Friday, September 26, 2008
Who Needs More Mavericks?
In the last eight years, this is what mavericks have gotten us:
Who needs more of this?
John McCain has called himself and been known as a maverick for years. He likes the moniker because it is supposed to make him look as though he thinks for himself and is tied to no special interest.
But a maverick’s gut-based decisions are not what the country needs now.
One of his first decisions as a Maverick Presidential Candidate was the choice of the “Alaskan Maverick” Sarah Palin. Her reaction to being asked was, of course, a thoughtless, gut-based, “I’m Ready!”
When asked in a town-hall-style meeting how she would handle foreign affairs if she were suddenly thrust into the presidency, the vice presidential candidate, who recently got her first passport, said, “I’m ready.” This was even before her chats with heads-of-state at the UN last week.
She could have said that she planned on surrounding herself with the best minds out there. She could have said that she was already setting up a foreign affairs task force to bring her up to speed. She could have said any number of things that would have made her sound thoughtful. Instead, she—like all mavericks—has replaced thoughtful decision making with ego and hubris.
Next, Maverick John McCain suspended his campaign and called off the presidential debate to run to Washington to “fix” the economy, which he had never really paid much attention to, only to arrive in Washington, do little, and ultimately fail to bring his OWN party together behind their own economic plan.
Shoot-from-the-hip decisions miss the target too often. Give us a president who will take aim before pulling the trigger.
Labels: bush, candidate, economy, maverick, mccain, palin, president
Monday, October 22, 2007
Civic Associations to Hold Candidate Debate
The candidates will make brief statements, followed by responses to questions from the audience. School board candidate Abby Raphael will also make a statement and respond to questions.
Want to read up on the candidates' positions? Candidates' responses to questions from FOSA are posted on the FOSA blog.
Sponsors include: Friends of South Arlington, Claremont Citizens Association, Douglas Park Civic Association, Barcroft Schools and Civic League, Alcova Heights Civic Association and Columbia Heights Civic Association.
Labels: candidate, debate, politics
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Josh Ruebner to “Meet-n-Greet” In Buckingham
The forum will be held at the Arlington Oaks Community Center, 4490 N. Pershing Dr. (at the corner of N. Pershing and N. 2nd Street, across N. Pershing from Culpepper Gardens). Parking is limited to on-street, so walk if you can.
The general election is Tuesday Nov. 6, with 13 seats from school board to Virginia Senate up for grabs.
Mr. Ruebner made a splash in local politics last year when he won five percent of the county vote against Democrat Chris Zimmerman, who won the three-way board race in a landslide against Mr. Ruebner and Mike McMenamin, the Republican candidate. (Mr. McMenamin is running again this year, and we’re hoping to find a date for his Meet-n-Greet. The three other board candidates have been contacted.)
Mr. Ruebner’s platform promotes affordable housing and critiques overdevelopment and gentrification in the county, campaign materials say. His web site mentions his support of racial and economic diversity. He stands against the use of trolley cars on Columbia Pike (near where he lives) as a “boondoggle” for businesses and a county board that wants to gentrify that South Arlington neighborhood, his web site says.
Food and beverages will be served--watch this space and other places for more about this.
Labels: candidate, debate, election, vote
