something weird is going on

... I'm interested in politics? Quoi! Non, non! Je ne comprends pas. Oh, but it's true:

"The price of lowered expectations is heightened anxiety," so sayeth Jonathan Alter of Newsweek. & that's goddamned right. Why did Americans willingly settle for someone who had to trick the public into liking him? "After the excruciatingly close 2000 election, President Bush pretended that he had won a big mandate. This was understandable politically, but artificial. The cocky Texas affect was a cover for deep familial insecurity, but it worked until Americans ran into trouble."

*sigh* Are we a natation of "too little, too late," when it comes to realizing just what we've done? Who in their right mind thinks that there is nothing wrong w/ buying a half-million dollar home on a $40k annual sallary? I'm just as confused as Alter is in his article. WTF, America? WTF. As much as it sucks admiting it, I had to suck it up when I was laid off from work. No job meant no income, & what do you do then? You move in w/ family; you take the help that's offered. That's right. As independant as I am, as I've always been, I finally agreed to accepting help. What does it matter if a republican or a democrat is offering it? YOU TAKE IT WHEN YOU NEED IT! As my grandfather always said, you smile & say thank you.

Here's what I'm saying thank you for:

-Obama is urging lawmakers to reduce emmissions of greenhouse gases. He's calling for $15b a year in federal spending to spur development of envionronmentally friendly energy sources. (It's about time someone other than Al Gore worked on this problem.)
-Making education important. Obama is asking every American to commit to completing a year or more of higher education or career training. (How can we expect the world to look up to "Mighty America" if we are a nation of dumbasses who can't pass a test to graduate? If we drop out when things get too hard? If we can't see the value in understanding things from another's prospective, in learning about our immediate environment & how our decisions impact the world?)
-Healthcare. Hello? As someone who's been w/out medical insurance for over two years, that's an important issue. How can a person have hope for the future if they have nothing to protect them from illness? Your life if your future! Protect that first.
-Getting the fuck out of Iraq. That, almost intirely, would cut federal spending by $500b. & republicans say that dems overspend. How can YOU justify a $1.3 TRILLION deficit? Hmm?

Okay. I guess that 's enough for a first post of the day. But really? America, you should be ashamed at what we've become. I haven't been exactly proud to be an American for quite some time. Maybe that can finally change. I don't like living in a place where I am embarassed & have to make excuses to the world. I mean, I even struggle to admit that I was born on the Fourth of July. How's that for irony?