I hate politics

Anyone watch the VP debate last night? I started watching it... then I fell asleep. If you missed it, don't worry. They didn't say anything new. It was all the same rhetoric they've been saying on the campaign trail and in TV adds. I hate politics. Politicians are fake. You cannot judge a candidate by what they say in a speech, or what they say in a debate, or what they say at a rally. They say what sounds good to draw in that one voter who connects with it. Yet, they seem to be willing to abandoned the truth in the process. Examples:

1. Obama says we need to bring back the policies of the Clinton years because he left the country with a surplus:

This is not true. He never had a surplus. His last budget proposal generated a $133.29 billion deficit. People forget to give Clinton credit for this because it technically came out after Bush had taken office. The economic cycle works on a fiscal year, not a calender year. Bush's first budget proposal didn't come out until the following September. So why do people think Clinton left Bush with a surplus? Well, the budget is made up of two parts: public debt and intergovernmental holdings. What Clinton did was lower the public debt, every year in fact. Great right? Not quite. To do that, he had to increase the intergovernmental debt... every year in fact. As a result, the overall deficit grew. - Myth busted

See: http://www.letxa.com/articles/16

2. Senator McCain has repeatedly tried to make a point that Obama doesn't care about American troops because he voted against funding them.

This is absolutely true. However, he voted against that particular funding bill because it didn't include a time-table for a pull-out in Iraq, not because he hates troops. Oh yeah, I think it's worth mentioning that Obama voted in favor of funding troops at least ten time previously. Here is the kicker, McCain voted against funding troops as well. What was his reason? Because the bill DID include a time table for a pull out. - Try again

See: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_truth_on_troop_support.html

3. Last night Joe Biden referenced John McCain saying he was in favor of deregulating health care.

It's true, he did say this. However, if you look at this original statement in context, McCain was talking specifically about allowing the sale and purchase of health insurance plans across state lines. - Aaaaawwww, so close

See: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/out_of_context_on_health_care.html

4. Also last night Governor Palin brought up a recurring claim that Senator Obama, as late as last year, voted to increase taxes on families making as little as $42,000 a year.

What Senator Obama actually voted for was a budget resolution that called for returning the 25 percent tax bracket to its pre-Bush tax cut level of 28 percent. This would affect an individual who does not have any kids and makes $42,000 a year. In most parts of the country, if you are a single person with no kids and you're making $42,000 a year you should have no problem living within your means. Especially in Alaska none the less. This would also affect a couple making $83,000 and a family of four making $90,000 a year. Again, they have no room to complain. - Close is only good enough in... horse shoes, hand grenades... and I guess politics.

See: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/factchecking_biden-palin_debate.html

Now, if you are a democrat or a republican reading this and about to write me a comment disputing any of these points, thank you. You have just proven my point, which is this thing is one big he said/she said battle. It literally is a popularity contest. Do most of the candidates "facts" hold any truth? Mostly. There is at least 1% of truth in pretty much anything anyone says. That is a terribly low standard though, especially when you are trying to desecrate someone's character and credibility. Is it too much to shoot for 100%? Once again, if you are thinking of writing a comment to argue points, thanks but no thanks. I don't care. There are always infitiy sides to the coin when you're talking politics. Unfortunately, what it comes down to, is who can sound like they know what their talking about.

I leave you with this comical video: