The UNITED States

We just got done watching the State of the Union...and I loved how the members of congress sat all mixed together.  I always disliked watching the SOTU and seeing the opposing sides of the house so visibly divided.  Clapping and not clapping and scowls and cheers and the like...It was very different tonight.  And I loved it. 

Go us.  America is awesome.

And the tradition continues...

Nathan and I started a tradition years ago that I have come to love.  It is no secret that I love politics...and I {love} elections.  I love to step in that booth and cast my vote.  I feel so patriotic, it makes me teary thinking of all the men and women throughout history who have made sacrifices so I could have the right to vote.  Our tradition is simple, but (if I do say so myself) awesome.  The evening of election day is spent watching the results roll in and when we can't take anymore (because even though I love politics, I can only take too much of the talking heads) we take a break from that to watch My Fellow Americans.  If you have never seen this movie you are missing out.  It is an oldey but a goody....Jack Lemon, James Garner and Dan Aykroyd in a work of comedic genius.  So many fantastic one-liners.  Oh, and I almost forgot an important piece of our tradition.  We make muddy buddies as our movie snack...because of all the mud-slinging that goes on before an election - get it MUDDY buddies...MUD slinging.  HA HA HA

Happy Election Day!

Adoption Tax Credit

I couple years ago I found this blog whose author is a very outspoken, active adoption advocate. She (Mrs R) is also unbelievably strong in the face of hard, hard things. She had a post the other day explaining about how the adoption tax credit came to be and how now there are some lawmakers who want to do away with it. Without this adoption tax credit we (and probably many other couples) would have a lot tougher time financially with affording adoption....because adoption is e.x.p.e.n.s.i.v.e.

So why am I telling you this? Well...I want you to contact your legislators and tell them to make the adoption tax credit permanent. How do you do this?

Help Make the Current Federal Adoption Credit Permanent by Writing to your Representative. Here is how:

If you don't already know who your Senators and Representatives are, you can find out at www.congress.org. There is a search box right in the middle of the front page, just put in your zip code.
Once you see who your reps are, see if they are already a co-sponsor of HR 213. Go here and check the top box to see if your rep is listed.
Go back to the congress.org website and click on their name, then click on the Contact via web form link. Or you can find their e-mail addresses on the Senator’s or Congressperson’s Web site. (I thought the contact form on the congress.org website was easiest)

What do you say?

If they are already a sponsor, thank them for their support. Tell them why it is important to you. This is what I said:

Thank you for your support of HR 213. My husband and I are hoping to adopt and the adoption tax credit is a large part of making that a reality for us. Adoption is expensive and the tax credit will be very helpful to us.

Thank you again, your support of this bill is helping build families!! :)

If they are NOT a sponsor, encourage them to support HR 213. Even if you have not adopted and/or never plan on it...you can help. Tell them you have friends who are adopting or who have adopted and that this tax credit will help them.

I know it seems a little complicated, but taking a couple minutes could help keep this tax credit available and help build many, many families. If you have a few spare minutes please think about sending a quick note to your legislators. :)

Changing of the Guard

This is a few days late...but I have been a bit incapacitated...and if you don't buy that I'll blame it on the drugs.  

I watched the Inauguration on Tuesday.  Granted I was on Lorotab, cold medicine, and anti-biotics...but I actually remember a good chunk of it.   I thought it was neat to watch the past presidents make their way to the grandstand.   I have to say that Jimmy Carter looks pretty good for his age.  As former Pres Bush was making his way down the red and blue carpeted stairs he was shaking hands and making small chit chat he said to someone: "Good day for our country."  I saw him talking, but I didn't catch what he said, but the ABC commentator did.  He read Bush's lips and passed along what he saw.  It must have been an emotional day for him...end of his term, excited to move on, but sad to leave.  I was proud of him for realizing what a tremendously important day it was for our nation.  

I loved the musical number that was played right before President Obama was sworn in.  I love Simple Gifts and I thought the words were appropriate for the day: 'Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free.'  

As the camera was panning the crowd during the proceedings, it paused a moment on a woman holding a child of another race.  I know it could have been a neighbor, a stranger, a nanny...but I like to think that this was the child's mother.  I teared up thinking that someday I too may be a mother to a child of a race different than my own, and now I can honestly tell my children that there is no limit on their dreams.   

