Thursday, October 16, 2008

It's simple, and it's all about me anyway....

I'm a-political. I don't feel like I'm electing a leader or a President. I feel like I am electing a political party, neither one of which I like very much. Yes, there are more than just the big two, but we know that the election will come down to democrat or republican. Why? Is it because our parents were one or the other? Our friends from college were die hard this or that? Two parties that tend to be polar opposites for most everything, but my life and world view isn't that simple. I disagree with both parties about a lot of things. It isn't even that I think they are WRONG, but quite the contrary, I think they are CORRECT. I see their point of view. I agree with their solution. However, it isn't the best solution for MY point of view. So for me, voting isn't a matter of picking who I LIKE or who I think will do the best job it is choosing the most correct answer for whatever issue ranks highest on my list on election day.

The hardest part is discerning the truth.

Republican and Democrat supporters alike will deluge you with information that is "factual" from "authoritative" sources. The information may not be true, it is just what someone else believes is true. Statistics never lie, it is just the people interpreting them may not be asking the most correct questions. Douglas Adams summarized it best when he wrote the answer to the ultimate question of Life, the Universe and Everything is 42. The problem is that we don't know the actual question.

These people give you half truths. They tell you so and so voted this way on this, this, and this, thereby limiting your rights, taxing you more, and generally making your life a living hell. They don't really tell you the whole story about the other items that would have been affected by the vote that could have potentially done all the above to an even greater degree. You wouldn't know unless it was your job to monitor every action congress takes and then poll them why they voted one way or the other.

What irks me right now? What is my biggest issue that I would like to see resolved? You got this far, you must want to know...

Taxes on single parents. As I sit here and think about it, there are reasons for it...but I don't have to like them. To be honest, I've been pouring over the IRS tax brackets and it just makes my head hurt. I really wish the tax system could be made a little less complex.

I also wish that I could go to any doctor I wanted regardless of my insurance provider, and pay the same amount. I have one therapist in this area that does the work my son needs and my insurance company won't pay for it.

2 comments:

  1. The two party system sucks. No argument there. But I think rather than being polar opposites of each other, they're really just not that different when you get down to it. They differ on a few hot button issues but how much the country ever change regardless of who's in office?

    I don't think that in a country as diverse as the US two parties can really represent the panoply of peoples beliefs.

    In most elections, I feel as though I am choosing the lesser of two evils...and I understand why many feel that way in this election. I, for the first time in my voting life, don't. You know who I like so I'll keep the partisan politics off your blog and save them for my own.

    You'll get no argument from me on the taxes issue. Also no argument on the doctor/insurance thing. Many people tout the glories of socialized medicine but I think there are trade-offs either way. But no matter how you look at it, it sucks that the one person who's been able to help Brandon isn't someone your insurance will cover.

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  2. I quit listening to the commercials a long time ago. I didn't even watch the debates. I judge my candidates by their most recent actual votes, actual choices, actual support of issues that make a difference to me. Words and promises today mean nothing. I'm not talking about 20 years ago. Tell me what you have done, how you've voted in the last two or three years, on the issues that mean the most to me.

    Unfortunately, neither candidate in the two party system appeals to me. So do I vote third party? Or choose the lesser of two evils? The jury is still out.

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