I remember it like it was yesterday, stepping off the plane in Puerto Rico, for the first time in my recallable life. I was eighteen years old, facing one of the most troubling times of my youth knowing that this trip could not have come at a better time in my life. I was excited by the mere thought of meeting my grandfather for the first time, and getting to know the man I had heard so much about. I can still remember the mixed thoughts as I grabbed my luggage and stepped out beyond baggage claim, to a sea of screaming Puerto Ricans all looking for that relative, friend or loved one to step through the doors. Will he really be there? Is this going to go down yet another funny story about how abuelo (grandpa) forgot something important? But it didn’t and within minutes I had been spotted by my cousin, and waved over. There he was the man, the legend (well in my eyes anyway) it’s funny how much he reminded me of dad. Same face, same build, same mannerisms, everything down to a tee as if the genetic markers that made up my father had simply been copied identically, with no variations.
Five minutes in the car and I had managed to size up the man I would be spending two weeks with. As I’ve said, he shared many of the same characteristics as my own father, and even played some of the silly math games my dad would often play with me. “X number of miles from here to the house we’ll be staying at tonight. At x km per hour, how long until we get there?” I really didn’t have a chance to answer, since he answered for me, and moved the conversation over to questions about my father, mother, brother and sister.
As we drove through Puerto Rico’s mountainous roads, my grandfather would point out to me various buildings or roads that he had a hand in creating, or better yet, getting the funding for. Achievements that he, as a Representative in the house of Puerto Rico, was both proud and responsible for. Over the next two weeks I would hear story after story about how my grandfather had gotten approval for someone’s land to get a paved road to it, so that they could move their goods easier. I heard about how my grandfather had played a part in getting someone work, or helped to bring business to his town, which provided work to hundreds. These things intrigued me and made the allure of my grandfather all the more greater. Here was a man who was making a difference, who was beloved by most of the people around him, and who had managed to work his way from nothing, to become a politician known by many on the island.
I share this story, because part of me wishes that I hadn’t learned the rest of the story. Part of me wishes that I had clung to my naiveté and not dug deeper into what made my grandfather a great politician. After two weeks in Puerto Rico I had witnessed first hand how things got done in politics. “I will do this for you, if you can find it in your heart to do this for me”, “Please fix this issue for me, and I can guarantee that I will agree with you” This was the world my grandfather lived in, and after two weeks I had begun to think of him with even more childlike awe. Like most of the politicians everywhere my grandfather did business in quid pro quo. I never did ask if any of those favors were unsatisfactory to him, I guess I was too busy admiring the knowledge that he got things done. I’ve compared him many times to Don Corleone, without the threats and murder. I’ve imagined him trading one service for another, marking his mental ledger of debts and assets, and like all politicians everywhere compromising his beliefs at some point for what he believed to be the better good. We lost him to prostate cancer, some years back, so I cannot ask him if he had any regrets, I’m left only with the stories shared at family reunions, weddings and funerals.
What I do have is my own memories of the few conversations we had after he retired to Florida, and of course that trip to Puerto Rico. I look back on my trip often with happiness for many reasons. My first introduction to the man that sired my father, my first real taste of freedom as a young man, the experience of meeting family members I had only heard of in stories whenever family would come from Puerto Rico. But now as I look back and remember the few political lessons I learned while over there, none sticks closer to my memory more than the something for something mentality of political life. None makes me shudder more than the thought that in all of this compromise, somewhere along the line someone always gets hurt.
This thought first struck me years ago while speaking to my wife’s relatives in Santo Domingo. They were explaining to me the way things were on the island, and sharing some of the things they’d wish would change. At the top of their list was the corruption. Police who looked the other way for money, even when crimes had been committed, or worse police who made up charges in order to get a little extra money on the side. Roadblocks set up solely for the purpose of collecting money for trumped up traffic charges. Officials who could be paid to speed up some process or another, or move your cause to the front of the list. This made me think of the corruption my grandfather told me about in Puerto Rico, which made me wonder if this was simply a Latin American tradition, or if it was felt throughout the world.
You see as a young 25 year old American, clueless about the world, and still in school, I could never bring myself to believe that my country, the US was involved in anything so devious. Sure I had heard about the crooked cops growing up in NY, and I had heard about how politicians were corrupt and how money purchased power, but I had also seen the many movies which focused on the best in our country. The lone hero, who goes against the odds to overcome corruption and put the bad guys in jail; that was still my outlook on American life as a whole.
The older I got, the more I started to pay attention to politics and deciding where I stood and what I stood for, the more disenfranchised I became with politicians as a whole. I guess it’s part of growing up, shedding the blinders you carry through college, starting a family, and learning what it really takes to be a man. It’s just part of the normal order of things, but is it right? This business as usual mentality in Washington which leads to a favor for a favor, a vote for a small blurb that will benefit a constituent of in some far off county, but deny the government needed tax dollars down the line. Politicians always speak of this with the utmost disgust they come up with all sorts of creative names to describe this practice, as if they too weren’t sucking at the quid pro quo teat. Pork, earmarks, special interests… all names to describe the same practice, all names to hide the true words which should be used, but that might remind them of a compromised moral along the way. Corruption, greed, payoffs, bribery, these are the words covered up by the niceties of Washington.
The concept is simple detract attention from the problems at hand, and make everyone think you don’t partake of these practices. Stand up on the soap box and rally against spending and the spenders, cry foul on the lobbyists, and special interests, but never, ever do a thing to fix the issue. How simple would it be to just correct the issue? How much better would this country be if the next president pushed a law which forced congress to independently submit each bill, and no longer allowed the practice of over inflating a bill with pork? How much more beneficial would it be to the country, if lobbyists and special interest groups were removed from Washington, and the surrounding area, under threat of arrest?
While this may sound extreme, it is sorely needed. Lobbyists have done to Washington what sports agents have done to Baseball and several other popular sports. They’ve injected greed, and corrupted what probably started out with desire and passion. Now, just as it’s rare to see a player who plays for the love of the game, so too is it rare to see a politician still in politics to make a difference. After a few years of wheeling and dealing in Washington, even the most noble, most pure at heart begin to think that they too can cut corners, and those who went in looking to make a change, wind up changed themselves.
As I showed last week, with just one bill, Washington has become a breeding ground for corruption. Everyone knows it, everyone would love to change it, you hear the grumblings from Americans in both the red and the blue states, but it has become so ingrained in the Washington culture, that it would take drastic measures to correct the problem. The problem is two fold, on the one hand we have the politicians who have become part of the problem, and on the other we have the apathetic voters who prolong the problem.
You see we could fix this quickly if Americans everywhere would simply pay attention to their surroundings. We could end the corruption if Americans would stop handing over their freedoms and hopes to government, and simply read up on the issues. In this modern internet age, we could demand that they post a website which describes each bill’s highlights, with a list of each added earmark and who submitted it. I guarantee that if most of American knew of the garbage stuffed into the recent bailout, they would have called, written, emailed, and flooded their representative with demands that he/she not vote for the bill. Somehow it seems that with all of our technology, all of our knowledge, we Americans have become less informed and less interested in current affairs.
Have Americans become so lazy, so uninterested in their own futures, that they turn a blind eye to corruption in their leaders? Where in all this is the media? Where is the unofficial fourth branch with its straight no nonsense fact telling? Why does it seem that our media focuses more on which celebrity is doing a stint in rehab, or which politician had sex with a call girl or got a DUI? Why not focus into the very problem that has eaten away at this country for too long? Why not expose the back room deals which seem to be moving this once great country on a steady path to third world status, where the will and well being of the people takes a back seat to the pockets of our elected officials and those who control them? The reason is simple, we have allowed it. We care more about which teen idol is pregnant than we do about which tax bill will benefit us. We crave it like a drug, and in doing so give up our right to the real knowledge that can help us in the end.
