by
Bill's Spirit
Member since:
March 3, 2006 Spartacus or Gandhi -- Election 2008
June 30, 2008 03:59 PM EDT
(Updated: June 30, 2008 04:06 PM EDT)
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comments: 45
John McCain's campaign is hawking his military experiences as signs of John's deep commitment to America. Spartacus Barack Obama's campaign is hawking Barack's public advocacy experiences as signs of his deep commitment to America. Gandhi John McCain was born to a military family. He grew up to join our military and he served in the Vietnam War. He was a fighter pilot, was shot down, and was held POW for a number of years. He has mostly worked in politics ever since. Spartacus Barack Obama was born to a Midwestern single-parent home. He grew up to graduate from Harvard University's Law School. He worked as an active advocate for Chicago's poor for a number of years. He has mostly worked in politics ever since. Gandhi John McCain put his life on the line for his country; and he paid some of the heaviest prices that patriotism can exact. Spartacus Barack Obama put his life to the service of struggling Americans. He sacrificed outrageously well-paying opportunities in order to better serve others. Gandhi John McCain is intelligent and caring. He gathered a reputation for being a maverick within his party. Legislative reportings say that he vociferously voices his dissent when he feels things are awry. Spartacus Barack Obama is intelligent and caring. He gathered the reputation of elitist despite his humble beginnings. Legislative reportings say that he acts, speaks and argues with accuracy and eloquence. Gandhi Spartacus or Gandhi A soldier who has stood themselves up against the perceived abuses and neglects of government. A learned man who has stood themselves up against the perceived abuses and neglects of government. John McCain is a Great American. Barack Obama is a Great American. How am I to choose? I have a look towards their parties. Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) appeared as a McCain surrogate on the June 29th (2008) episode of "This Week With George Stephanopolious." Pawlenty was squared with Barack Obama surrogate, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL). Pawlenty kept hammering one obviously pre-coached point: "When has Barack Obama stood up and taken on his party on anything of national significance?" Pawlenty hit the question after acclaiming John McCain's courageous strength of character for bucking his party, in order to do what he thinks is right for the country. I did not count the total number of times Pawlenty presented the question; it was more than five. Although sounding good and strong and poignant on its surface, the question fell apart in my mind as I contemplated that John McCain had good strong reason for bucking his party; whereas Barack's party really hasn't had any current major position that needed bucking. Pawlenty's question seems an attempt at crediting John McCain over the fact that the Republican party has derision in its ranks, while trying to take a poke at Obama for Democrats being to unified. Derision or Unity The Republican Party seems wrapped and rife with controversy. The Democratic Party seems struggling and trying to unify. Both John McCain and Barack Obama have reputations for standing up against the abuse and neglect of government. To John McCain's candidantial detriment, government has been predominantly managed these past many years by his party. To Barack Obama's candidantial detriment, his party has seemed pretty ineffectual within government these past many years. Looking past the fine qualities and histories of these presidential candidates, and towards their parties, does not seem to be very helpful. Spartacus or Gandhi Either one sounds good, but not quite right just on their own. Couldn't they be co-Presidents? -- 30 June 2008 -- Bill's Spirit is an Artist, Writer, Poet, Philosopher currently wordsmithing social commentary from a humble digital forge in small town Ohio. The works of the man behind Bill's Spirit have been published in small, alternative and amateur presses since 1986. Before that, they just filled notebooks, decorated walls and gathered dust in piles and boxes. -- 
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Comments: 45
I vote for the Obama thong.
Wasn't Spartacus a slave who led a rebellion against the Roman Empire, was eventually defeated and crucified for his trouble?
Both these guys were martyred for their cause. Spartacus's cause faded into oblivion while Gandhi's cause was successful.
Just a thought...
Ghandi lead a peaceful revolt which shamed an empire into changing his policies and was assinated by a radical on religious grounds.
I think I prefer the latter approach.
I do agree that both candidates are hindered and not helped by the parties they represent, it is time for the permanent demise of the two-party system. Our society has so much diversity that not one party can seem to embrace the interests of all factions properly.
Thank you for a well-thought comparison of both...well done, sir!
Spartacus was a slave who led a rebellion against the Roman /Republic/, not the Empire. Although thousands upon thousands of his followers were captured and crucified, Spartacus himself was never found after the climactic battle against Marcus Crassus.
If you really want an example from Roman times, choose Gaius Julius Caesar - a man whose political opponents used every form of slander and political maneuvering to pull him down, yet who won every election he ever stood for; a man who won military victories yet used military force as the last resort to enforce his own rights.
The question then becomes - which of your candidates is Caesar?
"John McCain is intelligent and caring."
He is neither. Anger management problems and dementia make a dangerous recipe.
