I don’t have any trouble making up my mind. I don’t have any trouble expressing my opinions. I do change my mind from time to time and it is distressing me to say that it is happening again.
To give you some history, I have been for years what you would call an economic Republican and a social Democrat. What this means is that we as a nation should be fiscally conservative and strive for a balanced budget, spending money only when it is necessary. Further, we should as a nation understand that “there are people out there that need help” and you can quote me on that. People that have been disadvantaged by race, by economic circumstances, by events or things not of their own doing. Examples of this would be Hurricane Katrina; one of our nation’s biggest failings. Other examples would be disadvantaged by race or ethnicity. If you don’t understand how different it is to be black every day of your life, then go ask someone what it is like to walk in their shoes. Yes, we have made a lot of progress in our country but “we aint there yet”.
Now, I need to tell you that I was so disgusted by George “they tried to kill my Daddy” Bush, Dick “they do have weapons of mass destruction” Cheney, and Don “I have no idea what I am doing” Rumsfeld that there was no way I could vote for another Republican in the latest Presidential election. Our reputation in the world was as low as it has ever been. We had no more credibility left as a country. Our civil rights were being trampled. And, we were in a recession of unknown magnitude.
Along comes Barack Obama and he presents a different alternative for a President. Rather than a continuation of the status quo. He wants to fix our reputation in the world and wants to correct some of the social injustices in this country. Unfortunately, he was dealt a recessionary environment which has to be fixed. This is on top of extracting us from our various wars around the world but accomplishing the main mission against terrorism. I was enthusiastically on his boat!
Here is where I get off the boat! There is a difference between getting the economy going by some social programs, public works spending, and helping out (yes, bailing out) some of our major corporations on the one hand; and on the other hand, going hog wild on leveling out the growth of wealth and income in our country. That is not free enterprise and capitalism but instead is socialism. Nancy Pelosi is the poster child for this approach. (How can anyone from California have any national credibility left based on the fiscal ineptness of what is happening in their state?)
I am sure you have seen the current proposals about assessing a surcharge on income above $350,000 and requiring company paid health insurance for all employees. Not that I make that much but there are those that do and we need them in our country. Capitalism makes our country grow, makes our country great and ends up trickling down to everyone. Yes, you could call it “trickle down economics.”
Let me off the boat, I am feeling very let down by our Congress, the representatives of the people. I don’t know what to do.
I think I will go for a hike by myself on the Appalachian Trail. Maybe something will come to me. I might even run into a politician or two! Maybe I should go to Argentina?
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3 comments:
Ray, you are the 3rd person, in the course of a week, who has verbalized similar sentiments. Of course, not as eloquently!
I am so worried about our country that I don't know what to do. Worried about our freedoms, our individual free will, our economy, our society and cultural values that reward hard and smart work.
I guess the only thing we can do is to get out there and help to get the "Silent Majority" moving.
Great blog! Being from the middle class (my father worked for the railroad and my mother stayed at home), and working in education for many years, I was and still am a registered democrat. However, after witnessing various government entitlement programs as they pertained to education, I began to vote republican. My father would kill me! But still, I couldn't vote for Obama...not enough info on him and afraid of the impact that the right reverend and others would have on him. So now, we wait and see. Thank God I have teachers' retirement and my husband still has a job.
nancy mc
Ray,
Well said!
I have lived in Quebec for the past 33 years. This past election I made a special effort to exercise my voting rights for the first time in 33 years. I voted for Obama. I regret my vote.
I laughed outloud when the Republicans hyped up Joe the plumber. Now it seems Joe was on to something.
Can you really trust a man who is only comfortable with a teleprompter in front of him when he addresses the nation?
Toni T
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