My two cents worth…

posted by Bill Arnett @ 12:19 PM Permalink

…I am thrilled that Hillary placed third in Iowa, and I sincerely hopes she does even more poorly in New Hampshire. Her campaign is mostly based around, "I'm married to Bill Clinton, who, despite his personal flaws was an exceptional president, and you're not." And while Bill Clinton was probably the greatest politician of my lifetime, Hillary ain't no Bill.

I also believe America needs to shed any tendencies for "dynasty families" running this country as if god, or whatever deity you may prefer, has anointed the Bush and Clinton families as the Chosen Ones. We've suffered miserably under bush 2 for the last seven years and I'm afraid Hillary has sold out to the same special interests that have been in real control of the country for decades, and that have played bush like a fiddle. And while Bill was slick enough to occasionally bamboozle, misdirect, and through sheer populism find ways to actually benefit America, Hillary is neither that adroit nor a good enough snake oil salesman to repeat her husband's performance. She will never be as good a public speaker as Bill and will, therefore, always lack one of Bill's greatest attributes - he felt our pain, really, and most of America and the world took him at his word. He was a political rock star that Hillary could never be.

Edwards is coming on strong and I believe the outrage he express against monster corporations running health care and insurance in America is genuine. After all, that's how he became a self-made multi-millionaire, suing and beating corporations. That doesn't happen unless you really know how to fight, both in courts and in the smoke-filled back-rooms with all the guys wearing green visors, playing poker, and wearing Hope-sized diamond rings and pin-striped suits. And I really believe if anyone can institute universal health care he is the one that could get it done.

I saved Barrack Obama for last, because there was just something about him that seemed "one-off," something I couldn't articulate, but that made me feel uneasy despite his wonderful life story and his ability to fire up his supporters with his positive views for a future America. I finally figured it out and I hope someone on his campaign staff will mention it to him. I'll get to that in a second, but I do very much admire his ability to speak to the "common man" in us all. I do believe he will fight vigorously for America and its ideals.

Back to what bugged me about him. I am not so shallow a person as to judge someone on their appearance, and I am NOT speaking here of race in any way, shape, or form. But in every picture, every news report, at every speech he seemed to literally be looking down his nose at his audiences, not with malice, but with what seemed to be arrogance, a trait I abhor. Now that I have figured out that this was what bothering me, it is with much chagrin and embarrassment that I laugh and laugh at myself: Obama is very tall, usually speaking from an elevated stage, and so, of course, has no choice but to look down his nose at others!

I have always admired his history, he's a terrific and, I believe, a very sincere speaker, he has a good vision for America, and he could go a long way towards restoring America to greatness. I think he would make a great Democratic nominee and a great president when elected in a landslide compared to any of the rethugs who, once again, offer naught but more eternal war, suffering and misery for others different than us, and a continuation of bush's unbelievable incompetence fiscally, as well.

These are merely my opinions, which count for no more than your own, but I strongly encourage voters to reject a GOP that has proven unable to govern America, unable to stop borrowing and spending money, one that continues to keep chucking America's, OUR, resources down that black hole known as Iraq, that still wants to open a few more black holes in the Middle East, and will further the crippling of our Armed Forces. It is both misguided and stupid to NOT realize oil is a finite source of energy (no matter how much can be stolen from other countries), and that America desperately needs a Manhattan-type Project to free us from our oil addiction NOW, before the oil runs out and we have to go back to the horse and carriage and steam driven trains.

Ain't no Republican that's gonna do that.

Labels: Barrack Obama, democratic party, Economy, elections, fear mongering, GOP, Hillary, John Edwards, presidential candidates