Donkeys and Elephants

Thank you Time Magazine. This week's edition had a great article on what went wrong in New Orleans. They examined the Mayor, Governor, Mike Brown (Director of FEMA, well now ex-director), and Secretary Chertoff (Department of Homeland Security). How they made mistakes and failed across the board. They spread the blame between the state and federal governments.

To me this is shocking but right on. However, I expect Time to get lambasted on the article. Why? you ask. Why do I find this so shocking? Simple, because it doesn't target anyone specifically on either side of the political spectrum. The elephants will be outraged because how can you question the people put in charge by the President to handle these scenarios. The donkeys will be flippin' po'ed big time because Time did not come right out and name Bush as the problem.

But really, who cares. Mistakes were made everywhere. Officials and authorities responded to many of those shortcomings and at 9pm our President will speak to this to some extent.

*side note*, I am fighting a horrible cold right now so I doubt I will stay up to watch this speech tonight. I need sleep heading into the weekend.

One thing I hate about the political structure is the insanely strict partisanship that is going on right now. "Damn it, if you are a Republican, conservative, Democrat, liberal, you better be all of it or you are as bad as the 'other side'!" I hear it all the time. It is out of control.

If you are a registered Democrat, you are expected AND HAD BETTER disagree and protest with every initiative that comes from the White House. You must hang on every word that Hillary, Kennedy, and Reid say.

As a Republican (like myself), I am expected AND HAD BETTER agree and fight for every initiative that comes from the White House. Every word that Bush, Lott, and McCain say is iron clad!!!

Why? This is a country founded on a Decleration of Independence, a Constitution, and a Bill of Rights that promote individual freedom, expression, and happiness. Where is my individuality when I have to tow the party line? Yes, I have 2 signs in my yard:

One supports our troops and President Bush. Which, if you interpret to mean I am in support of the war on terrorism AND Iraq, you are correct.

The other is supporting Bush on Social Security reform. I agree with his plan. Not because it is George W. Bush saying it, but because his plan will give me a choice to do what I want with the money I put into Social Security. I can keep on doing the same old, same old; or I can take the money designated for social security and invest it to get more money.

These are 2 issues I feel strongly on. A couple I do not feel strongly on are how he handles taxes, I am skeptical of the Haliburton issue, and I do not know enough about John Roberts. I don't go around blindly accepting these issues and agreeing with everything that the Republicans print and publish.

I know people who call me a liberal (or at least no better than) for using Heinz ketchup and drinking Coke. I am serious!! Serious!!

People are so anti-Bush and so filled with hatred, that people voted this election because, "they wanted anybody but Bush!" Do you realize how ignorant this sounds? They don't care about taxes, healthcare, social security, environment, etc., etc. Just that "as long as George W. Bush is not president, then I am happy." I mean come on.

Hopefully, by now, I am sure you can tell my frustration with this. Not everything coming from the right is correct but it is not all bad either and going to end the world. Not everything from the left is incorrect but most of it is :)

Until next time

Brian