google-site-verification: google1ebcbd3f9084755c.html Eclectic writing: September 2008

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Your voices

Your voices are being heard.

And that is a change we can live with.

Yesterday, people were frazzled over the 777 points drop in the stock market. Some failed to look back after Bush said we needed to write that blank check and no one reacted.

After we refused to react, the stock market went down 500 points.Still no panic... from you and me, but from those who have 500 million of their personal assets?... that was another story.... Please, please, please.... write that check... actually, just sign it... we will take care of filling in the blank portions...

Nope!

The next day the stock market recovered the 500 points. Nothing had changed. Except maybe showing how things can be so easily manipulated.They pulled that off again yesterday.... Wow! 777 points is a frikking lot!

Sure, except that as predicted, it would go back up today by almost 500 points. I am not a betting person, but I am thinking we'll see new gains tomorrow.

On that horrific 9/11 day, the goverenment closed the stock market and allowed people to get their bearings and not panic.That was the right thing to do. Keeping cooler heads.

The stock market was doing well before 9/11 at over 10,000 points.

Today we are at 10,850 points.

The major surges we have seen in between are due to speculators.

People forget about the dot.com's failures and the major readjustments to the stock market, where they were selling worthless stocks and negotiating with worthless papers.

When the dot.com's hit the dust, the stock market was at Nasdaq was at 6,500 and when they failed they dropped to 2,500.

It was a major readjustment for junk.

Today, we are at 2,082.Point being.... NO bail out was issued then.

Since no one was buying yesterday, nothing was selling and the market readjusted where today, the bargain hunters striked in earnest.

It is a game of paper and it is giving average Americans indigestion. Not because they fail to understand how the game is played, most of us never have given it enough thought or attention, but because they have saddled us up with the responsibility of "fixing it" with incomprehensible figures and explanations.

Don't get mad that the deal is not done. Be relieved that so many Americans smell a rat and they are all demanding full disclosure instead of treating us like idiots.

We are NOT stupid, and they don't like the idea of us knowing more than they want us to know.For the first time in a long time, voters realize that their opinions matter and that their representatives have no choice but to listen.

Do you know why?Because we all spoke with one voice an AMERICAN voice.

Apparently, some of your representatives did too, here is an excerpt from the Associated Press:

___"It is now imperative that Congress come together and develop aresponse to the crisis facing our financial markets that reflects the Americanpeople's belief in personal responsibility and fiscal discipline."Rep. MikePence, Republican.

___"I have been rushed to judgment by the BushAdministration before. There hasn't been enough time to evaluate the impactsthis legislation would have if enacted, or to consider alternatives. Congressdeserves time to weigh the benefits and the potential pitfalls of borrowing thismoney."Rep. Baron Hill, Democrat.

___"We are now in the golden age ofthieves. And where I come from we put thieves in jail, we don't bail them out."— Rep. Pete Visclosky, Democrat.___

"I am bothered that Secretary Paulsonoffered an immediate government solution rather than taking the time to exploreeffective private sector and market based solutions. The Paulson plan was anunprecedented infusion of government power into the private financial sector." — Rep. Steve Buyer, Republican.

You can go to the link below and read from an economist that is neither a Republican nor a Democrat. His views are interesting and worth reading:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/29/miron.bailout/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Here is an excerpt:
"The fact that government bears such a huge responsibility for the current mess means any response should eliminate the conditions that created this situation in the first place, not attempt to fix bad government with more government.The obvious alternative to a bailout is letting troubledfinancial institutions declare bankruptcy. Bankruptcy means that shareholders typically get wiped out and the creditors own the company.Bankruptcy does not mean the company disappears; it is just owned by someone new (as has occurred with several airlines). Bankruptcy punishes those who took excessive risks while preserving those aspects of a businesses that remain profitable."

One of the main things I have been hearing all day today from all types of news or media is the concept of resolving this issue from theground up and to stop trying to fix everything by expecting the "trickle down economics" that has never worked
What I am finding out is that NO ONE trust the taxpayers with money. They don't want us to have any. We may do something foolish with it, like ... uhm., I don't know.... live a life where we have time to pay attention.

It is hard to swallow that no one wants the middle class and the poor to have excess money. It must all be controlled by those who are at the top.

Dolled out in meager crumbs (remember the financial stimulus package?) I don't know about you, but I handed mine to the utility company.

If you are over 18 and got a million dollars, would you pay off your mortage? Would you put the remainder in the bank?

Crisis solved.

If you get a million and don't have a house, would you buy one? ~ the building industry would recover almost immediately.

If you have the house and now have extra money, would you not stimulate the economy by paying cash for things you could not afford before? ~ more jobs, more production.

Would your friend/family member finally have the $ to open their own business? ~ more employment, more tax revenues.

All in all, happier people, less stressed out people and a viable economy.

We can't have that. They won't trust you with your own money.

Here is an interesting chart of where we were and were we are, after you have read it, please ask yourself if YOU can be trusted with YOUR own money or should we continue to expect those in charge to have our best interest in mind so we can deal with the daily tasks that encroach into every aspect of our days:

Go here for some real numbers that are simple and to the point: http://www.dems.gov/index.asp?DE=%7BFDD09C4F-E958-4E13-A92B-179C2FAC6FEA%7D&SEC=%7BD68CD0B2-1442-4804-9F6B-AF67DE7FF585%7D&Type=B_PR

5:03 p.m.

BREAKING NEWS:

The Bailout is Baaaaaack!

They started gathering tonigh on the Senate and they'll vote on it tomorrow. (they claim it has been revised)

Both McCain and Obama will be there to cast their votes. Changes? New safety measures for the people? Who knows! I'll be watching and absorbing.

PEACE to you all.

www.spousalcaregiver.com

Monday, September 29, 2008

DON'T PANIC. PERIOD

I have been getting some emails from friends who are chewing nails and spitting them out.

There is no financial crisis the way they want you to understand it. Let me explain, yes, it all trickles down, but they don't want you to know who is responsible and what they will do with your money.

A bail out could be negotiated immediately but people who don't want regulations are going on holiday.

*edit* Someone did not understand this. Today is the eve of the Jewish New Year, Jewish members have gone home and others who are not Jewish have left .... "just because", I don't understand, unless they did not want to be there to sort this through...

It must be a huge crisis when those who are supposedly representing your best interest refuse to accept anything and go on holiday. *Sorry, about this, I got a moment of sarcasm*

I will be adding a ton of info to this post today. I'll give you links with reputable and logical information. You don't have to take my word for it. You can listen (or read) about all of this.

It will be done tonight, because my priority right now is to finish cooking and feed the family.

DON'T PANIC. When we do, we do stupid things, like invading a country because they had weapons of mass destruction, now we are being assaulted with instruments of financial destruction.

I'll be back.

