I keep seeing these signs that say vote Pro-Life. I do not know that any candidate named pro-life is running, or that there is a referendum on life on any ballot.
So I can only assume that this means to vote for the candidate that supports and protects living beings, especially humans. Okay so who is for medical research, health care for everyone, protecting the environment. Well, that is in the Democrats' platform. So I guess they would be the pro-life vote.
Glad I got that figured out
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
A sad farewell
My dog died. The cancer was too extensive to be able to save him and came on too suddenly. But at least we did everything we could and so did the veterinarian.
A dog's life is a short one, but one that gives many lifetimes worth of loving memories. I will always be grateful for him in my life but will not be getting another dog. We have a surviving dog and I do not look forward to her end of life. There is just too much emotional pain, and then add financial pain just to dig the knife in a little deeper.
So no, pet ownership is really no longer for the middle class as much as for the very comfortably wealthy.
But in the end we made a moral decision about his life, not a financial one. I pray someday in this country people consider life sacred enough that there is not a price that can be put upon it. At least starting with human life if you cannot go there with animals
A dog's life is a short one, but one that gives many lifetimes worth of loving memories. I will always be grateful for him in my life but will not be getting another dog. We have a surviving dog and I do not look forward to her end of life. There is just too much emotional pain, and then add financial pain just to dig the knife in a little deeper.
So no, pet ownership is really no longer for the middle class as much as for the very comfortably wealthy.
But in the end we made a moral decision about his life, not a financial one. I pray someday in this country people consider life sacred enough that there is not a price that can be put upon it. At least starting with human life if you cannot go there with animals
Sunday, September 26, 2010
A dog's life
My husband is currently trying to find a way to save our dog's life. He is ten and has been sick for about a week now. It is nothing new for a dog to vomit. However, he fell over and the emergency clinic says he is in shock and may or may not have liver cancer. Any further testing would require $$$$$$ or they would be happy to put him down if we could not afford it.
My husband left for a second opinion, as he watched the only other people in the office (1:00 am) make the decision to put their dog down. He said he felt they were in the business of killing dogs, not helping them.
We may ultimately have to make that decision but we would rather do it at home, by our own vet, and knowing that we did everything we could afford.
This life or death decision for animals is often a financial one and it is sad. But at least he had ten years which is pretty good for a dog.
But our own human health care system does that. I am faced right now with losing all my teeth because I cannot afford implants. I am being denied by my insurance company treatment for my degenerative disc disease in my back. I was also denied treatment for infertility, which left us with a hefty debt, partly from treatment and partly from adoption expenses. We are headed firmly down the path of bankrupcy, so honestly I would save my dog if we could even find the credit to do that and give me teeth.
And so many people are worse off yet. They cannot get any medical treatment. In a more humane world life would not come with such a price tag on it. If you listen to Mr Huckabee and Ms Angle they do not think insurance companies should be forced to stick money into already sick people. Mike went as far as to compare human life to a burned out home.
Yet I think he is a pro-lifer. Go figure.
But I agree. Insurance companies should not. They should not be in the picture. They should not be the middleman. There should be single payer. Some think that would cause rationed health care for the elderly. But all the government DOES not is care for the elderly. I would just like to see that care extended to everyone, and the unborn would have a better world to be born into.
So far nobody has been asked to put their human loved ones down. But denying coverage just makes them die slowly and painfully. We actually do treat dogs better than that.
So at least our poor dog is better off. He is better off not knowing there may have been treatments out there but were denied because a veterinarian would rather put a lethal injection in him than perform some work for less money. And he is also better off if it turns out no amount of treatment would actually make him better, just prolong the inevitable leaving him to suffer until the end, but he does not actually have to do that. There is the lethal injection option that should only have to be used in this cases, when it is the right thing to do morally and not financially
My husband left for a second opinion, as he watched the only other people in the office (1:00 am) make the decision to put their dog down. He said he felt they were in the business of killing dogs, not helping them.
We may ultimately have to make that decision but we would rather do it at home, by our own vet, and knowing that we did everything we could afford.
