The readers of my blog know that I see no substantial difference between Obama and McCain, I have said so many times. The choice between these two is about as meaningful as the choice between the SA and the SS in Nazi Germany or between the Trotskysts and the Stalinists in the Soviet Union. In the context of the USA, I like the following metaphor: the choice between the two Presidential candidates is akin to the choice between (Kosher) Pepsi and (Kosher) Coke when what one really wants to choose is a bottle of good French wine. As the “kosher” label on these two soda-candidates indicates, both have been vetted by the Israel Lobby and both are puppets of the same Neocon puppeteers. To repeat, there is no *substantial* difference between these two puppets and the outcome of the next election will decide exactly nothing in terms of the future of the USA.
But difference do not need to be substantial, there are other, often salient differences which should not be overlooked: style, appeal, etc. And here, in the realm of non-substantial differences, Obama and McCain are dramatically different.
First, there is the personal stuff. Obama has undeniable charm, he has brains, he actually understands most of the issues he discusses and, at times, one can even get the feeling that Obama might have some actual beliefs or values. In contrast, McCain is a drooling idiot, clearly as senile as Reagan was in his late years, McCain has absolutely no idea what he is talking about, and his “personal charm” is one micron think: underneath the nasty nature of McCain’s character is obvious. This is why Obama and McCain appeal to very different types of people.
Obama “sells” himself under the “change” slogan and most people voting for him are sick and tired of Dubya and what he has done to the USA. They want a different course for the USA and Obama dangles this hope in front of them: put me in power and I will stop this insanity.
McCain, on the other hand, offers what many have called “Dubya on steroids” – more of the same, only much more of it. Some say that where Dubya was a hollow man, McCain is an evil one. I agree. The reason why most non-Americans are absolutely baffled by the fact that, at least judging by the polls, McCain is trailing Obama by only a couple of points is that they fail to understand a simple truth: McCain appeals to the worst and the most barbarically stupid and ugly Americans out there.
Who are the McCain voters? They are a toxic mix of rednecks, trailer-trash, TV-watching ignoramuses mixed with Bible-thumping Evangelicals, “Dispensationalists”, Southern Baptists, inbred hicks, mixed in with the rich guys who made a killing during the Dubya years, mixed in with NRA-types, flag waving militarists, good ole nigger-hating racists and, last but not least, most of the left side of the Bell Curve of American IQ: the amazing variety of morons populating the USA. Truly, the McCain voters are the worst of the worst, not only because they are so gloriously stupid, but because McCain appeals to their worst, most evil character traits.
Yeah, I know – Obama voters are naive as hell, they are kidding themselves, they believe in the constant stream of propaganda the idiot box is spewing at them. Obama voters sometime are ideological Party automatons which would vote for *any* Democrat (even a SOB like Liebermann); others will vote for him only because of the color of his skin. All this is true, but the contrast with the McCain voters could still not be greater.
To sum it up, while Obama voters are gullible McCain voters are evil to the core. Let me repeat this here: Obama voters will mostly vote for Obama because what they think is the good things they see in him. McCain voters will vote for him because of the evil the see in him.
McCain voters want to kill them AYE-rabs and “win” the war in Iraq, they want to teach them Russians and Chinese a lesson about how America is great, they want to kick the “Latinos” back across the Rio Grande, they want guns to shoot at any terrorist who might show up in their trailer park, they want to get cheap gas into their SUVs and fuck up any raghead who dares to mess with the US of A. Either that, or they want to keep the millions of dollars they made during Dubya’s reign. Both of these groups have the same message to the rest of the world: fuck the UN! fuck the Eurotrash! fuck all them foreigners who dare to bash America the Greatest! America: love it or leave it! These colors don’t run! Support our troops! Nuke all the al-Qaeda bases in Iran and Russia!!!
A good way to visualize these guys is to think of Neanderthal on his Harley-Davidson bike with a US flag and a KIA-MIA flag flapping behind his back, or a pimply nerd in a suit and tie on the way to a to a ‘mega-church’ meeting, or a lawyer or banker with a huge house (usually of breathtaking bad taste) on a lakeside or oceanfront. Sure – these are all very different creatures, but McCain unites them all in one all-encompassing promise of more violence, more boots, more guns, more uniforms, more wars and more money.
Does all this matter? Yes and no. No matter who gets elected, the Neocons and the Zionist Lobby will remain in power. Yes, I know the old “Anglo” guard (Rockfeller, Brezinsky & Co.) is pushing the Obama candidacy while the Neocons and the Israel Lobby (Liebermann, Giuliani & Co.) seem to be uniformly backing McCain, and there is some truth to this, but you can be sure that the ZioCon Puppet Masters have already made plans for the (still likely) victory of Obama and that, should he be elected, he will be as obedient to them as Bill Clinton was.
