Saturday, September 27, 2008

September 27, 2008

An ad has been running on local radio that kind of makes me cringe. It claims McCain is against stem cell research. The Obama campaign has plenty of ammo against the right’s constant sabotaging of medical and scientific progress. There’s no need to lie. It’s true that Palin holds this position. It’s also true McCain is against women determining their own physical rights.

Obama was supposed to take the high road in this campaign. I’d hate to see him turn into as big a sell out as McCain. Why isn’t anyone using the term flip flopper this election cycle. McCain has changed his opinion on almost every point that disagrees with his base.

Anyway, enough of that. I’ve decided to post random points as they occur to me:

There is no such agenda as "pro abortion"

Comprehensive sex education includes abstinence. It just doesn't exclude everything else. The "abstinence only" agenda is claiming false information is being spread about the effectiveness of condoms. This kind of garbage undermines a kid’s willingness to even use them. They work and help prevent the spread of STDs. Teaching a child “abstinence only” may work for 1% of kids but reason has nothing to do with the raging hormones of an adolescent. Witness the right's response to questions about Palin's teenage daughter, “You try to control a 17 year old.”

Why is everyone so convinced God is pro life? Every one of us dies.

Why is “single payer” health insurance evil but socialized banking is acceptable?

School vouchers miss the point. Pubic education is important for all Americans. People without kids have to pay for it too. An educated public benefits us all!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Saturday, September 20, 2008

My healthcare article

My first political article is about our health care system. If you get a chance check it out at Associated Content. www.associatedcontent.com/user/132055/david_udell.html

Introduction

Bush’s authorization of raids into Pakistan a few months ago and the escalation of anti-American sentiment there prompted me to start a political blog. I swore I never would. The nuances of society living make it almost impossible to have any real social convictions. Almost any belief or argument can be countered by an opposing view, personal background or even plain simple personal chemistry.

I welcome anyone to change my mind about anything I say. I respond best to reason and not dogma.

First let me point out that I hate both republicans and democrats. I remember an interview with George Carlin explaining why he wouldn’t vote. Corporate interests run both parties. He added that, that being said, the republicans were the party of property and the democrats were the party of people. I would be inclined to agree with him that voting was useless except we all know we wouldn’t be at war right now if Al Gore had won.

I’ve said a million times that we get what we deserve. When anyone tells me Al Gore really won the popular vote I can only think if people really cared he would have won with an unquestionable majority. It was a constant slap in the face when Bush kept calling his 51% victory a mandate. He had political capital and he was going to spend it. Man, he sure ran through that quick!

Another thing that really pisses me off is congress's low ratings. It’s even lower than Bush’s. If the voting public would have really wanted change they would have voted the 60% needed to pass anything.

In my personal blog I stated that I hate people as a group. It’s mob mentality. I do love people individually so maybe there’s hope.

I see Bush as a perfect analogy of the American voting public--- Ignorant, arrogant, and incompetent.

Republicans have got the press running scared instead of holding politicians feet to the fire like they’re supposed to. McCain made damn sure the press couldn’t ask any hard hitting questions of Palin. It really amazes me that women who were for Clinton would vote for her. What kind of childish shit is that? Her daughter is off limits even though she's very outspoken about abstinence only sex education in our schools. I guess that works! The United States is a world leader in teen pregnancy and this view is ridiculous. The real elephant in the room is world over-population. Unfortunately there are a lot of folks that believe unfettered breeding is a god given right.

She’s also a creationist. I love it when people say evolution is only a theory. As if a theory is some random thought you pull out of your ass.

I respect people’s beliefs just don’t push them into my laws.

I’ve actually had friends ask me why I can’t just be patriotic. Citizenship is a responsibility, not blind obedience to authority. If there’s one thing I’ve observed, it’s that power corrupts.

Anyway this long winded rant is really just leading up to what I really wanted to say. It’s about foreign policy. Bush was voted in the second time because Americans trusted his foreign policy views. He was the strong leader we needed to see us through these turbulent times. What!!?? He got us into this mess. Now they’re saying the same thing about McCain.

This childish world posturing is designed to impress through fear. Fear breeds anger that leads to hatred. Respect fosters change and improvement. We must be an example to the world, not a bully. When I was a kid our definition of bully was asshole. Unfortunately assholes think reason is weakness.

I’ll have more rants. I didn’t want to infect my personal blog with this stuff. Comments, angry barbs and revelations are welcome.