In case you haven't noticed, I've been avoiding something. Just a little....er.....uh...I mean 22 month BIG something. I suppose it's time I at least mention it with a little detail.
I think it was in March of 2008 that the 2008 presidential campaign officially became the longest running campaign in history. Which tells most of us what? Well....um...that we're tired of hearing about it, quite frankly.
I do want Aila, however, to be able to look back at this and know what was going on in the world around her, but instead of delving into the candidates themselves (I'll record more detailed information in your baby book, Aila), I am going to simply say that this has been a heated, passionate presidential race.
I believe that this nation is in trouble. If you are a Christian, I would urge you to pray for the election, and Aila, I would urge you to always pray for your local, state, and national elections and elected officials.
I also pray that voters would go to the polls educated. I know that this becomes increasingly difficult as media tends to favor the liberal, but I implore each and every one of you to educate yourself. Do the research. Don't just hop on majornewsnetwork.com and read their overviews. Go to www.factcheck.org, look at voting records, read various articles from various places. Given that many Americans don't fully understand some of the issues at hand and don't take the time to educate themselves, it is scary to think that the media could actually determine the next president.
The last thing I'll say: VOTE. Educate yourself, and VOTEVOTEVOTE! If you are a woman, please keep in mind that there are women that came before you who fought for YOU to have this right to vote. Just as men laid down their lives for freedom for us, a freedom should be respected, women fought for you, and that, too, should be respected.
2.11.08
The vote
Posted by Danielle at 2:53 PM
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11 comments:
Hi. Since it's hard to "hear" tone of voice, I'll explain my question's tone. It is being asked in a "please help me understand your position and your remark. please explain and correct my interpretation if it is wrong". With that explained :), here it is: When you say "the country is in trouble" and you then say it's difficult to become educated if you watch any of the "liberal leaning" media...I am hearing that if someone learns the liberal slant, it's leaving them uneducated altogether. I am hearing that with these two statements together that the liberals would lead the country into trouble. I wonder why conservatives feel that "liberal" people want the country to be damned, why they feel that "liberal" people would want or allow damage to be done to our country, why they feel that "liberal" people truly don't love this country. To me, that's what I am hearing from conversatives that I discuss this election with, and I don't understand. Nothing could be further from the truth with all the "liberals" I associate with. Please help me better understand this position. :)
Funny....being someone of moderate political views, I felt it was a balanced blog entry. It seems you are the one reading a lot into it that might not be there. The message of the blog seemed to say to me to inform yourself in any way possible. You infer an awful lot there with your jump to the "liberals will lead this country to trouble conclusion" concerning the blog's remarks. Furthermore, a quick check at journalism.org will tell you that the media has been extremely biased toward Obama. That does not concern me all that much because I expect the media to be a mostly liberal bunch. But stating that does not mean you or the blog is bashing liberals, it simply states a fact. One as a liberal (just guessing) you should not be ashamed of....the more positive media coverage the better, right?
As far as the country heading for trouble, again, I felt this was a statement of fact...not a liberal bash. The country IS heading for severe times, liberal or conservatively led. I would recommend everyone read a book entitled "The Way of The World" (written by liberal writer, Ron Suskind) for clarification of the troubles our nation faces going forward.
My name is David Remboldt and I approve this message.
Thanks for sikking the hubby on me. LOL I truly did not want this...I am asking honestly. I did read the post this way (this way being leaning conservatively only because she said it'd be difficult to educate due to the slanted media). There are certainly stations that slant both ways, but she only mentioned the lbierally slanted media...thus I read "felt" the post was combining liberal and trouble. I ASKED for clarification if my interpretation was wrong..I didn't really want the sarcasm, but okay...I'll take it. I truly want to be educated by people that think BOTH ways and by people who can do so without getting so passionate their point is lost. (this is why I avoid many of my family members for input!!) I don't disagree that much of our country's direction is negative...we are in agreement. But to believe that political parties can necessarily fix this is, I think, very naive. The way of the country and its people can easily be blamed on politics and government, but I believe the finger has to be pointed at us. I think the concepts are intertwined, but they're also very different, which is why church and state were kept separate in the founding of this country. I believe church could heal more of our problems than state ever could.
Oh, and I do agree that for the most part it was a balanced entry, I just had a couple of questions about the concerning remarks...otherwise, I am in total agreement about educating oneself. It just needs to be accepted that a differing choice and viewpoint might be the result of reading the exact same material.
First, let me say that I know Dave's comment wasn't meant to be sarcastic...also...he commented on his own...I had nothing to do with it, BUT you can tell he likes talking about it all more than I do, huh? ;)
Second, I am a registered independent voter. I tend to lean more conservatively, but to affiliate myself with a party? At this point in my life, not for me. I don't think that political parties can solve any problems effectively. IMHO, this election would have been the one for an independent candidate with enough money to have run a decent campaign. Oh well, what ever happened to Ross Perot anyway? ;) jj
Third, there was no intended implication that liberals would lead the country into trouble. I don't think it can be argued that, at this point, the country IS in fact, in trouble...we don't need anyone to lead us there...we're there. On the verge of a possible market crash, national banks going down all around us, real estate markets continuing to decline, soldiers in Iraq, potential major conflict in Afghanistan, potential MAJOR conflict with Russia, ....the list goes on and on, really...we're IN trouble...not being led there.
