I am so sorry to everyone about all of the drama that I have created with my posts about my support for Obama. I guess I just consider my audience in these posts as my friends and people who will give me their opinions and comments but will do so in a loving way, not in a way that questions my values. I don't expect people to now vote for Obama just because I feel like he is a good guy. I promise you that I will save my political feelings for my own personal journal because apparently it is just too passionate of a subject. But, after reading some of the recent comments on that particular posts, I do feel that I need to defend myself, or maybe that is not the right word, I feel that I need to clarify my feelings.
First of all, I have always felt that I was a Republican because I feel that I am conservative in my values. In the beginning of this election, I was all about voting for Mitt Romney. I was really excited for him as a candidate, but after he dropped out I began to wonder if McCain was going to turn out to be that great of a president. So for the first time ever, I decided to dig into politics and research the candidates. As I began to learn more and more about Obama I really liked his message and his goals to unify our country. I listened to him say over and over that we are our brother's keeper and we need to take care of one another. I was really drawn by this because I feel like sometimes in the Republican ideas it is every man and business for himself, and although I know that my children will get a good education and will have parents that are educated and who care about their health and well-being I also know through a couple of very personal experiences that there are so many others out there who are victims of circumstance and what about those people? According to McCain's plan, the parents will be able to choose what schools their kids go to. So I can see it already, you will have the parents who can afford to drive their kids across town to the "good" school and then you will have the parents who don't have the time or money to travel across town so their kids will have to take the bus to the "bad" school that is now full of underprivileged children. I see a lot of problems with that scenario and more than that I just don't think it is right or fair. Although I would love to not have to pay higher taxes, at the same time I feel that if I am paying higher taxes to help those people who truly need help then I'd be just fine with that. And you may ask what about those people who can help themselves but don't because they just rely on the govt? Well I know there are people out there like that but I think of what King Benjamin teaches in Mosiah about how we should give to them anyway because really "aren't we all just beggars, relying on the same God"? (that may not be the exact quote but you get the point). I know that we can give to charities and individually help people in need, but I don't think it is so bad to have a govt who is really trying to assist the needy also. After talking to my neighbor, I see that maybe I am being a little naive as to what the govt programs will actually do, because I know that the best scenario is for the churches, neighbors, and individuals to help one another but we live in a day in age where I feel that sometimes life gets so busy that we don't think often enough about helping others because we get too caught up in running kids around, fulfilling church callings, etc. At least that is something that I worry about.
I do not believe in abortion and I do not support it. As I talked to my Dad when I first began to wonder about where I stood politically, I asked him if he thought it was wrong of me to like a Democrat even if I didn't believe in abortion. He kindof reaffirmed to me what I was thinking, abortion is going to happen no matter what and just by voting for someone who is pro choice does not mean that I am supporting abortion. Besides, what Republican president has banned abortion? But, after reading some of the comments, I apologize greatly for making any of you think that I am supporting abortion by liking Obama. Maybe I am wrong for thinking that I don't have to agree with every single thing that a candidate believes, but in that case I guess none of them will work because I disagree in some way with each one of them.
I guess I just don't know who to vote for at this point. I want to be an educated voter who is voting for the best person with the best ideas to help our needy country, but in the end I am finding myself frustrated, confused, and wanting to just not vote at all. I love our country and I want it to be unified I want to have a govt who truly cares about it's people and to have healthcare available to people like my sister who seems to just fall into the cracks because of her health issues. I'm sure that I am being idealistic, but a girl can dream right?
Again, I am so sorry for the contention I have caused. This will be my last political post on my blog. Jeff and Mark, again, I am so sorry to have offended you both. Andrea, Lena, and anonymous, thank you for your love and support. :)
9 comments:
I think the whole point here is that this is YOUR BLOG. Yes, everyone is entitled to their own opinion - and that does go both ways. But to come onto someone's PERSONAL blog (regardless of the fact that it is currently publically accessible) and be so contentious and critical is inappropriate. This blog is written to an audience of family and friends (as are most blogs) - not to anyone who happens upon them and decides to be negative.
I have no problem with anyone speaking their mind and sharing their opinion. I have a problem with the way it was done.
Well said! BTW, I may be voting democrat this year too - for the first time ever.
I don't think you're alone here in feeling stuck and not wanting to vote at all. When Romney pulled out of the race I was really mad because I felt like my choice was just taken away. I almost think if he had stuck with it long enough for everyone to have a chance to vote for him, he might have been able to take the nomination. Oh well. After that I wanted to vote Dem just to show my displeasure at everything and how much I dislike McCain. Then I had to sit and think about issues that were important to me and that were most likely going to come up. You are right- at this point abortion isn't even going to ocme up. I think the laws they've made against it are good and there isn't much else to do at this point. Even the church doesn't say "no" to all abortions and it's too fuzzy of a line so I don't see how it will ever be banned or if I would support an all out ban of a sometimes necessary medical procedure.
The things that helped me know I did still want to vote for McCain is his plan for Healthcare- I am SO scared of universal healthcare and will oppose that all I can, and his foreign policy. I am not for throwing money at the government to improve education because it hasn't worked at all in the past. I do think that privatizing schools would be the best regarding education but you are right- it wouldn't be fair for all and the government would probably need to step in with some solution because parents have become dependent on the government to teach their children. I am not for Hilary's view at starting children even earlier in school. I think they leave home way too early as it is. 8 hours away from home at 5? That is just nuts to me.
