Discovery

During my nightly tour of the blogosphere tonight, I came across Dr. Steven Taylor's PoliBlog.

Since I've only just encountered Dr. Taylor, I have no idea how closely our politics actually are.

I can only speak to his post that I read and some of the responses to it. There were 2 or 3 that I felt a need to respond to.

I finally settled on 2, purely out of consieration for time - although I alluded to the 3rd.

In an effort to save space, I can't post the entire Poliblog post here. But as always, I have a link:

http://www.poliblogger.com/?p=14229

Reading through most of that link will give you the information required to digest the rest of this post.

There were 2 women who responded to Dr. Taylor's post who seemed to think that their advanced age gave them particular insight into the current political climate.

I for one tend to believe that exactly the opposite is true, as indicated by their comments and comparisons.

I really don't want to take the time or the space to include their thoughts here.

I also don't want anyone to read my reply without first hearing the comments that brought it about. So please take the time to click on and read the above link. Doing so will make what follows a lot easier to understand..... go ahead.... I'll wait.

Okay, now that you've (hopefully) read it all - here is my response to Ann and Granny:


To Ann Townsend and Ohio Granny:

I’m sure that my saying that time on this planet does not necessarily make one wise does not come as news to you.

I am also fairly confident that you understand that the political and diplomatic environment has changed significantly since WW II.

So while I’m pretty sure you’ll be put-off by what I am about to say, I hope that you will appreciate the spirit in which it is offered.

Ann… comparing McCain to FDR and Palin to Truman? Are you serious?

Of Palin you say: “SOMETHING in her has gotten her to this place in history…” Yeah… it’s called luck. Or convenience. Or desperation.

You can not honestly look at her credentials, when compared to others on McCain’s short list (other women included) and decry Palin the most qualified of the lot.

To do so is pure delusion.

At least Devildog admits his/her support comes from their shared desire to kill animals for sport.

It took Palin what, 5 different colleges before she graduated with the much sought-after degree of Sports Journalist?

Let me be clear about her degree; I couldn’t care less where she went to school or what she majored in.

Here is why her round-about route to a Bachelor’s Degree is important to me when compared with Obama’s earning of a Law Degree: Palin’s path shows little ambition, dedication or willingness to fight through to the end. It exemplifies indecision, an inability to focus and a final decision based on ego and money.

And before you begin a rant on the financial rewards of being a Lawyer, I suggest you research Mr. Obama’s career after Law School.

Ohio Granny~

You deemed Ann’s response “excellent!” And while you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I feel a need to question your reasoning.

You seem to want me to be excited about a candidate who was suddenly “whisked away from home”. Away from her newborn son, pregnant daughter and war-bound older son.

Whisked away? Really?

Is that the woman who I am expected to consider as the next potential POTUS? This is the person, who in your own words is expected to “rescue the GOP”?

To steal a line from your side: If Palin was a man, would she have been “whisked away” from her family? Or would he have “answered the call”?

You, Granny make some of the most sexist comments I’ve seen so far in relation to Palin’s candidacy. You talk about remembering when women were discriminated against for silly reasons like their menstrual cycle and a fear of vanity.

My disdain for Sarah Palin has nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman. It has to do with the fact that she is supremely under-qualified for the job she has been asked to perform.

Your comments about Obama’s so-called touchy-feely-ness and perceived inability to effect real change to me only show that you haven’t spent the time to actually investigate the policies of the candidates.

Where do you get you information from? (edited from the original)

I myself endevour to probe every niche of the news media. I watch the right-wing blowhards as well as those on the left. I read newspapers and blogs from the UK and Europe. I’ve actually spent hours on both Obama’s website and McCain’s.

Doing so gives one an insight into their actual policies.

And what I have found is that while McCain lies with impunity on the campaign trail, the most I’ve seen from Obama is mere exageration. Of the two, I’ll take the latter.

You say the “people” will get Palin’s “message”. What message are you refering to? The one that says she is clueless on foreign affairs (a key component in any Vice Presidency)? Or the one that says she is totally intolerant of those who hold different ideological and religious views? Or is it the message that says: “It doesn’t matter what I say, as long as I look good and pull some undecided voters to our side”?

Which is why she was chosen in the first place.

And back to Ann:

Suddely Truman isn’t a haberdasher who got lucky. Now you admit to his 10 years in the Senate - albeit you want to minimize how he got there.

Which is a pointless arguement, since we’ve already noticed that the Truman/Palin comparison is utter BS.

You and granny both want to buy into the McCain/Palin rhetoric… I don’t blame you. They talk a good game. Unfortunately, the John McCain of 2000 is gone. The one we are saddled with now is different. The new one is a “win at all cost” politician. He will do and say anything in this last-ditch effort to become President.

The Maverick straight-talker is gone. Replaced by a GOP automoton who truly WILL bring us 4 more years of Bush BS if elected.

Check the facts. Read the policies and compare them to the speeches. If you actually do so, Obama is the clear winner. His rhetoric matches his words.

McCain’s doesn’t.

I too am an Independent. Have been for 20 years.

McCain is bald-faced lying to the American people. Many of whom let him get away with it under the context of this new brand of Bushite, BS “patriotism”.

Fear should not be a domestic political tool - yet they have sharpened it to a razor’s edge.

Why do you suppose that is?