Extremely Lame

At the beginning of the year, I was really excited about this election cycle. Several months later, I’ve not only lost my excitement, but I’ve pretty much gone to dreading it. By now it seems that no matter who wins, we all lose.

Let’s start with McCain. Pretty much every scruple he had held for decades has been sold in order to net his party’s nomination. I think he learned the wrong lesson from George W. Bush in 2000. Certain things like calling Jerry Falwell an “agent of intolerance” and then buddying up to him later is small potatoes compared to things he’s done more recently. McCain’s switch to pro-torture and anti-veteran platforms are what just stun me. For the love of all that is holy, he is a veteran and he was tortured. How can you be for torture when you have first hand experience of being on the receiving end of it?!

Obama? Je crois que non. Not anymore, at least. For all that talk of being a different kind of politician, one with principles, his recent stances on FISA and telecom immunity and faith-based initiatives virtually scream more of the same old same old. Even if you accept the fact that the entire faith-based initiative B.S. is an attempt to attract evangelicals who are less than pleased with John McCain’s voting record and stances back when he had a spine, I simply can’t find a reason for supporting telecom immunity after previously saying that you’d filibuster anything of the sort. Yes, he did support the filibuster to kill the bill, but then he goes and votes for the bill he just tried to kill? DOES NOT COMPUTE. And don’t get me started on that, “Oh if he voted against it, the Republicans would say he was soft on terror!” You know what? THEY ARE GOING TO SAY THAT OF OBAMA NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS OR DOES, so there’s no reason whatsoever to go against one’s principles. Then there’s the argument that the Senate is more about comprimise and giving a little to get a little. One problem with that with regard to FISA. GIVING EVERYTHING AND GETTING NOTHING IN RETURN IS NOT COMPRIMISE, IT’S CAPITULATION.

The saddest thing about this election cycle, though? Even the third parties suck this year. The Libertarians have Bob Barr, who, until just a few years ago when he “saw the light” had quite a horrible Santorum-esque voting record. If I’m going to nail McCain for his record and his platform being radically different, you better believe I’m going to do the same to Bob Barr. Sadly, if he were running and had a similar voting record, it’d show that the Libertarians are maturing and not just throwing up a bunch of nutty anarcho-capitalists that want privatized police forces and roads and whatnot to run for President.

As for the Greens? I can’t believe they’re going with Cynthia “Crazy Legs” McKinney. Dude, she’s living the stereotype and seems to be actively trying to maintain the loud, obnoxious stereotype that black women are often saddled with. She reminds me a lot of Jesse Jackson in that she’s an attention whore, race baits at the drop of a hat, and has a false sense of entitlement (What do you mean, I have to go through security like everyone else, don’t you know who I am?). It’s just a really sad bunch of people to vote for this year. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am nonetheless.