It has been a long time since I have sat down to write in this blog. I have been on a self-imposed news and facebook sabbatical.
I used to take in a LOT of news, I watched it on TV and online. I listened to NPR for hours each day as I walked my dogs and puttered around the house. I turned into a high strung nut job, quick with an opinion about any esoteric topic. The news had me wound tightly from the time I got up in the morning until I went to bed. I got sucked into any number of political discussions on facebook. I wrote long, well thought responses to postings and got attacked.
I finally decided to stop, six months or so ago. I have not tuned in to the news. My only interaction on facebook has been to check my neighborhood page. My stress level has dropped to a more manageable level and I realized how difficult it is to go online and not get sucked into the madness. I know that President Trump creates a lot of turmoil, but it's interesting if you only surface into the news world once in awhile. From 6 months ago to now, not much has changed. Sure, events have happened, but the world did not necessarily require that I be an engaged citizen. From what I can tell, it sounds like Trump almost declared war on Iran for shooting down our spy drone. I could get all worked up, but it doesn't matter. It REALLY does not matter. We aren't at war, but even if we were, my opinion on it would not matter.
It's not that I am apathetic, I just realized that me getting spun up over things does not make a difference, one way or the other.
Monday, June 24, 2019
Thursday, July 21, 2016
More than one person has asked me who I am voting for in November. Each time, the person who asked and I debated the "lesser of two evils" and voting for a "known evil" arguments. Trump or Clinton? Who do you vote for?
I will vote for neither. I will vote Libertarian.
I never in my life would have thought I would utter these words, but Ted Cruz was right, I must vote my conscience.
For a long time now, I have struggled with which party, Democrat or Republican, I more closely align. I don't care if a person is gay or straight, Black, White, Christian, Muslim, Atheist, man or woman. I believe in the right to bear arms. I believe it is a woman's choice whether she chooses abortion or to have her baby. None of these things interest me because none of them matter.
Many things do matter to me and the two biggest are freedom and liberty, which were at the heart of our Constitution. The Constitution of the United States of America is an amazing document. Our forefathers had their faults, just like everyone does. Our Constitution was created in a way so as to outline what the federal government canNOT do. It does not outline the rights of the government, it outlines the rights of the people. Both the Democrats and Republicans have perverted our Constitution to the point where its' almost not recognizable. For both parties it is a matter of passing laws and regulations that benefit their tribes. That is all it's about. Neither party looks beyond today's money grab. We have a national debt of over $19T! 1% interest on $19T is $190B. That is $190B EVERY YEAR doing nothing. What could $190B do to help our schools, our roads? The INTEREST on our national debt will soon be the biggest budget line item.
The Democrats and Republicans are equally guilty as to who has caused this. Do not fool yourself. They are ALL crooks. They all want to control you because control is power, and that is all it's about. How much money have we dedicated to the war on poverty over how many decades? The return on investment is statistically nil. We would have been better off just handing out cash. How much money have we dedicated to the war on drugs over how many decades? There is no return on investment and the war itself has turned into an endless money pit that spans the globe, lining the pockets of 3rd world dictators.
I could go on, but there's really no need.
I am voting Libertarian.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Lack of Leadership
President Obama is off to vacation on Martha's Vinyard and the Republicans. According to some reports, he will be using his time to relax as well as put together a plan to generate jobs which he plans to release some time in September. Republicans are quick to point out that in bad economic times, the president should not be going off on vacation. Who caress if he goes on yet another vacation? Who cares that his choice of vacation locations is one of the wealthiest in the country? It doesn't matter.