Sad

It is sad that in a great country like ours that things like this happen. It is sad that after how far we've come there are those who pull back on the reigns of progress. It is sad that someone would be in fear of losing their job because of the column in which they cast their vote.

That someone is me. I have noticed over the last months that some people in the office stopped socially talking to me...sure if they needed a report or needed something they would ask...but the chit-chat was gone. I am not stupid. I know that the reasons are politically motivated. One person said they couldn't believe I was stupid enough to vote the way I did. And I admit I have made my fair share of barbs at the other side...but to go as far as ignoring the person...THAT is something I would never do. Abby & Ryann and I disagree on politics, in fact we got into a heated discussion over 9-11...but we still read each others blogs and post comments and we are still friends. We can respectfully acknowledge someone's differing opinion.

This morning I was told, by a friend, about something that happened yesterday...and I am now afraid I could actually lose my job over this vote. I am scared to talk to anyone, scared to walk down the hall...I have noticed a VERY perceptible shift in the way I am treated...

I hope this is just a case of "we-lost-the-election" blues and they will get over it.

History was made

When I was standing at the voting booth yesterday, as I pressed my finger to the screen I felt a pulse of electricity slip down my spine. I was a part of history. Everyone that voted, regardless of their decision, was a part of history. We had record-breaking turnouts...which excites me. I hope this is just a sign of the way things will be the next election, and the next. People who take an interst in their government are a blessing to everyone who lives in that country.

I was moved to tears several times last night watching all the results roll in. When an elderly african-american woman was interviewed and she could not even speak because of her emotions, I welled with tears. When John McCain gave his concession speech, especially the following part, I welled with tears.

These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.
I urge all Americans ... I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

During Obama's speech, I couldn't hold back my excitement. That a man from humble beginnings could rise to the most powerful office in the nation, and arguably the world, gives hope to all americans, regardless of race, or gender or social status. When he mentioned his daughters were going to get to bring a new puppy with them to the White House I laughed and smiled. The first statement in his speech was powerful:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

I am proud of our country, I am excited for the next four years and I can't wait for January 20th!

VOTE

Ok, now in all seriousness...you NEED to vote today.

I am always surprised by people who say their vote doesn't count. I could see how you could think that...take me for example. I live in the will-always-be-red state of Utah - I am also a card carrying Democrat. My vote isn't going to swing Utah's 5 electoral votes and make them awardable to Obama...not even close. So I could say my vote doesn't count. But I don't.
One vote probably will not change the result of a presidential election - but if thousands of people don't vote - their 'one vote' will. It is also important to remember you are voting for city, county and state officials. And your one vote COULD change the results of those elections.

Also - one thing that always gives me the red ass (sorry...had to quote My Fellow Americans...it's election day!! And if you have never seen that movie - go rent it, it is HILLARIOUS) is when people don't vote and yet they will complain over the next four years when things go wrong for them and they feel elected leadership is to blame. If you don't vote - keep your mouth shut.

So get out there all of you - hope your wait in line is better than mine...it's supposed to snow today. Whoohoo!!

Guess who I ran into today...

Remember this?? Well he came into my work today. He came in to see one of the guys I work with and I asked his name and he said Gary Olsen...I thought to myself...'No, it can't be'. So I eavesdropped on part of the conversation he had with our guy and it is DEFINITELY him....crazy huh?

Just hear me out

So I have been reading/watching all the stuff online about 9/11 today. A couple thoughts:

1 - Why must the slogan be 'We will never forget'? Aren't we taught to forgive and forget?

2 - To all of you non-conspiracy folk, just answer me this: Suppose you are a Secret Service Agent. If after the planes hit the towers and it was obvious that there was a hijacking situation in progress and there were MULTIPLE aircraft still unaccounted for, why would you leave the President where he is (the location was made public through press releases sent the day before...so would-be hijackers would have known EXACTLY where Bushie was) instead of getting him to a secure location? Wanna know what I think? No, well I'm going to tell you anyway. You would have gotten Bushie to a safe place UNLESS you KNEW he was out of danger...and how would you know that? Because certain cronies (yet to be identified) had made it clear that Bushie was safe reading with the kids...no planes were coming from him.

