Happy New Year!

Well, here it is 2012.  So many predictions made about this year. So many "signs" that the rapture it coming.  Will we see 2013?  I say we will and we will be in a much better place than we are now.  I don't know what it is, but I have this tremendous feeling that 2012 is going to be one hell of a year! 
Politics are going to be very exciting.  At least now we have a real reason to pay attention to who's running for President and what they are saying.  So, what will it be?  Will you vote for someone who changes their tune depending on the crowd they are speaking to?  Or will you vote for someone who uses social issues to distract us from the real problems of this country?  Or will you vote for someone who has actually tried to get something done?  Albeit, hasn't gotten a ton done due to the Tea Party roadblock sitting in Congress.  Congress! Bah!  That's where we really need to shake things up.  What a bunch of children! 
That's where my hope for change is. 

Whew! Do I feel better!

Ok, I feel better now.  I have been calmed down by some new articles and conversations with friends.  The Christian Left posted this article: http://gocl.me/rrfYmo to shine some light on the Naomi Wolf article I panicked about in my last post.  While we will probably never know the absolute facts around this, I see that Naomi is someone you have to take with a grain of salt.  I haven't seen much of her before this so I admit, I jumped on that band wagon for a minute. 
I was also calmed down about the whole vote in the Senate thing by a friend.  I admit I was a bit leary of the original because it was coming from the ACLU and after all, there are protections against this sort of stuff (Americans being arrested & detained without charges indefinitely) in the Constitution. 
I should've known better than to get all worked up about these things.  You just never know anymore with the way Congress is behaving.  I also shouldn't write in my blog when I've had a Vicodin and 3 ibuprofin for my aching back.  Oh well, it was entertaining. I'm going to have to do a little more research and trust my instincts better before I go spouting off things on here.

The Occupy Movement.

I have had several conversations and debates about #OWS the past few weeks and I figured I should get some of it on my blog.  I'm not sure where to start now, however, after reading a couple articles tonight.  The first one was about the coordinated attacks by the police to shut down several of the movements in many of the big cities. http://gu.com/p/33thv 
Then I read another very disturbing article about a Senate vote this Monday or Tuesday for the
National Defense Authorization Act bill. http://t.co/iskWIrzO
This is insane!  What is happening to this country??  This is like some bad nightmare coming true, or oh, look, 2012 is on my TV.  That will be next. 
Do ya think maybe the OWS people have hit the nail on the head?  I think the .01% is starting to panic a little and are finding out the sheep aren't going to be such followers after all.  Wow, I sound like some wacko conspiracy theorist.  But you really have to wonder why all these peaceful protests are being met with violence from the police, when the Tea Baggers were bringing guns to their rallies. 
Maybe some of my more conservative friends will start to see the point for OWS now.  This is about all of us.  Our basic American rights are being taken away.  They are messing with voting districts and regulations and flaunting it in our faces. http://gu.com/p/33h8q 
Yes, money is the root of all evil and it has a firm grip on our US government.  We are so screwed.

Slightly Switching Gears

So, I've been thinking for about the last week, I know, I smell smoke too, and I have come to a decision about my activism and posting on Facebook, and here for that matter. 
Last week I copied a post from a friend:

Don't like gay marriages? Don't get one.. Don't like cigarettes? Don't smoke them.. Don't like abortions? Don't get one.. Don't like sex? Don't have it.. Don't like drugs? Don't do them.. Don't like porn? Don't watch it.. Don't like alcohol? Don't drink it.. Don't like guns? Don't buy one.. Don't like your rights taken away??? Don't take away someone else's. (re-post if you agree)


Anyway, some 47 comments and 10 hours later, I was exhausted.  Then I posted something about not spreading the fear and my friend that started the debate last week started in on me again.  Not that I minded, I was just still wiped from the last debate & actually pretty cranky about all things Congressional that day.  Well, that solidified the decision I had already made last Friday.
 
