Opinions and Politics

Basically, everyone has one, and the STINK.

Right now, I'm listening to folks bash this guy or that guy, who needs to take responsibility, and who is at fault for what.

I'm seriously considering making a new party.. The Common Sense party.

We won't be GOP, we won't be Democrat, not Green, not Tea, we'll stand for something more.

Common Sense.

I mean, COME ON PEOPLE!

How difficult is it to meet the needs of the masses, and do what is right for the country?

Granted, the Rich are always going to look for ways to get richer, and the poor are usually trying to find ways to have people help them out. That's a given.

However, how difficult is it to try to get some kind of incentive going to CREATE JOBS in this nation? Unemployment rate keeps growing because we don't have incentives to get lazy-assed people off welfare and back into the workforce. I mean, why work when you can get paid for doing nothing??

Common sense says to keep track of the spending, keep accountable for each dime you spend, and if things don't seem to match up right, then you cut off assitance until they can prove that they are really doing what they should be doing.

Common sense says that if someone is actually trying to work and make things work, then they should be given as much assistance as needed to make ends meet.

Common sense says that if you have more cash than 60% of the US population then you should be expected to pay more and be burdened with more costs in taxes.

Common sense doesn't seem to be common anymore.

Maybe common sense says that folks just don't want to face the truth and facts?

Random thoughts for the newest post

I figured that since I don't post much anymore, I'd just say what is on my mind in the title, and if it piques your interest, then you'll read, or you'll ignore it.

Either way, it doesn't really matter to me, since it's my blog, and I can make the rules as I see fit!

Something really bothered me this week as I was driving to a work location.

See, I am going to classes three days a week, and the other "free" days I spend doing odd jobs for the income to keep myself afloat. Recently, that job has been as an installer and cleaner for a graphics company. I've been doing audits of banners, signs, window vinyl and various other graphic forms. It's interesting work, and the pay pretty much keeps me where I need to be as a full-time student needing to support himself.

Anyway, I was on my way to a jobsite when I read a billboard and the accusatory statement that was on it. The general gist of the saying was "Iraq, Pakistan and Libya.. What will Obama's next tour of duty look like?"

Honestly, that really rubbed me the wrong way. You see, in my viewpoint there isn't much that the US as a whole gets into that hasn't been festering for quite a while on a global level. You can't lay the entire blame of Iraq on Obama, since George Jr and Sr both had a hand in that conflict, along with Clinton. You can't blame Pakistan on him as well, since there's been unrest in that country since well before Jimmy Carter's time. And Libya? PLEASE. That's like blaming Obama for Vietnam, even though we all know that Kennedy, Johnston and Nixon were the ones manning the helm during that one. However the buildup of that one dates back to Eisenhower, if you get technical with it.

So my point here is that just because the conflict became something that couldn't be ignored does not mean that the person in office at the time is the one fully responsible for the resulting actions. That would mean that whomever is the head of Fannie Mae, or any other institute would be to blame for the failures of their predecessors. It's unreasonable and quite childish.

In my opinion, Obama isn't that bad of a president. True, there are things he's tried to do that I don't agree with, but his intentions seem to be in the right place. However, the worst thing to do is blame him for everything that is wrong, or worse, give him credit for everything that's going right, and then objectify him as either a prodigy or a devil.

I mean, when Obama was up for election, EVERY media outlet was treating him like some kind of national religion.. "You can say something bad about Obama, but then say 50 'Hail Obamas' and do three touchy-feely pieces later". He was hailed as the next Lincoln, Roosevelt and Washington before he ever stepped foot in office, let alone elected!

This is what I have a problem with in the media anymore. I mean, they want a good story, and aren't afraid to totally villify someone if the sales are good enough. They'll print a retraction or apology later (on page 12 as a blurb) and keep sensationalizing stories that really don't need embellishment or anything elaborate.

When did we stop reporting the truth, and start becoming a nation of storytellers?

Thoughts..

Have you ever wondered how guys and gals can have a relationship, and NOT want to chop the other's head off at some point?



I mean, when you think about it, everything about a male and a female is diametrically opposed to the other.



Guys communicate more by doing than talking. We show our support by providing. We do things, and let our actions dictate our feelings.