This life or death decision for animals is often a financial one and it is sad. But at least he had ten years which is pretty good for a dog.
But our own human health care system does that. I am faced right now with losing all my teeth because I cannot afford implants. I am being denied by my insurance company treatment for my degenerative disc disease in my back. I was also denied treatment for infertility, which left us with a hefty debt, partly from treatment and partly from adoption expenses. We are headed firmly down the path of bankrupcy, so honestly I would save my dog if we could even find the credit to do that and give me teeth.
And so many people are worse off yet. They cannot get any medical treatment. In a more humane world life would not come with such a price tag on it. If you listen to Mr Huckabee and Ms Angle they do not think insurance companies should be forced to stick money into already sick people. Mike went as far as to compare human life to a burned out home.
Yet I think he is a pro-lifer. Go figure.
But I agree. Insurance companies should not. They should not be in the picture. They should not be the middleman. There should be single payer. Some think that would cause rationed health care for the elderly. But all the government DOES not is care for the elderly. I would just like to see that care extended to everyone, and the unborn would have a better world to be born into.
So far nobody has been asked to put their human loved ones down. But denying coverage just makes them die slowly and painfully. We actually do treat dogs better than that.
So at least our poor dog is better off. He is better off not knowing there may have been treatments out there but were denied because a veterinarian would rather put a lethal injection in him than perform some work for less money. And he is also better off if it turns out no amount of treatment would actually make him better, just prolong the inevitable leaving him to suffer until the end, but he does not actually have to do that. There is the lethal injection option that should only have to be used in this cases, when it is the right thing to do morally and not financially
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The propaganda is working
Oh my, just last week the majority of people were against cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans.
I watched the local news where the reporter stated as a Fact the Repulican opinion that the top 2% of American individuals were job creators.
Really. Well, they still have the majority of the wealth, and have probably gained quite a bit in this redistribution of wealth that has been going in the upward direction.
Why aren't they creating jobs now? I mean here, not overseas.
But if it is repeated on the news it must be true. And Fox is not the only one guilty now. I guess when it comes down to the wire, all but a few networks are going to be reporting hard for their corporate bosses.
I guess all that can be down is to sit down and watch the corporate takeover of America resume. Goodbye Social Security, Medicare, K-12. I will really miss you.
I watched the local news where the reporter stated as a Fact the Repulican opinion that the top 2% of American individuals were job creators.
Really. Well, they still have the majority of the wealth, and have probably gained quite a bit in this redistribution of wealth that has been going in the upward direction.
Why aren't they creating jobs now? I mean here, not overseas.
But if it is repeated on the news it must be true. And Fox is not the only one guilty now. I guess when it comes down to the wire, all but a few networks are going to be reporting hard for their corporate bosses.
I guess all that can be down is to sit down and watch the corporate takeover of America resume. Goodbye Social Security, Medicare, K-12. I will really miss you.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
A night for the crazy
Last night I heard so many dems say they were happy exteme tea party candidates had won because they were going to increase the dems chances in November. Whoa. Check the facts. Talk to people. Even sane, your next door neighbor type of people are being infected with the crazy.
Honestly, when they think Nancy Pelosi is crazy for wanting a public option in health care, but do not think Sarah pick up your gun and reload Palin is, you have to redefine what constitutes crazy for most people.
For me, it is trusting that the Wall St that took everyone's pension funds as soon as baby boomers were about to retire and lost all that money, and their home's money as well. The bank who, as soon as everyone was heavy in debt to make up the difference between dwindling wages and rising prices doubled the interest rates and tightened credit. Oh, and there is that little thing of taking all the taxpayer's money via the bailout and either hoarding it or investing it overseas. What is crazy is that people trust these people with our Social Security.
And to these people anyone who does not is crazy.
So unless something happens between now and Nov. look forward to a really altered America. They want change? How about a you may not masturbate law. See Christine ODonnell. Or how about getting rid of the department of Education? See Sharon Angle. See her for how to use your second right amendments too (that's if she has won and has not shot Reid, or if she has shot Reid but is a free woman anyway and takes the Senate seat)
So everyone who wanted change, say goodbye to civilization and hello to the wild wild west
Honestly, when they think Nancy Pelosi is crazy for wanting a public option in health care, but do not think Sarah pick up your gun and reload Palin is, you have to redefine what constitutes crazy for most people.