What bothers me more is the fact that Republicans, despite all their bluster, once again demonstrate themselves as a pack of spineless nit wits. Where is the Republican Plan? Where are their solutions? There was the Ryan Plan which garnered little action and even less support Republicans want tax cuts for businesses? Then cut taxes for business. They want to make things better by getting the government out of the way? Where is the legislation to do so. One of the biggest responsibilities of the House of Representatives is to initiate legislation, yet they sit back and wait for The President to lead. Where are the Tea Party members now that Republicans are in power? Have they returned to the silent majority? Where are your ideas, Tea Parties? You got these monkeys into office, now is the time to hold them to task. One of the harshest criticisms of Michelle Bachmann is that she has not done anything meaningful. Why doesn't she step to the forefront and propose a piece of legislation which will accomplish the things she speaks of accomplishing if she becomes President? Show us what you've got Michelle, don't tell us. The governors in the Republican primaries have records to run on, this is your chance. I am looking at this as the start of your presidency. Let's see what you have. Let's see you get things done. Let's see you craft a piece of legislation that you can negotiate into getting passed and then fully implement it when you become The President. The same goes for you, Mr. Paul. Can't get a piece of legislation passed in the House? What are you going to do if you become The President?
Republicans love to drop the name of Ronald Reagan. WWRD? What would Ronnie do? Reagan had a lot of faults while running the United States. He made a lot of mistakes which people often overshadow. More than anything, though, Reagan was a leader. Democrats flocked to support him for many reasons, but the two biggest were that he evoked a sense of patriotism and he was a leader. He took the reigns of a sinking economy and did what it took to turn things around. He cut AND he raised taxes. He did what he needed to do. It's one thing to emulate The Gipper in words, it's another entirely to emulate his ability to take action.
What bothers me more is the fact that Republicans, despite all their bluster, once again demonstrate themselves as a pack of spineless nit wits. Where is the Republican Plan? Where are their solutions? There was the Ryan Plan which garnered little action and even less support Republicans want tax cuts for businesses? Then cut taxes for business. They want to make things better by getting the government out of the way? Where is the legislation to do so. One of the biggest responsibilities of the House of Representatives is to initiate legislation, yet they sit back and wait for The President to lead. Where are the Tea Party members now that Republicans are in power? Have they returned to the silent majority? Where are your ideas, Tea Parties? You got these monkeys into office, now is the time to hold them to task. One of the harshest criticisms of Michelle Bachmann is that she has not done anything meaningful. Why doesn't she step to the forefront and propose a piece of legislation which will accomplish the things she speaks of accomplishing if she becomes President? Show us what you've got Michelle, don't tell us. The governors in the Republican primaries have records to run on, this is your chance. I am looking at this as the start of your presidency. Let's see what you have. Let's see you get things done. Let's see you craft a piece of legislation that you can negotiate into getting passed and then fully implement it when you become The President. The same goes for you, Mr. Paul. Can't get a piece of legislation passed in the House? What are you going to do if you become The President?
Republicans love to drop the name of Ronald Reagan. WWRD? What would Ronnie do? Reagan had a lot of faults while running the United States. He made a lot of mistakes which people often overshadow. More than anything, though, Reagan was a leader. Democrats flocked to support him for many reasons, but the two biggest were that he evoked a sense of patriotism and he was a leader. He took the reigns of a sinking economy and did what it took to turn things around. He cut AND he raised taxes. He did what he needed to do. It's one thing to emulate The Gipper in words, it's another entirely to emulate his ability to take action.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Why
Hello my dear friend E,
Last night you asked me if I was going to vote for Obama and wanted to know my reason when I told you "no." When I voted for Obama, I had reached a level of disgust that I had never felt toward Republicans. 8 years of the Dub Doctrine left me disillusioned toward Republicans. I felt that the only way to save the party was to punish it for its wrongdoings, which were vast and deep. I could write 10 posts about the state of the Republican Party back in 2008, but that doesn't answer your question. I voted for change, like so many other Americans did. There is a car in my neighborhood that has a bumper sticker that sums up my feelings pretty well, "So far the change sucks."
