Pool Aid : Part Duh

Oh, Seeker... Thank you for giving me so much to write about on this glorious Labor Day. Which, incidentally, will be "tax freedom" day if Obama gets into office...

Unfortunately things seemed to disintegrate while I was away from my computer and enjoying the day... There's so much to say that it will take another entire post...

If you're just catching up read the first post here.

So, with so much happening today I suppose I'll begin picking apart comments...

Yeah, and what exactly is "old man rivers" going to do for you? McCain is the same old same old that has been in office for the last eight years, but I guess if your going to defend the "republican" side, then tell me exactly what BUSH has done for our Nation?

Unfortunately politics is an "old boys" club. That's what's wrong with it. McCain is not my choice as the "best man for the job". That said, when given a wide choice of running mates Obama went with the "same old" that has been in office for 30+ years. At least McCain picked "fresh blood", untainted by the "Beltway mentality".

I am not defending the Republican side. I am an Independent. I have voted Dem,I have voted Independent and I have voted Republican. I do not vote party line, I vote for who I believe is best qualified, no matter the letter after their name. And why, when you have no argument, do liberals always go back to "but what has BUSH done for you?" Must I remind you that Bush isn't running? He is not the topic of this conversation.

Whoever said life was fair. Yeah its not fair that theres a single mother
with five kids using your tax dollars to survive, but what about the mother that
is working two jobs and just can't make ends meet, who's also paying taxes who's
using your tax dollars to survive? What would you have said to your mother had
she used tax dollars to survive when you were growing up? Would you berate her
as you do others? It's not as cut and dry as you think, but do we throw the
whole basket of apples in the trash because one is rotten?

Noone said life is fair. Personal choices play a big role and if you make bad personal choices you need to stand up and face the consequnces. I have no problem with people who use welfare to pick themselves up and move on with their life. I never said I did. My problem is with the system that makes it practically impossible to get off welfare.

The reason I speak so much about welfare is because I do have first hand experience with it. My mother did take public assistance. I do not berate her for it, she had 4 kids to feed; she had no choice. The problem lies in the fact that there is no "weaning" system from welfare. You are on it or you are off it. The minute my mom took a job she lost all benefits. The system makes it all but impossible to get off welfare which leaves people on it until they make the very difficult choice to do without so that one day they can do better and change their family tree.

I don't need to ambush you with "facts" because I am a free thinker so yeah
I haven't studied up on all the points I would need to win against you in an
argument, but I do know that change is important, and Obama is offering it, and
McCain is offering....what? More tax breaks for the richest 5% of our nation,
more money on a war that I sure as hell did not advocate? What is he going to do
for this nation that is so great. Im not a person who listens to other people
when they say "you should vote for such and such" until I know what each party
stands for, so tell me why I should vote McCain over Obama. Its amazing how
unfeeling your response is.

To be taken seriously in a discussion I'm afraid you need to have some facts to back you up. Sure Obama is offering change, but if you really study it you'll see just how much his change is going to cost. Here are just a few bits of his plan:
A $65 billion-a-year health plan
$15 billion in green energy spending
$85 billion in tax cuts and credits
A $25 billion-a-year increase in foreign aid
$18 billion a year in education spending
$3.5 billion for a national service plan
Put it all together, and we are talking about a $200 billon plan, $800 billion over four years. And that does not even include fixing the alternative minimum tax, a $50 billion-a-year item that will assuredly get passed.

I can assure you that all the money needed is going to come from tax paying citizens. And the middle class will, again, be the hardest hit. Because as these taxes go up, even if they go up for large companies and wealthy citizens, the trickle down effect will begin.

As businesses begin to pay out more in taxes they will have to cut jobs. If all large companies are cutting jobs where will all these workers go? Sure, Obama is promising to create jobs, but that, too, will take money. And if people are losing jobs then who is paying the taxes necessary to fund all the new government jobs? Obama's plan is too expensive and will do nothing to get our country out of debt; it will, however, collapse the small businesses the economy relies on.

I'm surprised you found my response unfeeling... I "felt" alot as I was writing it. Maybe it was just too factual for you? Maybe I should have used more feeling words? Unfortunately, facts are necessary when deciding the future our country should take.

I'm not so much voting for McCain as voting against Obama. As much as I dearly wish there was a candidate I could say I fully support, there isn't. So here is why I am voting against Barack Obama:

1) Life is sacred to me. Obama voted against banning partial birth abortion. This is an appauling practice where the baby is "partially" born (the head is out of the mother's body but the torso still remains in her) and then the baby is killed as it takes it's first breath. This is murder.

2) Raising taxes is not the answer to rid America of our debt. Anyone who has to pay their own bills and support a family knows this. You do not borrow your way out of debt. It is time the government (all of them) realized this.

3) I do not believe in socialized medicine. Do your research on this. You will see that it really doesn't work. Yes, our healthcare system has problems, but not as many as the system in the UK (which is socialized) or Germany (and they are actually planning to turn to private health care).

