My Candidate

Here it is, a presidential election year (2012), and I find myself somewhat dismayed at the choices I have. On the one hand, I have a Romney/Ryan ticket with which I am unable to find little, if any, common ground. Romney seems like a nice guy, but it is difficult to pin down whom he really is, and what he really stands for. Is this the Romney that signed health care legislation into law in Massachusetts, or is this a different kind of Romney now? And I shudder to think of Paul Ryan being a heart-beat away from the presidency; a man who likes the "no exceptions" rule for abortions and whose voucher plan for health insurance would kill Medicare as we know it in a few short years and that would eventually price poor people out of the market.

So, I have problems supporting the Republican ticket, but I also have problems supporting the Democratic camp as well. At present, the only program of President Obama that I unequivocally support is the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In my opinion, we have needed national health care for decades, and his plan, while not perfect, is a step in the right direction. Beyond that, though, he and I drift apart, albeit not severely. As for Biden, I have almost as many misgivings about him as I do about Ryan. I feel that he was a political expediency in 2008, but has shown little presidential timbre. His main calling card seems to be a propensity for telling bad jokes at inopportune times.

So, what's a guy like me supposed to do? Well, while I know that this is an exercise in wishful thinking, I decided to list some of the agendas to which my candidate would adhere. Here goes nothing...

1) My candidate would promise to dismantle the DEA in its entirety.

2) He/she would propose legislation legalizing cannabis and the selling of it in licensed

locations (such as liquor stores and taverns), and taxing those sales.

3) He/she would immediately withdraw all American troops from the Middle East.

4) He/she would reduce all foreign military financial aid by %50, while keeping intact

all humanitarian aid for disease, hunger, natural disasters, etc.

5) He/she would reduce the budget for the Defense Department.

6) He/she would increase the budget for the Department of Education and change the current "test" based system to one with an emphasis on learning and understanding.

7) He/she would increase the budget for NASA, whose achievements have affected our lives in so many beneficial ways.

8) He/she would put all so-called "social" issues (abortion, prayer in school, what it says on our money, etc.) on a back burner, leaving them at their current status, hopefully to never be visited again.

Well, there you have it. As you can see, I'm not hard to please; now all I need to do is find me a lantern and start roaming the streets in search of my candidate.

Yeah, I hear you: good luck with that one, right?

Super Ad Sunday

Good morning, everyone. As you prob know, unless you live on another planet, today is Super Ad Sunday; that day when we all pay homage to our corporate owners by watching a game played by grown men in short pants for a mythical championship that will be nothing but a historical footnote in short order. It is every American's civic duty to devour all the ads during said game and then go out and buy mountains of their products. After all, we wouldn't won't any of our corporate bosses starving to death, now would we?

And while you're at it, please say a little prayer for the health and well-being of all their workers in China as well, amen.

Tebow Time

Comes now the new football player, Tim Tebow; and a splendid warrior is he. Much has been said about his physical attributes, and about whether he is suited to play his current position, quarterback, or would he be a better fit somewhere else on the team (tight end has been mentioned)? However, regardless of where he plays, he is a fierce presence in the game he has chosen. Or, perhaps Mr. Tebow would say the game was chosen for him…

Whatever.

Lately, much more has been made about his sideline attitude, in which he kneels and places himself in a position of supplication to the Lord. Many have made this a focal point of discussions about him, and it has become a national fad, primarily among young people, to imitate him through a phenomenon now known as “Tebowing”, wherein one kneels and presumable prays wherever they might be at the time; public or private.

This phenomenon leads one, myself included, to have several thoughts about the matter. In the Bible, in Matthew 6.6; it says that you should pray “in private”, or “in secret”, depending on which version of the Bible you are reading. Bear in mind, of course, that biblical verses are subject to many translations; verses written in one place are often contradicted in another place. Suffice to say, you can use the Bible to back up most any assertations you might make; in the same way that statistics are used. I prefer a literal translation; but hey, that’s just me, you do what you want.

That Mr. Tebow uses the sidelines of a playing field in a very public setting doesn’t bother me so much anyway. What does bother me is wondering about the context of his prayers. Is he praying for peace, or for help for the needy, or for an end to the jealousies of mankind? Or, is he praying for excellence on the football field, or for victory, or for the admiration of his peers? If, in fact, he is praying for the latter three, my friends, then he is a hypocrite and not worthy of emulation.

Football, after all, is just a game; a carry-over from our childhood days; we just wear bigger pants now. Not only is it just a game, it is a game based on the precepts of war, if you will. In short, it is hardly a reflection of true Christian values. If you are looking to find God on the football field, you are looking in the wrong place.

It would be wrong of me to assume what his prayers are about; however, given the setting of his poses and prayers, I have to wonder. But, that is a question only Mr. Tebow can answer, and we can only hope for the best. Ultimately, he alone will have to pay the price for the content of his heart…