Something that I have learned in the past two years is to be careful what you ask for. In the case of Obama, I voted for change. What I didn't know then that I do now is that I didn't know what the change would he promised would look like. I didn't ask because anything was surely better than what we had. Looking back, I can't say that things have gotten any better. We started with 2 armed conflicts in the Middle East and are now up to 3. Who knows how many more we will be involved with over the next two years. Dub's Doctrine was crazy, Obama's is insane. Again, we are pushing for change with no idea what that change will bring. The Middle East is being swept by democracy which is essentially mob rule. In this case the mob is made up of Marxists, socialist and radical Muslims. Sure, you hear the common folk in the Middle East say that they are fighting for change and democracy, but do they know who will be holding the whip when the dust settles? Are they fighting for a fundamentalist Islamic state where women are second class citizens? Are they fighting for countries rooted in intolerance and hatred? Who knows? They surely don't, but they will have democracy by God and they have the full backing of Hillary Clinton and the rest of the Obama administration. All of these "grass roots" uprisings were actually planned out here in the United States last year. These meetings were conducted with the full support of the administration. Are the new democrats in the Middle East fighting for countries resembling the prosperity of places like the United Arab Emirates or are they fighting for the democratic chaos that grips Iraq?
Staying in the Middle East, let's look at Israel. For the first time in the history of the State of Israel, the United States is no longer an ally. Obama has done nothing to support Israel. Obama took the side of the Peace Mob aboard the Gaza Flotilla last year. Israel had every right to protect itself and board that ship. Had it truly been a peaceful mission, the flotilla would have followed the rules and not acted like a crazed rabble. What kind of a peaceful mission arms people with knives and clubs and then uses those weapons against those armed with nothing more than paintball guns? Whose side are we on and why? Israel is the ONLY state in the Middle East that mirror the values that we hold here in the United States. Are women stoned in Israel for straying outside of marriage? No. Are women treated as second class citizens in Israel? No. Are those that practice religions other than the state religion tormented and killed for no reason in Israel? No. Israel is not perfect. It's leaders have made mistakes much like leaders of every country. Fundamentally though, Israel is our sister, a bastion of freedom in a region filled with oppression. Why have we cast away our ally?
Obama pledged for transparency. Where was that transparency during the healthcare debate? There was supposed to be open debate. Where was it? Why was the bill passed in the manner that they did it? If the bill stood so solidly, why was debate disallowed? Why was it that Pelosi made the statement that the bill had to be passed before they would know what was in it?
I do not agree with Obama's approach to ramming through his green initiatives. Peel away the layers on that one and you will find copious examples of where these initiatives benefit his friends. Does Obama stand behind nuclear energy because he truly believes it is a great source for power generation or does he back it because one of his largest supporters is GE, the company that builds nukes? He forbids US oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico but companies that send the oil elsewhere are allowed. Why did we give Brazil $2 billion to promote offshore drilling there with wells far deeper than in the Gulf, all while the moratorium was imposed in our own territorial waters?
I could go on and on and on, friend. Do the Republicans have someone who can even come close to Obama? Not a chance. His machine never shut down from the last election. His goal is to be the first to raise over a billion dollars. No one can touch that. Not until the Republicans can figure out what they stand for will they put up a fight for president. Unfortunately for the country, it will be a long long time, if ever, before the Republicans can counter.
Does that answer your question?
Adam
Last night you asked me if I was going to vote for Obama and wanted to know my reason when I told you "no." When I voted for Obama, I had reached a level of disgust that I had never felt toward Republicans. 8 years of the Dub Doctrine left me disillusioned toward Republicans. I felt that the only way to save the party was to punish it for its wrongdoings, which were vast and deep. I could write 10 posts about the state of the Republican Party back in 2008, but that doesn't answer your question. I voted for change, like so many other Americans did. There is a car in my neighborhood that has a bumper sticker that sums up my feelings pretty well, "So far the change sucks."
Something that I have learned in the past two years is to be careful what you ask for. In the case of Obama, I voted for change. What I didn't know then that I do now is that I didn't know what the change would he promised would look like. I didn't ask because anything was surely better than what we had. Looking back, I can't say that things have gotten any better. We started with 2 armed conflicts in the Middle East and are now up to 3. Who knows how many more we will be involved with over the next two years. Dub's Doctrine was crazy, Obama's is insane. Again, we are pushing for change with no idea what that change will bring. The Middle East is being swept by democracy which is essentially mob rule. In this case the mob is made up of Marxists, socialist and radical Muslims. Sure, you hear the common folk in the Middle East say that they are fighting for change and democracy, but do they know who will be holding the whip when the dust settles? Are they fighting for a fundamentalist Islamic state where women are second class citizens? Are they fighting for countries rooted in intolerance and hatred? Who knows? They surely don't, but they will have democracy by God and they have the full backing of Hillary Clinton and the rest of the Obama administration. All of these "grass roots" uprisings were actually planned out here in the United States last year. These meetings were conducted with the full support of the administration. Are the new democrats in the Middle East fighting for countries resembling the prosperity of places like the United Arab Emirates or are they fighting for the democratic chaos that grips Iraq?
