Well…US Election Day. In fact, by the time I post this entry, all polls in the US should be closed and a new President will be coronated in the US.
Good fucking riddance.
Maybe it’s because I’ve had my fill of elections and politics this year, or maybe people around me are all over-hyping this election cycle, but I am so sick and tired of listening to Obama-This-Maverick-That, Hope Vs. Experience, or Biden gaffs and Palin gaffs. I really just want it all to end. And no, I don’t really care who wins.
Now, I understand why Obamaniacs are so excited. Obama is charismatic, young, hopeful, and an all-round smart fellow. He instills hope where little hope exists. He inspires in a time when inspiration is needed. He would make a great President…in 2012 and beyond. I’ve listened to his speeches and they are truly remarkable oratory masterpieces. His speech writers deserve a lot of that credit. However, I am gravely concerned about his policies and its sustainability in the current and foreseeable economic conditions. I am concerned about his experience in understanding broad global issues, and how the US will continue to shape the world’s geo-political, social, economic, and military landscapes, despite the US’s waining influence. I am simply worried that Obama will rely too heavily on hope and clever words to get him through the next 4 years.
With that said, I’m not a McCain supporter either. Yes, he has strong leadership and foreign relationship experience under his belt, and that is certainly worthy in my books. He, too, is a smart man, but his age will be large concern. John McCain truly means well for his country, and he has proven it before. However, based on observation of his campaign alone, I can tell that he [as well as his predecessor George W. Bush] rely too heavily on the opinions of his aides and advisors. His sudden shift towards catering back to the conservative base and his rash appointment of Sarah Palin can only be attributed to receiving poor and unsound advice from Republican advisors. A real maverick who would have made sound judgments and legislature in the White House has been diluted into a Republican puppet. This is a huge loss for the American people and the world.
As I hope I’ve shown, I’m not a big fan of either political party in this election. As a matter of fact, I’m not a big fan of US politics as a whole. The entire system is now a 4-year, multi-billion dollar cycle that enforces stereotypes, divisions between socio-economic classes, and idolatry that rivals the great religions on this planet. The entire system still tries to shut voters’ minds off from thinking about the real issues at hand and making informed decisions, and instead continually offers a better vision for the future without actually describing concrete ways to get there. Both Obama and McCain are guilty of this. As alluded to by Clotaire Rapaille in his work The Culture Code, Americans view their President as a modern day Moses who will lead them to their Promised Land. Because this mindset is so deeply rooted in the society, this problem will persist for many many years to come.
Despite all my grievances, whoever takes over the White House come January next year will be a competent leader. There is little doubt of that. It is, however, important to remember that no matter what was said or promised during the campaign, don’t expect things to change overnight, or quickly…or even slowly. The next President will face many challenges, including the Senate and Congress. Don’t expect any of the extreme and populist campaign promises to be fulfilled. Let’s be honest; whatever happens tonight and whoever gets elected into office, a politician will be running the US, and a politician will do what a politician does best – get re-elected.
So let’s not delude ourselves into thinking big changes are coming down south just because they’re replacing the old guy. Things will change for certain, but the fundamentals of the system is unlikely to change regardless, and that is probably our biggest problem that we face today.
Hmm…only 3 Years, 363 days, 23 Hours and 30 Minutes until the next election. I’m already half an hour late following the new election bandwagon…Palin 2012 anyone?
