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Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Just be Yourself



I was disappointed Sunday when, Vice President Joe Biden's, opinion on gay marriage became such a big deal. It became a feeding frenzy for the media and the next morning, a political consultant asked the head of the Department of Education what his gay-marriage view was. It concerned a gay-marriage amendment in the recent North Carolina primary. The question then became, why is the president evolving on this issue and why doesn’t he make a definitive decision.

I don't really care what Joe Biden's view on same sex marriage is because that's his opinion. My political party has already given up on gun control, the environment, the death penalty, unions, and now they want to poll test gay marriage! I don't think gay marriage should be a ballot issue because, if that were true, civil rights would have never been passed in the south. That's why we elect representatives.

The last two days of "Morning Joe" and have been very interesting because all the topics that I'm interested in were discussed. Everything evolves around our economy because that's the one problem, we are all absorbed with. An NBC military analyst said that we could require every student that's not enrolled in college to sign up for some type of patriotic service. The military would be the first choice because that will purge the young person's bad habits. It would also allow them to earn a little money and gain a little of discipline in their lives. This is the perfect opportunity, since our young people are having difficulty entering college for one reason or another.

One of my favorite economists, Paul Krugman, said that we should be sending ~$300 billion back to the states, so they can rehire the teachers, policeman and other essential public service workers who were let go, until the economy comes back. He then said, as inflation starts to pick up (a sign of growth) instead of the FED raising interest rates, the government should start to cut spending. Simple logic, as economy grows, cut back government spending. Then we will again be led by the markets. Right now, the markets aren't leading. That is the true intent of Keynesian politics.

I don't see why people just can't be themselves and let it go at that. The discussion would be more fluid and enlightened. I think after six years I know where everyone's political leanings are, so that should be off the table in our discussions.

My morning bicycle ride has been great therapy. I don't want to be like the two blackbirds I saw fighting this morning. I was contemplating, answering a poster with yet another" people living in glass houses" or consider the source post, but I decided against it. Why should I have to defend myself? I shouldn't have to prove and reprove myself time after time or become entertainment for the posters who like that sort of thing. I figure intelligent posters can see right through a backhanded compliment and a poster telling me that I am wrong for doing what he normally does. I will never win the Mr. Congeniality award, and I'm quite content with that because I'm just being myself.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mike,
Some issues are just too important to depend upon the frailties of "elected" officials. Some principles just can not be trusted to special interests on both sides. The Civil War proved somethings must be decided by patriots on both sides, massed side-to-side and face-to-face.

Hopefully, peaceful debate would be preferred over the battle field. Abortion and now your issue should be allowed to be determined in the voting b0oth. I would prefer the issue be decided in mass similiar to the election of the President. (Of course, that option is not crrently allowed in our Constitution.)

But still, major swings in human cultural acceptance requires mass debate and acceptance by a clear cut majority. I am not willing to trust that issue to "elected human-beings".

Anonymous said...

I should have signed the above.

Dale

Mike said...

Dale
Interesting points but TODAY special interests have complete control..I saw a cartoon that went something like this. "We ask ID from those who vote but not from those who buy an election."

I saw a some trend of oppose/for gay marriage and the arrow has been favoring the "FOR" so I think it's the last gasp efforts by the states because they see the handwriting on the wall.

We leave important issues such as war,Roe v Wade,Civil & Voting rights,woman's right to vote, and countless others to legislators...Don't we?

Wasn't the Civil War an after thought?

I believe NC had already met their states rights but this amendment put a double bolted lock on it.

Anyway,NC's decision is theirs but I still think someone in elected should be able to speak their mind without repercussions.

BTW It kinda is determined at the voting booth,in a roundabout way...President picks the SCOTUS judges who will make the final determination.

Thanks

Mike said...

Well now President Obama will be forced to talk about his feelings on gay-marriage on ABC later this afternoon but that's my gripe. He shouldn't hold back because one demographic might not vote for him. Some pundits have said it might hurt him with blacks and maybe Hispanics but I don't think it will. The president doesn't really need North Carolina that bad.

I'm pretty sure the president will come out in favor because that's pretty much the democratic party position and it's his as well.I really hope he gets off the civil unions because that's already accepted by both parties....It's about a gay marriage in Massachusetts being accepted in Texas.

Mitt Romney will benefit because it will shore up the Christian Right vote for him but he had that anyway.

I don't think this about ballot box or Congress;it's a narrow definition of traditional marriage versus a substitute.

Anonymous said...

