now i will admit that i was unable to see the entire speech due to my DVR getting a bit messed up about 3/4 into the speech. i tried to watch it on cnn.com and youtube, but only got bits and pieces. however, from what i had heard, i still find myself a bit skeptical.

this isn’t skeptical in the sort of i am not going to vote for him kind of way… i like his charisma and he delivered his speech with conviction and eloquence. so it’s not that i didn’t like his speech.

what really makes me skeptical is the content. now, i suppose i should preface this by saying that i do realize presidential candidates like to promise things they can’t really deliver, so maybe i have a right to be skeptical. it seemed like throughout his speech, i kept asking myself “how does he plan to accomplish that?” cutting taxes. pulling troops out of iraq. rebuilding social security. HOW?!?!

he seems to have a plan, and i’m sure that John McCain has a plan too. i’d like to know what it is, and i hope that by the time November rolls around, we’ll all have a better understanding of their plan.

maybe the national conventions are too early to expect plans. i hope it is, because i don’t want to feel like i’ll be wasting a vote this year. i’d like to know how each person plans to uphold their promises, specifically with getting their ideas passed through the senate.

btw, having Governer Palin of Alaska as McCain’s running mate. wow, great move. politically, it helped steal the spotlight from Obama a day earlier than expected. but, we all know it’s strictly a political move for votes.

anyways, i don’t really talk politics all that often, but it just got me thinking is all. i guess i’ll have to write something similar after McCain’s speech next week.

-m

so the DNC is this week and the RNC is next week, and i think i’m still a bit iffy on who i’ll vote for. no matter, as that’s not what i’m here to ponder.

we’re at a time in history when we as a nation can deviate from the status quo and make history: we can elect a non-caucasion male president. the democrats are presenting us an opportunity to do so. heck, they gave us 2! we could have seen the first woman president or the first black president!

now to be fair, we shouldn’t go electing them just to make history. you should make your own decision whether the democratic nominee or the republican nominee fits your views. heck, you might even want to write someone in! point is, i wouldn’t want Barack Obama elected solely on the basis of making history. i think it’s fair enough that either candidate should win based on what people believe they will stand up for.

in lieu of that, i also believe that this may be a very difficult and tumultuous election. i think there may still be enough people out there who are still uncomfortable with people of different ethnicities being a leader… there are still folks who were around when the country was still segregated, and so there may still be lingering attitudes about different ethnicities. at the same time, i think there are a lot of young people who think that instilling change in the presidential office means that they now have a voice that is not overshadowed by their parents’ generation. that requires, of course, for those of my generation to get off our lazy asses and vote (remember Paris Hilton not voting 4 years ago after pimping the Vote or Die campaign?).

and so it seems that this year’s election will mean many things to many people, and i hope to see some record number of voters. there is, however, that small thing called history that we have going against us: typically it’s the older generation that votes and the younger generation stays apathetic. but there is evidence to the contrary, and so i will do my part.

i haven’t decided who i wanted to vote for yet because neither candidate completely supports a few issues that are important to me. if i had my choice, it would’ve been Dr. Ron Paul and Mike Gravel running, but that’s just me. sucks that the GOP pulled that shadiness for the primaries in CA (having to register as Rep in order to vote in their primary), i honestly think there was a large sector of CA that would’ve swayed the majority of the delegate votes to Ron Paul (especially in Orange County and in the Silicon Valley). but, that’s long and gone and we’ll just go with what we got.

i hope the US is ready for change… i hope the young people vote and i hope something wonderful happens when the new pres get’s his act going.

here’s to a new presidential era!

-m

this election year is shaping up to be a doozy… we’re very close to narrowing down the republican and democratic candidates, and it seems like there is more at stake this year for everyone across all lines (gender, ethnicity, etc)… the biggest issue of course seems to be the war in Iraq, followed by a number of other issues (the recession, immigration, etc) that, no matter the outcome, will affect everyone…

now, as a techie, there are some issues which, in addition to the ones mentioned above, directly affect what i, and other tech-savvy Americans, will be able to do in the future as far as creativity, innovation, and even writing a blog or posting to YouTube.

a good outline on some tech issues, plus candidates stances on them, can be found here: TechCrunch Primaries

one of the issues that is of particular importance to me is Net Neutrality. i am in support of it, and i hope that when you go out to vote you please consider your particular choice’s stance on the issue.

check out this video for a good overview of Net Neutrality

*gets off the soap box*

-m

there was a lot of debate going on about whether or not he should be executed, and i’m not one to take sides on this issue… the real issue i take with this is the journey of a person, and their right to life… many people in this very same situation have gone overlooked without media attention, and while co-founding one of the nation’s largest and deadliest gangs seemingly deserves some attention, it goes without saying that not every death row inmate can have snoop dogg and jamie foxx rallying for his clemency…

i think the big issue for me on this was that if i was where he was, what kind of action would i have taken on me? clearly i believe in the decency of our fellow human beings, for as an optimist i one of those people who believe that people are inherently good… i know people are hard to change, but even still i think placing yourself in the other person’s shoes can bring this to perspective… i believe in second chances and i don’t really think killing, no matter in war or on the streets, solves a damn thing.

many people out there agree with me, and many don’t, and that’s awesome. as long as we don’t kill each other, i see these kinds of discussions and arguments as a good thing, so long as both sides are willing to listen as much as they are to talk.

one last note on this… sunday morning i was driving to denny’s to get some breakfast and i was flipping thru the radio stations… for as long as i’ve known i’ve never really listened to The Beat (100.3, formerly 92.3) on Sunday mornings as i know they have services airing in place of music. i happened to chance across it nonetheless, and of course the issue of Tookie Williams came up. the person on the radio said something that i felt was quite profound in a religious sense, and maybe it was by fate or devine intervention that i chanced to listen to it… the lady on the radio pointed out that regardless of the outcome, somehow we should come away seeing the hand of God at work. if he was given clemency, it shows God’s mercy. if he was still to be executed, we shouldn’t fear as this is all in God’s plan.

now while i don’t see myself as the most religious person, this stuck with me and made me think… philosophically, scientifically, religiously, personally, emotionally… it was one of those things that made you want to stop and think, regardless of your religious beliefs.

in any case, just something to stir some thoughts.

peace.

-m