Zen College Life

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With only days to go before election day, I’ve been talking to a lot of people about their chosen candidates and their reasons for choosing.  I’ve been amazed to find how many terrible reasons people have for choosing their candidate.  Some are so ridiculous that I have to share them with you.

5 Worst Reasons to Vote for Barack Obama

I hate Bush. Bush isn’t running again.  And regardless of who supported him, neither candidate is Bush.  Stop focusing on W and choose the candidate that will best lead our nation.

I’m not racist. I didn’t say you were, in fact anyone who thinks that not voting for Obama makes them racist was probably racist to begin with.  If you feel you need to prove that you aren’t racist, chave good reason to vote for the candidate of your choice.

Someone told me to vote for Obama. It’s your vote.  You have to live with your decision.  Anyone who thinks you are more or less cool based on your choice is stupid, and you shouldn’t listen to them.

Obama is going to win anyway. If you don’t think your vote matters, why are you voting? To be one of the cool kids who chose the winner? Get real.

For Change. What change?  Do you even understand the difference between the candidates or are you just jumping on the Hope/Change bandwagon.  Hope doesn’t pay the bills.  Change doesn’t put food on the table.  Learn about the issues and make a real choice, so you can be proud of your vote.

5 Worst Reasons to Vote for John McCain

He has more experience. History has shown how much experience really matters in a presidency.  Check out this article from Time Magazine titled “Does experience matter in a president.”

I Like Palin. Me too, she’s fun to look at.  That doesn’t mean she’ll make a good vice president.  Choose based on some sort of serious issue.

Obama is a Muslim/Radical/Terrorist/Arab/(insert slanderous comment here). I’m tired of this.  Obama is a fine citizen, as is McCain, so support one or the other based on something real.

I hate Gays/Abortion/(insert your heartfelt social issue here). We hear you, you dislike your social issue.  But is that really a good enough reason to vote for McCain? I’m sure we all know the counter argument to each (freedom of each individual, what if female was raped, etc…), and there is too much at stake this election to vote based on 1 small issue such as those listed.  If you don’t agree with them, tell people, support a cause, make your voice heard.  But I think we can all agree that in the current state of affairs in the US, your gay or abortion hating doesn’t really matter as much as whether or not you will be able to buy a loaf of bread tomorrow, or whether your money will even be worth the paper it’s printed on in the near future.

He’s a Maverick. I know we are all tired of hearing it, but this needs to be addressed.  McCain is not a maverick.  Let’s make this clear.

maverick:a lone dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist, or a politician, who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates. (dictionary.com)

Does this sound like McCain to you?  The candidate that supported Bush 92% of the time?  Is this reform?  Is this crossing party lines?  Mavericks do not vote with and support their illegitimate leaders.

There you have it folks, sorry if I hurt anyone’s feelings, but if any of these are your reasons for choosing one or the other candidate,  I think you need to do a little more research and really choose the candidate that will lead us to a better future.  I know one might be pretty, or talk well, or have more experience.  But what matters most is the direction that the candidates plan to take this country.  In the next few days, I encourage each of you to read a little more, pay more attention to the candidates plans, and a little less attention to the candidates ads, language skills, chanel suites, etc.  Choose the right candidate for the job.

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