Ennui

I am not sure how this post is going to turn out. There is sadness, frustration and, yes, resignation flowing through my thoughts and I am not happy with any of those emotions.

Is the sadness a result of the knowledge that most Americans are willing to accept what those in DC are feeding us? A consequence of years of misinformation from both the White House and Congress that we have gotten to the point of “accepting those things [we] cannot change”? Or, the realization that we CAN change them, but are too lazy to do so? What happened to the American Spirit? Yeah, sure, we make snarky, sarcastic remarks about the policies and lack of same of the Ego in Chief. We yell at the TV when yet another insane proposal is made by a member of Congress that we know will never see the light of day or Barry acts like a little child by refusing to meet with our most treasured ally in the Middle East because he chose to talk to a joint session of Congress without permission. We sigh at the announcement of more committees to investigate the findings of other committees that were formed to decide if the very first committee’s findings were just partisan hogwash. Then we let them spend money that we really don’t have to fund said committees, bitch about the national debt under our breaths and bemoan the fact that we can do nothing about it.

Trust me. I am no better than any other American. I bitch, piss and moan right along with the rest of you. I wrack my brain trying to figure out what my one voice can do to change what our nation has become. Talking to the television has become second nature. My dogs think I’m nuts. No, not nuts. Just frustrated. I believed our Constitution would not allow us to get to this point. I believed that those we voted into office would respect the most important document in the history of our great nation. Instead, most of those in DC seem to spend time emulating the NFL – trying to figure out how to run plays that avoid the defensive line our forefathers built to save us from what we have become so that they can score points for their personal campaigns. Just another check in the “win column” so that they can use that to hold on to their cushy government jobs and become Legacies in the DC world. Short of leaving our homes and parking our butts on their doorsteps 24/7 (which seems not to work well, either) what recourse do we have? Do I sound defeatist? Perhaps. I really am not that kind of girl. Believe me, I have been reading and studying a lot over the past few years. The only power we seem to have, short of physically removing those who seem determined to ignore the will of the people and undermine the good works our forefathers did, is the power of our words. However, if our words are crumpled into a ball and thrown in the trash time after time after time, who among us is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and eradicate the cockroaches in the cupboard? Very few, I believe. We talk a good game. Then, we look at our comfy couches, flat screen TVs, fairly well-stocked pantries and sedentary lives and say to ourselves “Do I really want to jeopardize all of this for freedom?”

Freedom. Ha. Are we truly free when our government can tell us that we count less than those who cross the border illegally? That we should accept the fact that many American citizens will lose their jobs to H1B rated illegal workers who have been given Social Security numbers and drivers’ licenses? That the illnesses our children are contracting are just minor inconveniences we must endure in order to have a more affordable work force? Allow me a moment of immaturity. I have heard people labeled “stupid” because they believe the more recent epidemics of diseases that had been wiped out in America are the result of unvaccinated children crossing our border. You are “stupid” if you believe this is not the case. Immaturity moment has ended. Will those immigration advocates be so protective over illegals when the M13 roles double and triple in hard hit inner city communities and the death tolls rise, or will they join the rest of us in demanding better border security and a larger police presence in those areas? No, they will join in making more videos and organize demonstrations demanding the death of police officers. I used to criticize the police for accepting “toys” from the federal government – things that seem like overkill (pardon the pun) in small towns that previously knew nothing of violent crimes. I even deduced that they could be used if the Anointed One decided to declare Martial Law based upon some manufactured national crisis. That is a belief I still hold in the back of my mind, but after Ferguson I can sort of understand the desire of smaller police organizations to own equipment that can compensate for the lack of personnel if serious situations arise. Sort of…

Because Americans are constantly being pitted against one another based on race, ethnicity and religion day after day by the likes of Holder, Sharpton and Obama (and a whole host of others), we are ignoring one of the biggest threats to our nation since 1993. ISIS is not a threat to us since they are predominantly in Syria and Iraq? Really!?!? I am sure the rookie cops who were attacked by the man screaming “Allahu Akbar” and wielding a hatchet might disagree. Perhaps those who survived Fort Hood would have a thing or two to say about that. Or how about the family of the soldier killed at the Recruitment Center in Arkansas? The list can go on and on. Is it possible that the level of ignorance in the White House is so great that they believe one ocean will stop them dead in their tracks and put a halt to any violence in the United States? Does what people did 800 or 500 years ago in the name of Christ really even out the playing field? I guess we are supposed to accept the rapes, live burials, beheadings and burnings of live human beings because Christians committed heinous acts centuries ago. Just forgive and forget. We had our time, this is theirs. My inner angry woman keeps asking, “Is it January 20, 2017 yet?” I don’t know if our Republic can hold on that long.

