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Rock the Vote
All right, all right, Super Tuesday states, you’ve had your fun! We in Virginia, Maryland and the District couldn’t get in on the so-called “National Primary,” so we’re just going to have our own little shindig on February 12, the so-called “Chesapeake Primary.” Sounds kind of classy, doesn’t it?
As our chance to weigh in approaches, how do we decide?
The good news is, we seem to have real choices this year. The incumbent president (I’m all kinds of grateful for this) can’t run again. McCain is the clear front-runner on the Republican side, but there are still choices – Romney and Huckabee and even Paul are hanging tough (as of this posting, anyway).
On the Democrats’ side, we have – in a situation I personally find both wonderful and frustrating – a choice of two historic candidates.
To echo ex-prez Bill Clinton’s comment from last weekend, I’ve wanted to vote for a woman for president for a long time, and I’ve wanted to vote for an African American for president for a long time. And by some alignment of the stars and planets, we have the most viable woman candidate and the most viable African-American candidate ever, up for election in the same year.
Clearly this is going to take some serious thought. Now, for whatever reason, I do my best thinking (and my best writing, and my best working out) accompanied to music. In my case, this would likely be classical or English choral music, but that’s not going to work very well here.
So what wisdom do the rock gods have to impart? Let’s see what’s on the Decision ’08 playlist:
“Changes” David Bowie – Look out, you rock-and-rollers! This, surely, is the buzzword of the 2008 campaign so far. It’s a word that shows up on the posters held aloft by supporters of candidates as diverse as Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. It’s an easy word to toss around when you’re looking to replace an unpopular administration. But change to what? Which candidate is proposing the kind of ch-ch-ch-ch-changes you can get behind?
“Give Peace a Chance” John Lennon – The war in Iraq looms large. No matter where you come down on the wisdom of entering it in the first place, we are there. Have we made things better or worse by our actions? Has the surge worked? Everyone seems to agree that our ultimate goals are some semblance of stability and peace in the region and security for us at home. All we are saying is, how do we get there?
“For the Love of Money” The O’Jays – OK, the economy is tanking. Now, as is often the case with money, some people are doing bad things with it, and you wanna do good things with it. The Republicans seem to be all about putting more of it back in your pocket by cutting taxes, even while they try to fund a war and a bunch of other programs that cost trillions of dollars. The Democrats want to cut taxes for the middle class and raise taxes for Warren Buffett, and the other millionaires and billionaires out there. Who knows when, if ever, we’d see any real results from any of this? In the meantime, we’ll all probably see less of that mean, mean green.
“Our House” Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Well, it’s a very, very, very fine house, but maybe you’re overextended on the mortgage and can’t make your payments. All the candidates talk about the home mortgage crisis, but can any one of them guarantee you’ll come out of it with enough cash left over to feed the two cats in the yard?
“How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?” The BeeGees – By mitral valve repair, or maybe a bypass operation? Are you covered? The health care situation in this country is reaching critical status, and we need a plan to address the lack of coverage of millions upon millions of Americans. If you get a chance, rent “Sicko,” a Michael Moore documentary that offers a good primer on the issue. Even if you hate Michael Moore, it’s a real eye opener, and it’s a film that’s been embraced by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Who has the best plan to deal with this problem? I have noticed the Democrats talk about this A LOT more than the Republicans. Just sayin’ …
“Heat Wave” Martha and the Vandellas – This just in … global warming is real! The time for questioning or out-and-out denying the science is past, thank goodness. Seems the candidates are pretty much in agreement that this is a problem that needs to be addressed, though with varying levels of attention paid. Who is talking about alternative, renewable fuel sources, enforcement of clear air standards, and taking the initiative on conservation efforts? Who is greenest?
“Let’s Get It On” Marvin Gaye – Finally, who has that certain something – the ability to lead, to inspire – in short, who do we like? We’re all sensitive people, with so much to give. So, consider carefully, talk to other, read the papers, listen to radio, watch the TV, surf the web – then get on with it, and VOTE!
What’s your addition to the Decision ’08 playlist?
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