Cascadia Journal

Well, the time has come. Upon my desk, as I type this, is my Oregon vote-by-mail ballot that I have to return to my county election office by 8:00 pm on Tuesday the 20th. I have looked over many of the statewide candidates and the ballot measures. Many of those choices become obvious to me, once I look over their credentials. So the one remaining choice for me: Who do I want to vote for to be my next president?

First, a couple of realities jump out in front of me. One is that by this point in the process, despite Senator Clinton wishing really hard to the contrary, the Democratic party has really already chosen their candidate, as a practical matter. So I look at this as being a bit academic. Another is that, really, both of these candidates are really much too conservative for my tastes. Yup, even Senator Obama, the guy who can throw a party and get a crowd going, is deep down pretty conservative in my book. So I am really considering which of these candidates will cause us the least trouble.

You may have noticed that I left out Senator McCain. I am only considering candidates who, at the very least, attempt to convince us that they can look at all sides of an issue. Clearly, he cannot.

I will admit that I was originally considering Senator Clinton as my choice. I knew of her ideas, I knew she could be a suitable leader, and at that point, I had not heard any of Senator Obama’s ideas. On any issue. However, as the campaign has dragged on, I am finding that neither candidate has really made many substantiative comments on any of the national issues. Further, even through the Washington caucuses and, now that Oregon is supposedly such an important state in this national decision, neither candidate has yet given me any information on any issue, pro or con, of particular importance to the Cascadia region. So, how am I expected to decide? Is this why so many of us chose the “best dressed” candidate?

My estimation is that they are the same person in ideology. It likely will not matter which one we choose. They do not argue the issues because they agree on all the issues.

I want to see universal health care in my lifetime. It is a basic human right. And it needs to be a Democrat for this, because too many Republicans are worried about the five people in the US who don’t want health care. What about the rights of those who don’t want health care? Give me a break. Those are just the people who don’t want to pay for it. As far as the Democrat’s views on health care, their plans do differ. However, in the end, the resulting plan will not equal exactly either of those plans, as they will have to compromise to come up with a final plan. So I will discount the differences in their plans.

I want to see the crazy war that we started in Iraq end. It will end as soon as possible under either of these candidates. I bear no illusions that it will not take longer than we imagine to get ourselves out of this mess. It will not happen next week. It will not happen by next year. It will not be prudent to set an exact date that we will be gone. We will never likely be completely out. But I would like to see a plan to get the US military as out of Iraq as soon as possible and as fast as is prudent. I know the difference between “we will do it as soon as reasonably possible” and the Bush Administration’s “we will do it forever or until we win”. We are playing a game that has no winner. Either candidate will likely do this.

I am not looking for a promise of no increase in taxes, nor do I really want to see my taxes go up. I would like, however, to see someone come up for a plan to find the appropriate level of taxation that will provide us the services we have come to expect from government and maintain our infrastructure. The plan should find a level that will not negatively affect our economy. We will not try to fool ourselves by announcing that we intend to “balance the budget” and then make things like “the military” an extra item not covered under the budget. I expect to have a president who will make appropriate choices. Either of these people will do the job.

By the way, we need someone who will not back themselves into a corner with ultimatums like “no new taxes”, in case they need to make a decision in the future that includes “a prudent number of services” for “a prudent rate of taxes”. Grand populist actions do not impress me as much as well thought out plans that are flexible as our country’s needs change. Both candidates have made some errors on this matter during their campaigns, but either one should get the job done right in the end.

So, please, vote for Senator Clinton or Senator Obama. Either one will get us through. And no matter which one wins the Democratic nomination, please support them. Either one will be so very much better than four more years of something similar to what we have now.

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