Has America become as corrupt as those countries you hear about and take pity on? Yes we have. We could solve it all by staying more informed, and actually taking an interest in our country’s day to day politics. I have presented just a few suggestions that I feel could help, but will they actually be heard? This is entirely up to us. This web of lies and greed can only be broken by information, and knowledge. This chain can only be broken by its weakest link and that is the American people. So until next time, go out an vote, do the research, learn about the issues, and speak your minds America, because the alternative is grim at best.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Why I’m Voting for Obama – A Conservative Republican’s Tale of Change
Ok I know I covered most of this already, but I keep finding myself defending my position to family and friends. Most of my friends are die hard Republicans. An even greater number are extremely conservative, and lately I find myself more on the defensive than in agreement. As anyone who’s read this blog knows I’ve changed my decision on who I will vote for a few times, but I believe that I’ve reached my final decision. Come November 4th I will cast my vote for Barack Obama, and break with my party for the first time in 12 years.
In a campaign where “Change” is the key component, the core principal behind each candidate’s words and actions; what has caused so many voters to “Change” their party, or “Change” their vote? For me the answer is a multifaceted, complex answer based on hours of self examination, research, and prayer. I have quite a few disagreements with Obama’s stance on the issues but I still feel he’d make a better President than John McCain. This blog is more an answer for my friends and family, a place to organize my thoughts, and simply point them to the site to explain my decision. So I’ll start with the first issue that most of my friends start off with.
Question : How can a Christian conservative vote for a man who supports abortion?
Answer: As anyone who knows me, or has read my thoughts on the subject knows, I despise abortion. I find it equivalent to first degree murder, and feel that it should be outlawed. But my answer for this is actually a simple one. This is a topic that NEITHER party will EVER do anything about. Consider the fact that in the 35 years since Roe v. Wade a Republican has sat in the White House 20 of those years. Most will argue that the inability to repeal this is due to liberal judges on the Supreme Court, but I don’t feel this to be the case. I honestly think that both sides secretly like this issue where it is. It’s a dividing issue, it’s a clear cut for or against issue that brings in millions of votes for both parties. Yes ladies and gentlemen abortion is the last ditch hope of both parties. Republicans call on it to scare voters to vote Republican “John Doe voted to kill babies, do you want John Doe in office? He’s a baby killer.” Democrats use it to scare voters by saying “Vote for us or those Republicans will take away your God given right to choose. They’ll remove control over your own body and force their morality on you.” In truth the only thing that can outlaw abortions in this country is a change of heart by Americans everywhere. Americans will first have to understand that life, even simple life, is precious and should be preserved and kept safe. Until then Americans will continue to see abortion as a choice.
Questions: How can a fiscal conservative vote for a Democrat? His policies are just going to hurt the country. Obama just wants to spread the wealth I’ve worked so hard to build. Obama is going to spend more tax money than McCain, and take us into a deeper hole.
Answer: This is one where I agree with both sides. On the one hand you have Obama that states that people are suffering, and greed is rampant in big business. On the other hand you have McCain who believes that lower taxes are good for the economy and that as businesses do well their wealth will trickle down to the little guy.
This is actually a pretty old idea called Reaganomics, for those of you old enough to remember it. The concept worked once, and personally I believe the boom during the Clinton era was the result of Reagan’s trickle down theory. So if it worked once why not now? The 1980’s were a different time. Yes greed was prevalent back then too, but greed took a back seat to national pride during the cold war, not to mention that our economy was nowhere near as global as it is now. American companies have gotten used to the idea of exporting their work to other countries. Doing so helps raise profit margins, which attract investors, which allows companies to grow.
While I do believe that those who work hard should keep the fruit of their labor, I strongly feel that the trickle has been clogged by greed, and is no longer trickling but dripping down. American companies have all but closed the faucet when it comes to bringing work back to the country. No work means higher unemployment, which eventually leads to a slowing economy, and as seen recently recession. This in a nutshell is my reason for voting for Obama. McCain’s approach is to lower taxes across the board for corporations and allow companies to come back on their own. The problem, as I see it, is that they won’t come back because even with lower taxes, the American workforce is just too expensive for any smart business man to even consider.
For me Obama’s answer of giving tax breaks specifically to companies who bring work back to the US coupled with removing tax breaks for those who export work will give the right incentive to create more domestic jobs. Obama’s idea of investing in renewable energy and creating jobs in this area are a win-win for our country. Renewable energy jobs in the area of wind and solar means less reliance on foreign oil and lower unemployment.
Let’s face it McCain himself has said that he knows little to nothing about the economy. When compared to Obama’s plan, McCain’s plan for the economy will raise the national debt by $5 trillion dollars as opposed to Obama’s $3.5 trillion dollars. This is the same national debt that has gotten so high, that the billboard in New York designed to track it, required an additional number place. In effect McCain’s plan of sticking to previous methods is simply not enough to bring this country back to good. In fact I personally see it hurting us in the long run. Here’s a great article on the subject.
Questions: Why should I have to pay for someone else’s health benefits? Isn’t nationalized healthcare going to ruin the industry? Healthcare is a privilege not a right.
Answer: I’ve actually changed my view on this several times. Both sides make sense, and I’m floating somewhere in the middle right now. First I believe quality healthcare to be a right not a privilege. Everyone is entitled to the right to live, and in my eyes Americans would be exhibiting the utmost cruelty in allowing their fellow citizens to simply die because they don’t have the money to afford lifesaving care. As anyone who’s ever read this blog knows, I’m in favor of serious welfare reform, and I’d hate to see healthcare become as bad as the Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and welfare systems.
That being said, McCain’s plan does nothing to improve the situation. McCain’s plan to tax on one hand while crediting with the other is nothing short of asinine. This does nothing for the millions of Americans without healthcare, and based on several independent estimates, could actually ruin our current lousy system. While I don’t personally favor giving things away for free, I do have to concede that one way or another we the people will end up paying the price. If we do nothing, people will continue to walk out on their hospital bills, which will eventually raise prices, which are passed on to us. If we do nothing, people will continue to put off seeking treatment for minor problems, which can and usually do become major problems. Eventually these people have a way of ending up in our Medicaid system, and costing taxpayers millions because they were never given preventive care.
Another common argument I hear is that social healthcare leads to bad doctors and bad care. Personally I haven’t studied this as much as I’d like, but I also don’t feel that this would be the case under Obama’s plan. If Obama is indeed looking to bring the uninsured under an insurance company plan then the plan will be administered by an insurance company, and not the government. That should negate the issues we’ve seen with Medicaid / Medicare, where doctors put off patients in lieu of patients with better coverage.
In addition I’ve noticed that hospitals have become more profit centric, and have lost their focus, which is to treat patients as best as possible. My cousin shared with me a story about his daughter’s last birth, which I think fits very nicely. Apparently the hospital closest to where he lives is in a nice well to do neighborhood. In order to keep its swanky image it has gone as far as provide food based on near gourmet recipes. While this sounds great for the relatives of the patient, it’s not really needed. Hospitals need to remember that they exist to treat patients. They have sworn the oath of “Do no harm” by proxy, and must share in that responsibility with the doctors. So will our healthcare suffer as a result of socialized medicine? It might but then again this isn’t truly socialized medicine Obama is suggesting, it’s a strange new hybrid. Either way it’s leaps and bounds above McCains plan.