Your thoughts?

Scary

I am alive...Nathan and I both caught some superbug and it has taken him almost 2 weeks to shake it - I'm at 11 days and still not feeling back to normal. I missed 2 days of work last week (would have been three but Monday was a holiday)...and most of my Labor Day weekend was spent in a drug-induced sleep/coma. Our house smells like Vicks now...

Anyway, I was reading the letters to the editor in my friendly local 'newspaper' and came across this gem. I am not expecting many of you to read this...and I don't expect any comments, because it seems that my political rants/posts don't sit well with most of you (probably because we don't share the same opinions). Alas, here is the text:

To the editor:

As I follow this presidential race closely, I think back on an episode of “That 70’s show” (Season 1, Ep. 3 “Streaking”) where the main character, Red Foreman, was given the opportunity to publicly ask a question to the visiting President Gerald R. Ford. He got the courage to ask a straightforward question that deserved an answer instead of the silly “mild” question that the local committee had prepared for him to ask.

So it made me think that if I had the opportunity to sit down with Barack Obama (heaven forbid) and ask him a question, whether it be publicly or in private, I would look him straight in the eyes, look past his manipulative charm, ignore the “Change” Tattoo imprinted on his forehead, and ask him “Sir Obama, what is your religion, and what is your middle name?” Of course I would be escorted out of the room as quickly as if I had asked Bill Clinton a question of “How profitable was the drug business you were running while in office?”

So many people rip George Bush up one side and down the other, yet he isn’t doing anything corrupt, and he hasn’t been under a desk at any time during his presidency. It’s all kind of funny seeing how I know John Kerry wouldn’t have done any better, and yet you left-wingers won’t lay off of him.

I for one think it’s ridiculous that Mitt Romney practically got put on trial about his religion, and he answered the questions. He is now no longer on the ticket and I think it had something to do with him being a man and standing behind his beliefs. So how about you Obama?

The main point I’m trying to make is this: Barack Obama is not African-American, he is Middle Eastern, and he is a Muslim.

So to call it a historic event to have the first African-American nominated to run for president would be misleading, Because he is not African-American! I know I may get some backlash from the Angry Left, but I know I can just brush it off, because you are the same people who think it’s OK to murder unborn babies.

I’m looking towards the future, and we need a man who is on the same page as God and who is truly ready to lead us, not a man who is off by himself praying five times a day to an “Allah” character and, when asked about the abortion, issue gives the lame answer — that it is above his pay scale — when we all know he is for it. I want some answers Obama! Would God approve of abortion? I didn’t think so either. (Keep in mind I know of the situations where the mother and baby would die if she went through with the pregnancy. I’m not an idiot.)

Gary R. Olsen

Hyrum

I am not sure what frightens me more - that (1) there are people out there who would actually believe all of this or (2) those people are allowed to vote.

When politics are laid out on the table, I fall to the left. I am ok with paying taxes, I like all the social programs, I like money being spent on eduation and I don't think government should have a say in how I live my life - until I am infringing on the rights of others. They shouldn't be able to tell me where to live, or who I can/can't marry or what church I can go to, etc. The direction our country has taken over the last 8 years if frightening. It is a citizen's right and obligation to question our leaders, except now if you do so you are being called unpatriotic. There are those in our country right now who would have everyone with a different view cast to the bottom of the ocean and would not feel bad about it because they are just 'protecting' the country and our values. I am surprised that people can look back over the past 8 years and still look to the president with adoring eyes and think it is ok to kill or hate as long as the recipients are 'immoral' or 'wrong'. But who is deciding where the line is? Blind faith. It is scary, and I am frightened for the direction of our country if it continues.

I find it laughable that the right-wing has been leaning upon the evangelical Christians for the last (at least) 4 years to ensure their seats on office. They scared enough of them out to vote in 2004 with the threat of those evil liberals corrupting their children. Yet now, they have selected a woman whose family is not following the values they have so heavily touted. And all is clear on the right-wing front. I find it laughable that had Obama's daughter been the one to get pregnant they would have been waving the flag of immorality wherever they could and saying it was a sign of things to come if he were allowed to lead this nation.

