Some Thoughts...

The three of you who read this probably have realized that I have been in a pontificating mood lately. Today is no different.

I just got done listening to McCain's speech. But I'm not ready to talk about it yet. Instead, I am considering the flavors and overtones of the campaign thus far.
The Dems whittled down to a field to two, courting history by putting either an African-American or a woman in the White House. Of course, seeing as they generally appeal to a victim mentality, this was setting the Democratic House against itself; in choosing one, they are going to be officially racist, or officially sexist. Eventually, they chose a sneering African-American elitist with no discernible experience who is a millionaire and who keeps telling us we can't have our lifestyle, that we are essentially bad, that we have failed our historical promise, and that we have to look to the rest of the world for leadership instead of providing it for the world.

Eventually, they chose to be officially sexist. This was considered by the party to be favorable to choosing a candidate who comes across as a haranguing harridan who is willing to wreck the economy to bring mediocre healthcare to all. History indeed. And how did they come to select the male candidate? A liberal dose of "Hope and Change".

This cuts to the very silliness that underlies the true core base beliefs of the Democratic Party. These are people who have become convinced that government should be doing so many things that it should not. They have trouble even seeing that they have become dependent on the government and are incapable of understanding why that is a bad thing. They are blissfully ignorant slaves.

In the grips of this mindset, it is easy to be convinced that government does not do enough. Enter "The One". I'll spare you the hype. If you have been paying attention at all, you are fully aware of the audacity of arrogance that the Senator who votes "present" has been foisting on the American Public for months now. All he has had to do was step out and tell you that government needs to give you more, and to do more for you. The slaves see this as "Hope", completely missing the point that if you look to government, or a politician for "Hope" with a capital H, you are not living up to your heritage as an American. That isn't to say that hope shouldn't be a component of politics. Sarah Palin gives me hope with a small H that we will get someone in government who truly is "one of us", that is to say a person who goes to work, knows what it means to pay bills, and deal with real family issues. But the Hope in my life, the capital H hope is not rooted in politicians or government. That's what faith is for. And "Change"? How does one get change from a man with a non-existent resume who's greatest accomplishment is two memoirs before age 45, and being taken seriously because he reads a speech well and he is black?

Yes. I said it. I am more qualified to be the President, that is to say, not very, but no one would give me a second look because I'm just a young conservative white guy. But, when you think that government doesn't do enough, and you have someone telling you that you deserve more from your government, that he will make sure that it does what it does for you better, and he will make it do even more, then you start to think that he offers change.

Other people, the ones that know that the pursuit of happiness is different than government almost meeting your needs, look at this and see a guy who says we need to raise taxes and redistribute wealth. Old ideas. Failed Ideas. Pushed by a guy who's known past shows him to be a tireless self-promoter. No change there.

So how does such a man attempt to get the support of those outside the ranks of the party faithful? By making them the problem. Make racism the issue. Usurp their voice to make fun of the sound of your name. Make it sound like America fears you "because you don't look like other Presidents". Push your wife out to make it sound like you alone can cleanse America of its sins, and that America has nothing to be proud of until they elect you. And when that doesn't work, and frustration sets in, you talk to a friendly audience about how they are bitterly clinging to their Bibles and guns because they don't want to buy what you are selling. And the capper? End the convention with an address from "The One", trumpeting how "historic" it is to have the acceptance speech from the first African-American Presidential Candidate on the anniversary of Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech, never once stopping to consider that on the anniversary of a speech focusing on a dream of a nation where a man is judged not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character. It was hopelessly ironic, and insulting to the legacy of Dr. King to have advanced a candidate who so routinely talks America down, who associates with terrorists, who accepts favors from convicted felons, and who has little to commend his candidacy other than the color of his skin. The end goal became about the identity, and not about the merit, which pretty much sums up the aims of the modern left.

Contrast that with this week. The introduction of the woman many conservatives and true middle Americans can absolutely see as the first female President. A woman who simply by the virtue of living her beliefs has brought the cultural divide in this nation front and center. The Left and their friends in the press knew this. Just as we could just know she is one of us, they knew it too. They knew immediately that she is the Anti-Left. Pride. Pride in Family. God. Country. Guns. Real life pursuits and real life problems. Conservatism, both social and fiscal. And they savaged her for it. The party of inclusion and the philosophy of tolerance dropped the mask and showed a sexist and vicious streak a mile wide in an attempt to silence a message that they cannot counter, in no small part because they do not understand it. It backfired. Marvelously. She stood up at the appointed time and reminded us that we ARE Americans, and we do not have to be ashamed of that. She reminded us that we don't lose until we stop trying. And she told the press that she isn't going anywhere, sparking a wildfire of "We are Sarah" that no amount of nay saying by the left will be able to extinguish. And tonight, McCain appealed to those less conservative than I, by telling them that he knows there is a divide, and that his lifetime of service to this country, and proven record of reaching out, even when right-wing death beasts such as myself believed it was wrong, shows why he, and not "The One", is best able to really bring some change to Washington and start to get us talking as Americans rather than shouting at each other.

I wasn't as fired up as last night. I don't love McCain. But I do not doubt him when he says country first; I would not believe it from Obama's lips. And I think he will be strong in dealing with those who would hurt us. Obama has already told me that he will make us weak, and negotiate from weakness. Not something you want to tell a man with a family. And McCain understands that more government will not solve the problems that our nation faces, and will be facing. Obama has already told us government is the solution to every problem. So yes, I will vote for McCain/Palin in November. It is the obvious choice in this year of stark contrasts.