Women? They talk. They talk about anything, and they talk about EVERYTHING. They talk about their hair, their clothes, their kids, their dreams, their job, their sex life, their therapist, yadda, yadda, yadda..



Granted, this is a generalization, and there are exceptions to this, but they are damned few and far between.



Let's talk about clothes!



For men, dressing up means wearing the jeans that DON'T have holes in them, a clean t-shirt with no witty sayings on it, and sneakers. Button-down shirt? Nah. Slacks? No way, this is a PARTY we're going to, not work! Loafers or Patent leather shoes? Only if the patent leather shines enough that we could possibly sneak a peek up a dress or skirt!



For ladies? Yeah, get two or three outfits out, ask the man his opinion, then ignore his suggestion, and wear what you were planning on wearing anyway. Then spend the next TWO HOURS applying makeup, hairspray, mousse, foundation, eyeliner, lipstick, mascara, hair curlers, hair straightener, perfume, etc. on. By the time you're done, the guy's gotta go wash his face, because he fell asleep in the easy chair, and has drool on the side of his face!



Shoes? For ladies, it's an addiction. What pair would look good with which outfit? Does this match the color of my eyes or handbag? Do they help to show off my pedicure and polish on my toenails?



For guys.. As long as they're comfortable, and we can wear the heck out of them, one or two pairs will do, thank you.



Food:



Yeah, I'm going there!



Girls, you totally confuse us on this one.



Let's start at the beginning. When a guy and girl date for the first time, she'll eat like a bird, hardly touch anything, and talk his ear off the entire time. He'll order what he usually would, and enjoy it. She'll take her leftovers home, and let them rot in the fridge, because she didn't really want the dish she ordered, but she doesn't want to seem ungrateful for the date.



Next, after getting to know each other better, a change happens. She'll actually start eating. However, this doesn't keep her from talking the entire time. So not only do us guys get to eat our food, but we get to see how yours looks too. The guy keeps up with the same thing. Order what you would normally, and try to keep the food pieces that could possibly fly from her mouth from landing on your plate.



Then they become an "item" or even get married. Then you find out this lady does something you never even considered: She eats ALL THE TIME. not big sit-down meals, but she's constantly snacking. Crackers here, a rice cake there, breakfast, a snack bar, a small doughnut, lunch, a candy bar, some Wheat Thins, a diet bar, Dinner, some ice cream, maybe a small slice of pie, a bag of popkorn.



It boggles the mind.



Shopping.



When I shop, I plan on what I'm going to get, know where I'm going, get in, get the stuff, and get out. Job done.



Girls?



Browse. Look over the price of this or that, this would look nice. Let's see what's in this store. I know we don't need anything here, but it would be nice to plan on a time when we might, so let's go in here and see what they've got. Try this on. Try that. What do you think that would look like in "x" room? Ad Nauseum. Can you tell that I HATE shopping? No? I'll tell you then. I HATE SHOPPING.



Yet for all of this, we are somehow able to look past this, and find someone that seems to match us. Our compliment. The other half of our being. The one who can finish your sentance before you even know you're talking about it. The Yin for your Yang.



I don't know how it happens, and I don't know WHY it happens. Yet the thing I find the most humorous about it all is this one simple fact:



The person we come to join with is one who you'd NEVER expect to deal with. They do each and every thing that you don't do, and yet somehow, instead of this being some kind of annoyance, it is something that you wind up cherishing that person for.

The same exact behavior that your brother does that can send you completely over the edge is something that you boast about to your friends because your wife did it..

The stuff that seems to melt your eyeballs to hear about is the stuff that you love when your girlfriend does it...

Nothing's as cute or as adorable when that significant other is at work. They could do something you've sworn you'd never deal with, and it becomes passable..

What is it about these unchecked emotions we've got that makes us more tolerant?

If we were to ever be able to harness the power of an emotion, then I'm sure quite a few of the "world problems" we've got going today would be taken care of.

The wars that we fight would cease, since we could promote tolerance for religious and racial differences.

The political arena would be less of a mess, since we'd be more tolerant of deciet and broken trust issues.

Wages would increase, and the cost of living would decrease, because we'd be wanting to help support and provide for each and every person we came into contact with...

The only real problem I have is that we'd also be wanting to screw each and every face we saw..

For some, that's not considered a "bad" thing.

