What are we voting for?
October 16, 2008 by Fran
The final debate is over. We’ve heard all the points and counterpoints. I am not even going to scrutinize each line item and response. I feel like we’ve heard it all already. For me, it comes down the clear differences between the candidates, and the very different paths they would take us down. I want to be a responsible person. I want to work towards a peaceful planet. I want to be a caretaker of the earth. Our habitat can’t be squandered, because unlike a financial mess many generations from now will potentially dig out of, a reckless planetary stewardship may not be reversible. I do not want the Polar Bear to go extinct under my watch. I think offshore drilling is a disaster, and we need to get off the carbon based fuel for power anyway. I think Nuclear Power plants are a death sentence. I think illegal wars are not only irresponsible and immoral, but the king of pork barrel spending. I want education honored and funded. We need serious and viable health care funded. I want the Constitution upheld as the law of the land. I want to be in compliance with International laws. I don;t want my country declaring they can interpret as they like, something as important as the Geneva Conventions. I want Women’s rights preserved and protected. I want a leader that embraces true diplomacy and is not fixed on having enemies and wars, divisions and hatred. I want to feel like my country has leadership that is undoubtedly humane. I want high level officials who are accountable and follow the laws. I want thoughtful leadership based on common sense and a gathering of the brightest in their fields to forge best solutions to our serious problems. Politicians are human, and humans can be misinformed, unaware and make mistakes, but, in the end, you really have to ask yourself ~ What is it you are voting for? It is the direction and big picture we need to consider, and base our decisions upon.
Don’t curse the darkness, Light a candle
In closing I want to say the Poverty Blogswarm posts of 10/15 on Siren’s Chronicles were moving, and thought provoking. I’d like to add one more perspective to poverty. I can see in the high office of the U.S. Government, there are many who have great monetary wealth, but are impoverished. They are bankrupt of compassion, and humanity. They have commanded others to commit the most vile human rights violations. They had premeditated an illegal occupation causing massive loss of life and untold suffering. This kind of poverty of the soul is deceptive, because it wears the mask of civility. But it robs humanity of core necessities, like human dignity. The ethics and mindset that allows people to do such unthinkable deeds, is a poverty that is malignant. I can only hope our country can recover from this poverty of our collective souls.
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You are so right about the dire poverty of conscience in our government and business culture.
Many Americans are rich in compassion and we need that trickle up into our leadership to turn this country around.
Lovely post, Fran. Every voter should have to write a thoughtful and passionate essay like yours, so that they have reasoned through what the vote really means.