For me, it is trusting that the Wall St that took everyone's pension funds as soon as baby boomers were about to retire and lost all that money, and their home's money as well. The bank who, as soon as everyone was heavy in debt to make up the difference between dwindling wages and rising prices doubled the interest rates and tightened credit. Oh, and there is that little thing of taking all the taxpayer's money via the bailout and either hoarding it or investing it overseas. What is crazy is that people trust these people with our Social Security.
And to these people anyone who does not is crazy.
So unless something happens between now and Nov. look forward to a really altered America. They want change? How about a you may not masturbate law. See Christine ODonnell. Or how about getting rid of the department of Education? See Sharon Angle. See her for how to use your second right amendments too (that's if she has won and has not shot Reid, or if she has shot Reid but is a free woman anyway and takes the Senate seat)
So everyone who wanted change, say goodbye to civilization and hello to the wild wild west
Monday, September 13, 2010
What people will believe
I do not know but I have been told that Speaker Pelosi wanted to penalize all medical tourism. I would like to not believe that but remembered when Obama made a deal with Pharma that keeps people from purchasing meds overseas.
I also cannot believe that people are more willing to gamble their social security to Wall St then to the government as it has been for so many years. Even when reminded that everyone who had a 401K, pension, or home has suffered massive loss of value due to Wall St.
I am also told that the health care reform will benefit younger people, resulting in rationing care for older people, like supposedly happens in England. I know that the only health care now being run by the government is Medicare/caid and they mostly help older people.
I think people will only believe what they want to, myself included. But I am willing to actual check the facts. I don't mean the facts distorted for politics, like science, revised history, evolution, etc. (BTW I am waiting for 2 plus 2 to no longer equal 4 because that is a socialist plot). But I am willing to listen to reason. I know there are flaws in the current political pary, the president has flaws, the health care bill has flaws, and social security has flaws.
But if the people who vote only spout what their party of preference believes and refuse to even consider anything said by others then we are doing ourselves and others a disservice. If we keep demonizing those with opposing beliefs we cannot fix the flaws in our government, we only mirror them. We cannot make informed decisions as voters. We really need to get all the facts even if we do not like them.
I think we as Americans are a complete failure when it comes to participating in politics. We only fall for the current propaganda, the gimicks of factions that arise like the tea party, catchy slogans, fearmongering, and of course hating our fellow Americans because that divide and conquer thing is really working for the ruling class.
I stand by my conviction that Social Security should be saved as FDR wanted it. And I stand by the history I learned that he was the hero that got us out of the great depression. Look, if we cannot even agree on history how are we going to grow the middle class back again.
More hopeful that even if we never get it together, the slave laborers in China and other 'emerging markets' are going to refuse to be the planet's factory any longer. There is talk of unionizing and revolt. How ironic that America's economy may ultimately be saved by the same country that took all our jobs. But don't hate the Chinese, the average worker makes a lot less and works even longer hours (35 hours per shift I hear). They too have a ruling class (or government), but if worldwide workers demand their due we may see the rise of our economies again
I also cannot believe that people are more willing to gamble their social security to Wall St then to the government as it has been for so many years. Even when reminded that everyone who had a 401K, pension, or home has suffered massive loss of value due to Wall St.
I am also told that the health care reform will benefit younger people, resulting in rationing care for older people, like supposedly happens in England. I know that the only health care now being run by the government is Medicare/caid and they mostly help older people.
I think people will only believe what they want to, myself included. But I am willing to actual check the facts. I don't mean the facts distorted for politics, like science, revised history, evolution, etc. (BTW I am waiting for 2 plus 2 to no longer equal 4 because that is a socialist plot). But I am willing to listen to reason. I know there are flaws in the current political pary, the president has flaws, the health care bill has flaws, and social security has flaws.