While I can concede that giving away the farm ala Welfare and Medicaid does nothing to improve or instill the sense of self worth needed to drive people to the kind of action that will improve their situation, I must also admit that doing nothing will just foster a larger division between the haves and have nots. This division, over time, turns into resentment, bringing only a sense of never being able to succeed and blaming their problems on “the man”. With a subject as important as someone’s basic right to life and quality healthcare, we cannot sit idly by and do nothing.
Questions: Don’t you think Obama is too inexperienced to be President? Do you really trust him to make the tough decisions? Isn’t McCain better suited to deal with foreign policy?
Answers: In truth I do feel that Obama is untested, but capable of leadership. I once joked that giving Obama the Precidency was like giving a manager of the local McDonalds the position of CEO of Walmart. While his lack of testing under pressure does bother me, the fact that there are always advisors to help guide him reassures me. From what I’ve seen Obama has the intelligence and self control to handle himself in just about any situation. While John McCain is intelligent enough to handle a situation, I do not feel him to be in control of his temper or general feelings enough to handle certain situations. During this election I have watch as both men endorsed some pretty unfavorable ads against each other, but McCains seemed to stem more from desperation and anger. During the debates I have watched Obama handle himself with resolve and dignity, while McCain resorted to name calling and quick one liners.
Anyone who has ever been married for more than a few years knows that quick comebacks are usually the ones that hurt the most. Quick comebacks are instinctual, and usually involve statements better left unsaid. McCain has shown his proficiency for quick comebacks time and time again, and it has hurt him in my eyes. At this time in our nation’s history, we are embroiled in two wars, one of which is almost as unpopular as Vietnam, and we are quickly seeing our once strong international allies turn against us. As a result of the international dislike towards America we need, more than ever, a President who is willing to set aside differences and open discussions. We need a President who is capable of showing both our friends and enemies a calm, but firm resolve; Obama for me is that man.
Many have criticized Obama for his willingness to speak to the Castros and Chavezes of the world, but in truth embargos have failed, stiff necked diplomacy has failed, and the only thing that’s going to work is the calm, rational dialog that has been absent for the past eight years. You see Reagan was forceful, Reagan was strong willed, but Reagan was also willing to discuss, bargain, and sit down with his enemies. Had he not been the Berlin wall would probably still stand today.
Questions: Why shouldn’t we stay in Iraq? Obama wants to pull out and cost us the war, don’t the Iraqi people deserve to be free?
Answer: In my opinion there are more reasons to get out of Iraq than there are to stay. First and foremost is the FACT, not speculation but FACT, that Iraq is un-winnable. The problems in the Middle east are not some recent development, nor are they something that can be fixed by Democracy. The problems between the Muslims and Jews, and even between Muslim factions have their basis in religion, and an argument that has prevailed for over 3000 years. Jews believe that they are God’s chosen people, the beloved of God through Abraham’s son Isaac Gen. 16:12. Muslims believe that they are God’s chosen people the beloved of God through Abraham’s son Ishmael.
With this in mind Jews and Muslims are not fighting a war based solely on territory, they are fighting a war based on opposing religious ideologies. In addition to the many conflicts between Israel and the Muslim world, we have division within the Muslim community itself. The history here is too great to get into, but the basic premise is that they hate each other. With all of this in mind, we Americans, who don’t really understand the problem, have no hope of finding a solution. America is now smack in the middle of a civil war between two opposing factions that don’t see eye to eye on anything. This isn’t simply like the difference between Democrats or Republicans, these people have been, and are willing to kill for their religious beliefs to succeed.
Furthermore the notion that Iraq was ever about bringing democracy to the Iraqi people is ludicrous. The Iraq war was started partly from fear and reaction to 9-11, and partly from our desire to secure our need for oil. In the months following 9-11 our country underwent a change of mind, from the once proud can do attitude we all shared to the fearful terrorist in every corner feelings we now share. Our country has not been held hostage by fear this great since the McCarthy era. The only war we need to face right now is the war with our own fears. The terrorists have already done their part; they’ve shown us how vulnerable we are, they’ve goaded us into two wars, and they’ve all but succeeded in crippling our economy as a result. They’ve turned international opinion against us, and caused division among us. They’ve done what they set out to do.
As a result of 9-11 we’ve seen the largest increase in government in my lifetime. We have seen several of the civil liberties that made us a great nation erode. We have seen a drastic division between those who are for the war and those who are against it. We have become a nation divided, where the fear of being labeled unpatriotic hangs over Americans everywhere. The only way to truly WIN this war is to pick a side, preside over the largest genocidal acts since the holocaust, and loose our humanity in the process. We cannot win in Iraq because Iraq cannot be settled diplomatically. There are simply too many variables that our Western minds cannot embrace; therefore the only solution is withdrawal.
Conclusion
This year I vote not because I agree with Obama on everything, but because I believe he will be better suited to run this country. I feel that our current situation as a nation warrants a drastic change from the norm. I believe that we need a fresh face with a different approach to bring about change. God help me if I’m wrong, but I just don’t see McCain bringing the kind of change we need.
In a campaign where “Change” is the key component, the core principal behind each candidate’s words and actions; what has caused so many voters to “Change” their party, or “Change” their vote? For me the answer is a multifaceted, complex answer based on hours of self examination, research, and prayer. I have quite a few disagreements with Obama’s stance on the issues but I still feel he’d make a better President than John McCain. This blog is more an answer for my friends and family, a place to organize my thoughts, and simply point them to the site to explain my decision. So I’ll start with the first issue that most of my friends start off with.
Question : How can a Christian conservative vote for a man who supports abortion?
Answer: As anyone who knows me, or has read my thoughts on the subject knows, I despise abortion. I find it equivalent to first degree murder, and feel that it should be outlawed. But my answer for this is actually a simple one. This is a topic that NEITHER party will EVER do anything about. Consider the fact that in the 35 years since Roe v. Wade a Republican has sat in the White House 20 of those years. Most will argue that the inability to repeal this is due to liberal judges on the Supreme Court, but I don’t feel this to be the case. I honestly think that both sides secretly like this issue where it is. It’s a dividing issue, it’s a clear cut for or against issue that brings in millions of votes for both parties. Yes ladies and gentlemen abortion is the last ditch hope of both parties. Republicans call on it to scare voters to vote Republican “John Doe voted to kill babies, do you want John Doe in office? He’s a baby killer.” Democrats use it to scare voters by saying “Vote for us or those Republicans will take away your God given right to choose. They’ll remove control over your own body and force their morality on you.” In truth the only thing that can outlaw abortions in this country is a change of heart by Americans everywhere. Americans will first have to understand that life, even simple life, is precious and should be preserved and kept safe. Until then Americans will continue to see abortion as a choice.
Questions: How can a fiscal conservative vote for a Democrat? His policies are just going to hurt the country. Obama just wants to spread the wealth I’ve worked so hard to build. Obama is going to spend more tax money than McCain, and take us into a deeper hole.
Answer: This is one where I agree with both sides. On the one hand you have Obama that states that people are suffering, and greed is rampant in big business. On the other hand you have McCain who believes that lower taxes are good for the economy and that as businesses do well their wealth will trickle down to the little guy.
This is actually a pretty old idea called Reaganomics, for those of you old enough to remember it. The concept worked once, and personally I believe the boom during the Clinton era was the result of Reagan’s trickle down theory. So if it worked once why not now? The 1980’s were a different time. Yes greed was prevalent back then too, but greed took a back seat to national pride during the cold war, not to mention that our economy was nowhere near as global as it is now. American companies have gotten used to the idea of exporting their work to other countries. Doing so helps raise profit margins, which attract investors, which allows companies to grow.
