Am I the Only One Confused About Politics?
Am I the only one that is confused about politics? Just when I thought I had seen it all, out comes Bobby Jindal, the Republican governor from Louisiana speaking to the American people as though we were all four years old. Granted, it was late…but come on! Could that little bedtime story be anymore condescending? As I sat there trying to comprehend what he was saying and put some sort sense to his “tall tale,” I couldn’t help but wonder if he was hypnotized by one of his fellow Republicans. He looked like a zombie, yet that wouldn’t be too far from the truth would it? It seems to me like Republicans are the walking dead these days. Oh, and there was something that struck me about his bedtime story speech that I just can’t get out of my head. He said something that I have heard before from other Republicans- “We haven’t even had a chance to read the bill.” OK, maybe I’m a little bit slow, but that bill has been available for them to read! It’s available for EVERYONE to read! As a matter of fact, I quite enjoyed reading one little tiny section of the 680 page bill (which I’m sure has gotten bigger since the last time I read it)…here is what tickled me:
“Page 12 Sec. 1109. Prohibited Uses
None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this Act may be used for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, or swimming pool.”
Wow! Those are the prohibited uses for funds appropriated. What will we do now? Those aren’t the only things prohibited in the bill, but I had no idea that casinos, aquariums, the zoo, or swimming pools were such a big temptation for misuse of our tax dollars. I could see golf courses being a bone of contention to our represented officials and maybe this is the real reason that Republicans have become the party of “no.”
Well, it’s just a thought anyway. Now that’s not to say that Democrats don’t play golf or go to zoo or anything, but I think something has to be getting under all these Republican skins, and maybe Bobby Jindal was their test pilot for how powerful hypnosis can be in persuading the American tax payer to come over to their side. Other attempts had failed so maybe this is their last resort.
Beyond the speech Bobby gave, it seems to me that he and many others like him haven’t read the bill. Is this an admission of guilt? We all know how important doing something about the economy is, so what are we paying them for? Does this sound right to you? How can they argue about something they haven’t read through? And why would they inject false claims of spending that isn’t even in the bill that they haven’t even read?
I never understood how each party could toot their own horn about how they have the answers. Both are equally guilty of making sure our country is run straight into the ground. They both want to spend, spend, 
spend, and yet there is justification on both sides about why their spending ideas are better. Dems want spending on programs that can create jobs, give health care, and improve the safety of our roads…Reps want lots of tax cuts and decreased spending. But it’s not decreased spending…it’s the same damn thing. OK, so we get the tax cuts…for what? So that the tax payer can go out and SPEND IT. What’s the difference? To me, neither party has the magic solution. I certainly don’t have a magic solution, but if I did this is what I would do:
- Find 50 statewide banks that are fiscally responsible, treat their employees well, do not practice predatory lending and have a grasp on risk management when it comes to lending money. After finding this kind of establishment, I would cut flood those banks with money and cut off all the big banks and allow them to go into bankruptcy. Let them figure it out.
- Then I would restructure the tax code and bring it back to a flat tax. Everybody wins with this one.
- Then I would get rid of the IRS and the Federal Reserve. When was the last time this private corporation was investigated?
- Last but not least, I would put a new water filtration device in the Pentagon, White House, Capital and any other watering hole where paranoid public officials gamble with the lives of our troops and others abroad. There must be something in the water that makes them all paranoid, thinking that we are always in “grave danger”…or maybe they just believe everything that is on the TV. I’d stop the war and leave other governments to fight their own battles.
Well that’s what I would do. It’s a simple list, coming from a simple person. You know, the kind that needs to be spoken to like I am in the 1st grade.
Bald Beauty of the Day
Bobby Revell on Thu, 26th Feb 2009 2:38 pm
Hi Angela,
The bill (the revised 1000+ page bill that passed) was drafted 24 hours before Obama signed off on it and not only didn’t republicans read it, but the president himself didn’t read it. He was briefed on it in a 30 minute meeting.
Honestly, I oppose both the republicans and democrats and blame both parties in full for the mess we are in. Not only that, I blame all of us. I wish I could say I support Obama, but I do not. Also, I believe both Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed should be banned from the government.
I agree with your plan somewhat, but federal income taxes should be completely abolished–they are unconstitutional and illegal extortion. Basically, I don’t believe in government and don’t believe in any politician. They are all corporatists, though some have prettier smiles than others.
Here are some definitions that are no longer valid based on our founding father’s vision:
Conservative: one who believes in freedom
Liberal: one who believes in equality and is willing to give up freedom to get it.
