Dear Aidan & Gillian
Two days ago, history was made. When I tell you that anything is possible, it looks like I wasn't kidding.
Are all of the scary things going to go away? Are the current economic problems going to be solved? Are all of the countries of the world going to look to us to lead, and lead with pride, confidence, and loyalty?
No.
Will the democrats be able to push through all of the good stuff we'd wanted for the last 8 years?
Knowing the current state of politicians? Probably not.
I'm not going to blow smoke up your ass. This was a really good thing, a wonderful step towards a world of progress and change. A place where I feel safer than I have in 8 years of that idiot in the white house. A place that can believe in the American dream, freedom & liberty, and the hope that somehow, someway, we'll be able to do something about how badly we've wrecked this planet. Does anyone have all the answers?
Nope. Is profit going to be the major factor? Hopefully, but competition and demand for cleaner ways of doing things will hopefully bring us to a cleaner, more efficient future. I'd love to see us get back into space. I'd love to see science take off and become a priority so we can stop losing our edge in the world.
Hey Mr. Soon to be President - Nicely done dude. You ran a fairly honorable campaign and only swung low when you had to. We put you where you are, so you know what? According to the way I interpret things -
YOU OWE US DUDE!
You make great speeches, and you definitely inspired the hell out of me and gave me pride to vote for someone I actually gave a rats ass about much less how I really felt about you - that you really meant you wanted to bring change, that you wanted to bring us together as a nation and help us to shape our future. Thank you for restoring some of my faith in my country, that the leaders we elect actually listen and try to do what the majority wants.
Don't be just a talker. Please, PLEASE be a doer. Get er dun my friend, because as I said before. We put you where you are today. I have faith, please don't let it be misguided.
Aidan & Gillian - that was Daddy going on a bit of a rant. You get the point hopefully I'm trying to make here - we made real steps here to hopefully get our country back on track. Lets see what happens in the next few weeks.
Wow…
Well, regardless of who you voted for, you have to say that was an amazing race. You also have to admit, that their speeches last night were both noble, inspiring, and hopeful. Hopeful that sometime in the near future, when all of the feelings are healed, that we as a people can come together as never before and change our nation back into the power, the inspiration, and hopefully, the leader of the free world. In my opinion, and yes, I have one just like you, I have always been proud to be an American. I have always been proud of our heritage, our freedoms, and our gifts that we've been given by our families back through the last 200+ years.
Yes, some bad stuff has happened, but I think last night proved beyond a doubt that anything is possible. Is he going to fix everything, make everything right? No, that's impossible. Me? I'd settle for some hope for the future of my children, a bit of a break at the pump, and the safety in knowing that the person leading my country isn't a moron and someone that embarrasses me. For the last 8 years, I have heard fear, condescension, bullshit, and a general feeling of unease.
I'm hoping that last nights speech, which gave me chills, bodes for a feeling of hope and unity for the next 4 years, and hopefully beyond. We're in a lot of trouble, and it's going to take a lot of things going right to make things better. I just hope that instead of a Decider, we now have a Stateman who can get people together in this country and outside of it, and bring forth a new future based on looking forward, now always looking around or behind in fear or for gain, or anything like that.
I was reading an article by Michael Moore, and again, whether or not you like him, I was hopeful when he started talking about arts and sciences and the hope that we are beginning an age of forward movement and change.
I gladly voted for Obama because for the first time in 8 years, someone gave me something more to believe in than voting against someone. Gore and Kerry never inspired me. They never really gave me more than a reason to vote for them except that I could not vote for Bush. I did vote for them, but I wasn't happy about it. After last night's speech in Grant Park in downtown Chicago, I was proud, happy, and hopeful.
My new Hero
I'm not one for news, I rarely watch it because for the most part, it's too damn depressing. I've enjoyed Keith Olberman from time to time, but I am never really in once place long enough to sit and watch it.