While I do believe that those who work hard should keep the fruit of their labor, I strongly feel that the trickle has been clogged by greed, and is no longer trickling but dripping down. American companies have all but closed the faucet when it comes to bringing work back to the country. No work means higher unemployment, which eventually leads to a slowing economy, and as seen recently recession. This in a nutshell is my reason for voting for Obama. McCain’s approach is to lower taxes across the board for corporations and allow companies to come back on their own. The problem, as I see it, is that they won’t come back because even with lower taxes, the American workforce is just too expensive for any smart business man to even consider.
For me Obama’s answer of giving tax breaks specifically to companies who bring work back to the US coupled with removing tax breaks for those who export work will give the right incentive to create more domestic jobs. Obama’s idea of investing in renewable energy and creating jobs in this area are a win-win for our country. Renewable energy jobs in the area of wind and solar means less reliance on foreign oil and lower unemployment.
Let’s face it McCain himself has said that he knows little to nothing about the economy. When compared to Obama’s plan, McCain’s plan for the economy will raise the national debt by $5 trillion dollars as opposed to Obama’s $3.5 trillion dollars. This is the same national debt that has gotten so high, that the billboard in New York designed to track it, required an additional number place. In effect McCain’s plan of sticking to previous methods is simply not enough to bring this country back to good. In fact I personally see it hurting us in the long run. Here’s a great article on the subject.
Questions: Why should I have to pay for someone else’s health benefits? Isn’t nationalized healthcare going to ruin the industry? Healthcare is a privilege not a right.
Answer: I’ve actually changed my view on this several times. Both sides make sense, and I’m floating somewhere in the middle right now. First I believe quality healthcare to be a right not a privilege. Everyone is entitled to the right to live, and in my eyes Americans would be exhibiting the utmost cruelty in allowing their fellow citizens to simply die because they don’t have the money to afford lifesaving care. As anyone who’s ever read this blog knows, I’m in favor of serious welfare reform, and I’d hate to see healthcare become as bad as the Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and welfare systems.
That being said, McCain’s plan does nothing to improve the situation. McCain’s plan to tax on one hand while crediting with the other is nothing short of asinine. This does nothing for the millions of Americans without healthcare, and based on several independent estimates, could actually ruin our current lousy system. While I don’t personally favor giving things away for free, I do have to concede that one way or another we the people will end up paying the price. If we do nothing, people will continue to walk out on their hospital bills, which will eventually raise prices, which are passed on to us. If we do nothing, people will continue to put off seeking treatment for minor problems, which can and usually do become major problems. Eventually these people have a way of ending up in our Medicaid system, and costing taxpayers millions because they were never given preventive care.
Another common argument I hear is that social healthcare leads to bad doctors and bad care. Personally I haven’t studied this as much as I’d like, but I also don’t feel that this would be the case under Obama’s plan. If Obama is indeed looking to bring the uninsured under an insurance company plan then the plan will be administered by an insurance company, and not the government. That should negate the issues we’ve seen with Medicaid / Medicare, where doctors put off patients in lieu of patients with better coverage.
In addition I’ve noticed that hospitals have become more profit centric, and have lost their focus, which is to treat patients as best as possible. My cousin shared with me a story about his daughter’s last birth, which I think fits very nicely. Apparently the hospital closest to where he lives is in a nice well to do neighborhood. In order to keep its swanky image it has gone as far as provide food based on near gourmet recipes. While this sounds great for the relatives of the patient, it’s not really needed. Hospitals need to remember that they exist to treat patients. They have sworn the oath of “Do no harm” by proxy, and must share in that responsibility with the doctors. So will our healthcare suffer as a result of socialized medicine? It might but then again this isn’t truly socialized medicine Obama is suggesting, it’s a strange new hybrid. Either way it’s leaps and bounds above McCains plan.
While I can concede that giving away the farm ala Welfare and Medicaid does nothing to improve or instill the sense of self worth needed to drive people to the kind of action that will improve their situation, I must also admit that doing nothing will just foster a larger division between the haves and have nots. This division, over time, turns into resentment, bringing only a sense of never being able to succeed and blaming their problems on “the man”. With a subject as important as someone’s basic right to life and quality healthcare, we cannot sit idly by and do nothing.
Questions: Don’t you think Obama is too inexperienced to be President? Do you really trust him to make the tough decisions? Isn’t McCain better suited to deal with foreign policy?
Answers: In truth I do feel that Obama is untested, but capable of leadership. I once joked that giving Obama the Precidency was like giving a manager of the local McDonalds the position of CEO of Walmart. While his lack of testing under pressure does bother me, the fact that there are always advisors to help guide him reassures me. From what I’ve seen Obama has the intelligence and self control to handle himself in just about any situation. While John McCain is intelligent enough to handle a situation, I do not feel him to be in control of his temper or general feelings enough to handle certain situations. During this election I have watch as both men endorsed some pretty unfavorable ads against each other, but McCains seemed to stem more from desperation and anger. During the debates I have watched Obama handle himself with resolve and dignity, while McCain resorted to name calling and quick one liners.
Anyone who has ever been married for more than a few years knows that quick comebacks are usually the ones that hurt the most. Quick comebacks are instinctual, and usually involve statements better left unsaid. McCain has shown his proficiency for quick comebacks time and time again, and it has hurt him in my eyes. At this time in our nation’s history, we are embroiled in two wars, one of which is almost as unpopular as Vietnam, and we are quickly seeing our once strong international allies turn against us. As a result of the international dislike towards America we need, more than ever, a President who is willing to set aside differences and open discussions. We need a President who is capable of showing both our friends and enemies a calm, but firm resolve; Obama for me is that man.
Many have criticized Obama for his willingness to speak to the Castros and Chavezes of the world, but in truth embargos have failed, stiff necked diplomacy has failed, and the only thing that’s going to work is the calm, rational dialog that has been absent for the past eight years. You see Reagan was forceful, Reagan was strong willed, but Reagan was also willing to discuss, bargain, and sit down with his enemies. Had he not been the Berlin wall would probably still stand today.
Questions: Why shouldn’t we stay in Iraq? Obama wants to pull out and cost us the war, don’t the Iraqi people deserve to be free?
Answer: In my opinion there are more reasons to get out of Iraq than there are to stay. First and foremost is the FACT, not speculation but FACT, that Iraq is un-winnable. The problems in the Middle east are not some recent development, nor are they something that can be fixed by Democracy. The problems between the Muslims and Jews, and even between Muslim factions have their basis in religion, and an argument that has prevailed for over 3000 years. Jews believe that they are God’s chosen people, the beloved of God through Abraham’s son Isaac Gen. 16:12. Muslims believe that they are God’s chosen people the beloved of God through Abraham’s son Ishmael.
With this in mind Jews and Muslims are not fighting a war based solely on territory, they are fighting a war based on opposing religious ideologies. In addition to the many conflicts between Israel and the Muslim world, we have division within the Muslim community itself. The history here is too great to get into, but the basic premise is that they hate each other. With all of this in mind, we Americans, who don’t really understand the problem, have no hope of finding a solution. America is now smack in the middle of a civil war between two opposing factions that don’t see eye to eye on anything. This isn’t simply like the difference between Democrats or Republicans, these people have been, and are willing to kill for their religious beliefs to succeed.
Furthermore the notion that Iraq was ever about bringing democracy to the Iraqi people is ludicrous. The Iraq war was started partly from fear and reaction to 9-11, and partly from our desire to secure our need for oil. In the months following 9-11 our country underwent a change of mind, from the once proud can do attitude we all shared to the fearful terrorist in every corner feelings we now share. Our country has not been held hostage by fear this great since the McCarthy era. The only war we need to face right now is the war with our own fears. The terrorists have already done their part; they’ve shown us how vulnerable we are, they’ve goaded us into two wars, and they’ve all but succeeded in crippling our economy as a result. They’ve turned international opinion against us, and caused division among us. They’ve done what they set out to do.