I don't like talking politics with most people here. It seems like everyone is so ignorant of the issues, all they have is sound bites and hearsay. Now if you have studied the issues and have come to the conclusion that you fall on a different side of the issue than I, I am fine with that. It is what makes our country great. But when you try to argue with your pieces collected off the floor and pad it with slander and hate, I cannot tolerate it. We MUST be an educated public, to ensure that we do not end up like Germany in the 30's. The quote I posted from Hitler a few posts back is scary, and accurate. People in power hope that the ones they rule over won't think, that they will just do what they are told is right/wrong and not question.

There are resources out there, and most of them are free. Glassbooth.org is an AWESOME website. You can go there and answer a myriad of questions and then you are guided through how your viewpoints are alike/different from political candidates. So if you don't like McCain you can say it is because you don't agree with his support of an extension of the Patriot Act rather than 'because he's old'.

I hope people catch the fever of this looming election and spend the time studying the issues and not just going by what they were told by so-and-so or believing something because that's what their parents had believed and their parents... Do the responsible thing.

Nothing wrong with that?? Really?

For those who may have read the last post and said 'There's nothing wrong with that, she can raise a family and be active in politics' well, what about THIS. ??  Huh?  Another good Repug role model

Interesting little tidbit

Sorry to not have pics of the recital yet - I can't find the cord to upload them to the computer from the camera...that and I seem to have a touch of the plague.  

So until I can pull myself out of bed to go look for pics, here is something else...an excellent article/opinion of the Repug VP choice - written by my friend Anne.

Ok, that's logical...

The radio station I listen to in the morning often does this thing called the Chunga Poll. The DJs ask a question, sometimes serious and sometimes just for fun, and listeners call in with their 'votes'.
Today they asked who you are planning on voting for. I have to be bluntly honest with you, if the responses I heard from the dim-witted people here are echoed across the nation, it is no wonder our country is in the state it is...here are some examples:

"I will vote for McCain if he chooses Romney as his VP, otherwise I'm voting for Obama"...ok, because their viewpoints are SO simmilar...she might as well have said "If McCain chooses God's running mate then I'll vote for him"


or how about this little gem:

"I'm voting for McCain because Obama refused to shake hands with soldiers in Iraq" this woman went on to say that she 100% believes this rumor becuase the people she heard it from are 100% honest and truthful... I bet they heard it via an e-mail FWD or from Rush or Sean.


or this one:

"I'm voting for Obama - the flag hating, white-hating guy whose middle name is Hussein"...I think this was supposed to be a joke, but I'm not sure if he was satirizing the right-wing zelot point of view or if he was trying to 'prove' the lunacy of voting for Obama.

I am not the most educated when it comes to politics, but I am always suprised at the masses who claim to be so, yet have received all their information from friends via e-mail or from Rush or Sean ONLY. You can listen to them if you want (I personally don't enjoy the bleeding ears, but if torture is your thing...whatever) BUT you have to realize that they are doing what they do TO MAKE MONEY and so their opinions are going to be skewed a bit to cause contention, because then people will listen.

People need to go to Obama's website and McCain's website and read their positions on things, and we need to watch the debates. We need to be INFORMED. If not, well, Hitler said it best: "How fortunate for leaders, that the masses do not think".

Hmmm...

Interesting, very interesting. I have always believed this to be the case. It's sad really - we were duped by a dummy (well, I wasn't...I never believed a word that came out of his Texas mouth) Can anyone say 'impeachment'? Afterall - Clinton was impeached for a lot less...thousands of innocent people didn't lose their lives because of his lies and misuse of cigars...

um, because you broke the rules, dummy...

I remember when I was in high school I had a very strict curfew. One Saturday I had been out with friends and I lost track of the time. When I noticed it was closing in on the Cinderella hour I pushed my friends in the car and we took off towards home. After dropping them all off I coasted into the driveway at 3 minutes past curfew. I thought I was ok, but I was wrong: I got grounded for a month.

The reason for the reminiscing is I am baffled as of late at the problems facing my political party. The DNC set forth a rule that states were only allowed to have their primary elections on dates approved by the DNC. I can understand this rule completely...if you let states keep changing their dates, the primaries will get sooner and sooner and before we know it presidential primary elections will be held just after the inauguration of the current president.

