This Side of Bedlam

{link » Voting the European preference in Ohio}

“If I were a US voter I'd be voting for Barack Obama on November 4. Why? (a) Because voting Democrat would be my default position as an American citizen, just as I dutifully vote Labour in this country every time. (b) Because I think Barack Obama is a better candidate than John McCain. (c) Because the symbolism of a black president would have great significance for the progress of American society. And (d) because it might help to restrain the more kneejerk tendencies within global Guardianista opinion, for which all the world's problems have either been created or aggravated by George W. Bush in particular and US Republicans in general; the fact that the problems will still be there might bring a degree of sobriety into dinner-party, liberal-media and locked-leftist discussion, though there will inevitably be parts of this body of thinking, the more crazed parts, that nothing at all will ever reach to dissuade from hostility towards the hated US hegemon.

I would not, however, be voting for Obama for the reason evinced today by Jonathan Freedland.” [Read the rest of Norm's post here.]

Full Disclosure: I agree with Norm more frequently than John McCain's touted 90% voting-record in support of President Bush, which makes McCain only 90% correct on the issues. This now is one of my rare disagreements with Norm.

Now then, if I was Norm, and there is strong evidence that I am [e.g., Has anyone ever seen us together in the same place at the same time? No? I rest my case.], I would not be voting for Barack Obama; not for Norm's listed reasons; not for any other reasons. I hasten to add that I probably would have, however, as recently as 8 years ago, when I voted for Al Gore and was disappointed that he lost to George W. Bush. But a lot has happened in the world during the past two American Presidential terms, all of which has played out in full view and dying color for anyone with access to the Web.

The ultimate outrage against American ideals occurred on September 11, 2001, a date which will live in infamy, along with December 7, 1941. The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the scourge of civilization, international terrorism, an enemy that liberal fascism hopes will just go away. It won't; it must be defeated militarily. Furthermore, liberal fascism must be defeated electorally.

Let me, therefore, enumerate the reasons for my change of heart and mind, in close correspondence to Norm's listing above:

1. Although voting Democratic had been my default position as an American citizen prior to the election of George W. Bush in 2000, I have witnessed the radicalization of the party of FDR, HST, and JFK (all of whom I admired before I was old enough to vote), as well as Johnson, Carter, and Clinton (for all of whom I did vote). The radicalization has reached obscene proportions, and borders on insane self-destructive anti-Americanism. Witness: today's Jimmy Carter; yesterday's Ted Kennedy; and every day's Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Barbara Boxer, and the list goes on ad nauseam.
2. John McCain is a good candidate; Barack Obama is a good speaker but has the substance of an empty appartment.
3. Though I agree that the symbolism of a black president would have great significance for the progress of American society, the American Presidency is much too important a role for the survival of American society, and all civilized society the world over, to subordinate it to the mere furtherance of progressive ideals. And,
4. Though I have indeed contemplated the personal benefit offered by the line of reasoning in Norm's list-item (d), above, I have instead relegated that reasoning to the solace I might derive from the onset of despair in the event of an Obama victory.

To contemplate an Obama victory is to imagine a perfect-storm trifecta that would join the Executive, Legislative, and subsequently the Judicial Branches of American Government into an insane asylum the likes of which has not been seen this side of Bedlam.