Staying in the Middle East, let's look at Israel. For the first time in the history of the State of Israel, the United States is no longer an ally. Obama has done nothing to support Israel. Obama took the side of the Peace Mob aboard the Gaza Flotilla last year. Israel had every right to protect itself and board that ship. Had it truly been a peaceful mission, the flotilla would have followed the rules and not acted like a crazed rabble. What kind of a peaceful mission arms people with knives and clubs and then uses those weapons against those armed with nothing more than paintball guns? Whose side are we on and why? Israel is the ONLY state in the Middle East that mirror the values that we hold here in the United States. Are women stoned in Israel for straying outside of marriage? No. Are women treated as second class citizens in Israel? No. Are those that practice religions other than the state religion tormented and killed for no reason in Israel? No. Israel is not perfect. It's leaders have made mistakes much like leaders of every country. Fundamentally though, Israel is our sister, a bastion of freedom in a region filled with oppression. Why have we cast away our ally?
Obama pledged for transparency. Where was that transparency during the healthcare debate? There was supposed to be open debate. Where was it? Why was the bill passed in the manner that they did it? If the bill stood so solidly, why was debate disallowed? Why was it that Pelosi made the statement that the bill had to be passed before they would know what was in it?
I do not agree with Obama's approach to ramming through his green initiatives. Peel away the layers on that one and you will find copious examples of where these initiatives benefit his friends. Does Obama stand behind nuclear energy because he truly believes it is a great source for power generation or does he back it because one of his largest supporters is GE, the company that builds nukes? He forbids US oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico but companies that send the oil elsewhere are allowed. Why did we give Brazil $2 billion to promote offshore drilling there with wells far deeper than in the Gulf, all while the moratorium was imposed in our own territorial waters?
I could go on and on and on, friend. Do the Republicans have someone who can even come close to Obama? Not a chance. His machine never shut down from the last election. His goal is to be the first to raise over a billion dollars. No one can touch that. Not until the Republicans can figure out what they stand for will they put up a fight for president. Unfortunately for the country, it will be a long long time, if ever, before the Republicans can counter.
Does that answer your question?
Adam
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Getting Old
I just turned 39, and like so many that have past into this last year before hitting 40, I am being forced to look at the world, where we are, where we've been through my lifetime and where we can possibly be going. So many times I find myself telling people my age, "Music just isn't the same." I remember my parents bemoaning this same observation. There is a difference though. If I were them, there's no way I could listen to hair metal or industrial bands. Those musical genres took a leap far beyond what they had been used to. I can understand and appreciate that. The fact is, I grew up on Ratt and Van Halen and Nine Inch Nails and Ministry. I also grew up on the Golden Oldies of the 60s (parents) and classic rock of the 70s (older sister) and pop music of the 80s (this one was all me). I transitioned into adulthood with Grunge and ever since have been waiting desperately for the next big thing in music. Oh kids today! That's easy for me to say because I look at those who are 30 and younger and I see a generation that has been coddled and sold to the highest bidder. These are the kids that grew up with no sharp corners in the house. They wore helmets when they rode their bicycles. They were given a life with little worry and lots of stuff. They have come of age in the great age of political correctness.
Things WERE different when I grew up in the 70s. I never went without, but the specter of poverty forever hung over our house. Christmas meant making a wish list and being happy with what I got, even if it wasn't on the list. Demands for expensive gifts would not have been received well. We made due with what we had. We played outside and had amazing imaginations. Parents weren't afraid to twack kids when kids deserved it, and we often did. There were very real consequences around every corner. We pushed our limits but still respected our elders and neighbors.
