3 Last Minute News Items that Put me Back on the Fence

After having been awake for the past 22 hours (and going strong), I have a mammoth Election 2004 post--on Indecision 2004.

The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Osama Casts His Vote

More than likely from a conservative columnist, in my opinion. The information he brings to table is both relevant and disturbing.

So after reading that and Tom Wolfe's The Guardian interview, I am now back on the fence for the following key reasons:

a) I knew the missing ammo in Iraq was somewhat overblown--but I had no idea it might be as tenative as this. A conniving Egyptian arms inspector peeved that he didn't get US support to post him to a 3rd term craftily releasing a memo that publicized the ammo dump story very conveniently just prior to the election? If it's truth, it's pretty disgusting. Nice to hear that it's not as crucial a lost as was first reported. We ciivlians have no scope of amounts of ammo--I imagine it's still significant, but in terms of percentages, barely a factor. So much ridiculous mudslinging on both sides. Is Iraq more stable than we realize? The article is, for once, able to put it in quite a positive light, and Afghanistan is progressing reasonably smoothly as well.

b) Osama is perturbed by Bush's success at eradicating large swaths of Al Qaeda, including his key "officers." The recent video ends up being a call for a truce, a "I won't hurt you if you don't hurt me by electing Bush." It's a "I want to regroup and attack later, let me nurse my wounds" type plea. So it becomes a question of what's more valuable: American softpower and good will (now all but gone) or American hard power/security through the at least temporary disruption of major terrorist activities? That's a question I am not really equipped to answer. And it's my voter--foreign policy. I like the idea of rebuilding our allegiances, but is it possible? And is it possible to really go it alone in a world where rising importance is placed on more unpredictable players like China and Brazil?

c) A lot of Bush's conservative policies I actually agree with. I agree with conservative economic policies, yet Bush has not been particularly true to them, following a patern of rash spending that has spiraled the deficit. However, Kerry will either do much of the same or not be able to fund many of the programs he is talking up, bland as they are. Many of my friend's assert "do you really want to have Republicans in control of all branches of government?" While I prefer a system of divided government, I'd rather have Republicans in power than Democrats--even the Bourbon Street contingent that is dominating the party is often more trustworth than a group of slick, oily, power-hungry and morally bankrupt Northeasteners that make up the Democratic elite. What to do? Side with the extremely biased and uncompromising religious right or jump on the morally bankrupt bandwagon? Neither are right--but which is worse? Is a group that distorts Christianity in minor ways that nonetheless draw parallels to fundamentalist Islam any better or worse than men who lead empty lives without any type of faith or values (outside of the results of polls)? I'd like to see a ban on cloning, on embryonic stem cell research, and cloning. I'd like more free trade (but Bush has been quite protectionist). I'd like to see outsourcing dropped as a buzz issue because no one actually knows what they're talking about. I'd also like to see equality for all at a civil union level and government completely backing out of the marriage arena, leaving marriage for those of any orientation in the hands of the churches and full civil unions open to all--a true separation of Church and State rather than the sham we have now. It preserves the right to intrepret matrimony in the hands of the religious yet extends basic rights and acceptance to all. But neither candidate will give me this basket of choices.

I didn't want this to be a lesser of two evils decision--but that's what it's shaping up to be, as I fear all political contests really are. Do Mr. Smith's ever exist in this modern world. I truly hope so, but I have yet to see any sign of one.