Yes, I'm a Democrat. Yes, I'm an Obama supporter. Let's just get that right out of the way.
I was trying to put my finger on the reason I am so incredibly incensed about Sarah Palin in the VP spot on the Republican ticket. The reason I was confused was because there is nothing I'd like more than to see a woman in the White House. I think it's about damn time we were represented in the White House - VP or President. But I don't want it to happen this way. Not with a woman who is not qualified to be in the spot.
It's as if it is the ultimate insult. They are using the very stereo-typical ideals we fight to be equal as traits to "sell" us on her qualifications. I have yet to have one McCain/Palin supporter share with me why she was the choice (yes, I mean other than "she's pretty!").
I find it demeaning that they think they will get women to vote for them just because there is a woman on the ticket. We are not just empty shells and vessels that mindlessly go to the polls. We actually have minds and opinions. Oh my! I'm sure it will come as quite a shock to them on election day when they realize we all didn't fall in line.
4 years ago
3 comments:
Oh you would be surprised as to how many are mindless vessels who go to the polls. I know several of your fellow Democrats who told me they were voting for Hilary Clinton because they thought it would be "cool" if President Clinton was "first man." People are also voting Obama because they want "something different." McCain is not different enough from Bush because he is from the same party. If you looked closely, you would see that McCain has always been known to defy the normal Republican stance on issues. What do you consider to be qualified? Is it because she is only a Governor and not a Senator that makes her less qualified? Sarah Palin is not my choice, but no-one asked me for my opinion. Sarah Palin is the ultra conservative that McCain needed to sway some of the Republicans who weren't sure about his liberal stance on issues. Sure..it looks like McCain was trying to sway the female vote, but it's not the only reason. Women aren't the only ones out there still sitting on the fence. McCain took a chance on Palin. We'll see how it turns out. Whoever is going to be President will have a lot of work cut out for them. I definitely don't want to be in their position. Oh and if you didn't already know....I am a Conservative Republican voting for McCain.
T,
Here's my take on it. Maybe it'll cheer you a bit. Since I'm clinging to the few shreds of optimism I have left, I've chosen to focus on what a HUGE advantage SP has given the dems. It's like having Rachel Ray as the vp candidate. Don't get me wrong, I can see that Rachel Ray serves some purpose in society; she's got those thirty-minute meals and all, and I'm sure they make a lot of people's lives easier. BUT, that doesn't mean that someone so coy, vacuous and apparently desirous of fitting into cultural stereotypes should be our vp. It's, ironically, a matter of knowing one's place, of understanding the limits of that oh-so-postmodern concept of self-determination. And while it's disgusting and should be an insult to American men and women that John McCain and his minions thought that women would fall for this "look it's a woman, and she acts more like a woman (rhetorically) than Hillary Clinton thing" it's having a great backfiring effect. People are, according to polls, seeing through the ruse. They're scared of what might happen if she did have to take over the presidency, and of course Mr. McCain should have done his homework a little better and though that one through in advance.
I look at it through analogy: I might be a really good role model in some ways for my female students because I'm independent and have achieved an education despite great adversity, but I ain't any more qualified to run the country than Sarah Palin. In this situation I know my place; I ought to, after all, I'm the one who created it. I understand and appreciate my sphere of influence, as we call it in literary studies. Yes, I mourn the loss of Hillary, she who lost my support when she started to reveal just how much BC had influence over her. I did, after all, abstain from voting that second time because I'd decided by then he was too centrist.
I also love the idea that this whole thing has got people rethinking things. Of course it scares the hell out of me when I hear things on NPR, like that woman in Iowa the other day who said "I just love Sarah!". What scared me even more was the woman who said something like she's scared that Barack Obama would get into office and only take care of "his people". Wow, talk about making me feel like I've gotten a little too snug in my liberal cocoon!
Hey, thanks for the cheering up on my blog. I've got a new strategy now. I'm reading about visualizing pain, and it sounds like something I should try. We'll see how it works. Have a great break and do call if you want to hammer out that bus com assignment. We can even share a screen if you want. I also need your Angel password because the one I have won't work.
Did you get the cuties any pumpkins yet?
phew.
That was great! You have a way with words. You should be a writer, Pat! =) (oh wait, you are!) hehe
They have a few little tiny pumpkins. My father-in-law had a massive garden this year, but we haven't gone to pick out pumpkins yet. Things are always so crazy that we don't ever seem to get down that way (they live about 30 minutes south of Utica).
I'll email you my password for Angel. =)
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