Not the Same

There’s a common complaint I’ve been hearing voiced more and more as we draw closer to the end of this election season:

The two candidates are the same.

I’ve heard this voiced by socialists who are unhappy that both Obama and Romney have talked about scaling back government spending; ignoring or not caring that the two candidates have very different approaches to that, programs in mind, and outcomes they’re shooting for.

The two candidates are the same.

I’ve heard this said by libertarians angry that neither candidate is going to overturn our banking system. That one candidate wants to roll regulation back even further, making the problem even worse, seems to be unimportant.

The two candidates are the same.

I’ve heard this from all sorts of people who are angry that war continues under Obama. Who are angry that both candidates seem happy with NDAA and drones and questionably legal practices.

The two candidates are not the same.

The people I have heard make this complaint are wrong.

When one candidate has repealed DADT and the other has shown no interest in gay rights, you cannot tell me they are the same. When one candidate signs the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay act and the other one opposed it, you cannot tell me they are the same. And when one has made gay marriage a part of his party’s platform and the other told gay parents he didn’t know gay people “had families” you cannot tell me they are the same.

I am tired of this complaint.

They are not the same.