Why I Left the Republican Party

I am sitting here the day after Sen. Barack Obama has before President-elect Obama, the first African American President of the United States. I’ve worked very hard to make sure this day would come, but if anyone knew me six years ago, they would not think that I would be celebrating a Democratic victory last night. The Andy Green of six years ago would not believe that the first time he voted for President he would vote for Barack Obama, let alone support him along the entire path. The Andy Green of six years ago would most likely have voted for John McCain. I was a Republican, and pretty hardcore. I really liked Howard Dean, but felt that President Bush needed to be re-elected and would be able to fix whatever problems he had started. Our country did not get better. It did not get better at all, it got worse. As our country changed I changed, I began to realize how bad our country was getting and how President Bush has not helped out anything. I began to realize that the current Republican Party is not what America needs. The current Republican party is not the party of Lincoln, its not the party of Roosevelt, and its making its way to not being the party of Reagan. I have now left the Republican Party and have no plans to return unless major change happens. I don’t consider myself a Democrat, I will be an Independent, but I want to say why I have left the Republican Party and what I feel it can do to heal itself.

I think the Republican Party is a bully. If you don’t support the war, you are un-patriotic. Everyone needs to be gushing red white and blue out of every pour. I feel that everyone should be proud of our country, but I understand if you are not, or have a hard time doing so. I understand if you do not support the war in Iraq, a war we were lied into, a war with no cause. If you do not support the war, it does not make you un-patriotic. It is our right as an American to have our own thoughts, and the Republicans should know that. The Republican party is a bully in its recent campaigning. The Karl Rove-way of politics is to take one of the main things an opponent has and turn it against them. They tried to turn the smart Al Gore into an idiot, the tried to turn the war hero John Kerry into a war criminal; they tried to turn the great American Barack Obama into an un-patriotic, terrorist-supporting socialist with anti-American views. The Republican Party is a bully. If you don’t agree with the Republican Party you are almost looked as less of a person in Republican’s eyes. This really bothers me. There was nothing in Sen. Obama’s plan that says he is a Socialist. But that is grounded into people, and instead of using your plans for the future against your opponent, the Republicans use attacks on character. Attacking everyone’s character. If someone supports abortion, why would you label them as a baby-killer before asking why they support it? If someone is against the war, why would you label them un-patriotic before asking why they are against it? Why is it wrong for someone to have a different point of view then you, and why is it your responsibility to pick at their character? The Republican Party needs to stop the negative attacks and attacks on character. Let’s build up instead of tear down. If the Republican Party wants me back, they will stop these pointless attacks on everyone who does not think like them.

The Republican Party has positioned themselves as the party of God, and if you are not part of the Republican Party you are against God. I had a Republican McCain supporter tell me that I was less of a Christian of supporting Sen. Obama. How dare Republican’s hand me my judgment. If I did not feel what I was doing was right, I would not do it. The person who judged me did not ask me why I was supporting Sen. Obama. I did not get a chance to tell him I was Pro-Life, he judged me right there. When John Mataya and I were canvassing in Minnesota on Groundhog Day, a woman was telling us about how she was a born again Christian and because of that she could not support a Democrat. I am appalled by this. God told us to love your neighbor as you would love yourself. Joan Jett made an interesting point in our conversation. She said that God’s judgment is up to God, and people should not try to do it for him because they are trying to do something that only He can do. Republicans tried to tag Sen. Obama as a Muslim, and then tried to say that he has a radical preacher. So what if someone is a Muslim. I would vote for a Muslim, I would vote for a Jew. Those Religions are based on historical fact. If a candidate belonged to a cult, like Mormonism or Scientology, I would have a lot harder time voting for them, if they got my vote at all, i.e. Mitt Romney. God is the God of everyone, not just Republican’s. He loves us all, and we are not less of a Christian is we support a Democrat, and that is not for you to decide. The Party still needs to love and believe in God, but they cannot have any claim that they are the Party of God, and cannot act as if they are. The party needs to accept the views of everyone. If the Republican Party wants me back they need to learn that, and make it so. I hope this does not sound Anti-God, because it is not that at all.

I have a hard time believing in some of the Republican parties views that seem very narrow minded. The first being gun rights. I believe in the second amendment, but I do not think the second amendment says that we cannot regulate gun ownership and ban the sale of automatic weapons. I believe you should be able to hunt, but you do not hunt deer with an AK-47. There is no need for automatic weapons to be on the market. Why do you need to own one anyway? I do not like that Sen. Obama has been scrutinized for wanting to talk with foreign leaders without pre-conditions. Why is it wrong to try and talk things out? Who are we to tell Castro that we can only talk if he frees all the political prisoners? We need to talk things out and have good foreign policy again. The world looks at America as a warmongering nation and that needs to end.

This is just a couple of the bigger reasons why I have left the party. I do feel that the election of Sen. Obama is a good thing for the Republican’s. The Party should lay low for the next eight years, yes eight years. They need to review and revise their issues. Look over everything and cut out the hate. The Party needs new leadership. Reagan conservatives are on the decline, and it is time for change. Take people like Charlie Crist and Bobby Jindal. Give the younger blood a chance. But the answer is not Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin is the past, and when need to look for the future. The only Republicans that will continue to have my support are Mike Wolf and Chuck Grassley. We as a country need to look toward the future. Someday, I might return to the Republican Party, and I will even support candidates here and there, but I have left the Republican Party of today, and am waiting for the Republican Party of the future.

Why I am Voting for Barack Obama

I feel it is the mission of every Presidential administration to leave the world better then what you found it. The people like and can trust the government, we are not in too much debt, our overall standing in the world is good, and the biggest story on the evening news is not the seventh seal being pulled. But now, after eight years, tax breaks for the wealthy, No Child Left Behind, 9-11, Hurricane Katrina, a war in Afghanistan, a war in Iraq, numerous human rights violations, and the biggest economic crisis since Hoover, America has a horrible standing in the world and had lost the trust of its citizens. I feel it is time for a change, and that is why I am voting for Barack Obama.

