Wednesday, November 7, 2012

One Last Political Post

I am glad and relieved that President Obama will be serving another four years!
I am the most excited that we wont have to hear election news non-stop for a while, and I think we all can agree on that!
I just have to stand on my soap-box for a minute and give some final thoughts on things.  For those who don't know me personally, I believe in the liberal platform, but I live in Texas so a good majority of people I love and care about disagree with me. 
Here goes my version of an "I have a dream..."
I wish the person who runs and comes in second could have a place in politics.  I am probably just 'being a girl' about things and wanting everyone to get a turn, but I think anyone who campaigns for years for the presidency does care about the US and could make some decent contributions to the running of the country.  Would it be too ridiculous for Mitt to be VP and the two of them be forced to work together?  Maybe nothing would get done that way, I am not sure. 
I also wish that people would respect our leaders.  I know I am guilty of making a load of cracks against George W Bush, and for that I am a bit regretful.  I wish everyone would remember that this person we are electing is merely a man, like you or I.  They are not going to be perfect, and they will have to make decisions of enormous importance that would probably blow the average person's mind.  The job is tough, and I think anyone courageous enough to do the job deserves our prayers and hopes that they will do a good job.  What good does ripping down your leader do?  Answer, nothing. 
What I wish more than anything:  I wish everyone would stop assuming that people with differing opinions than yours are dumb & ill informed.  I am guilty as charged with the assumption that people are ill informed, and I am trying to bite my toungue about a lot of stuff that comes across my newsfeed.  When I put myself in other's shoes, things make total sense to me.  When I check out the people on my friends list on facebook who have also 'liked' Mitt Romney, I can tell you exactly their type.
They are financially well off young professionals, Evangelical Christians/religious, small business owners, financially well off older people, gun/hunting enthusiasts, military or military spouses, and those employed in the energy industry.
*If you are financially well off or a small business owner, you don't want to pay more taxes, you want a friendly business environment, etc.  Voting Republican makes sense for you.
*My co-worker who is a former military person says the only time the service people got a raise was when the conservatives were in office.  Fair enough, right?
*As a Christian you may feel deeply about social issues like abortion and gay marriage, and the like.  I do not begrudge you to vote your conscience, though I disagree. (I am a Christian)
*If you like job security and you work for Shell Oil, or Haliburton by all means, vote the way that gets yourself a raise because you got some sweet government contracts. 
*As far as those who just believe in a sense of personal responsibility, I totally get you.  It is frustrating when you feel like you pay increasing amounts for things for nothing.  The national debt is a cause for concern, sure.  Have I just talked myself into being a right-winger?
None of those above reasons are stupid or ill-informed.  It is clear that democracy works when everyone votes for their personal best interests.  But I think PLENTY of people can't see outside their own existence to recognize that not everyone holds Christian values, makes a ton of money, or works in the oil business, etc. 
I can't as easily group the rest of my facebook friends into what they may stand for, here is why I vote left, and how I am not stupid or ill informed.
*For now I am employed in a small business.  The current policies have not really helped or hurt the amount of business we do.  I look at economic data and I see upward trends.  I don't feel nervous about my ability to get a better job when the time comes, or an equivalent job if something were to happen here.  Maybe I am just lucky to be in Texas.  But I think the economy has been pretty decent to me the last four years, so that is no reason for me to think doomsday will be upon us with another four years of the same.
*I want universal health care to happen in my lifetime.  Every other wealthy country on the planet has it, and they aren't taxed to death or facing death panels.  They live longer and are generally healthier than people in the US.  The thing with health insurance that makes no sense to me is that you are always going to need it.  Unless you get hit by a bus at the age of 30, it is super rare that you will live into your old age without someone in your immediate family going through some catastrophically expensive ordeal.  If I never crash my car for the remainder of my driving life, my insurance company wins and gets all the premiums I paid for my lifetime, the end.  If I were to pay $500 per month (which is high!) every month from birth to 80 years, that is $480,000.  Some medical things that I know of just out of my immediate circle.  Premature babies, Open Heart Surgery, Kidney failure, Cancer, Knee Surgeries.  It is not too difficult to hit that $480,000 mark and surpass it.  So it would seem the health insurance company will always lose.  Which is why the costs get driven up so much and it costs $20 for a bandaid at the ER.  And all people get care, regardless of their ability to pay, which also drives premiums up.  So I think it is a step in the right direction to have everyone insured, but why not cut out the middle man and provide for everyone.  It would be so much cheaper than it is now, and doctors would be incentivized to have healthy patients rather than prescribe more pills.
*I am a woman, and I don't want government involved in my ladybusiness.  I hate abortion, which I will discuss in a second, but I think if you allow decisions to be made about your pregnancy, or your contraception options, or your requirement to get vaccinated for HPV, you open up the opportunity for decisions to be made about all sorts of uncomfortable things that are none of anyone's business.  And when I was an uninsured college student I was a customer of planned parenthood for my lady needs (I was never in a position to want or need an abortion) and while it is impossible to know what other ladies were there for, it seemed just like a regular doctors office that served mainly low income people.  I am all for taking away their funding if we had a universal system where the poor can receive low cost services, but until that day comes I find it reprehensible to do away with such an important service for the poor.  Christians are supposed to love and support the poor right?  Jesus says so.  And goodhearted kind people should as well.   
*I support all life.  I think abortion is so terribly sad, and it hurts my heart.  Not only for the unborn child, but it can mess up a woman's ladybusiness if she later wants to be a mother, and I think there have been studies that it is a tough mental/emotional thing to even go through.  When I think about it, I thank God that I have never been in a position to have to make a decision about an unwanted pregnancy.  I have two awesome step-siblings who were both adopted, and I couldn't even imagine if...I can't even say it.  But continuing on my life supporting, I just as much value the life of the people overseas that we are shooting and and attacking with drones, and the prisoners that we are sentencing to death.  Since the left is more anti-war and anti-capital punishment, I side with them.  As far as abortions go, I think we should take a factual approach.  Pushing religious ideals of abstinence only is a nice thought, but not everyone is religious, or follows their religion's teachings.  But if we education young women and men, give low income ladies some options, support the idea of adoption, we can make strides in handling this issue.  But honestly, much like poverty, I doubt it will ever completely go away.  If you are morally against the practice, totally understandable, but that is only one very small part of a big faith/belief system.  If there is overlap of actions of a non Christian and a Christian, that doesn't make them any closer to God.  Sin can be forgiven, but whether or not you are a fan of Jesus should be more concerning to you.  As far as I know all my Atheist friends don't murder anyone, but I don't think that is their ticket into heaven just because they aren't sinning in that particular way... 
*I am a student, my husband is a student.  So naturally I support my student loans having low interest and in general making it easy for the population to advance their education. 
*I believe in equal rights for all people.  You can read the extended version here
*I think we should pay our fair taxes and help the poor.  God said give to Caesar what is Caesar's.  It is just money.  Frankly, I am on track to make plenty of it in my lifetime.  As a Christian it is my duty to help the poor.  It isn't my place to scrutinize why they are poor, or what they could do to get un-poor.  God just told me to help, so I will.  I am happy that certain leaders such as Barack Obama feel that same.  Plus the government hires a boatload of people.  More people with money to spend is better for the entire economy rather than Mark Zuckerberg getting to hire another maid with his tax break.
And to put a republican-ish spin on helping the poor:  helping them also is a form of crime control.  Because if someone is desperate for food or a roof over their head (you know because the government thinks they shouldn't need any help from food stamps or housing assistance) they are going to have less of a moral problem breaking into your car to grab your $500 phone, or selling drugs to your 5th grader.  Look at the numbers, when the economy is good for least fortunate, crime levels decrease. 
*I am of Hispanic descent, so though my family never really immigrated here (we lived in Texas when Texas was Mexico) I feel for people who want a life of better opportunity at such extreme costs.  When I think of immigrants I think of the sweet older lady who cleans our office every week, we chit chat as best we can due to the language barrier.  She had some heart procedure last year and was back cleaning our office two weeks later.  I think of the guys who cut my mom's humongous yard for $25, and who was one of the few people who would call her once my step dad passed on to see how she was doing.  I always thought that was beyond kind of him, I mean, he doesn't even really know her.  When I personalize the issue, it is a lot harder for me to feel anger towards these hardworking decent people. 