It is sad that recalling the days of Jim Crow, Watts, Internment Camps during WWII, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki or the Sandy Creek Massacre in Colorado can be used time and again to classify us as a nation of hate and divisiveness, but we are Islamophobic when we mention the crimes against humanity committed by ISIS. Sorry, Barry, I would rather be classified an Islamophobe than declared dead after a terrorist attack on US soil – which is inevitable and a lot more imminent than you think. I agree that what has happened to minorities in our nation, or original citizens such as the Native Americans, were horrific. We have worked hard as a nation to correct those wrongs. Not perfect yet, but we have come farther than many other nations in the world to mend our wounds. Although, you seem to be doing all you can to destroy the good we have accomplished. We need to concentrate on the threats of today, not the mistakes made in the past, if we want to survive as a nation. But, I have resigned myself to the belief that you truly dislike America.

This may sound like a strong statement. Maybe if you, just once, sounded sincere when you talk about protecting us and our most treasured way of life I would not feel that way. Perhaps if you stopped blaming the past and started fighting for the future for the sake of our children and grandchildren, I would excuse you for some of your lack of enthusiasm. Sadly, I stand by my statement that you dislike America. You seem to want a Saul Alinsky “paradise”. Those who choose not to educate themselves may think this would be a perfect world if their only source of information was the wide-eyed oratory of cult-like liberal Alinskyites. However, his world is not much different from that of Lenin or Stalin and I WILL get up off my dead ass to protect my child, my husband and my country from the horror of a future like that. Mark my words…

2013 “Bite Me” Awards

lips

For those of you who did not read my first (and only until now) “Bite Me” awards, let me educate you. They are a collection of serious, sarcastic, sometimes angry and often “what the f**k were they thinking?” news and personal items that have been rattling through my head during the year.
Feel free to add on if you think I forgot something. Keep in mind, personal attacks, racial and gender slurs and vulgarities aimed at anyone who comments on my post will not be published. I am a big girl and I can take it, but I will not allow anyone to disrespect my guests.
That being said, here goes:

1. Jahi McMath has been declared brain dead by a judge in California. She is 13. She received a routine tonsillectomy and suffered a cardiac incident post-surgery that placed her in a “vegetative state”. What has truly been lost in all of this is “How did she get this way in the first place?” It is difficult enough to lose a child, but Jahi’s parents have faced this tragedy during what is supposed to be one of the most joyous times for a young girl – Christmas. Isn’t it easy to understand why they are fighting so hard to have her moved to a facility willing to take their insurance and keep her on life support until her “natural death”? However, the hospital she is in currently will not perform the procedure required to transport her to the nursing home because (and I am paraphrasing) they do not perform medical procedures on cadavers. Jahi is not a cadaver to her family, she is their child. This hospital gets a Vacant Heart Bite Me for their complete lack of empathy.

Update:  Jahi’s family won the right to have her moved to a long-term care facility and receive the care she needs.  I will pray for her and her family.  No matter the final outcome, she will always be in the hands of the Angels.

2. Since I am a Libertarian, one could safely assume that the legalization of marijuana in my state does not really bother me. What does bother me is that it seems like the legislators all got together in someone’s mom’s basement with a huge bong, some good skunk weed and a few cases of Lay’s™ potato chips and said “Dude, this legal stuff is a total buzz kill. Just make it okay to smoke and worry about the boring shit later.” “Yeah, man, seriously. Hey, stop hoggin’ on that shit man! I need a hit. Oh, and give me those chips…” It seems as though we are a study-obsessed society. We study everything. The effects of baby poop on our air quality, whether purple hair ties will leak dye into our brains or if e-cigarettes are tempting our youth to become deviant smokers. So, why is it so hard to come up with laws concerning driving under the influence of pot? “Colorado’s Amendment 64, also passed in November 2012, legalizes private pot use by most adults and allows them to grow a small number of marijuana plants. However, no legal blood limit was set for drivers. The debate about what should be done is ongoing” (Edmunds.com, 1/15/2013). You can smoke a joint outside of a restaurant or a store – that’ll just get someone else high if they are forced to stand there, too. Smoke a cigarette and you are lower than a child molester! So, the “But I Got High” Bite Me goes to the Colorado legislators for whatever they were smoking – or not – before they passed this law.

