It baffles me why, as a country, we let politics get in the way of making the lives of our citizens better. Why we allow politics (and religion) to stand in the way of proper sex education and health care and transportation systems and better nutrition… and how we’re supposed to be this technologically advanced, free-thinking liberal country and yet we have tons of people out of work, homeless, starving, and generally uncared for. Clearly we don’t seem to worry that we’re only as strong as our weakest link.

I’ve been privileged in my life to never have to worry about health care. My parents always had insurance and whenever i got sick (which was a fair amount as a kid), i was always able to see a doctor and afford whatever prescription was going to make me better. I’ve heard of insurance companies refusing to cover battered women, i’ve seen prescription lists that include Viagra and other male enhancement drugs that also do not include birth control. I have friends that “got all their appts in” before losing their jobs. But yesterday i learned that someone i work closely with doesn’t have health insurance. She’s part time and her husband is self-employed and they can’t afford it on their own. Suddenly it occurred to me how carelessly i’ve been assuming that having health coverage is a standard part of life… because for me, it always has been.

Regardless of the fact that these are two intelligent, smart, educated people with good jobs, even the guy down the street without a job or permanent residency should be able to afford health care. Our country is failing our citizens. Somewhere along the line people got greedy and shit hit the fan. The housing market collapsed. Businesses closed and people lost their jobs. Companies thought they could get away with murder. The insurance industry is no exception.

What would my life be like if i never had access to health insurance. Well for one thing i might not be alive today. Or if i was, either myself or my parents would be very much in debt. And Keith is right, if the desire to extend my life and not die causes me to lower my quality of life because i’m in debt, then someone is failing me. In this case, the insurance companies for being greedy and the American politicians for being the same.

There is absolutely no excuse why there should be people living on our land who are suffering because they do not have access to quality, affordable (or free) healthcare. The United States is the only industrialized country on the planet without Universal Health Care. WTF is keeping us from getting on the “we care for our people too” bandwagon?

… check out Keith’s Special Comment below, in 5 parts.

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

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There are teenagers who don’t understand that you can’t just shoot people when they disagree with you; that violence isn’t the answer to anything.

And the guy who’s contracted by the county to plow roads and thinks it’s okay to sit in his driveway for the whole day and then go pick up his paycheck. “it’s great. i use my own truck and since there’s no county logos, no one even knows i’m supposed to be working.”

And the chain of greed and power-tripping that caused a collapse of markets and families.

There are lawmakers and politicians who, instead of leading by great example, abuse the power entrusted to them, and think it’s okay to commit “outrages upon personal dignity.”

There’s people who see these things happening and don’t say anything about it, who never speak up, who never question something that feels wrong to them. Or worse, who don’t feel anything is wrong.

And there are businesses that push 8000 calorie meals and the ones that use poison to paint toys for children.

And there are people who throw their cigarettes and soda cans out their car window in complete disregard for anything.

These are all symptoms of something seriously wrong. What has happened to the world that people think it’s okay to harm other people? To talk to them like they are “less than”? To act as if they themselves are the only thing on the planet that matters? To forget that we’re all connected, that every system is connected and you harm one tiny thing the the rest is affected?

Even if people have lost all respect for life other than their own, have people forgotten about karma? Are we all invincible now? Can we throw the rules of civility, respect, and kindness out the window? Did I miss the memo that it’s okay to scream at my husband for forgetting the milk? Is it okay to kick puppies now? Can i just throw my trash on my neighbors lawn? How about I go down to Guantanamo and make myself feel more important by degrading others?

Infant mortality rates. health care. drop out rates. gun deaths. violent crime. crime against humanity. They’re all symptoms of an illness.

Yes, there is still good in the world. Yes, there are still people that are civil to their fellow humans and treat them with respect and kindness. Yes, there are still people who don’t have a blatant disregard for the impact they have on the planet. And yes, i’m told there are still people who don’t think violence is an answer.

I just think those people are starting to be outnumbered. Somehow we’ve now gone multiple generations without any consequences for our actions, no one telling us we’re being greedy, inhumane, or wrong. Some how we’re breeding more and more people who haven’t a clue.

Where did we go wrong? When did the tables turn and things start to shift downward? Where is the bottom? How can we turn this bus around before we drive over the cliff?

While i will continue to do my best wherever i can, I don’t have any answers. Do you?

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This morning I did my civic duty, right, and privilege and voted. It doesn’t matter who i voted for (but guessing by my icons and avatars for the last few weeks you probably can figure it out), the point is that i voted. That I stood up and said, “HEY! My voice counts!”

What’s even better about this democracy is that my family, friends, colleagues and i can discuss what we like and don’t like about candidates, the process, and the system without fear of persecution.

For instance, my mother and I have been having very enthusiastic conversations/debates about the each of the major party candidates and their positions.

Eventually, as she was still undecided as of yesterday afternoon, i asked her to trust me. If she was still unsure when she was about to press a button, i asked her to trust my choice. I don’t know if she did, or will, but she will be voting.

While you take your chance to vote today, remember this: The simple act of voting is more powerful than you could imagine.

