Let's just get it all out now.

I can't post anything political on my blog from my work computer because I work for the government. I can't even comment on people's blogs in any way that would be seen as favoring one candidate or another.

Granted, I'm certainly not in a position where anyone would see that there's a conflict of interest or anything (like those folks that are in presidentially appointed positions). But it's at the very least a waste of taxpayer money to have me blogging during work hours. However, as long as it's not political and I'm writing on my lunch break, I think I'm probably not running the chance of being "Dooced".

So anyway, I wanted to take a few minutes tonight before I get caught up in making dinner and cleaning up the house and watching The Daily Show or the rest of the Ugly Betty episodes I haven't seen yet to mention a few *gasp* political things that've been on my mind lately...

1.) This weekend my father came down to Virginia to visit me. When we were driving on the beltway, I saw a white Prius (the same car my dad owns) from a distance with a bumber sticker that was shaped similarly to the McCain/Palin bumper sticker. I said, "Hey Dad, look - there's your car. Ha ha... Wouldn't it be messed up to see a Prius with a McCain bumper sticker?" And he said something to effect of "Yeah, that would be completely ridiculous." But then we got closer to the Prius and saw that it was a McCain bumper sticker. Are you fucking kidding me? He probably doesn't give two shits about the environment and just likes the car for the good gas mileage. It just seemed like the biggest oxymoron.

2.) I have seen a few people in my neighborhood with McCain yard signs coupled with these other signs that say "Drill Now / Pay Less / Vote GOP".

GET THE FACTS, PEOPLE. Here's a great article explaining why this idea is total bullshit. So if you happen to think this is a great sign, why don't you do the world a favor and take a minute to inform yourself.

3.) I am so sick of people talking about Obama's "lack of experience". He's been a senator for four years and was in politics before that. He's good - no, GREAT - at his job. I think it's refreshing to have someone in the race who hasn't been in Washington for 40 years because that's the sort of person who says "That's just how things are." I like Obama because I think he can shake things up and say "I don't care if that's the way things have always been. We need to make this work better than that." Foreign leaders have reacted VERY positively to him. When I was in Europe recently, everyone I talked to was really excited about Obama and sees him as America's chance to renew itself in the eyes of the world. We need a leader who can see things with a "clean pair of eyes" as David Gray sings.

4.) Now here's the doozie. I would like to really put myself out there and tell the world what I think about Republicans. And I would like any Republican who reads this (Conservative Apple, are you out there? Mothergoosemouse?) to tell me why you are a Republican. Really - I want to know. Because I know people who are Republicans that are perfectly nice people. (Imagine that!) I just don't understand why they align themselves with that party. So please help me to understand.

When I think of Republicans in general, I think of someone who is either religious to the point of thinking that they think they should make judgments on everyone else's lives and make laws to match their beliefs...or someone who's rich.

The religious ones gravitate towards the Republican party because they want to outlaw abortion and ban gay marriage. And the rich ones are Republicans because they don't want their money going out to help anyone but themselves. Screw poor people - it's their own fault they're in the situation they're in. I don't to work hard just to give my money to other people.

I simply cannot respect someone who thinks like that and here's why.

• When it comes to abortion, if you don't allow a reasonable provision for the health of the mother and cases of incest or rape, I think you're a fucking monster. I've written about this before and it's something I feel very strongly about. If you think you should simply "counsel" a woman who was raped into keeping her baby, you have never been sexually assaulted or know someone who was. I believe that it is absolutely necessary to have options in cases like those. Just because I'm pro-choice doesn't mean that I Love Abortions. I mean, that's fucking ridiculous. I'm sure it's the most horrible decision any woman has ever had to make. So for anyone who thinks that pro-choice women just consider abortion another form of "birth control", you are sickly mistaken.



• When it comes to gay marriage, if you are against it your response is very likely that "it says that it's wrong in the Bible." Well, you know what? There are a lot of things that book says you shouldn't do - but people do them anyway. (Just read A.J. Jacobs' book "The Year of Living Biblically".) I'm sure you'd say that there's no comparing the rule not to wear mixed fibers with the horrible sin that is homosexuality. Fine, think what you want. But if two people of the same sex want to get married, what the hell does it matter to YOU? In your system of beliefs, they would be the ones to go to hell - not you. And don't spout off that bullshit about gay unions destroying the sanctity of marriage. First of all, um, how is that exactly? And secondly, you know what's really destroying the sanctity of marriage? DIVORCE. So if anything, the lawmakers should be working on outlawing divorces before they say "Your love is not worthy of a lawful union" to two people who care for each other in the same way a man and a woman should when they marry.



• When it comes to the "fuck the poor" mentality, that is another symptom of being two things: selfish and uneducated about what it means to be poor. Sure, there are people who are poor because they're addicted to drugs and can't hold a decent job (if any). But what about the kid who grew up in a poor family? His dad was laid off and so they had no money for him to go to college. In fact, he had to drop out of high school to work so that he could help support his family. How the hell does someone like that get an opportunity to make his life better?
  
  Someone who makes $250,000 is very fortunate that things have worked out for them in life. I am of the belief that someone like that should be a good human being and say "Yes, I will pay more taxes than someone who makes $12,000 a year if it will put programs in the schools that will help to make their children more successful. Children that will someday be my doctor, or my grandchildren's teachers, or maybe even the one who discovers a cure to a terrible disease." We should reach out to help those who are less fortunate than us simply because it's the right thing to do.

Okay, I think I've got it all out of my system. *sigh*

Thank you for reading what I have to say.

So what do you think of when you think of "Republicans", or "Democrats"? What do those labels stand for?

If you disagree with my beliefs, I hope you'll have the decency to express your disagreement in a thoughtful way. (Like, if you don't agree - why not? Explain! Help me understand your point of view.) Thanks, again.