I don't know why it is that I assume that every.single.person I know and respect must be an Obama voter. I didn't say Obama fan, freak or bumper-sticker-holder, but simply an Obama Voter.
But my view of the world, quite obviously isn't shared by all, and certainly not all that I know. Four examples this week kicked me flat on my face in disbelief. What can I learn from it? I'm not sure. Do I care enough to invest in trying to change just one vote? Nah, not in California since CA is going to go to Obama. But you have a look-see and tell me what you think:
Two hot girls walk into a bar and start chatting with the bartender...
Description: Tatooed dude, overweight but jolly, kind eyes.
Lifestyle: Broke and happy. Loves his life as a single dad, loves his kid, great smile.
On Obama: He's the worse of two evils.
On Palin: She's so fucking hot. Don't you think she's hot?
On McCain: ...
On voting Red: I am not that into the idea of scaling down the military since I'm a military guy; my dad was in the military and I was in the Navy. I didn't like it when Clinton did that. It pissed me off.
On being Anti-choice: I got a girl pregnant. I'd never let her have an abortion. She wasn't my girlfriend. I just was a man about it. You gotta step up. I stepped up, so that's not an excuse.
The Boy Next Door...
Description: White guy, medium build, football and sports fan/coach/ref.
Lifestyle: Family guy, divorced and remarried, young kids, straight laced, Catholic.
On Obama: He doesn't have hardly any experience. He'd better pick a good running mate, but that won't make a difference for me.
On Romney: He should be President. He knows how to run a business and America is just one big troubled business.
On McCain: ...
On voting Red: I'm voting for the most experienced candidate. And I don't want any more taxes.
Playground Whispers...
Description: Two white women with young children under age 12.
Lifestyle: Relatively upper middle class, married, church going, community involved, SAHMs.
On Obama: I wish they would have had him run for office in eight years. It's just too early. I am older than him!
On Palin: She's got it all together. It's great to see a woman who has it all: work and family. ...They are going to call her a bitch, but if it was a man, they'd call her tough.
On McCain: He's gonna die in office and Palin will be President.
On voting Red: She represents 'us'.
I'm a Libertarian, Right Dad?
Description: White first-time voter male
Lifestyle: Middle class, great family, junior college
On Obama: He doesn't know jack shit. He's trying to be too popular.
On Palin: She's cool. She's not going to be President anyway.
On McCain: He's obviously the most experienced one.
On voting Red: Since Ralph Nader isn't in the election, I'm going with McCain.
On Abortion: I only had one girlfriend have to have an abortion. Mexico is like a six-hour drive if abortion was ever illegal anyway.
I've had my ears open for a couple of weeks, trying to understand outside perspectives. I'm not going to knock on doors, make calls or invade people's privacy; it's just not me. Not to mention, in some cases, La Gringa and I could swing a vote in the wrong direction, so I'm trying to be mindful there too.
I am constantly amazed at how, like CNN reported today: "We keep telling them the facts, but people want to vote the way they want to vote, despite facts." (in reference to Palin lying about the Bridge to Nowhere fiasco). I wonder, is it just smart, sophisticated people that vote Blue in this election? Maybe that's why I counted 14 Obama lawn signs within 1/2 mile radius of my house, but not a single one for McCain. Are there lawn signs for McCain in Pennsylvania? I'd like to know...
And it's just not in my neighborhood that I'm seeing such strong, unexpected divisions: On Twitter, I've had to unfollow several people whose daily lives I've followed for more than six months because of the aggressive stance in favor of Sarah Palin and John McCain. One woman I correspond with sent me a "Which Candidate Kills Babies" document. In many cases, on Twitter, in particular, people are drawing lines bases on political affiliation in a zone I've thought to be agnostic and accepting.
Facebook seems to be much more in-line with my own philosophies, but a bit trendy in the Obama frenzy. It's cool to be an Obama fan. My ex-boss is a state senator in a swing state, and he even has backed off from being vocal. Facebook appears to be a popularity contest where Obama is king.
There is hope, though: I've yet to see a "McCain is my Homeboy" t-shirt.
Monday, September 22
Not Quite the Blue I Was Hoping For
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4 comments:
Well, bear in mind that there are many ways people look at electing a president.
One way to go is figure out who can do the least amount of damage to what we believe in. Discriminatory social agendas are much harder to push through congress than an increase in taxes, and man...I don't have extra money. I'm not "rich", but I keep hearing I am and that I surely can afford to fork over more of my income. So can you, according to some folks. Maybe if we lived in Kansas, we'd feel rich.
Neither one of the candidates represent me. Which one is going to do the most damage? Too early to tell. Again, it hardly matters if you are voting in CA, anyway.
Discriminatory social agendas will not be pushed through Congress. They'll be pushed through the Supreme Court. Probably successfully, if the GOP wins this year.
Any candidate is going to have to raise your taxes. The bailout has guaranteed this. And it will be a lot for a long time. The GOP likes to talk this game about lowering taxes, but they only did so in the past by running up the "credit card" of the country. Now that there's no balance left, they won't have any choice. Even slashing spending won't help that.
I was going camping with my oldest up in Tennessee, and in the gas station bathroom there was some nonsense about "F--- Obama the Socialist". Typical conservative nonsense around here, but what was ironic was that in the past few days, the conservative heroes of that author were literally becoming socialists.
I hear people talk about being "fiscally conservative", when I think they mean "fiscally responsible". Recent events clearly describe the difference.
-RD
Both the previous comments on your post seem to be from people who actually do their homework... whereas it sounds as if those overheard in your post do not.
Elections are the perfect example of Word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing in action. It is more evident here in the mid-west (MO, not KS), than anywhere that I've ever lived.
Obama is a Muslim.
Obama hates America.
Obama has no experience.
Palin is hot.
You still hear these things daily in this part of the world and yes, there are McCain signs all over the place here.
People do not do their own homework. They form opinions based on whatever supports the shaky foundation upon which they've historically believed. Why?
In reality, most people DON'T like change, yet both campaigns are in the forefront with the word. Objective change is great, but subjective change... oh nelly, circle the wagons. NIMBY, baby.
Therefore, Dems raise taxes, kill babies and don't like the military. Repubs lower taxes, anti-choice and pro-war. People here will support whatever rumors support their staunch beliefs and spend no time understanding the real issues and how they will be impacted.
In fact, it's even worse than it initially seems. Our consumption of news in this country is based on a trusted source. Few people believe that multiple sources (or opinions) are needed to form their own. In a fast food society, Americans mostly take a full-day's-worth-of-news-every-half-hour and consider it truth.
I've been getting the 4INFO election quips and although the writer claims to be impartial, s/he is so pro-Obama that it's kinda silly (I guess since I'm leaning toward his camp, it's fun to read). But I point out this case because even when someone is trying to be impartial, they still can't help but come off biased... pointing to exactly why we need to gather multiple sources to form our own opinions.
Take the time to learn America, it's your country.
Hi there,
I have to say I totally agree with you! I am shocked at the stuff that people really do believe, when often it's just negative propaganda with little basis in the truth. (Hello? Swiftboats, anyone?)
And, we're practically neighbors! I live about 45 mins. north of you :-)
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