Segmentation Fault: Core dumped..;-)

Here’s how I see it, in case anyone cares…

Posted : August 11, 2004 at 12:23 am [America/Los_Angeles]

  

Folks, in less than 84 days, citizens of United States will be asked to select the leader of the free world. Other countries elect their leaders with little or no impact on their neighboring countries, let alone the whole world. In the case of US, fortunately or unfortunately, the ramifications of their elections are felt far and wide and for many, many years to come.

I have the distinct advantage of not being born a Republican or a Democrat or even an American. Since I came to US in 1995, I have had the opportunity to live under a Democratic president and then a Republican president. I have lived in pre-9/11 United States and post-9/11 United (or not) States.

Since I have followed politics pretty closely most of my life, I need no political pundit to tell me what Clinton did well (or not) and what Bush did not do well (or did).

I was here when Gore suddenly went from being a sitting vice-president with a fair shot at gaining presidency to being a lockbox-obsessed whacko and allegedly a “liar” all because he mispoke about inventing the Internet. I was here when George W. Bush came across as a genuine nice Texas fella. I remember his impassioned plea of being a “compassionate conservative”, although I must confess that I did not quite understand what it meant back in 2000. I also remember his sincere stump speeches on CSPAN about “changing the tone in Washington”.

I was here when 9/11 happened. I was here when it seemed US flag manufacturers could not create enough US flags in the days immediately following 9/11. Even I had a few on my car. I was around when this current administration decided to go after Al Qaeda in the one place that could be called their home - Afghanistan.

I was also around when the drumbeats of Iraq war were being sounded by the current Vice President. I know how sincere (or lack thereof) this current administration was about “exhausting all means necessary and using force only as a last resort”. I vividly remember hearing Colin Powell make a case against Iraq and its allegedly nefarious plans to pile weapons of mass destruction (WMD). I also remember my utter frustration listening to the radio talkshow hosts in those days leading a daily crusade against everything that I believed in. And yes, I am around today to see what the swift boat veterans have to say about this guy named John Kerry and how this time the adjective of choice is “flip flopper” as opposed to a “liar”.

Having been through all this, here’s my $0.02 cents to folks who care to listen:

There’s a very fine line seperating someone who is steady and someone who is stubborn just as there is a very fine line seperating someone who is told to be a flip flopper versus someone who can be considered as more flexible

If you honestly trust George W. Bush’s leadership and the decisions that his administration has taken in these past four years, by all means, support him. It might not seem like it, but he is really, really counting on your vote besides the Nader voters, of course, to win in 2004!

However, here’s the real kicker:

On Nov. 3rd, American voters will get a President that they deserve !

My friend, it’s all yours now.

- Anand

Category: United (or not) State of American Politics 2004