Economic mess

Where is our country heading? So many are against the bail-out money and God knows I wish there was another way but I worry that there isn't. Greedy, rich people have a way of taking down the ship in a crisis. We have so much tied to the motions, whims and movements of rich people that when they stumble, we all take a hit. This time the hit will be $700 billion.

That's a lot of money no matter who gets it...or pays it. Still, in order to avoid a bigger banking crisis, we have to do something. I don't have a better solution, I'm just hoping the one proposed is a good one.

At the same time I have asked myself many times what will be the demise of America. All civilizations fail sooner or later. Some recover, others don't but no one can stay on top forever...just look at Russia. We can go on and on about factors that contribute to the rise and fall of nations but the one thing we have to realize is that they do rise and fall. America is not so great that it can't fall into the muck.

So while I'm hoping our political leaders can figure a way out of this mess, I also worry that there may not be a way out of this mess.

Running off with the circus...

Ok...taking a break from politics today to just talk about how much fun I had at Ringling Bros. circus performance of "Bellobration!" Before I go on, I will acknowledge that many are afraid of clowns. Many think they are stupid. Many think they aren't funny. Many think clowns are just annoying performers who are there to distract you while the work staff changes the circus sets. Well, some and all of that is true...but...I'm revising my dislike of clowns after seeing this performance.

I have to admit, I've never had a dislike of clowns. I never really thought they were funny either but I was never afraid of them, nor did I hate them. They were just people to help the time pass during the show until something I liked took center ring. My attitude about them began to change when I worked at Kemper Arena as an usher and the circus came to town.

Unlike many people, I have a long family tradition of attending the circus. We went when I was a kid to several shows while they were in town. This is because we were so poor that Ringling Bros. gave us free tickets to multiple shows. The tickets were available at the community center or through school. We got free shows -every- year and that developed my love of the sights, sounds, silliness and all that the circus brings. It was also a few hours to forget that we needed food stamps and welfare to live, that we lived in public housing and some of our family friends were heroine addicts.

Last year I began the family circus tradition with my son. He LOVED it! This year, we attended two shows, once with his grandmother and the second show with just me.

Bellobration is a show devoted to 'Bello' the acrobatic clown. He is AWESOME and that's his real name...Bello Nock. The photo of him makes him look a bit weird but in fact, well, he is a bit weird but also a comic daredevil. He participates in almost every aspect of the circus from tightrope walking, the wheel of death, and his signature 90-foot tall sway pole act. He is a fantastic athlete and a superior entertainer...and he's funny while doing it. Every move he makes seems effortless and he's smiling and laughing while doing it...amazing. And yes, that is his real hair too.

So while the political situation in this country is a mess and the economic state of America is even worse, it was good for me to take a few hours and forget all that. It was fantastic that this weird redhead with the super strong legs and never-ending smile could brighten my day so much that I was cheered up all week. My son is still asking about the circus and I have to tell him the circus went 'bye-bye...but they will come back soon!' I hope he never outgrows loving the excitement and fun of the circus, just like I never did. It would be awesome to run off and tour with them....at least one year. Maybe one day....

Sarah Palin...ready to lead? NOT!

I, like many, have seen some bits and pieces of the interview Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had with ABC's Charlie Gibson. First, as a reporter myself, I have to applaud him on his questions. If you are in the 'biz', you know he had a team of helpers but that does not negate the quality of the questions he presented Gov. Palin. They were excellent! Unfortunately, her answers did not exactly his a home run.

There were critical flubs on her part. The biggest mistake she made was NOT knowing the Bush Doctrine, which states that our country will send troops into an ally's borders against that country's will to halt suspected terrorism. I have heard this doctrine stated before and I was against it then, I'm against it now. I didn't realize it was an -official- policy of the Bush Administration. I'm certain many of you weren't aware of this policy either.

Republicans will say because many Americans don't know about this doctrine, it's OK that Gov. Palin didn't know either. I disagree with that. MOST Americans are NOT running for vice president. Imagine if she was speaking to the leader of Pakistan and he asked how she felt about that doctrine, did she intend to promote it? Would Gov. Palin give that leader the same 'deer in the headlights' look she gave Gibson? That brings up another point...she has never met with a foreign head of state.

Gov. Palin blew that fact off by saying many VP candidates had never met with a foreign head of state. Well, she is the first in the last 30-plus years. The country has changed a lot and the VP has to be able to communicate with other country leaders...she never has. On top of that, she didn't even have a passport until last year. She had no interest in traveling abroad, but she is willing to be 'hard on Russia'. The last time I checked, Russia wasn't threatening us. Just because you can see a country, does not make them the enemy.

