Below is a response to Matt’s blog entry of 08/21/08
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Matt, I agree with your assessment regarding Obama, assuming the change would be politically ideal (which begs the question). However, he’s proven invaluable to a neo-con like McCain. After all, if McCain gets elected, it’s because he’s perceived as somehow a ‘lesser evil’ (however that is supposed to be measured), not because he’s actually qualified to do the job. Sadly, this is how we got here today – incessant ideological compromises (strategic ‘lesser evil’ votes). Obviously this nation will continue on the same downward spiral when the best we can hope for is a ‘lesser evil’. I firmly believe if one were to scrutinize McCain’s political policy (rarely does one actually bother to do this – the sloganeering is typically sufficient), one would conclude that it hardly would make any economic difference should McCain or Obama get elected. I do think the Hitler/Stalin dichotomy is quite accurate as a reflection of the type of massive government increase we can expect from each party (with their differences reflected in various plans for massive spending through military advancement and socialization).
Ron Paul has argued, as supported by the CIA and the 9/11 Commission’s report, that 9/11 was simply the result of an American foreign policy of empire-building and foreign occupation. Do you really think occupying the
Whether we have a President Obama or McCain – one thing is guaranteed, we will continue to have a governmental policy of plunder! The baby boomer generation has now begun to enter into retirement laying the way for a 50 trillion dollar liability in social security and other federal handouts. We’re borrowing nearly 4 billon daily to cover interest on a 10 trillion dollar debt, who do you think is going to cover interest on a debt 5-10 times that amount?
You would think it a tad important that each of these candidates would be addressing these issues and outlining strategies to deal with the inevitable recession, the current housing bubble, the rapid deflation of our currency, and the plethora of other economic issues that bring our country to the edge of collapse. But those are issues apparently not worthy of discussion. Obama wants to institute socialized health care (who’s going to pay for that??), McCain wants to continue our military efforts in the Middle East (surely to include Iran in the near future), as well as our continued occupation of over 120 nations, but like Obama, he doesn’t care to explain who is going to foot the bill. Our current ‘war on terror’ (which lacks Constitutionally-required Congressional approval) will cost approximately 3 trillion dollars (with ancillary costs), or roughly $50,000 per household! Yet McCain has publicly advised his willingness to stay in
I am not attacking Ron Paul although I think the reasons for having bases on foreign soil (a number of which are there because we liberated them from countries run by the likes of Hitler and Stalin) is a little more complex. I just want to know who you will vote for. Ron Paul is not an electable candidate at the momemt for all of the reasons you have just laid out. I have not read McCain’s budgetary plan to know how the country’s future debt will be added to or put on the road to recovery. I have heard him say that he plans to cut pork-barrel spending which granted may be conservative rhetoric that will never happen. Obama has announced his plan to raise taxes on the middle class to fund social programs. Additionally I’ve heard enough evidence he is completely untrustworthy making me even more pro-McCain in hopes that Obama will lose. I don’t get great coverage over here but the fact that some of the Obama coverage is negative is very telling considering the political climate. That’s why I’m voting McCain.
Matt, you said, “…I don’t think Ron Paul is completely wack” which does lend warrant to a certain inference not much unlike a criticism, particularly when you write, “although I’ll NEVER respect a man that believes 9/11 was our fault.” Thus my compulsion to respond by correcting your understanding of what you thought Dr. Paul was espousing.
However, while I do agree the reasoning for why we occupy foreign nations with a military presence is at times complex, the complexity itself is simply the residual effect of a foreign policy of empire-building and global policing. If one does not adopt that kind of policy from the onset, then the complexity of justifying foreign occupation becomes irrelevant.
You mentioned that our occupation is at times the result of liberation; but that begs the questions, 1) why are we responsible for liberating them, and 2) what is the necessity of a perpetual occupation once we have liberated them? That seems to reflect the welfare State mentality. It’s sad that there is suffering in the World, but how does that entail the necessity of taking money from American citizens to fund an operation to attempt to reduce that suffering? You might think that is isolationist in nature; but then again, China doesn’t occupy foreign nations with a military presence and its not as if anyone considers them isolationists or putting them at risk for not occupying foreign nations (what Nation could possibly attack China?).