For me, I'm just too old now to really enjoy it!

Have a great week, and a happy Mother's Day (early) for my lady readers!

And the next number for the Powerball jackpot is...

You.

Yeah. Little 'ol you sitting there reading this.

Can you honestly believe what is happening in this economy now?

First, we get to see the "big three" automakers apply and get denied Federal Bail-out money because they honestly show that they've got no clue about cash boundaries.

Then, they come back, after a nice long coaching session with some set actors, and get granted bailout cash that they so "desperately need" for their business.

Now?

Yeah, they're trying to get you to foot the bill.

How, do you ask?

I was listening to a radio commercial on my way home from work this evening, and Chevy was blaring an ad to it's listeners:

"If you lose your job, we'll make your payments for up to 9 months"

Wow.

Just incredible.

So now I've got this overwhelming urge to run out and buy a car that I can't afford, then lose my job so that I don't have to pay for it for nearly a year, then rinse and repeat!

Doesn't that sound like FUN??

Not only that, but I'm sure that my taxes on this are going to be helping those folks who could care less about keeping a stable job in a car far longer than they should be!

Is there really no sanity in finance with "big business" anymore?

Something I Really Don't Understand

Ok.

I've gotta be ignorant or something, but feel free to explain this to me.


What's with all of the hype with Obama?

Yeah, for the first 30 days of coming into office each and every President has been looked at under a microscope.

However, I don't think there's been ONE day since he was elected that we haven't seen something he's been doing..

Here he is signing his name to a check for take-out after a long campaign.

Here he is in PJs getting ready for his first night in the White House.

Here he is reading something, and not really sure what it is, but it's gotta be interesting!


Now? He's being compared to FDR. Yeah. He was compared to Lincoln while trying to get elected, and now with the economy crisis, he's being compared to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

What's next? Is he going to be compared to George Washington because Geroge was the first white president, and Obama's the first colored president?

Give. Me. A. Break.

How can you actually compare a man to an historical figure when he hasn't even had enough time in office to really make changes?

I also find it quite comical that the two former presidents that he's been compared to were totally HATED while they were in office.

Why?

Because they did what was needed, regardless of the public opinion.

Lincoln stood against slavery when it was a very popularthing to do in the States. Because of this stance, half the nation seceeded from the Union, and began a nasty war.

FDR began the "New Deal" whil the US was in the middle of a HUGE depression. This wasn't a very popular move, because folks kept thinking that things were going to even out eventually, and they'd be able to get back on track. Most resented Roosevelt's meddling in their affairs, and popular opinion was that this "New Deal" idea wasn't going to work at all.

Now, many years later, we see that these men did what was needed, and are now considered two of the most important and popular figures of our political history.

But we've got this newly-elected man Obama who is allowing his publicity advisors compare him to these men.

So far, I don't see the similarities.

He's a popular vote. People like his policies. He's doing what folks want.

From everything I've seen, he's more willing to go with the demand, than to stand up and do what's needed.

That's not to say that he's not going to be effective, or do a good job in office.

I just don't see the need to compare him to great men who have held the office until he's done something that really deserves that honor.

Give him some time in office, LEAVE him to do his job, and let's see what he can do.

What do you all think??

2-Fer Tuesday!!

It's that time again!

Ok, here's the first one, and it's kind of a WTF were they thinking.. AGAIN?!?!

I got to work this morning, and was waking up to some news when I heard this little tidbit that really got my blood boiling.

AIG, you know, the insurace GIANT who is declaring that it needs 150 BILLION dollars in order to keep from going bankrupt and taking the rest of the US economy with it, has done it again..

Last time they got bailout money, they sent corporate executives off for a golfing junket in California!

I don't know about you, but if I were teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, and I got some cash to pay off my debts, I don't think I'd use the money for a Disneyland vacation..

This time? They're still hollering for money to bail them out. And what did they do?

Spa Treatments.

Yup.

Corporate folks were seen going to Colorado for a conference, and while there, treated themselves to lavish spa treatments.

Let's see.

First, you need money so you can go play golf, and fritter away a couple million.

Next? You then run off to some conference, and get facials, massages, and waxing??

I'm no financial genius, but this sounds completely ridiculous!

I mean, in order to make capital gains, I know that you've got to get in with the companies and talk shop. I understand that.

