DonaldMarsh.com

25/09 :  Why I am voting for John McCain

   I am a Republican, and I have not been happy with my nominee since 1984. It's just my natural state of being to be less than excited about the choices for President in November, but at least it allows me to be dispassionate in my judgment. So, I will start off with why I am voting for John McCain anyway, followed by the reasons that I cannot vote for Barack Obama.

• He is unquestioningly for his country first. In a world we were are constantly berated by inferior nations and expected to apologize for being a haven for their ex-patriots, John McCain puts our national interests first. That is getting harder to find, especially in Congress.

• He has been tested in horrendous circumstances and has passed the test. Granted, this makes it harder for the average self-absorbed, spoiled American voter to identify with him, but it's been a long time since I could admire an American leader for his actual courage. And we may need a man who can stare Vladimir Putin in the eye without blinking, or feeling like he has to suck up to him.

• He believes that government must be limited, even though he does not limit it enough for my taste. He finds true North more often than most of his colleagues.

I cannot vote for Barack Obama for the following reasons:

• Four years ago he was an Illinois State Senator who made a great speech. That was his resume. And since the day after that speech, he has been grooming himself for the White House. This man's greatest talent seems to be running for office. I need more than that. Come back when you've done something.

• His devotion to this country seems somewhat ambiguous. It's not just the lapel pin thing. It's not just that he had the American flag removed from his campaign jet. It's the lack of zeal for his country. If you are the President of the United States, you should have a sense of American Exceptionalism. Otherwise, go back to the University where equivocating is rewarded.

• His tax plans. They keep changing. And he promises, on his own campaign site, to give a bigger cut than Reagan. This is the thing that the Democrats have decried since Reagan was first elected. Therefore, I simply don't believe him. I believe he will go back on it just as Bill Clinton reneged on his middle class tax cut. It was all a sales job to win an election.

So, basically, it comes down to my perception that John McCain is simply a better man, and that Barack Obama promises a change that I cannot believe in. And I think I'm right.

22/09 :  NoBama Girl

   The musical answer to Barack Obama's campaign...

19/09 :  Undercover Mosque

   It is popular to minimize the risks of terrorism, as if it is all in the heads of people who are concerned. Political allegiances can cloud your judgment. This point of view needs to be challenged, and this video must be seen.

13/09 :  Galveston Going Under Again

  

As a Florida resident, I am in sympathy with anyone who is getting a visit from Hurricane Ike. But I think it's also a reminder that lightning can strike twice, and that we should probably rethink the idea of rebuilding cities that are overly vulnerable to hurricanes. I liked this picture because it reminds me of a book I read a few years ago called Isaac's Storm. It was about the 1900 Hurricane that destroyed Galveston, and the statue in the picture is the memorial to the victims of that storm.

12/09 :  Is Sarah Palin as Ready as Barack Obama?

   At the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama gave a speech that had his fans saying that he could be President. At that time, he had not even been elected to the Senate. And he has been trying to create a resume ever since.

So, a better answer to Charlie Gibson's question would be, "As ready as Barack Obama!" That would have driven the experience issue back to the top in a way that does not help the Democrats. But that's what happens when you put the lightweight on the TOP of the ticket.