Thank the Lord for term limits and scheduled elections.
Can you imagine living in a country without such amenities? What would it be like? Take a look at the revolution and constant murder for power that goes on in most of South America, Asia, Africa, Quebec. What would the US be like if the divisiveness of political radicals and the fear attached to uncertainty went on without end? God bless the founding fathers (who fought amongst themselves like hockey-moms and pitbulls) and the inspiration from Heaven that put in their minds so many wonderful things that they had never even heard of. Let's remember, the point was that they had been ruled by a King for thousands of years, not a Democratic or Republican for four to eight.
I am so grateful for the American political system. Even though we think the other side is taking us all down to hell every four years, I couldn't say more sincere prayers of gratitude through the other three years that it's not as bad. Competition seems to bring out the best and the worst in people. Like most things on this Earth, it's a double-edged sword. I'm so grateful for bicameralism and checks and balances. I believe they work.
AM New York ran a funny hypothetical a few months ago called "What If 9/11 Never Happened". According to their predictions; George Bush would have been ousted for his shenanigans, Kerry would have become President, Gore would have been Secretary of Environment, the war, the economy, and the environment would all go to pot, Obama have a simple law practice in Chicago, McCain would be a retiring Arizona Senator, and Mitt Romney (because of his business and political experience) President of the United States. I wonder how many of us who share moral beliefs with Mitt Romney would have watched his every move for what we felt was hypocrisy, ready to disown him. I wonder how many would turn a blind eye to those same mistakes and compromises. Thank the Lord for the separation of Church and State.
I hope we all vote. To show our support for the system if nothing else. If we don't vote, others still will. Hopefully forever.
Let's vote with wisdom. The internet makes it so easy to learn about the candidates and issues. It's wonderful. It also makes it easier to be swayed by spin doctors, hate mongers, dooms dayers, and all other sorts of black magic mumbo jumbo. Political issues have to be put into the context of pork barrelling, a global marketplace, tack-on legislation, diplomatic relations, resource wars, corruption, virtue, and the sacred rights and varying opinions of over 300 million individuals. Still, I hope we all stand firm in what we believe.
Even with the installment of the Blurk Detector to the right of the screen, I still am not aware of who everyone is that views our blog. We've seen hits from the west, the east, the midwest, the south, Asia, Europe, and South America. I don't know all of your politics, I do know some. Often politics have to do with the issues of where we live, sometimes they have to do with how we live. Finding out what is best for all of us is a tricky matter to say the least. Thank goodness for the protection of free speech and the right to vote.
As for myself, I'd like to exercise my sacred right to speak on one issue very briefly; California Proposition 8. I've read the high court's decision. I believe it needs to be checked. It speaks of "form and substance", but it is mistaken. It switches the resolution of one issue with another. Only a union between a man and woman can create a child. No other can. It seems to me that the ability to procreate is the most powerful, and therefore, sacred double-edged sword in the hands of mankind. It deserves unique rights, obligations, and protections. I hope we all agree that everyone deserves the same basic human rights. More importantly, I hope we live as we speak. But rights exist only with protections. Many of those rights are nullified if the traditional family is dissolved. As a student who is planning to move back to California after graduation, I am a resident and an official out-of-state voter. I voted Yes on California Proposition 8. If you are in support of these things, I hope that you vote Yes too.
Now, I'll spare you having to listen to how much I am behind Barack Obama and Joe Biden and believe they will create a cabinet of diplomacy and vision.
Stay tuned, there are only four more days left to bedlam. Susanna will post cute pictures of the baby before then.
2015!
9 years ago
10 comments:
What is this Barack Obama?
Is that like Y2K?
I felt like I was watching an Obama infomercial last night during that 30 minute televised event. I was waiting for him to say, "If you call now we'll throw in _______."
Sorry brother, I guess I'm venting through your comment board. I can't see how increasing taxes to business is going to spur economic growth when the country needs it the most. The $250,000 is not based off of profit, rather, it is total receipts/net income. That's before the bills, payroll, or overhead. The small company Carline works for will fall under this tax and it will bring company growth to a screeching halt.
I'm not happy with the current economic situation the country is in but it would have never got here if credit was not extended to people who could not pay it back. It is the exact same situation that spurred on the Great Depression.
Am I saying we are headed to our own Great Depression? I don't believe so. At least the Federal Reserve has learned a lesson from history with better management of our elastic currency. But, law makers failed to see long term risk (or future crisis) when they forced banks to take higher risk loans through the SEC removal of regulatory barriers and reduced disclosure requirements. All of which was done in the name of fairness?!!