But to then treat yourself to lavish spa treatments, and golf junkets, and whatnot really bothers me.

Impress a client with the ability to budget, and spend within your means.

If your company is going bankrupt, then don't go blowing tons of cash for a Caribbean getaway.

If you're trying to impress them, do it with your financial portfolio, and not your pocketbook.

Anyway, that's my rant for now, more to follow later today!

Are you FREAKING kidding me??

I'm doing something I don't normally do, but because of what's going on in my mind, I needed to get this done before anything else.

Normally, I check my emails, then I read through some blogs before I make my entry for the day.

Not so today.

I dealt with something that has pissed me off so badly, that I needed to get it aired out, and see what you all think.

Last night, we set a new precedent.

We now have an African-American President-Elect.

Me? I'm all for it.

I really hope that he's able to follow through with all of the campaign jargon that he was able to spit out, and not just blow hot air up our collective asses.

I'm not really expecting him to follow through more than any other president we've had, but then again, maybe he'll surprise me!

What really bothered me is this:

My wife's youngest neice has a MySpace account, and we check on her every so often, just to make sure that she's not putting stuff on there that could get her in trouble.

Last night, there was an update stating "The only reason Obama's ahead is because the white folks haven't gotten off work yet".

I had to do a double-take of this.

Then I had to stop and think where she'd be.

I figured it out. She was at her dad's house.

Now, her dad is a hard-working man, but he's also a lying, cheating, racist bigot.

It was very sad to see that his attitude was focused not only on what was happening with the election, but was also severely influencing his daughter.

Once it had been determined that Obama was going to win, there was a new update put on my neice's page..

It read: "Obama might have won, but he'll never live to get into office. When that happens, I'll laugh"

That straw broke the camel's back. My wife called her, and proceeded to chew her butt.

In the background, however, you could hear her dad ranting and raving over having the "N-word" president screw this country over.

I don't know about you, but this nearly sent me over the edge!

I believe in freedom of speech, and the right to bear arms.

I believe that each and every person has the right to vote for who and what he believes in.

I also know that there are racist folks, not only whites, but blacks, hispanics, indians, etc.

I also know that there are more racist than non-racist people in this world right now, and that really bothers me.

I mean, what good is it going to be if we try to claim our independence, but limit ourselves to just going through the motions?

It's like saying that we can cook, but only if someone else does it for us.

Why pawn off the hatred and ire onto your kids?

I might not like some of the things that Obama stands for, but I still believe that he can do a passable job, if given the chance. I intend to give him that chance.

Others have made it clear that they don't want to even see the option, let alone the chance.

Don't foist your beliefs and hatred onto your kids. Let them decide for themselves what is right and wrong. Let them make their own choices for their behavior and responses to race.

Me? I talk with my kids, and I let them know what I believe. I have also told them that they can choose how to act with others. But I caution them NOT to look solely at skin color, but at the person they are first and foremost.

Why do I say this?

Because I myself am of a mixed heritage.

I'm American Indian, German, and Swedish. Now, the white supremacists would applaud my white heritage, while denouncing my American Indian bloodline.

Me? I like the history that is entailed in each bloodline I have.

However, I've also been belittled by some American Indians because of my "white man" mixed blood, and been kicked out of meetings and gatherings by these same folks that I can claim a common bond with.

Thus, I tell my kids to look at the person, and not the color.

Judge someone by their actions, not by race.

Give them a chance, and if hey throw that chance into your face, then you can decide for yourself whether or not they deserve to be where they are.

I intend to give Barack Obama a chance.

He's earned it in my book.

But I don't like hearing the sinister rumblings from small-minded bigots who think that because they're white, they have the final say in what happens in this country.

To be honest, white people are in the minority anymore, and they better start thinking like this, or they're going to get us all in a LOT of trouble, and soon.

God help us if they do something stupid.

I think I'm going to run for a political office..

Seriously.

I mean, the whole gist of this election year was basically this:

I can't give a good answer on how I'm going to fix things, but I definitely can't make it any worse than the guy who's in there now!!

If that's the case, I'm definitely going to run.

I mean, that's a gimme for a campaign slogan!

Vote for Jormengrund! He's not the best man for the job, but he'll tell you when he's going to screw you over!

