Minnesota "Nice", Down and Dirty

Minnesota Voters...Cool Link!

I found this, as I was perusing the Strib today.  If you're a Minnesota voter, you can put in your house number and ZIP code, and get information on the candidates on your particular ballot.  You all probably have already seen this, but I hadn't. So, just in case, here's a public service. :-)  Hopefully the link comes through okay.

http://ww2.startribune.com/news/politics/elections/html/70-011407190100.php?p=70-011407190100&z=55378

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Edit:  Okay, after actually GOING to this link, it isn't that great after all, but it could be somewhat useful if you want to research any of the candidates that you know nothing about.  Like take their name and Google them or something.  Sorry!

FINALLY! Someone sent me something that makes complete sense.

Tom, Dick, Harry, and Sue NOT Barack and John!

www.firstrunfeatures.com/blog/

The headlines scream at us daily about shooting in a school yard; the price of gas; the kidnapping of a child; and who said what about whom in the presidential race that is looming in America’s horizon.

Many Americans are focusing their hope for change, an overused word as of late, in this presidential election. Billboards show the face of senator hopefuls whose name I have never seen. Tens of thousands of dollars are being spent to get our attention and to “sway our vote” to their side.

Whose side is the best side?

We the people, have it all wrong. We are bullied by the media and network celebrities who have the finances and connections to feed us what they think we want to hear. People will hear what resonates with them. There is no swaying or convincing. We choose candidates who are like us. Candidates who say what we would say or rather, what we want to hear. This election isn’t about the best candidate with the platform that will get us out of the mess we are in. It is about the candidate that says the right things at the right time to the right people who are waiting to hear them.

As a society we have been indoctrinated to believe that we only have two choices. You are either a republican or a democrat. HOGWASH! A political party can’t bring about change. We are fools to believe that! We have become a top down society and if we continue to live like that we will no longer be the super power that everyone banks their money on. America will no longer be the Disneyland
we have pretended to be.

If we want CHANGE, the change needs to come from within. Change cannot come from one man
or one woman; one candidate or one political party.

I remember watching the Berlin wall being torn down piece by piece. At our local museum we have a chunk of it and I am still in awe to think back to who took it down. It didn’t come down by a political
order from “the top”. The people in Germany had enough. They created the change and even if
for one night, were filled with a hope of a new world with no boundaries; no walls.

If we don’t change, hope for the America we remember or dream about is lost.

If you have a neighbor who lost a job, what are you doing to help them? Do you even know your neighbor? Have you created a wall around your home and go to work, earn your paycheck and then come home shutting the garage door after you as you sit down in front of the TV?

Change comes when we open our hands to help someone who needs it, even if we don’t have a lot to give. Change comes when we tell a customer NO when the home they want to purchase is way out of their means. Change comes when we buy a cup of coffee for the person standing in line behind us. Try it. It creates confusion, joy and an amazing domino affect which in some cases has lasted all day.
Change comes when we donate our used up treasures instead of filling a landfill. Recycling instead
of trashing.

Change comes when we stop yelling at someone because their beliefs are different than ours.
Change comes when we open our hands, our minds and our hearts to hearing but agreeing to
disagree on issues that are important to us. Change comes when we put everything that we have into
making that change happen. Change comes when we stop blaming and start admitting.

WAKE UP, America! Change will not come on the heels of a political party or our next president.
Change and hope lies within each one of us.
If we run in fear or panic at the first sign of bad news, hope is lost.

Hope is not in a presidential candidate but in YOU.

You are just what the country is waiting for. What are you going to do about it?

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I liked it. :-)

Any Responses to This? My Quest for Answers!

So, yesterday I received this in an email.  Granted, it was sent to me by someone who understands my current political position (on the fence) and that my biggest problem with Obama is his stance on "wealth redistribution", which is completely unfair.  Why should the money I earn go to someone else, just because they make less?  Why should someone else's money go to me, just because they make more??  Why should those (able-bodied persons) who make ZERO, get money sent TO them...and would get more under Obama's plan?  If he had a stance that made sense to me, then I might not be a swing vote right now.

I'm interested to hear people's opinions on this, because so far, nobody has been able to tell me why this is okay, or that I am completely "off" in my feelings here.

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Bar Stool Economics

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we currently pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. 'Since you are all such good customers,' he said, 'I'm going to reduce the
cost of your daily beer by $20.' Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings. 'I only got a dollar out of the $20,'declared the
sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,' but he got $10!' 'Yeah, that's right,' exclaimed the
fifth man. 'I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!' 'That's true!!' shouted the seventh man. 'Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!' 'Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!'

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction.

Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics, The Ohio State University

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A fun analogy, if nothing else.  But, truly, I want to hear from you guys! 

More Fact-Checking--Check Yourself!

Okay, I'm into this whole political fact-checking. It helps me.  Let it help you, too.  I think a LOT of people only hear what they want to hear, and believe what they hear.  Now, read the facts.  Sorry to get on this soap-box, but it is important!  XOXO

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/debate_fact_check

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/factchecking_debate_no_2.html

What a Couple of Losers.

I wish our Presidential options were expanded.  I was so put-off by last night's debate, that I'm even more of a swing-voter than I was *before* I watched the debate.  They didn't answer a fricken' question.  Come on...give us SOMETHING, you guys!! 

I'm tired of: "My friends..."

I'm tired of: "Fundamental..."

I'm tired of: "Maverick"

I'm tired of: Obama's purple lips

I'm tired of: McCain's stiff body language

I'm tired of: Them both only knowing half-truths, and too many people believing said half-truths

I'm tired of: Neither candidate answering the questions, and instead just talking about what they want to talk about, and what they think the public wants to hear.  (Take a risk!  Where is the "CHANGE" you are both talking about?)

I'm tired of: Smear campaigns (based on half-truths). I know I'm not the only one.

I'm tired of more than that, but for today's purposes of this post, here is the fact checker for last night's debate.  Enjoy!  http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/fact-check/

If *anyone* thought there was a clear winner last night, they are clearly partisan, and not open-minded.  I suppose there are lots of people who have already made up their minds, but for those who haven't, last night's debate likely did nothing for them. 

Once again, I hate politics!  Boo!  But, soon...this will all be over, at least for another 3 years! 

Okay, know what I ended up doing, about 3 minutes into the debate?  Started figuring out how SNL would spin the debate.  Who they would make fun of, and how, etc.  I literally watched the debate for SNL opportunities!! HAHAHA!! It's the most I could possibly have gotten out of it! :-)

Was I the Only One?

So, I totally hate politics.  But, unfortunately, there is an important presidential race going on, and since I live in the house of pain, I need to at least do my due diligence and make an informed decision this year.  I may vote for neither candidate (in fact, that is highly likely), but am watching all the debates, listening to the news, and *trying* to make heads or tails out of all of this. 

In my quest, I ran across this link, which helped me with all the statistical sparring from last night's debate.  Because, let's face it...one person would make a good point, complete with statistics and seemingly qualified information.  Then, the other person would completely disagree, make a good point, with similarly good stats and info.  I couldn't make heads or tails of it.  It was confusing, and it made it hard to know what was what, what was right, what was incorrect, blah blah blah.

So, here is the link.  It was good to at least have the facts, Jack!  But, I still. Despise. Politics. I truly do.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/fact-check/

Oh, and from the debates, here is my newly hated phrase: "That is the fundamental difference between...(________) and me"

Come up with a new way to say it.  Please.

And, locally here..."Norm's gotta go...he's gotta go..." Anyone? Anyone?

Big Time Political Video. Must View.

No matter who you plan to vote for, this is GREAT!

And, snaps to my hubby for showing me so I could enlighten you all! Kevin is a TRUE hockey guy.  He'd never leave the juice for someone else to carry.

Oops! More Politics!

This was fun to do.  I just answered a bunch of questions, and out popped my recommendation (for this particular presidential election, anyway)!  Enjoy, and post your own results!!

Who should you vote for?

Barack Obama				45
John McCain	-33

You expected: Barack Obama
Your recommendation: Barack Obama

GOSH, I Hate Politics.

I know I have made no secret on this blog that I am no friend of politics, or political banter or conflict amongst my peeps.  I especially dislike conversing about politics with my dear hubby, whom does not share the same affiliation I do.  I probably wouldn't even consider myself to have a particular "affiliation", but rather have my own opinions that reach more than one political party.  I hate to box myself into a corner, really.

That being said, the Democratic National Convention really irritated me last week.  Kevin had it on occasionally, and even though he is a republican, wanted to get the full scope of what was going on. Kudos to him, but I could barely watch it.  I don't even really know why conventions of that sort even exist.  All it is, is a majorly costly party, where people of the same political opinion pat each other on the back and have a giant HURRAH! session.  I KNOW that is what the GOP convention will be like as well, and I'm sure I will have to endure some of that too.  It's just all SO CHEESY, and it drives me friggen nuts.  I see no value whatsoever.

Anyway, that being said, I was strangely interested in the candidates choices of running mates.  Of course, I haven't been following too much, but I was still a little surprised by Joe Biden for Obama, and of course Palin with McCain.  I have thoughts (as does everyone) about Palin being McCain's push for the minority and woman's vote, trying to get some of Hillary's votes.  Whatever. 

I'm a bit disturbed, however, by the fact that the media is making a big deal out of her 17-yr-old daughter being pregnant.  Who cares??  Her daughter made her own choices, and all of us do stupid things when we are 17.  She just happened to have some bad luck that others that age didn't get stuck with.  I personally don't think that the candidates should be judged whatsoever on their family.  The fact that people are glomming onto that irritates me.  Let the woman speak for the woman.  She didn't force her daughter to have sex with anyone, and probably did the same as we all did/plan to do with our own daughters...give as much advice as you can about such things, set a good example, and support and be there as much as possible.  Let it go.

That being said, I'm probably somewhat going to sound hypocrital now, because one thing that REALLY bothers me, is Palin's youngest boo.  She has that precious 4-month-old boy, with Down's Syndrome.  Having had a cousin with Down's, I know a bit about how much work and time needs to be spent with a special needs child in order to give them the best outcome and life possible.  It worries me, quite frankly, for the baby, the amount of time his mother would have for him if she was VP, travelling all over the place, not being home in Alaska much at all.  I am interested to hear/read how she plans on handling that, because that is a very different animal than any of us have ever seen a powerful political figure handle.  Right now, however, I feel really sorry for her little man. He deserves more than a mostly-absent mama. It makes me sad!

Okay, on that note, I'm REALLY excited about the fact that this election will produce either our country's first black President, or female Vice President. Contrary to my adorable hubby's opinion, I think this is a huge thing for us, and that BOTH of them are qualified and are there on their own merit.  I think we could have done this a damn long time ago.  I'm so tired of prejudices, that maybe this will help lay a lot of those to rest. 

I'm done with politics for a while!  (unless I change my mind...)

A Spousal Debate (One Which I Like Avoiding At All Costs)

Recently, Keith Ellison was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, by Minnesotans.  Even more recently, he announced that he wanted to take the oath of office on the koran (or Qur'an), instead of the bible, or nothing at all.  Right now, those are the two choices: The bible, or just an oath without a holy book.

Of course, my (not at all religious) husband decided to see where I stand on the topic (like I'd even heard of it before he mentioned it...).  He sucked me in!  ARGH!  He posed it as such, that it was a totally terrible thing, because the koran teaches violence against those who don't share the same beliefs.  I had to mention that the bible also teaches anti-gay and slavery, but most Christians don't exactly share those beliefs.  I BEGGED him to just let us agree to disagree, but of course he kept sending me things and telling me things to try to see "the light".  Gosh, I hate those kinds of disagreements!  I had done SO well avoiding the whole election thing...I was so proud!  But now this.  Oh well, I think I have thwarted things for now.  I gave my opinion, said we'll just disagree, and have ignored him since.  *whew*! That was a close one! (P.S. It's only been 10 minutes--it'll blow over soon, once he sees a bright shiny object to re-focus his attention!)

My thoughts are this:

*TOTAL separation of church and state would have completely avoided this topic.  If nobody took oath on any type of holy book, then there would be absolutely no issue.  Separation of church and state should have happened decades ago. Period.

*IF the only current options are the bible or nothing, then that is wrong in itself.  Who cares if the current "founding" of our country was based on Christianity?  To me, it was more founded on freedom of religion.  People fled here from Europe to be able to practice any religion they chose.  My point being, there are many religions practiced here, so each person should have the option of whatever they choose.  Even if they choose to take oath on their grandmother's dirty socks, they should be able to do so.  Why just the bible or nothing?

*Again, the point I made earlier was that there are extremists in all religions.  Just because a person takes an oath on their own holy book (or their dog's bag of Beggin' Strips), it doesn't mean that they believe and practice every single thing that is written in said holy book (or agree with the contents or ingestion directions on the back of the bag of said Beggin' Strips). The extremists are the ones who are making the world all crazy and violent (or all dog-breathed by eating canine treats).

Do I think Keith Ellison is a wack-job?  Yes, I do.  I did not vote for him.  Of course, that is probably because my daughter didn't like his name as well as someone else's, but I digress.  He IS a nut case.  That withstanding, the topic is whether or not he should have a choice of what he takes an oath on.  I say yes...since right now the choices are ridiculous.  Until they change things to a proper separation of church and state, he should be able to take oath on whatever he wants.  Even the rabbit that he found in the stew pot on the stove last Thursday evening.