Update:  A chain of sushi restaurants in Colorado has come up with a pairing menu for those who smoke weed.  I wonder if they are only going to allow those 21 and over who do not mind a contact buzz into their restaurants, designate a day specifically for this activity, or just run things like they usually do.  Can’t wait to see how this one plays out…

3. David D. Kirkpatrick of The New York Times wrote, “The violence, though, also had spontaneous elements. Anger at the video motivated the initial attack. Dozens of people joined in, some of them provoked by the video and others responding to fast-spreading false rumors that guards inside the American compound had shot Libyan protesters. Looters and arsonists, without any sign of a plan, were the ones who ravaged the compound after the initial attack, according to more than a dozen Libyan witnesses as well as many American officials who have viewed the footage from security cameras” (nyt.com, 12/28/2013) (emphasis added).

“’I still see pictures on that TV of bloody finger prints on the wall thinking ‘are those my son’s?’ Patricia Smith said” (fox5SanDiego.com, 8/20/2013).

I dare Mr. Kirkpatrick to sit across the table from Mrs. Smith and try to explain his delusional “theories” to a mother who cannot get a straight answer from anyone in Washington. Are the Democrats in Washington so desperate to win their seats in 2014 that they are sending one of their shills out there to rehash an already disproved story and make it appear as though it is new information? For this reason, I am awarding the Manufactured Crises Bite Me to Mr. Kirkpatrick and The New York Times for their valiant efforts to bail out a sinking ship with a thimble.

4. I want to know what planet the Ego in Chief resides upon when he is not on Earth boring us with his condescending speechifying. If he is so concerned about the fact that the House Republicans have not produced a gazillion page roll of toilet paper that masquerades as a Health Care Law, as his does, I have a news flash for him. They haven’t. What they have done is come up with basic solutions to our nation’s health insurance issues as smaller bills that would not cause the chaos his behemoth has. If he wants to know where these solutions are, he needs to look up Harry Reid’s ass. Senator Reid has been sitting on them for years. My personal message to Barack – Barry, babe, it might be too late for you. You are the lamest duck I have ever seen. You would not know the truth if it bit you on the ankle and you think your silken words will lull our ears to believe all we hear you utter. Sorry, Sweet Cheeks, but you are not a Siren. Because your ego is so huge I know leaving a legacy is extremely critical to your self-image. Here’s an idea! Act like a damned grown up, repeal your law and hire people who actually know what they are doing to rewrite it. We do not need to overhaul our entire system, just initiate tort reform, tweek some of the Medicaid and Medicare requirements and allow the health insurance companies to engage in commerce across state lines. Then, maybe Harry can afford to go have surgery so he doesn’t walk around like he has every piece of legislation the House has produced since 2010 up his ass anymore. You might even leave office with a modicum of dignity. Mr. Anointed One, I am awarding you the Aesop’s “The Ass in Lion’s Silk” Bite Me.

5. You might not have done this as a child, but I never listened to my mother so I used to put pennies on the train tracks and watch them stretch and get thinner. Give me some slack – it was a small town and we still had black & white TV back then. Anyway, the penny’s length and width might have increased, but its strength and worth diminished greatly. This is similar to what happens when you just keep printing money in order to solve your problems. More money – worth less. More money – more people have dollars but they are economically weaker. The Holy Shit! We Gotta do SOMETHING! Bite Me of 2013 goes to the Federal Reserve. I am sure my future grandchildren will thank them some day when they are pushing wheelbarrows full of money into Kroger’s to get a loaf of bread.

6. I just found out yesterday – on the local news, mind you – that at least 19,000 Medicaid subscribers have had their HIPAA information hacked in Colorado. Although, we are being half-heartedly assured that no one has had their social security or bank account numbers stolen, I don’t think many are buying it. Our exchange is subsidized by the federal government, so I guess it should have been a foregone conclusion. Why will the government not listen to those who know best and install their security systems first and build upon them? So, this Bite Me is the “AND FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED…”

Garrett_morris_SNL_news_for_the_hard_of_hearing

which I am awarding to all of those in government who should put their hands down and back away from the techie shit!

7. I have decided to start an organization and request 501(c)(3) status. It will be called Gun Owning, Law Abiding, Constitutional Originalist, Bra Hating Women over 50 Who Don’t Give a Shit About KimYe. So…who’s giving odds on my chances I get approved within the next 10 years? My final Bite Me goes to the IRS and Barry’s campaign machine for Gestapo Tactics Cleverly Disguised as Economic Equity Programs.

Please do not forget me when I am in prison. I have enjoyed writing my blog with the hopes that I have entertained, informed, angered and provoked thought over the years…lol 🙂

Katrina

A Day in the Life of Rip van Winkel

I am really, really, really confused.  I took a nap yesterday and when I woke up I was in the “Socialist States of America”!  WTF?!?!