I am not excited about the idea of social medicine. I work in the medical field and have witnessed denial of service to patients through the rationing of health care under Medicare and Medicaid.
The banks are guiltless either. Many of them have grown too large and I can't see how John Thain from Merryl Lynch make 30 or 40 million this year and receive a bonus of 80 million dollars last year, yet, he couldn't even save the company from going under.
I am fearful of a future of fiscal management decisions based off fairness, not logic, with the hopes of shoring up long term political support to make it increasingly difficult to dethrone the political class. I am fearful politicians (of the right and left) that write laws or take action only when it politically advantageous for them to stay in power. Finally, I am sick and tired of the election year lip service and false promises from any political party trying to fool the people of America into voting for them.
You were watching an Obama infomercial. It was an extended commercial for a product that still needs placement in some American minds.
But with all due respect, this election is bigger than taxes. It's about a lot of things. And when it comes down to it all any of us can do is vote our conscience and trust that others will too.
Thanks for your thoughts GK, it's nice to hear reasoning that's not based in fear.
Well said, GK. Free of hysteria and mania, qualities which are becoming everpresent in political debate as the election draws closer.
I agree, American, for all it's faults, doesn't have too shabby of a set up, and I too am gratefull for it.
I love that statement,
"...everyone deserves the same basic human rights", but it is unfortunate, not everyone believes it.
Economic growth, social welfare, fiscal responsibility, addressing corruption and over sized business and sound logical thinking for the future. More than taxes.
Good blogging, GK. It is nice to hear someone saying positive things about anything related to the political system. A nice redirection to positive thinking.
I do have a question about the following statement: "Many of those rights are nullified if the traditional family is dissolved." I've heard that argument before and I don't understand it. I obviously have no influence on Prop 8 and haven't given it much thought, but on the bigger issue, that argument is less than convincing. I'm not trying to be a jerk or fight over the issue, I just honestly don't understand that one. Care to elaborate?
Well said. Thanks
lashley,
This is GK's dad. Very briefly, since 2005, through AB205 gay couples in California have been given every legal protection and privilege afforded to married couples. I might add that there was little, if any resistance to AB205 by anybody.
The concern here is that by making the decision the State Supreme Court did, the court made gay marriage a protected class. This legal term means that it enjoys a higher degree of protection under the law than does regular marriage. For example, I can say anything I wish against heterosexual marriage and no big deal. But if I say anything against gay marriage it can be deemed "hate speech". What we have already seen in Massachusetts and Canada, and soon I'm afraid in Connecticut, is that certain gay militant elements have used the classification and created situations, such as demanding that a pastor perform a gay marriage despite the fact that he or she doesn't believe in it and that there are alternating venues for it, then suing when they refuse, basically attacking an essential element of Freedom of Religion.
Another issue that Anti-Prop 8 people are denying, but is fact, is that gay marriage will be taught in the schools, as early as kindergarten, without parental consent or knowledge. The California State Superintendant of Schools has stated in Anti Prop 8 ads is that this will never happen. But his own website states that 96% of California schools are already required to teach about marriage. As long as the subject doesn't include actual sex education (describing body parts and functions) parents don't need to be informed about it. It is an established fact that it has already happened in Massachusetts and the parents who complained were told they had no right to, nor be informed, and were told if they kept up their complaints they could be prosecuted for it. This removes parents from the loop and eliminates another basic right of Freedom of Speech.
Our concern is that these basic, federally guaranteed constitutional rights will be trashed and certain churches persecuted. This could easily be dismissed as paranoia if it hadn't already happened elsewhere. And it only takes a handful of militant people and an eager group of lawyers in litigation-happy California to make it happen.
There are approximately 109,000 gay couples already registered as Domestic Partners in California, but since the ruling only about 11,000 have been married. Many of them are now under the impression that Prop 8 will eliminate the rights given them in AB205. This is not true. It only restores Prop 22, but now as a constitutional amendment, free from arbitrary judicial legislation. It would have never come to this but for the Supreme Court, which, by the way was in violation of the California State Constitution, which only allows the elected state legislators or the people through initiative and referendum to establish law, as the voters did in 2000 with Prop 22. The Supreme Court is only supposed to interpret the intent of the law, not change or nullify it by, as one dissenting judge called it, "judicial fiat". Sorry for the run-on. Hope it helps clear things up.
The "Share the Wealth" Tax that Obama proposes is an important issue because it illustrates the main difference between Democrats and Republicans:
Democrats believe that every American is ENTITLED to the "American dream".
Republicans believe that Americans need to EARN the "American dream".
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