Obama and politicians alike: We're not drinkin' your kool-aid any longer!
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We're on to you...
For me, the 'awakening' occurred during the Bush administration. Admittedly, I voted for "W" twice (c'mon, the alternative the second time around was Kerry for crying out loud!). I thought Mr. Bush was the answer to all of my 'problems' and that I could trust him, hence, the drinking of his kool-aid! However, at the end of the day, he was a disappointment to me. As a fiscal conservative, I felt as if he spent our tax dollars like the proverbial drunken sailor, especially at the end of his term in regards to TARP and Fannie/Freddie. (I do realize the 'lefties' who are reading this are screaming, '"but what about the money spent on the war?". I still haven't come to terms with it yet so I don't want to comment. But I will say this, I believe our soldiers are noble men and women and deserve our utmost respect. They put their lives on the line each day for us and I pray that they will all return home safely.) The one good thing that I do believe Bush did for this country was keep us safe from additional terrorists attacks in which I am most grateful. Otherwise, his presidency was a bust.
Fast forward to 2008--the presidential primaries were hard fought. Much to my surprise, the final two candidates emerged as John McCain and Barack Obama (I think the Clinton 'machine' is still trying to figure out what hit it). Obama, to me, was so far to the left, that I felt he wouldn't be elected--until he moved a bit more to the middle during the race...then it got interesting. McCain, God bless him, never had a leg to stand on after the Hope and Change message swept through our country like the tornado that took down Dorothy and little Toto. I am thankful to Sen. McCain for his service to our country but am glad he wasn't elected. Can you say, "sacrificial lamb"?
Hope and Change sounded good to potential voters; we needed a little of it! Voters bought into Obama's talk about "transparency" in his administration and the need for health care reform. Here's some kool-aid for you, and you, and you.... Kool-aid stands went up just as fast as his popularity did---and he got 53% of the vote. So, we rejoiced, fist-bumped and felt proud to have our first black president. We were inspired. He was the hope of the future and it was going to be different. Right?
Kool Aid drinker--don't end up like her!
Not so fast. His 'middle' ground took a left turn as he started putting together his "peeps"...Rahm Emanuel, David Axlerod, Eric Holder, Tim Geithner....and then came the Sotomayor nomination to the Supreme Court. Finally, the thirty-two czars that required ZERO confirmation--which include the likes of Van Jones (communist) and John Holdren (believes in population control). Transparency went out the window when he demanded that health care reform be passed before the August break. Over 1,000 pages to be read, understood and clarified within a couple of days. Gee, do you think there were items in the bill that may have raised on eyebrow or two? Are we beginning to see this politician for what he really is?
It appears this country has had a rude awakening of sorts. We have found our voices of skeptism and are using them in town halls and other public forums. Under our Constitution, we afforded freedom of speech---so, please, continue to SPEAK UP! No matter if your right or left of center (or hopefully, somewhere in the middle), please continue to be heard. Trust but verify. No more 'blind faith' as my buddy Brian says.
Continue to put those kool-aid glasses down, America! Think for YOURSELF, don't buy into any one's agenda other than your own. Politicians have a history of saying what you want to hear and then doing what they want to do. So stay awake at the wheel and hold our elected officials accountable--they work for US!
Hey Washington, we're on to you....
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Good Morning, Breeze. I like Jack's words! So true.
Dear americhick,
I with you all the way. Great Hub, now let' s hope for a happy ending to this sad chapter in history.
As part of an "angry mob" I speak up all the time - but I keep losing friends all over the place . . .hmmm, can't figure this out . . .
(great hub americhick :)
I am so glad someone feels like I do!!!
dori
Excellent hub americhick!
It did not make any difference to me what color he was, I knew he would be a disaster for this country, but even I did not see how bad it would be. He does not have a clue how to lead this country. He believes he knows whats best for the rest of us and we are too stupid to make good decisions for our selves. He follows the counsel of those radicals surrounding him and it it taking our country down a dark and dire path.
logic, commonsense---I'm with you, this is definitely NOT a race issue. My statement to my husband on election night was, "I am so proud of my country for electing our first black president, I am so disappointed it had to be Barack Obama". I was anxious to see what Obama would do but wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. The fact that he has surrounded himself with so many far left cabinet members and czars, has solidified my doubt of his ability to effectively lead this country. The good news is, he could end up just like Carter and we may only have to suffer for one term.
americhick I like your thinking . I never envisioned In my wildest dreams the wholesale and fundamental changes that this man Is trying to make In this country. And I always say Rahm Emanuel Is the Al Capone of politics !
