Not Biting My Tongue

I was going to bite my tongue. I didn't want to blog politics, but you know what? I'm not goin g to bite my tongue. I've got something to say damn-it, and I'm going to say it. You can read it or not. You can agree or not. But I'm saying it.

Obama's chants of hope and change and talk of him being a breath of fresh air who can inspire people to change, are in my not so humble opinion, a complete farce! And I'm tired of hearing it. And, admitedly, I wasn't going to vote for him because frankly, he's given my state - the state he is supposed to be representing in the congress, the short end of the stick, after proudly declaring in 2004 he would NOT be running for national office in 2008, so I'm biased from the beginning.

First of all, he's supposed to be motivating people to change? To not be the same old? To not run the same old campaign. Well, in my experience - he is doing none of that.

The bloggers. Let's talk about the bloggers. I've had to eliminate more than a couple blogs from my blogfeed. Because on day they talk about how they are inspired by Obama and how much they like him and how they are going to vote for him - which in my book, is perfectly fine and normal! They talk about how he fills them with hope and how he is above politics as normal nad is so inspiring to the people! Now, that part doesn't bother me. Great! I'm glad you like your candidate and that you support him. Hey, even show the link of Tina Fey! I have a bit of a sense of humor! But then, then for days and days on end they post things about Palin being stupid and an idiot and how anyone could vote for McCain/Palin is amazing and their supporters must be stupid and idiots too. Because why would we want some old bafoon running the country with a dumb women sitting a "heartbeat" from the presidency. They link to songs that make fun of her, they link to shirts you can buy that says "Palin is a cunt." They rip apart McCain and Palin - but rarely on the issues. Rarely do they talk about their policies. Nope. They call Palin a bitch, the call McCain an asshole. They call their supporters white trash. What upsets me the most, is these blogs are usually about homeschooling, gardening, from mommybloggers, about cooking, about crafting - a whole variety of things that I really did enjoy reading. But then wham! In an instant all those posts disappear and I get to read how I'm stupid and dumb.

And where in those posts is the hope and the change and the inspiration that Obama supposedly causes people to feel? Where is it? If you support Obama and his change and his hope, wouldn't you want to do more with your blog than trash other people? I don't get it. I just don't get it.

Now the whole tax issue. Let's start with how paying taxes is patriotic. A - Since when is it patriotic to give the government MY hard-earned money, when it is obvious they can't balance a budget, often under-fund programs and waste money on things I don't think our government should be paying for (and I don't care if earmarks is a small part of the budget. I've lowered my cable package only for a savings of $30 bucks a month to help balance my household budget. The whole - it's just a small part doesn't work with me, because most people - government included - overspend by only spending a little bit extra in every area of their budget). Anyway, paying taxes is not patriotic in my opinion. However, giving to others is patriotic. But, I'm sure Obama and Biden aren't professing that to people because they don't give much at all. Google it. I dare you. Mr. I'm all about hope and change and love only gives about gave between .4 and 6.1% of annual gross income of charitable giving from 2000-2006. You will also note, his giving goes up as we get closer to the campaign. Now, given all that his family is netting a year, you'd think he could practice spreading the wealth a little more effectively in his own home. Biden, well, his are worse - he gives .06-.31 of his income to charity. It's laughable really. And McCain, the guy who got crucified for having 8 homes, gave between 18-26% to charity! But nope. You didn't hear about that on the news. No way, all we heard was how awful it was he had 8 homes. Well, clearly he knows how to spread his wealth around, and amazingly enough - he didn't need the government to do it for him! Shocking!

Now, let's go to Joe the Plumber, because I am completely saddened by how Obama, but really mostly Biden have treated this man. Biden was having so much fun yesterday in speech - laughing about how Joe didn't have a plumber's license (not needed in his state to do what he does so why is it even an issue?). Then there are the comments that he's voted republican in the past so clearly he is biased. Great, well at least I know if I got to talk to Obama, my questions wouldn't count since I am biased too. And, when the news (from cnn) commented that McCain didn't properly vet joe I almost fell out of my chair! Are you kidding me?!?! Darn it, now I really can't ask Obama a question that might not give him the chance to give an awesome answer because McCain camp didn't vet me! He wasn't vetted because he isn't running for an office and McCain didn't ask him to ask Obama the question! And to top it off, he really doesn't count because he owes back taxes - so Biden will laugh at this single father who is at elast working adn trying. Which really ticks me off, because Obama talks about being for the little guy, for teh middle class, for the struggling single mothers - but oh, crap, not for the struggling single fathers who are behind and need help if they dare question Obama about his tax plan! Nope. You don't count. And Biden will be up there, giving a speech, laughing at you!

And it gets even better - not only will Biden laugh at you, but he'll say something like this “John [McCain] continues to cling to the notion of this guy Joe the Plumber,” Mr. Biden said on NBC’s Today show. “I don’t have any Joe the plumbers in my neighbourhood that make $250,000 a year. The Joe the plumbers in my neighbourhood, the Joe the cops in my neighbourhood, the Joe the grocery store owners in my neighbourhood, they make, like 98 per cent of the small businesses, less than $250,000 a year.” Really? Not in your neighborhood? The one where your house is currently worth over a million dollars .. and you're going to tell me no one in your neighborhood makes over 250k a year? I don't buy it. (and I'm not even going to talk about the shakey way BOTH Obama and Biden came to own the current homes they own by buying them under market value because there isn't enough time to do it!)

Furthermore, they keep laughing and saying things like "how many plumbers do you know who make 250k a year?" I only know one plumber. I don't know how much he makes. But I know quite a few people who own small business - my husband and I own one, my side of the family has them, his side has them. All I can tell you is we don't earn 250K from our business. I have no idea how much others make, but really, is that the message you want to send people? That it's so CRAZY to think a PLUMBER can make 250,000 that we laugh at the mere thought of it? Mr. I'd like to bring up the middle class and help them achieve goals and do better. If I were Obama I'd be talking about how I could help more middle class people reach 250,00 a year! About how MORE small businesses should be making that much money. Small business owners work hard. They deserve. The gap between small business income and large business income is HUGE and WIDE and won't be bridged if even Obama and Biden can't fathom a plumbing business making 250,000 a year. Will it?

But, nope the hope and change Obama/Biden are bringing is that it's laughable for plumbing business to make 250,000. The change they inspire in their supporters are you-tube videos making fun of McCain/Palin, wearing shirts saying Palin is a cunt. The rising above same old politics and dirty campainging results in even Biden saying one of their campaign ads were terrible.

Now, I'm not saying McCain/Palin are above these issues. They aren't. It just pisses me off that I keep hearing about hope and change from Obama/Biden and frankly, I don't see it. And people keep saying they are a breath of fresh air and really inspiring people. And I don't see it. I just don't see it.

But, hey, if Obama is so wise and wonderful, I guess I'll toss out my old ideas of giving 10% of my income and be inspired by him to drop it down to 3-6 percent instead. Which since I think my taxes will go up = no matter what anyone says - will be good because I'll have less money to give.
End of rant. I just had to get it out. And FTR, I don't think anyone who is actually reading this blog does any of what I ranted about, but this is my space to say what's on my mind. I will try not to complain anymore. But I had to say it at least ONCE because that's just how I am.

PS I want to add, I don't think ALL supporters are doing this at all - just wanted to make sure I pointed that out.