GET OUT AND VOTE

My best friend Melissa flew into Houston today (from her second "Sooner" home in Norman, OK)  and we went and voted.

I was happy to do so.  This is my God given right and civic duty.

I find myself troubled, though, because I have been challenged by some folks regarding my candidate of choice, John McCain.

I don’t like to be challenged. I don’t like to be tested. I realize that it’s important, sometimes, to submit to that, but there’s a deep part of me that wants people to realize that I have given so much thought to the issue — whatever the issue is — and my intentions are good. My support of McCain has been long-standing, although he was not my first choice, Rudy was.

I have though, been having some internal musings about the whole situation. Why do I support McCain? Is he the most conservative? No. Do I agree with all of his voting decisions and public stances? No. But, still, I support him.

I have come to the realization that I’m not as conservative as I once was. I have also come to the realization that my hopes for a president lie not just in what he represents, but in his leadership abilities. The ability to lead well is a HUGE issue for me. 

In other words, I learned that, just because someone disagrees with me doesn’t make them wrong.

I’m NOT saying, “It’s all relative.” I don’t believe that. There are definitely areas of sin, and there are definitely areas of black and white. But, beyond that, there’s a whole lot of grey area shaded with opinion, translation, personal values, personality, personal history, personal convictions… and on and on.

I realize that he is not as conservative as some. But neither is he as liberal as perceived by some others. Republicans are cutting off their noses to spite their faces. Even if he’s “soft” on issues that some of us would rather he’d be hard on, he’s still, overall, had a very strong conservative record over the entire course of his political career.

In Arizona, he has a 19% disapproval rating, and that’s among Democrats and Republicans. The most conservative don’t approve (for reasons that seem ridiculous to me), and for more understandable reasons, the most liberal don’t approve. But other than that, by those who know him best, he has had a STRONG approval rating since he took national office in 1982. For 25+ years, he has proven himself as a strong leader who can get the job done. He runs his mouth, he ruffles feathers, he’s unafraid to have friends who think/believe differently than he does. But he’s a GOOD statesman. Regardless of what the most extreme would accuse him of, or hold against him, he has been a fantastic Congressman.

I wish he was vocally a little more supportive of 2nd amendment issues (though his voting record shows him to be pro-gun). I wish his economic policy was a little more clear. I’d like to know where he stands on US sovereignty issues (though, from his military and POW history, I can’t imagine him supporting any sort of North American Union or anything like that, but from what I can find, he hasn’t been really vocal about his beliefs on the matter). He does support the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, though why he felt differently for so long is beyond me. I also wish he was younger, but, oh, well.

I like his sense of humor. I like that he’s unafraid to speak his mind. I like that he’s tough. I value the fact that all seven of his kids have a good relationship with him; to me, that speaks volumes.

I think his is the face that should be turned to the world, saying, “We are Americans. We believe strongly in some really significant things, and we’re willing to back it up, but if you have some disagreements, I’ll probably listen to you. Some areas are non-negotiable, but I am interested in hearing you out.” Unlike Bush, he’s at least willing to listen to (most) others who don’t agree with him. AND, unlike Bush, he’s not really a “damn the torpedoes” kind of guy; he’s more willing to at least try to build consensus, even though he’s not always successful. Bush says, “This is what I’m doing, and I don’t care what anyone thinks, and I don’t care if anyone else is on board.” McCain says, “This is what I plan on doing, and this is why I think it’s a good decision; I’d like you to come along.” In my opinion, that’s better leadership, and we need a president who is a good leader, not just has good ideas. In every situation McCain has been in, for all of his life (at least POW-era and afterwards), he has proven himself to be a LEADER. That is VERY important to me.

I am very firm in my resolve of supporting McCain, even though he’s not perfect; I think he would be a fantastic leader of the American people, and a good statesman FOR the American people in foreign affairs.

So. Anyone still with me???

Please, exercise your right to vote. I’d be thrilled if you’d join me in support of McCain, though I would understand if you don’t; he’s not perfect. But, please, support someone (I’d be especially pleased if that “someone” was at least a Republican), and don’t just complain about the choices available, and PLEASE don’t cut off your conservative nose to spite your Republican face by saying you’d rather vote for Obama than McCain. That’s just stupid. In my still-not-so-humble blond Polish opinion.