Why do we take cheap shots at our Presidents?

I was sitting here, watching posts by certain friends of Facebook and there were a couple of comics taking cheap shots at President Obama. For some reason, I started thinking, why do we do this?

It seems that the President, regardless of who they may be seems to be a lightning rod for those who for some reason get a degree of self satisfaction in doing so. It does not explain why?

If we were a dictatorship and a President ruled by decree in all matters of state, then yes I could see the rationale behind it. We don't have a dictatorship. Laws are created and passed by the Legislative branch and if the President agrees, he signs them into law. Yet, as in the case of Americare, it's called by some, Obamacare as if he alone is responsible for the law, which he is not.

Why do we not take out our frustrations and anger with those truly responsible, the individual Congressmen and Senators? They alone create the laws, tax us and try to deprive us of our perceived rights.

Some say President Obama wants to take away our guns. Now anyone with half a brain cannot possibly believe that, but does not stop some from saying so. The President has NO power to do such a thing. The Supreme Court has ruled on this subject so it's a moot point. In fact the President has gone on the record with his personal beliefs and they do not conflict with the constitution, but even if they did, he still has the right as we all do to voice a personal opinion.

I wonder what things would be like if we held those actually responsible accountable for their actions and votes.

Your congressman is supposed to represent a certain number of people, the President must consider 300 million. May I suggest we all start at the bottom and go after those who are truly responsible.

Who is responsible for the Massacre in Tucson?

Well, it appears we know who is NOT responsible in any way.

"This is a very difficult time for us. We ask the media to respect our privacy. There are no words that can possibly express how we feel. We wish that there were, so we could make you feel better. We don't understand why this happened. It may not make any difference, but we wish that we could change the heinous events of Saturday. We care very deeply about the victims and their families. We are so very sorry for their loss. Thank you. The Loughner family."

Amazingly, these people appear to be in denial over their son's activities prior to his assassination activities.

He lived at home for deity's sake!! How could they NOT KNOW something was very wrong with him? The college knew. The Army knew. His friends knew. His family didn't?

I guess no one is responsible after all.

Second Amendment Solution?

I wish to offer my personal condolences to those who were shot or killed today and their families and friends at the Tucson Massacre.

I felt, while it is fresh in our minds and hearts, I would say a few words.

Throughout the previous political campaign, there were references, veiled and direct to what was coined, the 'Second Amendment Solution'. There were political ads which showed the use of firearms, suggesting that if you own a gun you were somehow superior to another candidate, more in tune with how the voters feel. I ask you, right now, how do you feel the a Congressman, a Federal Judge, a 9 year old child and at least 7 others, killing at least 5 were gunned down by an obviously crazed individual. This is what a Second Amendment Solution looks and feels like. It's not funny, or a cute tag line someone can use.

Five people are dead in Tucson because someone exercised their own Second Amendment Solution. How do you feel? I am sick and disgusted that this sort of thing happened in our country. Anyone, politicians and supporters included who supported the notion of a Second Amendment Solution, even in joking may very well have blood on their hands. The psycho's out there, who have 'issues' with our government and politicians may very well be given the idea from all the press that came out over these statements. Crazies can be influenced by these statements. Because they are crazy, they show no remorse or conscience because as a crazy, they believe in the righteousness of their cause. When you have a politician speaking in those terms it may validate the cause or give impetus to the act.

Rational people, who may have a similar complaint may indeed agree, but actually stop short of doing anything such as this because, well in the end they know it's wrong. Of course it won't stop them from talking trash. Now I wonder, how do they feel about saying such things? Are they human enough to admit that maybe saying such things is a bit too extreme?

I think, at the very least, those who subscribed to this nonsense admit, well this is not a solution at all. Certainly not an American solution.

Don't forget, there are more crazies where this guy came from.

I hope as a nation, we can learn from this. Words can hurt or cause others to hurt. This is not a video game American, this is real people, blood and yes, tears.

The Second Amendment Solution is no answer to ANYTHING when it comes to a massacre of innocents and people doing their jobs and going about their lives.

Addendum 01/09/11

The last paragraph from the statement from Kelly's campaign says it all. No remorse, no remote possibility of responsibility;

During his campaign effort to unseat Giffords in November, Republican challenger Jesse Kelly held fundraisers where he urged supporters to help remove Giffords from office by joining him to shoot a fully loaded M-16 rifle. Kelly is a former Marine who served in Iraq and was pictured on his website in military gear holding his automatic weapon and promoting the event.

"I don't see the connection," between the fundraisers featuring weapons and Saturday's shooting, said John Ellinwood, Kelly's spokesman. "I don't know this person, we cannot find any records that he was associated with the campaign in any way. I just don't see the connection."

They don't get it. Just because you 'don't see the connection', does not mean your vitriolic rhetoric did not empower someone to take matters into their own hands. Why not admit that maybe, in hindsight the judgement to use weapons in a campaign to help 'oust' a candidate might not have been the smartest thing to do? The weaponizing of a campaign fundraiser, especially with Second Amendment Solutions being thrown about might, just might send the wrong message to the less educated and clearly insane.

Job killing Health Care Law?