Well, Florida and Michigan decided to disregard the rules and have a primary outside the allowed dates so the DNC stripped them of their delegates. Each of the states knew before-hand that they could lose their delegates for breaking the rule, but decided to go for it anyway. Now politicians in both states want a do-over. Are you kidding me??!? You broke the rules, got slapped with a punishment and now because you don't like the results you want a do-over??

If the DNC allows a do-over it will shake the already weak foundation upon which ALL politicians stand. If we, as Americans, see this kind of 'leadership' what will that tell us?? That we do not have to take responsibility for your own actions if we do not like the consequences. I think we have enough problems in the great of US of A right now, and we don't need our leaders giving us more rope with which to hang ourselves.

Happy Anniversary Iraq

Well, today marks the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. I have kept my politics on this blog to a minimum (well...I did indulge in a Bush Countdown clock) even so, it should be no surprise to any frequent reader where my 'loyalties' lie.

I remember the months leading up to the war in Iraq - I remember how surprised I was that the vast majority of American people supported the idea of going that direction and when questioned their ignorant response was "Well they bombed us first!" I was saddened that our government would try to sell the war to us by tugging on the still too painful memories of what we lost on September 11th. I did not support the war then - ask Nathan - poor thing got an earful everytime he would let his guard down long enough for me to let politics in the discussion. I had this gut feeling that we would go in and stir things up in an area of the world that did not need to have things stirred up - and that we would be there for a long time. I remember specifically using the words quagmire and Vietnam.

Now don't get me wrong, Saddam was not my choice for 'Leader of the Year' - he did horrible things to a lot of people and I do think that should have been punished. Yet, on that January night when I watched his hanging on youtube I got misty eyed. It felt like vigilante justice, it did not feel like Democracy.

The most recent of my thoughts have turned to the lives lost. Do you realize that since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom the number of US military (soldiers, marines and sailors, etc) that have died in combat is higher than the number of US civilians we lost on September 11th? Does that bother anyone else but me? We were drug into a (now seemingly endless) war on a vengeance mission and yet we've lost more lives than the total number of those lives we were avenging.

I do not believe the world is safer because we invaded Iraq - yes, there were groups of people before all of this who hated Americans and yes, there were those who cheered in the streets when the towers fell but the groups of people who fell on that side of the line were in the minority. The blood we've shed 'in the name of freedom and democracy' has fueled the fires of hatred all over the world. If someone doesn't hate us they see us as the bully - the one who thinks they are above the law, the one who gets told 'No' by someone and yet we do it anyway because we can. I know that it has been prophesied and predicted for many years that times would become more perilous but I hate to think that Americans, who pride themselves on freedom and liberty would be the ones poking the wasp's nest.

Interesting...

I was making 'the rounds' on my friends' blogs tonight and Ryann had posted her results from a political quiz she took...so I took it to... the 'color' of my results is no surprise to me, but I was a little thrown off at Richardson being at the top... hmmm..

83% Bill Richardson
78% Chris Dodd
74% Mike Gravel
73% John Edwards
72% Joe Biden
72% Barack Obama
72% Hillary Clinton
70% Dennis Kucinich
46% Rudy Giuliani
39% John McCain
35% Mike Huckabee
34% Mitt Romney
33% Ron Paul
32% Tom Tancredo
28% Fred Thompson

2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz

You should take it and see if you're surprised too...

wow

I just popped onto CNN and I saw that Saddam Hussein has been hanged (is that grammatically correct?) I am kind of surprised that it actually happened...but in a way I feel sad for him - because in some ways I think that his trial and execution were too highly political...not that he didn't do things that were bad - it is just a shame that 'taking out Saddam' was part of a political agenda.

Thanksgiving??

I hope everyone had a nice holiday...I was reading a bit in the New York Times this morning and read a little editorial blurb that got me thinking...

Did you notice how this year some of the stores were open ON Thanksgiving?!? There were also pictures of people camping out before the big sales...and the author (can't remember the name, sorry) pointed out that we have become a consumer driven economy...we study the day after thanksgiving ads more than a political candidate's platform...in a country that esteems itself on Freedom...we should do more to ensure that those freedoms continue...

...wouldn't it be cool if people were camping out at voting stations the night before elections because they were so excited to vote?