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serenity blaze
Member Empyrean

since 2000-02-02

Posts 27738

0 posted 2008-01-22 03:24 AM

I am politically naive. But not so naive I will entertain the thought of reading obvious propaganda e mails.

So I delete them, along with the promises of those who suggest I might want to enlarge a sexual organ that, sans surgery, I don't happen to have, um, handy.

I have watched for years while the spin doctors dig for the morality slurs I might find reprehensible. I have even participated in such a campaign--with no shame--when I told those who were ignorant of how deep the racial divide ran in Louisiana that they would have to find another tactic to beat David Duke--because I live in the blue collar world and many of those blue collars were (and are?) prejudiced. "You'll have to find something on him that even a KKK member would find repulsive."

That was my initiation into the world of politics. Dirty, nasty, mud-slinging politics.

I'm looking at the present state of these affairs now, and wondering how far will we go?

Must a president be Christian to be president? Happily married with 2.5 kids? Male? Caucasian?

I'm from the state of Louisiana, and we just elected the very first Indian governor in the United States ever. (But he had to profess to be a Christian--not that I doubt his word, I just found it to be unnecessary for him to have to do that.)

Are we now allowed to put our candidates for public office under microscopic scrutiny?

So let's play a little game. We have fantasy football and such--let's play fantasy politics.

Create your ideal candidate for President of the United States. Just to make it very interesting, you may use historical figures (although I doubt that they would pass the media litmus test that our current candidates must)

List the characteristics you think are important and vital to deal with the world as it is now. You don't have to use historical inspirations, but I think that would be enlightening.

So make a list, in order of importance. (I'll be working on mine too.)

And let's maintain some respect for each other. Really. We can do that.

Can't we?

serenity blaze
Member Empyrean

since 2000-02-02

Posts 27738

1 posted 2008-01-22 06:41 PM

Oh c'mon.

Nobody knows what they want in their candidate?

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

2 posted 2008-01-22 07:50 PM

It's a multi-level question, m'dear. And...the big boys haven't come home yet. Perhaps they're still pondering. You DID get my email, yes?

There is something I've been wanting to say for some time in reading through the Alley, even Philosophy, and the Lounge.

When my husband served in the military, he was told, "There are no politics. You serve the "President" and that simply meant, whoever was in charge. You didn't question it, you served the Man in the Office of the United States.

For the longest time in the beginning of our marriage, I couldn't get him to vote. This was after he had been out of the service for some 4-5 years.

Now? He's gung-ho on making a change. Unfortunately for him, as it has been for a lot of us, every President he's voted for since the 80's has become a disappointment to him in one way or the other. It's a lot like marriage - live with someone long enough, they'll disappoint you, somehow. That aside, there's probably never going to be a "perfect President", but it doesn't mean that we're not capable to eventually getting one to the pinnacle of leadership at some future date.

The real problem resides in nit-picking. We're too keen [and why is this, I ask?] on finding fault with people. They can't be "this good" or "that kind". They can't be "this moral" or "without fault". Why not?

Are our politics this evil? Yeah, I think they are, in a lot of ways. Because if our politicians have a conscious, they are either dismissed, or gotten rid of in various ways. We've too much history to remind us otherwise.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Read Captain and the Kings by Taylor Caldwell. http://www.mouthshut.com/readreview/21505-1.html

It gives the best portrayal of how countries are run that seem, to me, and in my humble opinion only, that it is far too, too correct.

Which is very, very sad.

With all that said, and as I implied to serenity in a private email, let's look forward to the up and coming young men and women who still believe that a change can be made, without corruption. But because I do not have the young representative's approval to portray his forum here, let's just say, his first name is the same as a young new gospel singer whom we've all heard, and [gasp] they look remarkably alike!

And...

I work with his aunt! I'd jump on his bandwagon any day...and I will, the moment he hits 35 [because he is currently outside of my voting district.]

So, 'tis I, never say die...and look forward to a future that still may be saved!

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