It is very important to stress here that there is a “Third America” out there. Its the America of Ron Paul, Ralph Nader, Pat Buchanan, Cynthia McKinney and, even more so, of the millions who disillusioned Americans from all walks of life who will simply not vote at all. I actually feel that they are the real majority in this country, the political system has simply totally excluded them from any form of representation. This “Third America” does not agree on everything, in fact, they disagree on many important issues, but they agree on a basic set of fundamental principles: they want the USA to be a *normal* country (and not an Empire), they want the USA to be a *republic* and not some bizarre “Fascist Plutocracy”, they think that the national interests of the USA are more important than the ones of Israel, they think that wars should be fought only to repel an aggressor and that the USA has no business ruling the entire planet (something which even most Democrats and prospective Obama voters do *not* understand or agree with).
So here is what will happen in November: the worst of the worst will vote for McCain and the naive but generally well-meaning folks will vote Obama. Those who understand the system (be it on a gut-level or analytically) will either vote for Nader or simply say away from this entire circus.
See, the *real* function of the Presidential elections in the USA is *not* to bring the Executive Power in sync with the popular will. The real purpose is to offer a spectacle, a “secular liturgy” if you wish, whose main purpose in to instill a sense of relevance, of legitimacy of the system, into the American public. If for a full year the corporate media bombards the population with debates, polls, talkshows, reports and all sorts of dramatic (if irrelevant) scandals about the candidates this just must be an important event, no?! Actually not. It exactly that: a media-event with absolutely no relevance or purpose other than to numb out an already totally stupidified public.
So how should we, foreigners, look at this amazing “secular liturgy?
Here is my advice to my fellow “aliens” (this is how they call us in the USA). Set aside all other considerations and just remember these basic pointers:
a) if you hate the USA – hope for a McCain victory as he will run the US Empire into the ground even faster than Obama ever will.
b) if you love the USA – hope for an Obama victory: while Obama voters are naive, they are ashamed and disturbed by the burning hatred with which most countries now see the USA and they want to change that. Obama voters do want to be part of Planet Earth and they do sincerely care about the rest of the world (McCain voter don’t give a damn and if you oppose them they will “motherfucking nuke you!” to teach you a lesson).
c) and if you love Americans, but hate what the USA has become – then reach out to the “Third America”, show it your support and understanding. Never let the “Obama illusion” hide the existence of these millions of “other Americans” who suffer deeply from what is being done to their country and how are forced into a type of internal exile (just like real Russian patriots during the Soviet era).
As for my American readers, I can only urge you *not* to vote for any of the two clowns running for the two factions of the War Party. If you believe that the system can be changed from within, if you have any hope at all, then vote for Nader or McKinney (Ron Paul is not running anymore). And if you think (like I do) that the system is non-reformable, that it is a charade, that is is an integral part of the problem – then stay away from this “secular liturgy” and go and read Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s brilliant and still highly relevant piece Live not by the Lie (and remember that the Soviet system was brought down exactly as predicted by Solzhenitsyn).
But whatever you do, do not vote for the presumed “lesser evil”. Vote your conscience or don’t vote at all.
The Saker
The Drudge Report gave the title “DEM: ONLY TERRORIST ATTACK COULD PRECLUDE OBAMA LANDSLIDE…” to the text originally titled “Dem strategists see landslide in the making”:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14413.html
It’s so easy to conjure up a small boom! to help Mc Cain to wield an axe once again…
That is one heck of a commentary Saker…
I have been going back and forth with myself debating whether I should vote my conscience which most of the time I usually end up doing, or voting for Obama…..
Your commentary helped put this debate I have been having with myself in a different perspective…
Voting for McCain of course has always been out of the question although I did like his recommendation in the last debate for how to help solve the present housing crisis by renegotiating home values and mortgages…
Do you mind if I cut and paste this commentary to send out on my email list? I will make sure that I paste the website address along with it.
Considering that the mass distribution of the DVD “Obsession” doesn’t seem to be working in MCCain’s favor, who knows what the Neocon/Zionist/AlQaeda network might be drumming up to help McCain win.
Good post, VS!
You strenghtened my resolve to stay home this election eve. I voted for Nader before, but as you said, the system has to change for any real hope. The existing duopoly is only too happy to see a mrginalized Nader run, to keep the “democracy” illusion alive.
Now Tony this is where I have a problem. How are we as voting citizens in this country, by refusing to vote, going to help change the present two party system? The present two party government is not going to change the system unless an effective, massive grass roots movement willing to vote for a third party forces them to do so…
Saker,
I should have looked before I asked…
I just ran across and read your “Please feel free to copy, publish and pass on any part or all of the original contents of this blog. No authorization from anyone is required to use any of the original content published here.” which answers my question to you…
I am Mizgin, and I approve this message . . .
With this addition: VS, as far as who actually controls the political process in the US, you should include Goldman Sachs because it’s the “invisible hand” that has become VERY visible in the last couple of weeks and has been giving everyone the finger. Paulson was a former CEO of GS, all the congressrats and senatorats who really pushed to bailout the fascists, and ObaMcCain are all deeply in the pockets of GS through campaign contributions.
Check opensecrets.org for info on that and a video I posted the other day.
