Reply #2: Odd Speak

[The Straight Story]

What ticks me off more than a lot of things is how both parties will accuse the other of cutting funding when they are really proposing to increase funding just at differing amounts (like, dems want to cut the defense budget by X billion when they, like the repubs, are voting to increase, but one wants a bigger increase than the other). Both parties do this, both know it is BS the way they spin it.

What has happend is fear. Both parties play on the fear/emotions of people. "rethugs want to cut school lunches" when they voted for an increase, just not as big as one as the democrats proposed. Why do both sides do this? Probably because they want to play on emotions and make sound bytes.

I hope we do not become complacent when Kerry gets in and give him a pass on things when we know he has made the wrong choices, or ignored things (on the same token, we should not believe the president can do everything for everyone). There are tons of issues, from indian affairs to defense, and lots in between.

Kerry will do what he can, it is up to us to keep him informed and on his toes, and to do OUR best. WE need to be vigilant and work hard. If we don't hold Kerry to the same light we hold *, then shame on us. We cannot become the freep types who ignore the bad and only look for 'good' in their candidates. We must be better than that. Kerry is AN answer to our problems, we are THE answer overall. Get him in, and back it up with hard work and hold him and others accountable for the position we have given them. We cannot live in fear of losing, it will get in the way of real reform.

If Kerry lies, lets us down, backs down, promotes things we see as wrong we must be out protesting, emailing, etc, about the issue to get him educated and seeing the light. Screw the right, they want people who agree and don't criticize. We have a view, a dream, and ideal which is bigger than the candidate.

Foreign Aid
We can, and need to, take a look at the return on investment we get from it. Did it create jobs, save lives, have a potential plus which kept us out of war or other problems? Wanting to cut it is ok, but we must look at it completely and it's effects first. I am all for cutting waste, so lets look into what is productive and what is not.

It's hypocritical to tell most of the world "you can't have nuclear plants or arms" and we have both.

It is safety. The more nukes and such out there, the larger the potential problems we face. If we want to disarm and move to nuclear free world, because we see it as bad, then we have to stop others first before we get rid of our own. If we shrug off others getting them than so many will have them than you can never contain the problem. You can't roll back until you stop the forward progress.

Tax cuts, my *ss! For every tax cut the federal government gives you, you pay for it locally by higher sales tax, property tax, gas tax, ad infinitum.

Maybe we should have less federal and more local, as each area is different than the next and has different needs. The less power feds have (like *) the better off we will be. Don't concentrate funds and power into the hands of the few, let it slide to the many, to the people. I have heard some say 'look at the police and fire fighters, they are government funded and ran' yes they are - locally. Less federal taxes and more local allows for more diversity and power to a broader base of people so that the *'s of the world cannot control too much.

Religion should be your personal life. Don't put it into mine.

Why stop at religion? Is it not a belief system like politics, philosophy, etc? Why let anyone's beliefs into yours? If you believe something you want to pass it along (like you are doing here) in hopes of making things better for all (Usually). If you believe Kerry is the best man for the job and you tell others that, are you not in a sense 'witnessing' to others and trying to 'convert' them to your beliefs?