So anyhow...
I am a registered independent. I voted for George Bush in 2000 (much to my later embarrassment). In my defense I supported John McCain in the primary. In the 2004 presidential election I voted for the Libertarian candidate who's name I cannot remember. I am not now, nor have ever been a democrat. But I have voted for many democrats in the past, including my own congressman Patrick Kennedy.
Anyone who's read my blog more than once also knows I am an adamant supporter of Barack Obama. And I am not a band-wagon jumper... I picked him out of the crowd nearly two years ago and identified him as my guy. It has nothing to do with his political party, his race, or his eloquence (although I admit that the latter is what first got me to pay attention to him).
There are a number of reasons why I support him and no longer find John McCain a suitable choice for President. Just --ONE-- of the many reasons has to do with the TRUCKING industry.
John McCain supports opening the American border to Mexican trucking. He is on-record for expediting the opening of our border to Mexican trucks as far back as 2002.
Barack Obama does not support this position. His website states:
Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement: Obama and Biden believe that NAFTA and its potential were oversold to the American people. They will work with the leaders of Canada and Mexico to fix NAFTA so that it works for American workers.
Allowing Mexican truckers onto American highways is bad for a number of serious reasons. But it also has one big benefit too. That benefit is that Mexican trucking is potentially much, much cheaper -- and corporate accountants like that.
Hard-working Americans, on the other hand, should be alarmed. Firstly, and closest to home, I am alarmed at the prospect of losing my job to someone willing to do the same work for half (or less) the pay. I am alarmed by the fact that I have SEEN Mexican trucks up-close and can attest honestly to the fact that they are largely pieces of shit. When I saw a magazine article about NAFTA's trucking plan they were displaying two shiny, brand-NEW trucks as examples of Mexican fleets. I'm here to tell you that is 100% bull fucking shit. And even if the American DOT can inspect some trucks as they cross the border, it is logistically impractical to do so to every vehicle. So you can bet your ass that some of said Mexican piece-of-shit trucks will soon be rambling down a highway near you. That is, if McCain gets his way.
Oh, did I mention that the Mexican truckers are not required to read or speak English? Curious, but I'm pretty sure that most highway signs in our country are not in Spanish. Huh.
Trucking is the single most important profession in America. You might not believe that. I'm sure you think it sounds ridiculous. But EVERYTHING you own, eat, wear, drive, burn, or dispose of travels by truck. Without trucking, the lifestyle you take for granted would be impossible. These are vital jobs that should continue to be filled by AMERICAN workers. Outsourcing your computer's technical support just frustrates you. Imagine outsourcing America's vital logistics industry? It is preposterous.
The irony here, of course, is that in my own extensive experience most LONG-HAUL truck drivers tend to be overwhelmingly Republican in disposition. I can only assume they are simply ignorant to how severely they'd be shooting themselves in the foot should John McCain be elected and his trade policies put into effect. No -- they'd rather buy into all of the despicable negative campaign rhetoric we've been hearing lately that attempts to paint Obama as everything from a terrorist, to a muslim, to someone who falsified his own birth record.
These are the same people who look at how badly the last eight years have been for our country and actually believe Mr. McCain when he says "I'll make the next four better". WHAT? Let's keep doing what we've been doing and it'll magically be better?
These are the same people who believe that Sarah Palin is actually anything more than a strategic choice. These are the same people who genuinely believe John McCain's campaign choices have reflected his slogan of "Country First", when all the evidence points to the contrary. Was the choice of Sarah Palin the BEST for the country? Or the best to appeal to disgruntled Hillary supporters?
These are the same people that seem to have conveniently forgotten the fact that McCain stated he would not take the low-road to the highest office in the land, while at the same time using nearly 100% negative campaign advertisements. So much for that promise. Google it yourself... there's plenty of articles out there.
Anything to win the election. That's what the McCain campaign has turned into. I, for one, am very disappointed.
One could tear the republicans apart all day but I'll just say that their Country First slogan is extremely disingenous and its popularity reflects very negatively on american intelligence. I guess you could say that the war on terror has been successful, there have been no terrorist attacks since 9/11 and it has only cost us 4000 american lives, 750 billion dollars, and any any moral positon we might ever have had to condemn something like the chinese occupation of tibet. Whatever.
I've also seen them heaps they drive in mexico. Maybe people will demand action if a door or something falls off one and kills somebody.
I have to vote tonight.
So we are looking at 2009 VW's. We also looked at Toyota. I was pretty unimpressed.
We don't have the best credit though so I am not sure what to do.