We hear a lot about experience. There are classics like "College kids can't get a job because they don't have experience, but how do they get experience if they can't get a job?" As many of you know, there are plenty of ways to get experience. But how much is enough?
In the battle for Presidency between Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama, that is a theme that John McCain has hit on again and again. In an April 3rd, 2008 interview with MSNBC, John McCain bridled at comments from Senator Obama about the Iraq war, saying, "I think somebody ought to ask what in the world (Obama’s) talking about, especially since he has no experience or background at all in national security affairs."
In fact Obama does have experience in that field, as you can read about at this really great site.
Some are calling these no-experience attacks a delayed mirror of the attacks made at JFK in 1960 that said he lacked the age and experience to lead the country.
On the subject, Senator Obama has said, "So often in Washington experience means doing what we have been doing over, and over again. Well, to me that's not experience if what you are doing isn't working." He also said, "Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld had a lot of experience..."
Several years ago, a phrase that has become unintentional comedy now changed the way people do business. The phrase was "think outside the box." It meant to change the way that we do things because we have plateaued. We need someone different if we don't want more of the same.
Senator McCain, in another of many ridiculous attacks on the Illinois Senator, said that Barack Obama is inept to deal with America's terrorist situation as well, "Senator Obama is a perfect manifestation a September 10th mind-set ... He does not understand the nature of the enemies we face."
Obama said he would not take any lectures from Republicans on that matter, "These are the same guys who helped to engineer the distraction of the war in Iraq at a time when we could have pinned down the people who actually committed 9/11," the presumed nominee told reporters aboard his campaign plane. "This is the same kind of fear-mongering that got us into Iraq ... and it's exactly that failed foreign policy I want to reverse."
"And, you know, let's take the example of Guantanamo," Obama said. "What we know is that, in previous terrorist attacks _ for example, the first attack against the World Trade Center _ we were able to arrest those responsible, put them on trial. They are currently in U.S. prisons, incapacitated.
"And the fact that the administration has not tried to do that has created a situation where not only have we never actually put many of these folks on trial, but we have destroyed our credibility when it comes to rule of law all around the world, and given a huge boost to terrorist recruitment in countries that say, 'Look, this is how the United States treats Muslims..."
Shouldn't we have the experience not to vote for four more years of failure?
And I'm not talking specifically about Senator McCain. America doesn't need any other super-rich white man in his 60's or 70's-- we need someone to help the middle class. We don't need someone who has been in Washington for 35 years and made millions, and while making all that money has lost sight of what it's like to be a poor college student, parent, worker or entrepreneur. To vote the same way, would be to quote Einstein, "insane." ("The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.")
I am not trying to say that Obama has more experience than John McCain. I am not saying that John McCain doesn't have experience, either. What I am saying is that in a choice between "experience" and the moral fortitude required to stop the government from serving the rich and pillaging America's hard working and suffering middle class, we should choose integrity every single time.
In the battle for Presidency between Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama, that is a theme that John McCain has hit on again and again. In an April 3rd, 2008 interview with MSNBC, John McCain bridled at comments from Senator Obama about the Iraq war, saying, "I think somebody ought to ask what in the world (Obama’s) talking about, especially since he has no experience or background at all in national security affairs."
In fact Obama does have experience in that field, as you can read about at this really great site.
Some are calling these no-experience attacks a delayed mirror of the attacks made at JFK in 1960 that said he lacked the age and experience to lead the country.
On the subject, Senator Obama has said, "So often in Washington experience means doing what we have been doing over, and over again. Well, to me that's not experience if what you are doing isn't working." He also said, "Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld had a lot of experience..."
Several years ago, a phrase that has become unintentional comedy now changed the way people do business. The phrase was "think outside the box." It meant to change the way that we do things because we have plateaued. We need someone different if we don't want more of the same.
Senator McCain, in another of many ridiculous attacks on the Illinois Senator, said that Barack Obama is inept to deal with America's terrorist situation as well, "Senator Obama is a perfect manifestation a September 10th mind-set ... He does not understand the nature of the enemies we face."
Obama said he would not take any lectures from Republicans on that matter, "These are the same guys who helped to engineer the distraction of the war in Iraq at a time when we could have pinned down the people who actually committed 9/11," the presumed nominee told reporters aboard his campaign plane. "This is the same kind of fear-mongering that got us into Iraq ... and it's exactly that failed foreign policy I want to reverse."
"And, you know, let's take the example of Guantanamo," Obama said. "What we know is that, in previous terrorist attacks _ for example, the first attack against the World Trade Center _ we were able to arrest those responsible, put them on trial. They are currently in U.S. prisons, incapacitated.
"And the fact that the administration has not tried to do that has created a situation where not only have we never actually put many of these folks on trial, but we have destroyed our credibility when it comes to rule of law all around the world, and given a huge boost to terrorist recruitment in countries that say, 'Look, this is how the United States treats Muslims..."
Shouldn't we have the experience not to vote for four more years of failure?
And I'm not talking specifically about Senator McCain. America doesn't need any other super-rich white man in his 60's or 70's-- we need someone to help the middle class. We don't need someone who has been in Washington for 35 years and made millions, and while making all that money has lost sight of what it's like to be a poor college student, parent, worker or entrepreneur. To vote the same way, would be to quote Einstein, "insane." ("The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.")
I am not trying to say that Obama has more experience than John McCain. I am not saying that John McCain doesn't have experience, either. What I am saying is that in a choice between "experience" and the moral fortitude required to stop the government from serving the rich and pillaging America's hard working and suffering middle class, we should choose integrity every single time.