Kids today have grown up with great expectations, just as we all did. The difference though, is that kids today are not necessarily willing to work hard and thanklessly to attain those great expectations. They feel they automatically deserve job offers as soon as they graduate college. They move back in with their parents, not as a bridge, but as a lifestyle. Money that they earn is funneled into expensive cars and the latest gadgets. They expect to inherit their parents' homes. This is not about helping out mom and dad, this is about arrested development.
These are the people who are being rallied into the ranks of the Democratic Party which promises health care to all and jobs in the swelling government ranks. High speed Internet access is a right as is higher education. Why work hard for something that's going to be handed to you anyway? They have become a leisure class and instead of being supported by trust funds, they are being supported by tax payers.
I am appreciative for absolutely everything. I have worked my ass off to get where I am which is solidly middle-class. I have scrimped and saved and sacrificed. I do not expect a parade or congratulations for my efforts. I realize that I am better off that a lot of people in this world and I appreciate that every single day. But, I was handed nothing but the love of my family and friends, everything else I earned.
It's a shame that this has become an old fashioned way of looking at the world and it's a shame that there is a generation for which these values are lost. At some point, the entitlement mentality will catch up not only with this young generation but our country as a whole and that is when the United States and all that it has represented will be relegated to a chapter in history.
Things WERE different when I grew up in the 70s. I never went without, but the specter of poverty forever hung over our house. Christmas meant making a wish list and being happy with what I got, even if it wasn't on the list. Demands for expensive gifts would not have been received well. We made due with what we had. We played outside and had amazing imaginations. Parents weren't afraid to twack kids when kids deserved it, and we often did. There were very real consequences around every corner. We pushed our limits but still respected our elders and neighbors.
Kids today have grown up with great expectations, just as we all did. The difference though, is that kids today are not necessarily willing to work hard and thanklessly to attain those great expectations. They feel they automatically deserve job offers as soon as they graduate college. They move back in with their parents, not as a bridge, but as a lifestyle. Money that they earn is funneled into expensive cars and the latest gadgets. They expect to inherit their parents' homes. This is not about helping out mom and dad, this is about arrested development.
These are the people who are being rallied into the ranks of the Democratic Party which promises health care to all and jobs in the swelling government ranks. High speed Internet access is a right as is higher education. Why work hard for something that's going to be handed to you anyway? They have become a leisure class and instead of being supported by trust funds, they are being supported by tax payers.
I am appreciative for absolutely everything. I have worked my ass off to get where I am which is solidly middle-class. I have scrimped and saved and sacrificed. I do not expect a parade or congratulations for my efforts. I realize that I am better off that a lot of people in this world and I appreciate that every single day. But, I was handed nothing but the love of my family and friends, everything else I earned.
It's a shame that this has become an old fashioned way of looking at the world and it's a shame that there is a generation for which these values are lost. At some point, the entitlement mentality will catch up not only with this young generation but our country as a whole and that is when the United States and all that it has represented will be relegated to a chapter in history.
Friday, September 24, 2010
You Have to Be Kidding Me
I am not the smartest guy in the world and freely admit that. There are many things in this world that I do not know and that I'm not good at. So it staggers my imagination that the Republican's latest offering, their Pledge to America, is the best they have to offer. Really? That's as good as it gets? I still find myself shaking my head in shock and awe at this disaster.
First of all, who in their right mind gave the okay for a 48 page document? 48 pages? How in the world are Republicans going to cut bloat in Washington when they can't even cut the bloat in their pledge? Who were they writing this for? Grandpa Joe who needs some good reading material for the bathroom? Any first year marketing major will tell you that the key is to be brief, concise, to the point.
Admittedly, many pages are little or nothing more than random pictures. I'm as patriotic as the next guy but in this context, using full page pictures of the Statue of Liberty and Mt. Rushmore seems a bit forced and contrite. The picture list:
This really was one of the strangest things I've ever looked at. It has a very stuffy and formal feel to it and then you see all of these horrible pictures thrown in for no rhyme or reason. I find it strange that not one of the pictures included a caption as to the context of the picture and who was in it. Admittedly, having that information would have only marginally helped but it would have been at least an attempt to come across as personable.