So anyway, I first decided on the things that I knew would be coming up and decided whose plan I liked the most for those issues and how realistic their plan was and decided to stick with my previous views.
You still have some time to decide and I think once the race starts the candidates will have to talk more in depth about the issues and that will help too. Politics can be so fun and very interesting and yes, very emotionally charged!
wow! you seriously had some heated comments on those previous political posts and i think thats just terrible. it is your blog, a way for all your family and friends to stay in touch with you in your day to day life. i think its a shame for some people to have reacted the way they did. people can really get worked up on the politics, yikes! buy im with you, ive always considered myself a republican simply because i am conservative, but i dont agree with everything that the republicans do and say. its a very difficult process and no matter what your opinion is someone else is going to think that you are 100% wrong. so i hope that you will continue to share with us, your friends and audience, your true feelings about any subject on your mind. i know i love to hear about it! :)
I want everyone to know that this discussion has been in no way intended to hurt anyone's feelings. I will also make a final comment on the issue so people do not continue to get upset. First off, Melissa by saying it is bad for this country to be about every business for its self is totally against the fabric this country is based on. We have thrived over the years due to this capitalistic idea and the ability for someone to come to this country with nothing and become a millionaire. Some of your ideas and thoughts start to approach a socialist view which I believe is dangerous. Just ask Russia how well their return to socialism has worked for them. Also the view on Universal Healthcare (Also Socialistic) scares me as well. I have several clients that are from Canada and have told me how screwed up their system is. They have to wait for months to see doctors and the profits are so low in the system that the ability to get good quality doctors is low. In fact a lot of Canadians come to the states to get important procedures done with our highly skilled doctors. McCain has proposed a dollar for dollar Tax Credit to offset the cost of health care premiums, which will be overall cheaper and still maintain profits for healthcare centers. Let’s face it that profit makes everyone interested. I wish people were generally interested in helping people but as a whole this world has proven otherwise.
As for your concern on the any school program, this program has actually been used by school districts on their own with great results. For example, Garland ISD uses this system and they tried to go back to the old way and the parents all turned out in mass to oppose going back to the old system and stay with the any school approach. It allows parents to drop their kids off at schools near their work or in other convenient parts of town for them. I understand your concern for the very poor. The only way to help them is through the church. Trying to bus them out of those neighborhoods for school has been tried and failed as the kids all pick on them and it makes the environment even less conducive to learning.
And lastly Abortion, I am somewhat shocked by this “give up” approach. With this mentality then we should just remove speed limit signs too since people will speed anyway, or don’t worry about making murder against the law because people will always murder. The laws can change and in fact there are cases moving through the courts now that have a chance to overturn Roe Vs Wade. The president appoints the supreme court justices who eventually rule on these cases, Bush was successful in appointing some very conservative people during his term and if we allow ultra liberals like Obama into the white house with a democrat controlled house and congress he would be able to do damage if he has the chance to appoint a justice during his term. Those appointments are for life and affect laws and decisions for years to come.
One other issue that both democrats like to talk about is taking profits from companies to support government programs. Are you kidding me? This is just one more step towards a socialistic society. Capitalism is why we are a super power, all other countries that have modeled there business after our capitalism have begun to be very successful like China, Brazil, and India.
I agree with Lena in that Mitt was who I was hoping to win. I do not fully agree with McCain, for example he does not support the traditional marriage act. He is more liberal than I like. But I feel he is the lesser of the evils so to speak. I would say I agree with the majority of his views. Voting for the Democrats out of spite is a slippery slope. Like Lena outlined I took each view and matched it with myself to see who I agreed with the most. Of course you will not agree with everything from each person, but look for the majority.
I wish you luck in your study of them and as the months go on you will here more once they start to debate each other. But with something this important it has to be studied out in depth. Uneducated voting is very bad for the democratic process because the candidates all sound great from a podium until you peel back the layers and see what they really want to do to the laws and programs of this country.
In an early post Lena made the comparison of someone's blog on the internet to that of their home. While I believe this comparison to be dangerous and sincerely hope this is not how people view the internet or blogs, in keeping with the comparison I offer this. Melissa please enable some security for your home by going into you blogger dashboard and enabling the comment moderation setting. Then the next time anyone attempts to post a comment on your blog it will send you an email. You will then have the option to either publish, reject, or respond to the comment before it even makes its way onto you blog. This way you can leave your blog open for any and all to view, but have control over the comments that actually get posted. Either that or make you blog private and have total control.
Sounds like you could use a nice relaxing trip to the beach!
Oooo- the beach! Perfect suggestion!
Personaly I think you're awesome. You have such a pure heart, and anyone can see, that you want what is best for your family as well as our country. Wouldn't it be nice, if every American cared like you do. Like I've said before, I'm not sure who I will vote for, and I too feel naive, but I do enjoy reading your blog. I feel that I'm learning a lot, both the democratic views, as well as the republican views. Just remember... people can tell you what to do, or how to vote, but in the end, it is up to you, & your own "PERSONAL" revelation. Keep smiling!
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