ELECTION 2008: A conversation about McCain

Online conversation with a friend of mine. No commentary, I'll just post exactly what was said. This was precipitated by a facebook status that said: has officially decided; he is a Democrat for McCain.

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June 11
5:56pm

ME
no

i refuse to let you vote for mccain

5:56pmHIM

and why is this?

5:56pmME

history of anti-gay stuff

how many more years of war

he's a warhawk and a corporate croney...

5:58pmHIM

eh

i'd have to disagree on anti-gay; for a republican, i feel he's pretty neutral on gay issues

5:59pmME

that doesn't make it ok

5:59pmHIM

and besides, it's not as if the federal executive has any sway at this point in history

5:59pmME

ha

bill clinton had the right to veto the fed defense of marraige act

they didn't have enough votes to override it

and he signed it

oh, and "don't ask don't tell"

6:00pmHIM

there's a difference between what's written and what's done

6:00pmME

agred

6:00pmHIM

as citizens, we have to depend on the inefficiencies of government

6:00pmME

but the fed defense of marraige act, for example, is blocking foreign gay marriages from being recognized here

i disagree

we vote to eliminate the worst inefficiencies

6:01pmHIM

i'm mostly pro-mccain because of his practical fiscal policies

obama's plans will lead us into a vicious cost-push spiral

6:02pmME

agreed on the fiscal point, but the president has about as little control over that as anything else

6:02pmHIM

as someone who needs a job in the next few years, that's probably my biggest concern right now

i'd have to disagree

unlike moral policy, the economy tends to be right at the fingers of the executive, as a result of the fed

6:03pmME

like everything, he has power over general policy but nothing specific

6:03pmHIM

it's completely unconstitutional in my opinion, but the power is there

6:03pmME

he also has the power over the judiciary

and the power to set the bureaucracy

including the EPA

and the bureaucracy is what drive this country

6:04pmHIM

on the grassroots level, yes

and as citizens, it's what we notice first

6:04pmME

that's what matters, the most... it's the little things that build up to big things

6:04pmHIM

but, to deal with our international crises, we need a big central government

6:04pmME

big issues like gay marriage, even, or the war all come down to millions of individual decisions

and it's those individual decisions that matter more than what the big thing decides

not really

we need a better negotiator

6:05pmHIM

or a more aggressive figurehead

a 'warhawk' as you call it, is the image we need right now

6:06pmME

nah

the warhawk is what started all this

6:06pmHIM

i mean, based on what you say, i'm sure you agree that the president is more of a figure than a magnate

6:06pmME

no, on paper he's a figure

in reality, it's a lot more

we need someone willing to work and compromise, not demand and force

mccain, though he's a famous compromiser, has not yet said that he wants to and he says he's anti-negotiation with iran

6:07pmHIM

and that is where i believe the root of our political disagreement lies

i view that as a positive

6:08pmME

how so

6:09pmHIM

sometimes 'big stick' diplomacy on an international scale, as is often true in daily life, is the best way to go

america is losing its credibility and we need to frighten our economic competitors and allies

6:10pmME

we've been doing big stick diplomacy for years and it's not working

6:10pmHIM

i disagree

6:10pmME

oh?

6:10pmHIM

we've been doing the opposite of big stick diplomacy

6:11pmME

invading two countries is not big stick diplomacy

then, honey, you're not a democrat at all

6:11pmHIM

we're like the little kid on the playground who's sick of bullies and is lashing out at random kids because of a psychological inferiority complex

6:11pmME

so you would rather stike big and wait for the fall out -- literally

6:12pmHIM

with appropriate intelligence, yes

and intelligence is the field i plan to go into

6:12pmME

and how's that been working out

6:12pmHIM

we haven't struck big yet

we need another hiroshima

6:12pmME

hrm

6:13pmHIM

but at the same time, we need a president who's tactful enough not to put it in quite those words

6:13pmME

um

what

did you just suggest we throw some nuke around

6:14pmHIM

with good intelligence, we can pick the right targets

to minimize foreign cost and maximize public fear

6:14pmME

rule by fear

6:14pmHIM

the best way

as heartless as it sounds

6:14pmME

this is the single most terrifying conversation i've ever had... which, i suppose, i should be used to that from you

6:15pmHIM

well, it's not me running for president, is it?

6:15pmME

aight have a good day... i'm really disturbed... there is value to all human life, sweetheart...

even if they are our enemy

6:15pmHIM

human life is replaced by human life

samsara, the wheel of eternity

but ok, have a good day!

^_^^_^

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There's more, the convo went on for another hour, but it went into some philosophical jazz and we got to throw our knowledge of Buddhism out. But, I think you got the picture.