Friday, June 29, 2012

Politics - Apologies ahead of time. Rough waters ahead.

Yes, I'm tackling this issue today.

I'm not one to discuss politics on a daily basis. In fact, I tend to be fairly apathetic. And then I stumbled on a blog by a fellow author concerning the Wisconsin recall elections, and his words resonated with me.

I believe in the right to free speech. We live in a country where that is a freedom we have been given and daily exercise. Along with the right, we have the right to disagree.  So with this political firestorm going on about Obamacare, I want to comment more on political process than on the decisions.

I live in Illinois.  We have seen more corrupt politicians than I care to admit to. And the last one who was convicted honestly didn't believe he did anything wrong, because that's the way politics works.  Unfortunately, he didn't understand that "under the table" meant "under the table," and not out in public.  Does that make it right? Absolutely not. But he was too naive to believe that people wouldn't condemn him for openly subscribing to a corrupt process.  Such is the state of politics in our country.  We are governed by politicians who no longer have the best interest of the people at heart (in my humble opinion) but their own interests and the interests of those people/interests who give them money. It's bribery, pure and simple. And so our government is hopelessly gridlocked.  Only by shaking off our apathy can we make a difference.  Republican or Democrat or Independent, we need to step up and vote for honest people with integrity and get rid of the good ol' boys club who is no longer looking out for John Q. Public.

Along with the right to free speech, I saw a post today comparing Obama to Hitler. It was inevitable, but to me, it was the height of ignorance. Obama didn't get his health care plan signed into law single handedly. And there are seven justices on the Supreme Court who upheld the decision. To compare our president to a man whose main goal was to eradicate entire races of people is ludicrous.

Where do I stand on the issue? Okay, going out on a limb. Have you seen a hospital bill recently? Within the last 10 years? Have you seen the cost of services before insurance tackles it? And have you then seen the cost AFTER insurance tackles it? So tell me. Who was paying for the poor and indigent before? Seems as if those health bills are highly inflated to cover the costs for people who can't pay - the same way credit card interest rates are there to cover the deadbeats who don't pay their bills. It always impacts the "responsible" people. So now we have a president who wants to help the poor and indigent. We have high unemployment. Increasing numbers of people without jobs. Their health care has to be paid for, one way or another. It's already coming out of my pocket as higher rates. I don't know what the right answer is, but I can't fault the president for trying to help. Does this make him Hitler?  Let me think. A man trying to kill Jews vs. a man trying to help poor people pay for their healthcare. Where is the parallel to Hitler? This type of inflammatory remark is referred to as Godwins Law. Is that the best argument you can make? Rather than offer an informed opinion on the matter, you have to stoop to that level? To me, that's like children on the playground, when they can no longer make a reasonable argument one steps up with, "Yeah, and your mother wears army boots." (This is an antiquated expression, I know, and one that currently can be offensive to our women in the military - my apologies, I mean no disrespect.)

I don't claim to know the right answers, but I do not believe there is any comparison between Obama and Hitler. The one thing I can say about the political climate in America right now is that it is getting people's attention.  I am better educated politically than I ever have been.  I'm looking for the correct answers rather than believing someone's repeated rhetoric, so that I can make an informed decision, rather than vote based on what someone else said, that someone else said, who was paid by some corporation who has a vested interest in the outcome of the election.

Politics. We are each entitled to our own viewpoints, and that's what makes America great. We all have a vested interest in the outcome of the upcoming elections, different reasons why we support one viewpoint over another. My only request is that you research your facts instead of jumping on someone else's bandwagon.  And slinging mud or drawing diametrically opposed parallels only confuses the issue. Make your decision based on the facts that are important to how you live your life - and more power to you. That's what makes America great.

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