Rifling through the issues

My high school history teacher told us that even if we had nothing to vote for, we always had something to vote against. At least in the US, with two parties constantly stealing the show, that's how it works. It's a little harder to vote against in European politics where you have anywhere from five to 25 party choices.

So, I hope my absentee ballot shows up soon, because I know who to vote against this election. For that reason, too, I have no need to pay attention to the hoopla that is a US presidential election, because I already have my mind made up while not being invested in any one candidate.

What I find amusing is how Americans react to the Republican vice-presidential candidate's relationship with moose: Sarah Palin shoots them.

Surprisingy, Norway has the same number of firearms per capita that the US. Most of these firearms are rifles and belong to hunters or Army reservists.

Norwegians are realistic enough and still close enough to the way of the land that they understand that hunting pretty little Bambis tick-carrying deer is doing the gorgeous creatures a favor: Either feed several families of humans, or face death by traffic or starvation. And that last is far crueler than being served with cream sauce and wild mushrooms. Since we humans love wiping out things like wolves, we need to step into the predatory animals' role and help keep prey animal populations from getting so large, they end up doing harm to themselves.

So if you want me to be upset with Sarah Palin, do not wave your arms while yelling, "She hunts!"

Seriously. Venison is delicious.

Comments

SolSionnach said…
She hunts WOLVES by helicopter!
That's enough, don't you think? It's not about food, it's about blood sport for her.

'Nuff said, IMO, YMMV and all that. ;)

(BTW - I'm voting *for* Obama, not against McOld/Falin')
Paula said…
It's difficult to discuss things online because peeps are so polarized. I don't like Palin (and am voting *against* her ticket), but the hunting is the least of it. Let's see: 1/ she eats the moose; 2/ a kill-shot is probably the least horrible way to die; 3/ probably it's a lot "kinder" than the way we deal with cows and chickens in the factories; 4/ she's not hunting something to extinction just to have trophies; 5/ the aerial hunting of wolves she approved is probably not the worst way to go--and even though I think wolves are cool, they do kill livestock (and pets), so how is that "better" than killing the wolf?

But I know the rules: If you're voting for O, you must say that every single thing Mac and Sarah say or do is evil/stupid/hypocritical and vice versa.
Beep said…
I am voting for the guy who is going to stimulate the economy by giving tax cuts to the vast majority of citizens who did not benefit from the recent very large stealth transfer of the nation's wealth to the richest 1% (those who make over $250,000 per year, talk to me, I can help you offset the repeal of your tax cuts with some charitable donations :) ). I am voting against the guy who thinks the way to fix health care is to tax people's employer-based health care benefits, who has a health care advisor who believes Americans have enough health insurance since they can go to a hospital emergency room and rack up a huge bill to pay off later if they need to, and who has an economic advisor who is trying to convince the folks who haven't seen their salaries budge upward in years, even in years of economic expansion, that their lower ability in real dollars to pay their bills is all in their minds...the guy who picked a VP who thinks it's ok to talk tough to Russia because the nukes don't matter if you want to bring on the End Times anyway and besides she knows enough about Russia; she sometimes can see it from her window!

I didn't have to strain my brain over this one. However, I'm sure California will have a nice long list of bizarre propositions I will be scrutinizing for the ever-present boobytraps :)

Oh, and for me anyway, it's not about wolves. Except the ones on Wall Street.
SolSionnach said…
What Beep Said! (very VERY well put, grrrl!)

But for me, the shooting of wolves from helicopters (after chasing them around and tiring them out), simply savaging a whole pack for nothing more than the blood sport... that tells me *volumes* about that woman. Pitbull in lipstick, indeed. She's not good enough to be called a bitch (female canine). More like an ogre.
Tim Clevenger said…
I have other issues with McCain and Palin, the VERY least of them being their stance on wildlife and hunting. Sheesh . . .

But the remainder of what you said, Keera - not to insult any believers - AMEN!
Keera Ann Fox said…
Yeah, well, I heard it was moose, I'm not sold on any of the candidates so I'm voting only to end the reign of W Republicans, and the trees sure do turn a pretty color this time of year, don't they? ;-)

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