George Gerber: The Undecided Deciders

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by George Gerber

After two years of campaign speak, thousands of miles traveled by the candidates, hundreds of televised interviews and four nationally televised debates, the undecided deciders have still not made up their minds whether to vote for Obama or McCain. Only in America can so few make so many hold their breaths for so long, and this is what makes this country great.
 
There are only a few days left for any of us to make a decision that will impact our lives and our children's. The election atmosphere has become stale with the arguments and counter arguments of skilled politicians and politically savvy pundits. Their positions are clear and it is unlikely they will change between now and November 4. Those of us who have already made a decision are unlikely to change our minds before November 4. Those who have decided not to vote have none the less decided. And yet, after all this time and with so little time left, we are still watching the polls as they swing in an ever less drastic arch back and forth. What can possibly be happening to cause people to be indecisive? Is it just that some Americans are more thoughtful and deliberate in their decision making? Are the undecided voters confused over the differences between the candidates? Or do the undecided voters really understand the stakes in this election? Perhaps that's the real answer.
 
The stakes this time around are more profound then ever before in the modern history of American presidential elections. There are very few areas of gray. In fact the choices are stark and like old TV shows, in stunning black and white. Barack Obama has, since the start of his campaign maintained a steady course. His demeanor is an indicator of his capacity to be President of the United States. No one, Republican, Democrat, Liberal, Conservative, Libertarian or Independent can reasonably look at Barack Obama and declare he is unsure either of himself or where he wants to take our country. John McCain, on the other hand, has since the start of his campaign, changed course more times than a buffalo stampede. Just keeping track of what issues he considers high priority requires the expertise of a full time statistician. This clearly is not the behavior of the John McCain of the past nor is it the behavior befitting a President of the United States. In one word, his behavior, regardless of his politics, is and has been bizarre.
 
Barack Obama believes a nation has an obligation and an opportunity to help its citizens. The wealthy have an obligation to help the not so wealthy and the poor. Contrary to the hate speeches of McCain and Palin who want people to believe Obama is anything from a socialist to a communist, he is simply showing us that there are many answers to any question. He is not advocating anything but common sense. It seems, however, his opposition would like to pigeonhole him by attaching labels woven from hate. McCain's campaign theme can best be described as divide and polarize. This is the same technique used by Bush for the past eight years and the same technique that will lead us to our own destruction should McCain and Palin make it to the White House.
 
Barack Obama believes a woman has the right to choose what can and cannot grow in her body. John McCain now believes only the government has the right to make that determination. Ironically, this narrow and religiously motivated stance is perhaps the greatest example of government meddling in the people's affairs. The same right-wing Republican extremists who are always yelling to keep government away from the people are now asking that same government to be not just the "decider" but the "supreme decider" in matters of life and death. As it was with Terry Schiavo, the Republican solution to questions of morality is to impose what they see as God's will. In other words, they insist God is a Republican and in this case John McCain is his campaign manager.
 
Senator Obama picked a vice presidential running mate who has served his country for more than a quarter of a century. He is a Senator and distinguished and recognized expert in the field of foreign relations. His choice was the result of careful deliberation for a man who could become the President on a moment's notice. John McCain chose Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate. He waited until the last minute to do so and then with little consideration of her qualifications and rather significant consideration of her gender, he asked her to be his running mate. He touted all of her two years of state government service as the great equalizer. He demeaned Joe Biden's contribution to society because he was simply a Senator. That says a lot about McCain's lack of judgment and applying the same standards, it would mean Senator McCain's experience in government is also less than stellar when compared to his running mate.
 
Senator Obama believes that talking to the enemy is one of the ways in which you negotiate peace instead of guaranteeing war. His position is supported by thousands of years of history. Senator McCain believes in the flag waving, macho six gun approach of George W. Bush; speak not and drop every weapon in the arsenal. History has taught us that not talking to your enemy leads not to peace but rather to the silence before a war and then to war itself.
 
Although the list of differences between the candidates can occupy a book, the above represent just a sampling that can be used by undecided voters to make that final decision. Hopefully they will truly exercise their right to vote and on November 4, pull the lever or press the button their intellect and careful deliberation tells them will put an end to the ultimate guessing game of the 21st century.

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION