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slowsculptureI was really hoping to find a laugh or two in last night's debate, and once again politics has let me down. Sure, there were Palinisms - she was so desperate to sell the 'hockey mom just like you' image, that I'm surprised she didn't answer the question about Pakistan by taking a tray of cookies out of the oven. But the whole thing left me more scared for our future than I was already.
The questions about the finance fuckball were front and center, and I was disappointed that neither of them wanted to raise the level of discussion on that subject. (Disappointed in Biden, anyway.) Our economy is centered around the finance industry in a horribly unhealthy way, and none of the debaters so far have recommended changing that, even when that industry has completely run out of popular political capital. Palin's 'Joe sixpack' is set to become 'joe can-of-varnish-remover' by our present economic course, and neither of them had the courage to acknowledge it.
Worse, though: the Israel question came up again, and the Israel answers were dutifully recited again. (They go "Most important ally ever, and we can never ever ever allow another holocaust." The second point is a non-statement, and the first is bullshit, and if you stray from them, you are what the american publishing and broadcasting industries call, ironically, an 'anti-semite'.) I'm not anti-Israel, per se, but it really upsets me that real discussion isn't allowed. As long as we stick to the bizarre relationship we have with Israel, we can't be part of a real solution to nuclear nonproliferation, or middle-eastern peace. I wish the candidates could send us some kind of hint as to whether or not that worries them.
The sole moment of intelligent criticism, and the thing that finally secured the democratic ticket my enthusiastic vote this year, was Joe Biden answering the question about whether or not the Vice President is part of the executive branch. He actually came out and said that Cheney's expansions of presidential and vice-presidential power were based on unsupportable readings of the law. Now, if Biden is as good as his word, we have a chance to get someone in office who has at least a little respect for our laws.
I haven't said so often, but I would like to see Obama win the election. It's hard not to be cynical, but if we're not getting Freddie Mac out of the government, this year, can we at least get rid of Halliburton?
Ammo and water, kids. Ammo and water.
C
The questions about the finance fuckball were front and center, and I was disappointed that neither of them wanted to raise the level of discussion on that subject. (Disappointed in Biden, anyway.) Our economy is centered around the finance industry in a horribly unhealthy way, and none of the debaters so far have recommended changing that, even when that industry has completely run out of popular political capital. Palin's 'Joe sixpack' is set to become 'joe can-of-varnish-remover' by our present economic course, and neither of them had the courage to acknowledge it.
Worse, though: the Israel question came up again, and the Israel answers were dutifully recited again. (They go "Most important ally ever, and we can never ever ever allow another holocaust." The second point is a non-statement, and the first is bullshit, and if you stray from them, you are what the american publishing and broadcasting industries call, ironically, an 'anti-semite'.) I'm not anti-Israel, per se, but it really upsets me that real discussion isn't allowed. As long as we stick to the bizarre relationship we have with Israel, we can't be part of a real solution to nuclear nonproliferation, or middle-eastern peace. I wish the candidates could send us some kind of hint as to whether or not that worries them.
The sole moment of intelligent criticism, and the thing that finally secured the democratic ticket my enthusiastic vote this year, was Joe Biden answering the question about whether or not the Vice President is part of the executive branch. He actually came out and said that Cheney's expansions of presidential and vice-presidential power were based on unsupportable readings of the law. Now, if Biden is as good as his word, we have a chance to get someone in office who has at least a little respect for our laws.
I haven't said so often, but I would like to see Obama win the election. It's hard not to be cynical, but if we're not getting Freddie Mac out of the government, this year, can we at least get rid of Halliburton?
Ammo and water, kids. Ammo and water.
C
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no subject
Date: 2008-10-04 04:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-04 04:33 pm (UTC)Ammo and water? Really? :-P Better get movin'!