Sen. Obama wants to give the middle class a tax break, and reverse the Bush tax cuts. Sen. McCain has been telling people that Sen. Obama will raise everyone’s taxes, but it is not true, only the taxes of roughly the top ten percent. The fact is, the top ten percent, (people like Warren Buffet, Cindy McCain, and the numerous celebrities that have endorsed Sen. Obama), can afford paying more taxes without affecting their state of living. The fact is people like my parents that have two kids in college, are trying to pay off their house, are paying off a couple of cars, and have to work three jobs in order to continue being able to afford things, people like my parents will have a tax break, that will give them a little bit of help paying their bills and buying food. Another thing that will help is Sen. Obama wants to help everyone get through college, so if everyone can do four years of public service, the Government will help make sure you can pay for school. John McCain would like to call paying taxes Socialism, but that is not the case at all. Taxes are a form of “spreading the wealth around,” but that spreading is what pays for roads, police officers, teachers, and fireman. How can you not say that paying taxes is patriotic? We have a ten-TRILLION dollar national debt, and Sen. McCain doesn’t want to tell anyone taxes will be raised, of course taxes will be raised no matter who is the next president. Sen. Obama will even tell us that we have to help out, he can’t do it himself. He is brave enough to tell us the truth. For finances, that is why I am voting for Barack Obama.

The war in Iraq is a disaster. It is the worst act of foreign policy ever. There were no weapons of mass destruction. There is no blueprint for the war. No ending strategy, no definition of success. We invaded a country we had no beef with. There was no connection between Saddam Hussein and 9-11. We were lied to by our administration, and that is a fact. Now our soldiers have died. The same people that label themselves “pro-life” have sent young Americans overseas for death and destruction. Death of Americans, death of Iraqis. Sen. Obama knew the war was a bad idea before we went in and spoke out against it. We need to bring the troops home before more die, and we need to begin to clean our image in the world’s eyes. Barack Obama gave a speech in front of 200,000 Europeans who were waving American flags. Sen. Obama will end torture at Gitmo. Instead of fighting for oil, Sen. Obama will start transitions into environmentally friendly forms of energy, like solar, wind and hydroelectric. We are fighting two wars, have a horrible reputation in the world, and are on the verge of a second cold war. Sen. Obama is not afraid to sit down with world leaders and talk things out. For foreign policy, that is why I am voting for Barack Obama.

The first decision a president had to make is picking a Vice President. Sen. Obama picked Sen. Joe Biden. Joe Biden has been part of the Senate since before John McCain. He has experience in foreign policy. Sen. Biden is still a Washington outsider, continuing to live in Delaware and commuting everyday. Sen. McCain, who is 72, picked Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska. Sarah Palin has been Governor less then John McCain has been running for President. She has no foreign policy expierince, does not know what the Bush Doctrine is, and has abused her power as Governor with the Troopergate scandal. Though Joe Biden sometimes puts his foot in his mouth, that is better then Sarah Palin, who never goes away from the same talking points and does not do interviews. If something happens to Sen. Obama we know our country is in good hands with Joe Biden. If something happens to Sen. McCain we don’t know what will happen with this woman. For common sense, I am voting for Barack Obama.

Mark Wahlburg Talks to Animals

I think this is one of the best SNL Skits in a while.

New Potato Pictures

Brandon Routh from Superman Returns
Demi Moore

Ashton Kutcher

Election Confusion

I got this in an email from the Wells family and I think it speaks alot of truth.

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight....

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."

* Grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.

* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.

* If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.

* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

Sarah Palin

Honestly.
When John McCain was about to announce his running mate I really thought he was going to go with Romney or Liberman. Pawlenty maybe, and at a stretch Jindal or Crist.
But no, we got this woman.


Of course no one knew who she is and I was genuinely surprised.
She is the Governor of a Red State with only 3 electoral votes. She has no foreign policy experience, has never been on the national scene, and in under indictment. Now, not only has McCain lost his experience argument against Obama, now he has lost his celebrity argument. McCain had a hard time filling rooms with his appearences. Now he has people lined up around the block. Are people actually going to vote for him now just because this woman is his VP.
The campaign is now releasing full blown lies and are defending themselves with them. She was for the Bridge to Nowhere when she said she wasn't. The cook she said she fired still works for them. Her private jet was not sold on Ebay.
Now, the campaign is actually saying that Barack Obama called Sarah Palin a pig.
This is so rediculous that if I think about it too long I pretty sure my head will explode like that guy in Scanners. What I worry about, is that this woman could actually be our next Vice President. Even though Barack Obama has not been on the national scene that long, he has written two books on his life and the kitchen sink has come out since he started his campaign. We know nothing about this woman and what will come out after she gets the job. Do people realize that she supported having rape victims pay for there medical examinations. She goes to a church where they speak in tongues and has spoken from the pulpit within the last 4 months, and yet people give Obama crap because the Minister he knows said stupid crap from the pulpit. There is just so much crap that has come out in the last three weeks that it is ridiculous.
I haven't even mentioned that her 17 year old daughter is pregnant. Now, I know that kids need to be left out of the picture. But, I feel children are the best reflection of a person parenting, and when this woman is trying to show that we need abstinence-only education and yet her own daughter gets knocked up in high school. I find a problem with that.
This woman is not what America needs right now.

Jill Biden

So I took a break from Blogging for the summer but now I'm back with a new picture for the Potato collection. Our future Second Lady, Jill Biden. Of course her husband Joe did not take a potato picture, but I guess I'll vote for him anyway.