Warning: I'm mad at the government.
This isn't a Democrat versus Republican thing, this is an everyone thing. The people who allegedly run (or in the future, wish to run) our country are acting more like children than my actual children. Everyone is pointing fingers and screaming "I didn't do it!". This debt ceiling fiasco has me feeling like I'm about to go through the ceiling. This person has this plan, but that's not what the other guys want, so this person has another plan, but that's not good enough for the other, other guys. So here we are, trillions of dollars in debt and the most powerful country in the world can't seem to pull its collective head out of its collective behind. Frankly, it's embarrassing and it makes me want to punch Obama in the face while simultaneously kicking John Boehner in the crotch. And that says a lot because I actually like Obama (Boehner is a different story, less for his political slant and more for the fact that I'm not comfortable being "led" by someone who can burst into tears at the drop of a hat). It's unsettling.
So government, here's my completely unsolicited and inexperienced advice:Stop talking about bipartisanship in theory and show us a little in execution. Practice what you preach. If it helps, think of it this way: If half of the workers at McDonald's wanted to make everything one way and the other half wanted to make everything another way, what would happen? They would all be fired. The McDonald's corporation wouldn't shut down, it would just cut out the slackers. Government is a job just like any other job, so get over yourselves and do your job. I know, I know, government would just be the most fun job ever if you didn't have to help all these people. Darn.
Even more so than the debt ceiling situation, I'm sick of hearing every potential presidential candidate trying to win votes by either being adamantly for or against gay marriage (okay, really it's more against than for). I read a really great quote from former New York governor Rudy Giuliani about how politicians need to get out of the bedroom to win an election, and I agree. I get that it's a tricky subject, I get that there are religious aspects and social aspects, and you (as well as every single suit in Washington) have a perfect right to have a problem with it, but you know what I have a problem with? Economic recession. High unemployment rates. Crashing companies. Crappy health care. The fact that the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer. Can't we concentrate on that? Or maybe, just for fun, let's look at how underpaid teachers are and how over crowded and generally crappy most schools are and how we continue to cut, cut, cut in what appears to be the places that should matter most. But please, let's worry about who's right or wrong about whether people getting married is right or wrong. Let our actions continue to draw deeper and deeper lines between parties while our mouths talk about working together.
I feel like I used to be able to define myself politically, but I can't anymore. I've always joked that I'm a conservative liberal, but that concept seems to no longer exist. Everything is so black and white, with no middle ground. Republicans against Democrats. This guy against that guy. And anymore, I can't say that I like any of the guys. I'm terrified of the 2012 election because I don't want to vote for anyone. It seems the more I know that more jaded I become. I don't see politicians as people with the ability to lead and change the world. I see politicians as snakes in the grass. They don't want to make the world a better place, they just want to beat the other guy, whomever he or she may be. It's gross.
I love my country and am grateful everyday for the rights I have as an American. There aren't many countries in the world where I could bash the actions of the government and not suffer some really scary consequences. I'm thankful to the people that lose their lives every day protecting our rights. It's actually because of all of this that it makes my blood boil when the government can't get their act together. Did you guys know that Iceland is re-writing their constitution right now? They're using a board of twenty people and an online forum for anyone who may have any additional ideas. I can't honestly say I know much about Iceland beyond Bijork, but the concept seems refreshingly progressive to me and, from what I've read, so far it's going really well. I can't even wrap my head around how badly the shit would hit the fan in America if we tried to re-write our constitution. There would be riots and assassinations, and that would just be when the announcement that we were re-writing the constitution was made. I'm not saying I have a problem with our constitution, but I do have a problem with the fact that our own government could never undertake such an ambitious task, or really even consider undertaking it.
My bottom line is this: Can someone please explain to me why so many Ivy League educated, well-bred, seemingly intelligent people continue to fight like children, make Americans look like idiots, and generally abuse their power?!
I feel much better now, thanks...
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