don't even plan to vote! I say we all need to get out there and vote. Every single American of voting age. Educate yourselves, dig deeper, listen to mainstream media, but also listen to talk radio, Christian and non-Christian news sources, and make your very best educated decision ~ and VOTE. America as we know it ~ freedoms, laws, national budget, foreign policy, taxes and so much more ~ will improve, fall apart, or stay the same, based on who our elected officials are. Casting an educated vote is the most important thing you have to do, the most patriotic thing, in your lifetime. More important than waving the American flag in parades or lining the streets when soldiers come home or celebrating the 4th of July. Because if you don't vote, America herself becomes sicker and sicker, possibly unto death. How can we say we love our country, and not do all we can to take care of her? And taking care of her means we have got to put in the time and effort to find out the truth of our politicians, not just presidential but all of them, and vote what we believe based on that truth. No matter which way you vote, vote based on the truth, not based on manipulated news or what a candidate looks like or whether their teenager did something you disapprove of.

Okay. I will climb down off my soap box ~ not because I have nothing more to say, because there is SO much more I could say. But I think I have said enough for now. Please ~ find out the answers for yourselves, and VOTE.