Random Thoughts on the Election

As today is Halloween, perhaps it comes as no surprise when I admit the possible outcome of the upcoming election scares me. I'm old enough to remember the unrest of the 60's, the feeding frenzy surrounding Watergate, Gerald Ford being laughed at by the media because he wasn't the most graceful of men. I remember my concern when Jimmy Carter ran for president because I wasn't convinced he had the experience or the mettle needed to run this country. I remember the fall of our embassy in Iran and all those nights we listened to Nightline, hoping against hope to hear that our hostages had been released. Ronald Reagan proved to be a strong president. Bill Clinton proved you can get away with a lot if you look good and are a persuasive speaker.

I might not have liked all those presidents, or the ones I haven't named. I'll be honest, I disliked a number of them. But none of them scared me the way the possibility of an Obama presidency does.

I've already blogged about some of my concerns, specifically the loss of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. So I won't spend much more time on those topics. However, I feel I must point out that Obama's use, or misuse, of the media reared its ugly head again earlier when his campaign informed reporters from three major newspapers that they would not be allowed to continue traveling with the candidate on his jet as of Sunday. It seems there is just too much demand for seats as the campaign comes to a close. Surprisingly, these reporters work for the Dallas Morning News, Washington Times and the New York Post, all major papers. Not so surprisingly, those same papers had editorial boards that endorsed John McCain. So sorry, you don't toe the line, you get punished, no matter how impartial your reporting might be.

My two biggest concerns about an Obama presidency center on the lack of specifics re: Obama's economic policy and foreign policy (which I'll address in another entry later). It's all well and good to say you're going to cut taxes for 95% of Americans and lower spending. It's great to say you're going to go through the budget line by line and throw out whatever doesn't work or doesn't fit your plan. The problem is the actual feasibility of it all.

There is no question that the military will take a huge budget cut if Obama is elected. That scares me, given the state of the world we live in right now. But he doesn't seem to care. However, any funds taken from the military won't be much more than a drop in the bucket when it comes to the rest of the budget. Also, considering he has talked about having a "national police force" -- and I won't begin to tell you how I feel about that. I'll leave it for another blog -- that will have to be budgeted for. Where will that money come from?

When asked for specifics, we get generalizations. Worse, of late we're hearing phrases coming from him about the redistribution of wealth. When did it become the duty of this country, a country built on the premise that any man or woman could work hard and become successful, to say, "sorry, you make too much money and have too easy a life. So we're going to take what you've worked hard for and give it to someone else." Nothing more. That isn't something that builds confidence, at least not in my mind. I'm not talking taxes. I don't like them but they are necessary. But when a man wanting to be president talks about the "redistribution of wealth", all my alarm bells start ringing.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Obama doesn't mean to take money from those who have and give it to those who don't. The problem is, I don't know. He hasn't explained. Instead, he's made jokes about John McCain calling him socialist because he shared his sandwich as a child. Again, no details, no explanation, just plenty of attempts to deflect the questions with a smile and a laugh.

We need a President who will tell us his goals and how he plans to achieve them. We need a President who understands there will be hard questions to ask and answer, and who won't punish those who are brave enough to ask those same questions. We need a President who values the Constitution of the United States, especially the Bill of Rights, and who will fight to preserve it. John McCain has proven he will defend this country. He has served with honor and bears the scars. He has stood against his political party when he felt it was wrong. He has shown the character and determination necessary to lead us in this time of national and international crises. Barack Obama has yet to show that to me, not when he has a voting record resplendent in its number of non-votes, refusal to take the hard stand against the majority and, most especially, when he has yet to truly outline what he stands for and how he plans to implement it.

Tuesday is election day. If you haven't voted yet, please, do so then. Vote your conscience. Vot for what will be best for this country. Vote.lol

The Role Players of the Apoca... er... Election

We return to our zero... er, heroes as they travel through the pre-election wilderness after a bathroom and refuel break

SCENE: Players are returning from the kitchen with soft drinks in hands.

BARRY: So what's with the bracelet, grandpa? I never knew you swung that way.

JOHN: It's a memory bracelet. Each charm is someone you want to remember. (holds up his arm, which jingles. A lot.). This one is -

JOE: Oh you mean like the earrings and nipple rings I've got for my cousins in Iraq?

JOHN: (coldly) Yes, although not so tacky.

BARRY: Well, I have one on my -

JOE, JOHN, SARAH, DM: Ew! TMI, dude!

BARRY: (sniffs) Michelle likes it.

(They take their places at the table)

DM: You've been traveling for several days without incident. The terrain gradually becomes wilder.