Fourth, I do not think that watching major news networks leaves voters completely uneducated. I just think that if you are hearing one side, you are not fully informed. I think there are many who take the time to educate themselves, but, given this blog is really for my daughter to some day read, I want to be sure I get that "Instructive Mommy" thing going and tell her what I think about HOW you should educate yourself.
Finally, to respond to what the "conservatives feel" statement. I don't feel that way, so I really can't help with your understanding. ;) I can say, that people I have discussed this election with that are either hard-core democrat or hard-core republican tend to hear things that aren't really being said. (I'm not at ALL trying to sound rude by saying that). I haven't heard anyone say that "liberals want the country to be damned" or anything like it. (BUT, if you HAVE heard people say that, I think you should challenge them with the question of WHY would you think that?) I HAVE heard people say that Barack Obama will ruin this county, but on the flip side, I have heard people say that John Mccain will ruin this country.
AND...so it goes....I'm not a fan of political debate, so I guess you got me! ;)
Thanks for the comments!!!
conservative- disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
Okay, you like things to stay the same, I can get on board with some things. I think I live a fairly conservative life and I agree that there are certain things in our culture that I wish to be preserved. As far as I can tell, this is not a bad word.
liberal- favorable to progress or reform
Alright, you think things need to change. I couldn't agree more. There are things about our society that are horribly wrong. Nothing wrong with wanting change that you believe will make things better. This doesn't seem like a bad word either.
My question: Why do we have to classify ourselves as one or the other and then talk about which one is right or wrong, which one gets better/worse media coverage, which one is more/less educated? Why can't there ever be a middle ground? I would say that I live my life pretty conservatively. Does that make me conservative? That being said, I do recognize that there are people out there less fortunate than me and I can't turn a blind eye to that and just say, "their problem, not mine." Does it make me liberal to believe that our government should make sure that people have health care, education, a chance at a better life? I am so sick of division. If an idea is good, does it really matter where it comes from? Thank goodness that this will be over in 2 more days, I think it has brought out the best and worst in people. I do agree with Danielle: EDUCATE YOURSELF!!
If you choose McCain, congratulations, you exercised your right as an American to have your voice heard and I respect you for showing up.
If you choose Obama, congratulations, you exercised your right as an American to have your voice heard and I respect you for showing up.
About the media coverage...it's a fact...check the link. I'm not complaining about anything except that it makes it more difficult for the voter that doesn't spend much time learning about it all to get a balanced viewpoint. I wish more Americans were like the ones commenting here, but the fact is that a lot of them aren't, and I don't like the idea that they may vote for someone because of a few things they heard on the television.
AND...the ONLY other thing I'll say, I'm not against change.
(BUT Chae..way to go on the Obama slogan there with the "change we can believe in" that one had me rolling!!! ;)
2 more days....and then it's over!
OK...really the last thing...this blog is for Aila. I want her to know how I feel about this, which is why I hesitantly decided to write about it. I want her to know how big this election is. I want her, to someday look back at this and realize how blessed we are to be able to vote, to know that is not only a right, but a responsibility, and along with that responsibility comes the need to appropriately educate yourself...that's it...that's all I was trying to say...
In response to why I feel the need to classify the media coverage:
The media being slanted in either direction on any given channel is well worth talking about in my opinion. 99% of Americans are ignorant of the candidates and the issues. It is because of this, that neither candidate said nothing of value through THREE (alleged) debates. Both McCain and Obama spent much of their time trying to come up with the soundbyte that "ignorant American" will see on the 10 o'clock news...so much so that neither one of them could consistently answer the questions that the moderator would ask them. It is our ignorance that fuels this behavior. Our ignorance is the reason why our elected officials can vote along party lines instead of what they truly believe will help. Our ignorance is the reason that our candidates offer us false promises and tax cuts they cannot possibly honor (Most financial experts believe that neither McCain nor Obama's tax cut plans can work without major overhauls). Our candidates are lying or, at best, are ignorant themselves of what promises they can actually pull off. The media is a major component of this ignorance.
Our two party system of government is broken and until the people of this country take the initiative to educate themselves the false promises, lies, and unchecked politicians will continue.
I'm getting sleepy, but I just wanted to say I agree...with all these posts. I love clarification, I appreciate the discussion, so thank you. I think Aila will gain much from the way you carry yourself in a delicate discussion like politics. I think Chae said much of it best...."Why can't there ever be a middle ground?" I think both candidates and VP candidates are decent people who want the best for America...it's just a challenge for any of them to figure out how to get anything directed properly. I wish them all luck.
Just want to throw out that the article on journalism.com doesn't say there is a media bias, just that Obama got more positive coverage, which is quite different. And there are just as many studies that argue the opposite like http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3612. Again, just proving what you said about reading various articles from various places.
And Aila makes an adorable little lamb. I love the realism of the pasture :)
I saw you on SITS roll call - congrats on the voting, me too! IT'S FINALLY HERE AND GOING TO BE DONE!!!!!!!!! I need a nap. Have a great day.
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