5.09.2008

In Search Of Intelligent Life This Political Season

Ok, so I admit it. I actually opened my voter's ballot (surprised was I that I was indeed still registered and updated). I skimmed through, knowing full well I have no intention on casting a vote for the presidency this primary season, but still interested in the candidates looking to kick Gordon Smith to the curb. Steve Novick caught my eye several months ago. I decided to check out his website. See what he has to say on some of the issues.

Needless to say, I exited the site feeling let down. Disappointed. Once again we have a progressive candidate who sounds oh so good and damn, he almost gets that home run up at bat, but just doesn't go far enough. (Before I begin though, I want to say that I like what he has been accused of saying about Clinton and Obama. Clinton, he said, is a traitor. And Obama, a special interest sell-out. When I heard these things I could only think "Ok, and??" Whether these are accurate statements or, as is most likely, were taken out of context, they still hold truth in my book.)

Take this bogus war on terror. Novick is still under the illusion religious extremist muslim terrorists attacked us on 9/11 (from Saudi Arabia, but still muslim extremists none-the-less). He still thinks buildings fall in that manner when on fire. He still believes a bunch of young men, never having flown huge commercial jet liners can suddenly go from flying little prop planes (and not very well according to their instructors) to commercial jets.

He talks about raising the national minimum wage but falls short of eliminating this ridiculous minimum wage nonsense and instead, demanding a living wage for all workers (back in the 1960's, the minimum wage WAS a living wage). He talks about encouraging communities to build more "affordable" housing and yet as seen here locally in Corvallis, these affordable housing units were not affordable for low income families. Affordable housing means anyone working a minimum wage job can afford to own his/her own home. Period.

He talks of how incomes haven't kept up with the cost of living "these past few years". Try the last few decades, Steve. The war on the middle class began in the 1970's. By the time I came of age in the 1980's, a typical office job wage was not enough to buy a home, let alone rent a nice apartment. In the 1960's, the opposite was true.

He also supports Wyden and Edwards "you will be required to buy health insurance" plans for health care reform. His reason for being against the single payer system? It would put too many people out of work. My response to that is, quite honestly, big fucking deal. These people he is talking about are criminals, for they deny coverage, they deny treatment, and therefore allow people, unnecessarily, to die every single flipping day. I have no sympathy for anyone who willingly and knowingly works for the HELLth care system and suddenly finds themselves without work. And honestly, this is a valid reason? They can't come up with some program to help these dislocated workers?

Again, a good start to some issues in desperate need of transformation, but in the end, doesn't go far enough. And we need that "far enough" yesterday.

1 comment:

tkn said...

great post nina/norman,

the "hellth" care system, that is brilliant!

I was leaning towards Novick as well. but your post certainly sheds some new light on the situation.

My plan was to vote for Novick in the primary and then vote for Frohnmayer in Nov. Frohnmayer is the only person in the race who talked about impeachment.