Nothing but a game? | madameblogalot

Aug 31

Nothing but a game?

Posted by madameblogalot at 6:35 am in life

Last week, my blog friend Montucky sent me a link to an article he wanted me to read about water rights. When I got to the website, all that jumped out at me was the release that John McCain had picked his running mate. I had never heard of Sarah Palin and I was actually shocked at McCain’s choice to choose a woman.

It seems as if McCain’s choice is nothing but a chess move to counter Obama’s choice. Obama chose an established older running mate. McCain, being that himself, chose a young, new “upstart”. It also seems that McCain seems to think that some will now vote for him just because he chose a female running mate. If he thinks that is the key to winning, why isn’t Hillary Clinton the Democratic nominee??

I’ve also heard that this election is really turning out the younger voters. I don’t know, perhaps that is so. But not in the area I live. In talking with my teenaged son (who is not old enough to vote), he said the whole thing is nothing but a game. It really means nothing to him anymore (he used to be very interested in the political process, etc.) and that being president doesn’t even really mean anything anymore. He doesn’t even care about it anymore. I think that is sad. Maybe it’s my own disenchantment/cynicism that has rubbed off on him. But I find it disheartening that the whole thing has come down to this. It really seems as if it is nothing but a game.

Nothing but a game? has 13 Comments

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thealphabetgame wrote:
August 31st, 2008 at 6:43 am

[...] like either of the two main parties nor their candidates. It seems if that has gotten to be nothing but one big game . So I don’t know who to vote for in the upcoming election. I won’t vote for either of [...]
Montucky wrote:
August 31st, 2008 at 3:36 pm

At first I was interested when I saw that Palin was McCain’s choice, and then I found that she pretty much belongs to the big oil companies and has an even worse environmental attitude than George Bush (something I didn’t even think was possible). Now I’m personally back to the point where I don’t see a viable choice, and my cynicism has come back to the surface. The other day I received a phone call for a political survey and the caller asked if I considered myself a Republican or a Democrat. When I said “neither”, the caller asked what I would consider myself then, and I answered almost truthfully, “anarchist”.
madameblogalot wrote:
August 31st, 2008 at 6:33 pm

it is sad that it has gotten to this point for the “everyman”…I really don’t know what to do…I feel right now that I will go w/ voting some other way. but I also believe that if one of the two major candidates wins-which I think will happen- we are all in real trouble…
Montucky wrote:
August 31st, 2008 at 9:38 pm

You know, in this particular election, I think it all boils down to “who owns the candidates”, since they are all extremely weak in their own right. Problem is, I don’t like the implications of that idea either! The Clintons and the Kennedy’s control the donkey side and the big money/big business control the elephant’s. Either way, the common person is a big loser.
madameblogalot wrote:
September 1st, 2008 at 7:57 am

it also seems the lines are more blurred. the two parties look more and more alike, at least to me…and it seems that the ticket for both parties has only served to blur that line even more. is voting third party going to do anything at all? I guess if enough people did, but I think more people don’t vote than would vote for another party….and it’s sad that it is turning off the younger generation. then when it’s their turn, they don’t care either…

yep, we’re the biggest loser!
Shelly wrote:
September 1st, 2008 at 4:21 pm

Silken, your post reminds me of something I wrote recently about a poem I had published a month or two ago. I ended that entry by saying that it is all just a big show. It is so sad that we voters feel that way, but I think it reflects the realities these days.
Sad.
madameblogalot wrote:
September 1st, 2008 at 7:10 pm

yes, I really like that poem. it is sad…
Sire wrote:
September 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 am

I don’t know much about American politics but I think I can see why he picked Palin. I reckon he saw that a whole lot of people were disappointed when Hillary missed out so he hopes to win a few of those as he figures having a female in the White House may appeal to a whole lot of people.

As for her policies, I can just imagine how many people will vote not knowing who has what policy. A lot of people don’t necessarily vote using their intellect.
madameblogalot wrote:
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:42 am

I think you are right about why he picked Palin, at least that is a part of it, but I think he really hurt himself in doing it. I think it makes people mad to think that he is playing the game this way…for lack of a better way of putting it. I wasn’t going to vote for him anyway and I think some folks who were thinking about it might not now because of this move. but maybe you are right in saying that some will because of his pick….aaaggghhh! it is just really a mess…

thanks for joining in the discussion!
Malcolm R. Campbell wrote:
September 4th, 2008 at 8:01 am

It’s been a long time since I voted for either a Republican or a Democrat. That’s something a good Libertarian just isn’t going to do.

It’s interesting to me, though, that Obama apparently never seriously considered Hillary, for getting her on the ticket would have been a very traditional method of creating party unity. I have a feeling she might have turned it down.

What’s odd is the notion some are spreading around, and that’s that Palin will attract disgruntle Clinton supporters. What? Anyone who would have voted for Hillary on the issues she supports won’t get close to Palin.

What a mess.

Malcolm
madameblogalot wrote:
September 4th, 2008 at 10:34 am

I know! it just does not even seem to make sense! my dad has a theory as to why Obama would not put Hillary on his ticket…she might had arranged something that would have vaulted her into the Presidency after all! I actually voted in the Republican primary in hopes that McCain would be defeated as the nominee (I know, I am naive that way!) but I would not let them stamp “Republican” on my card! but then I could not vote for an independent, which I later regretted.
Holly wrote:
September 5th, 2008 at 12:26 pm

I must admit to burying my head in the sand as much as possible these last several months of political wrangling because I did not like any of the candidates, well, except Mike Huckabee. Now here we are, and I’m scared.

After the speeches though I feel like I know more about John McCain (still kind of scared) and Sarah Palin .

The next 61 days will be interesting for sure.
madameblogalot wrote:
September 8th, 2008 at 10:21 am

I did not see/hear the speech. my parents like Palin and thought her speech was good and that they just might vote for McCain after hearing her speak. but I said she is not running for Pres and if they don’t like or trust McCain why would they vote for him, even w/ her as VP?