JOE: (looking through this character sheets and inventory) I didn't think we had one of those.

JOHN: He means the scenery.

JOE: Well why didn't he say so?

JOHN: Never mind.

BARRY quickly puts his inventory down and tries to look relaxed.

DM: Ahead of you the path enters a deep chasm. (looks at JOE) There are cliffs on either side or the path. It looks like there are caves in the rock.

SARAH: Do I hear anything?

DM: What are your skills again?

SARAH: Level 8 tracking, level 9 wilderness lore.

DM (Rolls dice behind screen): You hear sounds ahead that you can't identify.

SARAH: (softly) I think there might be an ambush ahead. I hear something.

BARRY: I can't hear anything.

DM: Half-elves hear better than humans.

BARRY (frowns): No-one knows what we're doing. There's no reason anything would ambush us. (to SARAH) If you're so worried, you can go ahead.

SARAH (sighs): Fine. I draw my sword and walk carefully forward.

DM: Sarah has taken four steps into the chasm when a Charisma Troll jumps at her. (Rolls dice). Sarah, you have initiative.

SARAH: Do I know about Charisma Trolls?

DM: Yes. They're normal trolls that have been enchanted by someone's Charisma and follow that person around attacking anything they think is the person's enemy.

SARAH gives BARRY a dirty look.

BARRY looks innocent.

SARAH: I'm attacking with my sword.

JOHN: I'm going berserk and going to help Sarah.

DM: Sarah, roll 2 D20. (Sarah rolls and scores 37) You score a solid hit on the troll. It staggers back, swipes at you and misses. John, roll 3 D12. (John rolls 3 12s) You go berserk and charge the troll. Two more Charisma Trolls emerge from the rocks.

JOHN: I'm using my axe.

DM (nods to John): Barry, you face a moral dilemma.

JOE: Use your Dopey Change shield.

BARRY: Hopey Change (glares at JOE)

JOE: Same difference.

DM: It's a moral dilemma. A shield is useless.

BARRY: I'm going to use my Charisma and persuasion on it.

DM: There's nothing to persuade. It's a moral dilemma.

JOE: I bet it's got big teeth.

DM: You have to make a choice.

BARRY: Why? Is it going to eat us?

DM: It's a moral dilemma. It doesn't eat things.

JOE: So it just, like, maims us?

BARRY: What level is it?

DM (looks pained):It's just a MORAL DILEMMA. You have to make a choice.

BARRY: It's not fair. You're not telling us what to choose. Is it because I'm not white?

JOHN: Barry, you're like... dark tan. Come off it.

BARRY: (Sullenly) I'm not. Got relatives in Africa.

JOE, SARAH, JOHN and DM roll their eyes.

DM: I can't tell you what to choose. It's a moral dilemma.

JOE: I'm covered in squirrels. AAAAAAAH!

SARAH: What?

JOHN, BARRY, DM: Oh, that's just Joe.

BARRY: So, (Focused and intense) You refuse to tell us what to do, right? So. I take out my sword and attack the moral dilemma.

DM: It's still there.

BARRY: But... but... It's a +5 Sword of Righteousness! That should kill anything!

DM: You can't kill it, it's a moral dilemma.

BARRY: So... Immortal, is it? Joe, cast it down into a dungeon.

DM It's immaterial. You can't cast it anywhere.

BARRY: Joe, what should I do?

JOE: I don't know Barry, you should have Hills here. She's much better at gaming than me.

BARRY: Shuddup, okay? (deep breath) Right. Immaterial. (looks through inventory) Fine. I use my +5 press shield, you know, the press troll who is in love with my charisma.

DM: The moral dilemma hasn't changed.

BARRY: So, tough is it? I bring forth my +9 charisma.

DM (sighs). Saving roll. You need 20d20.

BARRY: Aw man! You always do that! Sarah put you up to this, didn't she?

JOHN: Just shut up and roll, Barry.

SARAH tries not to laugh.

BARRY rolls a 1.

DM: The moral dilemma whacks you with a dictionary and a thesaurus, then goes to find someone who knows it when they see it. Take 10 hit points.

BARRY: But... that's not FAIR! Joe, do something.

JOE: Has anyone got a dictionary?

SARAH hands him one.

JOE: (leafing through the pages) It's kind of like when Fred in the Flintstones -

CHORUS of BARRY, JOHN, SARAH, DM: Shut up Joe.

JOE: (Staring at dictionary): You mean it's a choice? That's like, the dumbest monster ever.

DM puts his head in his hands and groans.

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