I have around 300 friends & family on my list on Facebook.  I love each one of them dearly.  Even the ones I barely know or haven't seen in forever.  We all have very different opinions about things.  I have no problem with this.  I love a good debate.  However, some of the issues we debate can make us very angry at each other for a time.  We are all entitled to have our own beliefs and opinions and I'm not out to change any one's.
 
So, TA, DA, DA!  I have decided that in the future, I will keep my activism to things factual.  Things that have documented proof that they are true and/or better for the country.  I will not be posting things about Same-sex Marriage, Abortion or Religion.  I have too many people in my life that vehemently disagree with me on some of these social issues.  I don't want to debate those things anymore.  While they are very important, I feel that at this time they are also a distraction from what is really going on in this country.  I am going to focus on the Corporate take over of this country and help to restore the middle class to where we should be.
Thank you for your time. :-)

Happy Fourth of July!

I just finished watching "1776" on TCM.  I haven't watched that movie fully through since it first came out in 1972.  It's kind of corn ball given it's a musical about the birth of our Nation, but I actually found myself crying at the end when the Congress voted for and signed the Declaration Of Independence. 
I also found myself, throughout the movie comparing the original congress members to current ones.  It was kind of funny in a way to see that things haven't changed in 235 years. 
I love this country desperately.  I pray that we will get this current crisis right as they did in 1776 when John Adams and the others fought so hard for our independence.  I would really hate to see that fight go to waste after all these years...

This Marriage Thing

So, now New York is allowing same sex marriage. There are people who, yes believe it or not, have a problem with this.  What is so hard about this?  This is not a "Gay" thing. It's a human rights thing.  Homosexuality is not a choice.  Allowing this community to get married is not a gateway to man on animal or some other perverted thing.  Calling it marriage is not going to ruin the state of marriage as we know it.  I'm in my second marriage with a man.  It's also about to become my second divorce.  I have a gay cousin whom recently married.  I'll be willing to bet that their marriage lasts longer than my 2 put together.  Her brother was married to a woman and that marriage is dissolved also. 
 What is so wrong with two people who love each other having a commitment to each other and having all the rights that go with it?  Including raising children adopted or otherwise.  They will not be "raising more Gays".  As far as I know most homosexuals come from heterosexual parents.  I really don't think it's something that can be taught.  This is the exact same thing as Women's Rights and rights for minorities.  This is a human thing.  We should all have the right to love whom we love and have all the benefits that go with that. 
  This isn't even a religious thing.  I believe that churches should still have the right to refuse to marry anyone they want.  There is that separation of church & state.  That is between them and God.  My cousin found a church where she was accepted and allowed to marry.  They are out there.  But, no, that is one thing that can't be forced upon them by the State. 
  Why is it that the people who holler the loudest about government staying out of their lives are the ones trying to impose their beliefs on the laws and make government oversee our bedrooms and Dr. appointments?

 

Congressional Republicans ~ The New Two Year Olds

Wow!  When I heard tonight that Eric Cantor refused to continue the budget talks, I thought I was going to throw up!  Like a spoiled little kid doesn't want to play unless he gets it all his way. Normally I try to stay very civil here, but I am really having a hard time with this.  Then I saw a clip of Boehner saying we just can't have tax increases at this time.  Sure, let's just cut all this spending and don't bother to increase revenue. Yeah, that'll work.  You want to cut spending?? Start in the defense department.  Start with Congressional pensions and benefits.  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/43519193#43519193

"Government is bad and we should not have regulations."  Except of course when we are regulating women's reproductive choices and workers the right to collective bargaining.
  I just really really hope people wake up before it's too late.  The middle class is about to disappear.  We are losing everything.  The Republicans (Tea Partiers) are taking over and screw everyone else.  Look at what is happening in Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, and now New Jersey.  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/43519193#43519040.  These Republican governors are running over the middle class.  If they can't get the anti union bills passed, they are coming up with voter registration laws. 
AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!  I am so angry about this I can't even write any more.  I've got to figure out a way to do something about this.