But if the people who vote only spout what their party of preference believes and refuse to even consider anything said by others then we are doing ourselves and others a disservice. If we keep demonizing those with opposing beliefs we cannot fix the flaws in our government, we only mirror them. We cannot make informed decisions as voters. We really need to get all the facts even if we do not like them.
I think we as Americans are a complete failure when it comes to participating in politics. We only fall for the current propaganda, the gimicks of factions that arise like the tea party, catchy slogans, fearmongering, and of course hating our fellow Americans because that divide and conquer thing is really working for the ruling class.
I stand by my conviction that Social Security should be saved as FDR wanted it. And I stand by the history I learned that he was the hero that got us out of the great depression. Look, if we cannot even agree on history how are we going to grow the middle class back again.
More hopeful that even if we never get it together, the slave laborers in China and other 'emerging markets' are going to refuse to be the planet's factory any longer. There is talk of unionizing and revolt. How ironic that America's economy may ultimately be saved by the same country that took all our jobs. But don't hate the Chinese, the average worker makes a lot less and works even longer hours (35 hours per shift I hear). They too have a ruling class (or government), but if worldwide workers demand their due we may see the rise of our economies again
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Stem cell win, insurance companies, and that other thing
Today the appeals court ruled in favor of medical research. Yes! Score one for America. Now this is only temporary but it is a step in the right direction. I am grateful to the scientists who persist even in the face of such opposition. Don't give up the good fight.
Insurance companies need to see my ad directed at the oil companies. Apparently they are going to raise rates, right about midterm election time. And, big surprise, they are going to blame the health care reform for that. Lord knows that cannot be responsible for their own price increases any more than the oil companies can. I have a three year old who takes more responsibility for his own actions than that.
And lastly, I refuse to comment on the thing that keeps getting media coverage any more. Just because talking about it and covering it will only give the crazy pastor the attention he craves, and will very possibly result in injury to American troops overseas. But why does the media keep covering this?
Insurance companies need to see my ad directed at the oil companies. Apparently they are going to raise rates, right about midterm election time. And, big surprise, they are going to blame the health care reform for that. Lord knows that cannot be responsible for their own price increases any more than the oil companies can. I have a three year old who takes more responsibility for his own actions than that.
And lastly, I refuse to comment on the thing that keeps getting media coverage any more. Just because talking about it and covering it will only give the crazy pastor the attention he craves, and will very possibly result in injury to American troops overseas. But why does the media keep covering this?
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Hazy Daze, psuedo dems, and another business (and people) killer
Apparently the skies will be hazy again on Sept 11. Not from the heat of an Indian summer, but from Qoran burnings. Now I am on record for not caring about Islam, but this is a cheap publicity stunt that will hurt our troops overseas. I may not care if a book is burned, but some people will KILL over it. So why do it?
Or if you must, just do it quietly without involving the media and letting the world know. BTW your hatred for the books will do nothing to change anythingbesides the safety of our troops.
Democrats who want to fight the president on the tax cuts for the wealthy should lose this election. I really think we can do without them, esp Lieberman, who did so much to wreck our health care reform
Lastly I want to give the raspberries to the federal judge who is still holding up the money for stem cell research funding. Apparently if your job is a medical researcher it's not all that important to this judge. But any job with the oil company-ok-I won't go there again. But ok, lets now watch the brain drain of med research out of our country like what happened under Bush. Could we even get more stupider (see Jan Brewer, AZ gov).
But not only are those jobs going, so are the lives of all those this research could save. I hope you are proud your honor
Or if you must, just do it quietly without involving the media and letting the world know. BTW your hatred for the books will do nothing to change anythingbesides the safety of our troops.
Democrats who want to fight the president on the tax cuts for the wealthy should lose this election. I really think we can do without them, esp Lieberman, who did so much to wreck our health care reform
Lastly I want to give the raspberries to the federal judge who is still holding up the money for stem cell research funding. Apparently if your job is a medical researcher it's not all that important to this judge. But any job with the oil company-ok-I won't go there again. But ok, lets now watch the brain drain of med research out of our country like what happened under Bush. Could we even get more stupider (see Jan Brewer, AZ gov).