As a result of 9-11 we’ve seen the largest increase in government in my lifetime. We have seen several of the civil liberties that made us a great nation erode. We have seen a drastic division between those who are for the war and those who are against it. We have become a nation divided, where the fear of being labeled unpatriotic hangs over Americans everywhere. The only way to truly WIN this war is to pick a side, preside over the largest genocidal acts since the holocaust, and loose our humanity in the process. We cannot win in Iraq because Iraq cannot be settled diplomatically. There are simply too many variables that our Western minds cannot embrace; therefore the only solution is withdrawal.
Conclusion
This year I vote not because I agree with Obama on everything, but because I believe he will be better suited to run this country. I feel that our current situation as a nation warrants a drastic change from the norm. I believe that we need a fresh face with a different approach to bring about change. God help me if I’m wrong, but I just don’t see McCain bringing the kind of change we need.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Crippling Government one Bill at a time
As I write this two of our country’s senators are competing for the Presidency of the United States of America. One of them is running a campaign dedicated to “cutting pork”, “removing earmarks” the other has also said several times that we need to make government more transparent, and blamed this current financial problem on lobbyists and special interests groups. Both of these men voted for the bailout, as did several others in the House and Senate. All knew of the tax breaks written into the bill; Tax breaks that could costs the American people billions over the next few years. If both men are so dead set against pork and wasteful spending, if both have pledged to take on the special interests groups, then why not point out to the American people the number and specifics of everything tacked on to this bill?
As far back as I can remember, every politician has preached against special interests groups, complained about the lobbyists, and then when in was their turn at bat, they struck out and did nothing. For those Americans who don’t know what the big deal is, I’ll do a quick recap. Sen. A wants to pass a bill that will do something good for the country like limit the amount of money a plaintiff can receive as part of a lawsuit. I site this because I personally feel that this country is lawsuit happy, and will sue over anything if just to make a buck. This eventually hurts the rest of the population since something somewhere usually increases. But I digress. Sen. A submits his bill, and goes around trying to drum up votes to get his bill passed. Sen. B says I’ll vote for this if you add this piece to it. Sen. B comes from a state dependent on cattle, and he would like to pass a bill that would loosen FDA regulations so that his constituents could cut costs raising cattle, and possibly make a better profit. Sen. A agrees, and moves along to Sen. F, who asks for something else to be tacked on to the bill. Eventually when Sen. A has found enough support for his bill he submits it to be voted on. The process is actually more complex than this, but these are the basics. For the actual workflow chart see the following: How a Bill becomes a Law
What exactly does this have to do with the bailout? Well the bailout bill took on quite a bit of “Pork” on it’s way through the House and Senate. The following website
gives a comprehensive list, but I’ve listed some of the more ridiculous ones here.
Sec. 503. Exemption from excise tax for certain wooden arrows designed for use by children
Current law places an excise tax of 39 cents on the first sale by the manufacturer, producer, or importer of any shaft of a type used to produce certain types of arrows. This proposal would exempt from the excise tax any shaft consisting of all natural wood with no laminations or artificial means to enhance the spine of the shaft used in the manufacture of an arrow that measures 5/16 of an inch or less and is unsuited for use with a bow with a peak draw weight of 30 pounds or more. The proposal is effective for shafts first sold after the date of enactment. The estimated cost of the proposal is $2 million over ten years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.
The Oregon senators were the initial sponsors of the provisions. According to Bloomberg News, the provision would be worth $200,000 to Rose City Archery in Myrtle Point, Oregon.
What exactly do our financial institutions have to do with children’s arrows? Luckily this is only costing us $200K in taxes, but it does nothing to help our current situation.
Sec. 317. Seven-year cost recovery period for motorsports racing track facility
Track owners want to be able write-off the cost of their facilities on their taxes over seven years - a depreciation timetable many of them have used for decades. But the IRS has wanted to stretch it to at least 15 years and has raised questions whether the increasingly popular tracks really belong in the same tax category as amusement parks.
Auto track owners are simply trying to get out of paying more taxes - which they'd have to do if they deducted less every year. These owners have gotten plenty of tax breaks over the years from states and localities eager to get speedways. The provision would be extended 2 years till the end of 2009 and would cost $100 million. The provision encompasses all facilities including grandstands, parking lots and concession stands.
Ok forgive me if I’m wrong but isn’t NASCAR one of the biggest sports in the US today? Don’t track owners make enough money on attendance and concession stands to warrant their current taxes? I’m all for lower taxes but businesses like NASCAR, baseball and football franchises have made enough money providing entertainment to the masses, and they should be held responsible for paying their fair share of the tax burden. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not against sports, in fact I love baseball, and have recently picked up an interest in football, but I don’t feel that anyone is worth 25 million a year, and I definitely don’t feel we should be giving tax breaks to the entertainment business when they make plenty of money on their own. Why cry over paying taxes when admission to a ball park is $50 per person in some cases?
Sec. 211. Transportation fringe benefit to bicycle commuters
Allows employers to provide a benefit to employees for costs associated with bicycle commuting, including purchase and repair of a bicycle, bicycle improvements, and bicycle storage. This provision was proposed in 2007 in the Senate by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and in the House by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). This provision is estimated to cost $10 million.
I know this is one of those “green” initiatives that are so popular these days, but really a tax write off for buying a bike? I mean really bikes are like $50 at Walmart, that’s about one week’s gas in my case. Does the government really need to step up and subsidize our bike purchases? I would personally rather see this money go to tax breaks for people who want to buy into solar power.
Sec 502. Provisions related to film and television productions
In an effort to keep film and television productions in the U.S, they would be eligible for a tax incentive program. Under this program, the cost of production of qualifying films would be permitted to be immediately expensed -- that is, fully deducted from income for tax purposes -- in the year the expenditures occur. This provision also makes permanent other favorable tax treatments for production. Historically Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA) has been a supporter (dating from its creation in the 2004 corporate tax bill). The cost is estimated at $478 million over 10 years.
How in the heck did Hollywood get a piece of this bill? Again I love movies, and I love good TV, but Hollywood makes enough money doing what they do, which in reality is worthless to the grand scheme of things. Is this part of the bill really going to entice the next Survivor to be in the Everglades? Hollywood puts out 90% garbage, 6% decent programming, and about 4% quality programming, all meant to allow us to escape the reality that our economy is in shambles and our standard of living is decreasing. Most of what’s on TV today has already been done, and we’re essentially just paying for the special effects of the current version, and yet they have the nerve to ask for tax breaks.
So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, bureaucracy at it’s finest. Once again we stand idly by as our government rewards the greed that created this mess with more greed. This is how our government crumbles, crippled by it’s own self indulgence and each State’s self interest. My question to both candidates is who will act in the interest of the “people”? Sure each one of these additions was made in the interest of some company, but the people who are truly affected are never thought of, and our government takes yet another bad idea designed to attempt to fix things and makes it worse by adding layer upon layer of greed.
