Thursday, March 13, 2008

ok, I will talk just a lil bit about politics

My parents are all about getting George W outta the White House. My mom's upset because their retirement fund has lost money and the gas prices are so high (GW's fault). "All the high oil and gas prices are filling GW's pockets. " She's mad about the war (ok, that one is on GW). According to mom, "everything about our country has been awful for the past 8 yrs... All we need to do is get rid of King George and get a Democrat in there..." And somehow, some Democrat is going to snap their fingers and all will be well. I mean gosh, they "had more $$ in the bank when Bill Clinton was in office." So, there ya go! That's actually her entire argument. Worse=GW Better=Clinton. She actually told me with a straight face that health care provided by our government would be better than what we have now. Oh my, the same govt that can't even get a package to me through the US mail (given two opportunities) is now going to manage my health care and insurance? Are you kidding me? The thing is, I dont like our current health care system either, but govt involvement is NOT the answer.

Ok, now does anyone remember the recession GW inherited? Does anyone remember the all time highs in the stock market when it peaked in Oct of 2007, and how our economy just happened to find it's way out of that nasty recession that hit when the "internet bubble" burst in March of 2000? Does anyone remember how the economy rebounded after 9/11?

I wish I could just get them to understand that the economy goes through cycles, largely independant of who's in the White House. We're in a downturn now, primarily begun by the housing decline and the weak dollar. Oh wait, I suppose the subprime mortgage crisis is GW's fault as well? As a mortgage broker I had more to do with this mess than the president did. (Thank God I wasn't out there putting the screws to people) I think people give far too much credit and assign too much blame to the President. As far as I am concerned, by and large most politicians are the same. Once they get in office, it's about their careers, their money and influence so they can stay elected. Dems, Republicans, all the same. Those people don't care a lick about the citizens of this country. I just don't see how one can blame everything that didn't go perfectly on one person within our government. If that were the case, then wouldn't Ronald Reagan be some sort of saint? This country was in an economic shambles when he took office. Look how things changed during his terms in office.

I guess my point is that I get tired of hearing all the bitching, all the media driven nonsense. Politicians are in the game for themselves. If you believe anything different, you've been fooled or you're naive like I was when I voted for GW the first time. There isn't any such person that is going to step into the White House and just make things better by their presence and party affiliation. (I believed GW was that person in 2000) Heck, look at Congress, there's a bunch of people who can't even put together an appropriations bill to run the government. The Republicans had the whole shooting match for two years and accomplished nothing other than bloating the size and scope of government. Now, the Dems have had things in their control for over a year and again, nothing. Niether party could forward their own "agendas" because they are too busy screwing around worrying about baseball and steroids, football and video taping, and wasting your and my tax dollars on trying like hell to impeach every elected official we can so we can advance our own party and career.

I dunno... I am really not impressed with the state of our government and politicians. I know I have to vote, I dont wish to waste the privilege. But come on... I am so tired of these loud mouthed, self centered, poll driven "get-me-elected-again-so-I-can-live-off-the-taxpayers" politicians telling me how they can make my life better. Wanna fix social security? Make SSI the same retirement program for the politicians. Want to get gas prices down? Make them all pay for their own jet fuel and gasoline and don't allow them to hold stock in oil companies. Want better health care coverage? Make all the politicians deal with the ridiculous insurance/medical industry like we have to, and don't let them hold stock in health care/pharma companies.

And still, this IS the best country in the world in which to live and I am grateful to be here. So, don't get me wrong. I am just tired of politics, politicians and our ridiculous media in this country.

Ok, that's it from me on politics. What a joke. I am glad I don't waste much time on this stuff like I used to.

PS-

And for the record, I voted for GW twice. The first time I believed his crap in my heart of hearts about being a fiscal conservative, a true "less is more" type conservative. And I felt like he had alot more character and less Washington insider in him than did his predecessor. I still think he has character and integrity. But he's just as much Washington insider/special interest puppet as Bill Clinton was/is. Also, at the time Al Gore, John Kerry and John Edwards simply frightened me more than GW did. And I still believe we got the better man over Gore and Kerry. But, not by much. If Lieberman had won, I would probably have voted for him. So, that's my voting record. I don't know what I am going to do this time. I don't feel terribly well represented this time around.

6 comments:

Adrienne said...

Spot on, laddie

dAAve said...

I agree with much of what you say. Most people seem to have very short memories and are gullible enough to believe anything they want to hear.

Pammie said...

amen and AMEN!

Judith said...

Love your post. I hate politics. I'm becoming so apathetic about them, and I really hate that. I remember the first time I got to vote how excited I was to have a say in my country. Politics have become a joke.

Did I ever tell you I used to work for one of the big mortgage insurance companies in another life? Gak.

Anonymous said...

Holy crap! A political rant? Heeeeere? lol

Damn right about all that. And you would know something about the mortgage realm, wouldn't you?

Hey--thanks for the tag earlier. After much thought and reviewing the parables and thinking again I finally chose...

Gene Bach said...

Very good rant man! Remember, to the haters EVERYTHING bad is GW's fault. LOL!