June 26, 2008 10:33 AM
Obama and change
At the risk of alienating any of you who may be Obama supporters - which I'm not, although I also find the idea of a McCain presidency scary - I have to share this humorous poster my daughter Samantha sent me:
I dread going through the next four months in which anyone who levels a criticism against Obama is labeled a racist. I actually find the idea of a black president very appealing and think it would bring a lot of healing to our nation.
But I do not agree with Socialist/Marxist politics. The Democrat party has made an art form of promising money to voting blocs in order to win votes. The Republican party has done its best to emulate what is obviously a winning formula.
The losers are the hardworking middle class, who don't qualify for susidies but have to subsidize them. Believe me, the rallying cry of raising taxes on the rich does not work - the rich can afford professionals to tell them how to use the loopholes. Tax increases always come down hardest on the middle class.
It is sad, because there is a general feeling of desperation in the country right now which Obama is appealing to and manipulating. I would not be surprised if it works for him. The Republican party, unfortunately blew it by not giving us a younger, fresher, less compromised candidate.
The situation looks hopeless to me no matter which candidate makes it into the White House. And I fear that if Obama doesn't win we will never hear the end of it.
What hurts the most about Obama is his claim to be a Christian while boasting of being the most pro-abortion candidate. Sorry, but these two things are not compatible. They just aren't.
Posted in Campaign 2008 | Permalink
Comments
I hear you. I'm not crazy about either opponent, and yet I "must" vote. Hmph.
Posted by: Stretch Mark Mama | June 26, 2008 12:21 PM
Being Canadian and knowing how a more socialist government/culture works I have some familiarity with the "changes" that Obama would like to see. Firstly, healthcare in Canada is an abysmal situation and any family in Canada can tell you their own horror story about medical services. My sister just had what an emergency room thought was cellulitis on her legs. She is 6 months pregnant. She could not be admitted and was treated, including IV insertion, while sitting in a chair in the waiting room. When she told them she felt faint and needed to lie down, she was told there was no where to go. After receiving the IV fluids she was released with the IV port still in her arm so she could come back for more treatment in the emerg. room (that would include another multi-hour wait). This was in the newest hospital in the greater Toronto area. This is not an unusual story. There are weeks or months long waiting lists for specialized treatments, including cancer treatments. There are no doctors taking patients if you travel 1 hour north of her home. It is chronic situation that families will have no doctor and will have to visit an ER for basic healthcare. Many doctors left Canada after the government imposed a cap on their income...which limited the number of people they could treat in a day. The government is still closing wings of hospitals and letting nursing staff go in hospitals that are already shortstaffed.
The government has turned to amalgamating large geographic areas and in one swoop 20 to 30 towns become one, amalgamated mess, where the small towns start to lose their unique character and charm as the fall under the responsiblity of one incorporated conglomerate, so signage, building codes, land use designations etc. all become uniform. Schools no longer have a serious phys. ed. class as no schools have any equipment beyond balls and skipping ropes. There are no school athletic teams until high school in most cases (excluding intra-mural type teams), there are no text books, only reams of photocopies. Canadians pay approx. 50% income tax, plus (in Ontario) 15% Goods and Services tax on everything. Canadian gas is more expensive.
After living in the States I cannot assert more strongly, how much better you have it here in regards to the quality of health care, educational opportunities and spending power.
I hope that those who are getting behind Obama's promise of change understand just what lies ahead.
Posted by: Kelly | June 26, 2008 1:07 PM
I so agree with you! I'm also black, and I must add that I'm embarrassed that the first black presidential candidate is such an anti-God flaming liberal nut! I love how you stated that Democrats come into power by promising groups of people things. Remember the first thing Bill Clinton did when he got in office? I expect more of the same with Obama.
Posted by: angie | June 26, 2008 1:23 PM
Yeah. I feel exactly the same way.
Posted by: Marian | June 26, 2008 4:47 PM
Ugh! Ugh! and Double Ugh! I just finished listening to the two day podcast Focus on the Family had regarding him and honestly it was scary. This man has absolutely NO IDEA what Christianity is all about and his Bible illiteracy is absolutely appalling. Of course most people would just blindly agree with his rough "interpretation" of the scriptures since most professing Christians barely get out their own Bibles.
As a Christian community we need to Pray Pray Pray! Pray for our leaders, pray for this election, and pray for the healing of this land!
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14
Posted by: Jen K. | June 27, 2008 12:24 AM
Barbara,
I agree with almost all you said. Just to be blunt we as a country are in a world of hurt. Thankfully, the same God that holds the planets and moons in place also has us in the palm of His hands.
The point I do not agree with is you reference to the rich using loopholes. Barbara, what you do not realize is the "loopholes" are available to every American. Anyone who wants to start ANY size business can take advantage of these tax write offs and deductions. Your blog, heck, anyone's blog can become a business very quickly. If you do not utilize the benefits of a corporation, you are missing out.
There are numerous classes, books, seminars you can learn from. Some are more helpful than others.
But honestly, THE most useful tool for learning to use the tax code is by taking a class from HR Block and others that want you to come work for them during tax season. You will definitely get your feet wet and know what your next step should be for your own personal situation.
My husband did this in his early 20s in the 70s. When his business grew, he retained an excellent CPA to help him with the finer areas of the tax code.
I encourage everyone I know to start a business, be it a webpage, join a network marketing company, babysit occasionally as a babysitting service, or clean one house a month as a cleaning service. ANYTHING. Those tax deductions are gold in your pocket. And heaven knows we need all the help we can get these days!