I really love this one. Republicans are using a label to 'sell' their justification for repealing the health care law, passed by BOTH Houses of Congress and signed by the President of the United States of America. Job Killing is actually in the title of this bill. I am curious, what jobs are being killed? If you take a look at your local newspaper, you will see in INCREASE in job opportunities for the health care field. Why is that I wonder. Is it because the new law requires insurors (not the government) to provide wellness benefits at no extra charge. This means there will be a great need for these types of practicioners. Another benefit for compelling people to pay their own way, by purchasing their own insurance instead of taking advantage of emergency rooms is that they will now be able to see a doctor before a more serious problem pops up. Does that mean we will need more doctors or NP's? You bet. 40+million more insured will also require insurance companies to hire more people as well. A simple by product will also be we will be a healthier nation, increasing productivity in the workplace.

Now, the question I have is, what jobs are being killed? There is absolutely no evidence to suggest jobs being lost. In fact, the teeth of the new law doesn't take effect for another couple of years. The CBO, which BOTH parties have agreed to use as an arbiter in such issues states that over the next 20 years will save over a trillion dollars. So, the deficit is reduced as a side benefit. Where do these savings come from? Well, as it stands now, anyone who goes to the Emergency Room MUST be treated whether they have insurance or not. Why, because the Federal government mandates that if the hospital accepts Federal money, they cannot turn you away. Now, if virtually everyone is insured, the Federal government, insurance companies and states don't have to foot the bill. Who pays now? WE DO, in higher insurance costs, hospital costs and taxes.

Personally, I would like to see Medicare for all, such as with the Medicare Advantage plans. These plans are run as a public/private sector operation. The system is already in place. Everyone pays a premium, based mostly on where they live, but there is a base rate everyone is charged and you have the option to add or deduct benefits. Certainly this is less confusing. The best part is that it comes through payroll deduction and the costs are balanced over the entire nation rather than by state. This what is called the 'public option'.

Putting on my Right-Leaning Independent hat

Those of you who follow my blog probably think of me as a flaming liberal, which could not necessarily further from the truth. You see, I am an issues person, not an ideologue. This means I can can pick and choose, whatever he subject or issue might be my own personal opinion. I tend to stay on subject with any particular issue of the moment and rant on that.

I would like to believe that all of us are at least capable of thinking for ourselves, taking sides on an issue based in part upon our own socio-economic status, our life experiences as human beings. My perspective is based just on that. I would like to think that many people do the same. There are however Lemmings amongst us. Lemmings as you recall are those who blindly follow without thinking or considering the consequences. They just follow, no matter what. You cannot rationalize with a Lemming, you cannot have a reasonable conversation with a Lemming. I have met many such people in my life.

My first experience was with the military. There are just some people who don't get it. They are so used to being told what to think and do, that when they leave, they are embedded with certain 'beliefs', usually very right leaning. Devout religious folks also fall into this category, though they can be much worse because the basis for their beliefs comes from billions of permutations or interpretations of the printed basis for that religion. Whether you are Christian, Muslim or Jew, there are different interpretations for EVERYTHING. Ideologically pure politicians also fall into this category as well as those followers who want to just 'get along'. There are many groups of people who all fall into the Lemming category, though smaller and regionalised. Examples would be right to lifer's, Tenthers, Racists, etc. Each has their own agenda and beliefs and cannot be reasoned with, even with concrete evidence to the contrary. That is a Lemming.

Part of my problem is that if I take a stand on a certain subject, I am branded something other than what I truly am. I think we all have run into this. We don't listen enough. We tend to judge one another based upon a narrow view, which is unfair. I can disagree with a person on a particular subject, but because I am judged a certain way, the other issues we might agree upon get lost because we can never get past that one issue. I was able to get through to one person the other day. I was labeled an Libtard, which is an offensive term by this person, so I asked him, what makes he say that. Out of respect for the office, I showed respect for our President and to him that made me a Libtard. Once we got off that particular subject, he found we had common ground on other areas and could actually have a conversation without labels. Had I not approached him, this would have never happened. Now, he may still think of me as a Libtard personally, but he has stopped calling me that. For that I am grateful.

So what prompted this rant tonight?

I was watching with some interest yesterday the peaceful transition of power in the House. I paid attention to everything. Now, I don't know what the next two years are going to bring. I am hopeful. One of the cable news shows ( I won't say which since it will be used to label me) interviewed two of the new incoming Congressmen, one Democrat, the other a Tea Bag Republican. The Democrat bothered me because he did not seem, at least to me to be 'qualified'. Call it demeanor, use of the english language or his lack of grasp of the issues. He dressed up well, but that was about it. I would not have voted for the guy. The Republican bothered me in another way. When asked about what HE expected to accomplish the next two years, his answer raised all kinds of red flags. He said that the 'party leadership' has a plan for the future and he was going to support whatever they felt was right and proper. Lemming? Now I don't think I am politically naive. I know that to get what you want for your constituents you have to 'play ball'. That is the way things are. On the other hand, if you stand your ground and force the powers that be to come to you and earn your vote, we may have a better system. I have no doubt our system is crippled, not necessarily broken.

May I suggest to all the Lemmings out there, turn on, not tune out.