If thought is something we share, than so is reason -- what makes up reasoning beings.Marcus Aurelius, Meditiations 4.4
If so, then the reason that tells us what to do and what not to do is also shared.
And if so, we share a common law.
And thus, are fellow citizens.
And fellow citizens of something.
And in that case, our state must be the world. What other entity could all of humanity belong to? And from it -- from this state that we share -- come thought and reason and law.
Where else could they come from? The earth that composes me derives from earth, the water from some other element, the air from its own source, the heat and fire from theirs -- since nothing comes from nothing, or returns to it.
So thought must derive from somewhere else as well.
I am an American citizen, born and raised, and my forefathers have been in America since early in the colonial times: since A.D. 1,638 according to my family's reckoning. It is therefore my duty, right, and pleasure to complain loudly about anything and everything that governments do, most especially my own, and to be very impolite to anybody who tries to prevent me from doing so.
I am not a Democrat. I am not a Republican. I am not a "Green". I am sure as hell not a Libertarian or a Communist. I would consider myself centrist with a conservative tilt. I never vote straight-ticket for any party. I don't think you should either. When you vote straight-ticket, you thow away your vote. It would be more useful to the furtherance of the Democratic Republic for you to write in Daffy Duck for every candidate. If you do favor one party over the other, well I am perfectly okay with that, but I still don't think you should vote straight ticket. When you do so, you provide no incentive for the other parties' candidates to even consider your views: they aren't going to get your vote no matter what they do, so why should they bother? Next election, try picking just one candidate from the other party that you like, and vote for him. Also, pick one candidate from your party that you don't like, and vote for the other guy. This way the other party will have a good reason to believe that supporting your views in beneficial to them, and your party will have good reason to believe that you will give them the boot if your are displeased. It's democracy in action!
I also don't think you should vote "on the issues". Do you support second amendment rights? Did you vote for Bush over Kerry because of it? Congratulations, the gun issue is a non-issue with him. Do you disagree with abortion? Did you vote for Bush over Kerry because of it? Congratulations, Row v. Wade is still in effect. Do you dislike big government? Did you vote for Bush over Kerry because of it? Congratulations, say hello to the biggest national debt ever. Do you like economic strength, and an unfettered capitalist economy? Did you vote for Bush over Kerry because of it? Congratulations, the american dollar has slipped below the canadian dollar.
I believe you should pick the candidate based on how much you would personally trust them, how much they seem to be concerned with the actual state of the nation, and how capable they are, in that order. If candidate A is more trustworthy than candidate B, then A wins my vote. If candidate C is more concerned with the welfare of the nation than candidate D, then C wins my vote. If candidate E is more capable as a statesman than candidate F, then E wins my vote. If someone is trustworthy, concerned, and capable, while they may make some moves that you disagree with they will probably do a better job of running the country. And, if somebody trustworthy, concerned, and capable disagrees with you over an issue, perhaps you should reconsider your viewpoint?
I have made an ordered list of the candidates for the 2008 presidential election, in the order that I would vote for them currently. It seems likely to me that Guliani will win the Republicans, so the Democrats could actually get my vote for president this time around.
I like John McCain a lot, not just in comparison to the rest of the options. I trust him almost completely, which is something I can almost never say about a politician. I have no question that he will do whatever he thinks is in the best interest of the Republic, and he has demonstrated this as well as it can be demonstrated. I think he is a capable statesman, a mostly capable leader, and generally capable all-around. Unfortunately he isn't as good of a politician as he is a statesman. It is a shame that he probably won't win, but I hope that he does.
I will be voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. McCain is listed as my #1 choice for president above, and that is still true, but Obama was a close #2. Joe Biden was #4, and I consider Sarah Palin to be a complete joke. What was McCain thinking when he picked her? Was that merely an attempt to pander to the female vote? Surely there has to be at least one intelligent female Republican that he could have chosen instead of her. My #2 and #4 choice combined outweighs my #1 choice and Palin. If McCain had picked Huckabee or Thompson then I would have voted for him. If McCain had picked Leiberman as his V.P. then I would have voted quite enthusiastically for the both of them, although that would probably have lost most of the Republican base, and therefore the election. Not that it matters, he is probably going to lose anyway if the polls are to be trusted.
