Palin Pick

I'd just like to add my 1/32 worth (due to inflation) to the piles of rubbish that are heaping up over this political debate or debacle as it more correctly could be termed. The particular topic that I am referring to here as the Democratic Convention wanes and the Republican Convention waxes is the current Vice Presidential choice of Sarah Palin by McCain . My viewpoint comes from being a true independent for many years and as one who tends toward mediation and moderation in most levels of life and from having acted as a facilitator in various venues. First, I must share where I was coming from before this momentous announcement about Mr. McCain's running mate.

As I initially looked at the choices panning out for the presidential race this year, I never saw Mr. Obama as a politically unifying figure nor one who was particularly moderate. Also, I saw Mr. McCain as one who wanted to be that unifying, compromising figure but who often compromised in ways that challenged his integrity on issues or just made him look like he waffled a lot. I do not believe he is precisely a moderate but much closer than any other legislator, barring Lieberman. I'm not arguing here about what they support, supported or didn't but how they appeared in the decisions and actions taken. As I've gathered sparse information about each my viewpoint has not been moved very much in any direction from this original observation.

I have listened selectively to bits and pieces of what each has said, trying to filter out media generated comments and here-say. Two things have become clear to me. One is that neither candidate is specifically spelling out what they can and/or will do in office. Generalizations have been spun regularly by each allowing for adjustments with polling tallies. This is probably standard election speech etiquette and we're never going to get to the specifics no matter how much we'd like to hear it. It also makes sense in light of the fact that neither can truly state specifics as much as one might like to because in truth neither really will know until they are seated in the oval office. There are just too many variables and the people they are prostituting themselves to have no clue about the actual constitutional powers given to the executive branch, much less the legislative branch which is the one I feel we should make a bigger deal over ultimately. Not that we should neglect one over the other, just that one side is more diplomat and figure head while the other deals with actual legislation that concerns everyday life. Smartly so, the original framers did balance and interconnect the powers in such a way that none of the three branches wields too much power unless, as has slowly been occurring, one or more unconstitutionally usurp their powers. In truth I'd say we have more to worry about from the judicial side which comes back to executive influence but in the end is decided upon by the legislators. What a "tangled web".

The other observation is that not much is going to change in the way we as a people are viewed and treated by legislators or presidents or whoever. Only during election periods is what we say and think going to be given the slightest consideration and then only for the briefest of moments. On the whole it will be the politicians own personal feelings, beliefs, values and decision making that will be played out in the legislative, executive and even the judicial process. A bit cynical you might argue but I say more to the point if you step back and compare decisions, rulings and legislation as a whole against the actual players.

So, I must step back from all the platform rantings, turn off the media propaganda and actually take a look at records, actions and positions. I will have to get the information from strictly informational, government records because going to blogs, party sites or other biased media is only going to give me more of the spin that I am trying to avoid. This is of course because I DO want to make an informed decision and the sad truth is if I go to party controlled websites or listen to the candidates themselves or bloggers or others I am not going to get the facts. I will only get the facts from one perspective with a great deal of omissions that may in the minds of those others be confusing or conflicting. Mind you I am only in the midst of this as things are unfolding because it is not easy to get just simple facts gathered and separated from bias.

Getting back to this unusual decision made by McCain just one day ago. As the announcement was reaching its climax I had actually been considering not voting this time around because I had no clear picture of either man or running mate and nothing from my research to make me secure in the fact that either is the man I want in this position at this time. However, after the announcement of Sarah Palin had been made and I'd done a brief check into who she is, I smiled for the first time. In the words similar to Mrs Obama, I had hope for the first time. It is not a solid endorsement and is not going to made without further research and consideration, but it was the first refreshing moment in the entire campaign for me. Yes, the idea that a black man has made it to the nomination for presidency is new but not so surprising, considering where we are today, and the idea that a woman actually had a good run for it was exciting but the fact that Mr. McCain clearly thought this one out, compared the notes and stepped out on a political limb got my attention. This is a bold step and some may say brash, but it makes a statement that Americans for and against should acknowledge for its sheer genius. Mind you not all genius is necessarily good or bad; it can simply be innovative, new and eye-opening. I understand that for blacks this has implications that I cannot not and will not ever be able to understand. I also understand that as much as I and others (black, white, etc...) want to believe that we should be beyond this, whites are much more over or desire to be over the issue of slavery and oppression than blacks. We are not 100% color blind people and if I were in their shoes no matter how open minded and unencumbered I was, I'd have to admit I'd be excited over having someone that looks like me gaining power. How can I say this? Because I am of a gender that for centuries and in many cultures has been the equivalent of a slave, denied access to resources, denied access to due process and denied access to a political voice. My gender has been subject to the authority of men of every color and yes, we have made progress and things have changed for the better but would I like to see a woman in control, someone who looks like me, you bet your ass I would. Do I hate men? No. Do I think a woman should be in such positions simply because it is time or due? No. I simply would be excited over the idea and possibility of it. So at some level, yes I do understand what this is about. And god bless the woman of color because she is the one player who gets lost in the shuffle; she gets the double whammy so to speak. There is no way to make this a win win situation.

Just my viewpoint from this narrow space in time to be added to the thousands of tiring rhetoric being spewed around this campaign.