Venting. Ranting. Generally NOT Happy or What Happened to Bipartisan Government?
I'm a pacifist. No really, I am. But this? It's really making me consider 1) Anarchy, 2) Nihilism, and 3) BLOWING SHIT UP
Generally, I consider myself an idealist. I'm a liberal (oh how I'm liberal), and yeah, I have a very specific idea of what the America of the Future should look like. Sometimes, it involves the United Federation of Planets. Most often, it includes an America AT PEACE, with a stable, bipartisan government, dedicated to protecting individual liberties, perfectly balanced between individual privacy (i.e. religion, whatever happens in a person's own home or, even something as simple as a woman's body), and regulating the private sector. You can disagree with my vision of the Perfect America, and I will totally listen to you. Your opinion is just as valid as mine and I love discussing issues like this with intelligent, well-spoken individuals. And I have hope that there still exists more of this rare breed of humans, who listen to people with differing ideas and resist the urge to be real-life trolls. And that's the most crucial bit of my Vision of America: it's bipartisan.
Now, because I'm an idealist, I kind of realise that my vision of America will probably never come true. There will always be conservatives who think they are right; there will always be liberals who think they are right, and both parties might not ever be able to work together in a way that doesn't cause stress and tediousness in Congress.
But honestly? Grow the fuck up Congress. I don't even know how you got to this point, but it needs to stop. As of right now, they're about TWO HOURS from shutting down THE GOVERNMENT, and you know what they're debating? Planned parenthood. Amtrack funding. PAYING INDIVIDUALS IN THE MILITARY.
Now, I'm not saying these things aren't important. They are. The government should not be cutting funding for planned parenthood. Amtrak is awesome and shouldn't be shut down. (You can disagree with me on this point, I don't mind; fuck, you're just as entitled to say we should cut funding for planned parenthood and Amtrak is a waste of government money) The point is, these problems should have been resolved before the possibility of a government shutdown started looming in the distance. These sorts of issues should have been dealt with months ago.
What happened to fucking bipartisan communication?
No, what happened to acting like adults?
I understand we all disagree. I get it. What I don't get is how Congress became so out of touch with the American people that they can argue like a bunch of toddlers on a playground with the possibility of a government shutdown on their shoulders. There are thousands of Americans who are risking their lives, right the fuck now, who might not get paid next month because Democrats and Republicans couldn't work together. I don't think anyone, anywhere, would argue that this is kind of country we want to become.
Am I looking at this objectively? No. My sister is leaving for Japan in one month, and she'll only have about a week of leave when she finishes her training early next month. If the government shuts down, she won't have enough for a ticket home. She's counting on that paycheck to see her family once before she ships off for two years. So yeah, my ability to look at this objectively = COMPROMISED.
But in all honesty, I don't think there's a way to look at this objectively, at all. Any way you do look at it, the American government comes off looking really fucking stupid.
I love you, America. I promise I do. I just don't love those we elected to make you work right now. Maybe after this we can try listening to each other, for a change?
On the plus side, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is on my good side now. It almost makes me wish I voted for her in the last congressional election.
Generally, I consider myself an idealist. I'm a liberal (oh how I'm liberal), and yeah, I have a very specific idea of what the America of the Future should look like. Sometimes, it involves the United Federation of Planets. Most often, it includes an America AT PEACE, with a stable, bipartisan government, dedicated to protecting individual liberties, perfectly balanced between individual privacy (i.e. religion, whatever happens in a person's own home or, even something as simple as a woman's body), and regulating the private sector. You can disagree with my vision of the Perfect America, and I will totally listen to you. Your opinion is just as valid as mine and I love discussing issues like this with intelligent, well-spoken individuals. And I have hope that there still exists more of this rare breed of humans, who listen to people with differing ideas and resist the urge to be real-life trolls. And that's the most crucial bit of my Vision of America: it's bipartisan.
Now, because I'm an idealist, I kind of realise that my vision of America will probably never come true. There will always be conservatives who think they are right; there will always be liberals who think they are right, and both parties might not ever be able to work together in a way that doesn't cause stress and tediousness in Congress.
But honestly? Grow the fuck up Congress. I don't even know how you got to this point, but it needs to stop. As of right now, they're about TWO HOURS from shutting down THE GOVERNMENT, and you know what they're debating? Planned parenthood. Amtrack funding. PAYING INDIVIDUALS IN THE MILITARY.
Now, I'm not saying these things aren't important. They are. The government should not be cutting funding for planned parenthood. Amtrak is awesome and shouldn't be shut down. (You can disagree with me on this point, I don't mind; fuck, you're just as entitled to say we should cut funding for planned parenthood and Amtrak is a waste of government money) The point is, these problems should have been resolved before the possibility of a government shutdown started looming in the distance. These sorts of issues should have been dealt with months ago.
What happened to fucking bipartisan communication?
No, what happened to acting like adults?
I understand we all disagree. I get it. What I don't get is how Congress became so out of touch with the American people that they can argue like a bunch of toddlers on a playground with the possibility of a government shutdown on their shoulders. There are thousands of Americans who are risking their lives, right the fuck now, who might not get paid next month because Democrats and Republicans couldn't work together. I don't think anyone, anywhere, would argue that this is kind of country we want to become.
Am I looking at this objectively? No. My sister is leaving for Japan in one month, and she'll only have about a week of leave when she finishes her training early next month. If the government shuts down, she won't have enough for a ticket home. She's counting on that paycheck to see her family once before she ships off for two years. So yeah, my ability to look at this objectively = COMPROMISED.
But in all honesty, I don't think there's a way to look at this objectively, at all. Any way you do look at it, the American government comes off looking really fucking stupid.
I love you, America. I promise I do. I just don't love those we elected to make you work right now. Maybe after this we can try listening to each other, for a change?
On the plus side, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is on my good side now. It almost makes me wish I voted for her in the last congressional election.