Vote for Jorm! He's going to play with all of your time and cash, but at least he'll get something nice for his wife and kids!

A vote for Jormengrund is a vote for "middle America"! He'll take what you give him, and ask for more!


Really now. These are all winning slogans in my book. In fact, I think I saw something like this just last night!

Oh yeah, that was SNL spoofing about these characters.

Speaking of which..

I'm blaming EVERYONE for our 10 TRILLION in National Debt that we owe!

Why?

Well, if the Republican and Democratic committees can blame specific political figures for being there when it turned into 10 Trillion, then I can also blame you, me, the dog, the fence, and my mailbox for it as well!

Give me a break.

The National Debt has been a problem since well before I was paying attention to political stuff.

Now? Because of some economic crisis, and money problems, the major political parties are pointing the finger at someone, and trying to lay the blame of it on someone else in the "other" party.

Bah.

Grow up, admit that it was the fault of us NOT budgeting the national resources we've got, and spending when we should have been saving.

I mean, courts can foreclose and reposess homes, cars, whatever.

Why can't another country come along and reposess the US for it's default on their national loan?

I'm not saying that I'd like it, but it should be a factor.

Have the UK come back in and say "Sorry old bean, but you've not paid your loans off, and the time has come for them to be due! What's that? You've not got any dosh? Bad form, old boy. Time for you to then give me whatever assets you've got available. That includes real estate. Let's see.. 10 Trillion you say? Yes, I've got just the thing. Give me your entire country, and we'll call it settled, and paid in full!"

I know that I preach to my kids about taking responsibility for their actions.

Now? I think it's really time for our national leaders to do the same.

Time for #2..



I'm really concerned about the election this year.



As I've stated on a couple of comments, I really think the "winner" this year is going to get SCREWED.



Why?



Because they're not going to be able to accomplish ANYTHING worthwhile, and get the blame for this disaster that's spiralling out of control.



I mean, one of the warning signs to me was during the campaigns, when the Republican and Democratic election committees decided to launch some dirt stuff at local senate and governor positions.



I don't know about others, but when they try to saddle just one person as being responsible for a 10 TRILLION dollar debt, I just have to hang my head and sigh in frustration.



Honestly, how in the hell can you lay the blame of the National Debt on the shoulders of just ONE person?



How can you really blame anyone who hasn't been in Congress or Senate for more than 20 years?



I say this, because it's true.



Our National Debt has been steadily growing since I can recall any kind of presidential debate.



Now, because of this financial crisis we're in, they want to point to it, and claim that if one person had stepped up, and told everyone else to stop spending, it would have happened?



Um.. Not so much.



There have been proposals, mandates, requests, and outright demands for the government to budget wisely, and start cutting down that debt ratio.



Have they listened?



NO.



Republican, Democrat, Independent.. They all move for the same thing..



I mean, they look over a problem, and then decide "Well, let's throw more money at it! We're broke? We can't be! Let's just print more, and cover it all up and make it look good! Hey! While we're at it, this idea made me think that I need more money for doing this job! All in favor? Motion passes unanimously!"



I don't know about you, but allowing congress to pass their own payscale increases really bothers me. That's like telling an hourly employee that if he shows up for each company meeting, he can name his raise.



Yeah, now you're getting my drift.



I think I should start seeing what it would take to get into politics! I mean, if I can get into the House or Senate, I'd be set for life!



That's it!



Vote for me!



I'll not promise that I can fix anything, but hell, I definitely can't make it any worse than that other guy!



Ah, the joy of being blunt and honest really does have it's perks at times!

No! Politics again? Seriously?

Yeah.

I have to say that I'm really not impressed with the way the government is handling this "bailout" of our economy.

I mean, really, giving the bulk of this money to Ford, GM, Chrystler, and Chevy?

Who makes up this stuff??

Let's see. Investment companies are going tits up, so let's funnel any emergency cash we can find into the automobile market, and they should get back on track in no time!

That's like saying that if a boat's got a leak, you plug up the anchor hole, and it should be fine pretty soon.

The only way that sinking boat is going to "right" itself is when it finally hits the bottom of the riverbed, or ocean bed, etc.

So my assumption here is that SOMEONE is on the payroll of major automotive movers, and is worried that his paycheck from them isn't going to look as pretty as it once did, so if he funnels enough cash to them, his paycheck at the end of the month will look better.