"...but I still think someone in elected should be able to speak their mind without repercussions."

An elected official is free to speak their mind... until their head is handed on the platter come election time. Ms Rangel may be such a local example. (We shall see on Saturday.)

dale

Mike said...

Dale

lol,that may very well be true.

I always think of Ron Paul when things like this happen..Same message for 30 years,so his supports knows where he stands...He ain't no Mitt Romney who is now trying to take credit for GM when he wrote an OP-ED saying they should be allowed to go bankrupt...:-)

Mike said...

And now it comes out by Colin Powell...He might as well fess up because this is the last nail on the coffin..In his new book (out on May 22th)

"- In his new book, former Secretary of State Colin Powell provides what may be the most authoritative confirmation yet that there was never a considered debate in the George W. Bush White House about whether going to war in Iraq was really a good idea."

The war, which President Barack Obama officially brought to an end Dec. 31, cost the U.S. government around $3 trilllion, left 4,487 U.S. service members dead and killed more than 100,000 Iraqis. The Pentagon counts 32,226 U.S. service members wounded, but the toll, including cumulative psychological and physiological damage, may be as high as half a million."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/colin-powell-book_n_1503592.html

It is my opinion that the GOP needs to come to grips with this,admit failure and move on. They need closure and admit what the whole world already knows.

I know why Colin Powell supported President Obama but he should have done more to stop it.

I know a good soldier does what's he told.

Rebecca said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rebecca said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rebecca said...

It was I who added and then deleted two comments. The first comment was super sloppy and full of typos. My second comment, apologizing for the first comment, also had typos. I just gave up. I was off topic, anyway.

Mike said...

First,you can never be off topic on this blog.

Phew,I thought you had your 3rd cup of coffee and started telling me off...:-)

I 'm not one that will criticize typos....I live in that glass house...lol 

Edith Ann said...

Look at your numbers! Way to go Mike!

Mike said...

: :"> Thanks,EA 

I'm like Avis,I have to try harder...lol

I'm going to recalculate my prediction for your 100,000 ,at the rate you're going it's going to get there by next month...:-) 

Edith Ann said...

LOL!!!

Well, hold up on making it public! I should have a contest and let folks make a guess at to when I'll hit the 100,000 mark. I could give a prize!

Mike said...

I don't know if posters comments are being deleted on today's "question of the day" thread or the VA is still experiencing technical difficulties.

I was going to blog about this but if the VA is having difficulties,I would be wasting my time.

I am surprised by some of the responses.

Mike said...

Good news ,Rebecca mortgage rates came down to all time low today....3.05%

Anonymous said...

This little tidbit should awaken your concern for the civil liberties we used to take for granted, before The Patriot Act.

My brother was driving near Eagle Lake when he spotted a Preditor Drone fly directly above his truck. He said it was flying at about 400'. It had it's signature upside down "V" tail. Now we can expect every form of technology to be used on American citizens as law enforcement works to make us free and safe.

dale

Mike said...

Dale
I think that drone you are talking about was headed to the southern border, where it's been well advertised that they will be used to control of our borders, with the permission of Mexico.

Don't quote me, but I don't think they can be used for law enforcement unless our state legislators give them permission.

That is scary on one part because Seattle and other states on the West Coast have ordered some for law enforcement.... I think they've been used in Arizona and to secure the area of a militia type suspect ,law enforcement was going to arrest. I think we want to make it it's safe as possible for law enforcement but do we want a spy in the sky over the law abiding civilian population?

That's gonna be a interesting debate and I share your concern.

Mike said...

lOL..What's the world coming to,Bristol Palin is giving the president parenting advice.

Rebecca said...

We are getting a 3.5 fixed from TDECU. I would love a 3.0!

Mike said...

3.5% is outstanding,sure beats my 9.0% way back in 1974..:-)

TDECU is an excellent used by so many of my friends...I wish Wells Fargo didn't have a stranglehold on me..Yesterday,I went to get my April statement because it had not arrived yet,and customer service asked me if I had an account there. Duh,I'm in you bank,lol...I hope I didn't get charged $10 for the printout and $10 for using customer service.

Edith Ann said...

I was trying to remember when we bought our house back in the 70's--seems the interest rate was 11%! YIKES!

We actually bought that house in mid-build and got to pick the goodies inside. I remember putting ALL the lighting, inside and out for my allowed $100! Can you even buy one cheap fixture for $100 these days?

I paid a couple of hundred dollars less for my last car than we did for that house! My car interest rate from my credit union is 2.5%. I should live in my car!