Obama vs. Clinton

As I listened to the narrowed-down two-week long Democratic Primary Debate
between Obama and Clinton bells started ringing.

Ring, Ring, Ring

I've heard this before. Where did I hear it?

Obama promised Change. Change what? Change how? Change Why?
He didn't say. Well stopping at a green light and going on a red light is Change.

Ring, Ring, Ring

Clinton was more specific. She promised to take care of the old people, the infirm, the handicapped.
She promised Universal Health Care.  She promised JOBS.  I've heard this before. When? Where?

Ring, Ring, Ring

Then she promised to take care of our children.

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG

As soon as those words left her lips, I knew. As a child I had been raised Dutch Reform and had to sit still quietly for hours as the adults talked. Since I was raised with refugees from WWII they talked about the political events leading up to that war. They talked about a new politician who promised Change. He said that if they sent him to Berlin he would Change the government. He would Change how politicians operated. He promised the equivalent of universal health care. He promised to take care of the old and sick. He promised JOBS. He promised to take care of the children.

They were tired of the samo-samo. They said to themselves, Why Not? So they voted for Change and they got it.
.Hitler kept his promises.

Right then and there I made my decision. Before the Republican Primary even began. For the only time in my life, I would vote a straight party ticket. Didn't care who the candidate was. Didn't care what he promised. I had made the decision that no way would I vote for either Obama or Heil Hillary or any other so-called Democrat. .

The refugees had said his method would never work in the United States. Were they wrong?

 Anyone who wanted to be involved in politics joined the local branch of a political party. They were trained, mentored and supported locally while they paid their dues. They had to be loyal to the local party who paid the bills. Decisions were made in cigar-filled backrooms that I never ventured into as I would not have been welcomed and I didn't care enough to capitulate to their demands in order to do so.

Now primaries have replaced the cigar-filled backrooms. These national primary candidates don't rely on a local party. They don't rely on the individual voter either.  They rely on BIG MONEY to finance their career, separate and apart from the party who no longer foots the bill. They don't see much less hear the individual voter. They need BIG numbers to pay back the BIG Money. Primaries have just become popularity contests. I never thought that I would miss cigar-filled backrooms.

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Last modified: 05/17/10