PEACE

************************************

6:30 pm.

I have eaten. Kids homework is almost done and Heroes is on tonight. What could be better?. Well, sticking my head in the sand and pretending that nothing else is happening comes to mind.

We have economic woes... yes, we do. We have people in charge who just realized they were working for people who know how to use the phone and that their numbers are public knowledge.

If you think this week has been stressful for you on the financial aspect of life, you have not realized what a headache and shock to the system you have caused your representatives.

Again, Thank you for calling. Keep calling. Don't stop.

Why?

Because there will be a bill, it will rescue the financial institutions, Wall Street and people you have never heard of and are multi-billionaires.

What you want to make sure is that the bill has another name: YOURS. Yes, you. The middle class taxpayer.

Stop expecting them to keep YOU in mind because you elected them. WAKE UP! you have to be on their radar for that to happen and it has been happening via burning the phone lines.

Peter DeFazio Congressional Distric Number 4 of Oregon gave a short interview on the radio this morning and stated that the reason this plan went unsigned is because there were no provisions in this bill that would protect the tax payers, the people in charge of resolving this financial fiasco are the same people who created it and finally, the 700 billion is just the beginning with a provision to add another 1 billion dollar at the President's discretion.

He also stated that there were no independent assessments made of what exactly they would be purchasing with these funds and what the actual value is/was/could be.

When someone is asking for a potential 1.7 billion dollars, they should be able to come up with a piece of paper showing what we are buying.

Stating that Nancy polosi gave a speech they did not like and that is why they are picking up the ball and going home is utter nonsense.

The millions of phone calls recieved from constituents is what drove this to a screeching halt.... for now.

Congresswoman Linda Sanches from California found it to have "insufficient accountability and CEO compensation lacked teeth".

In response to unemployment and 401K's losses she responded: "Our market has not crashed and we still have the opportunity to pass a much better bill, one that takes accountability and oversight". " We had a big drop after 9/11 it has not caused a complete collapse of this market".

The biggest problem with this bail out is that people are balking at the insensitivity of those asking for the money and refusing to include anything in it for the homeowners. You can read about this in the L.A. Times http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-scrub29-2008sep29,0,1188714.story.

What other problems are there with this bill?

Avoiding the mistake of absolute power to one individual without oversight or having to explain anything on how the funds are used, who gets what or even having to report what he is doing with it.

I warned about this before, W. Bush assigned ONE guy to distribute millions upon millions to the family's of the victims of 9/11 without oversight or having to justify how he arrived to the magical numbers he assigned to each one. (another story for another day, but one to keep in mind)

You need to know who Paulson is. It is paramount that you understand his motivations, what he has done and, if we let him, what he will do.

Read more about it, right in the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/business/29bill.html?_r=2&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

The stock market is going to recover. Today's losses can be recovered in 2 days. The ones panicking are the ones who are psychologically damaged by the lack of faith in the economy and they are frustrated that the blame is being passed on to them because they have lived on credit.

Now, they are saying that they need to pay for Wall Street greed. Retirees are very concerned, they see their income levels dropping. Baby boomers are cringing, what if they can't retire for another 20 more years?

What if?

What if?

What if we insist on getting a complete financial breakdown of where the problems really lie?
What if we insist that the heads of the financial institutions and those below them who live large submit their personal financial records and REFUND their golden parachutes first?

What if we ask the financial isntutions to negotiate a flat 5% rate with homeowners in foreclosure. The homeowners get to stay home and pay their property taxes and the banks still make money (5%). (Not one of the people involved has fought for this).

What if we get the facts? Like Washington Mutual collapsed because customers pulled their money creating a run on the bank. It had nothing to do with Wall Street.

What if we got the whole picture before we committed ourselves to unspecified amounts that could keep growing for years on end?

What if we just took two steps back, took a deep breath and demanded a complete breakdown of the facts?

Lord! what if they got it right? instead of shooting first and asking questions later, they put together a better plan?

Even Paulson, the architect of these financial instruments balks at the idea of explaining the situation. He just wants the money and he will.... what? he won't tell you, the bill does not require him to tell you.

Here is the bill (all 110 pages of it). I can't comment on it fully because I have not read it in its entirety, but you are more than welcome to do so and we can discuss the merits or deficiencies.

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/bailoutbill20080928.pdf

Are you outraged? You have every right to be because they don't have your best interest in mind, we are reacting and reacting in bulk.

Specially since the issues have trickled down to the rest of us. They have frozen lending. Credit lines. Layoffs are happening. People are scared.

It is going to backfire because fear has now turned to outrage and you, my neighbors, my friends are demaning JUSTICE, FAIRNESS & ACCOUNTABILITY.

The FBI is in full gear investigating fraud and Washington insiders are sweating bullets. By the way, remember what I said before about following the money and confiscating assets and offshore accounts? The IRS can't be far behind if fraud is involved.

I understand your fear. I also know that panicking is going to get us swindled even more.

Ben Stein ( a man I don't personally like) is on CNN making the following statements:


"What if we give the homeowners all this money and they pay off the mortgages
they owe, the banks would be just fine after that" "What if we try to revive the
economy from the ground up instead of top down?" and finally "Paulson should not
be elected Czar of the economy, we need something backed up by the Constitution
and not Paulson and George Bush".......
WOW! WoW! and wOw!.....
(for those of you who don't know who Ben Stein is he is the guy in the Visine commercials and radio voice. He is also an economist and you can go to his website if you wish to learn more about his views http://www.benstein.com/stein2.html on everything. )

He is a very smart man. He has lots of common sense and most of the time, I have never liked him in his political views. But today? today he got me to look at him in a different, more flattering way.

SHUT UP! I AM WORRIED ! ... WHAT ABOUT MY MONEY? WHAT CAN I DO NOW?

Is your money in insured accounts? are you aware of your limits per account? Can you move money to secured accounts if they are in unsecured ones? These are things that you can do on your own to secure the money you now have.

Stop charging every little thing. Make it a rule that if you don't have the cash to pay for it, you can and need to do without. Period.

Obviously, I am talking about luxuries. None of us are "entitled" to a brand new car, LCD T.V., or a vacation in Cancun (even though, we probably deserve and need the last one).

Sit down with your spouse and take a look at all your expenses, big and small and see where the money is going. (I know I am preaching to the choir if you are a spousal caregiver, but others reading this are not in that boat, so bear with me, please)

In other words, CONTROL what you can and regulate your spending habits, no one else can do that for any of us, or be as successful.

I STILL WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE HECK IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

Well, I don't have a crystal ball, but I do know that they did not get us into this mess in 72 hours and we won't be out of it in less than a day either.

Please bear in mind that Congress was hit with this out of the blue, thrown an astronomical number on their face and told "pay up now, it is urgent!". They have not had enough time to think things through in a way that will provide maximum security to the tax payers and this is what has created this flurry of demanding information and expecting "someone" to fix it.