Posted by: PollyS | June 27, 2008 12:56 AM
You don't even have to publish this, but was wondering about two people you've reported on in the past.
How is KSMilkmaid?
And i saw in the news where the mom who was trying to keep her dd from having to visit the ex lesbian partner lost her case. How is she? What does she plan to do?
Love Samantha
Posted by: Samantha | June 27, 2008 1:35 AM
I'm curious: who are the "middle class?"
My parents live in the wealthiest county in the United State. They make $300,000 year and live in a $600,000 home (without a mortgage). They drive a new BMW and a new Subaru. They vacation in Europe.
My husband and I live in rural West Virginia. We make about $50,000 a year and own a $100,000 house (with a mortgage). We drive ten year old vehicles. I don't think we quite qualify as "middle class." We probably are better off than the "working poor," but I don't think we're well off enough to be considered "middle class."
How do we define "middle class" in America? I really hope some of you will post your definitions. This is something I've wondered about for a long time. Thanks in advance :)
Posted by: Anna Keiter | June 27, 2008 9:29 AM
Sorry I don't buy his brand of "Christianity" = Black Liberation Theology. The candidate "uniting" for change...LOL!
Posted by: Amelia | June 27, 2008 9:35 AM
Kelly,
I have no doubt that the Canadian health care system is far from perfect. However I think my personal situation is proof that the US system is just as bad, if not worse.
Two years ago I got sick. I collapsed a work and was hospitalized for three months. I lost my job, and subsequently my health insurance, because I was hospitalized for so long. The company I worked for was not big enough to require to offer me COBRA benefits. All of a sudden I found myself without health insurance.
My husband and I looked into buying an individual policy for me and were quoted $3,000 a month due to my "pre-existing" conditions. At that time we weren't even making $3,000 a year.
My condition deteriorated again last year. Had it not been for the fact that my parents were in a position to give us $250,000 I would not have recieved care at all. Ultimately, by the time I was on death's doorstep a hospital would have been required to give me care, but only until I improved enough to not be near death. I would have then been kicked out.
Not having health insurance, and having spent my parents gift on my hospitalization, I went for months without my desperately needed medications. Without insurance they were running almost $1,000 a month.
I have health insurance now because last month I was able to start working full time again. However, should I become so sick again that I cannot work, I will again be without health insurance and unable to receive any care at all.
I'm not saying that I want the US to adopt the the Canadian system, but I think drastic measures must be taken to improve on the US system. It just isn't fair that the quality and quantity of care a person receives in the wealthiest nation in the world is based on employment status and individual wealth. Access to health care should be universal -- a single mother working two part time jobs and living pay check to pay check is no less worthy of the same quality of care as a wealthy person with great health insurance.
Posted by: Anna Keiter | June 27, 2008 9:44 AM
My position on this election:
I'm not voting for the person I want to win since, in my opinion, neither would be a good choice but instead, I'm voting against the person less likely to do a decent job.
If Obama wanted change then he definitely has it. His position on the issues changes repeatedly. Not my cup of tea if you know what I mean.
Good post!
Posted by: Amy Bayliss | June 27, 2008 9:45 AM
Something most evangelicals do not want to acknowledge is that much of Obama's appeal is linked with the way President Bush has led this country for the past 8 years. Bush has overseen the greatest expansion of the federal government in recent history, greatly inflated our nation's debt, and resisted transparency or oversight in his decisionmaking.
Had our President led the country with fiscal restraint, transparency, and most of all humility, we would not be facing the prospect of a democratic landslide in November. As an evangelical, I am ashamed that the church has not done more to call this administration to account and leadership by Biblical principles.
Posted by: JPH | June 27, 2008 10:55 AM
Barbara, I agree with you.
While I think it's *fabulous* that a "person of color" could be our next president (and it's looking more and more likely), I think it is definitely very un-fabulous that that person is Barak Obama. Such a shame. And so sad to me that he has hooked so many in the Church with his honeyed words and representation of himself as a dedicated man of the church. Blech.
I'm not keen on McCain, but in my opinion, he's the lesser of two evils, and will do less damage to the nation than Obama.
Posted by: Margaret | June 27, 2008 11:37 AM
I totally agree with this post--and with the comments!
What scares me about the whole Obama appeal is that it does not appear to me that people are thinking. They are just going on image--a young, hip, black man. Everybody wants that in a president.
But have they thought about what kinds of judges he will appoint? Have they thought about his economic policies? Have they thought about his dangerous stance towards the War on Terror? Have they thought about gas prices and his insistence that America not take the necessary steps to become energy independent?
Whenever I find someone who says that Obama is great, I ask them what it is they like. They always reply with something about image, rather than substance. If I ask them on substance, they get a blank look on their faces.
But what if image wins the election? The problem is that once you have dangerous laws passed, and precedents set, it's very hard to repeal them. Just look at the mess we're in in Canada now. I hope people actually think about that.
Posted by: Sheila Gregoire | June 27, 2008 2:15 PM
I agree with your post! I don't like either Obama or McCain but I have decided that I simply can't vote for the "lesser of two evils". I MUST vote for the candidate who is the most qualified, even if he doesn't seem to stand a chance of winning. At the moment, I plan to vote for Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party (although I really like Ron Paul too). It may take a couple of voting cycles but the ONLY way to get someone decent in office is to support them now. Once other folks see that a candidate (or party) is gaining support, others will be more likely to vote that way too - and THEN we will see a good change :o)
Blessings, Dana
Posted by: Dana | June 28, 2008 3:10 PM
