Is the Race Card the Issue?

I never had any intention of using my blog as a political forum. That did not mean that I would refrain from commenting about abuses of public positions, funds, or trust by various elected individual or governing bodies.

I believe that I have expressed my distaste for actions of Cheney (aka Bush) Republicans, Religious Right Republicans, New Democrats, Regular Democrats, Kennedy Democrats, Pelosi Democrats, etc. For various and sundry reasons, mostly self enhancing agendas, they are all unworthy of public responsibilities. Some would destroy the basic principles of our civil liberties. Others would use their office as their own private mint. None see anything wrong in their positions, demagoguery and disdain of those who do not agree with them. Too many politicians and their proselytes subscribe to the adage that “To the victor belong the spoils”.

With this preamble out of the way, I will try to explain why as a formerly a lifelong registered Republican who has considered himself as slightly to the left of center and never a strictly Party Line Voter became a registered Democrat. The motive was a simple one; in this part of central New Jersey unless you vote in the Democratic primary your right to vote will be wasted. Due to New Jersey laws one can only vote for the party in which that person has registered. It is a good law which prevents crossing the line to eliminate a potentially effective opposition candidate prior to the general election. It is bad because the non party registered voter is deprived of a right.

What started me on this kick was Dan Damon’s blog posted Sunday. I have a great deal of respect for Dan. His position on local and state politics is more often right than wrong, and he does not merit the slurs of local Democrat leadership. His blog never has the garbage (polite word) that a local political leader writes.

However, Dan has violated the very principle he is trying to present by posting the picture of Hitler at a Nazi rally and insinuating that electing McCain would result in a similar government.

Yes the Republicans are using the Race issue in this election. That was to be expected, the Clinton’s implied it during her run for the nomination. It is no more reprehensible than the Afro-American position that to vote for McCain is being an ethnic traitor. Forgotten, is the most important factor, the person who is best qualified to lead this country at this present time should be elected.

The present crisis has made the quality of the candidates an afterthought. McCain stands less of a chance than Truman did against Dewey. It may be of no importance that Obama’s earliest political campaigns were reputed to be tainted by Chicago politics. It may not be important how Palin conducted herself as governor. They are both politicians, not “statesmen”, and none are without sin. The magnitude which we will never truly know should be a determinator.

The media is extremely biased, mostly anti-Republican, but some are vociferous in their favor of the extreme right. None have been more than superficial in examining the issues. I fear that Obama will repeat the failures of appeasement from the indications of his foreign policy views. McCain’s health program seems weaker than Obama’s, but here again I have yet to see a side by side comparison and evaluation. Both parties have been guilty of false accusations regarding Social Security. There is too much we still have to ferret out and probably never will.

If you read the OP-Ed page of Sunday's Times be sure to read "The Public Editor" ,Clark Hoyt's article titled "Urgent Issues, Buried in the Mud". His comments in my mind are more to the point about how little information we are receiving that should determine our vote.

I am sure that it will not be until a few days before the election that I will know who I am going to vote for. Then, I hope that the majority will concur in my learned opinion.