I voted!

I dropped off my ballot at county elections, and sadly my vote was more a vote against Obama rather than a vote for McCain. (One of these days I want to feel compelled to vote for a candidate!) At the end of the day, I’ve accepted that the country may be headed for Jimmy Carter’s second term, but right now isn’t the right time to go silently into the night. Let me make one thing crystal clear, if Obama wins I will make out like a bandit! I’m a married 30 year old unemployed student who receives socialized health care. I expect to pocket thousands of dollars in cash and additional benefits from the Feds under a democrat controlled White House and Congress. My problem with that is that I haven’t earned it or paid into it for years. I paid under $1000 in Federal income taxes in the last two years. How is it fair for me to receive all these benefits from Uncle Sam when I’m not paying anything in to the system? Thanks, by the way, for all the hard work you do on my behalf.

I’ll still do okay with John McCain in the White House. I just won’t have as much of a windfall. With that said, I’ve been spending a lot of time researching Obama’s “Blueprint for America”. I’ll be posting a series of responses to his remaking of America. Many have already compared the two candidates ad nausea, but for some reason undecided voters are still in the double digits and voter turnout is lower in Oregon than one would expect for such a hyped vote. Could that be because we’re hoping for one of these two to really hit it out of the park?

The simple fact is that John McCain is a Democrat masquerading as a Republican and Barack Obama is a socialist masquerading as a Democrat. So I ask myself, just how far left do I want the country to swing? Should we correct to the center compared to the hard right of the current administration or should we swing to the opposite extreme of the political spectrum? Obama represents a hard left swing. The answer for the United States is not another extremist in the White House. What we need is a relative moderate. On Tuesday, I hope you’ll join me in voting for John McCain because our country doesn’t need another extremist in the White House.

Great Links: 100% healthy and natural baby food

This is a great story. Two of the nicest people in the world were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, in spite of the odds. And in today's nutritional renaissance, developed the ideas and products to provide a natural alternative to the mass produced, nutritionally questionable baby food available in today's grocery stores.

Check them out at www.maternalspirit.com or click the link off to the left of the screen.

Great Links: Awesome Adoption Story!

Through my wife’s work with pregnant women, I was exposed to two amazing women this year, both of whom lost their babies. One of them is healing thorough sharing. She developed the youtube.com video linked under “Awesome Adoption Story!” Check it out and share it.

In 2003, there were nearly 1.3 million abortions in the US. In 2004, there were nearly 1.5 million live births to unmarried women. Almost all of the women were between 15 and 29. Of the 72.3 million children living in the US in 2004, 1.6 million had been adopted. Adoption is a wonderful, loving, underused option. It’s an option that must be seriously considered as part of family planning and when reacting to the special circumstances the result from unplanned pregnancy.

Finding the right words just got easier

Medical News Today is reporting on a new service coming to a town near you.

"In Portland, there's an easy way to tell your sex partners you have an STD. Send them a free inSPOT e-card, ANONYMOUSLY or from your email address, right here."

Go to www.inspot.org for a good laugh!

In all seriousness, is this too much? Think about everything you have to do to have sex. For most of us, it takes effort (usually, the more effort it takes, the better it is). By the time we get around to getting it, shouldn't we past the gooeyness. Are we really not big enough to make the "hey, I'm pregnant and it's yours" call or the "did you post pictures of me on the Internet" call or the "so, I have a STD, you should go get checked" call?

The gas is falling! The gas is falling!

Chicken little got in trouble for over reacting to what eventually turned out to be a real problem. I guess we have a chicken little complex when it comes to energy. Now that regular unleaded can be purchased for under $3/gallon, we seem to care less about conserving energy and finding alternative energy sources.

At least one voice is still screaming from the roof tops though. Oil tycoon, T. Boone Pickens is still promoting his answer to the energy crisis.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27052462/
http://www.pickensplan.com

I love my a/c, heater, electric lights, and especially, my car. I always have and I always will. Raise the prices a BTU, a therm, or a gallon and my habits will be focused on wise use of my resources. I support increaed domestic drilliing and refining capacity, but only as a moderate-term bridge to other alternatives, including nuclear and natural gas. It's always been about conservationism and stewardship for me, well, at least until I was told that I was told the sky was falling -- and it was all my fault.

Beware the stripper!

This is hillarious! Man attacked by stripper's shoe.

MSNBC has a link to this story and I found more on it at
http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272623263.shtml

politcs as usual

I know a lot of you don’t live in the Portland-Metro area (or even Oregon) but even if you’re not an Oregon voter or care about politics, we have a lot of sexy stuff going on here (and some stuff that’ll put cha to sleep).

We get to choose from a man who’s company apparently hires illegal aliens and a one who supports big tax increases and ridiculously nice furniture at the public’s expense to be our next US Senator. Our congressional delegation will probably all return to Washington, D.C. in spite of all they’ve done. The woman who will probably become Oregon’s next Secretary of State single handedly blocked the passage of Jessica’s Law until it was obvious that if they didn’t pass it, the people would. And on. And on. It’s good times.

Here are my quick thoughts on the measures.

Measure 54 – Standardizes voting eligibility for school board elections with other state and local elections. If you’re confused about why anyone would have a problem with this, you’re in good company.

Measure 55 – Changes operative date of redistricting plans; allows affected legislators to finish term in original district. You bet. If a district elects someone to represent them, they should finish the job they were hired to do.

Measure 56 – Provides that May and November property tax elections are decided by majority of voters voting. Eliminates voter turnout requirement. In spite of generally agreeing with the Arguments in Opposition, yes. Every vote counts every time. SO VOTE! It’s more patriotic than paying taxes.

