Sunday, September 9, 2012

Conflict is Good!

The elections, the conventions, all of this political debate is certainly good for the economy!  Newspapers, Radio and Television must be getting a bounty in advertising revenue; literally, billions of dollars are being spent.  Whoever wins, he will be the best President that we can afford.  No country on Earth spends on elections like we do.  It has to be good for the economy!
   Personally I like elections.  My normal day is not unlike yours.  I get up, find something to do and get tired doing it, then go to bed.  Just routine.  Elections make me think of the world around me, get out of myself and think of others, and yes, even fantasize about an "ideal world" and then laugh  at the comedy of it all.  It seems that we screwed up when Eve offered Adam the Apple and this can never be Heaven on Earth!  We have to wait for that pie in the sky when we die.  That is always the problem.  It is later, if only and under conditions that things will get better.  I don't know why it is so difficult to make a plan, stick to it, and make things a little better all along the way?
   Now is when we want it.  We don't see things in increments, no longer listen to arguments.  We make our own bleak world, close the drapes and get comfortable in the darkness and always blame others for everything that is wrong.  With us and with the world.
   If we could have unlimited coal and tar sands oil then everything would be all right!  One more apple, Eve, please!  That tree may be beneath the Arctic and we will destroy that last pristine place to get it.
Humans have a hunger and believe that the Earth should be used UP.
   Tell me three nice things about Obama and I will tell you three nice things about Romney!  Really I would.  I read both sides, conflicting editorials and diverse opinions.  I like some elements of each and each have elements that I dislike.
   I think the elections will boil down to two issues for me and this may be selfish because they would effect me personally.  The issue of Medicare won't harm me either way but I know the math.  A voluntary and competing program with Medicare will destroy it.  Health issue, National Health will not affect me.  I am one of the 1% there for sure and history has proved over the years that we really do not feel another's pain!  National Health Care would be less expensive than our present system, but that is pretty simple math and if you want to you can work that out yourself.  Gay rights mean nothing to me personally although according to the math, we all know someone who this issue is important to and I think I should cast my ballet in their favor.  Voting for the benefit of others! What a novel idea and this one would not cost me a dime.  Women's issues mean a lot to me.  I like women!  And I have two daughters so for very selfish reasons I would vote for their rights and equal benefits.
   There are two issues that will determine my vote.  The Republican Platform does not even mention
our wars, not a single word about Afghanistan and the 31 American Soldiers who die there every single month.  One Dead Every Day.  These are our youth, America's best and we have forgotten them already.  In the months and years to come we will spend trillions on those returning soldiers, for their care and support.  It is a debt we will try to weasel out of as we have in the past.  We already have homeless veterans begging on street corners, young ones now, next to the Vietnam vets, struggling for position.  I will think long and hard about which political party will recognize our obligations.
   We are tired of war and can not afford it.  I am thankful there were no troops on the ground in lybia and we are not in Syria.  I will think long and hard about which party can keep us out of future battles.
   There is one single issue that comes down to belief that will determine my vote.  One Issue that I use to believe in that I no longer do.  I believe in the American Worker.  I do not believe in Trickle Down.
For over a hundred years the Chief Executive Officer of a corporation made six times the wages of the average worker and that money stayed here at home, in our neighborhoods, supporting our communities.  These were attainable jobs and through education, hard work and discipline, average people  could get there.  I graduated from the University of Oregon and paid $96 dollars per term for the classes.  I received no grants or free money.  I did it with a part time job and student loans totaling only $1,500 for five years of education.  Something has changed.  This is impossible now.
    Trickle Down doesn't work.  CEO's can make MILLIONS of times the pay of their average workers!  And the money doesn't stay here.  It goes to China along with our jobs.  It is safe in off shore accounts with clever accounting avoiding taxes.  Four years ago Google and Amazon Stocks were selling at less than $200 and now they are over $700!  Corporations have never been richer and never invested less in their local communities.  They don't even bank here.
   I believe in Henry Ford who didn't have a dime invested in China, who rightfully became wealthy investing in American workers and paid them enough so they could buy the cars they were making.
   It is greed that will get us in the end.  Greed and the idea that there are simple solutions, that we could drill our way out of this, like a lottery ticket is awaiting us under the arctic ice.
   I believe in hard working Americans.  I believe in the Middle Class.  The more the better, that center bulge on the graph that goes to work every day, banks locally, supports their schools, their community.
That is who I will vote for.


9 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...

I hate conflict, Jer. Easiest for me to just walk away. Its what I do best. LOL (Ok, not a laughing matter I suppose, but sometimes it just works best.)

Jerry Carlin said...

Hi Sherry, glad you are not living in a car! See? Things ARE better!
If you walk away, someone else will make a decision for you!

Rama Ananth said...

Jerry it is so sad every country has only 2/ 3 parties whom one can vote for, but when all the parties are basically corrupt, trying to bring down each other, settling their own scores, not at all bothered by public opinion, not caring what happens to our hard earned money which is directly or indirectly gobbled by them in the name of governing the country, it is shame less, and it is the same story everywhere.
We all really pray that a new party would be formed before the next election in India, with more educated youngsters and people, who can remain honest and committed to our nation, and get down to improve our own natural resources and make our country number one in the whole world. We have everything in our country, to make it number one, only we don't have uncorrupt, committed people to do good to our nation.
Now it doesn't matter who comes into power, for the policies followed by them would be more or less the same, along with their own added methods of destroying the country in every possible way.

Jerry Carlin said...

Thank you Rama, India is the biggest Democracy in the world. Power corrupts everywhere, it is a sad thing.

Kay said...

Jerry this season of decisions and vitriol has become a problem for me. The issues are so important, especially the ones you mention. So as I stand for issues that I feel are rights that certain groups want to erode I find myself a target of even liberal people (you know I am one liberal old woman). These people are all of a sudden sick of the politicking and are insisting that those of us who are still concerned and passionate should now move on to other things! Well my life has moved on as each day passes whether I am political or not. But the belief that someone feels it is ok to limit my views because they are tired of it all..just shows that they do not have the stamina for the long haul. These issues won't go away on Nov. 4th no matter who gets voted in. Our country and our beautiful world will take more than an election to do what matters. If all of a sudden since the conventions are over, so should our political opinions be silent...well I worry that the choir being preached to will fall down in a fit and refuse to stand up for their own rights and even not vote..just because you are sick of it all? So apparently my concerns have been off putting but I wonder what will happen when the so called concerned citizens get tired and just go take a nap!
I appreciate your thoughtful posts and putting up with my "rants"!

Ralph said...

I like you love some political debate and discussion. Sometimes my views are not popular but at least like you I care and think before ever posting a ballot paper. Thanks again Jerry.

Jerry Carlin said...

Thank you for your thoughts, Kay, keep fighting! It is this "new world commerce" that is making millionares out of so many now. The wealthiest person in the world is in Mexico! There are MORE millionares in China than here! It is not like the old days when you had to really work for it. I like rich people and don't begrudge them their money. I only want them to pay the same taxes that I do. No more.

Jerry Carlin said...

Hi Ralph! Good to see you here! You can actually vote in Scotland? I have decided to cast my ballot for those who cannot speak: the trees, the water, the air we breath, the land we walk upon! How's your garden?

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