Untitled

I really had no idea how to title this. It's about politics. I will be the first to admit I do not understand how politics are the way they are. Maybe I will just make a list. Some points may seem more philosophical than anything. [Disclaimers for which I am wholeheartedly apologizing for in advance: I did not watch the State of the Union address last night. I have listened to NPR several times today and heard clips and analyses from both sides.]

* Why do both (we will leave independents out of this) sides insist that they are not being difficult and that their "opponent" is the unreasonable one? Why would one refer to the other party as an "opponent" once you are elected?At that point aren't you supposed to be improving the lives of all Americans?

* Is affordable health care something people should be voting on or something that should be important to ensure all citizens have? If you claim your vocal constituency does not want other people to have health care, what about those who do not know how to voice their opinion or have the resources to do so? Also, if you receive government funding for unemployment or job training or whatever other kinds of government money a citizen may receive, are you required to have health insurance? I know of people who were receiving unemployment and did not have health insurance, so my guess is no. Is this something that is in the reform policies? Wouldn't required people to use their unemployment to also pay for basic affordable health care be a good policy?

* When people are talking about Scott Brown (the new MA senator in case you have been under a rock...also, he is a member of the Republican party) getting elected and how this will kill a healthcare bill, do people forget that Massachusetts already has implimented health care reform? How does this affect how a representative from MA approaches a national health care reform bill?

* I would really appreciate the government, not political analysts or political scientists or graduate students, to have a task force on what the role of the government and purpose should be. This is meant in a philosophical sense, not "big" versus "not big" government. When or how do you decide if something is important for the good of your country

* Is it truly reasonable to think a new president can solve the economic problems, create jobs for all the unemployed, successfully end any military involvement, improve international opinion of our country, reform healthcare, and any other gigantic task you can think of in one year?

So the thought about requiring those who are on unemployment to pay for health insurance was one of the lightbulbs that went off in my head today. They other was that I can see why people who know they should vote, don't vote. What the heck is the point sometimes? People are unhappy, so they vote for the "opposite". And you end up with people who may not vote for someone in whom they believe, but rather is just different.

Anyway, I am going to go have one more Tim Tam and go to bed.

[Pepperidge Farms has graced the U.S. with Tim Tams, a.k.a. "Australia's favorite cookie", only to be found at Target. Treat yourself next time you're at Target - you won't be disappointed.]