Measure 57 – Increases sentences for drug trafficking, theft against elderly and specified repeat property and identity theft crimes; requires addiction treatment for certain offenders. I want to, but it just doesn’t go far enough and there’s a better option on this ballot.

Measure 58 – Prohibits teaching public school student in language other than English for more than two years. Full immersion? Absolutely! It’s worked for everyone I know who speaks English.

Measure 59 – Creates an unlimited deduction for federal income taxes on individual taxpayers’ Oregon income-tax returns. Yes!!! I hate to vote my pocket book, but right now, I can use every dime I can keep. More than that though, Oregon stewards need to exercise better control of the assets we entrust them with.

Measure 60 – Teacher “classroom performance,” not seniority, determines pay raises; “most qualified” teachers retained, regardless of seniority. I grew up in a union family and held a union job. Unions have their place and have added a great deal to the quality of our working environments, however, the most qualified person for the job should do the job. Yes.

Measure 61 – Creates mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain theft, identity theft, forgery, drug, and burglary crimes. Yes. It’s time we people remembered that if they violated a cultural virtue (ya know, breaks the law), there would be a consequence. M61 is a good step in that direction. In the immortal words of Jim Carey, “STOP BREAKIN’ THE LAW, ASSHOLE!”

Measure 62 – Allocates 15% of lottery proceeds to public safety for crime prevention, investigation, prosecution. I support crime prevention, investigation, and prosecution, but this is not the way to get it done. Oregon’s all-funds budget is upwards of $40bn. These programs should be fully funded by the general fund, not lottery.

Measure 63 – Exempts specified property owners from building permit requirements for improvements valued at/under 35,000 dollars. No.

Measure 64 – Penalized person, entity for using funds collected with “public resources” (defined) for “political purpose” (defined). Yes. Don’t use my money to collect yours!

Measure 65 – Changes general election nomination processes for major/minor party, independent candidates for most partisan offices. No. Our primary system is an important part of our election process. And so is our general election. Put the winners of the primary’s on the ballot next to any other-party candidates who qualify.

Now you know what I think. What do you think? For those who live outside Oregon, what’s going on in your area? Most of all though, remember, whether we agree or not, get your ballot turned in by November 4th!

Something concrete?

Alright, somehow McCain got the nod from his party and selected an unknown governor from the least populated (albeit, largest) state, as his running mate. I didn’t get it either but that’s the way it is. Regardless who they put up, there are a couple of real problems I have with Obama/Biden I’m having a hard time getting past.

My number one sticking point is that, as a state senator, he didn’t support the Born Alive Infant Protection Act and blocked a number of votes on this bill to protect children who survive failed abortions. When a similar bill was presented to the U.S. Congress, even NARAL supported its passage, and only 15 representatives voted against it. I have a real hard time supporting someone who wouldn't act to protect those children. Obama attempted to address this during the third debate, but ‘there was a bill already in place’ doesn’t fly with me. We do repeat ourselves a lot in this country.

Second, the candidate for change doesn't seem to be very representative of change. I haven't been able to find any track record of changing anything. He hasn't sponsored or written any meaningful bills in either Illinois or the US Senate. I interpret his actions as quite the opposite. What’s worse is that in the US Senate, he didn’t even vote. (See www.obama.senate.gov/votes.) His lack of involvement bothers me, but when he does vote, he votes with his party 97% of the time. Finally, he surrounds himself by the establishment. His running mate has been in the Congress since 1972. What change?

I’ve taken a couple of “tests” to see where I stand on issues in comparison to the candidates. According to the results of a poll I took on www.barackobamatest.com, I disagree with Obama on 92% of the issues. www.myspace.com/mydebates suggested that I would agree with Obama on two of 14 issues.

I like the idea of balance. No party should ever control both the legislative and executive branches of government. The conversation becomes too one sided and our nation swings in that direction of the pendulum. Never-the-less, I still don’t like McCain but need a smoking gun to eliminate McCain as the option. Anyone?

If not him, who?

I don't like John McCain. I'm sure he's a fine man, and I certainly appreciate his sacrifice in the name of our country, but his politics in the last few years have really rubbed me the right way. Here are a few examples just off the top of my head. I'm uncomfortable with his record on illegal aliens. I really don't like that he wants to close the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and bring the enemy combatants into the U.S. where they'll receive Constitutional rights. I think his opinion on human's contribution to Global Warming is politically motivated. I also think he's a little gruff and his administration leaves something to be desired.

But I think I have no choice but to vote for him. I've asked a number of people why I should for Obama and to paraphrase the two recurring answers I get, he's not George Bush and he makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I really need to know that answer to my question because there are a number of things about Barack Obama I just can't get past.

What do Honda's and butts have in common?

Opinions are like Honda's and butts. Everyone has one and they all stink except your own. In spite of that, I'm gonna add my voice to the conversation. I want this to be a forum for us to engage in serious discussions about ideas that matter and have some fun. I only have three requests...

1. Respect contributors. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Challenge opinions. Check "facts". But I'm sick of all the name calling and abuse that's so easily becomes part of the dialogue. I'm just tired of the negativity. Can't we all just get along?!? (Now I must go start a riot.)
2. Try to use specifics. This month is full of generalities and sound bites. Let's get to some substance, some truth, and know where its coming from.
3. Take it easy on the "talking points".

No topic is too big. No topic is too small. Let's have some fun. Enjoy the anonymity of this world and let us know what you really think!