Alright, boys and girls, listen up. . .
Since my video equipment isn't cooperating, I'm going to do this here. Consider this a Soapbox rant, and take it for what you will.
Earlier, I made reference to a post by saying "Now it's time for the stick". This was a reference to an earlier statement this past week as to how the American public has gotten so used to the government giving them the carrot, that they've forgotten how to use the stick.
The stick is the Constitution.
The Constitution of the United States begins by stating, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." We've all had to learn those words growing up, but paying attention to what they actually mean seems to have gotten lost to the adventure of public school rote memorization. Rather than the intention of the Constitution, which was to establish a government of the people, while protecting them from the threat of tyranny, the people have given total control to that very government, allowing it to grow out of their control and become a force that controls every aspect of the people's lives. We are distracted by petty matters of religion and politics designed to get our hackles up in such a way that we do not see the truly world-shaking events of the day. We are fed a diet of pap and pablum, following the lives of idiot celebrities and getting swept up in such trifling matters as sexual preference and who gets to urinate where.
Are you fucking kidding me?
This year, we watched the DNC violate the principles of neutrality, not just favoring one candidate over another, but actively working to stop his campaign. We watched superdelegates who, despite the obvious will of the voters in their states openly say that they would vote the other way, because reasons. How many primary elections did we see openly discriminate against voters, simply because they were of the demographic that would most likely vote against their prized candidate. How many people bothered to take notice when all of that was seemingly shrugged off? How many people bothered to take notice when those of us who cared called "foul"? Some people made jokes about our socialist candidate, and how the only ones voting for him were looking for a free handout.
Again, are you fucking kidding me?
I have worked all of my life. Nothing has ever been handed to me by the government or any public agency. I have had financial aid for college taken from me because I "no longer qualified" for loan programs, or I "made too much money", even though (at the time) I was working for just better than minimum wage. I could have cried about it, but I moved on. I started a family because I decided to make a difference in the world the best way possible--to raise children capable of critical thinking who question everything, without just accepting what they are told. Given the rising costs of education, it would be nice to be able to afford to send them to college without worrying where the money is coming from. You know--how the rest of the free world seems to be able to do, because most countries do not treat their students as a source of income? Yes, it truly isn't free, but I would like to see the taxes I pay every year do something besides make large holes in other parts of the world, just because the people who live there don't believe the same things most people over here do. I work two jobs--one full time, and the other of my own conation--to make ends meet, provide for my family, and sock a little away for a retirement that may or may not come, thanks to the machinations of our government "by the people". Like everyone else, I would love it if my health insurance didn't take so much of a chunk out of my earnings. Wouldn't it be nice if some of our tax money went to alleviating some of that burden, rather than getting lost in the workings of a government so enwrapped in the economical status quo that it would rather raise a generation of science-ignorant sheep who believe that global warming is a hoax just because they could make a snowball last winter? This year, Alaska reached the 90° mark. People were swimming in the friggin' ARCTIC OCEAN!
What the actual fuck??!!
A friend of mine, whom I consider to be quite intelligent, commented on my aforementioned post that, "I get the feeling the "stick" is going to be a few years of [a] Trump presidency"--meaning that the division of the party by disillusioned, disenfranchised voters would cause an upsurge in support for the Republican candidate, simply because they don't want to see Hillary take the White House. Where this might, to those uneducated in the way the electoral process works, be a practical solution, voting for the "lesser of two evils" is not a viable solution. Again, years of two-party structure has blinded the public to the fact that there are, indeed options, and I'm not talking about voting for the guy on the street corner with a bullhorn and tinfoil hat that was able to buy his way onto the General Election Ballot for his "grassroots" party. Don't just vote for the other guy, because your candidate got a raw deal. Do. Not. Do. The. Stupid.
Personally, I would love to see Sanders swoop in as an Independent at the last minute, taking all of his supporters with him. Being of a rather pragmatic mind on the matter, I do not expect it, but it would be nice. Taking the "glass half full of the wrong liquid" stance, I would say my general faith in the American public is well-rooted, and that the worst possible outcome will happen, come November 8th.
The thing of it is, the President doesn't mean a damned thing.
