Get Off My Lawn!!!!

This is a concise statement on why I get so passionate about politics. I completely understand that not all people who need help are like the bass fisher (lack of ambition) in the story, but I am not so shortsighted to know that there are not a significant percentage in that category. Many of these people who have lost their homes and are in dire financial situations have two new car payments, a Wii, an XBox, new furniture, a new closed in patio, etc. We, as Americans, have to take more responsibility for ourselves. R & K are doing it, N & S are doing it, and D & A are doing it. Why is it ok that everyone is not held to this standard? Why do we want the government to get involved with extra taxes on those who earn a lot of nice nice? I just feel like we are raising a generation that it being lulled into the belief that if something goes wrong, the government will take care of it. I only wish we could find a system that helps those who need it, the truly poor, indigent, underserved, uneducated, the single moms, etc. without those who choose not to do more for themselves benefiting.

-The Crotetchy Old Man on the Porch

The Right Thing to Do.

I am glad President Bush is making every effort to make the transition to Barack Obama as quick and smooth as possible. This is the right thing to do. Even though I do not believe in the effectiveness of many of Sen. Obama's policies, he was elected and is my new president. I believe that all conservatives need to help repair some of these problems in the short term. I believe this because I do not fault the Republican administration or the Democratic Congress for the current financial situation. I believe it was greed in the business sector and unhealthy lending by mortgage companies. They knew what they were doing and they knew the readjusting rates would strap families financially. I do not genuinely believe the mortgage companies thought it would be quite this bad and cause this many people to lose their homes. That would put them out of business (re: what is happening). But I do believe that they thought is a lower percentage lose their homes, then we get as many loan payments as possible and then resale the home at the massively inflated housing prices, win-win. Enough of ranting, I am glad Sen. McCain instructed so many of his die-hard followers to get behind Sen. Obama. I will do that until it encroahes upon my morals, ethics, and standards.

I say two of these regularly. And you?

Making a list, checking it twice.

Bureaucracy at its Finest

Michael Landon, full frontal nudity?

Moving on...

Ok... can the Giants finish this one out? The Redskins are behind them (7-1 vs. 6-3), but the Giants have Baltimore, Arizona, Carolina and the Vikings to finish, plus the rest of the division (2 with Philly, one Wash and one Dallas, in dallas). The Redskins, conversely, have (other than division games, of which they have three) Seattle, Cincinnati and the 49ers... combined those three are 5-20. They also have Baltimore, so that's a wash. For reference, the Giants' remaining non-div schedule (again, no Ravens) is 15-9.

Of course, they are the SBCs, so maybe we should expect them to play a harder schedule.

So, two questions then. Do the Giants go to the postseason, and how well do they do?

And, for the hell of it, who had the hardest schedule this season, as things are right now?

Some Thoughts from Ben

Excerpted from an email from my dad re: Obama -

"I knew nothing about the man until he jumped into the primary and challenged my first choice for the Democrat's candidate, Hillary, whom I saw as more seasoned and accomplished as an operative. Obama eventually convinced me after he beat the Clinton machine.

"My mind wanders back to a time when I was about your age (a few years younger, actually) when John Kennedy excited us so with the dream of Camelot. Although Kennedy and Obama have such divergent biographical and cultural backgrounds (Kennedy, the scion of our noble family; Obama, the self-invented, fatherless offshoot), they both share personal charisma, they both radiate an exotic aura.

"JFK was the first president in the 20th century to have been born after the fin de siecle. As a man of the new generation, he gave us youngsters the same hope for a promising tomorrow, as Obama gives youngsters (and a few old geezers) today. When Kennedy was elected, we felt that we could now be included in the American political scene. We could finally count, could be heard, could realize some of our youthful ideals.

"And now we hold youthful ideals so hopefully again today. No doubt there will be some disappointing moments ahead. Who could fulfill all of the hopes and aspirations of so many who are hurting, given the dire condition of our federal government? But we will weather those times.

"For now we can enjoy the bright optimism, and we can hope that this prince will reign much longer than one, brief, shining moment-and that far sturdier than the stuff of myth-he will create good, substantial work for the nation, as I am confident that he will."

The Cheese Stands Alone

The Daily Mississippian, the student-edited daily put out by the University of Mississippi, is the only college newspaper to endorse John McCain for President. The total tally, 63 for Obama, 1 for McCain. Maybe the editor is trying to get a staffer position for the Arizona senator.

Fine. Have it your way.

I've been wanting to post, but work's been hella busy. So here I am, finally.

I wanted to ask you a question. What is the one most important topic you're considering when you vote? Or maybe, rank the top three. I just want to see what's on everyone's minds when they vote (or, like me, did vote in the past tense).

My list:
1. Affordable health insurance for everyone.
2. A focus on renewable energy efforts that will end our dependence on oil. Not just foreign, either.
3. Getting out of Iraq on November 5th, if possible, and developing a healthy working relationship with the rest of Earth, outside of the U.S.

I ask this, as on my facebook page, I posted the question, "if you're voting for McCain, I'd like to know why" and got a lot, mostly the same, issues on peoples' minds. What I saw, in no particular order:
1. abortion
2. don't tax the wealthy
3. Obama is a socialist/Marxist/communist and not an American... or, he supports terrorism.

I have to say that abortion comes up equally as often as 'not taxing the wealthy'. Is that the heartbeat of America? We're focusing on regulating a woman's body more than making sure that kids have textbooks and lunch at school? Of course, that's a bit of hyperbole on my part (no one wants kids to go hungry or without copies of 'From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler'), but I'm saying that we, as a nation (all of us) have lost sight of the basic care of other human beings. No one volunteers anymore. No one meets their neighbors anymore and takes care of them.

On that note... ideas on how to return to that? Did we ever have it?