Re: McCain and his limp attempt to save his losing campaign by appealing to “renegotiating home values and mortgages . . . ” from a guy who has publicly admitted he doesn’t know shit about economics, in March he said:
“Some Americans bought homes they couldn’t afford, betting that rising prices would make it easier to refinance later at more affordable rates,” he said. Later he added that “any assistance must be temporary and must not reward people who were irresponsible at the expense of those who weren’t.”
So was he lying then or is he lying now?
But ObaMcCain were certainly hot to bail out their owners at Goldman Sachs, weren’t they? They were certainly hot to oppose what the majority of Americans wanted, which was opposition to the bailout of Wall Street vermin.
The brainwashed herd of Americans will just get mad about this as you have jumped on the stage of their puppet show and exposed the wizard behind the curtain has no clothes.
A bit OT but worth reading and hearing. Mr Savage has brought into light once again his idea of new party – The Savage Nation Party. The discussion has just started on the radio e.g. 760 AM KFMB. Go to his website:
http://michaelsavage.wnd.com/
Or start listening directly
Linux: mplayer http://38.116.132.50/KFMBAM?MSWMExt=.asf
Win: http://38.116.132.50/KFMBAM?MSWMExt=.asf
He just stopped explaining who’s behind the short selling (SS) causing today’s DowJ fall. The SS was banned for three weeks recently.
Cheers
Saker, I wrote an article in the Portuguese version of Pravda.ru which is quite similar to your post. As you know Spanish very well, I guess you won’t have troubles reading in Portuguese. If you want to have a look, you can find it at:
http://port.pravda.ru/sociedade/incidentes/12-06-2008/23183-obamamccaincarlo-0
Vees,
You’ve complained for years but have never told us what we should do to save ourselves and the world.
We have to live here unlike you who can leave at anytime.
jaclon
“Since a politician never believes what he says, he is surprised when others believe him.”
Charles de Gaulle
@Jaclon: You can find the answers you want like here:
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/
http://www.weeklystandard.com/
http://www.nypost.com/
http://www.zoa.org/
http://togetherwithisrael.org/
http://www.nationalreview.com/
http://www.jinsa.org/
And forget me and my blog, ok?
“Who are the McCain voters? They are a toxic mix of rednecks, trailer-trash, TV-watching ignoramuses mixed with Bible-thumping Evangelicals, “Dispensationalists”, Southern Baptists, inbred hicks, mixed in with the rich guys who made a killing during the Dubya years, mixed in with NRA-types, flag waving militarists, good ole nigger-hating racists and, last but not least, most of the left side of the Bell Curve of American IQ: the amazing variety of morons populating the USA. “
You left out….
Well, no – that pretty much covers it.
100% agree with you here.
Well put
VS,
I dont know if you read this (which I very much doubt, you would have already read it) the trilogy by Chalmers Johnson – the last one being Nemisis, where he lists out the economic compulsions will bring the Empire to its knees. The premise he worked with is a bit different from what’s happening now, but the end result seems to be spectacularly similar.
You left out Kucinich. I was hoping for a Kucinich Vs Ron Paul choice.. not this one.
Excellent analysis, as always. If the elections ever happen we will see who US choose to let screw.
Racial animosities and fears are now being used by both parties. Black Americans will be voting for BO because he is Black and because they hate whites.
In your advice to potential voters you left out option (d). Which is the following.
If you love the world, vote Obama because if there is one thing we can all believe it is the fact that Mccain will bring more wars, in more countries, killing more people.
Here is my advice to potential voters.
If you are committed to changing the US, if you are choosing to fight in the struggle to both “live not by lies” and live in the US, then, it should be pretty clear to you that this vote is an opportunity to save some innocent life somewhere from another fucking neocon war!
Jeremy Jacobson
@Jeremy:it should be pretty clear to you that this vote is an opportunity to save some innocent life somewhere from another fucking neocon war!
We must be talking about different Obamas. The one I know wants to attack Pakistan, he threatens Iran, he wants to “win” in Iraq, he gets more corporate money from Wall Street than McCain, he sold out his own pastor for political convenience, he thinks that Biden (the self-declared “non-Jewish Zionist) is a symbol of “change”, he abjectly brown-noses AIPAC, he wants a bigger military and he supports Saakashvili just because the latter is anti-Russian.
Jeremy – don’t you see that the Neocons have as firm a grip on the Democratic Party as they have on the Republican?
A vote for Obama is just a vote for “more of the same” plus some old-style imperialists a la Zbig and Albright.
If you like the system, if you believe in the corporate propaganda, if you want more promises of peace followed by more real wars, if you think that the USA should be a puppet of Israel, if you believe that international law does not apply to the USA, if you think that the USA has a “manifest destiny” to “lead the world” and if you love the American Empire, than by all means vote Obama.
If not, Nader, McKinney or abstention are the only option for a decent person.
NOT VOTING IS LAZY. No one hears your rebellion. It’s not like abstaining from the purchasing of certain goods. Or boycotting events. No one sees you & no one hears you.
You can write in someone if you’re really opposed to all of the candidates. There is no excuse not to vote.