Because the rest of it makes absolutely NO sense whatsoever to me.

If you're going to bail out an economy, you need to help the financial institutions, not the producers.

Giving a buttload of cash to lumbermills isn't going to help the steel market, and plunging millions of dollars into mining isn't going to bolster the paper demand, either.

So how is giving a couple billion dollars to Ford, Chrystler, GM, and Chevrolet going to help places like Washington Mutual, or Wachovia, or Fannie Mae, or any other finance company?

It's not.

And there goes all that money that was supposed to HELP us out, going straight into the pockets of someone who really didn't need it anyway.

God, I really LOVE this country at times, don't you?

More confusion..

OK, I think I'm watching a bit TOO much news in the mornings before work.

Tell me if you've heard this one..

AIG, one of the biggest lenders in America, was going bankrupt because of some fraud scandals.

The US, being the benevolent benefactor it is, bailed them out.

Now? AIG needs ANOTHER bailing out, not even a week after the last one!

Now I don't know about you, but when I give my kids some cash, and I tell them not to spend it all, I really expect to be obeyed.

How is that really much different than what's going on here?

The US bailed out AIG for MILLIONS of dollars, and now they're asking for MORE??

My first response? "Fuck You"

Now, I'm sure that this company has done great things for this nation, and is a great standard for businesses in general.

If this is the case, however, then we need to let it all rot and die.

I mean, a financial institution that can't handle money? Is there any more of a greater oxymoron than this?

My plea to the Powers That Be still stands:

Give another stimulus to the taxpayers, and let us get this nation out of debt. Don't bail out these crooked corporations just because they are begging you for help with their mistakes!

Anyway, I need to leave this one alone before my soapbox starts to crack.

Have a great Thursday everyone!

More Rants and Raves..

OK..

Now, I'm not going to say that I'm the smartest cookie out there.

I know that in fact I'm pretty oblivious to quite a few things, and there are some things I could really care less about.

But the fact of the matter is: Common Sense just isn't common anymore!

I mean, let's think about this for a second...

You'd think that someone who worked with a car would know that it needs gas, oil, and the occasional tune-up, right?

Yet this same person will then complain when the car breaks down. When asked when the last service was done, they'll say "Service? I put gas in it, what else do you think it needs?"

Observation #2: Someone working at night should know better than to turn lights out. One, it's DARK. Two, IT'S DARK. One coworker of mine is now on disability for falling off a loading dock because he couldn't see where he was going, and fell out of the loading doors. Pure Genious!

Then we have those folks who claim that they can do what they like with their bodies. It's their body, they make the call.

Fine and dandy. Do what you like. But please don't involve me in it. Then it no longer becomes YOUR decision, as it becomes OUR decision, since your actions also influence ME. Think about it.

Lastly, who was the idiot who considered bailing out a financial company? Really?

I mean, these people are supposed to be PROFESSIONALS at finance, and yet they went BANKRUPT!

If you're having to funnel cash into a bank because the bank keeps spending your money, where do you think you'll be getting your cash from? I can guarantee you that it won't be from your bank, because they're spending it all. But yet we're supposed to think it's OK for the government to bail out some finance companies, and expect everything to be A-OK?

I don't get it, and I don't think I ever really will.

Maybe it's just something wrong with MY wiring, and I tend to see things in a different light.

Maybe it's because I'm just too picky, and I want something to go right for a change..

Or maybe I'm just one voice of reason in a sea of idiocy.

I don't know, I really don't care, but I'm beginning to get worried.

Throw me a lifeline if you are one of those who agree with me!

And more about Economics...

OK, so far the whole "Give me an INSANE amount of money" ploy isn't working.

Apparently I've got some kind of clout, because the ass-wipe known as Barack Obama is sitting with McCain and they're trying to hammer out the details.

Now who are the buttheads?

The sitting congressional Republicans.

Now, I have only one take on these folks...

They are more than willing to raise our taxes when they feel that they need some kind of pay raise.

They are more than willing to raise our taxes when they think they'll get some kind of advantage over another group or party.

But if you actually propose something that could really help the country and economy?

HELL NO.

Then they come up with excuses, because they didn't think of it first.

