Jason Here... this post will infuriate some... But it's been something that I've had rolling around in my head for a couple of weeks now....
To preface these musings:
- I have to say that I have never been, nor am currently interested in "Political Correctness". Political Correctness is designed to do one thing and one thing only, assuage people of their own guilt by forcing a pre-concieved language of fairness on the masses.
- 15 Years in EMS has taught me one truth above all others in terms of human behavior. Words don't mean things, they are meaningless. Actions are the only things that have value. Put another way: It's not what you say, It's what you do that matters. Basic psychology admits this... the best indicator of future behavior is past and present behavior... not words...
So as I give these words, I already understand they are meaningless... Having said that...
The last 16 years of American Politics have taught me that we truly are an empire in decline. Our little experiment in self-government is failing before our eyes... the inmates truly do run the asylum. And we, the commoners have no actual control of our own government.
Of course, pointing this out to people causes them to instantly get defensive whenever it comes near something that matters to them... many people still believe that it matters...
- I remember in 1994 when the Republicans took over congress and the executive, the cries from the press and Democrats about how our system of government was not designed to be based on "1 party rule" As I recall, the Republicans in Congress even did rule changes to give the minority party more power in response to the "1 Party Rule" issue.
- Conversely now that Barack Obama has been elected, and has a Democratic majority in both congressional houses, suddenly "1 Party Rule" is ok, approved of, and even endorsed.
Gasp... I knew it... Jason is a Republican!
- I was for the impeachment and trial of Bill Clinton. I felt that lying under oath to a Federal Grand Jury (regardless of about what he lied about) was an important enough issue that it warranted a thorough vetting in congress. And now the precedent is set, a sitting US President will never be impeached or put on trial in the senate for lying under oath. The senate made the right decision, but it was still one of actually following the constitution and using the process outlined to come to that conclusion
- I was also for the impeachment of George W. Bush and trial by senate for the intentional misappropriation of congressionally allocated funds from Afghanistan to Iraq prior to the Iraq invasion. He then also through policy deprived citizens of their guaranteed constitutional rights. Pretty simple right... except a DEMOCRATIC congress wasn't even willing to follow the constitution and use the process... Nobody had the political fortitude to actually do the one thing that the constitution required of them... he should have been impeached in 2005, tried in the senate, and probably removed from office.
I knew it... Jason is a Democrat!....
So I know I'm supposed to give the unending praise and platitudes to his hopefulness, the savior on high sent to save us Barack Obama but lets be real... beneath the image that so many people have bought into is the truth... and the truth is... he is one of the inmates...
He sold hope and people bought it... and still are... meanwhile the inmates are going wild... I give you bailouts and congressional pork, rising national debt on a roosevelt type belief that we can deficit spend our way out of our financial woes... meanwhile, the same people who support it because of a flawed belief in Roosevelt style "new deal" programs claim that Ronald Reagan's deficit defense spending in the 1980's was wrong...
Either deficit spending fixes problems or causes problems... make up your mind people... It's either OK or it's not...
We've already seen the Obama folks frantically trying to lower expectations as reality has nothing to do with what they sold...
So on the eve of the historic inauguration costing millions of taxpayer dollars (that we don't have) I know the politically correct thing to do is to praise the new President and look towards the future.
The Future: We've replaced Captain Joseph Hazelwood with Captain Stubing and the ship still is run aground and leaking oil (money).
But hope is a funny thing... So I leave you with this bit of absurdity...
I think I'll have all my bills sent to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue from now on...
6 comments:
I don't know a lot about politics but I get what you're saying and totally agree. It's like everyone just goes with what they think will work at the time! There's no real standard of actions we have to follow...
As far as paying a mortgage and for gas... hello!!! Duh people, it's called EXPENSES!!! Life has them!
People are crazy but I'm glad to see that you are one of the sane ones :-)
WHAT???? Did you just call my husband sane???? Oh, dear!
All I want to know is, where is *my* bailout? I knew I was really messing up my life by not buying a house I couldn't afford!!!!!! Sheesh. Why didn't I become a bank? I could have seen this crash coming after the S&L bailout so many years ago and really cashed in big!
Ok, Congress, I'm waiting.....
Where was I reading this ...? I can't remember. But someone wisely commented that changing our society would take 12 years--because we have to change the youth. Now, I love kids (obviously, or I wouldn't be subjecting myself to working with them!). But they (in general, not all of them) really do expect to have life spooned into their gaping mouths. Until we adults can teach kids that real life requires time and patience and EFFORT, we're not going to be able to turn things around.
It's like the current issue with Brendan. He REALLY wants a DS. Well, I give him jobs to earn money (10 cents per pair of socks folded, for example), but he keeps commenting on how LONG it will take for him to earn the money he needs. But ... that's LIFE.
That said, I am really pleased that Obama was elected. What worries me is people's completely over-the-top expectations of what he is going to be able to accomplish. One thing I love about my church is the focus on the fact that Change is not a top-down thing, it's a bottom-up phenomenon. We start changing in our families, in our communities, and it will spread from there. But "policy" is never going to produce the time of heart-change that we as a nation desperately need.
Heck, Judy, I'm not even asking for a bailout. I just want the tax money that we overpaid (I don't think we did over pay, but just in case). Did you guys see that the state of CA is issuing IOUs for tax refunds because they don't have the money? Can I slap on a bunch of late fees and high interest rates? Not likely :(.
I identify with your frustration.
Any society that puts its hope in its citizens (whether government, education or grass roots activism) instead of its Creator is doomed. Top-down, bottom-up, it's all the same; an unwarranted confidence that we can make the difference. We're currently witnessing the culmination of decades of slowly drifting away from reliance on the Creator to trust in His creatures. The latest expression in America is the enthusiastic embracing of Obama's "hope" without substance. As the sage once said, "A nation gets the leaders it deserves."
I hope we come to our senses before it's too late.
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