Barack Obama may be the scourge of many a conservative republican. Perhaps his left wing supporters feel that he has dropped the buck on abortion, gay rights, iraq war, deficiet spending, etc.
But to me he is a really great president. Exceeded my expectations and I am proud of my vote in '08 and I intend to vote for him in '12.
The president is not really in charge of everything that happens in the government.
Those potholes in the road that wren't getting fixed? not really his fault. High property taxes? totally out of the federal government's control. The majority of what affects yours and my everyday life has a lot to do with our local government and little to do with the federal goverment.
The big decisions about wars and trade and federal bail-outs they are the decisions that the President makes.
But really, how can one person, no matter how qualified be an expert in military tactics, economic policy, education, and international trade? He can't. What he must do is consult experts in those fields, weight their advice and then take the best possible course of action.
Obama has done this very well. I feel that his actions have all been well thought out and measured.
This is, I believe, the great mistake of George Bush.
The President is also a representative of our Country to the World. Obama does this extremely well. He can talk well, and he can hold conversations with foreign leaders. He is popular and personable.
The congress and supreme court can basicly hamstring the president, make it impossible for him to get any real work done. Obama hold beliefs that are far left of where I stand on many things. He is well countered by the congress and the ravenous republicans who are working hard to keep him and the 59% democratic majority in check. The result is fairly balanced. This is hoe government works and I feel that it is working out very well right now.
....I just wish the public option were still on the table.........
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
I dislike boy scouts
1. Merit badges are superfluous.
I feel that boys are awarded merit badges for things that they should do anyways, with out external motivation or pressure. Kids are naturally curious and this interest in science nature history and society should be encouraged and nurtured with classes and museums and books. This should be the bulk of a young boy's education, not an activity limited to a hours a week.
Less diligent parents might mistakenly believe that the scouting program with its limited scope is sufficient for their child's development. A sore mistake, nearly as bad as the mistaken notion that a few hikes and camping trips are enough to make their child an outdoors man without any further effort on their part.
Since the program itself is not enough to provide either education nor exercise to young boys, perhaps it ought to be eliminated and leave room for parents to continue their own schedules of learning and science set out for their children.
Alas every parent can not or does not do this, so it is better than nothing.
2. Eagle scouts are largely the product of pushy parents.
Every eagle scout I know has a parent who is very willing to push them to get their scout ranking done. I will not be such a parent and as a result my kids will probably not be eagle scouts. This pushiness is called by several euphemisms, most commonly 'support' I am sure that I will be described as 'unsupportive' but really I will be very supportive. I want a well rounded kid and that is my end goal. If scouting fits into that education I hope I can look past my prejudices to help my kid with it. unfortunately I have some prejudice against scouting which brings me to the next point;
3. There are a lot of bad people who are Eagle scouts.
I know some of them. When a person is labeled as an eagle scout it makes them seem to be 'trustworthy loyal courteous kind morally straight' etc. I have first hand experience with the opposite. I feel that there was a great desire to pretend that the aforementioned eagle scout was a good person who just 'made a mistake' but really this was all wishful thinking.
I now associate eagle scouts and the scouting program with other people who are evil, masquerading as people who are good. abusive priests, corrupt politicians, etc. I am afraid to set anyone upon a pedestal lest they will be trusted more than they are worth and are allowed to abuse because of that blind belief in their goodness.
I feel that boys are awarded merit badges for things that they should do anyways, with out external motivation or pressure. Kids are naturally curious and this interest in science nature history and society should be encouraged and nurtured with classes and museums and books. This should be the bulk of a young boy's education, not an activity limited to a hours a week.
Less diligent parents might mistakenly believe that the scouting program with its limited scope is sufficient for their child's development. A sore mistake, nearly as bad as the mistaken notion that a few hikes and camping trips are enough to make their child an outdoors man without any further effort on their part.
Since the program itself is not enough to provide either education nor exercise to young boys, perhaps it ought to be eliminated and leave room for parents to continue their own schedules of learning and science set out for their children.
Alas every parent can not or does not do this, so it is better than nothing.
2. Eagle scouts are largely the product of pushy parents.
Every eagle scout I know has a parent who is very willing to push them to get their scout ranking done. I will not be such a parent and as a result my kids will probably not be eagle scouts. This pushiness is called by several euphemisms, most commonly 'support' I am sure that I will be described as 'unsupportive' but really I will be very supportive. I want a well rounded kid and that is my end goal. If scouting fits into that education I hope I can look past my prejudices to help my kid with it. unfortunately I have some prejudice against scouting which brings me to the next point;
3. There are a lot of bad people who are Eagle scouts.
I know some of them. When a person is labeled as an eagle scout it makes them seem to be 'trustworthy loyal courteous kind morally straight' etc. I have first hand experience with the opposite. I feel that there was a great desire to pretend that the aforementioned eagle scout was a good person who just 'made a mistake' but really this was all wishful thinking.
I now associate eagle scouts and the scouting program with other people who are evil, masquerading as people who are good. abusive priests, corrupt politicians, etc. I am afraid to set anyone upon a pedestal lest they will be trusted more than they are worth and are allowed to abuse because of that blind belief in their goodness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
