27 January 2012
One thing people should understand about me is that I am not a Republican. I am not a Democrat and I’m not sure what a Tea Party member is but I am fairly sure I am not one of those. I am not Conservative and I can assure you that I am not Liberal. I am not any one of those things in the strictest sense. Maybe a Moderate? Who knows. I am Liberally Conservative Moderate that likes Tea and is fiercely Independent. I am an American and I am free to be whatever I damn well please at what ever given moment in time. Trust me I have a set of core beliefs and principles that I will not waver from. A “platform” if you will. But I’ll talk about all that another time as I am getting tired of this political vent that I currently appear to be on.
Having said that, after President Obama gave his SOTU, the Republicans gave their “rebuttal”. I rarely watch this address. If you read yesterday’s blog, you would know that I believe the SOTU should not be used as it is today by both parties. The SOTU should be the Presidents time to state where we are at right now as a country and where in his rightful opinion we should go and he should give his input on how best to do it. It’s the Congress’s job to then go to it. I don’t see a need for a rebuttal and if so, should it not be from a Congressperson? No disrespect to the Governor of Indiana intended. It is not a time to campaign and there’s nothing to rebut. Take what the President said, Congress, and go do your job.
While the President did give us a campaign style speech, Gov. Daniels provided ample opportunity for me to grow even more disenchanted with the Republican Party. While the President made some obvious and typical omissions, Governor Daniels made some clearly blatant misleading statements. Most glaring to me was the flip comment on federally mandated by the government light bulb legislation that requires us to buy the energy efficient bulbs instead of the old incandescent bulbs. This was largely bipartisan legislation enacted by Congress and signed by President Bush in 2007. President Obama and Congress made some changes and delayed the implementation of that mandate until 2013 and 2014 if I understand it correctly. It will actually provide for better and safer bulbs that will save us more money in the long run and use resources much more wisely. I being a pseudo “greenie” totally dig this. What I’m not in love with and I agree with the Governor from Indiana is why we need the federal (or any) government to mandate that or work that issue for us.
I also didn’t like the Governors statement that “Half the workforce under 30 did not go to work today”. The Governor was including 16 year olds in that statement based on numbers of workforce population aged 16 – 29. Puh-leeze. That just ticks me off. I know it’s bad but we don’t need to play that game. You can check out the link to the Factcheck.org article on the Republican rebuttal below.
I made my point on the SOTU and what I think it is and should be. I think that we, as a country, need to listen closely to what these politicians are saying and educate ourselves on what the truth is on any given platform agenda item or position a politician believes. Sites like Factcheck.org are invaluable for this. They say they are a bipartisan entity and I tend to believe them based on what I have seen thus far. Whatever source we use to find the facts it is the facts that must be used to decide what is good for this country, what is good for you to believe in. Separate the facts from the crap and you have a well-informed voting citizen, the bane of every politician regardless of his/her party affiliation.
Enjoy the Weekend!
Today’s “Did Ya Know” It is “Fun at Work” Day! It’s Also “Vietnam Peace” Day. So please take a little time out to say Thank you to a Veteran of that war. Today is also the day we celebrate the Liberation of Auschwitz and the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. Today is a day that we all should take a moments pause and reflect on man’s inhumanity to mankind. I think that especially in today’s politically charged times that we remember those times when fascism and hate were allowed to rule the day and be mindful that hate is the one enemy of everybody in this world and hate alone can destroy what’s taken us centuries to build. Link for these remembrances are below as well.
Todays related links:
Fact Check
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
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