We just have to be patient and keep calling them until they come up with a solution that will be equitable to all. Tell them what YOU want. Tell them HOW it would be acceptable to YOU.

Amazingly enough.... they are listening to YOU. (Wow!)

Democrat, Republican, Independent, Whatever... it does not matter does it? We are all in this pickle together.

Let's keep together and keep it together, seriously, together we can move mountains.

I respect and welcome your comments.

PEACE

http://spousalcaregiver.com/

Saturday, September 27, 2008

More on the Bail out

After a somewhat unispiring debate, I woke up this morning to Bail out news that they are hammering a deal to protect tax payers and have oversight.

That is progress!

Millions have called their representatives demanding this oversight and no blank check.

Amazingly enough, both parties have realized that the American people are in agreement regardless of affiliation.

What a shocker, right? ~ I remember when Katrina hit and people from Califonia, Nevada, Southern States and as far as Alaska, packed up their cars, took leave of absence from their jobs and showed up to Louisiana with just one voice: "What can I do, how can I help? and Put me to work".

This is what Americans do, this is who we really are. We look out for each other, because in the end, it is each other we must depend on.

It is baffling that those who represent our best interest are shocked to see us all coming together accross party lines demanding what is in our best interest.

To you and me, this is not shocking, we live it daily. We care about one another and know the difference between right and wrong.

There is no soap box for me to get on today. Just tremendous gratitude to the millions of unseen and seldom heard from Americans, saying "this is wrong, let's do it the right way".

We are not stupid or apathetic. We proved that this week when millions took precious time out to express themselves to their representatives.

A million thanks to all.

May we all know real PEACE

Friday, September 26, 2008

Common Sense ~ I have HOPE for our future

Good Day to everyone!

This from True Majority today:

....And as of this morning, instead of the Wall Street bailout, Congress is
expected to vote on a "Main Street" economic recovery package to extend
unemployment insurance, back up faltering health care coverage, repair our
schools, and more. Together we showed what TrueMajority can do in a crisis.

There is a lot of "I don't like this plan" "I hope they do the right thing" "I can't trust these people".

What gives me great hope is that the conversation is taking place, not just among the "powers that be" but among the American people. Which ultimately should have the confidence that their voices are heard and a trust in their government, which has been sorely missing for years.

I'll keep adding to today's events as they keep developing.

PEACE

******************************



Thursday, September 25, 2008

What are your thoughts?

Random Thoughts about politics today.


Here I am listening to the radio on my way to various obligations and this guy calls in and says something to the effect of "There are 300 million Americans, if we gave a million dollars to each one that is over 18, we would resolve this economic crisis for penneys on the dollar".

It got me thinking that if the government did this tax free and deducted the FULL amount of everyone's mortgage and gave everyone else the remainder, the housing crisis would be over and those who are renting would have a cool million to buy themselves something and still have money left over.

Instead, they were willing to give you a $300.00 stimulus package.... so, what did you do with all that? Living large, are you?

I tell ya what I did with mine... I gave it to the utilities company to help me defray the $400.00 heating cost of just ONE month this past winter.

But I do like that idea. How about you?

Later on, more on today's events, I am still sorting through all the players.

*************************************

3:39 P.M.

For those of us that are still hellbent on critizing irresponsible homeowners, let's take a step back and see how they got into their current mess in the first place.

Here is an excerpt from George W. Bush and it is towards the end of the page, however, the ENTIRE speech is so worth reading because so many of the people involved in the housing fiasco are named. Remember de-regulation? This entire speech shows you how it works (or not)

"The other thing Kirbyjon told me, which I really appreciate, is you don't have to have a lousy home for first-time home buyers. If you put your mind to it, the first-time home buyer, the low-income home buyer can have just as nice a house as anybody else. And I know Kirbyjon. He is what I call a social entrepreneur who is using his platform as a Methodist preacher to improve the neighborhood and the community in which he lives"

The entire speech comes from the White House website (click here to read)

********************************

IS WALL STREET IN PERIL?

You could not tell by the fact that it closed today 197 points UP!

(I smell a very large rat)

********************************

WHO SHOULDH GET BAILED OUT?, No... Really... Who?

I vote for the trucking industry that has been suffering long enough. You know these guys, right? They are the ones who deliver the stuff to the store. The stuff you need; the medications, the food and yes, even the toilet paper.

Also the stuff we don't see but take for granted, such as building materials and pipes for infra-structure repair and maintenance....

***********************************

For those of us wondering who or what is getting bailed out:

AIG already got bailed out.
Fanny and Freddie got bailed out.

So what is the rest of the money for? Who is getting it? Who gets to retire in the Bahamas with their Golden Parachutes?

My husband worked for a huge chemical company. If the operator wrecked a batch of (whatever they were making) it would cost the company $100,000. If said operator did that several times, do you think for a second that they would get a huge golden parachute with their pink slip?

**********************************

I am sick to my stomach. If it was up to me, you would all get $1,000,000.00 to pay off all of your bills and put the rest under the mattress.

I love you guys.

**********************************
DO WE FINALLY GET A REAL DEBATE INSTEAD OF OBNOXIOUS COMMERCIALS?

McCain does not want to debate, suspends his campaign and goes to Washington to fix all our problems.

Damn! what a Maverick!

1. He does not want to debate or have Palin debate. That is clear.
2. While he has "suspended" his campaign he has been giving speeches and getting camera time for free (very clever). He is campaigning.
3. No, he was told to stay away. Now he has met with all the Republicans and all bi-partisan party solutions have melted. Why? Because he does not want to debate. He wants the drama and pretend he is so very involved in the crisis he has no time for anything else.

Country First? I think not.

Division, lies, self promotion, Greed... yeah, that's first. Glad to know we are back on track

****************************************

PEACE

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Reason is prevailing - No fools rushing in.

The phone lines have been ringing up on the Hill and people are being noticed.

The latest is that they don't want to jump in and make a mistake (Thank you God!) and both parties are balking at the idea of giving this kind of bail out without any consequences.

Accountability and Oversight are being thrown around a lot among them. So far, we are on the radar.

A bailout is imminent, so is the CEO payoff. The Golden Parachutes will be forthcoming, Congress just needs to find out how much a CEO is worth.

President Bush is going to take his appeal to the American people by giving a speech (they are working out the details as of this morning). He does not want any conditions, he wants the money now and worry about the "little details" later.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

A parent I know told me back in June that the White House would create a crisis to keep Bush in office longer.

I am very ignorant in a lot of things and always willing to learn, so I questioned her statement and asked her to explain. She said that if there is a crisis, it does not matter who the next president is because the sitting president will remain in office, like another 9/11 attack, for instance.