People think conservatism failed us the last 8 years, but the Bush administration was not conservative in any way. So I cannot blame the conservative ideology. These people are neo-cons, and that I do oppose. I think most liberals are just as wacky as any republican. I’ll say this: even if America recovers somewhat, it will only be temporary. I firmly believe that failed banks should be allowed to fail without any help from anyone. Sure failure would occur, but we will arise from the ash. People fail to realize that depressions are natural and must be allowed to pass naturally. If the government keeps “spending to save us” we will end up in squalor begging for apples and clean water. The Federal Reserve is the most corrupted crime syndicate on earth and must be completely abolished (not just investigated). Until a president says that and means it, I will always oppose them all.
I’m not confused about politics, I just don’t believe in it.
Bobby Revell’s last blog post..Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite
Tara S. Dickherber, M.Ed, CPC on Thu, 26th Feb 2009 2:41 pm
Politics aside, I want a poster of your Bald Beauty of the day! AMAZING photo!
Tara S. Dickherber, M.Ed, CPC’s last blog post..Quote for the week 2/25/09
Angela on Thu, 26th Feb 2009 2:48 pm
Bobby, I couldn’t have said it better myself! LOL
Angela on Thu, 26th Feb 2009 2:51 pm
Hi Tara,
Here is a link where you can purchase the image:
http://gettyimages.com/detail/200331299-001/Photonica?axd=DetailPaging.Generic|1&axs=0|200331299-001|0
Melinda on Thu, 26th Feb 2009 4:13 pm
I have to say that I was as disgusted as any one person could be for the entire 8 years that Bush was in office. And like Bobby I quit believing that politics can work–but I do believe in Obama. I guess it might just be the fact that I really am the eternal optimist–but he spoke to me during his campaign and I really did like this speech last night. I am willing to give him a chance.
And Angela? I completely agree with your assessment of Jindal–could he possibly have been any more condescending? He reminded me of why I hate politics so much. Ugh.
I love the beauty you are hailing here, Angela–what a photo with her next to the elephant.
Take care,
Melinda
Melinda’s last blog post..Twenty-Five Random Things About Melindaville
Stillthinking76 on Thu, 26th Feb 2009 6:26 pm
Ok, I think Bobby may be a little too libertarian extremist for me. I just cannot bring myself to crank back the clock on US history and return to the 1800’s. Some libertarians believe that the post office is an intrusion on personal liberties. God forbid my mailman knows my address.
I do believe in Obama and I do blame the Republicans for the past 8 years. I don’t hesitate in saying that Governor Jindal was absolutely the wrong person to choose to respond to Obama’s speech. Obama is polished, confident, and electrifying when he speaks. What was the Republican leadership thinking when they chose the little known Southern governor with no national exposure and shaky speaking skills? It was a pathetic attempt at showing that the Republican party is diverse. Trot out the Indian guy to make speeches and make the black guy party leader. Yes! That’s how we’ll fool America into forgetting the fact that under the Bush administration, we sank into the deepest recession since the Great Depression. We will forget all about the intrusion into personal rights and undermining of the judicial system with the creation of the Patriot Act. We will forget the 7 years of “emergency” spending bills to fund Iraq and Afghanistan rather than including them in the actual budget. I don’t have time to go into the Republican squelching of scientific research or how the Bush administration made political retribution on perceived “traitors” to the party (Valerie Plame is 5x the American that Scooter Libby is). I will stop now. I just wanted to agree with you Angela. They were idiots to pick Bobby Jindal to respond.
Stillthinking76’s last blog post..Obama addresses Congress and the Nation
Kathleen Maher on Thu, 26th Feb 2009 9:22 pm
Outstanding blog: engaging, interesting content and far and way the best set-up I’ve seen yet!
Kathleen Maher’s last blog post..Top Ranking
Angela on Thu, 26th Feb 2009 11:49 pm
Malinda,
As always it is a pleasure when you come by! I love all the different views everyone has.
Stillthinking,
I wonder who would have been a better choice to bring out and give the Republican response? I don’t believe all Republicans are bad or wrong, so there must be some good ones that are just not in the lime light and virtually unknown. There has to be a better way for them to reach the people with their message, because I believe what they are espousing right now is pushing more people away instead of bringing them into their corner. Bobby Jindal doesn’t have the style or grace as a polished speaker and politician, but regardless of style the message has to be clear and at least have the facts straight. Even if he came out the way he did, but spoke with some amount of substance, it would have been easier to stomach.
Kathleen,
Thank you for the kind words on my blog. I want to add you to my great links, because I love your blog. I will definitely be stopping by to read your latest short story.