So they started the discussion today about throwing out don’t ask, don’t tell. Okay, here’s what I don’t understand. If they say they want to repeal don’t ask, don’t tell why are they saying they have to do a year long study to do so? Why can’t they just say, “Starting tomorrow, we will no longer prohibit gays from serving in the military.” and be done with it? What do they have to do? It’s not like they have to change anything. All the gays will still have their jobs in the military but now they can say they are gay and not be discharged for saying so. Am I missing something or is there more to it that I’m not aware of?
Category: Politics
I’m Just Sick
Literally and figuratively.
I woke up yesterday with my voice beginning to leave me. Today it’s just about completely gone. I don’t have any cold symptoms or anything like that. My throat is a little scratchy but I don’t feel sick. I just can’t talk. It was very difficult to teach today. I actually used my computer hooked up to the sound system in my classroom to talk to my students. I used text to speech and TextEdit to have my computer speak to my students. They loved it. I got a bit tired typing. Because of this I’ve decided to take tomorrow off and not talk to anyone. Maybe that will help. I won’t be recording a podcast either.
I’m also sick of the state of our country. Just a year after inaugurating our first African-American President and winning a majority in the senate, we aren’t much better off than we were then. Of course some things have changed for the good or are on their way to change. But I just feel that we are stagnating. Things don’t seem to be moving like they should. With the male model being elected in Massachusetts health care reform and be thrown out the window. I think something will pass but it won’t be what it really needs to be. It’s been watered down as it is now. I don’t blame this on Obama at all. It’s the screwed up workings of the congress. They simply can’t get anything done. It takes way too long and costs way too much money.
I just can’t get over some of the crap going on. The Supreme Court said today that corporations could donate as much as they want to political campaigns. That means that big business will be in control more than they have been. I wouldn’t have expected anything different from the current court makeup.
While I’m glad to see that Obama is calling for regulations on big banks, I’m scared that the cost of those regulations will be passed on to consumers. It’s guaranteed. Banks will raise fees or whatever before the legislation takes effect. Look what happened on wall street today. The market dropped 200 points.
Look at what happened with credit cards. Congress tried to change how credit card companies fee us to death so they created regulation to get some control. The legislation doesn’t go into effect until next month. What has already happened? Credit card companies have changed everyone’s interest rate to variable rates so they can get more money from us now. Have you seen any fixed rate credit cards lately? None to be found.
This country is even more polarized than it was under Bush. The haves and have nots, the republicans and the democrats, the birthers, deathers, gun rights assholes, and on and on and on. I’m just so sick of all this crap. I’m so sick of stupid people. If I thought I could do it, I’d stop following all the news. But I just can’t. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t blame any of this lack of progress on Obama. I blame it completely on the congress. I still support Obama. If he is just given time and support from the congress, things could change. We might even see some progress on gay rights.
Day 309 of 365
What a disappointing turnout to the elections yesterday. Virginia took a big step backwards by electing Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, and Ken Cuccinelli. All three are right wing, republican, religious wing nuts. And now they will be in charge of Virginia for the next four years. Gay rights will just have to sit out the next four years in Virginia.
Last night I was watching the amazing documentary about Obama called By The People on HBO and I was inspired all over again. I had such a good feeling watching Obama win the election exactly one year ago. Then as the documentary was ending and Obama was giving his acceptance speech and I had chills going down my spine again, they announced the winners in the Virginia election and I quickly became depressed. I live in this state and am stuck with this fucktards for the next four years. I can’t imagine what might happen. If DC gets gay marriage, I might have to move there!
I don’t think the turn out of this election has anything to do with the success or the failure of the Obama administration. The wing nuts who want to make that connection don’t know what they are talking about. Virginia historically goes for the opposite party for governor the year after the presidential election. It’s been that way since 1971 I think. Nothing new here. Plus, I could also add the democratic candidate was simply awful…but I voted for him anyway.
I’ll be watching the actions of these republicans for the next four years and I’ll be calling them on everything they do wrong. And there will be plenty. It might not be nice to say, but their term in office is already a failure. I’m already looking forward to 2013 for the next election for governor!
In the process of moving the blog to a new web hosting service, I lost the picture that goes with this post.
Day 285 of 365
Today we went to more wineries around the Charlottesville area. We were feeling a little guilty that we weren’t in DC at the march. We were glad to hear Obama plans to repeal DADT at some point. Let’s hope ENDA and DOMA work out too! We saw lots of fall leaves in the area. At one of the wineries I saw these leaves on the deck and just had to take a picture.
Here we are in the car on our way to another winery.
In the process of moving the blog to a new web hosting service, I lost the picture that goes with this post.
Day 254 of 365
Does this picture make me look like an inbred republican congressman from South Carolina?
In the process of moving the blog to a new web hosting service, I lost the picture that goes with this post.
I am absolutely flabbergasted at the behavior of Rep. Joe Wilson from South Carolina at President Obama’s speech last night. I know you’ve heard all about it and that he quickly apologized last night. Earlier today he kind of backed away from his apology and said again that Obama was wrong about the healthcare plan and immigrants. And of course that’s not true. Neither of the current plans working their way through congress would grant healthcare to illegal immigrants.
Besides that though, isn’t it sad that our congress is starting to look and sound like those in third world countries that yell at each other, punch each other, throw things at each other…..you know the ones I’m talking about. You’ve seen the videos before from places in Asia where they can’t get along so they physically attack each other. Is this what our country will become? It’s so sad! We have lost all respect for the office of the President. I never liked George Bush but I at least respected the office. I’m really going to have to stop following politics. It’s not good for my blood pressure.