For the last four days Jerry Green's Page has been nothing more substantial than a press release. Councilman Burney's blog has been electioneering for Obama. Dan 's reflects his Democrat roots. This would be commentator who does know the difference between "there" and "their"-see last blog, is lacking material for his blog.
Except for opulent Westfield, are there no Republicans left in Union County? Of course that hedonistic community with its mall like booming resurgent "down town" and multiple upscale restaurants is an anachronism. I therefore can find little political to write about for a blog which I intend to be free of politics.
Be assured, that I will not hesitate to comment on blatant abuse of political power, irrespectively of party or race, religion, or political entity. Obviously for the majority such positions will most likely be unpopular.
That brings me to "who I am going to vote for". I am not sure, and probably will not have made up my mind prior to November 3rd evening. I have no problem with Obama's ethnic background or Palin's gender. I think it is wonderful that we have reached the point where such prejudices may no longer be a factor. I hope that is true.
I recall the history of Rome when in the latter days of the Republic , the free circuses and bread hand outs led to dictatorships and the emperors. He who controlled the mob and the army owned the country. History should be a great teacher.
Because of that history,and because of more recent examples in other controlled societies such as Jamacia, I do have severe problems with cradle to grave socialism. I think there is a great danger that, if the incentives for working to exist are removed, we will regress as a nation without any viable economy or goals.
On the other hand, the advocates of unrestricted free enterprise and religious controls on our daily lives are an equally reprehensible threat to our society and civil liberties. If McCain can not demonstrate that he is not a clone of Cheney/Bushism then he deserves to lose the election.
McCain must prove to me that he is flexible and will work for change. he needs to demonstrate the capability to accept modified federal controls over many aspects of this country's problems. If he continues to elucidate a realistic foreign relationship policy,he has an advantage over his rival . If he can, as he has in the past, reach across party lines, then I would think that he should be the next President.
Obama has to really demonstrate that he not only professes to have a "plan" for all our ills, but can provide an actual framework not a campaign issue. There has to be a balance between the delivery of the benefit and the availability of resources, both monetary and physical. Universal health care, whether through the government or private insurers is valueless if the delivery is so regulated that treatment can not be individualized. If the number of procedures that can be permitted in a specific time period is rationed that is a negative. If the "providers" are under compensated, the patient will suffer.
In foreign affairs, his sitting down and talking with various leaders may have merit but there is a large element of naivete expressed. One party can be honest and the other opportunist in any face to face talks. Is he aware that some Asiatic societies including Iran, value duplicity?
On domestic affairs there is a great need for better regulatory controls. The Trap is that the bureaucracy that will regulate those controls becomes a goldmine for nepotism, and patronism
with resulting inefficiency and excessive administrative costs.
In the four remaining weeks I may have a clearer picture of his "plans". I hope so. When I touch the screen in the booth on Nov 4th, the chances are great that it will be opposite his name.
Perhaps I can have the wisdom to opine on the various issues. I may be stupid enough to try. I will try to clarify my concerns on the issues I have raised. There is still a month left and what appears to be facts today may turn out to be falsehoods by election day. As I write, there are two things we can be sure of; Obama will win New Jersey's electoral votes by a large margin, and I more often than not my vote has been the mark of death for the candidate who received it.
This was drafted Friday but rewritten and posted Sat. AM.
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Before the June 2005 primary, the largest group of Plainfield registered voters was the unaffiliated. That group had grown over the years in what I perceived as a reluctance to get involved in party politics. For the June 2005 primary, many unaffiliated voters declared themselves to be Democrats, causing a 14 percent increase in registered Democrats. Of course, in the general election, party lines don't matter. I think the still quite large number of unaffiliated voters means Plainfield has a lot of people who want to make an independent assessment of the candidates and not feel compelled to follow party lines. This is a good thing, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteBernice
Bernice, we the public appreciate you being our font of essential information, be it flowers or facts. Don't stop!. I will hope that the numbers of independent voters shows up in the voting statistics next month. Unfortunately too many people vote a straight party ticket, not person or avowed agenda. Some because their family has voted that way for generations others because they are sheep. Politics in Chicago, New Jersey and Plainfield are the same,control the wards.I would suspect, that the"independent assessment" voters are in a great minority, but they can impact an election.
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