A bit of concern and skepticism was my reaction, because "how much worse can things get, really?" and what are the odds of a major crisis? I filed it in the back of my brain and moved on.

Today I found out that there is this thing called "Executive Power 51", which states that if there is a FINANCIAL CRISIS, the sitting president can suspend the current elections and remain in power.

No comment on my part. I am stumped at the moment and need to percolate this info.

I'll add to this post later on in the day, when I find out more of what is happening.

Until then, I wish you PEACE

*****************************************************
3:21 p.m.

A friend asked me a few questions and I answered them to the best of my ability. To protect her privacy I will only post my answers.

1. Not in favor because there are no checks and balances.

The guy (Paulson) has 500 million dollars at stake in the stock market and he is the one to get the blank check with no questions asked. There are no provisions to have these banks re-negotiate the bad loans they issued with the homeowners facing foreclosure. They want a complete bail out for all the things they greeedily went after with no consequences or losses on their part. The CEO's want their golden parchutes as well.

2. A financial crisis is a complete meltdown of the economy without the possibility of a recovery. A complete stock market crash.

In a financial crisis, the stock market will shut down for an hour if it losses 20% and for a day if the losses are 30%. The stock market has not creashed or closed. They have been manipulating the crisis. Everyone was horrified at the loss of 500 points and the expected reaction was to pump all that money into Paulton's hands right there and then.

It did not happen and the next day, the stock market recovered all the losses. Cooler heads need to prevail. A complete assessment and distribution of obligations and responsibilites. Furthermore, you don't put the fox in charge of the hen house. An independent entity needs to step in, not those who are going to walk away with billions and put them in their offshore accounts.

3. McCain has not showed up to Washington ONCE since all this started. The Senators and Congressmen have come out publickly to state that he has done nothing to be helpful, nor has he showed up once to get involved, all they have heard is sound bites that have not been helpful in anyway. Furthermore, at 8:30 this morning Obama called McCain to issue a joint statement about having a meeting with Bush. At 2:30 pm McCain called Obama and agreed. Minutes later, he issued an unilateral statement that it was his idea and challenged Obama to follow suit.

McCain makes me sick.

Obama wants to do the debate. McCain wants to get out of it because he is loosing and this is another good distraction. Obama stated that no one can expect a President to handle only one thing and there is no reason to suspend anything. (We all multi-task, Presidents do too)

4. Believe in your heart. Believe in common sense. Demand the truth and the facts and settle for nothing less. You do that with the medical community, you have executive experience and you are one smart person.

I don't accept lies from either side.

I verify and double and triple check everything. This is too important, I have 2 girls that deserve as much effort from their parents as possible to leave them with a better world than the one we have now.

Monday, September 22, 2008

THERE IS NO FINANCIAL CRISIS!!!!!!!

Call your Congress people and your Senate people... Do NOT let them socialize the debt and privatize the profits!!!!!! Call the House.... here are the phone numbers:

To obtain the fax number and phone number of your Member, call the Congressional Switchboard. The Senate can be reached at (202) 224-3121 and the House at (202) 225-3121

If you are confused about what is going on, you are not the only one. They have created a CRISIS that must be responded to IMMEDIATELY. The crisis is not what we are told it is. They have not explained anything. We need facts. We deserve them.

The bill is 3 pages long and you can read it by clicking here. and it may take a while to load because they have been getting hammered by people wanting to read it and obviously, getting informed, so please be patient. It is worth the extra seconds just to see what they really want (at least it is in writing and they can't claim they did not say or did something).

It is the same thing as when they put that ONE guy in charge of distributing billions of dollars to the surviving family members in 9/11... it was at his discretion and based on what he thought those people were worth based on their gender, race and occupation. Up to this day millions upon millions are unnacounted for and since there was no oversight or regulation there is not a blessed thing you or I can do.

*Same thing with Katrina and the billions "lost" in Iraq*.... Folks, This is your MANDATORY TAX CONTRIBUTION being used as petty cash. Total disrespect for your hard work and no consideration for your benefit and welfare.

NO OVERSIGHT, NO REGULATIONS. This is Paulson speaking.

Furthermore, Paulson does not want the guys got us into this mess to leave without their golden parachutes. He does not want them to leave empty handed (Oh God! I feel sick to my stomach). You can read this article in Politico.com about it.

Folks! that is how we got into this mess in the first place.

Now Georgie boy wants Paulson in charge. This guy, up until 2 years ago was the CEO for Goldman Sachs and now he is the Secretary of Treasury. This guy will be handling the $$$ without oversight or regulation to bail out the mess... okay, are you ready for this? HE MADE THIS MESS! He created these "financial instruments" that only HE can understand and put Goldman Sachs in debt. His nickname was Mr. Risk!!!

Georgie Boy is going to find Osama Bin Laden to add more to the distraction and get McCain elected. But first we all must pay in pints of blood and become homeless.

You may want to read this article about the Bush Legacy (Oh God! I am going to be sick)right here and see where YOUR MONEY is going. And folks, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

They don't want this bill to include NEGOTIATING the foreclosed properties with the EXISTING homeowners. There is NOTHING in this bill to fix this in a way that benefits your neighbors and your neiborhood.

CALL NOW!!! Let them know that YOU KNOW that the Federal Government does not insure Investment Banking and therefore (unlike regular banks and savings and loans) WE, THE PEOPLE are under NO obligation to bail out these naughty children that have wrecked the car and don't want it fixed, they want mom and dad (that's you and me) to buy them a new one. A better one, one without payments and they don't want to hear about the insurance either. That is your problem when something happens.

Google the following: Phone number for (insert your senator's name here) and it will take directly to his/her website.

Or go to MOVEON.ORG and sign up their petition. But do something and do it quickly.

I have called the Obama Senate office and expressed myself to the woman who said will pass on the message to Obama. I have called my Senator and left a lengthy voice mail.

In essence, I told him NOT to bail out Wall Street.

They know and so do you, that if there is a crisis, Wall Street will shut down for an hour if stocks fall below 20% and if they fall below 30% they shut down for a day.

IT HAS NOT HAPPENED! THERE IS NO CRISIS THAT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ACTION WITHOUT OVERSIGHT!

The crisis in on their part and they will have to negotiate what they have borrowed from the other countries. Let them do that piece of work and show some good will on their part, but not expect you and me to bail them out while no one has bothered to bail out the homeowners they put in such dire straights through deception ruled by GREED.

THEY ARE RAPING AMERICA!

"They" (the banking and credit card companies) passed a bill through Congress to make the consumer jump through hoops before they can claim bankrupcy. In essence you would have to be destitute before you can do this, with them getting the most of what you have or own and you leave with nothing.

It is to teach YOU a lesson about being fiscally responsible and not biting more than you can chew. (It is about protecting them, not you).

I say, it is time they take their lumps and deal with their own inneficiency and greed.