But not only are those jobs going, so are the lives of all those this research could save. I hope you are proud your honor
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
That commercial again
How horrible and people are buying this oil commercial ad.
1. Suck it up oil companies, we are all facing rising prices.
2. You know what's a real job killer? Big messy oil spills.
So here is my commercial aimed at oil companies or any monopoly for that matter. You have to image the audio and visual since I don't have those up and running(dont know if Ill ever add video)
Poor looking ethnic minority person: This is certainly not the time to raise prices. Some people are barely hanging on.
Smart looking young person: Raising prices on consumers means raising prices on businesses too. This would be a job killer. Because if YOU cannot even handle a dent into your billion dollar profits, imagine what a price increase would do to companies pulling in less money.
Wise looking old woman: We are all in this economy facing rising prices, falling incomes, and yes we all pay our share of taxes. Its what keeps our roads paved, our schools running, our police, our national defense, among many other things.
Middle aged white man:If you raise prices now people that depend on your product may freeze to death. That person may be somebody's grandma, you know the ones who survive the death panels.
End commercial
PS These commercials must be costing quite a bit so I guess we can expect you to make up the dent in your profits by raising prices, so these commercials are also killing jobs.
1. Suck it up oil companies, we are all facing rising prices.
2. You know what's a real job killer? Big messy oil spills.
So here is my commercial aimed at oil companies or any monopoly for that matter. You have to image the audio and visual since I don't have those up and running(dont know if Ill ever add video)
Poor looking ethnic minority person: This is certainly not the time to raise prices. Some people are barely hanging on.
Smart looking young person: Raising prices on consumers means raising prices on businesses too. This would be a job killer. Because if YOU cannot even handle a dent into your billion dollar profits, imagine what a price increase would do to companies pulling in less money.
Wise looking old woman: We are all in this economy facing rising prices, falling incomes, and yes we all pay our share of taxes. Its what keeps our roads paved, our schools running, our police, our national defense, among many other things.
Middle aged white man:If you raise prices now people that depend on your product may freeze to death. That person may be somebody's grandma, you know the ones who survive the death panels.
End commercial
PS These commercials must be costing quite a bit so I guess we can expect you to make up the dent in your profits by raising prices, so these commercials are also killing jobs.
Oil Companies give me a break & Obama keep this promise
First, I was happy to see our president woke up and decided to take on his opposition during his labor day speech. I was beginning to wonder whether or not the Democrats were being paid off to throw this midterm.
However poorly things are going, whatever mistakes I or anyone else thinks that you have made do NOT make the mistake of breaking your promise to not let Social Security become privatized on your watch. I believe you will not.
However, with Alan Simpson at the wheel I do expect to see it weakened. Do not be afraid of the veto.
Now I will play the world's smallest violin for the oil companies that keep running ads please don't tax me anymore. Just looked up their profits. In the BILLIONS all of them, except maybe BP, but they aren't American anyway.
These commercials have paid citizens to spout their claim that raising their taxes will raise oil prices, and we can't afford that. Well, I agree with the we can't afford that part. But why do people take it as a given that if your taxes are raised, or any more regulations put on you you HAVE to raise prices. What, you HAVE to make billions or all your CEO's will die? Is there a bomb planted in them that makes it impossible for them to settle for less than billions without imploding?
I think the truth is, if their taxes are raised they will CHOOSE to raise prices. Big difference. I honestly wished it worked that way. Because then common sense would dictate that all that we would have to do to lower oil prices would be to lower their taxes. Does anyone think things would really work that way around?
However poorly things are going, whatever mistakes I or anyone else thinks that you have made do NOT make the mistake of breaking your promise to not let Social Security become privatized on your watch. I believe you will not.
However, with Alan Simpson at the wheel I do expect to see it weakened. Do not be afraid of the veto.
Now I will play the world's smallest violin for the oil companies that keep running ads please don't tax me anymore. Just looked up their profits. In the BILLIONS all of them, except maybe BP, but they aren't American anyway.
