Why I’m Voting for Richard Hanna and John McCain
I‘m not an evangelical voter, though I’m happy to have any honest discussion about politics. I like information and understanding.
I’m not a secretive voter, either. I don’t mind telling anyone how I vote or why I do it.
There are two races on which I’ll vote tomorrow that have national significance:
- House of Representativess, 24th District, Michael Arcuri [D] vs. Richard Hanna [R]
- President of the United States, John McCain [R] vs. Barack Obama [D]
House of Representatives, 24th District, Michael Arcuri [D] vs. Richard Hanna [R]
Richard Hanna is a breath of fresh air in Central New York. He’s a businessman, not a career politician. If he’s not silver-tongued like his opponent, it’s to his credit. I’ll take a genuine guy over a weasel of a politician any day.
Michael Arcuri is a shill for his party - he’s a Blue Dog on paper only. As late as September, over 80% of his campaign contributions had come from outside our district. Arcuri serves his party nationwide and in Washington more than he serves the 24th Congressional District. They might love him for it. I don’t.
Richard Hanna didn’t have $5,000/plate breakfasts held hundreds of miles from his district. If he’s a shill, it’s for people in Upstate New York - and that’s exactly the type of shill I want.
Their stances on the large, looming national issues are fairly predictable given their respective parties. They did differ a great deal on education funding, as I wrote last week, and on their understanding of public education. Hanna not only gets how we deliver, monitor and improve public education, but he understands how it relates to that ‘brain-drain’ we’ve got in Upstate NY.
After two years of Michael Arcuri’s impotent representation, Richard Hanna is a welcome alternative.
My vote for the 24th Congressional District of New York is for Richard Hanna.
President of the United States, John McCain [R] vs. Barack Obama [D]
I’m a simple guy. The government’s got two main functions: to keep me safe and to stay out of my way. Senator John McCain will be better than his opponent at both.
My vote for the President of the United States is for John McCain.
How do you argue for improving educational standards on a daily basis, and then take this LCD approach to national politics? Ayn Rand and her disciples advocate this extremely limited view of federal government, but the Preamble to the Constitution offers a far better, and more realistic, summary. Obama is far more likely than McCain to work for justice, cultivate domestic peace, defend the people from enemies foreign and especially domestic-Sarah Palin is correct that “government is the problem” when one thinks of the Patriot Act for example,-and promoting the well-being of all the people.
James,
At this point, I didn’t see a reason to write a detailed treatise on my choice. I think we’ve all got it covered by now.
Though I disagree with you re: Sen. Obama and justice/national defense, I hope you’ll keep coming back.
And if Sen. Obama wins, I hope I’m wrong.
Obama won.
You and I disagree on many things, but I respect your convictions. I share your commitment to quality education even when we disagree on some of the specifics.
McCain’s concession speech was a class act, and should be a source of pride for many Americans. There’s a lot to praise about that man.
James,
Yep - it’s finally over. We can all forge ahead.
McCain’s speech was so moving and so honorable as to command respect even from the unhinged mouth-frothers in the Twittersphere. I was happy to see everyone recognize how powerful it was.
Now we get to work.