NO BAIL OUT. Period. Make them sweat and sweat appropriately. Heads need to roll without golden parachutes. Assets need to be seized. Offshore accounts need to be brought in and these people need to serve time in a Federal prison.

Your children and mine, their grandchildren and theirs will be paying for this for ever and a day. I say, they start paying first.

Is this the AMERICA we want to leave for them? Is this the AMERICA we want for us?

The man behind the curtain is Dick Chaney, and Newt Gringrich and McCain and Paulson and Rumsfeld and .... the list goes on....

Take a look, get mad, scream and start making those calls.

Have them bail out YOUR neighbors and YOUR neigborhoods and NOT A DIME to WallStreet.

Let's take care of Main Street First and Foremost.

Our time is now. Because later... It will be too late.

Go here and type in your info and a list of WHO IS REPRESENTING YOU will come up. I am serious, call now before we have to pay for the rape kit ourselves.

There is a section that allows you to say if you are for or against these bail out.

I just filled mine out and sent it.

If you rather go through the http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Friday, September 19, 2008

Voter Caging

I just got this in an email.

If it is true, it is disgusting. In the event that this may be the case, I will post it here and let you decide:

The story is all over Progressive Talk Radio today about the McCain campaign sending absentee ballot applications to registered democrats or people that have donated to Obama's campaign. These ballots are deliberately misleading and have postage paid return addresses that are for an election clerk that is outside of your city or town.

What this will end up doing is either having your vote not counted, or if you return one of these, they will cite you for election fraud, saying that you already voted absentee. These ballots are only being sent out in 'purple states'

and this is a big deal.. This is called voter caging, and is a huge problem.

The McCain campaign is stealing this election as we speak. Please get this information out to as many people as you can ,and tell anyone you know who has received one of these ballots that they need to contact their city election clerk or the supervisor of elections immediately. Also call the local media and let them know what is going on.

The main stream media is never going to cover this so we have to depend on our ground campaign to get the word out to our voters.



On other thoughts....

I just finished watching Bill Maher's show and he had Nomi Klein, the author of The Shock Doctrine.

I was wondering if in typical political fashion, these major bailouts are nothing more than another distraction so we don't look in a different direction and find the "man behind the curtain" yet again.

When the Twin Towers collapsed in a horrific attack, we were told to go shopping and stimulate the economy. Where things just as bad then, as they are today? Were we told to go shopping not because it would upset the terrorist but because they were envisioning a collapse to our economy caused by deregulation?

Now it is out in the open that deregulation has caused all these problems and since no one has any money left to go shopping, we are tapping a trillion dollars worth of TAX PAYER'S money for bailouts.

What else is going on in these closed meetings? What else are we not being told?

At this point I just want heads to start rolling from the top down.

I want all those assets in offshore accounts to be confiscated by the IRS and use that to stimulate the economy.

I want all the subsides given to the oil companies refunded to the American people. I don't understand why is it that it is the American Middle Class that needs to continually sacrifice but no one should expect the CEO's of these multi billion dollar corporations to give up a single dime.

Who the H*** decided that they were more important and "special" than you are?

We had the American Revolution. It is time for the American Evolution.

http://www.spousalcaregiver.com for those who need resources and information on this subject

PEACE to all

Oh... MG!!!!!

What has happened to my (our) country?

Where do we go to reclaim Common Sense? The lost and found? and if so, where?

The biggest opposer to Regulation (McCain) is trying to fault Obama for the economic collapse we just experienced.

The Republican President stated that "this was not the time to pass blame (jeez, I wonder why?) and to come together with a solution".

Really?

Because when things were going so very well, we were not in need of stinking solutions, right?

The Middle class was getting the shaft while the ELITE (read: Wealthier than God)were having their secret meetings and their deals and eating at 5 star restaurants, staying and catered to by your tax dollars... without a care in the world.

Now, the "I don't want Government involved in my business" is asking... no, DEMANDING that our government bail them out.

I don't know how many of you have children, but if you do, you know that you have tought them about actions and consequences, about right and wrong, about truth and honesty and being accountable for their actions. And that their word is their bond.

Now, go back and explain to them why those things only apply to them and not the so-called grown ups in charge.

I can't.

I live by those things I have taught and I can't find any way to explain this other than to use the following words:

Liars! Criminals! Oportunistic Bastards! Scam Artist! Scum of the Earth!

So... I guess I am still peeved about this since yesterday and after seeing how they (in Congress) are being forced to bail out these "kids" because the global ramifications are a disaster of unprecedented proportions, I am not feeling any better. The blackmail is in place and holding the economy hostage has worked like a charm.

When this is all over, let's see what else we get to deregulate.... what do you think is left that could be a major economic proportions that would affect you personally?

The things I hear today... seriously... watch this and read this.... the Palin/McCain administration.... Whaaaaat?????

and then there is this one here, which for the life of me, after laughing in disbelief, I tried incredibly hard to make sense of and decided that I had to stop before I lost what remains of my sanity and composure. You be the judge and please, if you can understand this, could you give me a clue?

As I type this, I am watching Larry King and this is why I am talking about Palin, because they just can't let this go. The massive need to convince us (women) of the unconvincible makes about as much sense as the second item I posted here for your listening pleasure.

At what point do we all come together and really focus on the fact that our beloved country is on life support (like your checkbook and mine) and we, all Americans (except the 2% on the top) are barely treading water?

Oh My G..!

Talk to me people!

PEACE

Thursday, September 18, 2008

BAIL OUTS!!!! stand in line and get yours!... not!

Here we are today with news that the high officials of our country are not going to take their vacation now until they bail out all these criminals.

First off.... Are we supposed to be greatful for this?. I would think this is their Flippin' job! ~ My Goodness! at what time did it percolate into their collective conciences that this was the only possible way to go?

Second...... I am really sick of McCain.

Honestly, I had given this guy and that stupid Palin more than enough rope and chances to come clean and give us substance.

I got nothing.

Do you?

Because honestly, if I hear one more attack about "the other side" my head is going to explode.

McCain said that to deal with the current financial crisis he would create a commision and fire the head guy in goverment (the one whose name I can't remember right now because I am furious and rather write than look it up right now).

Point 1. A commission? Are you serious? These are the same people that sit in a think tank and have nothing else to do that billable hours. I still remember the commissions in charge of education that by the time they came up with a recommendation, their recommendations were out of date by 5 yrs and a truck load of kids had already been disserviced for that long.


Point 2. It will be hard to fire someone who's tenure ends with the current administration as he stated before McCain made his "Maverick" decision.

What else I am sick of today?

Obama's campaign.

Why?

Because in addition to responding to the lies of the "other side" he should SPECIFICALLY detail his financial agenda and job creation for our country. Okay, I know I am not being fair. He did say that the renewal energy policy was going to keep jobs in America, be homegrown and created and something we can easily sell to the rest of the world.

