Everyone else is doing it...

So since everyone else is blogging about the upcoming election I figured I'd throw my two cents in. First, a little background. I originally was going to double major in french and political science but dropped poly sci to a minor. I tend to base my opinions off of my knowledge from school...I took a lot of foreign politics/policy classes and history classes on ethnic conflict. I don't really like to watch the news because it's all sorts of biased one way or the other (except for the BBC...after living in another country I've realized that our country's idea of journalism is horrendous). I was really, really into politics. I stayed up til two in the morning during the 2004 election and balled my eyes out when Bush was re-elected. I got to see firsthand how political races are run and what goes into making a politician (I was my Congresswoman's nanny). All of this....and I very well may abstain from voting this year. So here's my opinion...I'm not sugarcoating it.

I now live a military life. I support the military...I don't support the war. I never did, I never will. You cannot honestly tell me that "Operation Iraqi Freedom" was to free the Iraqi people. That is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. If we're so keen on saving oppressed people...there are plenty of ethnic groups around the world that are being exterminated that could use our help. I understand why we had the first Persian Gulf War. Iraq invaded Kuwait and that is unacceptable. It is also unacceptable for us to strike pre-emptively. Very simply put...you don't hurt someone unless they hurt you first. All that I've ever been able to akin this to is Hitler's invasion of Austria and Czechoslovakia. I am glad that the Iraqi government wants us out and gave us a deadline. I think we need to let them have some more power and to start (slowly) withdrawing our troops. As far as the WMD reason for invading Iraq....well we saw how well that went. I think those issues should be left up to the UN. WE ARE NOT THE WORLD POLICE.

Another note on the military...and I'm sure people will be shocked to hear this. I do not care if Jimmy gets another raise like he does every year. It's nice that they want to give the military more money...but he gets paid enough. There are more pressing issues that that money can be used for..like healthcare. Yes, I want universal health care. I've always wanted it and as a person living without health insurance right now....I completely understand. Tricare's ways of "no paying" is not the life of the average American. Case in point, I am debating accepting my company's health insurance because it's expensive and I don't make enough money to begin with...I really need that extra money to pay down debt, buy groceries, etc. Then there are people who work and don't get the choice for benefits because many businesses can't afford to buy policies. So yes...I think the government should take on healthcare and reform it. If it means they foot some of the bill....so be it.

I could keep going on things like education, foreign policy, the demise of the middle class, etc. But I'd love to talk about my favorite topic....sex! Here we go: ABSTINENCE EDUCATION IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS, CONFOUNDED, BULLSHIT THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!!! I am horrified that our current administration only gives federal funding for abstinence only programs. In this day in age abstinence is no longer being practiced by the majority of unmarried people. We need to wake up and realize that kids are having sex...and unless you keep them under lock and key...they're going to do it. So we might as well curb the teen pregnancy and std stats by providing them with information on condoms and birth control. I can't tell you how infuriated this topic makes me. I am set with the crazy Christians running this country (note how I said crazy...meaning the fundamentalist ones who believe this shit and think they need to stuff their notions in our schools)

I've saved the best for last. I am pro-choice. I could never personally get an abortion unless I was raped. Now, as a person who has gone through sexual abuse, do you honestly want to tell me that I should endure 9 months of growing that bastard's child inside of me? Victims of incest...you want them to endure that as well? Of course they can give it up for adoption...but for christ's sake...they didn't get pregnant by mistake. I refuse, REFUSE, to let anyone tell me what I can and cannot do to my body. I do NOT want another leader that wants to take away my right to an abortion (yes I know John McCain is pro-choice and kudos to him for staying with that even though his party is usually pro-life...but his vp is pro-life...so that kind of ruined things for me). Do not call me un-Christian, God hates me, or anything like that for my beliefs....p.s. I think gays should marry too.

So who am I voting for? Well...to be honest I wanted Hillary to win the nomination...so there went my candidate of choice. I think McCain is a wonderful man and an inspiration. His choice of a female vp was super smart. He is appealing to the group of women that want a woman in office no matter what, and no matter what party. I don't agree with most of his ideas or principles...nor that of his party's....because let's face it...he has a whole administration that will be behind them..and god knows who he will choose. If I am going to vote I will be voting for Obama/Biden. I very well may abstain from voting since our votes really don't count in the presidential election (I always vote in local elections). So time will tell.

And who will Jimmy be voting for? Probably no one...he doesn't vote. He leans to the right but doesn't know enough, nor cares to, about politics. I bet you thought we'd be voting for the same people. Let me make myself clear on how I feel about this. You are your own person. You should not let your husband, boyfriend, mom, dad, sibling, friend's voting style to affect yours. I can't tell you how upset I get when I find out that someone is voting for a candidate because such-and-such said they would be good. Please, I beg of you, inform yourself. Have your own opinions. Make your own decision.

I will leave on this final note. Drilling for more oil is only putting a band-aid on a gushing wound. It will work for a little while but oil is a NON-RENEWABLE energy source. It will run out. We need to invest our money in alternative forms of energy.
And global warming is a real problem. Let's each do our part to help slow it down.