The actual content of the document is rife with generalities, lack of depth and childish jabs at Democrats. This begs the question, to whom was this Pledge directed? The perceived audience to me is loyal Republicans who don't need a whole lot of explanation. Review this Pledge and really think about what the message is.
There IS some substance here, like:
My point of all this is that I think, despite there being some good ideas in the Republican Pledge to America, in its essence it's a stinker. We the people of the United States deserve better. Presenting things as they have in the Pledge, I am even more convinced that the Republican Party is not the party for me. This is the proverbial lipstick on a pig and I can't help but think that if the Republicans somehow manage to take the House, it will still be business as usual.
First of all, who in their right mind gave the okay for a 48 page document? 48 pages? How in the world are Republicans going to cut bloat in Washington when they can't even cut the bloat in their pledge? Who were they writing this for? Grandpa Joe who needs some good reading material for the bathroom? Any first year marketing major will tell you that the key is to be brief, concise, to the point.
Admittedly, many pages are little or nothing more than random pictures. I'm as patriotic as the next guy but in this context, using full page pictures of the Statue of Liberty and Mt. Rushmore seems a bit forced and contrite. The picture list:
- an unnamed politician standing behind a meat counter
- a town hall meeting perhaps being led by in unnamed politician in an undisclosed location on an undisclosed date
- unnamed politician pointing to a pie chart of America's debt
- unnamed politician at a factory of some sort, she is dressed like she is going into the boardroom
- a man in a suit presumably giving a speech
- unnamed man and woman on horseback
- Viewing screen of a TV camera with an unnamed politician (I will say that the fuzziness of the politician does ring true)
- a horribly stated photo shoot of an unnamed politician with a forced smile
- unnamed politician in a blazer at what looks to be a lunch and learn
- a stirring silhouette of a cowboy
- two men outside of a van, one is a business owner, one is an unnamed bored politician
- a shot of a TV studio, presumably with a Republican politician(?)
- a stuffy looking unnamed politician at some local concert(?)
- unnamed politician standing in front of a crowd
- a picture of front lawns with a horrible cropping the American flag in the foreground
- unnamed politician being friendly with soldiers in an unknown context
- bad picture of a politician leaning in, presumably to better hear the older woman he is talking to
- a pie chart of federal assistance programs with no indication as to what the numbers in the chart represent
- an older man, presumably a politician with a messy chart behind him
- people sitting at a nice boardroom table with the focus on the water bottle in the foreground
- a town hall meeting with an unnamed politician and the same messy chart as was in a previous picture
- politician with his hand on a stack of paper, white board in back with the title House Republican Reading Room
- unnamed woman politician
- Ah ha! Finally a close up of the messy chart that had been in previous pictures. A Maze of Bureaucracies (unfortunately this was not added at a high enough resolution that the chart could actually be read)
- a collage of unnamed male Republican Representatives. The layout quality of this was perhaps on par with a high school yearbook. There is a horribly cropped picture of the Capitol dome on a dismal, cloudy day
- another montage: A bored unnamed politician struggling to either understand or get through the moment, a politician listening to a bald man, an unnamed politician at a veterans event(?), a horribly overdressed unnamed politician shaking a veteran's hand, unnamed politician pointing like he means it
- a picture of a street with nice lamp posts that were probably paid for with federal grant money. In zooming in to 150% I did see that this was taken in Washington County, which state is a mystery
- another montage: unnamed politician talking to people in a location I can't figure out, unnamed politician sitting next to an American flag which is partially obscured by an open laptop, a meeting of some sort with lots of American flags, a man in camouflage and an unnamed politician, unnamed woman politician at a town hall meeting taking a question
- the White House in winter
- another poorly cropped picture of the Capitol(?)