But, I can be fickle.... so I still want to hear SPECIFIC details about this financial fiasco and the fact that he is getting together with a financial panel tomorrow... well, I am sorry, it should have been done last week.

When the government wants your money, when the creditors want your money, when the school system wants your money... they want it now.

I don't think it is irrational for us to want our financial security taken care of NOW!

If another person says that they want to privatize social security, my head will explode!

If another person says they want to take goverment out of regulating major industries... my head will explode!

If another moron tells me that they want to do away with the Department of Education... my head will explode!

Here are 3 things that SHOULD be regulated and protected with barb wire and the National Guard... Heck! throw in the Marines.

I have never seen such a blatant attack on the middle class as I do now. Honestly, the hatred and disregard towards hard working people has never been more obvious and I remember that song that said "Don't bite the hand that feeds". How can they forget this?

It is on the backs of hard working people that these people's fortunes have risen and fallen.

I want to start using four letters words but I have enough respect for both you and me to do this to us.

Leave your thoughts. I am here daily.

PEACE to us all

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Stock Market Crash & Bail Outs

Today is CONSTITUTION DAY.

I hope we all paying attention and not fall into the trap of "the Democrats have had control for 2 yrs and it is all their fault". The fact is that the Dems don't have the full majority and cooperation is necessary to effectuate change in a Congress and Senate riddled by special interest groups.

The fact is that the Republicans have had control for the past 8 yrs.

The fact is that DEREGULATION started ages ago. The telecommunications industry was one of the first and the rest just followed.

Republicans are fond of screaming "no goverment intervention" Until the industries go into a massive crash and then expect the goverment, with YOUR money, to bail them out.

Republicans keep saying they don't want government interfearing into people's private business, but so far, the no one is screaming for them to stop tapping citizens phones and overseeing their emails, plus, the new brand of Republicans want to monitor women's wombs and stablish dominion over them.

Democrats have been spineless in the past and I certainly hope the backbone goes back into the party.

The average registered Democrat and Republican agrees on just about every issue, it is the head hunchos in both parties (and the other parties that won't get their share of power in Washington... at least not on this election cycle) that create division and drama.

If you are a Republican or a Democrat like my neighbors, family and friends, I am pretty darn sure that it has taken all you got on a daily basis to keep your head above water and make ends meet.

I am positive that if your neighbor needs your help, or you need theirs, no one is asking about political afiliations before hand.

I think we need to stop listening to the junk on tv and the hatred on the radio and really take a good look at the state of our union. Yes, yours and mine and those in states across the country that also happen to be dealing with the same daily issues.

Bailing out these greedy hogs really rankles me. Bailing out one airline after another infuriates me. Giving subsidies to the oil companies makes me chew nails and spit them out.

Why?

Because my neighbors are talking to an attorney about bankrupcy, because 3 of my other neighbors left their homes in the middle of the night and the bank repo their homes, because the property tax collection has gone significantly down (Duh!) and our schools are doing with even less funding and tending to more children.

Because if someone were to ask me (and no one has) who to bail out, I would say: Everyone that has been scammed by those predatory lenders that had no oversight or regulation. That is what I would prefer tax payer mandatory tax contributions went towards.

I have no simpathy for the head hunchos of these companies, as a matter of fact, I would like for each individual CEO to have all of their assets garnished, including their offshore accounts, and distributed evenly among the "little people" who had their life retirement contributions in TRUST with these companies and under the belief that they were Federally regulated and properly overseen.

I am furious today.

We need to stand up and DEMAND that our government be for the people and by the people.... and then restore all the CONSTITUTION pieces they have shredded over the past 8 years.

It is OUR country, our government are the hired help and they have failed miserably at their jobs.

Would you be fired from yours if you were so irresponsible? Would you be hit with legal disciplinary actions?. I bet you would. Would the legal system force you to make good on your debt? (they are doing it now by taking the homes people could not pay for). Would you suffer for the next 10 yrs with a bad credit rating and a daily reminder that you CAN'T do things or afford things because you are marred for the next decade?. Yeap! you would be, that is the law as it applies to you and me.

Their turn!

And now yours to leave your thoughts.

PEACE and God Help us all while we help each other.

Speaking of helping each other, if you are a spousal caregiver or know someone who is please go here and find some resources to help you or your loved one to manage their challenging lifestyle

Friday, September 12, 2008

The View and J. McCain

I just finished watching the interview with McCain in the View. Another day of calm in the political scene.

He was not vicious and defensive. He was respectful and was a pro at handling the questions. The questions were straight forward and just asking for the truth, the facts, his real opinions, etc.

By contrast, I have been reading responses to the Palin interview about how hard the questions were.

Have we lost our mind?

Are our expectations that low?

Must we walk on egg shells and not mention the elephant in the room?

As a voter, as an American.... I don't care who is running for our highest office, but I do care to know them. The questions HAVE to be HARD, because when they affect you and me, it affects us HARD!

I mentioned before that neighbors of mine are loosing or have lost their homes, do you think for a moment that when we all rushed out to offer solutions and do research for them we gave a hoot what political party they belonged to?

Let's get real, when we help one another is because we are compelled to perform acts of HUMANITY and political parties do not enter the equation, EVER!

I want someone who is going to fix this mess and Obama says he will reverse this trend and get back to basics, he promises change and we need all the change he can bring about because the way things are, they are just not working for any of us. McCain says he is going to reform Washington, maybe that means the same thing.

The only thing I do know for sure is that whoever gets in has the biggest mess to clean up than any other previous administrations. Even Clinton did not have this big of a mess to clean up.

Recently I have been hearing that Republican are war mongers. Perhaps the fact that during most republican administrations our country has been at war propells this type of talk, but I submit to you that your republican neighbor, friend or family member does not share those ideas because there is nothing in it for them. They do not profit from it, on the contrary, just like your Democrat neighbor, friend or family, they contribute what they love the most: Their Children.

Whoever is pulling the strings are not belonging to any party you belong to, they are part of a very exclusive and corrupt club who are very good at dividing citizens and distracting them from looking too closely at who is pulling the strings, what they are able to get away with, and how much of our resources they walk away with.

I hope we all start paying attention to the "man behind the curtain" and separate the distractions from the real issues.

*My prayers and thoughts to our brothers and sisters in Texas who have bigger problems today than political distractions*


Spousalcaregiver.com is a website with resources for spousal caregivers who could use information and help in their daily lives. *God Bless you all for all you do, in me you have a friend who appreciates you and "gets it"*

PEACE

Thursday, September 11, 2008

The issues on 9/11

It is with a sigh of relief that I have noticed McCain and Obama talking about issues today. It was refreshing to get a break from negative comments and insults.