As far back as I can remember, every politician has preached against special interests groups, complained about the lobbyists, and then when in was their turn at bat, they struck out and did nothing. For those Americans who don’t know what the big deal is, I’ll do a quick recap. Sen. A wants to pass a bill that will do something good for the country like limit the amount of money a plaintiff can receive as part of a lawsuit. I site this because I personally feel that this country is lawsuit happy, and will sue over anything if just to make a buck. This eventually hurts the rest of the population since something somewhere usually increases. But I digress. Sen. A submits his bill, and goes around trying to drum up votes to get his bill passed. Sen. B says I’ll vote for this if you add this piece to it. Sen. B comes from a state dependent on cattle, and he would like to pass a bill that would loosen FDA regulations so that his constituents could cut costs raising cattle, and possibly make a better profit. Sen. A agrees, and moves along to Sen. F, who asks for something else to be tacked on to the bill. Eventually when Sen. A has found enough support for his bill he submits it to be voted on. The process is actually more complex than this, but these are the basics. For the actual workflow chart see the following: How a Bill becomes a Law
What exactly does this have to do with the bailout? Well the bailout bill took on quite a bit of “Pork” on it’s way through the House and Senate. The following website
gives a comprehensive list, but I’ve listed some of the more ridiculous ones here.
Sec. 503. Exemption from excise tax for certain wooden arrows designed for use by children
Current law places an excise tax of 39 cents on the first sale by the manufacturer, producer, or importer of any shaft of a type used to produce certain types of arrows. This proposal would exempt from the excise tax any shaft consisting of all natural wood with no laminations or artificial means to enhance the spine of the shaft used in the manufacture of an arrow that measures 5/16 of an inch or less and is unsuited for use with a bow with a peak draw weight of 30 pounds or more. The proposal is effective for shafts first sold after the date of enactment. The estimated cost of the proposal is $2 million over ten years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.
The Oregon senators were the initial sponsors of the provisions. According to Bloomberg News, the provision would be worth $200,000 to Rose City Archery in Myrtle Point, Oregon.
What exactly do our financial institutions have to do with children’s arrows? Luckily this is only costing us $200K in taxes, but it does nothing to help our current situation.
Sec. 317. Seven-year cost recovery period for motorsports racing track facility
Track owners want to be able write-off the cost of their facilities on their taxes over seven years - a depreciation timetable many of them have used for decades. But the IRS has wanted to stretch it to at least 15 years and has raised questions whether the increasingly popular tracks really belong in the same tax category as amusement parks.
Auto track owners are simply trying to get out of paying more taxes - which they'd have to do if they deducted less every year. These owners have gotten plenty of tax breaks over the years from states and localities eager to get speedways. The provision would be extended 2 years till the end of 2009 and would cost $100 million. The provision encompasses all facilities including grandstands, parking lots and concession stands.
Ok forgive me if I’m wrong but isn’t NASCAR one of the biggest sports in the US today? Don’t track owners make enough money on attendance and concession stands to warrant their current taxes? I’m all for lower taxes but businesses like NASCAR, baseball and football franchises have made enough money providing entertainment to the masses, and they should be held responsible for paying their fair share of the tax burden. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not against sports, in fact I love baseball, and have recently picked up an interest in football, but I don’t feel that anyone is worth 25 million a year, and I definitely don’t feel we should be giving tax breaks to the entertainment business when they make plenty of money on their own. Why cry over paying taxes when admission to a ball park is $50 per person in some cases?
Sec. 211. Transportation fringe benefit to bicycle commuters
Allows employers to provide a benefit to employees for costs associated with bicycle commuting, including purchase and repair of a bicycle, bicycle improvements, and bicycle storage. This provision was proposed in 2007 in the Senate by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and in the House by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). This provision is estimated to cost $10 million.
I know this is one of those “green” initiatives that are so popular these days, but really a tax write off for buying a bike? I mean really bikes are like $50 at Walmart, that’s about one week’s gas in my case. Does the government really need to step up and subsidize our bike purchases? I would personally rather see this money go to tax breaks for people who want to buy into solar power.
Sec 502. Provisions related to film and television productions
In an effort to keep film and television productions in the U.S, they would be eligible for a tax incentive program. Under this program, the cost of production of qualifying films would be permitted to be immediately expensed -- that is, fully deducted from income for tax purposes -- in the year the expenditures occur. This provision also makes permanent other favorable tax treatments for production. Historically Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA) has been a supporter (dating from its creation in the 2004 corporate tax bill). The cost is estimated at $478 million over 10 years.
How in the heck did Hollywood get a piece of this bill? Again I love movies, and I love good TV, but Hollywood makes enough money doing what they do, which in reality is worthless to the grand scheme of things. Is this part of the bill really going to entice the next Survivor to be in the Everglades? Hollywood puts out 90% garbage, 6% decent programming, and about 4% quality programming, all meant to allow us to escape the reality that our economy is in shambles and our standard of living is decreasing. Most of what’s on TV today has already been done, and we’re essentially just paying for the special effects of the current version, and yet they have the nerve to ask for tax breaks.
So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, bureaucracy at it’s finest. Once again we stand idly by as our government rewards the greed that created this mess with more greed. This is how our government crumbles, crippled by it’s own self indulgence and each State’s self interest. My question to both candidates is who will act in the interest of the “people”? Sure each one of these additions was made in the interest of some company, but the people who are truly affected are never thought of, and our government takes yet another bad idea designed to attempt to fix things and makes it worse by adding layer upon layer of greed.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Now they’ve got me flip flopping
Wow what a month it has been. Two posts ago I was voting Libertarian. My last post, actually a combination of two potential posts which never made the blog but were both written some time ago, stated that I might have changed my mind and here’s why. I personally consider myself a conservative. I’m conservative about so many things, but liberal or moderate on others.
My Views in a nutshell:
We desperately need to regulate Wall Street, Insurance Companies and Banks. This
one also troubles me since I’m totally against big government, but in all
honesty greed has gotten the better of them all, and they’ve played a big part
of the mess we’re currently in. Wall Street speculators have driven up the cost
of fuel to make a profit. Insurance companies have pulled out of certain states,
like Florida, to maximize profits and reduce risk, leaving many to pay higher
premiums for less coverage. Banks loaned billions to people who couldn’t afford
it leaving our housing market in a downward spiral.
I believe this country is taxing it’s businesses out of the country, and forcing them to look elsewhere to make money. The sooner we realize that companies are not in business to make it’s workers happy, but are instead in business to make money, the sooner we can start bringing businesses back to this country.
I feel that it’s our utmost priority to secure energy independence. Why are we throwing away billions of dollars every year to countries that can’t stand us and dance in the streets whenever something bad happens to Americans? We’ve done so many wondrous things as a relatively young nation, but we can’t figure out how to run a car or power our homes?
We NEED to get out of Iraq. That is a must do for us, we simply can’t afford it. Now do we do it correctly and orderly, or do we do it in the same fashion that left Vietnam in shambles? I for one say we need to start billing the country of Iraq for our time there. I think we need to start training and teaching them to care for themselves.
I believe in vouchers, not because I want to send my kids to private school, but because it’s worked in other countries and can work here. I believe if a school isn’t performing it should be allowed to go out of business. I feel that every American parent should be given the choice of where to send their child and spend the money the government spends to educate their child. Education in this country needs to be rethought from the ground up. We need to focus on individual needs and styles of learning, we need to focus on training those who have no interest in college, so that they can contribute to society.
I believe we need welfare, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security reform. We need to look closely at any loopholes that allow Americans to sit on their rears and collect a check when they’re perfectly capable of working. We need to make sure that those who can pay for medical insurance do pay for it. We need to either leave Social Security alone or set a kill date for it and come to terms with the fact that it’s failing.
I feel that homosexuals should be given the same rights as heterosexuals, not more, but the same. I feel that if two people want to commit to each other, then we should let them, but, I also feel that we need to curb some of the indecency in the homosexual community. For instance, why are homosexuals allowed to have a parade and carry out acts that would merit a public indecency summons, at best, for a heterosexual couple? True equality covers the good and the bad equally.
