My Two Cents

I generally make it a rule to NOT discuss politics. Period.

I am, however breaking that rule on this occasion to say two things:

One, I am going to tell FarmWife that I'll be her running mate in '12 when she makes her bid for President. We could totally clean up America, balance the budget, run out all the terrorists, make peace with all the other countries, find alternative energy sources, feed the hungry, and up the literacy rate all in the first 6 months...

Two -

I am sick to death of hearing smear campaigns about Sarah Palin. And here is why:

I know that she has 5 children. The oldest of which is 5 months pregnant, and going to marry her 18-year-old boyfriend, the father of said baby. The youngest of which is 5 months old, and has Down Syndrome. I know her husband has left his work to stay at home with the children. I know she is the new governor of Alaska. I know she is pro-abstinence-only sex ed.

I do not know how she stands on balancing our budget, reducing our debt, the war in Iraq, cuts to our military, education, equal rights, gay rights, same-sex marriage, nuclear weapons, borrowing money from Communist countries, the federal government bailing out homeowners that were stupid enough to apply for an adjustable-rate-mortgage that are now whining about how they can't pay for their house, alternative energy sources, abortion, drilling for oil, emergency aid to areas/people affected by natural disaster, clean water for third-world countries, Title 9 funding to colleges and universities, federal support for state universities, illegal immigration, immigration in general, border control, health care, Social Security, taxes, or whether or not that is her real hair color and nose.

I am sick to death of the presidential campaign being about which side can dig up the most dirt and throw it at the other candidates. I am sick to death of hearing "I approve this message" on television at ever commercial break. I am sick to death of my phone number being public record for campaign calls that start out with "Senator/Congressman/woman So-and-So is against America".

What I would like to see happen is to have John McCain, and Barrack Obama, along with Mr. Biden and Mrs. Palin engage in a series of non-scripted debates, in which they would be presented with a question/topic, and given 30 minutes and no assistance from their staff to tell us how they really and truly feel about said topic/question. I would like to see the media honestly and sincerely promote "TRUTH", and stick to the "Just the facts" adage that Sargent Joe Friday had back in the day.

I would like to see a candidate travel the country by train, shaking hands with blue and white collar workers alike, and I would like to see the winner of the Presidential election actually be elected based on the number of votes received, NOT the electoral college system. I would then like to see the new President appear at the first sitting of the House and Senate, and state simply and unequivocally that there would be no partisan politics allowed, no lobbying allowed, and that things would be decided without fillibustering. I would like to see politicians in general stop living high-on-the-hog with multiple houses, staffs, nannies, chaffeurs, writers and secretaries, and to see them get back to the business of running our country as true people of the country.

I want to know why it is that I can read a history book, and see that George Washington owned a plantation, and is reported to have turned down a permanent shelter and warm food after viewing his troops at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War.

I want to know when America decided that "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" became "I cannot possibly be expected to take responsibilty for my choices, and now that I'm unhappy I'm going to blame it on anyone I can, and sue them for all they're worth".

I want to know when we the Red, White, & Blue became shades of gray, and when right and wrong stopped being taught to our children, but rather that we should be tolerant of anything and everything.

Why is it not ok for people to know that there are rules in place, and that "Freedom of" sometimes means not being able to, because the greater good is not enhanced by your having/doing whatever it is you want?

I could go on for pages and pages about this, but I won't.

If you didn't run screaming from your computer, and actually read this over, I wish to thank you for allowing me to vent here.

I will not apoligize for my beliefs, or my feelings on this matter, and can only hope that if I have offended you, that you will choose to get over it, realize that it is ok to disagree, and come back to read another day.