A nerdpundit Request and Endorsement.

Part of the reason for changing nerdpundit.com to “more patriotic” colors was to change the focus of the site.  I believe we’ve have some success in having healthy debates and trying to tackle some of the issues we deem important as younger voters in this incredibly important election.  First, I’d like to take this chance to reiterate what the YouTube video above requests: please, please, PLEASE go vote!  It is not only a civil duty, but a freedom that many, many people in this world do not have.  Voting is one of the many luxuries Americans take for granted; I hope that no one does this year.  This election is far too important.  Please, GO VOTE!

Second, we get down to brass tax.  Anyone that has read this site, or spoken to me, in the recent past knows that this has been a tough decision for me.  I’m the first to argue against any candidate when a peer proposes him.  More importantly, I know when to hold my tongue and heed the advice and wisdom of my elders.  In the recent past, I’ve had intellectual conversations with individuals my senior, particularly about politics, and was forced to strongly consider the outcome of this election.  To quote one such person, “Change for the sake of change isn’t necessary or wise.”  I agree.  Still, we don’t need change for the sake of it, we need change for the sake of our freedom, for the sake of our future, and to secure America’s place in the world so that my children and my children’s children can enjoy the same luxuries and liberties I’ve been so fortunate to enjoy.  I’ve thought about this for 21 long months…I promise.  Ultimately, I’ll be voting for Barack Obama for President of the United States of American on November 4th.

Why?

Well, there’s hundreds of reason why, and equally as many as to why not.  Frankly, I don’t like Obama as a person, I don’t like his activities as a politician, and I certainly don’t like everything what he stands for!  Everyone that thinks he’s so radically liberal, well, hasn’t met me!  And, ironically,  most people think I’m moderate or conservative.  Weird.

Here’s where I disagree with Obama.  First, marriage is undoubtedly something that takes place between a man and a woman; I know because that’s what my church told me.  Why does my government tell me the same thing?  This is the land of the free and the home of the brave!  So, why are these cowards so unwilling to give homosexuals the same rights as, well, PEOPLE! The civil institution of marriage should disappear.  It’s a sacred, religious bond.  Hence, it should not be in politics.  Let’s change it to Civil Union and give everyone equal rights in this matter.  That’s what America’s about!  Second, Mr. Obama (like Mr. McCain) does not believe abortions should be legalized.  But, through some crazy nuisance, he justified not wanting to over turn Roe vs. Wade.  Smart man: the short version of that ruling was that people were granted privacy and autonomy in the medical setting; consequently, States cannot restrict treatment patients receive (aside from physician-assisted suicide, as per the Supreme Court).  As a potential physician, I must confess two things in this matter: I would never, ever vote to reverse Roe vs. Wade and I would NEVER perform an abortion, unless EXTREME situations warranted it.  Following that?  Not very many people stick with me on that one.  Frankly, I think abortion is horrible.  But, the symbiotic existence of a fetus and a mother is so complex that we can’t outright pass laws condemning a woman’s life to some conclusion because of some belief irrespective of the life or beliefs of the woman.  Not every woman would die for a fetus.  The God argument?  It’s God’s intention?  Let’s leave cancer in, too…it was God’s intention for that mutation to grow, right?  I’d rather we take some of the campaign/war/lobby money (from the AMA and Pharma, for starters) and work to educate people and provide the proper resources TO STOP THE NEED FOR ABORTIONS! It’s easy, no?  Abortion is as preventable as it is detrimental to society.  Removing the right for a woman to choose what happens to her own body is just the wrong approach to get rid of it in my book…but, not in Obama’s or McCain’s.

Moving on, here’s the biggie: Barack “the Redistributor” Obama wants to take my money and spread it around to the poor.  Ever heard of Teddy Roosevelt?  Isn’t that McCain’s role model?  He’s said that…and Mr. Roosevelt initiated the progressive income tax.  Doesn’t that redistribute the wealth?  Ever heard of Franklin Roosevelt?  He was a socialist, for sure!  He saved the nation…

I’m not saying that socialism is the answer, or right by any means.  But, just like Iraq, we have to deal with what we’ve been dealt and move forward.  Mr. Bush actually just bought banks!  I mean, who’s actually socialist here?  At the end of the day, in the USA, the average CEO makes over 500 times as the common employee.  What happened to Henry Ford’s ideal of paying workers enough to buy the company product?!  I understand that the economy is different than back then, and that we need to pay CEO’s these rates or no one will do the job; however, the system is flawed right now.  People in this country and around the globe can’t afford to buy anything anymore.  We’re completely in debt.  So, even though I’m usually a fan of smaller government, I believe that right now we NEED the government to protect the citizens’ interests from Big Business.   I know that Mr. Bush’s corrupt cabinet put us in this place and truly believe that those individuals will be in McCain’s White House.  Thus, Obama’s philosophical difference may just be what we need to increase the government’s positive influence and give trust back to it so that it may defend the people, protect our rights, and give meaning back to that piece of paper that started it all – the Constitution.  I just hope that he sticks to his words and gets it done.  McCain has been around for far too long to make it a believeable possiblity, in my estimation.  I could go on and on with this…