I believe that good healthcare is a right, not a privilege, as McCain seems to think. We are a rich nation, and denying ANYONE quality healthcare is morally wrong. People should not be allowed to suffer or die because they can’t afford healthcare. This one is a tough one for me because I don’t believe bigger government is the answer, but I know that doing nothing is also not the answer.
I strongly feel that we need immigration reform, and tighter borders, something neither party seems to care much about lately. We need to know who is crossing our borders, be it drug runners, terrorists, or simply workers looking for a better life. We need to decide what to do with the 12 million illegal immigrants already here.
As anyone who’s ever read my blog knows abortion to me is comparable to 1st degree murder. In truth I don’t feel that either party will ever do a thing about abortion, so it’s up to our religious leaders to change the hearts of Americans.
So anyway, those are my views on some of the more popular topics. As you can see I tend to lean more conservative than liberal on quite a few matters. So why the flip flop? Simple I just don’t like or trust McCain.
During all three of the debates McCain came off as the angry troll ready to pounce. He consistently had this silly smirk as if he had caught Obama with his pants down. He repeatedly avoided questions and resorted to pointing the finger, rather than explaining his position. And finally when he did get around to explaining his position he failed miserably at it. For instance when asked about his healthcare plan he changed topic. When pressed he elaborated that yes his plan did call for a tax credit, but it also called for taxes against employer provided healthcare. How does he think this will work exactly? He’s now going to tax my health benefits, but then give me a mere $5,000 to “help out”?
Ok let’s be honest here. Every year my company gives me a 3% increase. From what I hear that’s the average increase in this country. Every year my medical insurance goes up and wipes out my increase. This combined with the rising cost of gas, food, home insurance, clothes, and just about everything else has left me making less now than I did 3 years ago. Now I’m not complaining, well yes I am, but I can’t afford to lose my health insurance because McCain wants to tax it as part of my income. That to me proves that he doesn’t have a handle on the financial issues facing many Americans today.
After looking at it Obama’s plan, which by the way is not the same plan he had when he was facing Hillary Clinton, will be better for most Americans. I can keep my great coverage and save about $2,500 yearly. Does it increase government? Yes it does, but in truth we pay for it one way or another anyway. Medicare, Medicaid we pay for, someone skips out on a doctor’s bill, we pay for. So essentially we’ll end up paying either way. Small business that can’t afford to insure their employees will now have the option to insure them under the Federal plan.
During the debates Obama kept his composure and handled himself nicely, while McCain resorted to “That guy over there” jokes and transparent attempts to gain acceptance by crying foul. Let’s be honest this election has shown how evil and petty people can get. Obama has been called a terrorist, an arab, and a ni#$er by McCain supporters. Sarah Palin has been called a c*nt and has had her picture plastered on t-shirts with that word under it. So neither party is exactly innocent here. But EVERY mass movement has a few nutters in it, and thinking that you’re somehow owed an apology for something someone else said is a bit much.
That being said neither one really wowed me with their ideas for the economy. Obama’s idea to take a scalpel to the budget was a bit more impressive than McCain’s hatchet, but both plans still call for us to go deeper into debt as a country and that shocks me. It’s almost like the bone heads at AIG; those wacky bunch of executives who decided to go ahead with plans for a party even though they had no money to do so before they were bailed out.
Obama has showed signs of coming more into the center than he has in previous months, which leaves me wondering if he’s just telling us what we want to hear, or what he really felt before getting the nomination. For instance he’s suddenly ok with off shore drilling, nuclear power, and clean coal, something I believe he was against when he was debating Clinton. Either way I think Wednesday’s debate was a better format since it forced them both to actually speak to each other. That was one of my pet peeves from the first two debates. I think Biden and Palin did a much better job of being civil and actually communicating than McCain or Obama did in any of their debates.
The one area where I actually had the biggest change of mind was in the area of regulation. NBC did a nice wrap up after the debate and showed the candidates in their general campaigns. One of them was Biden giving a speech about regulations. Now as a conservative I’ve always been against regulation. In fact I rather like the capitalist system of checks and balances as I see it. “Make smart moves and prosper, make dumb moves and fail” The only problem with that is that it doesn’t take into account the greed factor. Now greed is a nasty thing. Palin spoke about it at the VP debate. Newspapers seem to be speaking about it almost daily, and the general consensus in the country is that the banks got what was coming to them for being greedy.
I remember the first time I saw the movie Wall Street. I remember watching Michael Douglas shouting out “Greed is good!”. Well greed just put the American people on the path to another depression. Our unregulated lending was fueled by greed, and it is anything but good, because now WE have to pay for it. Fuel speculation was driven by greed, and has made some Americans choose between gas in their tanks or food on their tables; again not so good.
During his speech Biden sarcastically mentions how we’ve done such a great job of self regulation in the business world, and that got me thinking. We haven’t. In fact we actually suck at it. Our companies chase the dollar without one thought to the damage they’re doing to those around them. Greed is not good, and since it is part of humanity we do owe it to ourselves to make sure it gets kept in check. So while over regulation is bad and poorly conceived regulations are bad, we do need to regulate the business world. We need to pass laws against greed as we have against guns, murder, drugs, or any of the myriad of things we pass laws against. We owe it to our children to make sure that they do not pay for the sins of their parents.
All in all I’m still undecided, but now with Obama leanings, which isn’t scoring me points with any of my friends. I do see McCain as just Bush part 3, and I do see him carrying on the same failed policies that have brought this country to the brink of collapse. So either I’m voting Libertarian or I’m voting Democrat, but I won’t be voting Republican this year, which is a shame considering we started off with much better candidates than the Democrats did.
Rudy whoever ran your campaign should be flogged for convincing you to run solely in Florida. Paul, Romney you both ran a great race, and God knows I would have preferred either of you to McCain. Huckabee you gave it a good shot, and you were my favorite, I expect you back in 2012.
Fear and Ridicule in Politics
As expected my last blog about my voting Libertarian has started a conversation about my choice. Luckily it’s only with my cousin and he has to love me. The good news, for me anyway, is that after looking at the Barr bashing website he recommended, I’ve decided to blog about the ugly trend of Fear and Ridicule in politics. Now this website is obviously far to the left even though they claim not to represent any one party or recommend any one candidate.
“And remember, the Religious Freedom and First Amendment Coalitions do not represent any political party nor do we recommend any political candidate, nor are we involving ourselves in the political process.”
Now who are they trying to kid with this? At the very top of the page is a video titles “I’m voting Republican”. While I did get a kick out of it, it’s an obvious attempt to paint conservatives and Republicans for that matter as dimwitted war mongers, who hate the poor, the sick, gays, education, and just about everything else in this world. The video plays on and on with ½ truths and childish scare tactics aimed at misleading the masses into thinking that all of the evil talked about in the video will somehow be unleashed if a Republican takes office in 08.
Here are some of the lines that caught my attention.
An African American couple say they want to know that even if we’re separate we’ll still be called equal.
Really, are these people serious? Did they just skip the history lesson on the founders of the Republican Party? Do they not know that the party was started by anti-slavery activists?
A lesbian couple says they want to be told who they can love and how they can best show a lifetime commitment...
Talk about stereotypical propaganda. It’s not just Republicans who are against the whole gay marriage thing. Yes as we learned during recent debates, Obama and Biden are also against it; and me Mr. Conservative Republican? Well honestly I could care less. I’d be fine with allowing gay marriage as long as text was put in making sure that churches could not be forced to officiate a gay wedding, be forced to curb sermons against homosexuality or so long as schools would be forced to ask a parent before teaching on the subject to children. Essentially I’m ok with it as long as it doesn’t infringe on my beliefs as a Christian.