Rachel Maddow has a new show on MSNBC that it on right about the time I'm about to go to sleep so I watched it last night. Wow, this woman is not only really smart, but she doesn't take anyone's shit, and she's pretty damn funny. She was sparring with Pat Buchanan last night (since this is my blog and I can say what I want - He's a tool and a total mouthpiece for the Republicans) and just watching her reactions, I have to say I really like this woman a lot. She doesn't hold anything back, she thinks Palin was a bad choice and practically laughs in his face when Pat tries to defend her as a good choice.
This is not a Palin rant, don't worry. It's more about how a smart person(man or woman) is stepping up and telling people who are full of this just that, that they are full of shit. Of course she does it nicely, but she is refreshing in that she doesn't hold much back.
It also happens that she's totally anti-McCain/Palin so her points are pretty biased, or maybe that was just because Pat's a tool. Looking forward to seeing her tonight.
The other interesting thing about her is that she's only been on the air a very short period of time, and in that time has garnered a LOT more audience that she should. As my wife describes her(and i'll said it a little more nicely) she's Keith Olberman with different plumbing and boobs. I've always liked him, so it's no wonder I like her too.
How do we Elect a President?
My 11 yr old, in studying for a social studies exam, wanted to know more about the process. They covered the whole thing in school, but he started asking questions about popular and elector voting - because he wanted to know more, not because that part was on the test. How cool is he?
Anyway, we did some research, but I just came across a really good video that explains the whole way things are calculated, and it does it nice and clearly.
How far have we come?
I wonder what the founding fathers would think of our decisions, our process, our government and way of life 200+ years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
I just reread parts of it, and I truly wonder how many people in government are patriots. How many of the truly believe in what they are doing, and that they are acting in the best interest of the people.
The constitution starts with "We the People". Do any of you feel particularly listened to? Do you feel part of the WE in "We the People"? I wish I had more time to get into politics, to understand more of our freedoms and rights, because truthfully, I am not sure how many I am slowly losing. Sure, I think I can blame a lot of it on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumbass, our current VP and President. I think we can blame a lot of the state of our nation, our great image now in the international stage, and the general decline of pride and goodness in saying "I'm American". It feels to me that that notion has gone from something to be in awe of, to something to be sickened by. I'm not embarrassed to be American, far from it. I love this country, but I hate what has been happening slowly over the last 8-10 years.
Maybe it's just that I am a lot more aware of things. Maybe it's because I am a father and responsible for a family and their well being. I'm not ignorant enough to think I would make a good politician. Why is it so necessary to 'be a politician' to be involved in politics? Why does the last 4 weeks of a presidential campaign have to get so nasty and petty? I wish they'd stop spending so much time on telling me why I shouldn't vote for the other guy, and concentrate on their own plans. In fact, wouldn't it be really nice if we could get a test drive?
They win the nomination for their party. Cool. Now you all have projects. Democrats, you have to come up with 5 ways of cutting 20 million dollars from the budget. Republicans, you have to talk to 5 different countries and find ways of improving relations between us and them - and it can't be anyone that the last Republican talked to last election. Independents, Green Party, and Various other peoples - you have to come up with ways of getting rid of lobbyists and changing our country away from a 2 party system.
I don't think that's all that much to ask, or too outlandish, do you?
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
RagingDad did it again, he made me think. YA BASTARD! 
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights from Seth Brau on Vimeo.
No more crap…
It's been scared out of me.
Read the summation and view the clip. The clip is the genuinely scary part because you can truly see how NOT ready for primetime this lady is.
summary: Huffington Post
Plan for Change
I know a lot of people don't agree with me, but just hearing this kind of thing makes me glad to be American. Can he do it all? Will all of his plans work?
I don't know man, but you know what? Listening to him makes me feel safe for a little while and better about the future of America. Will he be better than McCain? My vote is yes.
I knew I liked him
Paul Riser wrote something over at the Huffington Post. Not a regular reader over there, but I am liking it more and more everytime I go.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-reiser/yeah----you-and-whose-arm_b_125929.html
This could be the president?
"I'm ready to step in as president." Um, no your not, lady.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26664074/
If you can't vote for Obama, vote Ron Paul, not Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb.