Getting a little slow on the second round of questions, folks...let's keep the answers coming;-)
I am feeling sort of serious today, so you can get some of my catch-up thoughts on important issues (and some not so important ones) of the last couple months. I may write more on these later, but these are the quick thoughts.
Health care reform...Congress continues to suck. They continually shovel cost from one payer to another without actually decreasing the overall cost of the process. That helps no one, since we all end up paying in the end. What's more, Americans have decided that they want immediate, unfettered access to top-quality care...that is going to be expensive, and we just have to deal with it.
George Bush can make a really good case as the "most fiscally irresponsible President ever." But Barack Obama seems determined to absolute shatter that standard and leave no doubt as to who really has the talent for saddling future generations with crippling, unmanageable responsibilities. My favorite part is that he is still widely adored by young people, despite his insistence on pushing all of our current problems off onto them. This is becoming a "he hits me because he loves me" relationship.
Most cities and States are not allowed to run deficits, and for very good reason. Allowing the Federal Government to borrow more just so that they can give it to those cities and towns is not really a solution. Municipal revenues have grown much faster than the economy for like 25 years now, yet a minor pull-back and suddenly every single expenditure is sacred and not a single redundancy or unnecessary service can be located. Government increasingly exists to serve Government employees...
Possibly the single most inane government idea ever..."Cash for Clunkers"? I would bet even money that my little sister's fourth grade class could put their heads together and come up with a more useful stimulus idea than that. And, no, I am not being facetious.
Henry Louis Gates. This has been a big deal around here, obviously. I won't totally disallow that the Police Officer overreacted, because he probably got wrapped up in the moment and escalated it beyond where he needed to. But you simply can not yell at police officers, period. And no, being on your own doorstep does not change that. Heck, being an off-duty police officer doesn't change that! Mostly, it sounds to me like too much testosterone got mixed with two people in really bad moods.
However, neither of them looked nearly as bad as my "Stupidly" himself...
Michael Jackson. Oh. My. God. Why is this still on the news? He made his last good song 20 years ago. And, need I remind you, HE WAS A FUCKING PEDOPHILE!!!
On that note, celebrity news is getting boring. Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush? Jon and Kate Gosselin? Kendra? Whatever happened to the A list? Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo? She was definitely A-List at one point, but she has been quiet for a while...plus, I always hated her. Also, who cares if she said "Indian Giver", it's a common expression. You don't see the Irish throwing a hissy every time someone refers to the Paddy Wagon. Seriously, this is why Lindsay Lohan needs to make a comeback...I need better gossip. Or even like a breakout from Sienna Miller...that would provide some entertainment, right?
Anyway, that is what I am thinking today;-)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Brain Dump
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7 comments:
I've got to disagree with you on the Gates/Police Officer/Obama thing.
I sympathize with Gates. While I have no doubt he was insulting and outrageous, I can imagine he was in an exasperating position - in the right, but facing an implacable authority that can, if it chooses, make your life hell. A situation that calls for you to be cowed and docile, even when you have every right not to be.
That's the bottom line here, and it is the reason I am ticked at Obama for backing down from his initial statement. His initial statement was right. A police officer has the power of arrest; it is an enormous power that must not be used in a petty fashion. This officer got angry because a homeowner -- whom he KNEW had done nothing illegal -- was pissing him off.
Gates was out of line with some of his comments and should be embarrassed, in fact he should apologize for his behavior. But he should not have been arrested by an officer who at the point of the arrest understood him to be the lawful resident.
Police offiers are tasked with arresting people who break the law...not people who make them mad.
I could not agree with you more about Michael Jackson! Get over it people. His poor children.
1. Considering Obama was left with lots of debt to try and take care of, he is doing a pretty good job. Why don't you run for president and try to see how you can get out of debt and still run a country. There's no way to get out of debt without going more into it, especially when you still have things and people to take care of.
2. Yelling at a police officer isn't a crime. And it never has been.
3. Michael Jackson isn't a pedophile. I would agree with you that they really are talking about something that should have been over with a while ago, and they should just let the man rest, but the way you said this was really rude.
I am off to a 4 week holiday in one hour, so no more answeres from this side. :-(
I just didn't come round to it the last days.
Don't know how often and if I will be online during our trip so "read" you on the 28th of August again!! :-)
Well I won't go annonymous to tell you I don't agree with the Obama stuff - he has inherited a lot of shockingly bad shit and I would have to say he seems to be doing quite well. It's easy to bash the government when things are going bad. They *usually* know what they're doing so I'd say hang on in there - unfortunately the results won't be seen for a couple of years yet. That said, he could of course be doing everything wrong but, hey, he can't seriously be worse than bloody Bush can he? ;)
I agree about the celeb news: there are no decent scandals! As for Michael Jackson - I was never a fan of his. But this is just what happens when people die: they become legends. Maybe the lack of celeb scandal is why MJ has become such big news...?
You pretty well summed up my thoughts on Obama as well as the American people. It seems like most Americans believe they should be able to overeat (unhealthy foods, no less), underexercise, smoke/tan/do other things we know cause serious disease yet have top quality health care for $100/month or some other ridiculously low amount (given the amount of care the typical unhealthy person needs). I know there are exceptions, and I'm frustrated by the situation too; but I also realize that there's some personal responsibility here and that it is going to be expensive given the level and extent of care the typical American seems to expect.
"This is becoming a "he hits me because he loves me" relationship."
That has got to be the best anti-presidential rant summary I have ever read.
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