Ok, what bugs you about about today politics? Is it Politcs as usual or Not? Local, National or on the other side of the world. Whats on your mind......Where is Rachel Maddow when we need her?
Right now for me its the teacher layoffs here in Cali...No one seems to care about the future of our children ( altho i have none, i do have 2 nephews). What the Heck? Sometimes everything is so money oriented that they lose site of what really matters. Ohhh and dont get me started on the passing of Prop 8. The "state" of California more than sucks right now.....I just thank God that for now, I still have a job. Anyway......ok im done!
Uhh, not sure if I should engage in this conversation but what the heck:
1) What bugs me? Not much of late. Actually, what bugs me is the lack of perspective. Folks seem to want immediate reaction from Obama and Congress' responses. Like Obama said in today's press conference. Today's troubles took years to create, the solutions are not going to happen overnight.
2) Politics as usual? I don't think people realize how much the internet has changed politics for the better. Dare I say I was part of that history? I will, i will. Our McNerney 06 campaign followed on the lead of Howard Dean's historic presidential bid and was followed by Obama's jawdropping victory. More candidates n
All I know is that our environment and animal rights are safer today because of McNerney (for those not familiar Jerry defeated the worst anti-environmental Congress person Richard Pombo who happened to Chair the committee that addressed enviormental issues) and now our Country is in better hands because of Obama.
3) On the Rachel Maddow tip? As much as I appreciate Maddow and the ilk I actually think she and other opinionist are hurting journalism. Unless we differentiate between true journalism and the more opinion-minded anchoring/hosting gigs (think Rush, Fox, MSNBC) we will continue to see segregated viewership that in the end does more harm than good to our democracy.
4) Regarding education, I think Obama and the new congress is on the right track when they included education in our stimulus plans. Unfortunately, most Americans currently don't think long term when it comes to education yet we still need even more money invested.
Eeeks, I forgot to comment on Prop 8. I had the fortune/misfortune of seeing Milk right after our Nov elections and it pained me see how horrible the homophobic climate was during the 70's and yet they were able to defeat Prop 6. So, I look at Prop 8 as an opportunity for those of us within the GLBT community to get our act together. I know I have been complacent when it comes to making gay rights a priority. It took Milk to remind me that my constitutional rights will not be protected unless I get involved. I have a strong feeling that other's feel the same, especially since i have been hearing that oodles and oodles of gay marriage groups have sprung up after the victor of Prop 8.
Folks, gay rights doesn't start and end on Gay Pride Parade Day. That's been the sad reality for the past three decades. Now is the time for real action.
Alright, as an economist (not necessarily a good one), I would have to say that the economy worries me A LOT! We are spending a lot of money NOW to get the economy back on track. However, that is just going to be even more TROUBLE for us in the future. Right now, programs such as Medicare and Social Security are already projected to be under-funded. What that means is that we will have even more difficulty paying for programs like that IN ADDITION TO the money that we are borrowing now (can you say 'one trillion') and will need to pay back in the future. All of this spells TROUBLE for us in the future, although, I understand the need to do something NOW to get our economy back on track.
Another scary thought for me is the cost of medical care. We are too developed of a country not to have universal medical care. Also, the costs of medical expenses are skyrocketing. I feel really, really, bad for older people (on fixed incomes) who have to chose between eating and getting their medication because it is so friggin expensive.
The U.S. is also falling behind in education. There are huge educational discrepancies between 'wealthy' and 'poor' neighborhoods. As technology increases, this discrepancy is only going to increase and the 'rich' will keep getting richer and the 'poor' will keep getting poorer.
As for Prop 8... urgh! It's amazing that there are people who are not afforded legal rights just because of the person that they love. It's just mind-bottling (from Blades of Glory) that people who spend decades as a couple can't be on each other's medical insurance, are not eligible to receive any Social Security or other retirement pension, and absolutly have no say-so if the other partner were to have a medical emergency. It is pure discrimination! It is especially horrible when states pass laws that ban same-sex couples from adopting. Why punish the children too? In time, hopefully, people will get their acts together and realize that The Bible may have spoken out against a lot of things, but it never spoke out against LOVE. LOVE can never be wrong, and to deny people the ability to love and the right to love is, in itself, sinful!
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men" - and women.- John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton
I just wish humans would evolve. I don't like it when religion is used in politics. So many people influence the lives of others and I don't like the way its used to control or repress. It's like the majority rule. We should all just exist with all our differences and ordinary people should have more of an active involement in the political and policy making process. Those who represent, can't be trusted. We need more transparency in politics.