All I have to say is this:

There are what? About 320 million Americans living and paying taxes in this great nation we live in.

Bush is asking for 700 Billion in revenue.

do the math.. 320,000,000 versus 700,000,000,000.

Now I don't know about you, but that's a DAMN lot of zeros.

If it were me doing the proposal, I'd word it something like this..

Let Fanny Mae and Bernie Mac and AIG and all of those puss buckets rot in hell.
If you're going to swindle the American people, then you deserve the problems you've got, and we're not going to bail your asses out of the firepit that you've gotten yourselves into.
I do think that each tax-paying American citizen should receive a bit of a windfall, though, so we're going to do another stimulus program starting NOW.
With the 700 BILLION dollars granted to me, I'm going to give each person who filed taxes this last year 1 Million Dollars to be able to catch up on their debt.

Think about this. If each of us were to get a million bucks, what exactly would you do with it?

Me? I'd pay off everything, and then set the rest aside for my kids and their education. Pay off the cars, repair and pay off my house, erase all the credit cards. That should only bring my million down into the 800 Thousand mark, so I'd still have plenty left to put aside for my kids..

Not only that, but then paying off my house and cars and credit cards would give an influx of cash into the federal system, which would help it rebound.

So you get out of debt, and you bolster the economy at the same time..

To me, that's a complete win-win situation, and one that we're definitely NOT going to be seeing from Capitol Hill.

Why? Because it makes sense, and gets most of the problem solved.

If the problems are solved, then why would we need the idiots up there in office?

They know this, that's why they only agree to plans with serious flaws, so that they have something else to work with later on. It's called Job Security, and they're the only ones I know of who can create their own work, and not get taken to task for it.

Anyway, this rant is done.

Best of luck, and here's to hoping for that stimulus that I think would be better for the economy than rescuing all of those financial institutions..

Economic Distress??

OK, this has been bugging me enough that I've GOT to comment on it...

Last night, GW made a statement to the nation about our failing economy, and is begging congress for money.

I think he'd have said it better if he'd brought a nice cardoard slab with the words

"Dead broke because of war. Anything helps. God Bless" on it.

Anyway, then you get the two nominees in on this, and it really becomes a circus.

McCain is stopping his campaign in order to address the issue. He feels that his total attention needs to be focused on the problem, and not on belittling his opponent.

To be honest, that is actually a breath of fresh air for me. Leave off with the name calling, and the whole "holier than thou" stuff, and focus on the problems of the nation.

Then you've got Obama. No. Not going to stop because of some small financial problem. I've got bigger fish to fry, and my butt belongs in that chair up in the White House.

Now personally, I don't like either candidate. But this petty action by Obama seriously set me off.

Let me tell you why..

If I had a problem, and you told me that you were too busy with your own schedule to help me out, I'd flip you the bird, and tell you to take your issues somewhere else, and leave me the fuck alone.

If you were to drop everything, and focus on me and my problems, you'd get a steadfast supporter who would return that favor.

If you can't guess, McCaid did it right in my eyes, and Obama is looking like nothing more to me than a greedy, self-absorbed jackass.

This country needs some fixing. And if you're going to ignore that just so that you can ride in the captain's chair, then you can kiss my ass.

Focus on the issues, gentlemen! Leave the speeches for those who just smile and nod at you. Actions speak louder than words, and right now, the words I'm hearing aren't jivving with some of the things you claim in your campaign speeches...

Anyone else think I'm too far off base? Let me know.

Something Serious

Today is a day of rememberance for me.

I recall driving to work, and turning on the radio to listen to a newscaster become hysterical with fear and grief.

I recall getting to work, and clustering around the TV with everyone else to watch in shocked horror at the pictures that were being sent from New York.

I recall that NOTHING got sold that day, but many folks became much closer than they had ever been before.

I recall the solidarity of the entire nation as we grieved, rebuilt, recovered, and grew.

Now?

It seems like a bad dream to many.

But I refuse to forget.

Maybe it's because I was one of the many volunteers who went there to help clear wreckage. Maybe it's because of the selfless sacrifice of life that many of the police and fire fighters who gave willingly to try to rescue just one more person. Maybe it's the horrific sight of people throwing themselves hundreds of feet to their death instead of waiting to burn alive.

It could be all these, and more.

