Something Vague

I'm not going to lie -- it took me multiple days to watch Thursday night's presidential debate. Literally, days. I started watching it live, but . . . but . . . it was too painful. I couldn't possibly sit through the whole thing without breaking the window behind the couch, so I recorded it. And slowly, meticulously, I watched it all. It hurt a little.

I had high hopes for this debate, which was really my own stupid fault. I forgot, briefly, that all excitement has been drained from politics, leaving just shells of personalities careful to tread on the correct side of party lines. And that's what this debate was, a debate alone party lines. If you like Obama, you no doubt liked what he said. If you liked McCain, you probably laughed at all his stupid little jokes. The graph type thing on CNN, gadging the audience's response, never moved that much, besides the initial changes when either candidate came on screen. I kept waiting for a drastic reaction, when those lines when haywire and flew way up or way down, the way they tended to during the 2004 debates. It never happened.

And ya know why it never happened? Because nothing drastic was said. There was no major breakthrough, or breakdown, or anything. It was strictly petty, "He said he'd do such and such a thing," sprinkled with random self congratulations for things done way back in the day. I'm totally with Obama, but does it really matter that he's been against the Iraq war since day one? No. We are there now. We have to deal with the realities of this war in 2008, not what should or shouldn't have been done.

I was really hoping for major breakthroughs on this debate in particular, because it was the Foreign Policy debate. Awesome, right? Wrong. It wasn't even a little enlightening at all. Even the question I was dying to hear, "What will you do about Iran," was dull. Why did McCain feel the need to say about a million times that Obama wants talks without preconditions? Did he think that maybe if he repeated it one more time, we'd think to ourselves, "Why yes! Putting demands on leaders before we grace them with our presence is really the only way to conduct business!" I wanted so badly for Obama to wipe that smirk off McCain's face, but no. It never happened.

After I finished watching the debate, I didn't feel any kind of rush of pride for my candidate. I didn't feel like painting my face blue and knocking on every Republican's door, chanting "O-bam-a!" No one won, because no one stepped out of their little box to actually speak to the American people about real issues. Now what am I looking forward to? Easy -- that vice presidential debate on Thursday, if for no other reason than to see Palin actually be asked direct questions, assuming the moderator is allowed to ask anything relevent.

The Start of Something

I'm sure I don't have to tell you we're living in dire times. This will, no doubt, be a period in American History that we will look back on and say to our grandchilden, "I lived through that." A floundering economy, unwinnable wars, a fear mongering government -- all of that coupled with an apathetic society with little confidence in a political system that has become an international joke. Things aren't lookin' good, America.

So, what do you do? How can you shift the tide and make a difference? Well, that's what I'm trying to find out. After years of political musings kept, for the most part, within a small group of friends, I've taken to the 'net to try and spur on the change I feel this country so desperately needs. Enough bemoaning the world and those in it. Enough shaking heads and rolling eyes. Let's actually do something this time.

I'm using this blog as an outlet for my own political ideas. In it, I'll highlight different issues facing society, and present those changes that I feel need to take place. I know not everyone will agree with me, but that's alright. It's time we stop pandering to each other and start working to improve life for not only Americans, but the world as a whole. The kind of nationalism we've seen displayed across America for the past few years doesn't have a place in contemporary society. The world is too small. Cooperation must be the cornerstone of any foreign policy, because we aren't just in this thing alone anymore. Our actions have ramifications around the world, and we must start being held responsible by others and by ourselves for that.

Above all else though, with this blog, I want to get a reaction. Get mad, get inspired, agree with me, or hate me. I don't care as long as you get engaged in the discussion. Leave me comments -- I want to know what you think. Let's open up the debate to everyone, and learn from each other about the world. Feel free to leave me comments about anything, even if it doesn't pertain to postings. Share links, videos, any source you feel is relevent. Help me change the world.