Isn't this an exciting election period? It is exciting to hope that the people of your choice will be elected or re-elected, so that things will improve in our country, and ours will again be a nation respected in the world. Some would think this sounds really naïve. Those same people might say, "your vote doesn't count anyway," "one person can't do anything," "oh, they promise lots of things, but they never make them happen," or other comments of that nature. But I am an optimist.
I think accusations made about an opposition candidate palling around with terrorists, when she knows that is a lie, is completely irresponsible. Distortions of candidates' policies in political ads, or attempts to do that in public forums, is dirty politics. I abhor the lies and distortions which are being perpetuated in e-mails.
Now I actually like, and did respect, some of the people who forward these nasty e-mails to me; however, I fail to understand why they want to stir up fear and hate, which these e-mails are attempting to do. Before forwarding something, anyone who wants to find out about its truth can go to FactCheck.org. The fact that most people probably know there are Web sites where one can find the truth, yet fail to seek them out, may mean that they deliberately want to spread lies, fear and hate. Instead, I like to chalk it up to simple ignorance. To me, that seems kinder and gentler. Perhaps I am naïve.
Along that same "kinder and gentler" path, I have heard the possibility stated that the people stealing the Obama signs must want them for their own yards. Now that is certainly a possibility, but from all evidence, it is probably just not true. Perhaps those people don't understand that stealing private property is a crime. I wonder what else they may be stealing.
As I said, I am an optimist. I believe there are good people running for public office. I believe in electing people who are honest, intelligent and forward looking. I want those put in office who are good leaders, and who genuinely want to improve the lives of the people they represent. I favor those who run clean, honest campaigns. I want those I can trust to work cooperatively with their colleagues, whether or not they agree with them. For these reasons, I plan to vote for Steve Hilgenberg for Wisconsin State Assembly, Ron Kind for the U.S. House of Representatives, and Barack Obama and Joe Biden for president and vice president of the U.S.
I think accusations made about an opposition candidate palling around with terrorists, when she knows that is a lie, is completely irresponsible. Distortions of candidates' policies in political ads, or attempts to do that in public forums, is dirty politics. I abhor the lies and distortions which are being perpetuated in e-mails.
Now I actually like, and did respect, some of the people who forward these nasty e-mails to me; however, I fail to understand why they want to stir up fear and hate, which these e-mails are attempting to do. Before forwarding something, anyone who wants to find out about its truth can go to FactCheck.org. The fact that most people probably know there are Web sites where one can find the truth, yet fail to seek them out, may mean that they deliberately want to spread lies, fear and hate. Instead, I like to chalk it up to simple ignorance. To me, that seems kinder and gentler. Perhaps I am naïve.
Along that same "kinder and gentler" path, I have heard the possibility stated that the people stealing the Obama signs must want them for their own yards. Now that is certainly a possibility, but from all evidence, it is probably just not true. Perhaps those people don't understand that stealing private property is a crime. I wonder what else they may be stealing.
As I said, I am an optimist. I believe there are good people running for public office. I believe in electing people who are honest, intelligent and forward looking. I want those put in office who are good leaders, and who genuinely want to improve the lives of the people they represent. I favor those who run clean, honest campaigns. I want those I can trust to work cooperatively with their colleagues, whether or not they agree with them. For these reasons, I plan to vote for Steve Hilgenberg for Wisconsin State Assembly, Ron Kind for the U.S. House of Representatives, and Barack Obama and Joe Biden for president and vice president of the U.S.