And if you’re having a hard time making a choice, listen to what i told my mom yesterday, “the world is a different place than it was even 5 years ago. and we can’t make choices based on how the world WAS. we have to make choices based on how the world IS and WILL BE. We can’t KNOW how the world will be, but we can make good, educated guesses and plan for all possibilities.”

Regardless of who you cast your vote for, please vote. And get your friends to, too. :-)

——–
Update: Months later, in a conversation with my parents i found out that my mother did indeed come over to the light. Yay mom!

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from MSNBC.com via Travelin’ Librarian

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There is a question about Sarah Palin and double standards on ireport.com, “Is there a double standard in parenting expectations? Does the fact that she’s a woman and mother affect her abilities as a politician”

My question is Who *doesn’t* see that there’s a double standard? In her speech last night to the RNC, an emphasis was given to her family that was not present in anyone elses speech. Obama mentioned his wife and girls, but briefly, and not as part of a list on why he’s qualified to run the country.

I do agree that being a mom is a job that should be held in higher regard. Mothers do so much for so little. They run organizations, manage people and multiple tasks; they’re heads of departments, chefs, maids, medical technicians, etc, etc, etc. But I’d like to argue that being a mom doesn’t make you qualified to do anything. As her daughter prooves to us, anyone can be a mom. It’s being a good one that gives you credit. And frankly, there’s no objective evaluation that any of us go through that determines if we’re good parents or not.

I’d argue that being a good parent, to most people, would mean that their children are ultimately more well off than their parents (not just in finances, but physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing). I’d say that you were a good parent if your child succeeded in school, didn’t turn to drugs, has never been justly arrested, and is a productive member of society. But, someone else might think their good parenting showed the day their child joined the National Rifle Association.

As far as the double standard goes, there ABSOLUTELY IS a double standard. Women are still largely viewed as second in our society. The fact that the Double Standard question is even asked proves that. If there was no double standard, no “lesser” of the two, it would never even be a question. Women are still overwhelmingly NOT in power positions. Women make up almost half of America’s labor force, as of 2007, only thirteen Fortune 500 companies have women CEOs or presidents, and 74 of those 500 companies don’t have any women corporate officers. If there was no double standard in regard to the abilities of humans, there wouldn’t be such a disparity here.

I suppose you *could* argue it’s all biology; that men and women are simply different and those differences make women and men cut out for different paths in life. I suppose that was true, in the time when women wore corsets so tight, they could barely breathe to drink tea, let alone complete more laborious tasks. But in 2008, we should realize that it’s society and our culture that shapes these perceptions of who can do what based on what we see them to be. Sexism, racism, ageism… the conversation is the same. Our culture has certain assumptions based on various factors. You look at me, a woman in her mid-20s, running a state-wide initiative in a ever-changing industry, who lifts weights, takes ballet, and doesn’t like to take flak from anyone and might say, “Go, Girl!” Or you might look at me and question why i’m not married, why i don’t want any children, or why i speak my mind so much. It’s all depending on your environment. It depends on the signals and information your family instilled you with. It depends on the thoughts and ideas of the people whom you call friends. It depends on what society as a whole, if you pay attention to it, signals you to believe. See enough commercials where women are simply pretty, dainty, objects and you start to get ideas. (I guarantee you if this protester was a man, no one would have covered his mouth like this.)

But despite whatever ‘isms exist, they are better than they have been in the past in this country. If for no other reason than we’re able to talk about them. I’m told being aware of the problem is the first step to solving it. Perhaps we just need to talk a little harder…

And despite all the talk of sexism and double standards, clearly we’ve come a long way; she IS the nominee for VP. I am glad to be a part of a present and future where people of varying backgrounds, pigments, races, sexes, and genders are nominated for important, society-leading positions. It shows an overall turn in thinking. And I did appreciate how Palin called out “the good-ol’ boys network” (although, honey, did you notice what party you were running with?).

But her being a woman doesn’t automatically qualify her for anything (other than childbirth, as i hear the scientific advancements for pregnant men aren’t quite here yet); just as Obama and McCain being men doesn’t automatically qualify them for the Presidency (despite what our society and it’s history would have you believe).

In fact, the fact that she’s a woman doesn’t do anything to soothe the stomach-churning illness i felt rising in my stomach as i listened to her speech last night as her voice grated on my nerves and her discussion of her husband’s snowmobile record (tell me, why is that even remotely important to this election? Right, so why mention it?) Although, I might have been the residual illness left over from Guilliani’s puke-tastic speech (talk about negative). In fact, Palin looked like she was up there trying to convince herself this was a good idea.

With all my political expertise (none) I really think McCain shot himself in the foot with this one. McCain is like Obama in that he’s for change. McCain has a history of disagreeing with Bush (except in matters of national security, which, once a decision has been made, you need to stand behind it no matter what). But having people like Giuliani speak on his behalf, and picking Palin has his running mate I think really did him a disservice. And accidentally caught on a hot mic, Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy seem to agree with me.

In other news, is it just me, or does Levi looks like a condemned man?

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