Originally posted on facebook, I have included comments from other facebook members in the main text.


Listening to the opposition

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 9:25pm

It is so hard for me to listen to the RNC. Not because I disagree with them, (But I do), not because I hate them (I don't), but because they are spending their valuable time telling falsehoods, lies, and playing the OLD politics, rather than bringing in a fresh new view.

But worse still, is looking at the delegates and guests. They just don't look like me, they just look like my parents.

And they look a lot like the people who I listen to on the street, and from across the counter, and squint my eyes in disbelief.

It scares me, because I know that there are a lot of people in this country who truly believe what the republican party preaches.

It sickens me to listen, but I do. I am trying to be what they are not, fair, and balanced.

I am trying hard to hear them, too, to hear what they have to say, and try to understand them, like I do when I listen to the people all around me in this little town.

I could truly believe that some people believe that they don't agree with everything the Republicans say, but a few things are too important to give up, but it sounds more like the republicans believe it all.

Maybe it is just me, believing so strongly in what I believe, that I cannot understand how someone can believe something else.

I think, though, that I am just tired of the old, and need and want something new. The RNC right now sounds almost like the replay of the 1976 RNC that replayed recently on CSPAN. And that should be good news to me, because they lost that election. In both, they sounded like broken records, and it didn't sound at all like anyone was really listening to what they were saying.

Anyway, I hope and pray that people really truly vote what they think will be best. I hope that they look not at what the candidates have to offer them, but what they have to gain, or lose if the wrong candidate is elected.

God save us all.

11 comments

Chris McBee wrote
at 9:15am on September 5th, 2008
You say it is hard to listen to the Republicans but what about Democrats?

What are the Democrats really saying they stand for?

Are you sucked in by the Hope and Change platform Obama is preaching?

You need to vote for the candidate based on their policies, issues and merit that are best for this country.

You can't elect Obama just because the Republicans look like your parents, that's absurd.

You say that the Republicans are not being fair and balanced. Please tell us what they aren't being fair about. You can't make an accusation without having some proof to back it up with.
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Regor Wons wrote
at 9:54am on September 5th, 2008
Republicans scare the hell out of me. Too right wing, too religious. It's not so much the Republican party... it's also it's supporters. Creationism, born again Christians, the whole bible belt thing... seems like a life of total hypocrisy to me. Why, just the other day, some Republican, bible bashing, trailer trash inbreed was bashing someone because, "...we don't want a black man in the white house!" Sometimes I think America under republicanism, is no better than Islamic extremists, both forcing their own values on others. People forget America is a very religious country: I'd rather have a more liberal take on that in the white house than the current or prospective offerings from the right. Take a look at McCains number 2; Loves to shoot n kill, animals for sport, but is pro life when it comes to unwanted pregnancies. Her poor daughter, pregnant at 17, but thats OK coz she'll marry the guy. Bollocks! I've never known a level headed 17 year old who 'wants' marriage.
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Regor Wons wrote
at 10:03am on September 5th, 2008
Too bad about the space restriction here!!

"Are you sucked in by the Hope and Change platform Obama is preaching?"

Hook, line an sinker! The rest of the world can't get it soon enough.
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Paul Silvestri (St. Catharines / Niagara, ON) wrote
at 11:32am on September 5th, 2008
I'm trying to understand why you even care...
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Jonathan Johns wrote
at 11:32am on September 5th, 2008
Chris, I have always enjoyed a very intelligent debate about politics, If you would like to post links, or quotes to throw proof back and forth, its fine, but it won't change anyone's mind, especially yours or mine.

And the absurdity of voting for someone who doesn't "Look" like me, well, I would not vote for someone who doesn't have MY best interest in mind, and I know for a fact that the people are are my parents don't.

But that is a pretty personal bias...
Being "Sucked in" by the Democratic party's platform is just the kind of statement I would assume to come from a current Republican. They (You?) Cannot believe that anyone actually believes any of those things, that they must be a) too stupid to truly understand it, or b) brainwashed by the hype.

The fair and balanced part is a poke at the Fox News Network, which I welcome to the platform, in hopes that the sound byte: "Liberal Media" will be soon disguarded since there is plenty of balance in the media, both extreme liberal, and extreme conservative. The fair and balanced part of the argument is that one republican member will say one thing, with passion and vigor, and yet when the subject comes up again, will completely change his opinion. Basically, it is okay for a Republican to have a pregnant teenage daughter, but not okay for a democrat to.
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Jonathan Johns wrote
at 11:50am on September 5th, 2008
About what the Democrats stand for...