*This is a personal Romney thing, but I don't think business people should be public servants.  It is a total conflict of ideologies.  If you are a business person, your sole focus is the dollars at the bottom line.  The only thing you could maybe bring to government is to balance a budget by heartless slash and burning of services.  The best place for you, business person, are places like Bain Capital, Wall Street and the like.  Public servants are the types that care about money after they care about citizens.  They know they work for us, and not for a stock price rising half a cent. 
So I hope I have made the case for myself that I am not one who is lazy and wants a handout, is a Godless heathen, or ill informed.  If I didn't list a certain issue, it is because I don't really think about it.  International affairs don't worry me much, nor does gun control, or etc.
Where I think the Republicans are going wrong:
I find myself more conservative leaning about certain things the older I get.  What is that saying?  If you are under 30 and a conservative, you don't have a heart, if you are over 30 and liberal, you don't have a brain?  I am sure there is some truth behind that sentiment. 
I think the Republicans really need to think about who their ideals are alienating.  Our country is very diverse and changing year by year.  We aren't so much a bunch of white men anymore.  We are minorities of all colors, we are female, young, gay, secular, etc.  There needs to be a better way for this party to reach out to the non-white men of society, because your ideas aren't half bad a lot of the time.  But if you are against something that is fundamentally who I am(woman, minority, one who wants health care for all...), I stop listening.  The Dems keep winning because these people you exclude are the majority of the voting population now.  Big tactical error.  We aren't stupid or ill informed, we are only voting in our best interests as we should be.  
Yes, please.﻿
and another funny from my cousin Emily:
Am I right?? ;)


Gabrielle Watson said...

Well said Natalie :)

I voted the same for the same reasons. I personally do not choose to blatantly post my feelings on FB because EVERYONE and their moms post enough for the rest of us. I've grown very tired of the 'like' Romney this and that and the single issue voters. Seriously.

Love that you wrote this, thank you for sharing. You and I are very much alike. Both in our late 20s, both students, both Hispanic descent, both support equality for all, etc.

Glad to know you :)


I feel you on the FB posting! Sometimes I can't help it though, when people are ranting about an issue with one sided info! I figure I can share here since it is my blog, and noone is forced to read it, lol.
I am really glad to know that I am not alone in my thoughts and beliefs, it is good to know you as well :)

Unknown said...

OK I stopped reading LOL I live in Houston, Hispanic and conservative for the most part..



LOL, whoops, I am scaring people off... Hopefully we can agree to disagree :)

Amy Quinn said...

Oh a fellow political poster :) haha


Love your blog! :)

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