A long time ago in a beach town far far away......

A young jedi must learn to conquer his own fears, doubts, and the use of computers, to overcome the tyranny of the advancing Empire. Though powerful the darkside may be, neither the strength nor determination of a young jedi should be underestimated.



Monday, November 21, 2011

Fed up political rant (read at your own risk of being offended)

Ok so I generally think its a bad idea to discuss politics in an open area where you run the risk of offending someone. I get especially heated when discussing politics which no doubt negatively effects the conversation. Despite that general guideline I feel I must rant. If you are a conservative look away.
The news just reported a new plan put forth by Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. The basic idea as I understand it is this: Fire all school janitors working in inner-city schools save one "master-janitor". Revise child labor laws so that you can then hire the children to do the janitorial work. The benefits to this plan that "combats poverty" is that the young welfare sucking, lazy, ghetto children can learn the value of hard work all the while the state can save money by not having to pay unionized adults. I kid you not. Go, go right now and read it somewhere online. If you're not outraged on any number of these points, stop and consider what the consequences and implications of what he is saying. And by the way may I remind you that this man is LEADING IN THE POLLS for the republican nomination for president. My head wants to explode.

Last week the front-runner was Hermain Cain. This guy was a successful business man. Bottom-line is the guy sold pizza. Personally I can't think of something that would be an easier sell in this society than pizza, given you're not completely inept. The guy has no experience in governing, no foreign policy knowledge, and a 9-9-9 plan that is absolute non-sense. Forget the fact that he may or may not have sexually harassed several women, the guy has a plan that would deal the final blow to the middle class. Did you see him flat mock foreign policy or flub a softball pitch on Libya. Ow ow how bout the one where he blames the unemployed for being unemployed. Classic.



Don't even get me started on Bachman or Perry, each of whom, despite a 4th grade understanding of both the world and our country, were at certain points leading the polls. What kind of a nation promotes these people to power positions and encourages ignorance. Oh its folks-y or straight-shootin, or hey he's kind of an idiot like me I'll vote for him. Personally I want the president to be smarter than anyone I know. I want a leader to have defensible opinions and nuanced approaches to issues. HEll at least be able to pick out Libya on a map.

And then you've got the wonderful congress. The super committee failed (this is my shocked face). Whose fault is it? Obamas obviously, if you ask republicans. They say we tried to compromise by offering billions in new revenues (taxes). The reality is they offered billions in tax increases in exchange for making the Bush tax cuts permanent which would add TRILLIONS to the deficit in the next ten years. The same deficit that they all campaigned on in 2010 that reducing was "critical to America regaining its spot atop the world". What a crock. The taxes were fine so long as it didn't touch the millionaires and billionaires that buy their congressional seats. And they certainly don't care about the decifict because not only did they compound it with two wars that were unpaid for (all the while lowering taxes, something never, NEVER done in war time) they continue to push to expand it with tax cuts that only benefit the wealthy and corporations.
I hope at some point people will wake-up and reject these sleazy degenerate scumbags and their sinister policies. How long can this obstructionist strategy go on before the people call them on their crap? Rush Limbaugh sounded the call on day one of Obamas administration when he unapologetically said "I hope he fails". He knew the full consequence and implications of his words and has stood by them and so have every single republican law maker from that day forward. Democrats are part of the problem too. They are spineless and unprincipled. Willing to compromise everything in return for nothing, essentially selling out their constituents. They fail to adequately expose the shenanigans their counterparts pull time and time again. They are weak and wishy-washy more concerned with re-election than accomplishing anything of consequence. Democrats don't make stands because they're too afraid it will be held against them. Republicans take unyielding and sometimes reprehensible (NEWT) stances then quickly set to work bludgeoning the dems like defenseless baby seals. And it works.
While the government distracts and abuses power my tuition goes up. Financial aide shrinks. Services, classes, and benefits are cut. Gas goes up as well as the cost of living. And when I want to express my dissatisfaction with all this I can go to any major population center or university and get pepper-sprayed while peaceably protesting. I hope everyone has watched the UC Davis incident. I am not saying that I strongly identify with the Occupy movement or that there aren't yahoos that are acting out-of-line. In large part I support peaceful demonstration as a right that I am given as a US citizen, regardless of what it concerns. If the crazy church groups can protest gays at military funerals untouched explain to me why students who are getting brutalized by the current system cant sit in a park without fear of police dong this. Surely if child-labor and implying that all poor people need is work ethic doesn't upset you this must.