4) I don't think Obama has the experience necessary. He's a one term senator. He would be a president overseeing a war- yet he has no war experience.

5) The people he calls "friends" scare me. Racists, terrorists, another friend with terrorist ties, a terrorist sympathizer, wait... another terrorist... seriously... another terrorist... and an indicted extortionist and money launderer. It is said that you surround yourself with people you want to emulate or people you have much in common with. Either way I am terrified by his choices.

OK... now on to the next bit...

A large plagerized bit from an undisclosed source (that's a no-no, you should always list your sources) was left comparing the Obama's marriage to the McCain's. I'm not really sure why this is an issue when no one had a problem with John Kerry marrying the Heinz heiress...

But more than that, are you saying that because there was money involved there is no love? I don't think you, or anyone in the media, has the right to speculate on what makes a marriage work. Unless, of course, it's the Enquirer... That's how they make their money.

And about Barack doing the grocery shopping... We here in Iowa got to hear his woes of the price of arugula. Yep, he's in touch with the "regular people".

Wow... this is getting long...

The next comment from Seeker went like this:

The fact that you think Im making a personal attack is ludacris, because
last time I checked it was a free country. If you only welcome people who think
like you to respond to a blog, then I guess I can see more of where youre at in
your line of thinking. I was simply making the statement that I would rather
have a "couple" like the Obama's making decisions for me than I would the
McCains, and my last comment was meant to clearly state the interactions between
the two couples, since I'm not up on the facts of their daily lives per say. I
apoligize if you have been insulted by my statements. Like many Americans, I too
have had it rough, and I too have worked very hard to get myself where Im at, so
don't lump me in the same catagory as those who are not giving 100% or even 50%
just because I choose the democratic side. The fact of the matter is is we all
need to look out for each other, and I don't feel that the last decade has been
about that, and I certainly hope that the next decade isn't either. When is the
last time you voluteered to read a book to a child that was left behind, how
about teaching a young single mother some parenting skills? Anyone? Bush?
Anyone? This is what its going to take to make America what it SHOULD BE.
Everyone being for everyone, and encouraging each other to be better. Lastly,
who decided without my consent to invade a country and spend 300 billion a day?
Talk about a waste of tax dollars?

Apparently someone thought I was commenting... Unfortunately it was not me, but my mother. So, yes, Seeker, I do welcome all comments and no, I didn't see any personal attacks in your previous comment. But what you seemed to miss was a bit more important:

I'm well aware of working three jobs while raising my children, getting a 4 year degree in 4 years and working myself out of poverty and how rough it is. Yes, I got some help but I worked myself out of it as soon as possible and now my WEEKLY tax bite is about $400. It is a sad commentary that most people are willing to accept an entitlement then complain that it is not enough instead of getting an education or finding a way to get out of the system, and even sadder that the system perpetuates itself by telling people who want to better themselves that they don't want to get a better or another job "or you will loose your benefits."

I don't "lump" people together. I encourage people on their own merits. I am very involved with my church, volunteer with missions work, help at local shelters and food banks and make donations to causes I believe in. And if you're going by "couples" please take a look at all Laura Bush has done for those people you laid out in your comment.

And about the war... It was voted upon with the most up to date information available at the time. Our congress passed the bill. Take that matter up with your elected official because his (or her) vote was your vote. The only reason the war isn't over is because we went in and then congress decided to take away funding. Had the war been fought correctly it would be done.

And for your final comment:

My last comment on this blog is this: Maybe Palin should stay home and take responsibility for her 17 year old daughter getting pregnant out of wedlock. Luckily her mother and father have alot of money because she "cant depend on welfare" and she can't have an abortion, that is if the republicans have their way. Now THAT is a personal attack.

You might want to step back on that one...

Are you saying that all unwed teenaged mothers were raised by unfit parents? Because there are 750,000 teen pregnancies annually - are you saying there are over one million unfit parents?

And, though you may not see it, people who believe in life see babies as a blessing, not a "punishment". The Palin family welcomes this baby as a blessing- who are you to say that it is not?

The money bit... Sarah Palin's husband is a fisherman. Last I saw that wasn't really a trillion dollar a year job...

Just as an aside... Palin's husband quit his job with BP to prevent a conflict of interest when pipeline negotiations began. Michelle Obama, however, was given a promotion when her husband became a senator and then her employer received a $1 million dollar earmark, requested by the senator. Coincidence?

Whew...

That was long... Thanks to everyone who stuck through it. If you're up for just a bit more, here is a link to a great piece called A Tale of Two Parties. It's a true story of how a Democrat became a Republican.

Seeker- you are welcome to comment here any time, it makes for lively debate. Just, please, make sure you know that others comment here, too, and be sure you know who has said what.

Now I'm off to kiss my daughters and to thank my God for the blessed life He has bestowed upon me.