March 24th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Right now for me its the teacher layoffs here in Cali...No one seems to care about the future of our children ( altho i have none, i do have 2 nephews). What the Heck? Sometimes everything is so money oriented that they lose site of what really matters. Ohhh and dont get me started on the passing of Prop 8. The "state" of California more than sucks right now.....I just thank God that for now, I still have a job. Anyway......ok im done!
Wendy.....Lisa.....thoughts?
March 25th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Uhh, not sure if I should engage in this conversation but what the heck:
1) What bugs me? Not much of late. Actually, what bugs me is the lack of perspective. Folks seem to want immediate reaction from Obama and Congress' responses. Like Obama said in today's press conference. Today's troubles took years to create, the solutions are not going to happen overnight.
2) Politics as usual? I don't think people realize how much the internet has changed politics for the better. Dare I say I was part of that history? I will, i will. Our McNerney 06 campaign followed on the lead of Howard Dean's historic presidential bid and was followed by Obama's jawdropping victory. More candidates n
All I know is that our environment and animal rights are safer today because of McNerney (for those not familiar Jerry defeated the worst anti-environmental Congress person Richard Pombo who happened to Chair the committee that addressed enviormental issues) and now our Country is in better hands because of Obama.
3) On the Rachel Maddow tip? As much as I appreciate Maddow and the ilk I actually think she and other opinionist are hurting journalism. Unless we differentiate between true journalism and the more opinion-minded anchoring/hosting gigs (think Rush, Fox, MSNBC) we will continue to see segregated viewership that in the end does more harm than good to our democracy.
4) Regarding education, I think Obama and the new congress is on the right track when they included education in our stimulus plans. Unfortunately, most Americans currently don't think long term when it comes to education yet we still need even more money invested.
Just my two-cents.
March 25th, 2009 at 1:04 am
Eeeks, I forgot to comment on Prop 8. I had the fortune/misfortune of seeing Milk right after our Nov elections and it pained me see how horrible the homophobic climate was during the 70's and yet they were able to defeat Prop 6. So, I look at Prop 8 as an opportunity for those of us within the GLBT community to get our act together. I know I have been complacent when it comes to making gay rights a priority. It took Milk to remind me that my constitutional rights will not be protected unless I get involved. I have a strong feeling that other's feel the same, especially since i have been hearing that oodles and oodles of gay marriage groups have sprung up after the victor of Prop 8.
Folks, gay rights doesn't start and end on Gay Pride Parade Day. That's been the sad reality for the past three decades. Now is the time for real action.
March 25th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Alright, as an economist (not necessarily a good one), I would have to say that the economy worries me A LOT! We are spending a lot of money NOW to get the economy back on track. However, that is just going to be even more TROUBLE for us in the future. Right now, programs such as Medicare and Social Security are already projected to be under-funded. What that means is that we will have even more difficulty paying for programs like that IN ADDITION TO the money that we are borrowing now (can you say 'one trillion') and will need to pay back in the future. All of this spells TROUBLE for us in the future, although, I understand the need to do something NOW to get our economy back on track.
Another scary thought for me is the cost of medical care. We are too developed of a country not to have universal medical care. Also, the costs of medical expenses are skyrocketing. I feel really, really, bad for older people (on fixed incomes) who have to chose between eating and getting their medication because it is so friggin expensive.
The U.S. is also falling behind in education. There are huge educational discrepancies between 'wealthy' and 'poor' neighborhoods. As technology increases, this discrepancy is only going to increase and the 'rich' will keep getting richer and the 'poor' will keep getting poorer.
As for Prop 8... urgh! It's amazing that there are people who are not afforded legal rights just because of the person that they love. It's just mind-bottling (from Blades of Glory) that people who spend decades as a couple can't be on each other's medical insurance, are not eligible to receive any Social Security or other retirement pension, and absolutly have no say-so if the other partner were to have a medical emergency. It is pure discrimination! It is especially horrible when states pass laws that ban same-sex couples from adopting. Why punish the children too? In time, hopefully, people will get their acts together and realize that The Bible may have spoken out against a lot of things, but it never spoke out against LOVE. LOVE can never be wrong, and to deny people the ability to love and the right to love is, in itself, sinful!
The End! ;-)
April 5th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men" - and women.- John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton
I just wish humans would evolve. I don't like it when religion is used in politics. So many people influence the lives of others and I don't like the way its used to control or repress. It's like the majority rule. We should all just exist with all our differences and ordinary people should have more of an active involement in the political and policy making process. Those who represent, can't be trusted. We need more transparency in politics.
April 5th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
re: Twilight_girrl
Amen, sister. *No pun intended*