So I have been thinking about starting a blog for a while now for a few reasons (regardless if anyone reads it or not). 1) I love reading others' blogs. 2) I am much better at expressing myself through written words than verbal communication, and am looking for this to be an outlet for thoughts and probably random ramblings. 3) It is something fun to do in lieu of school work ;-). So what better day to start than on this day that will surely go down in history...and I needed something to do while waiting for the results.
Let me first start with a disclaimer...I do NOT wish to receive any kind of partisan feedback on this post (although I do respect your right to your opinion), nor do I want this to become a fight of the candidates, there has been enough of that and I'm a little tired of it. I am not for either candidate, although I did vote...my choice has been made and so has everyone else's so please no more campaigning, :-).
As I reflect (something those that know me know I LOVE to do haha) back on this election, my decision I made when I voted, and the time since I voted I just have some thoughts to share (mainly concerns with BOTH parties and candidates, so I'm not picking on anyone here). First let's start with the parties. I am not really for the concept of having parties because of the division it causes, yes it's good to have different perspectives and views in the government but I think the bi-partisanism (is that even a word) has gotten way out of hand...it's become not about working together to provide the best government for the people, it's about who can win or who's better. And let's face it there have been great men and women in office from both parties.
Now on to the candidates (and none of this has to do with the issues), like I mentioned before I am not really a fan of either candidate but I did vote for one of them because I felt like voting for a third party was a waste of a vote. This election will no doubt make history books, because when all is said and done we will either have the first African-American president or the first female vice president. Something that has become increasingly concerning to me especially over the last few weeks are Obama's almost celebrity status (and not just being popular). Never have I seen so many t-shirts, buttons, hats and other paraphernalia, not even at a music concert. That is a little disheartening to me because sometimes I feel like people are bordering on obsession with him and not really paying attention to what he is saying. Also the many references to him as being smooth or a smooth talker, that is the last thing this country needs, do people really listen to what he says or just hold on the the words "hope" and "change" and everything else he says that gives them warm, fuzzy feelings. I must admit I got suckered in like that and now that I realize it, it scares me. How many people are voting under the same influence I was? (An example of this is currently the only age group that Obama has the lead is 18-29 year olds, which is the most impressionable age group, hmmmm....not surprising.) I don't want a president that can always say the right thing to win people over or has cult-like appeal to some. Also something that bothers me is that I read somewhere that a record number of African-Americans are voting/voted this election and I can't help but think that might have something to do with having an African-American candidate regardless of what he stands for (I may be wrong about this though), and I don't really think that is fair. Now to squash any thoughts of me and my more conservative, Republican-ish self, being just that, I guess I should disclose that I did indeed vote for Obama, I'm not ecstatic about it but I did, and unless he wins by one vote (which doesn't look likely) I might be able to let myself off the hook.
I guess what I'm really trying to say with all this is that I hope America makes the right decision regarding this election, whatever that may be...and I'm not one to say what that is because NO ONE knows, NO ONE knows exactly what is going to happen for sure within the next four years and I do hope that if he is elected Obama does what he has been preaching and does not run this country further into the ground...the same goes for McCain, I'm not counting him out this early in the results. I just "hope" that this country's thirst for "change" is represented in how they voted and not just in which candidate was using those words as campaign slogans, because in the end they are both politicians and politicians rarely accomplish what they say they are going to do, and yes they have their own special way of stretching the truth! The whole tone of this election has just made me really wary, especially with where our country is right now...