Change from the current administration. Which is a bit of a stretch, since no matter who is elected, there will be change. But the argument i believe they are making, is change from the republican party to the democratic party.

For many of the last eight years, both the house, senate and executive branch (As well as the Supreme court, if you will) have been dominated by republicans, and it is the first time in a very very long time that the Republican party has had their way, with little or no power to stop them. The results of this are that the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer, and we, as citizens have much LESS freedom than we did 9 years ago.

We are also at war, undeclared, with a country which did not attack us, or pose us any harm.

I believe the Democratic party stands for change from all that.

But my argument does not lie alone with the party members speaking, but rather with the regular folk, who are members of the party, and support the party with their votes.
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Jonathan Johns wrote
at 11:50am on September 5th, 2008

They stand up for the party leaders, and reiterate their talking points, rather than educating themselves about the issues, and really examining how the issues affect their daily lives, and how the solution presented by the party officials will directly affect them as well.

There are only talking heads, repeating the sound bytes that I have met locally, whereas, the local democrats I speak with are bringing the issues to home, sharing their thoughts, even disagreements, and showing how these solutions will directly affect them.

I wish some republican would bring it home to me, and share actual personal information, rather than just repeat what some news anchor on FOX says. Or slandering some party member.

Its the attack politics that disgust me, and I don;t see the two leaders doing so, only the people under them both, like you, who seem to feel the need to belittle and hurt people you don't know with information you have only heard, but not been witness to.

I choose to vote for what will help me and my family, rather than just what is 'best for the country' as a whole.
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Jonathan Johns wrote
at 11:51am on September 5th, 2008
You may say that that is selfish liberalism, but your own party leaders use this same language to get votes, "I will help you and your family' ; 'I will cut your taxes' so don't begin to throw too much weight behind why I choose to vote this way or that.

I used to know republicans who were much more loving and caring for their fellow citizens, back in the Reagan years, but now i only meet those who are full of hate, and exasperation at those of us who do not think the way they do.

It doesn't seem too prudent to try to sway voters from across the aisle by insulting them, and belittling them.

It reminds me of some religions, whose sole mission it is to recruit more members, but murder, and behead, and attack those who will not come over to their way of thinking. It just doesn't work.

John McCain is a good man, and I have liked and respected him for years, but he has attached himself to a wagon, which I believe he hopes to regain control of, and turn around, but he is using that wagon in the same old way its always been used to get the people in it to let him have the reins. I only hope that he will continue to have the moral courage to defy his party, and their core beliefs if and when he gets elected.

I would vote for ANYONE that is not republican, if I thought my vote would get them elected. I am that passionate, and angry at the republican party politicians for what they have done over the last 8 years.

I am saddened by the party members who have used this time in power to allow their leaders to be selfish, and hurt this country while doing so. The Reagan Republicans never would have let this happen.
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Jonathan Johns wrote
at 11:56am on September 5th, 2008
The proof you are looking for me to post, then discredit are items like the Republican party talking points about Hillary, saying she needs to stop whining about the public picking on her, yet when their new VP candidate complains about the public not leaving her alone, it is not okay, and she is not whining.

Several more back steps by the party talking heads come to mind, but I am sure you will find something about them that makes it okay. Like most republicans I speak with, it's okay when you do it, but not okay when others do.

That is the Hypocracy we speak of.

It would be so easy to deflate our arguments, if you just owned up to them with a better excuse, or argument.

It would be so easy to make this country whole again, and allow opposing viewpoints, but you just don't do it. McCain says he will, and I pray that he will, but with the line-up of speakers at the convention before him, it seemed to me like they were not all on the same sheet of music as their potential leader.

It is sad, that he must now change his views to win the base, rather than just work hard at convincing the base that they have been wrong, and it is truly time for change.
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Jonathan Johns wrote
at 11:59am on September 5th, 2008
Paul, Why I care?

Because my life will be directly impacted by whoever is elected, so will my son's life.

I care because it is supremely difficult for me to debate or convince someone who believes what the republican talking heads tell them to believe. If I understand better, I might be able to a) convince them better, or b) get along better with those whom I disagree with.
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Regor Wons wrote
at 7:19pm on September 5th, 2008
Nicely put JJ