These commercials have paid citizens to spout their claim that raising their taxes will raise oil prices, and we can't afford that. Well, I agree with the we can't afford that part. But why do people take it as a given that if your taxes are raised, or any more regulations put on you you HAVE to raise prices. What, you HAVE to make billions or all your CEO's will die? Is there a bomb planted in them that makes it impossible for them to settle for less than billions without imploding?
I think the truth is, if their taxes are raised they will CHOOSE to raise prices. Big difference. I honestly wished it worked that way. Because then common sense would dictate that all that we would have to do to lower oil prices would be to lower their taxes. Does anyone think things would really work that way around?
Monday, September 6, 2010
Your home, the American dream
What is more American than home ownership? Well I guess that is going the way of your wage-getting more and more worthless.
According to Kipling.com you may be better off renting.
I shudder to think what will happen if Americans leave their homes in droves (more so than those getting forclosed on).
What will happen if we do not even have one piece of America left to call our own?
And if some monopoly gets a hold of a substantial amount of real estate, what will happen then to home values (or at least what you will be charged for rent?). I am guessing since it is not owned by an actual human individual it will be worth a lot more.
According to Kipling.com you may be better off renting.
I shudder to think what will happen if Americans leave their homes in droves (more so than those getting forclosed on).
What will happen if we do not even have one piece of America left to call our own?
And if some monopoly gets a hold of a substantial amount of real estate, what will happen then to home values (or at least what you will be charged for rent?). I am guessing since it is not owned by an actual human individual it will be worth a lot more.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
More self esteem issues
Today I saw two things on TV that really struck me as indicative that this country is suffering from very low self esteem.
A campaign ad from as far as I can tell the oil companies from people saying that no way in this economy should anyone ask the oil companies to pay more taxes or in any way diminish their corporate profits because that would be bad for the economy.
Later on a news story about the same old thing-employees being asked to make sacrafices of wages and/or benefits under threat that the employer will leave. And people interviewed considered it the right and patriotic thing for the employees to give in to the demands of the employer.
So we think we as workers deserve very little if anything at all and the corporate gods do not owe us anything for making them their profits to begin with. We all know that if we tax them, they charge us more. But that's okay. But when we are charged more for Everything from food to medical, hell we do not have the right to charge any more.
I am not saying that these are not rough times and people really have very little choice about keeping jobs or not these days. I am just saying that nobody even get Angy about it. Well, not at the right people anyway. Because if they could see the balance sheets of some of these companies maybe they would say yes you can pay me more, you just wont you greedy people.
Or when Citibank takes the money our taxes gave to them and uses it to create jobs in CHINA. Where is the outrage? The same place our self esteem went? Or our brains?
I keep hearing we need to create an environment friendly to business. Well yes, we need business. But not Crappy business. We need honest American business friendly to US. What about having a people friendly environment? Where lives mean more than profits?
A campaign ad from as far as I can tell the oil companies from people saying that no way in this economy should anyone ask the oil companies to pay more taxes or in any way diminish their corporate profits because that would be bad for the economy.
Later on a news story about the same old thing-employees being asked to make sacrafices of wages and/or benefits under threat that the employer will leave. And people interviewed considered it the right and patriotic thing for the employees to give in to the demands of the employer.
So we think we as workers deserve very little if anything at all and the corporate gods do not owe us anything for making them their profits to begin with. We all know that if we tax them, they charge us more. But that's okay. But when we are charged more for Everything from food to medical, hell we do not have the right to charge any more.
I am not saying that these are not rough times and people really have very little choice about keeping jobs or not these days. I am just saying that nobody even get Angy about it. Well, not at the right people anyway. Because if they could see the balance sheets of some of these companies maybe they would say yes you can pay me more, you just wont you greedy people.
Or when Citibank takes the money our taxes gave to them and uses it to create jobs in CHINA. Where is the outrage? The same place our self esteem went? Or our brains?
I keep hearing we need to create an environment friendly to business. Well yes, we need business. But not Crappy business. We need honest American business friendly to US. What about having a people friendly environment? Where lives mean more than profits?
Friday, September 3, 2010
Dumb is good?
