Cheers, Respect, Fear

[no name 1]

this is really baffling to me...

didn't people get on the Obama followers case for blindly following Obama and not seeing anything wrong with him?? and calling them Obamabots

and now they are doing the same thing and not seeing any fault with McCain and Palin...

does this mean we can call you McCainbots??

Exactly. I read the other day where one of McCain's key strategist months ago wanted this election to be a battle of ideas, but has since changed his mind and believes it should be a battle of personalities...which is ironic for all the criticism of Obama as a cult of personality. My guess is that McCain's camp believed their only chance at winning this election was to steer away from the issues and focus on personalities. If that's the case, Palin was a good choice, however, I think enough Americans are sober about how important this election is going to be.

Listening to Palin last night, a word popped in my mind.- ENTELECHY. I don't mean it in an Aristotelian sense but in a more contemporary context of complexity and emergence.

"Something complex that emerges when you put a large number of simple objects together."

If you take iron and coke and other alloys, the iron ore becomes steel which assumes a totally different quality from its original components.

Likewise, picking Palin changed the whole complexion of McCain's campaign.

Admittedly, I am a slightly left of central liberal. So, in general, the Democratic party's platform is what appeals to me.

Policywise, what we have in essence is a competition between the usual platforms of the two party.

Whether you subscribe to one or the other, both parties if elected have to operate within the constraints and parameters set by this 200 and some years of democracy. The system itself is encumbered with built in mechanisms that give way to waste, corruption etc. More often than not, many bright eyed and bushy-tailed newcomer to Washington end up being disillushioned or get coopted by the system. As they get acquainted to the system the old hands use the system to do what they can within the constraints. Seen from outside, it looks very messy and corrupt and detestable. Imperfect but that's how it has worked.

So what do we have here? Two parties operating in the same old system(200 yr old)system, with same old same old platforms. Pretty much status quo.

Along came Obama out of no where ( like Walter Scott's Young Lochinvar)claiming he could sweep away the corruption, change the old ways of doing things etc. etc. The change he would effect would be all the more attractive because he would be making history as the first would be Black president. Not only that, he is fresh faced, very eloquent and equipped with the right ivy league degrees. The only problem is that his resume does not show any substantive work experience. But his appeal is overwhelming. There are many who think that electing Obama will also rectify the racist history of this nation and will be a big inspiration to the Black community, especially the youth who will benefit from the role model of a Black President. I also feel the emotional lift of many African American friends and colleagues who often say that they never thought they would live long enought to see the day an African American is lected POTUS.

But as i've posted before, when I factor in the politically very precarious times we live in, I see Obama as a risky bet.

McCain on the otherhand represents , what is for me, a the less agreeable campaign platform especially on social politcies such as healthcare and Social Security. But what I count on is his love of country, track record of working across the aisle on policies that run against the grain of GOP. His position on iraq during this election attest to the fact that he is willing to sacrifice his career advancement for something he believes-rightly or wrongly-that is in the interest of this nation.

Based on that, i feel less misgiving about his stance on issues like for instance healtcare. GOP or Dem, everyone who lives and works in this country knows that we have a healthcare crisis in our hands, It's effecting not only the general wellbeing of the people but the economy, global competitiveness etc.. You name it. Also, the only plausible solution is "blowing in the wind..."

If elected, I feel confident that McCain as president will have to address the healthcare issue and his solution will approximate that of the Dems'.

But it doesn't take much to figure out that mccain is no match against Obama's star power and the appeal to young and youngish folks fired up with politcal idealism especially of the liberal bent.

So, what is old McCain to do? He picked Palin who now possesses the star power now almost equal to that of Obama.

Palin represents reform but beyond rhetoric she has a record actual reform in sweeping Alsaka's State house. She is attractive, but carries gravitas(very different from Dan Quayle). Sweet but mortally sarcastic.

She has definitely transformed Mccain's campaign qualitatively and, yes, aesthetically

That I say is entelechy..

Xena, the Warrior Queen joins battle against Messiah? or er black JFK? Or .......

very well said, Metta.