God and Politics

Why don't I just put the two most controversial words out there together? It's election eve,  and everyone is getting ready for the big day. As I did with the last election, I'm struggling. Not with who to vote for. You see, last election, I did struggle with that decision. I felt that both candidates had some severe weaknesses that made them a scary choice. So I prayed about it, and here's what came of it, and what shapes my political position today.

I see so many Christians powerfully protesting in social media about what they think is the evil that will come about if the candidate opposing their pet issue wins.

The answer you have to accept is that it doesn't matter which candidate wins, what matters is what YOU do with that issue.

Let's take a lesser controversial issue, like health care. Each candidate has differing views, and many voters are polarized about how it should be handled. Or I should say, how the government should handle it. Because here's the truth about health care. If you truly believe that every American should have access to quality healthcare, then you will work toward that goal REGARDLESS of what the government chooses to do or which plan passes. How do you do that? Easy. Take care of the sick. Whether it be donating your time to volunteer at a hospital or health fair, or giving your money to a medical cause, or God forbid, paying the medical bill of someone who can't afford it, you CAN make a difference that will help others. Will it be a sweeping change to revolutionize the country? Not if only you do it. But if you did it, and encouraged others who were passionate about health care reform to do the same, and a whole bunch of people who were willing to actually live what they say they believe did it, then yes, it would absolutely make a difference.

But instead, we whine about candidate X and how candidate X isn't supporting the health care reform we want to see.

I think that if God saw us loving each other the way He commanded, none of the political issues would matter, because they wouldn't exist.

No matter who we vote for, if we are not loving one another and actually doing something to care for our fellow man, we're still going to have problems because we're asking someone else to do it for us, but we're not even asking it of God. We're asking a man, who is flawed, imperfect, and unable to work miracles. If you really want to see change in this country, then get out there and be that change.

Think about a political issue dear to your heart. What can you personally do to impact that situation? How can you encourage others to join you?

The unTwitterable funny kid comment- sort of

The funny stuff my kids say tend to be Tweeted at an alarming rate. I just can't help myself. However, the other day, my kiddo said something I wanted to Tweet SO BAD, but couldn't, because I needed to give proper disclaimers.

My 10yo has a new curse word: Obama.

We were shopping, and chattering about different things, when out of the blue, she says, "Obama," just like you'd mutter a swear word. I asked her what that was about, and so she says, "well, Mom, Obama's pretty much screwed up this country, and he's ruining my chance of having a fun summer vacation, so that's the worst word I can think of."

And maybe I shouldn't, but I think it's funny that in today's world, my 10yo thinks that Obama is a worse word than say, the "f" word. Though I'm not sure if she knows what the "f" word is. She still thinks stupid is a swear word.

Now, before you think that I'm the kind of parent who shoves my politics down my kids' throats, please understand. We don't talk politics at our house. Mostly because I have family members who are aggressively passionate on both sides of the spectrum, and hubby and I have learned to just keep our mouths shut. When my kids asked who I voted for, the answer was, "none of your business." To be honest, I don't want to talk politics with my kids because those are the questions I don't know how to answer. There's such a disparity between reality and what I believe ideally that it isn't going to be an easy discussion. Nor one that gives my kids any answers. After all, I don't have any myself.

And no, I won't go further than that because then, I will get political, and that will get messy, and I don't want to get messy, k?

But here's the thing... as hilarious as I think it is that my 10yo says "Obama" is a swear word, many of my friends would be offended because they still think Obama is the best thing to happen to America since indoor plumbing. The other half of my friends would be having a party to show how even 10yo girls think Obama is the anti-Christ. And you know, it's neither. It's just a funny thing my kid said.

I hate that we have to be so polarized as a nation and that we can't talk about the things that matter to us without having to toss around the D word and the R word like racial slurs. Though it is still pretty funny that my daughter turned Obama into a swear word.

A response from the President

Some of you may recall that I wrote a letter to the President and my Congressmen back in March. Yup, March. I figured they'd all blown me off, but imagine my surprise when I received a letter in the mail from Barack Obama himself. It takes him the amount of time it takes most people to have a baby to write little ole me a letter. Yeah, I know, he's busy running the country and all that.

But really... I must share his sage words with you all:

Dear Friend (Huh, I never said we were friends. Is that kind of like a guy who sleeps around calling all the girls, Baby?):

Thank you for writing me about the pressures facing the middle class. (Sort of like that Santa/M&Ms commercial where they both realize that they do exist!) I have heard from countless Americans working hard to make ends meet (do you call all of us Friend, or is that just the special little name you have for me), and I appreciate your perspective. (Really?! I'll just bet you hung on every word my talented self wrote.)

My administration is addressing the serious challenges our Nation faces. (That is just swell!) Some say we are moving forward on too many issues too quickly. (Not letter writing, that's for sure. Especially since I'm beginning to suspect someone merely printed off a canned response and stuck it in an envelope.) Given our unprecedented circumstances, swift, deliberate action is needed. (You put the words right in mouth, buddy. Can I call you that? After all, you called me friend.) I am committed to taking immediate steps that generate job creation and economic recovery, and I am determined to make investments that lay a new foundation for real and lasting progress. (Wow. So do you send this letter to all your friends, or do you have a list of canned letters based on keywords in a person's letter? Just wondering. Because so far, you haven't addressed any of the points I made.)

I can't type any more of his letter without vomiting in my own mouth. The next paragraph is all his propaganda about health care reform, clean energy, education, homeland security, cutting the budget deficit, yada yada yada. The last line, though, I think is really clever. "We can do all this, and change the way business is done in Washington, by building the most open, transparent, and accountable government in history."

Seriously. He said that. The most open, transparent, and accountable government in history. He hasn't read much history, has he? Actually, he's right. In comparison to say, the communists, this is a very open, transparent, and accountable government. After all, a communist would have me jailed for daring to say that he is falling really short of the mark. So hey, kudos to you, President Obama. You got me on that one.

Final paragraph: Ultimately, the only way to solve the problems of our time is to involve all (ALL? Really? Are you sure? I don't think anyone really even read this letter, so how are you involving ME in the process, except to put more of your propaganda in my hands. Come on, Mr. President, surely you think we're smarter than that) Americans in shaping the policies that affect our lives. Thank you again for writing. (No, thank YOU. Really, I mean that.) I encourage you to explore www.WhiteHouse.gov, which is regularly updated and more interactive than ever before. (Super! It has a lot of great information about what you're doing, but I don't get the interactive part. Interactive as in we get to watch a video of you? Or interactive as in we actually get to participate in our governmental processes? No need to answer, we already know it.)

Sincerely,
A very clearly stamped by someone else signature of Barack Obama (I am so touched. It's a pretty high-quality stamp. I'm not 100% on this one, but it may have even been printed on the page by the computer. Now that's some high-tech, courtesy of my tax dollars. I bet THAT helped stimulate the economy.)

Sooo... here is my takeaway. Um, yeah, they really don't give a crap. Someone very well trained in regurgitating the President's agenda wrote a nice letter to send to anyone who has issues with what's going on in the country. I'm actually more disappointed that I have not heard from my Congressmen. They have fewer people to deal with, and it's disturbing that they don't seem to care what the people they represent think. So who exactly do they represent? I'm not sure. I just know it's not me.

Welcome to Democracy in America, ladies and gentlemen. Along with a bridge he's going to try to sell us all, the President wants you to believe that is is the most open, transparent, and accountable government in history. I suppose duck manure and cow manure smell differently, but in the end, it's still just crap.

My letter to the President and Congress on the economy

Dear President Obama,

I am writing to speak for the people your administration has seemingly ignored. I am an average middle class woman who wants the best for my family. However, because we are not currently in dire straits, many of the plans to help stimulate the economy do not apply to us.

For example, while we are among the lucky ones whose jobs were not eliminated, my husband’s hours were cut from 40+ hours per week to 10-15 hours a week. As a family depending on those 40+ hours per week, we’re struggling to make ends meet on such decreased hours. Though I count my blessings that we still have a roof over our heads and food in our bellies, it seems unfair that we will see little to no benefit from your stimulus package.

If we were the only family in this situation, perhaps I would be a little less resentful. However, I work as a tax preparer and I hear the same story from other hard-working families. They still have jobs, but not nearly the same number of hours they need to make their house payments or other necessary bills. As I go over the implications of the stimulus bill with them, one thing is glaringly obvious: there is next to nothing in that package for them.

One of the solutions we have looked at is refinancing our home. But like so many in this economy, the value of our home has gone down. Because my husband’s income is greatly reduced and we can’t get our home to appraise for the value we need, the two-percentage point drop in mortgage rates does not help us. Nor does it help many other families. I’ve spoken with several people in the same situation. What good is bailing out the banks and creating programs to help people with their mortgages when the people who are working hard to keep their payments current do not qualify?

I am amazed at the number of people who’ve told me that they’ve called their banks, asking for assistance with refinancing. The answer is the same: until you’re in default, there is nothing we can do to help you.

Until we’re in default? Really? So basically, in order to qualify for help, we first have to be in deep trouble? Wouldn’t it be in the best interests of the banking industry, and the country, to help the folks who want to stay out of a financial mess?

I am disgusted that the only solutions people are being offered is to default on their home loans or declare bankruptcy. Believe it or not, there are still people in this country who want to pay their bills on time. We want to get out of debt. We want to do the right thing.

But you, your administration, and Congress, won’t let us.

Do my husband and his friends have to beg their employers to lay them off so they’ll be counted in the unemployment numbers and get some extra tax-free income that we desperately need? Should I stop paying my mortgage so that the bank will see that we’re in trouble, so they’d better go ahead and refinance our loan?

I hope this sounds as ludicrous to you as it does to me. Because maybe it will give you a moment to pause and think about the people you are overlooking. The people who do not appear on the unemployment lists. The ones who are not defaulting on their loans. We do not fit in any of the statistics, but let me assure you, life is still hard for us. We’re just easier to ignore because our numbers are more difficult to quantify and we don’t make up your pretty charts and graphs.

The truth is, we will get through this recession. This country will get through this recession. And I’m extremely saddened to say, it will be on the backs of people like us. We will keep making our mortgage payments, financing everyone else because our interest rates are higher. We will keep working the measly hours our employers offer. We will also do our best to pick up whatever side work we can find. All of this you will tax at ridiculous levels because we were determined enough to find work.

The sickest part of this tale is that during this time, and even after it’s over, you and all of your political interest buddies will be doing just fine. Your families will not have to make the heartbreaking determination of what things are necessities and what aren’t. You will not lie in bed at night praying for a miracle, except maybe for the miracle of re-election. If only our problems were so simple.

I do not want a hand out from you or the rest of the government. Thus far, the handouts you’ve given don’t seem to have done much to improve the situation you were trying to fix. It would, however, be nice to get a little recognition for those of us who are clinging to our lives with every ounce of strength we have. When you look at implementing the many plans you have, please remember that your statistics do not even begin to shed light on the full picture of our country’s economic crisis. Because the people paying for your stimulus package are having a hard enough time paying their own bills.

Sincerely,

A Hard-Working Taxpayer