I just watched one of my favorite programs, and I promise I will remember which one next time, I will watch with a notepad by me.
Anyway, he was talking about Jan Brewer of AZ and her less than brilliant appearance on TV. I was actually embarrassed for her, felt sorry for her, in fact. This was a debate with opponents for re-election and surely she had not only lost but embarrassed herself in the process. Oh yes, it was Keith Olbermann. How could I forget the hilarity of the headless corpses.
At any rate, his guest, Howard Finemann I believe, said nope this woman was still going to win. Apparently the American public no longer expects their elected officials to do well in debates, to talk to the media, or to exhibit any intellegence whatsoever (my words not his, but that the gist of what I got out of it)
Any dummy who is willing to hook up with the tea party can be propped up by them and their astroturf funding without having any qualifications at all. No wonder our schools are in such trouble. What good are brains in this society? Thinking people might figure out who is taking their money from them. Better to keep them stupid and avoid the media.
I lost a whole lot of sleep over this. I really want to quit watching our country get flushed down the toilet, esp now with Republicans poised to win and take out Social Security (hey the Dems might too for all I know, but with the GOP its a sure thing). And take us further down the road of tax cuts for the wealthy and dismantling our country's infrastructure and schools. I am looking for a light at the end of this tunnel and it appears we are turning around back the way we came, DEEPER into the tunnel.
Smart used to be cool, Sexy in fact. I like smart. I want my elected representatives to be smart. How else would he/she represent me? I am not stupid. Maybe people are afraid that smart equates to smart enough to pull one over on them. I know there is some of that going on too. But dont throw the baby out with the bathwater. We need smart And transparency too.
Anyway, he was talking about Jan Brewer of AZ and her less than brilliant appearance on TV. I was actually embarrassed for her, felt sorry for her, in fact. This was a debate with opponents for re-election and surely she had not only lost but embarrassed herself in the process. Oh yes, it was Keith Olbermann. How could I forget the hilarity of the headless corpses.
At any rate, his guest, Howard Finemann I believe, said nope this woman was still going to win. Apparently the American public no longer expects their elected officials to do well in debates, to talk to the media, or to exhibit any intellegence whatsoever (my words not his, but that the gist of what I got out of it)
Any dummy who is willing to hook up with the tea party can be propped up by them and their astroturf funding without having any qualifications at all. No wonder our schools are in such trouble. What good are brains in this society? Thinking people might figure out who is taking their money from them. Better to keep them stupid and avoid the media.
I lost a whole lot of sleep over this. I really want to quit watching our country get flushed down the toilet, esp now with Republicans poised to win and take out Social Security (hey the Dems might too for all I know, but with the GOP its a sure thing). And take us further down the road of tax cuts for the wealthy and dismantling our country's infrastructure and schools. I am looking for a light at the end of this tunnel and it appears we are turning around back the way we came, DEEPER into the tunnel.
Smart used to be cool, Sexy in fact. I like smart. I want my elected representatives to be smart. How else would he/she represent me? I am not stupid. Maybe people are afraid that smart equates to smart enough to pull one over on them. I know there is some of that going on too. But dont throw the baby out with the bathwater. We need smart And transparency too.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Back to School
Before I get to the school, I want to first amend my previous post. That was all about me and how the HCR will affect me. However, there are many who actually will be helped, and although I hope this is not a step toward giving the insurance companies brand new monopolies and stranglehold on our country I am grateful for those who will have health care that previously could not.
Now about our schools. I took my children to their open house to drop off supplies (which included some cleaning supplies but no big deal we know they are strapped for money) and my kids got to put their things away in their desks and lockers. My daughter's locker is broke. I told the teacher and she said that she knew that many were broke and some desks were too and there were no repairs planned. Her class size is 26 kids.
I do think my child is entitled to a decent education which includes equipment in good working order. Is that too much to ask? From the richest country in the world? Its not about giving her a sense of entitlement, but a sense of self worth. If we expect her to work hard and do her best but give her crap for a school how is she going to want to work, to care, when it is obvious nobody cares about the children?