The Constitutional "stick" to which I was referring was the fact that, alongside of the presidential election, comes the congressional elections--469 Seats are up for reelection, including 34 seats in the Senate and 435 in the House. Without the legislative branch of government behind him or her, the President is little more than a source of hot air occupying the White House for a time. Sure, there is the ability for Executive order, but that can only go so far, provided the people make the necessary changes to Congress. This is more than just voting in an opposing party--we have suffered eight years of Republicans doing nothing but stonewall the Obama administration, while accomplishing little in the improvement of the human condition. If we sail out of November with Trump and a merry band of religious fundamentalists, all that has recently happened in the way of advancing equality and acceptance will vanish in a puff of smoke that smells vaguely of musty bibles and brimstone.
This is the Twenty-fucking-First Century. Compared to where we were when I was in High School, we are living in a science fiction movie. We have access to the sum total of human knowledge through the marvel of the internet, yet we use it for sharing pictures of cute cats, watching porn, and spreading pseudoscience and hearsay. Educate yourselves. You should, occasionally, READ A FUCKING BOOK THAT DOESN'T HAVE WORDS IN BUBBLES! Hey! Maybe you could read one on the UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, since most people seem to have forgotten their seventh-grade civics classes (assuming they were paying attention in the first place). Embrace the horror that is global warming, because that's the only way we will be able to slow it down. Realize that vaccines are probably what allowed you to live past your thirties. Don't believe everything you hear--research your facts through at least two reputable sources before spreading them around. Question EVERYTHING, and, above all else, pay attention to your elected officials. Are they doing what YOU think they should? Note that I didn't say "what they tell you they should". We have the ability to turn things around, but we have to get behind the right candidates. I'm not talking about career politicians--I'm talking about regular people running for office. If you want to effect a change, get involved! I once said that "there could never be another Davy Crockett in Congress". That is only true if his potential constituents are too apathetic to get behind him.
Get off your asses.
Don't just vote blindly because your favorite party says it's right. They are pushing their own interests.
Get off your asses.
Learn and do.
Personally, I would love to see Sanders swoop in as an Independent at the last minute, taking all of his supporters with him. Being of a rather pragmatic mind on the matter, I do not expect it, but it would be nice. Taking the "glass half full of the wrong liquid" stance, I would say my general faith in the American public is well-rooted, and that the worst possible outcome will happen, come November 8th.
The thing of it is, the President doesn't mean a damned thing.
The Constitutional "stick" to which I was referring was the fact that, alongside of the presidential election, comes the congressional elections--469 Seats are up for reelection, including 34 seats in the Senate and 435 in the House. Without the legislative branch of government behind him or her, the President is little more than a source of hot air occupying the White House for a time. Sure, there is the ability for Executive order, but that can only go so far, provided the people make the necessary changes to Congress. This is more than just voting in an opposing party--we have suffered eight years of Republicans doing nothing but stonewall the Obama administration, while accomplishing little in the improvement of the human condition. If we sail out of November with Trump and a merry band of religious fundamentalists, all that has recently happened in the way of advancing equality and acceptance will vanish in a puff of smoke that smells vaguely of musty bibles and brimstone.
This is the Twenty-fucking-First Century. Compared to where we were when I was in High School, we are living in a science fiction movie. We have access to the sum total of human knowledge through the marvel of the internet, yet we use it for sharing pictures of cute cats, watching porn, and spreading pseudoscience and hearsay. Educate yourselves. You should, occasionally, READ A FUCKING BOOK THAT DOESN'T HAVE WORDS IN BUBBLES! Hey! Maybe you could read one on the UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, since most people seem to have forgotten their seventh-grade civics classes (assuming they were paying attention in the first place). Embrace the horror that is global warming, because that's the only way we will be able to slow it down. Realize that vaccines are probably what allowed you to live past your thirties. Don't believe everything you hear--research your facts through at least two reputable sources before spreading them around. Question EVERYTHING, and, above all else, pay attention to your elected officials. Are they doing what YOU think they should? Note that I didn't say "what they tell you they should". We have the ability to turn things around, but we have to get behind the right candidates. I'm not talking about career politicians--I'm talking about regular people running for office. If you want to effect a change, get involved! I once said that "there could never be another Davy Crockett in Congress". That is only true if his potential constituents are too apathetic to get behind him.
Get off your asses.
Don't just vote blindly because your favorite party says it's right. They are pushing their own interests.
Get off your asses.
Learn and do.
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