- the Supreme Court
- another montage: unnamed politician with an empty cup at a meeting and a whiteboard labeled IDEAS with only one idea, unnamed politician at a radio station - KHTS, staged shot of an unnamed female politician in a hardhat, some sort of a meeting, a group of unidentified people standing in front of the Shawnee Community Hospital, 3 unnamed politicians
This really was one of the strangest things I've ever looked at. It has a very stuffy and formal feel to it and then you see all of these horrible pictures thrown in for no rhyme or reason. I find it strange that not one of the pictures included a caption as to the context of the picture and who was in it. Admittedly, having that information would have only marginally helped but it would have been at least an attempt to come across as personable.
The actual content of the document is rife with generalities, lack of depth and childish jabs at Democrats. This begs the question, to whom was this Pledge directed? The perceived audience to me is loyal Republicans who don't need a whole lot of explanation. Review this Pledge and really think about what the message is.
There IS some substance here, like:
- "reforming" Fannie and Freddie, though over the years Republicans had ample opportunity to do this which may have prevented the bubble in the first place.
- Impose a net hiring freeze of federal employees - I can get behind this but doubt it will be implemented
- Root out government waste and sunset outdated and duplicative programs. This sounds noble, but I find it hard to believe that Republicans will be rooting out waste and duplication in programs which benefit their getting elected again.
- I can get behind purchasing insurance across state lines.
- Enact medical liability reform. I like this, but the solution is vague at best: "We will enact
common-sense medical liability reforms to lower costs, rein in junk lawsuits and curb
defensive medicine." How? Define common sense. - There is a reference to a program that House Republicans implemented called "America Speaks Out," though there is no link for this.
- Read the bill - blah blah blah. Wow, geeze, the Republicans are promising 3 days of review prior to voting as opposed to Obama's promise of 2. That is really going out on a limb. The fact is, even 3 days is not enough to review what is in these megabills that the House is passing. It is physically impossible for the average person to read and comprehend a 2500 page bill in 3 days. If these jackholes insist on passing these enormous bills, a rule should be established whereby for every 100 pages in a bill, there will be 1 day for review, with a minimum of 3 days. The same applies for any amendment. Each amendment should allow for at least one day, as well as 1 per every 100 pages. This way, if you have a 2500 page bill, there will be a public review period of 250 days. That sounds a bit more logical to me. I would hope that a consequence of this would be a shrinking in size and scope of bills. This would be concurrent days, meaning, if 10 amendments, each 100 pages long are tacked on on a single day, 20 additional days of review would be added to the total for the bill (1 day for each of the amendments and 1 day each for the 100 pages). Some would say that this would allow a system whereby new amendments could be piled on to kill a bill. This could be avoided by the bill's writer imposing a limit to the number of amendments allowed for their bill. If the want to get it voted on quickly, they will limit the size and scope.
My point of all this is that I think, despite there being some good ideas in the Republican Pledge to America, in its essence it's a stinker. We the people of the United States deserve better. Presenting things as they have in the Pledge, I am even more convinced that the Republican Party is not the party for me. This is the proverbial lipstick on a pig and I can't help but think that if the Republicans somehow manage to take the House, it will still be business as usual.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
R.I.P. Republican Party
The Republican Party is dead. I have been preaching this message to my friend John for a number of months now and though he originally agreed with me only halfheartedly, he has now come to see things as I have. The reason I say this is because the GOP has no principles upon which it stands and is willing to fight. Most Republicans, if asked, will tell you that theirs is the party of Reagan, of smaller government and lower taxes. This is the GOP that I have rallied around for years because these are the principles which form the foundation of my personal political views. These are not the views of the Party today however. I cannot align myself with the governing philosophy that George W. Bush used when he was in power for 8 years. That philosophy is not the foundation of what the GOP used to be. The size of government exploded under W. Some will declare that the reason for this was 9/11. I respect that opinion, but those actions do not align with GOP principles. I have regretted casting away my vote on him, but have made peace with myself in pointing out the the alternative was just as bad or even worse. He was the lesser of two evils.
