Breaking Rule No. 1

I hate talking politics. Not privately with family, or even friends, but publicly I absolutely hate it. Which is why I have never really blogged about my opinion of things of that nature. I don't even discuss politics with my girlfriend. Which is for the most part because I'm still very undecided and uneducated in most matters which makes formulating an opinion that has any gravity behind it very hard to do. But today, I feel I cannot bite my tongue any longer.

In Los Angeles, my home town kind-of, a group or individual has put up some posters of Barack Obama depicted as Batman's 'Joker.' With Obama's face painted white with raccoon-black eyes, and a smile similar to Heath Ledger's in The Dark Knight. The uproar has been not as unanimous as it probably would've been during the election campaign, but there are still those who are pointing their fingers. And much like those who do point their fingers, they are simply missing the point. That this isn't about him, it's about us.




It's a stunning contrast to the picture that had been on Time Magazine. It's also stunning the change in the supporters' opinions, as they've all of a sudden realized it's time to pull back on the reigns. But President Obama isn't making all of the decisions. He's just giving possible solutions to problems and it's really up to our better judgement whether to support or oppose them. We are after all, we are government ran by the people for the people, right?



My boss, President Barack Obama-The Commander in Chief, I did not vote for. I did not vote for any candidate, and so why should my opinion matter? It shouldn't; maybe you should even stop reading this before I piss you off. I can be good at that. This new President, who they said was going to change things, make America better and more wonderful, even despite his lack of experience. His charismatic approach and beautifully developed speech style won everyone over like the Prom Queen of high school, with promises of this and promises of that. I think people want that too. They want to hear that things are going to change, but when things actually do start to change, they aren't to sure they want to make the sacrifices necessary to get there.

If you read any of my blogs, you know that I believe that we Americans are spoiled. We have all the sense of entitlement to everything without actually understanding that if we do think we deserve something, we certainly need to work for it. This is just another sad case of America's downward spiral.

Obama has made one promise come true, and one that everyone seemed on board for. That he will change things. But where are they taking us? I constantly hear the gripes and complaints about his decisions or his plans, but so far I have only seen him put few into action, while pushing for a new trillion dollar health care reform. His bailout for companies like AIG, I feel has taken our country from the democracy it was to something all new. It's not that we haven't had some sort of regulation over free enterprise as a government, but again it has never been all that involved. But now with money being thrown at failing businesses to keep them afloat, we still have lacked to hold those companies accountable for such actions. But then again, perhaps their contributions have gone too deep into the pockets of politicians and special interest groups. After all, we are a capitalist society, where if you run a company that fails, you are bought up by others who are successful and can run the industry better. And if you do fail, but have done enough for this congressman or that, then here's your get out of jail free card.

I know that allowing those companies to fail entirely would've thrown things into an economic crisis and changed the complexion of our entire country. But that's change right? It would've been hard times, but it's going to be hard times anyway. What's to say that these companies who we've now allowed to stay in place by using federal funding, will not just waste the money and be as greedy as they were before they were bailed out? Simple you say, the government will just impose restrictions on how they can use that money. Goodbye free enterprise, but it's gone anyway. So when I go bankrupt then, I will be waiting for my bail out check.

I'm not entirely sure where this country is headed. I pray that our President does well. To root against him regardless of race, color, creed, political party, or any other difference that I share with him would be self-detrimental. We are both American. It seems that all I see is criticizing of him from those who oppose him, and then those who love him criticizing those who don't. It's a vicious circle which will not accomplish anything. I'm not opposed to change. A lot in our country is messed up and needs repair, change, and even revolution. Obama is trying to make changes, and I can't fault him for that. I would just like to know where he thinks these things will take us, and if he plans to let us in on the revolution he seems to have started.

The health care reform, his idea I do have experience with. Trust me America, you do not want it. It sounds great, free health care. I get free health care (through my government job), but have no choice in where to go. I go the medical clinics and hospitals on my post or whichever I would be closest to during time of leave. These are not 'ideal.' They are long lines, pissed off doctors and nurses. Malpractice, along with a sense of being wrong for wanting to get your health checked out. This would be a horrible system across the United States. Before we deployed, I had to wait two months for a dentist appointment about a filling (the Army dentists had put in) that had fallen out due to some flossing. This was not the first time it has happened to me, as the filling work performed on me in the time I've been in has been nothing but shiesty. During my flossing, I literally pulled out over a quarter of my filling. I set up the appointment, which went under "emergency" and got a scheduled appointment for two months later. Because of the eroding which incurred, the dentist said she could not save the tooth, which I wanted a second opinion on. They pulled the molar which could've been saved had it been taken care of right away.

My teeth are taken care of by the army, and despite my efforts of flossing and brushing, they still look terrible. But dental isn't the only scary part. If under this new system, which will be TRI-CARE, emergency room visits will be long, and you can forget about proper medication. Due to the expense of the military's free health care, instead of receiving the proper drugs for things like a pulled tooth, they will oftentimes give you Ibuprofen and allow you the discomfort of pain. I can't even stress to you how despite the 'free' of this reformed system, you will pay for it in so many other ways. If the government doesn't even adequately take care of itself, how do you expect it to take care of you?

All and all, I hope that I am wrong.. I hope that Obama can create a system, (with the voters help) that leaves us prancing through gum drop prairies and drinking chocolate from river streams, along with the health care and financial liberation our country needs. But what we really do need to realize, is that to get to where we need to be, takes sacrifice. Not just from you, or me, but everybody. We all have to pitch in to work together to achieve what we want. We can't wait for Obama to do it, because he needs all of our help. He's not the Jesus we expect him to be. He's a person, brave for taking on a horrific job in a horrific time. But all he is, is a man, able to make mistakes and break promises. Keep on trucking Mr. President, stop pushing the things we don't want (Universal Health Care), and work for the democracy, us, that you solemnly swore too. If you do that, then I'll be behind you for all the right reasons, and oppose you for just the same.

"I guess I'm gonna be alright, but can you imagine we live in a country where the one's that work and save lose and the one's that charge and squander gain."-Freedom of Peach