While I’m not voting Republican this year, I still believe in some of the core conservative beliefs that the party “supposedly” holds dear, and I don’t appreciate some website trying to make all Republicans out to be wacky, gun toting, homophobes.
Now today’s entry is about fear ads plain and simple. The left isn’t the only side out planting the seeds of terror into the American people. Both sides have run some pretty nasty campaigns that essentially make the other candidate sound like the worst thing since AIDS. Politicians need to learn the simple statement taught to most kindergarteners everywhere; “When you point the finger at someone else there are usually three more pointing back at you” the thumb doesn’t count because it usually points somewhere totally different.
What we have done is foster the notion that in order to survive politically we need to point the finger and blame someone else for the country’s woes. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with saying that someone’s approach needs work, there’s also nothing wrong with pointing out what hasn’t worked in the past and offering solutions to improve it, but the demonizing and negative campaigns do NOTHING to fix the problem. To quote yet another school yard proverb, “If you’re not part of the solution you’re part of the problem”. You have to love those nuns for telling you this stuff every time you do wrong.
So what exactly is wrong with modern politics? Simple most of these guys will go out of their way to blast and put down the opposing party, and they will spare no expense to make sure that the American people see that person as a vile good for nothing. The political arena of today looks less and less like a competition between two intelligent people, and more like school yard banter. In truth both of our current parties are out there right now hoping to scare the election in their favor. Neither one is really saying what they intend to do to fix the problem, and answering any criticism their ideas might draw; instead they’re focused on tearing down their opponent. They’re focused on placing blame on their opponent, and making sure that the American people are too scared to vote for anyone else but them.
Let’s look at some of the comments coming from each side:
Democrats claim McCain is simply Bush in another body. They claim that he’s simply going to continue to ruin the country as Bush has done. The goal is to scare Americans to vote for someone who will change government, and not make things worse. In truth McCain has always been a bit out there, and on his own with respect to the Republican Party. He’s been courted by the Democrats, and is considered rather liberal by most conservatives. Personally I don’t like McCain enough to vote for him, but not for any of the reasons above. My problem with him is with his view on the war. I feel we should begin an orderly retreat, but also take into account that we cannot leave the people of Iraq in the mess we’ve put them. McCain is willing to stay in Iraq as long as it takes to win, and I for one don’t feel we can ever truly win in Iraq.
Republicans are trying to show Obama as too inexperienced for the position, and scaring Americans into believing that he’s going to raise taxes and make things worse for the country. Obama has been attacked because of his religious beliefs, his citizenship, and his acquaintances. In truth while I don’t believe in the principles of the Democratic Party as a whole, I do admire their desire to at least try something to fix the country. Will I vote for Obama? I don’t know now. YES that’s right I may just have been swayed. (<-- moment of insanity.), but that’s a blog for another day.
Today’s blog is simply a request to politicians everywhere. Please don’t bash the other party, tell me the problem, tell me your solution, let me decide if you’re worthy to lead, but don’t bash your opponent; it’s ugly, it’s petty and it’s beneath me. In truth it simply makes you look like a smaller person with something to hide.
“And remember, the Religious Freedom and First Amendment Coalitions do not represent any political party nor do we recommend any political candidate, nor are we involving ourselves in the political process.”
Now who are they trying to kid with this? At the very top of the page is a video titles “I’m voting Republican”. While I did get a kick out of it, it’s an obvious attempt to paint conservatives and Republicans for that matter as dimwitted war mongers, who hate the poor, the sick, gays, education, and just about everything else in this world. The video plays on and on with ½ truths and childish scare tactics aimed at misleading the masses into thinking that all of the evil talked about in the video will somehow be unleashed if a Republican takes office in 08.
Here are some of the lines that caught my attention.
An African American couple say they want to know that even if we’re separate we’ll still be called equal.
Really, are these people serious? Did they just skip the history lesson on the founders of the Republican Party? Do they not know that the party was started by anti-slavery activists?
A lesbian couple says they want to be told who they can love and how they can best show a lifetime commitment...
Talk about stereotypical propaganda. It’s not just Republicans who are against the whole gay marriage thing. Yes as we learned during recent debates, Obama and Biden are also against it; and me Mr. Conservative Republican? Well honestly I could care less. I’d be fine with allowing gay marriage as long as text was put in making sure that churches could not be forced to officiate a gay wedding, be forced to curb sermons against homosexuality or so long as schools would be forced to ask a parent before teaching on the subject to children. Essentially I’m ok with it as long as it doesn’t infringe on my beliefs as a Christian.
While I’m not voting Republican this year, I still believe in some of the core conservative beliefs that the party “supposedly” holds dear, and I don’t appreciate some website trying to make all Republicans out to be wacky, gun toting, homophobes.
Now today’s entry is about fear ads plain and simple. The left isn’t the only side out planting the seeds of terror into the American people. Both sides have run some pretty nasty campaigns that essentially make the other candidate sound like the worst thing since AIDS. Politicians need to learn the simple statement taught to most kindergarteners everywhere; “When you point the finger at someone else there are usually three more pointing back at you” the thumb doesn’t count because it usually points somewhere totally different.
What we have done is foster the notion that in order to survive politically we need to point the finger and blame someone else for the country’s woes. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with saying that someone’s approach needs work, there’s also nothing wrong with pointing out what hasn’t worked in the past and offering solutions to improve it, but the demonizing and negative campaigns do NOTHING to fix the problem. To quote yet another school yard proverb, “If you’re not part of the solution you’re part of the problem”. You have to love those nuns for telling you this stuff every time you do wrong.
So what exactly is wrong with modern politics? Simple most of these guys will go out of their way to blast and put down the opposing party, and they will spare no expense to make sure that the American people see that person as a vile good for nothing. The political arena of today looks less and less like a competition between two intelligent people, and more like school yard banter. In truth both of our current parties are out there right now hoping to scare the election in their favor. Neither one is really saying what they intend to do to fix the problem, and answering any criticism their ideas might draw; instead they’re focused on tearing down their opponent. They’re focused on placing blame on their opponent, and making sure that the American people are too scared to vote for anyone else but them.
Let’s look at some of the comments coming from each side:
Democrats claim McCain is simply Bush in another body. They claim that he’s simply going to continue to ruin the country as Bush has done. The goal is to scare Americans to vote for someone who will change government, and not make things worse. In truth McCain has always been a bit out there, and on his own with respect to the Republican Party. He’s been courted by the Democrats, and is considered rather liberal by most conservatives. Personally I don’t like McCain enough to vote for him, but not for any of the reasons above. My problem with him is with his view on the war. I feel we should begin an orderly retreat, but also take into account that we cannot leave the people of Iraq in the mess we’ve put them. McCain is willing to stay in Iraq as long as it takes to win, and I for one don’t feel we can ever truly win in Iraq.
Republicans are trying to show Obama as too inexperienced for the position, and scaring Americans into believing that he’s going to raise taxes and make things worse for the country. Obama has been attacked because of his religious beliefs, his citizenship, and his acquaintances. In truth while I don’t believe in the principles of the Democratic Party as a whole, I do admire their desire to at least try something to fix the country. Will I vote for Obama? I don’t know now. YES that’s right I may just have been swayed. (<-- moment of insanity.), but that’s a blog for another day.
Today’s blog is simply a request to politicians everywhere. Please don’t bash the other party, tell me the problem, tell me your solution, let me decide if you’re worthy to lead, but don’t bash your opponent; it’s ugly, it’s petty and it’s beneath me. In truth it simply makes you look like a smaller person with something to hide.
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