Actually she is too young to get that but Im not. I actually get teary eyed thinking about how this country's education system has been taken down to a level where the BEST school in our district cannot upkeep their lockers even as good as the local Goodwill can repair used items given to them.
And I don't want to hear crap about voting to raise MY property taxes next time around. The middle class is already overtaxed. That is one thing the tea party got right. But what they don't get is that the Republicans are not any better. Oh no. I watched the Ed show and he was straight on about how we paid into Social Security and it was robbed to fund two wars I did not want. I did not get to vote on that. I do not get the choice to decide to divert money from wars, tax cuts to the wealthy, bank bailouts, and put all that into our children's schools. No sir, but I do get to choice between paying out of my pocket for all that stuff and if I want an education for my children too, well thats going to be extra.
Well I want my children to have an education because as a taxpayer and a lifetime citizen of the richest country in the world I do think I am entitled to that. And the Social Security I have paid into all my life. Leave it alone Pentagon, AND Wall Street. I want it where it belongs, in the fund set up by Roosevelt.
I am still remembering the sermon that touched me so much about love and forgiveness so I pray that the greedy in this country find it in their hearts to believe that our children are worth educating. And I pray that the middle class in this country wakes up to their own self worth and comes to believe that they too are worth investing in, their children, this country's infrastructure, the America that used to be. We had it once. If you think the government took it away then dig deeper. Who got the money? The Banks, the defense contractors, the insurance companies.
They are not entitled to OUR tax money. If we pay less taxes, it is not going to make us richer, the prices of everything will keep going up. But it will make our roads, our schools, our police and fire departments, all looking like their developing world equivalents. Dont get me wrong I dont want to pay more taxes, I just want it to go to the right things. Like my daughters locker.
Now about our schools. I took my children to their open house to drop off supplies (which included some cleaning supplies but no big deal we know they are strapped for money) and my kids got to put their things away in their desks and lockers. My daughter's locker is broke. I told the teacher and she said that she knew that many were broke and some desks were too and there were no repairs planned. Her class size is 26 kids.
I do think my child is entitled to a decent education which includes equipment in good working order. Is that too much to ask? From the richest country in the world? Its not about giving her a sense of entitlement, but a sense of self worth. If we expect her to work hard and do her best but give her crap for a school how is she going to want to work, to care, when it is obvious nobody cares about the children?
Actually she is too young to get that but Im not. I actually get teary eyed thinking about how this country's education system has been taken down to a level where the BEST school in our district cannot upkeep their lockers even as good as the local Goodwill can repair used items given to them.
And I don't want to hear crap about voting to raise MY property taxes next time around. The middle class is already overtaxed. That is one thing the tea party got right. But what they don't get is that the Republicans are not any better. Oh no. I watched the Ed show and he was straight on about how we paid into Social Security and it was robbed to fund two wars I did not want. I did not get to vote on that. I do not get the choice to decide to divert money from wars, tax cuts to the wealthy, bank bailouts, and put all that into our children's schools. No sir, but I do get to choice between paying out of my pocket for all that stuff and if I want an education for my children too, well thats going to be extra.
Well I want my children to have an education because as a taxpayer and a lifetime citizen of the richest country in the world I do think I am entitled to that. And the Social Security I have paid into all my life. Leave it alone Pentagon, AND Wall Street. I want it where it belongs, in the fund set up by Roosevelt.
I am still remembering the sermon that touched me so much about love and forgiveness so I pray that the greedy in this country find it in their hearts to believe that our children are worth educating. And I pray that the middle class in this country wakes up to their own self worth and comes to believe that they too are worth investing in, their children, this country's infrastructure, the America that used to be. We had it once. If you think the government took it away then dig deeper. Who got the money? The Banks, the defense contractors, the insurance companies.
They are not entitled to OUR tax money. If we pay less taxes, it is not going to make us richer, the prices of everything will keep going up. But it will make our roads, our schools, our police and fire departments, all looking like their developing world equivalents. Dont get me wrong I dont want to pay more taxes, I just want it to go to the right things. Like my daughters locker.
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