I watched the prime-time telecasts on Wednesday and Thursday, trying to watch as objectively as possible and not through partisan or politically tinted glasses.
My impressions:
Mitt's speech was the main event, but I found it a flop on substance. Yes, it did do a good job of putting a human face on Romney, and in that regard it succeeded. But otherwise it just served up a bunch of ideals (what politician doesn't believe in the American dream?) and said Obama hadn't done the job. Even if you agree that that is true, Romney didn't offer much alternative. His speech basically repeated the same stuff the GOP has been selling for the past 35 years. Is the GOP really hoping people have such short memories that they don't recall the Bush administration? Anyway, the GOP plan of cutting taxes on the rich and hoping wealth trickles down has been proven time and time again not to work. All it accomplishes is that instead of the rich getting richer, the rich get SUPER rich.
Paul Ryan's speech, I though, was the best of the part of the convention I saw, and pretty much confirmed why Romney chose him for the VP spot: He's a rising star in the party. Don't be surprised to see him head the ticket in the not-too-distant future. Now, in terms of content, there were some real puzzlers. For example, Ryan pointed out that Obama had promised to get troops out of Afghanistan, but instead of the 2014 date, Romney would want to get the troops out now. Wasn't it just 4 years ago that the GOP was saying Obama was reckless for wanting to withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan and all?
Others:
Marco Rubio also showed he's a good speaker and a rising GOP star. Yet his speech in terms of content was a bust. He was supposed to introduce Romney, but all he did was talk about himself. And not just his speech, but many: The GOP really went hard for the Hispanic vote, hitting hard on the theme that America is a nation of immigrants. Well, they must think Hispanic voters don't pay much attention. The GOP platform and the position of most GOP politicians is to send Mexican and Latin American immigrants home. Apparently the nation of immigrants theme doesn't apply to Mexicans.
Condoleezza Rice. Her speech was a complete throwaway. It was obviously written by Romney's people, and I'm not sure she even read over it beforehand. She stumbled badly and mispronounced several key words. Condi just got a prime spot for diversity. She could have at least *tried* to sound sincere instead of like she'd rather be shoe shopping.
Clint Eastwood. Well, he was sure entertaining. His performance didn't make a whole lot of sense, but it was the most fun of the convention.
Overview: I don't really see why any gay person who values his/her rights would vote for the Republicans anyway. OK, Romney isn't as bad as most Republicans, and maybe the Log Cabin crew can rationalize that he doesn't really mean it and has to promote hetero marriage to satisfy the GOP Bible thumpers. But c'mon. Yeah, Obama got off to a slow start, and his pro-gay conversion has the air of vote pandering about it, but there is really no comparison on gay rights. The Obama administration repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell, is not enforcing DOMA, and has come out in support of gay marriage.
A gay Republican friend of mine once told me that he voted for the GOP because he trusted the Democrats to prevent any BAD thing from happening on the gay rights front. Well, what if there were not Democrats, as is basically the case here in Texas ....
I digress, but even if conservative gays overlook the gay rights angle, just what is the GOP offering that is new? I agree that in some ways the Obama administration has been a disappointment, but at least they have tried some new things. (For example, why doesn't the GOP pitch improving "Obamacare" instead of just spiking it?)
They're hoping the American people will forget that they're the ones who caused this mess in the first place and just vote for Mitt because he isn't Obama.
I have one thing for you to look at. There is no place in the constitution or the bill of rights that states that the church and state are seperate. I states that the state can not and will not dictate the religous chooces of the people. You need to read the federialist papers and see what it is all about. like i said i am all for civil unions. if you choose not to believe in the bible and it teaching that is your privildge and your right.
First off we have to stop being a one issue group. Lets think about what is good for the country not what is best for us.
I believe in what the bible teaches us. I do not believe in gay marrage but I am all for the state giving us civil unions that allow us the same rights as a married couple.
I believe that Obama care must be repealed. I for one do not want the goverment telling me how my doctor can treat me. Or being over 65 when it is my time to die. That is in the hands of GOD alone.
And finally do some horsitical research. Look at the depression fo the 1910's and how Harding and Coolage hangled it. then look at the great depression and see how FDR handled it and which one ended quicker.
As for the immigration. My grandparents came through the front door. and i am all for sending back the one here illaglely. I feel you shoud knock at the front door.
Aslo this is an English speaking country the progressive demoncrats did the bi lingual bills because they know that they could change the balance of power for their tax and spend ways. When my grandparents came here they learned English and because we were Americans did not teach us Itilian as children. They wanted us to be Americans. I feel that if you do not want to learn the mother toung of the nation you move to you will not be part of that socity.
I feel that it is good to be open minded to others feeling and thought but as the definition of what a liberal is let us try to keep our brains from falling out.
Just remember we as the gay community can be a very selfish lot if we think only of ourselves. Lets think of other and not be one issue people and do what is best for America.
I for one would rather live in a strong save solvent America in the closet then live openly gay in a country that is broke and a nanny state.
Bottom line is the national conventions are all about polish and party message. They are costly media events. I would not expect the thing to be anything but scripted. After all the only purpose in these damn things in the first place is to officially declare a candidate for national office and to milk the TV media for as much publicity as possible. Gone are the days when a convention actually chose candidates and had as many as 150 or so votes to declare who the candidate would be... In today's environment we know who the candidates will be before the convention even convenes.
Bad mouthing each other does not inspire or raise the level of conversation. That is true on the blogs that are posted on this site. It is especially also true in political discourse in this country. I am disgusted and genuinely turned off by each political party engaging in finger pointing and name calling. That is not leadership and it is conduct unworthy of a great democracy... Let us not on this website sink to the low standards we call political electioneering in this country become the standard by which we engage with each other...
If one understands what to realistically expect from a political convention one will readily come away saying something positive about it. That ability requires a thoughtful perspective, not an emotional outburst that characterizes the other side to be some kind of nefarious being. These conventions deliver what they intend to deliver. They are what they are. ANY convention serves its own purpose given the sad environment of the political process in this country.
FWIIW
The GOP is in an awkward position on immigration. It needs Hispanic votes, but at the same time, it has to mollify its rabid conservative white guys. The business element here in TX actually likes having illegals around to pay a token wage to.
Poor Clint! A legend who made himself look like a dottering old fool in fromt of millions while people he supports giggled and yawned on camera and the endless ranting and raving of this past Mayor of Carmel Calif.
One did not have to watch the entire "hate filled circus" to see that there was enough smoke being blown to try and hide what a greed filled, coniving and ruthless man Romney really is. The man has not even the foggiest clue as to what America is or has gone through. He was far too busy ruining lives as the President and chief hench man for Bane Capital as they looted and closed companys across America as he personally made millions with each padlock he put on a business. Now he wants the ultimate way to ruin more and more lives, to bankrupt companys and ship jobs overseas, to drain company pensions to zero while gibing it all to the rich and elite of the world. The elite class that he is a prime part of , his wife cant live with out and his children have never known anything but living the elite life and getting it all on GOLDEN spoons ( no silver for the Romney's- thats too close to what common people use) . The Republican ticket will do notthing for the average American except tolerate us and look down from their pedestals and tell us to pay our higher taxes so the rich don't have to . Disgust and outage is all I was left feeling after watching even the small part of this so called convention. All that was missing on the screeching and preaching convention floor were the white sheets for people to wear.. Most were already carrying and beating their own bibles. It was a very grim outlook being painted for us!