Look at the Tea Parties. It is my understanding that the Tea Parties are rooted on the principles of smaller government and lower taxes. If the GOP held these as core values, then why the need for these new organizations? They are essentially fighting for the same exact things. Numerous Republican candidates ran in this past primary season backed by the support of the Tea Parties. The Tea Parties were fighting against the very group which supposedly hold the same values. The Tea Parties are, to a degree, could have brought the Republican Party back to where it belongs. Instead of rallying behind these candidates, the GOP has in some cases disowned Tea Party candidates, supporting them grudgingly and only in an effort to quell the protesting voices from within. In many cases though, the Republican party continues to support their entrenched candidates by encouraging them to run as Independents or write-ins. This tactic makes no sense to me, especially when the Republicans the members of the Tea Party are supposedly on the same side. The actions of the GOP will do nothing more than split the conservative vote, thus creating a great opportunity for Democrats to at the very least retain their power. Look at what the Democrats are doing in comparison to the Republicans Go to Organizing for America (http://www.barackobama.com/index.php) and you will see a marked difference to what you hear about Republicans. The Democrats are organizing and building momentum as the Republicans tear each other apart.
It is more than 2010 though. We are rapidly coming up on the two year mark for the next presidential election and who is the front runner candidate for the Republican Party? No one, which means they are already too late. Because of this, 2012 will prove to be the final, crushing defeat of the GOP. After that, the party will prove to be little more than a whimper as the final nails are hammered into the coffin of Capitalism and the American Way. Once that happens, there will be no further need for the Republicans as all of the socialistic machinery will already be firmly in place and there will be no going back. At that point there will be no saving the Constitution as none of it will be left to save. By then, the government will be telling you what you can and cannot eat and drink. It will be telling you what kinds of cars you can drive, what kinds of household appliances you can buy, what kinds of information you have access to. It will be be the nightmare America that scared so many of us when we were growing up under the specter of the Soviet Union. People will stand, dazed and confused wondering how and when all of this happened. And though I will not be able to give a specific day, I will be able to say it was the day that the GOP drifted from its charter principles of smaller government and less taxes.
Look at the Tea Parties. It is my understanding that the Tea Parties are rooted on the principles of smaller government and lower taxes. If the GOP held these as core values, then why the need for these new organizations? They are essentially fighting for the same exact things. Numerous Republican candidates ran in this past primary season backed by the support of the Tea Parties. The Tea Parties were fighting against the very group which supposedly hold the same values. The Tea Parties are, to a degree, could have brought the Republican Party back to where it belongs. Instead of rallying behind these candidates, the GOP has in some cases disowned Tea Party candidates, supporting them grudgingly and only in an effort to quell the protesting voices from within. In many cases though, the Republican party continues to support their entrenched candidates by encouraging them to run as Independents or write-ins. This tactic makes no sense to me, especially when the Republicans the members of the Tea Party are supposedly on the same side. The actions of the GOP will do nothing more than split the conservative vote, thus creating a great opportunity for Democrats to at the very least retain their power. Look at what the Democrats are doing in comparison to the Republicans Go to Organizing for America (http://www.barackobama.com/index.php) and you will see a marked difference to what you hear about Republicans. The Democrats are organizing and building momentum as the Republicans tear each other apart.
It is more than 2010 though. We are rapidly coming up on the two year mark for the next presidential election and who is the front runner candidate for the Republican Party? No one, which means they are already too late. Because of this, 2012 will prove to be the final, crushing defeat of the GOP. After that, the party will prove to be little more than a whimper as the final nails are hammered into the coffin of Capitalism and the American Way. Once that happens, there will be no further need for the Republicans as all of the socialistic machinery will already be firmly in place and there will be no going back. At that point there will be no saving the Constitution as none of it will be left to save. By then, the government will be telling you what you can and cannot eat and drink. It will be telling you what kinds of cars you can drive, what kinds of household appliances you can buy, what kinds of information you have access to. It will be be the nightmare America that scared so many of us when we were growing up under the specter of the Soviet Union. People will stand, dazed and confused wondering how and when all of this happened. And though I will not be able to give a specific day, I will be able to say it was the day that the GOP drifted from its charter principles of smaller government and less taxes.
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