Election year blahs

I really hate the month before elections. I hate all the campaign ads and finger pointing and bad mouthing. Just once, I wish candidates didn't have to run each other down. Instead of pointing out what is so bad about the other person, why not just talk about what YOU do that is RIGHT? Is that so hard?

I have tried to keep my mouth shut, but there is so much crap out there that it is getting old. And, stupid politicians stick their feet (both of them) in their mouths and then can't just say "My bad" or simply "Yeah, I said that and I meant it, too!" I give Bush a pass sometimes because he is a lot like me in that he gets all tongue-tied and spits out the wrong thing. I guess I'm more sympathetic to him because I do that, too. And, overall, I agree with much of his politics. Not all of it, but it is sort of like religion - I haven't found one yet that I agree with every doctrine in the church. But, I digress.

My favorite faux pas right now involves the Waffle-meister. He essentially told college students to excel in school or they'd "get stuck" in Iraq. It is clear that he was saying that most enlisted (and maybe even officers, in his opinion) are losers who couldn't hack it in the "real world" and joined the military to make a living. But, the poor schmucks are stuck in Iraq because they were losers in life. It is clear what he is saying. And, yeah, there are some people like that whom I met serving in the Army. They didn't have a clue, so they joined up for three squares and a room in the barracks. But, by far, that isn't the typical soldier that I know or knew. Most are there to serve their countries. Many are there to help pay for their education - but they know the role they serve is important - and they're doing the best they can. My point is that Kerry said EXACTLY what he thought and he didn't think anyone would put it out there for the public. At this point, stop backpedaling and just fess up: you think people in the military are stupid. There are many intellectuals out there who think the same thing. They can't imagine why anyone would join the military other than they must have no other options. It is sad, but it is clearly the case here.

I'm just sick of all the lies that are told during campaigns. Just say what you mean and then friggin stand by it. The dude who called opponent's toady a mukaka or whatever it was ... I think he probably meant it to be a demeaning comment in some form or fashion. Stop trying to back out of it. I am a firm believer that most of us say what we really believe in those situations. There are people like me (and maybe Pres. Bush) who just stumble over our words when we're speaking, but there isn't any malice there. However, if you ask for my opinion on something or I'm speaking passionately about a topic, you can better believe 9 times out of 10, what I say is what is in my heart.

If I never have to hear another campaign commercial, it will be too soon. So far, I've only heard one that I thought was good: Mr. Way Too Liberal for Texas Guy done like Bud Light's "Real Men of Genius" ad campaign. I'm not voting for Gov. GoodHair (that is a blog entry for later), but the commercial is funny. See below:

TITLE: "Mr. Way Too Liberal For Texas Guy"
SCRIPT: Announcer: Presenting ...
Singer: Real Washington liberals
Announcer: Today we salute you, Mr. Way Too Liberal for Texas Guy
Singer: Mr. Way Too Liberal for Texas Guy!
Announcer: Only you, Chris Bell, could vote for higher taxes 10 times in Congress, and despite a record state surplus, run for governor on a platform of raising taxes.
Singer: This ain't Taxachusetts!
Chorus: Taxachusetts!
Announcer: U.S. Rep. Bell, only you could vote to make it hard to deport terrorists, then support sanctuary for illegal immigrants so the law can't ask a person's legal status.
Singer: Don't ask, don't tell!
Announcer: And you voted to let the United Nations oversee elections in America because no one stands up for democracy like the French.
Singer: Je m'appelle Christophe Bell!
Announcer: So wear your fancy beret with pride, U.S. Rep. Bell. Liberals everywhere salute you.
Singer: Mr. Way Too Liberal for Texas Guy
Chorus: Ooh la la

From the very liberal Austin-American Statesman on Oct. 27:
ANALYSIS: Perry hits a home run with this hilarious spoof on a jingle for light beer. It's bound to appeal to voters of all political stripes, especially young people familiar with Bud Light's "Real Men of Genius" ad campaign. After all, who likes paying taxes? Or berets? The ad is especially brilliant because it lets Perry attack Bell for the third time on air without coming across as a negative nag. Of all the mud Perry could have slung as failed presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry stumped for Bell in Austin on Friday, this was the perfect tone to take. Between the ad itself and the watercooler chatter sure to follow, Perry is bound to grab the attention, and possibly even support, of many people who hadn't given much thought to the governor's race.
FACT CHECK: It's hard to even think about whether the accusations are true when you're rolling on the floor laughing, but there are some question marks. For example, Bell spokesman Jason Stanford pointed out that Bell was criticized during the Democratic primary campaign for voting for President Bush's tax cut package. Many of the votes alluded to in the ad involved amendments, Stanford said. "When it came time to cut taxes for middle class families, Chris Bell cut taxes," he said. Stanford also said Bell is reconsidering previous remarks he made about possible tax increases amid news that the state could have a $15 billion surplus at the start of the 2007 legislative session. The immigrant sanctuary proposal Bell sponsored as a member of the Houston City Council was designed to ensure all residents received city services, regardless of their immigration status. Advocacy groups say such policies allow immigrants to report crimes and seek health care without fear of deportation. Bell has said cracking down on the companies that hire undocumented workers will do more to solve the immigration problem. As for the United Nations, some congressional Democrats tried to get U.N. election monitors involved in the 2004 election to avoid the irregularities that occurred in the Bush-Gore campaign of 2000. After the U.N. rejected the request, Bell voted against barring the use of funds to request the U.N. monitors, Stanford said.

So, there is at least one campaign ad to make me smile. The rest, well, I just turn down the radio or yell at other drivers or something along those lines.