In fact, the argument I find most compelling is that our global policing and empire building IS what puts as at risk, both by destabilizing our economy (if its not obvious at this point, our economy is destroyed by this sort of policy), and makes enemies (not all nations like to be occupied by a foreign military presence). As Ben pointed out on your blog, suicide bombing was foreign to Iranians until the American presence. Americans certainly would never allow foreign militaries to occupy our nation OR nations close enough to constitute a threat (like Cuba), so why would we expect them to react any differently?
As to who I intend to vote for, I really do not see the value in actually voting when my choices are the economic policy of Stalin versus the economic policy of Hitler. I could vote for Baldwin in the Constitutional Party given he reflects a similar philosophical ideology (all politics are derived from one or various philosophical paradigms), but given the hopelessness and ignorance of this Nation, I’m not sure I see the point. I guess I have a little more time to work that out. I do know that I would never vote for a ‘lesser evil’ like McCain, particularly because I do not believe in the category of ‘lesser evils’ (as semantically meaningless) and because this Nation is in its state of despair precisely because this sort of ideological compromise.
I would highly encourage you to carefully consider McCain’s views, particularly when it comes to his underlying economic policy and how it manifests itself in his fiscal and foreign policy. That would certainly be a prerequisite in assessing my conclusion that it would make little in principle difference economically between Obama and McCain.
What I would think obvious, particularly in light of the examples I gave (like the 50 trillion dollar liability in social security, medicare, and other Federal handouts), is that our Nation is entering a stage of economic despair never formally experienced. Such circumstances would seem to necessitate drastic measures, none of which are offered by McCain or Obama (they’re only increasing the problem with their plans on spending MORE money we don’t have). In my opinion, the drastic measures offered by Dr. Paul are the only one’s I could support.
You mentioned McCain’s promise to cut pork-barrel spending (which I do think is the same rhetoric Bush used to trick people into his election), but do you really think that would make any substantial difference to our present condition? I would argue that it would amount to nothing even if it were true. Therefore, as an example to support McCain, this is a pretty bad one. It does however reflect his utter incompetence when it comes to civil magistracy.
I don’t know why Obama’s untrustworthiness leads to furthering your advocacy of McCain. That’s a non sequitur in my opinion. McCain and Obama are both worthless.
Also, that some European reports of Obama are negative is also an odd reason as to why McCain would be a better candidate. Europeans have proven them self thoroughly competent at destroying their own democracy and free-market, I’m not sure why anyone would want to use them as a measure for political wisdom.
The political temperature around here when you have a “celebrity” like Obama suddenly dropping in the polls like a Minnesota winter should be quite telling. And to address your point about the economy…are you seriously telling me you’d rather be walking around with dollars in your pocket instead of Euros or Sterling??? Didn’t think so.
On a much more important note, I have a sweet shipment of cigars coming with my mom in a couple of weeks. I got some 5Vegas box pressed, RP vintage 1992 2nds and I’m trying these espresso maduros. SWEET! Also going wine tasting in Bordeaux in 2 weeks! Where will the spades world tour’s next stop be? and when???
I guess I’m confused – what would lacking popularity in the European press tell us? I’m also confused about your point about my preferences in currency;
1) I would prefer having euros/pounds over the US dollar these days given their increased value,
2)I would prefer these things despite the inherent corruption to fiat currency, because my Government doesn’t allow anything else (despite the unconstitutionality of that position)
3) I’m not sure where you made your conclusion regarding my monetary preferences in light of my prior economic comments.
Voting for McCain or Obama would be a horrible mistake; again, akin to the same sort of ideological compromise as voting for Hitler over Stalin (as the ‘lesser’ evil) given the economic similarities.
Like yourself, I believe Obama and McCain are the only viable candidates given the way in which our ‘democratic’ political system operates. I will at least be able to say that I did not contribute to the election of a leader that furthered the destruction of this Nation when we inevitably fall.
I do however believe McCain and Obama are both excellent candidates for this Nation as they both reflect the condition of this country and its populace. God ordains leaders he sees fit for us – and he’s chosen two great matches!