No, seriously! Here's what I REALY Think!

Okay, so I guess I teased you a bit with that last post! Naughty naughty me! So let me just get right to the point:

The (Actual) Sage Words Guide to the Political Opinions Within the Sage Words Mind
(or, how to actually agonize endlessly over your vote without really trying)

Let me start right off by saying that I think I am one of the few people who is NOT terrified by what's about to happen. I honestly believe that no matter who is elected President, our nation will be better off than it is right now.

I think the last eight years have brought us to a place we never really wanted to be as a nation. We no longer lead the world by providing a positive example, we lead by flexing our muscles. We no longer extend a helping hand, but a hitting hand, and we stubbornly continue to thrash about in the delicate china shop of international relations, pushing our allies and enemies alike aside whenever it suits us, while we allow our people at home to drown in floods, die in hurricanes, and be crushed under crumbling bridges. We create a climate that encourages huge corporations to amass vast wealth at the expense of most of our citizens, but refuse to require those same corporations to exercise what should be a civic duty to forgo some of those profits when times are tough! We encourage our banking industry to help more people own homes, but neglect to protect those same people from predatory lending disguised as "help".

I could go on like this for hours. The sheer number of things that push my political "ON" button is staggering at best, but I think I need to keep it a bit more topical, so let me leave this rant in favor of a couple of others. It's on to the candidates!

I'll start with the Elder Statesman of this race:

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John McCain. The Maverick.

Listen. I was totally in love with John McCain in 2000. I liked his message, I liked his style, and I liked the fact that, when he got caught being a dumbass like ALL members of congress eventually do, he didn't try to weasel out of it by questioning the definition of the word "is", he just fessed up, acknowledged that he did something wrong and/or stupid, and promised not to do it again. Not only that, he followed through on that promise. He became a champion of campaign finance reform, fighting to change a system that practically begged to be abused!

McCain 2000 was fearless. He stuck his thumb in his own party's eye on several occasions and his constituents in Arizona loved him for it. He would have made a thoughtful, decisive, effective President.

McCain 2008. Hmm...not so much. During his 2000 run against "W", there was so much animosity between them it was like a Tesla Coil when the two of them were in the same room! Heck, the same state! Then the Political Machine, owned and operated by "W"s old man, went to work for the youngster. McCain was shut out, and the farther right you were, the less likely you were to be on his side. Eventually, he had to throw in the towel.

This was an honerable loss. But my problem is, he followed his towel into the ring and began to use it to clean up after his hated adversary! He spoke at Jerry Fallwell's school, he towed the line, he went to all the right photo ops with "W" and he looked like he was swallowing camel dung the entire time. Ugh.

What happened to my Maverick!??!!? Where's my political man-crush gone to, and who is this ancient sychophant who has replaced him? McCain 2008. Not the man he once was.

However, in the long run, I still have hope for him. He has shown an amazing ability to bounce back from his mistakes over the years, so maybe he'll do it again this time. After all, I deeply believe that he is a man who literally LIVES to serve his country. I think it's the first thing on his mind in the morning, and the last thing on his mind at night. I respect and admire him for the things he's endured on my behalf and I think his integrity is unmatched in politics. God Speed, Mr. McCain.

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Barack Obama. Holy moly!

I remember his speech to the Democratic National Convention in 2004. It was nothing short of amazing! Chica and I were speechless as we watched this political supernova being born right before our eyes! We both said, on that very night, "that guy will be running for President in 2008!"

[FULL DISCLOSURE ALERT] Actually, Chica said that. I said he'd come up short of the nomination in 2008 but win it in 2012. Chica always has been smarter than me!

So here we had this superstar in the making, building all this excitement and oozing charisma and pushing all the right buttons and utterly FAILING to do anything of substance! Many political junkies will be startled right out of their "New Camelot" fantasies by that remark, but I believe it to be true.

In four years, Obama has had an enormous impact on politics, but almost zero impact on policy! Where are your windmills, Mr. Obama, and why do you refuse to tilt at them?

Barack Obama has chosen not to vote 238 times out of 754 opportunities. That's almost 32% of the time! Don't believe me? Just look HERE.

What would happen to a postman who chose not to deliver 32% of the mail? Or a doctor who only accounted for 68% of the instruments he used operating on your liver? Okay, these are extreme examples, but the truth is much simpler; if you want to be my President, you need to show me some decisiveness! A flowery speech is a wonderful thing, but back it up with action! I'm glad Senator Obama could draw 100,000 Germans to a ralley, but can he feed 100,000 children living below the poverty line? Does he have a plan to bring 100,000 jobs back to America from outsourcing efforts? Let's have some substance, my friend!

Okay, but is he worth voting for? Absolutely! He brings some things to the table we haven't seen in a LONG time. He energizes young people to care about issues. It's about time, because we've depended on the Baby Boomers to run things for long enough! It's time for us, their children and grand children, to take a turn at the helm and give them a much deserved break.

Obama can also help to rehabilitate our reputation outside our borders. Those 100,000 Germans may not be able to vote for him, but they can certainly tell their own leaders to cooperate with him!

There's one other thing Obama can do for us; he can show us that we can look past the petty concept of race as a qualifying factor and make decisions based on a careful, studied examination of who someone is, rather than what they look like. To youalso, Senator Obama; God Speed.

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So I guess this is it. This is the part where I tell you who I'm for and why. For the record, I vote absentee in Washington State, and I filled out and mailed my ballot on the 29th of October. So without further ado (that's right, all that stuff above was "ado". Some might say "ado-doo") I bring you:

The No-BS Sage Words 2008 Presidential vote
(now with actual justification at no further charge!)

I cast my vote for John McCain. Chica will tell you that I had my mind made up a long time ago, and to an extent she would be correct. But I've had my doubts. Both candidates are worthy, but here's why Senator John S. McCain gets my vote:

• Senator McCain has a mean streak a mile wide and he knows it. Some may think this is a handicap, but he's known about it forever and is still able to sucessfully serve his country. He's got fire and determination, combined with the control required to make it an asset instead of a liability. I feel sorry for our enemies if he gets elected! (That's a lie. I don't feel bad at all!)
• McCain acknowledges his mistakes. He's admitted, several times in public, and in a book, that his first marriage ended because he was a cheating asshole. He has done right by his ex-wife, who get's most of his personal income for life, and he didn't need a judge to tell him to do it.
• He has honor and integrity. I truly believe that his love for his country is immense and he will never knowingly do something that could hurt her. He'll do what he thinks is right, not what he is told by advisors would look good.
• I don't think he ran because he wanted to be President. I think he ran because he felt a calling to serve, and that's a very powerful thing. It puts his mind right.

McCain is my choice. I'm proud to vote for him and I'm glad I did it early. As I write this, the polls are open. Returns will be coming in soon and we'll know in a few hours which direction we are headed. I will proudly, and without reservation, continue to serve my nation under the leadership of either man, and I will not allow harm to come to you on my watch. All I ask in return is that you vote your conscience as I have mine. Next thing you know, we'll see this:

and it'll all be over!

I'm excited! Are you?



-Sage Words

(Tomorrow: An open letter to the President-Elect!)