It is my opinion that what matters now more than ever is to have people in charge who take their job of Civil Servants seriously and would practice the same kind of fiscal restrain with our hard earned (and given) tax dollars we apply to our own checkbooks.

One of the things that I want in the leader of our country is someone who understands that bulk of the population can't prosper on their own and Government needs to regulate the industries that were deregulated and have gone amock.

These industries we all depend on. The phone company, the electric/gas company, etc. I don't believe in big government, but I do believe in government over seeing fraud and racketeering and putting things in place to avoid having to clean up the mess.

McCain was very likeable and made sense on his interview about public service today. He was rational and even though I do not agree with what he says 100%, I did not feel offended (as I did during the Republican Convention and listening to people spew venom and sarcasm, which I felt was tinged with racist overtones. Again, my opinion).

Obama was clear and very likeable as well. It was refreshing not hear another speech, but a conversation. I do not agree with him 100% of the time either, but I was glad to be able to listen without the majestic production of the Democratic Convention.

My guess is that part of me is eager to see the Presidential Debates and most of me is dying for the campaigning to be over because it has gotten downright nasty and that is a huge distraction from the real issues that affect most of us.

I say most of us, because I have a brother who is a Republican to the core and will never, ever vote Democrat. His biggest issue against the Democrats is that they believe in the right to choose. He is also not voting for McCain because he does not trust him in this issue either because he has been pro-choice in the past and feels his new stand on choice is politically motivated.

I must call him and find out if he will vote for McCain now that his vice presidential pick is aligned with him in that issue.

Which got me to thinking .... we are all not in the same boat. I realize that I am concerned about my daughter's future, their ability to take for granted that with equal work comes equal pay, that they can set their minds to serve their heart's desires and not have a gender road block. That they are in elementary and Middle school and their educational needs are not being served due to overcrowding, teacher shortage and funding.

That he does not have a mortgage, he is retired through a fluke in his company (when things were going well) and after 20 yrs of service retired with a fabulous retirement package and medical that comes in handy since his wife has a chronic illness. That their children graduated from private schools and universities and are doing quite well.

So I guess, my brother and I are not in the same boat. So I wonder if I were paddlin on his side, the one issue would be the deal braker? (not necessarily that one issue, any other issue).

With all that which has befallen us in the past few years, I still make time to volunteer in our school district because they need the teachers need the help and my teaching kids to read and increase their comprehension level is my small contribution towards their future.

A future I hope will be bright and filled with opportunities. Opportunities that are sorely lacking lately.

PEACE to all

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

CNN

Today I was listening to Lou Dobbs and I usually have to grind my teeth when he speaks and try to get past my perception that this man is completely inflexible and has only two topics to discuss: The Immigrants (only Mexicans/South Americans) and Border Security (which is tied to the first one).

But he did make a comment today that actually took less than one minute but because it is such a departure from the only topic he discusses, it seemed to resonate.

His Statement was that neither the Republicans, nor the Democrats are talking about the issues that matter, such as the economy, the jobs, the manufacturing, the educational system, the energy crisis, etc.

Then, he went on to his mantra of Hispanics and illegal immigration.

Campbell Brown announced a segment on the Republicans playing the victim because they allowed Obama to use that old phrase: "if you put lipstick on a pig, it is still a pig".

As you may have heard, they immediately called foul and stated that the comment was directed to their lovely vice-presidential candidate.

So, Campbell Brown is going to get tough from what her little promo stated, However, Lou Dobbs did not wait a second to request that she ask them about illegal immigration, to which she replied: "we have different priorities".

So, do you feel that the conversation that started about our economy has been derailed by complete nonsense?

Do you think that the Mainstream Media is doing a horrible job perpetuating tabloid non-news and not focusing on the issues with research to back up their claims?

Are they afraid? Are their hands tied because they are owned by large corporations with their own agendas?

I think (at least for me) that it is very difficult to find the meat and potatoes of journalistic integrity on the internet and would be wonderful if we could just turn of the television and actually trust a news entitity to tell it like it is.

Based on what you know so far, whom would you vote for if the election was held today?, take our poll on the right handside and let's see what we all think.

PEACE

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

The Media Factor

After blogging about some political thoughts earlier on, I had a few more about how most of us get our information and form our opinions.

How many of us have become political junkies? *raising my hand*.

Talk radio and newspapers are worthy of exploration as well and deserve their own sections, but for this article I will focus my thoughts on the major television networks.

In the past I used to get the "world" news from CNN and the local channels, such as CBS, NBC & ABC. I have watched the National "reporting" (sound bites, really) and would hop on the Internet until I got the full story that they never had time to report on fully because they only allow short segments without much depth.

Many others have already expressed their dissatisfaction with the Media, stating that Fox News is no news but part of the political machine that has been supporting Washington and doing its evil bidding on behalf of the big conglomerates that have succeeded in pillaging our country's resources.

They have made dispariging comments about all the other news channels as well, by no means does Fox News get to be singled out for reporting as news nothing more than tabloid trash. (Anyone remember the intense coverage of the *unnamed* celebreties that shaved their head, have been in and out of rehab, had a wardrobe malfunction, etc). Instead of reporting on the Washington powers and applying the pressure for answers and the truth.

CNN, NBC, CBS and ABC are nothing more that alphabet soup channels with interchangeable talking heads who offer their slanted opinions and are relishing the ratings they have never had before.

They have fed the fears, the speculation, the gossip and everything they could think of .... except the facts and the full truth. They have fawned over all the candidates the way a teen fawns over their favorite celebrity and have not asked the questions that deserve to be answered, let alone come up with a follow through set of questions.....

.... Until now.

The McCain Campaign took offense to CNN reporter Campbell Brown pinning down campaign spokesman, Tucker Bounds on a question and simply requesting a straight answer. Shortly after that McCain cancelled a scheduled interview with CNN and a statement was issued that Palin would not answer any reporter's questions.

This would not have been interesting if it wasn't because Ms. Brown is married to Fox Newsman Dan Senor, a hard core Republican who has had great insight into the GOP and its members.

It shows integrity on her part to actually do what a professional journalist should do. The kind of stuff that investigating reporters used to do when newspapers were worth reading and the nightly news worth watching. Long before everything became a big conglomerate owned by people with their own agendas (either party can be inserted here).

It was refreshing to see the media for the past two days pick up where Ms. Brown left off, they are no longer reporting the sound bites, they are questioning them. It is as though they needed to be told that they have been less than stellar over the past few years to react with some sort of backbone.

They may be coming to the realization that not only their audience will continue to increase, but the public's perception may change from cynicism to respect. Something no one has expressed in a very long time.

I dare to hope that a new batch of journalists may emerge and hopefully they will have a forum that is free of special insterest.

I just don't know how anyone would go about re-instating a free press.

What are your thoughts?