We need someone who:
A. Knows how to work a computer
B. Has even a basic understanding of economics
C. Foreign relations experience (Going to war, killing civilians, being shot down and held captive does not qualify)
i. He still has not learned the difference between (after his many trips to Iraq):
a. Shiites and Sunniis
b. Al Qaeda and Iran
c. Putin and Germany
D. Respects his wife
E. Exercises anger management
F. Knows how contraceptives can prevent disease (he admitted to not know...)
G. Someone who does not have a history of corruption
i. Keating Five
ii. Lobbyists Funding
iii. McBush....enough said
Still, a very well written and interesting article. 10 rating.
But it is harder to find moccasins that look like the ones Hillary wears. That comment about Hillary's sensible footwear aside, I find suggesting the success of such items reflects voter opinion is an insult to the voters who do not buy them. As for the thong sales, the results of those sales could be interpreted two ways, unless the images of Hillary and Obama are visible when wearing the thongs. Furthermore, having had to deal with people close to me reaching that dreadful state, I find the use of a bib for McCain, below low. It is not subject to laugh about!
If you really want an example from Roman times, choose Gaius Julius Caesar -"
Better choice than spartacus, I agree. But then, wasn't he assasinated?
my FINAL choice will rest on the VP choices of both men.... for I firmly believe that whoever gets elected will leave feet first, we are sadly almost due.
To put things in perspective: Gaius Julius Caesar was assassinated because certain other Romans believed he was in the process of setting himself up as King of Rome. Inadvertently, they set up the civil wars that ensured whoever succeeded Caesar had no choice but to (unofficially) assume that title.
If whoever steps into Shrub's shoes is assassinated (gods forbid) there is a constitutional process in place to establish a successor, principally to protect against such chaos.
No comments further.
We don't need another damn war, and that's what we'll get with John McSame.
I don't have any family or friends that would EVER say just things even behind closed doors. I'm disappointed such nonsense is still going on. Mccain's not my choice either but I will take him over a man that is such an unknown.
It reminds me of the movie Borat where they demonized Jews.
What about some of the crazy moonbat preachers John McCain associated himself with?
One he called his 'spiritual mentor'!
You forgot to mention Obama's experience as a Chicago pol, which would account for his considerable guile in getting democrats to fold for him.
I would further suggest that we will not be getting either Gandhi or Spartacus. Probably more like Bugs Bunny, that wascally wabbit or Elmer Fudd, take your pick.
None of the Caesars seemed appropriate to me.
They idea promoted being, that because we are in a war, we need a military man at the helm. The suffering for his country is the part that they kind of soft-peddle.
I suppose they don't want to make it sound like he "deserves" or is "entitled" to be President because he was a POW.
They are not hammering at it, but they do always play it, and that makes it a central or core theme. Not that I blame them, or think ill of them for trotting it out. Military service should always count for something.
I choose Gandhi
Barack Obama campaign is talking to the pocket book of the common man and is striking fear into to the large companies.
John McCain's campaign is playing on fear of a few people coming over to hurting our country, Fear of having a black man in office, and playing down the pocket book.
If you just look at the e-mails that people are sending out you see much of this. The republicans have been better at this than the Demarcates, at using e-mail to try and strike fear in to the hearts of our country..
1) Obama and the Democrat's basic argument with NAFTA is not directed at Canada but at Mexico, which has much less stringent human rights, labour and environmental regulations than either Canada or the USA (which some see as a competitive advantage that steals jobs).
2) Canadians to not generally agree that we got a better deal out of NAFTA. One of the major points that Mulroney's negotiating team supposedly "went to the mat" on was a grievance mechanism that could ensure the USA follows the rules. They got it, but it turned out to be toothless. The USA has broken the rules of NAFTA consistently, imposing punitive tariffs against softwood lumber imports from Canada in contravention of the rules of NAFTA. The greivance system in the agreement has slapped orders against the USA repeatedly, to no effect.
3) Canada mostly sells raw materials like softwood lumber, minerals and, yes, oil, to the USA. These materials are in hot demand all over the world and require no costly preservation techniques to get to far away markets. Shutting down trade with Canada would hurt the USA (we are your number one supplier of oil) more than Canada these days. The time when that was reversed has long passed. Oh, it will hurt us, but how long do you think Obama could withstand gas prices at $10 a gallon?
4) China would love to buy more oil from Canada.
No matter how much ones loves the hood ornament, in order to get it you have to buy the car it's mounted on.
Both candidates are about the same, and both parties are mainly interested in achieving and maintaining power, but I have to hope that a liberal government would make some needed changes, like getting us out of the war.
Now I see an old man with few ideas and lot of lies....the campaign is imploding because of their own character failures.