I don’t talk politics. An obvious good reason is that I’m not going to change anyone’s mind. Agree to disagree, etc etc. The real, and better, reason is because I don’t know what the f I’m talking about.
That said…..I’m about to talk politics.
Picking between Romney and Obama is like deciding to spend a night at the opera or pay to see a movie with Kristen Stewart. No thank you. I’ll stay in and peruse instant watch instead. It could always be worse [Newt], but really, I am baffled that these 2 are our candidates. Out of all of the men and women of this beautiful country, these are our choices.
Obama has had his 4 years. He promised ‘change’, people voted, and it’s all we have left (pocket change. I know it’s not original, but you laughed the first time you heard it anyway, come on). Romney -I don’t trust anything that comes out of his mouth. Maybe because as a general rule I don’t like Mormons**.
Ron Paul. That guy would have had my vote.
I’m ready for it to be over. I’m tired of being handed information on voting when I go to church (separation of church and state! Can I get an amen) and being pushed to vote a certain way at bible study (or, at least, feeling like I am being pushed). Hypocritical for me to say that last part since one of the things I love about my particular bible study is that things are made relevant to my life today.
Moving along.
Health care. It’s what everyone is talking about. I didn’t have it for several years and am thankful to now have a job that affords me pretty decent healthcare. Personally I’m willing to pay more so that others can have healthcare; that makes sense to me, seems decent, and even if I didn’t care about being decent it also should, in theory, save money in the long run (since we can’t exactly go survival of the fittest – although I’m all about giving it a go). Everyone's worked up over the “death panel”. From what I understand the payment advisory board (or, as you may have heard it referred to, the death panel) cannot ration health care, or otherwise restrict Medicare benefits or eligibility (in addition, cannot raise taxes or premiums). Romney also wants to control Medicare spending, but so far as I can tell he leaves the cost-cutting means up to congress. Basically, as Jesse Walker pointed out more elegantly before me – “Romney's alternative to Obamacare is Romneycare, or as I like to call it, Obamacare”.
Abortion. Romney-Ryan are against it, but recently Romney said it’s not on his agenda; he now does not intend to pursue anti-abortion legislation. The long and short of it is he's a politician and ultimately, like his oponent, he is not willing to sacrifice votes to maintain his personal beliefs. Personally I don’t agree with abortion. The argument against taking away individual rights is usually the side I'm on - but what about the rights of the unborn? On the flip side, who’s going to stop people from aborting on their own if they can’t have it legally done? I've seen Dirty Dancing.
Gay rights/marriage. Again, not for me, but who am I to tell someone who they can or cannot be with. The bible does state homosexuality is a sin – but gluttony is also a sin and good luck to the person who tries to pry a pan of brownies and a jar of peanut butter out of my hands. God doesn’t love gays or my gluttonous ass any less than the rest of you self-righteous Cassie Crouches of the world. Let’s stop judging each other and try to love each other. Cue Hebrews 12:14.
At the end of the day it takes more than one man to ruin everything (right?) and the hot topics aren’t even topics that are fundamental to the state of our nation. Thank God for checks and balances.
Take a minute to truly be thankful we live in a country where we can voice our opinions without being killed, we have freedom of religion, and women don’t choose between execution and education, amongst many other basic rights. The Taliban attack on Malala Yousufzai this week is one small reminder of that.
For anyone still with me, you can’t hum while holding your nose. Try it.
**I really mean I don’t agree with Mormonism. In case they’re reading, I do have a couple of Mormon friends who I have love for and who haven’t creeped me out…yet. There’s still time, guys.
