5 posts tagged “elections”

I have been a very bad blogger.   With my son home for summer break, I find my time is more limited than ever.  While I would love to blog every day, there are things in life that must take precedence and the boy is ALWAYS my number one.  That being said, its time to catch up some thoughts on current events....

1.  Farrah Fawcett - I've had respect for this woman because she threw away the pretty actress card by quitting Charlies Angels and then did amazing and important roles in movies like the "The Burning Bed".  She tried to make the world a better place through her roles, art and activism.   Even her cancer (and death) was a role she faced head on and tried to use to educate and make the world a better place.   She will be missed.
2. Michael Jackson - where do I even start?  First off, I was shocked by his death because it was completely unexpected. However, his death brings on extremely mixed feelings about the man.  Yes, the man was an amazing musician.   I live in Motown people - we grew up hearing the Jackson Five.  I am also a child of the 80's - I remember when I loved him in his yellow sweater vest and Thriller.  However, I am also a mother of a young boy and thinking of his perversions and sexual proclivities makes my skin crawl.  I happened to be at a New Kids on the Block concert here in Detroit the day he died and they did the best memorial to MJ, they did "I'll Be There" with all of us singing.  They memorialized the purer young Jackson rather than tainted man.
3. Iran - Wow.  What an amazing response by the people of Iran to what is most likely a crooked election.  This is a nation that has seen revolution within the last 50 years, so at this point they probably no how to do it better than any of us.  Hopefully we stay out of it militarily unless we are truly needed.  However, we need to stand up for those in Iran with our voices, prayers and support.
4. Obama - President Obama, I really want to like you.   Really, I do.  I hated the Bush era policies.  I was ready for a "change".  Unfortunately, you are letting me down.   I am sick of hearing speeches.  I mean REALLY sick of hearing you speak.   It rates up there with Bush and his vacations.   You are there to work, not give speeches.  What happened to transparency in government?   Why are you allowing Pelosi to force bills through without allowing public comment?  Your health care bill is a joke - how can you "fix" healthcare for everyone if you are adding another roadblock that will have to be overcome for complete reform to be effective?   You also don't understand how governmental programs force the costs upwards (Medicare did it, so will expanded governmental healthcare).  Don't even get me started on "cap and trade"...

OK...I got some of the itch out.  Anybody reading this knows the itch I am talking about.  Its that drive to blog about the happenings around us but life prevents us from doing so....

Ladies and gentleman, I have noticed a disturbing trend in American politics.   There is a large majority of voters that are voting based on popularity rather than being informed voters.   What's worse - the popularity of the candidate is created by the same system that gave us "stars" like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and the cast of "The Hills".

What happened to people that actually went out and learned about the candidates?  In the 18th, 19th and part of the 20th century information was difficult to come by and voters relied on what the news agencies and candidates told them.  This generation has no information accessibility issue - with the internet and half a brain people can find anything they want on the candidates.  So why are people relying on sound bites and packaged information from spin masters? 

People WAKE UP!   You are about to vote for the leaders of your country.  You should put thought into this process.  You should stay up at night wondering who is right for the job.  You should be doing research on their voting history, policy proposals and other pertinent information. 

It doesn't matter WHO you vote for but that choice needs to be an informed one!  Don't let the news agencies, television shows and  (ie corporate america) make that choice for you.   They do NOT have your best interests at heart - they have theirs.  Get the facts and VOTE!

Come on people.   Get off your asses and educate yourself before casting that ballot.  People have DIED for this right and are still dying for this right -  we should show some respect and do it responsibly.

In the immortal words of GI JOE - Knowing is half the battle!

Maybe I should just stop researching candidates and follow the most popular one like so many others do.   Maybe I should allow "ObamaGirl" to swing my vote in his direction.  Maybe I can let God, err Oprah, tell me what book to read and who to vote for.  Then I could be blissfully unaware of how much I don't like Obama.

Unfortunately, I just can't do that.  I need to KNOW who I am voting for.   I want to understand what the man stands for.  I want to agree with his policies.  I want to feel like he will represent me in the way that I want him to.   Obama just isn't fitting the bill. 

Yes, I know that there people who agree witht he man and have valid reasons for voting Obama into office but there are so many people that don't have a single reason beyond the fact that he is popular.  They can't give you a single reason that they actually prefer him (sorry folks, saying he will "change things" does NOT count as a reason).  Grrr....

Grrr...the primaries annoy me.   Why do candidates drop out of the race because a handful of Iowans vote? 

First off, I want to applaud any minor candidate that understands this and stays in the race.   Duncan Hunter, Dennis Kucinich and all of the others I applaud you for your tenacity.

Now.  Onto the annoyance of the Obama Landslide Victory the media is hyping.  Umm hello?  If you actually look at the results you will see that the margins of victory were narrow.   Each one of the major democratic candidates was average between 30% and 40%.  YEs, Obama won a couple of counties by 10 points.  However he lost several projected wins too. 

Now you add the fact that 300,000 people caucused in the state.   That means that the number of voters that makes this difference is small, only a couple of thousand people.   Why should this couple of thousand people be allowed to decide the political landscape?

Then you add the fact that the Obama camp and the media are happy that Republicans crossed party lines to vote for him.  Ummm hello?   Can you say sabotage?  The republicans don't want Obama.  They don't want a man that touts nationaliuzed healthcare and has a muslim name.   They just don't want Hillary running.

I wish the primaries were ALL the same damn day. That way one small minor state can not decide for the entire nation. I also wish that voters could only vote for their registered party in the primaries/caucuses.  That way the other party cannot screw with the results too much.

Michael J Fox has always held a place in my heart.  When I was a girl I grew up idolizing Alex P KEaton on Family Ties.  I wanted to be just like him.    Then in the Back to the Future movies my love grew.

Now this man faces the fight of his like - like many other Americans.   He is fighting Parkinsons and is fighting the government to continue stem cell experiments that might help him.

This video is heartbreaking.  Its clear the effect of the disease has progressed.  I know that he didn't take his medication so people can see the effects but its still sad.