PEACE


If you are a spousal caregiver or know someone who is, please visit http://www.spousalcaregiver.com/ for resources and information. Thank you!

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The Political distractions that affect our lives

It has been an interesting campaign.

We had Hillary vs. Obama vs. Edwards and all the rest that dropped like flies early on. It seemed that this campaign to choose one versus another would last for ever.

We got sick and tired or the drama, we suffered from political exhaustion, but like a train wreck, we were not able to pull ourselves away from it.

We kept a watchful eye and intent ears. We discussed it long after the talking heads stopped giving their assessments, and in fact, we became our own talking heads.

It was exciting and it made us tune in to the issues that truly affect our lives; remember "is the economy, stupid"? and paying attention to who was behind the housing market fall out, the rising cost of gasoline, and who was for something one moment and against it the next? Who was pandering to special interests and who was in tune with the average working stiffs?.

Oh yes! it was fun.

Now it is not so much fun. It is dirtier than ever, deception abounds and we are supposed to take it and accept it because we don't know any better.

The distractions are worthy of a cheesy sitcom or television melodrama that has no substance, but just like the aforementioned train wreck, we can't pull away from it.

We must know if Palin's youngest is hers or not. We must explore footage from YouTube because she won't answer unprepared and unscripted questions.

We love the mystery.

We flock to every bit of non-important news and discuss them as if they were actually relevant to our lives. We have in fact, welcomed the distraction so we don't really have to face the ugly reality that has become our economy.

The fact is that you and I know that these issues are not important.

Whether that is her kid or their daughters, whether the youngsters get married or not, whether she is a religiously obsessed individual who believes in the End of Days (and is coming soon, they say) or is using religious views as a way to promote her ambitions in life is irrelevant.

Once again, we are caught in the distraction game, the "don't pay attention to the man behind the curtain" and it works beautifully. No one has any reason to discuss issues when distractions are so very effective.

What I wish we all did, and I hope I am not alone in this, is to take a breather and two steps back and get back to the real basics that affect our lives.

If you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Atheist, Religious, Agnostic, Female or Male, should be irrelevant to the purpose of this article. What is important is how are you doing?

Yes, in all of this, no one is asking you: "How are you doing?", right now. At this moment.

Is your checkbook on life support? Are your kids schools so overcrowded and underfunded that instead of an institution of learning, the place and their rules resemble a prison yard? How is your mom and your dad? are they doing okay? Have their medical bills (or yours for that matter) turned their 401K into a 101?

How secure is your position with your company? Do you cringe when you have to put gas and buy groceries? Do you feel trapped in a situation where you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel?

And just as important: Do you really think that the current political distractions have anything to do with how your life is going? Are you living the dream or surviving a nightmare?

My Democrat neighbors are stressed out over making ends meet and want justice, they want Bush impeached, they want Chaney and Rove in prison, they want people to pay for their actions and to be held accountable for crimes against our Nation.

My Republican friends are depressed by the state of the economy and their shrinking retirement accounts; their American Dream (which is the same as the other party, by the way) is now a nightmare. They are ashamed of having voted for Bush, but most importantly, they feel betrayed by their own party and truly hurt that they had been used to serve someone else's purposes.

My Republican family members are not voting in this election, they feel the betrayal to the core and are insulted by the assumption that their religious beliefs should be used as a commodity.

They will be the first ones to tell you that they are not stupid people and resent being lumped in with those they perceived as being so; the ones who latch on to the political slogans with no substance, the ones that are so single minded that can only repeat slogans; the ones with tunnel vision that are incapable of seeing the full picture and look towards the future.

I thought my Republican friends and family deserved a moment of acknowledgment and recognition and not to be blamed for taking the action they thought was right at the time because they were afraid of another 9/11 and could not handle a change in leadership. Most importantly, they were loyal and that is an American quality worth its weight in gold.

On behalf of them, I stand to their defense, It is not their fault, they did not betray us, they were betrayed and their loyalty used against their best interest. They are still family, they are still friends, they are still neighbors and they are human beings who are paddling in the same boat everyone else is.

Humans make mistakes, we all do.

What we should not tolerate is being lied to and distracted with nonsense to serve the higher interest of companies that are American in name only. Their logos are just that, logos. 70% of their work force is in other countries, the only thing they value in America is the legal tender. Your legal tender. The one that is a mandatory contribution and you have no say on how it is spent and what company gets bailed out with YOUR legal tender.

No one is bailing you out and it is your money. We need answers, but in order to have those answers, we need to ask the tough questions.

We need to ask questions even if they are unpleasant and, most importantly, we need to unite for the common good: Our future and that of our loved ones.

Because the old saying: "Divide and conquer" has proven to be true and to have worked well in military tactics and politics.

When we hear: "We are number One!" We should ask: "At what?" Let them explain the bumper sticker and see if it makes sense

When we hear: "Americans have not sacrificed", we should reply: "Are you kidding?" and then list all the things you have done without just to make ends meet and if your spouse, your child, your sibling is serving on their 3rd tour in Iraq, you have every right to set them straight.

When the issue of race is brought up, you may want to ask "How does someone's skin impacts my ability to keep a roof over our heads, pay our bills and educate our children?"

When they start talking about who's baby is that, or who cheated on whom, we should just say: "it is none of my business and it has no relevance on what really matters in our lives".

It is up to us to end the distractions and refocus the conversation on what is important to you, to me, to our friends, family and neighbors and not the gossip and misleading information.

You and I may come from different political and social views. We may have had different things to overcome in our lives which have shaped us into who we are, but the commonalities far outweigh that which makes us different: We all have to eat, raise and educate our children, maintain a roof over our heads, pay for unaffordable medical care and pray to God that things will get better before we can't keep holding it all together any longer.

It is time to help the prayes with some action and start doing. We need to ask the questions and demand straight answers and most importantly, we need to stop the distractions pitting us against each other like stubborn toddlers fighting over a plastic toy.

My neighbors, friends and family are Republicans, Democrats, Independents, God fearing, God loving, Agnostic and Atheist. They live everywhere in our beautiful country and the extent of the miles does not make them any less my neighbors.

I care about my friends in Ohio that are barely making ends meet and count their blessings that they still have a job, while fearing they will be let go because the company is having a hard time meeting their payroll.

My friends in Hawaii who are paying over $8.00 for a gallon of milk. My friends across the street who are talking to a lawyer about bankruptcy because their two income household is now a one income household and their kids are doing without because they can't provide for what they need.

My friend, a teacher, whose daughter is on her 2nd tour in Iraq and my friend, a businessman, whose son is going for his 3rd deployment after recovering from injuries on his 2nd tour.

It seems to me that the more I talk to these people, the more we talk about the things that truly matter and none of the distractions.

I hope we can all join in the same conversation.

Wishing you PEACE

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