You are correct - politicians are supposed to work for us.
I will agree with that. Term limits is the answer to that...and no PAC money.
I wasn't happy with either choice last November. So what do we do now? That's the question.
For instance, healthcare. The GOP has not come up with anything but fear-mongering, death panel rhetoric.
Tell me your solution GOP - don't just badmouth what's out there. You have equal opportunity to think and put together a bill.
The previous administration whined about bipartisanship for 8 years. Now - stop pointing fingers and introduce your own bill!
But I don't want to drink the red kool-Aid any more than the blue.
lizp123---I am with you! I like term limits (did a previous hub on the topic). Politicians always claim they can be bipartisan but it never happens. They are only interested pushing through their own agendas and not what is good for our country. I think we are all tired of all of the kool-aid--in all shades! Hang in there--better days are head.
Enjoyed reading your perspective and agree with you for the most part. The czars are scary as there are no checks with regard to their power. Our government is not supposed to operate this way. And there have never in history been so many as under the current President.
Hi Americhick, I'm reading this from across the Atlantic, in Britain. I'm not American, so understandably I have a different take on matters than many of your readers. Britain, and indeed Europe in general, tends to sit the left of America politically. Having grown up with a socialised health system firmly in place, as well as other socialised benefits, I wonder what all the fuss is about in the US. I've read American political hubs written by those on both sides of the debate, and I understand the arguments. I admire your statement that people need to make up their own minds, but I fear that there is so much misinformation being dispensed, and so many lies being told, that many people do not have the full story. I echo your sentiments completely. Your readers need to listen to both sides of the debate and some of the listening and reading may be uncomfortable for them, but they need to do it.
Over in the UK we have been dismayed and disturbed by the dreadful way that our NHS has been portrayed in the American media. Outright lies have been told, and facts have been manipulated to suit the agenda of the American health insurance industry. If they can do that, what else might they be doing?
Amanda Seven--thank you for your perspective from across the pond!
America is simply not ready for socialized ANYTHING, including health care. We like our independence, and 'low' income taxes (we pay about half of what the Brits do). We are in a quandary here; we do want help fellow Americans who need health care coverage but we don't want to be taxed at higher rates.
The problem, for me, is getting to the 'meat' of the issue. Our politicians and media are not giving us straight answers as to the truth. Obama claims there are 47 million Americans who are not covered. His right-winged foes argue that number is tremedously inflated. So who do you believe? Originally, the left talked about raising taxes to help pay for health care--the right didn't have a plan but just argued that they didn't like the left's!
Last night, our president addressed the nation and told us that he could cover MILLIONS of Americans with health care coverage and it wouldn't cost us a penny. Really????
Not sure where all this will end up; my hope and prayer is that we can find a middle ground, help those in need without a complete overhaul of what currently exists.
Hi Americhick, I'm surprised that you imagine us to be highly taxed, as having to pay healthcare premiums must be fairly costly. I've seen some fantastically high figures batted about on hubpages, and they are many times what we pay for healthcare here. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet it seems, and personally I'd prefer to cut out the middle man, and pay the government so that the money can be allocated directly to healthcare, rather than pay an insurance company who will wriggle everytime I present a bill, and have a whole list of things that they're not going to cover. Have you seen what these Insurance co CEOs earn? I'm not averse to people being paid according to their talents, but if your talent is living a fantasy life at the expense of the little people struggling to pay their medical bills, then I do have a problem with that.
Amanda Severn--please remember that one of our republic's founding principles was to have less government in our lives versus more. Over the past several decades, the size of our government has expanded tremedously and many Americans are unhappy about it. We view government run health care as another 'big brother' entitlement program. The folks in Washington have yet to prove that they are able to run an efficient or effective ANYTHING, let alone what would amount to 1/6 of our economy. I would much rather pay may own way, have control over it and make my own decisions rather than giving more of my hard earned dollars over to the US government.
Then we must part company here Americhick. As I say, I've read both sides of this debate, and some of the stories are harrowing.
Amanda Severn--I bid you adieu and appreciate your feedback. We're not all that bad over here---we want affordable health care for all. We just want it made available through lower costs and reforms (i.e., TORT). We don't want it to be run by government bureaucrats.
And apparently according to Obama's speech he will now initiate studies in some states as to tort reform. Why not just plain DO IT? We know it would help reduce medical costs if physicians did not have to continue practicing "defensive medicine."
I'm very glad that I found this hub. I couldn't agree any more! Very good information provided, and very easy to understand.
Breeze 2 years ago
"Hope for the best; plan for the worst" as my buddy Jack Reacher says.