day after...

This one is just to blow off steam...

So now, we have a president elect and incoming congressional leadership that more or less believe:

• The war in Iraq is worthless and a waste of financial resources and soldier's lives. We've accomplished nothing there.
• Free speech can and should be shut down by the government at their whim (fairness doctrine).
• Your money belongs to the government. If you make too much, it's their duty to take it from you and distribute as they see fit.
• George Bush is responsible for blowing up the World Trade Center and the New Orleans levees. (or at least not challenging this theory).
• America brought the 9/11 attacks upon itself. If it weren't for our wealth and Republican president, the world would love us.
• Whites need to pay reparations to blacks for the sins of slavery 200 years ago. America is racist and we should be ashamed of ourselves.
• Human life can and should be destroyed for our convenience in the form of abortion and stem cell research. And our tax dollars should be used to pay for it.
• American energy companies should be bankrupted.

I spoke with some friends who I generally regard as quite smart and they both voted for Obama.  Their main reason? We should be out of Iraq now and they feel there would be no consequences for this. They cannot articulate Obama's plan to do so or even if he will. They think that the more tax dollars (not theirs...they don't see it coming yet) go to more government programs such as education and job training, the better. They don't see any of Obama's views as socialist and even if they did they don't see what the problem would be. 

Quite honestly, I'm quite excited...this means that I will no longer have to pay my mortgage, fill my gas tank, do anything for my own health care or basically have to work in general. I can sit on my fat ass and let the government take care of me.

In all seriousness...I have to wonder how the forces at odds here will play out... on one side, we have the desire to achieve, excel, earn, etc. and on the other side, we have a serious disincentive to do any of that in the form of taxes and bailout programs. Will enough people keep working to keep our country going or will enough start to throw in the towel and say it's not worth it anymore? Then where will that tax revenue come from? Now how will all these lovely programs be paid for? 

I cannot believe we've voted in radical left, socialist leaders. I waiver between new resolve to fight and preach conservatism and a callous attitude of 'let America get the full brunt of what they've voted for'. I guess I love my country too much...I'm going to keep fighting. I won't sue, I won't cry foul, I won't hope for physical harm to come to those who are so opposed to me...I'm just going to keep teaching, keep working and keep trying. Yes, I'll get taxed more. Yes, I might be prevented from paying for more help because I'm being taxed more...but I'll keep trying to overcome. I'm determined to be one of the few who put on this ridiculous yoke of the government and pull the country forward. I guess that makes me stupid. I hope it helps make a better life for my children.