Now? I see presidential candidates using this day to try to further their own selfish goals. I see newspeople predicting "threat levels" for terrorism attacks. I see memorials built, and some undone. What does it all mean?

For one: NOBODY should have the right to take any political gain from the massive loss of life that occured on that day. To do so severely diminishes their stature in my eyes.

Secondly: Terrorist threat levels? Is there really such a thing? I mean, if you were to gauge terrorist threat levels before 9/11, would you have put the US into the "Categoy 5" massive red level? Terrorism thrives off of attacking when and where you least expect it to be. So to try to measure that is just an exercise in futility.. Quit trying to quantify religious zealots, and just take care of the here and now.. Thank you very much.

Lastly: Why oh why aren't the towers either built, or the monuments finished?
It only takes a year or so to fully construct a massive tower. Yet it's taken seven years to have a partially constructed memorial built where the towers once stood. And now? It looks like they might be delayed again.. because of politics! Sure, the one in DC is done. Great.. It didn't have as much of an impact as New York. Sure, it wiped out part of the Pentagon, but really? It hit a hardened bunker, and basically took out a wall. That's considered a minor scratch in the grand scheme of things. So sure, I can see that small memorial being completed. I just can't understand what took so long for it to be completed.

Now for the towers? I tend to agree with my blog friend The Nemesing One. Those towers should have been rebuilt bigger and better than before. A basic flaunt-it-in-your-face flip-you-the-bird screw off and die statement to any power that thinks that it can knock us down with a nasty show of force. What did we do? We cowered. We cried. We considered. We argued. We denied. And now we're undecided.

All this does is show the folks who thrive on dealing terror is that we're susceptible to their attacks, and that if they really want to make an impact, they've got to make sure that it puts on a really good show for the news.

I thank God for the men and women who serve our country. I also thank the men and women who put their lives on the line to rescue us in our times of need.

But I have to condemn our men and women who are put in positions of authority when they bicker, make deals, and downplay the sacrifice and dedication of these people if to do nothing but make themselves and their "careers" look better.

Do what's right.

Remember this day, and give it the respect it's due.

More Ponderings and Panderings..

Well, yesterday I was talking about my wife and her dreams...

Today, I think I'll talk about... Politics!

It seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, and screaming about who they think would be the best fit for the US's next President...

Me? I say let my 7 year old run the country.. He's not going to lie to you, he's going to be bluntly and painfully honest about his opinion, and he's going to respect and value the advice he's given.

However, he's also going to throw temper tantrums, be stubborn, fuss, and want his way.. But that's something we've seen and dealt with in presidents that are over 5 times his age!

I don't mind voting. Hell, I don't mind listening to some of their speeches.

What I _do_ mind is all of the finger pointing, and name calling, and mudslinging that follows during the election campaign.

Who is going to outmanuver whom? Was deciding to remain "neutral" during a recent hot topic a wise idea? Is the candidate black, white, asian, hispanic, etc?

Who cares??

What I want to know is this:

Does ANYONE really know how well they're going to do when they get into the office?

The answer: Plain and simply.. NO. Sorry, but NO.

You never know what kind of hardships, or outside influences are going to put even more pressure on a high-profile position like this. You don't know what groups are going to take offense at something you do (or don't do), and then lobby to have you impeached. You just don't know! There's no kind of forecast that is going to be able to take in all of the variables, so there's no way in hell that you're going to be able to tell me that this person is better suited than that one.

The one thing that I listen to in all of this is simple:

Who tries to let their experience show by just letting their history speak for itself? Don't get some publicist to start trumpeting all of your great accomplishments, and downplay your mistakes. If anything, downplay your success, and show how you overcame your mistakes. That would impress me even more!

If anything, I could trust that my 7 year old would know this one! Humility is something I've been trying to teach my kids (mainly because I tend to brag too much, and I'm quite outspoken). Be humble about what you're able to do, but be firm and resolute about how you can handle anything that gets thrown at you. If you fail, work to fix it. Improve at what you're weakest at, and you'll become that much more of a better person for it. Then when something of that nature comes along again, you'll be better able to handle what it throws at you the next time.

Anyway, I'm done with this rant.

For this election, I'm voting for my kids. I think they'll be able to do the job, and maybe make less of a mess than the last 2 presidents have done..