The Aftermath...or, Ode to Obama

While I should listen to the part of me that says, "don't do it," another part of me says, "it's my blog, I can say what I want"....obviously, not being one to just keep it to myself (just ask my husband or parents), I am warning you now to stop reading if you don't want to read my opinion concerning the election, the candidtates, or about politics in general.

I consider myself neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I vote based on what is important to me at that particular moment in time of my life. I voted for Clinton the second time, I voted for Gore, I then voted for Bush and most recently I voted for Obama. Obama wasn't my favorite candidate, but I liked him better than McCain. What was important to me as a voter this time around was the following (in no particular order): national security, climate issues, the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, and the economic crisis/budget reform. And I'll throw in my "pro-life" rant just to spice things up.

I don't want another 9/11, but it seems to me (me being someone with absolutely no security clearance and no military/CIA experience) Iraq is diverting attention from al Qaeda and terrorists as a whole. Can't we fight terrorists without an open-ended occupation of Iraq? Or am I a simpleton? And on the other hand, while I don't completely understand Iraq, I am so proud and thankful for our troops.

I am worried about our planet. And this is coming from someone who knows she needs to do more to reduce her "carbon footprint." I throw stuff in the trash that I know I could've recycled. However, I am not willing to start a compost pile, at least not in my current living situation (no way, no how on my balcony). I learned that people in Ireland pay for garbage pick up by weight. So Kieran's parents have a "garbage" can and they have a "recycling" can and I think they have a can for discarded food items. The lighter your "garbage" can (ie the more you recycle and/or put in the organics bin) the cheaper your garbage pickup. Again, maybe I am naive, but I think this is a great idea! Even for me, when I know I could've recycled that vodka bottle (ha!) but just tossed it out of sheer laziness, if I know I am paying for it, maybe I'd be less lazy......

There should absolutely be no Constitutional Amendment defining marriage between a man and a woman. Wake up, people! No one chooses to be gay! Furthermore, if I were gay, I'd want to be happily (or miserably, however you married folk want to define your current situation) married to my favorite person in the world, too. I am married to my best friend. Everyone should be allowed to marry their best friend (or their sugar daddy, or their arm candy, I mean, people get married for many reasons, right?) without the government getting involved. It's ridiculous.

It is a travesty that banks and big businesses are receiving massive bail-outs, yet blue collar workers are struggling due to lay offs because of our economic slowdown. We need to figure out this economy and fix it. Don't ask me, I was never good with numbers and I am happy I am able to balance my checkbook. But isn't balancing a budget much like balancing a checkbook????

And finally, being pro-choice is not being pro-abortion. Hey pro-lifers, you do realize that the pro-life ideal includes war as well as the death penalty? I have met many "pro-lifers" who think that the death penalty is ok and have no problem with going to war....

What it all boils down to is this: I am just so thankful to be an American. To live in a country where individuals can put up blogs and write whatever they damn well please and not worry about being carted off in the middle of the night because of its content (child pornography aside, but I digress...). That a person (ok, me) can vote for a Republican one year and a Democrat the next. That a person can vote, period. President-elect Obama, I hope you lead us in the right direction over the next 4 years. Make me an even prouder American. And take care of some of my laundry list above, too, please.

And if you can't, well, next time I'll vote for the other guy.