But, what about all of these wars we’re in?  First of all, it seems like Obama was right all along: he’s been talking about Afghanistan and Pakistan all along.  Still, his new desire to attack everyone is a departure from his previous comments; he’s definitely taken a hard line and proven he means business.  So does McCain.  But, I not only think it’s wrong to still be in Iraq strategically (and never understood or agreed with going there to begin with, for the record…it’s about as meaningful as Obama saying this as he never had and important say, but I digress), I think that the Iraqi front will be a moot point in the very near future.  We need to surge in Iraq, seal the deal, and get to Afghanistan, where we will be for a long, long time.  Stabilizing the region and moving forward is essential to our progress and security.  In this matter, it’s a toss up, but I think that Obama’s wisdom has shone through…and is essentially the current White House plan that seems to be working.

On this topic, the only real way to gain national security and economic stability is to start investing in new sources of energy.  EVERYTHING.  Nuclear, wind, solar, gas, electric, coal, etc., etc., etc.  On this one, both of these guys are a little off, and, well, anything Palin says is meaningless to me.  At the very least, Obama has made it clear that he will invest in science and technology.  Beyond that, I think we need to depend on ExxonMobil, Google, Microsoft, Bill Gates, Al Gore, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Europe to come up with something to get us out of this Middle East mess.  I mean, seriously, our cars are fueling these lunatics! (pun intended to emphasize how absurd we are).

Health care: let’s be real, these plans both suck and are unrealistic.  If Obama thinks he can muscle the Insurance companies, let’s give him a shot.  On the flip side, I actually see no benefit whatsoever in McCain’s policies for anyone.  So, I guess Obama gets this one just because I don’t even see how McCain’s plan helps anyone at all.  Plus, Obama and I share a fundamental belief (and, as a potential physician, this means a lot to me): everyone, everyone has a fundamental right to health care.  I’m not going to debate it here, but it is my fundamental belief.

Taxes: another moot point.  Both of these guys is going to be in office when they go up.  It’s inevitable or the system collapses.  It’s like George H.W. Bush: promise not to raise them, but forced to make the tough decision anyway or the country falls apart.  They’ll have to do it just like he did.

This has already gone on for too long.  I can continue for twice as long!  But, I won’t.  I’ll try to summarize and conclude with as much brevity as possible.  We could not possibly be in a more pivotal election with two more different candidates.  I respect both men for what they’ve accomplished.  Similarly, I am disappointed in both of them for choices they’ve made and actions they’ve taken in the past, including, in this campaign alone, the choice for Gov. Palin by McCain and the disgusting backhanded politics and sarcasm by Obama.   I think McCain is an American hero, with the experience that this country could use to progress forward.  I just have this instinctual feeling that Obama’s ideas are the right ones; furthermore, from what I’ve read and watched and heard, his beliefs are fundamentally what this nation needs right now.  We need to be a fair, peaceful nation, not this preemptive, warring beast we’ve always been.  I hope, hope that what these two men have said is actually what they’ll do.  I want to believe what has been said and not what has been done.  I want to believe that the dream isn’t over, that America can move forward, that we can once again become the beacon of hope resting on a hill, elevating others to share in the wealth, peace, and prosperity that has defined America in the past.  Right now, we’re pushing others down, bringing nothing but hatred and resentment upon us.

I’ll leave you with this: I don’t believe in change for the sake of change.  I don’t believe in this nonsense hope in this one man.  I don’t believe we can continue on our course.  I don’t believe times aheard are going to be easy.  I believe that we need someone who is pioneering, understands technology, believes in unifying people, wants to make everyone better. Even if just symbollically, Barack Obama represents unity, represents America finally coming together.  Even so, that’s not enough; I believe he is much more and I hope I conveyed some of that in this article.  It was a tough decision for me, but I remain hopeful that a sharp policy change may be what this country needs to get the respect and admiration of the world back so as to give rebirth to the American Dream.

Whether you agree or disagree, go vote! This Independent will.

“One thing I can tell you, is you’ve GOT TO BE FREE…Come together, right now.”