Let's also face it...she totally flip-flopped on the environmental issue. She criticized Al Gore's opinions on the environment, NOW she says there is some human influence on global warming.

The Republican ticket is being VERY hypocritical to say Sen. Obama is not ready to lead when Gov. Palin clearly is a big fish in a small pond that they are trying to promote as something more.

Soccer moms

Soccer moms annoy me!

Recent polls show that John McCain has gained about 20 points and most of that comes from white women. When you think about it and read between the lines, most of that is coming from middle-class white women who probably self-describe as 'soccer moms'. We also know what they are doing...being the little Stepford wives that they are and following the leader, Sarah Palin.

Yes, this is turning into a rant because although this demographic annoys me deeply, I also respect it's power. I've been screwed by these bouncy bottle blonds before and realize while I have tons of disdain for them, they are also a force to be reckoned with.

Years ago when Prop. 209 in California was on the ballot, soccer mom types made sure it passed. This proposition dismantled Affirmative Action in that state. The irony is, white middle class women benefited more from Affirmative Action than any other minority group. I have little to no respect for people who use a tool to help themselves then destroy it for those coming after them.

Now this demographic is moving to vote for another Bush presidency just because there is a white woman like themselves on the ticket. Have they not noticed that the McCain camp is basically parroting what Obama's people are putting out? First McCain was against pulling troops out of Iraq, now he's for it. Obama said he would lower taxes, now McCain will lower taxes too.

Ultimately, what Obama says doesn't matter to this group. The real problem is these women want to attach themselves to a white man and be his apendage. Palin represents them quite well. I don't charge -all- white women with this...many have these traits but it is specifically a part of middle class white women.

These soccer moms have no clue about the hardships of a single parent -- man or woman -- nor do they care. If their husbands died or left them for a younger model, they immediately go on a campaign to find a new husband. They can't live without a man in their lives or else it represents some level of failure. These types just disgust me because they are voting without using the brains they have. They are a Stepford wife blob moving in unison without purpose or common sense.

BTW, yes, I realize that is Pamela Anderson...this is the image I believe soccer moms all wish they had.

The tax question

I've been seeing ads on TV all the time saying that Sen. Barack Obama isn't ready to lead our nation. That he wants to raise taxes and there will be a 'trickle down effect' that will hurt the average American. My first reaction to that criticism is, didn't anyone pay attention to that 'trickle down' theory crap when Ronald Reagan said we would all benefit from giving rich people more money?

Now, John McCain charges that Obama will raise all of our taxes. Unfortunately, people see the commercial and believe it without researching themselves. But before people swallow the 'hook' on the tax message, EVERY one should learn more.

I am a Democrat and of course I have a dog in this fight so me just saying Obama's plan is better for the middle class won't work. That is why I did some reading myself. According to Associated Press Economics Reporter Martin Crutsinger, if you make less than $250,000 a year, your taxes will be reduced more by Obama. If you make more than $600,000 a year, McCain will reduce your taxes more.

A direct quote from the article states "For the 20 percent of taxpayers right in the middle of the income scale, making roughly between $37,600 and $66,400, the tax break would be $1,118 under the Obama plan and $325 under the McCain plan in 2009, according to the analysis done by the tax center, a joint venture of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, two Washington think tanks."

The sad thing is people will NOT read such articles, believe the lies in the commercials and we will have McCain as president if this information is not promoted. I encourage any and everyone to read this news article "Obama and McCain have big economic differences." Get the facts before you vote!

Back in the saddle again...

I originally created this blog to comment about politics and then my life kind of got in the way. Well, real life is still there and kind of mucking things up a bit but politics has gotten down right historical. Recent events...the Obama candidacy, the choice of Palin...have energized me to at least attempt to comment regularly about these people.

What an amazing time we are living in! Even if you hate Obama and love McCain...we have to admit this is an historic time.

To any that may stumble upon this blog, I make no apologies for being an Obama supporter...otherwise the blog title would be 'Red Girl in a Red State.' No! I'm a Democrat and proud to be so. There is -nothing- McCain/Palin could do or say that would get my vote and I'm not ashamed to say so.

Before I go off on a rant here...Palin doesn't believe in abortion, -even- in the case of rape or incest. I would ask her this if I could, if that woman has that child or rape or incest and doesn't wish to raise the child...what provisions do YOU have to make sure that now abandoned child has to grow up stable? People like her never have an answer for such questions. If I held her position on such an issue, I'd make sure that baby had FREE counseling and work to reform foster care so that the child at least has a chance.

Unlike Palin, I personally know a person who had a child produced by rape. The woman had that baby, loved it, cherished it and still...the child had problems as an adult and youth. It's easy to scream 'no abortions' but I prefer to say let the woman decide!