  • The Democrats don’t see a need for publishing the Revised, Revised, Revised Health Care Reform bill.  Did I hear that correctly?  Even 72 hours prior to a vote?  Doesn’t matter which side of this issue you are on.  You have to admit that this is fundamentally wrong.
  • AARP – oh, boy…I just came across their September 2009 issue of AARP Bulletin. The main story entitled “The Hype, The Lies, THE FACTS cites FactCheck.org and a Harvard (you know, the Alma Mater of Barack Obama) Professor as two of their primary sources of “THE FACTS”.  Just to give you an idea of the bent of this article, here are some excerpts:
    • “…Could the rumor mongering affect the outcome?  Recent violent interruptions at lawmakers’ town hall meetings suggest it might…”

    Violent interruptions?  Oh, yeah…the tear gas, dogs, police batons…I remember that.  NOT!!!!!!

    • “…Q. Will the government take over health care so we end up with socialized medicine?  No.  Neither the president nor the congressional committees have suggested anything remotely resembling government takeover of health care…”

    Okay, okay…here’s the really funny part.

    • “…Obama has specifically rejected the idea of a ‘single payer’ system, like Canada’s, in which the government insures all citizens…”

    Oh Goddess!  That’s rich!

    • “…Q. Will the government ration care?  No.  But the specter of ‘rationing’ is the battle cry of reform opponents…”

    What AARP fails to mention is that, although it may not be the intent of this Administration to ration care, the cost of a program as large as this may force their hand.  We may not see it in our lifetime, but our children may be faced with it down the road.

  • Why is AARP permitted to issue an article such as this (filled with opinion and interpretation, as well as some facts), yet Humana has been told to shut up?  Isn’t AARP in effect an insurance company?  They advertise AARP Health Care Options with a disclaimer that they are not the insurer.  However, they are paid a fee by United HealthCare Insurance Company for the use of their trademark and other services.  Same difference as far as I am concerned.  When will they be told to shut up?
  • I want to know why it is sooo important to pass some form of Health Care Reform Bill prior to the Columbus Day recess.  What is Congress afraid of?  Oooh, Oooh!!!  Pick me!  Pick me!  I know the answer!  Because their sorry butts will most likely be out of office come 2010!!!!! They want their names on this piece of crap so their grandchildren know who screwed up America.

While you were out…

49% of Americans polled oppose the Obama Health Care Reform Bill.  46% are in favor of it.

Barack, this means more people don’t want it than do.

I know there are people out there who need help.  I know many Americans do bad things to themselves and put their health in jeopardy.  However, in America there is still a little document (you might have seen it once or twice when you were a Senator) called the Constitution.  One of our rights is the pursuit of happiness.  If this means shoving your face into a vat of cheesecake, so be it.  It is not the job of the government to put a muzzle on you and force you to be thin.

How about you put the time, effort and money into better education, better school meal programs and teach kids how to cook healthy meals that are fun and taste good?   Invite the parents to participate in these programs.   How about funding safer school playgrounds and physical education programs that are actually interesting to kids?  Most kids love music and dancing.  Most kids love to color and paint. Teach schools how to incorporate those activities into a physical education program.  This would give kids who are normally not inclined to participate in physical activities an incentive to do so.

How about not taxing and regulating American farmers to death and encouraging future generations to grow their own veggies?  Give schools the funds to begin “Community Gardens” either indoors (hydroponics, maybe?) or outdoors if they have the property to do so?  With a program like that kids would not only learn how to eat healthier, but they would be helping the environment.  It would also show them how science and math can be incorporated into daily life.

Just building a playground does not ensure it will be used.  When children are in a school setting the chances of participation are much higher than if they are left to their own devices and expected to make good decisions on their own.

Invest some time and effort into fixing Social Security.  This is money the American people have already paid out.  Make it easier for people with disabilities to have access to their money. One of the things I object to is giving Social Security Disability to people who are alcoholics that are not required to attend rehabilitation programs while receiving benefits.  Or, people who are on SSDI because they have obesity-related illnesses who are not required to attend some sort of nutrition classes, therapy group or private counseling along with medical supervision.

You see, we have programs in place that we are already paying for and they are not working.  Instead of creating yet another government-run debacle, fix what already exists.  It will be cheaper in the long-run and maybe, just maybe, your supposed goal of a healthier America might be attained.  IF that is really your goal…

This is a Joke…right?

I was denied SSI four times.  I now receive twice-monthly surveys from an independent company asking how my experience with the Social Security Administration was?  “IT SUCKED” was obviously not the response they were looking for because the little reminder cards keep-a-comin’.  Mind you, all correspondence is tagged with the reminder that they are in strict compliance with the “Paperwork Reduction Act of blah, blah, blah…”  Goody for them.

What I want to know is how do they have the BALLS to go on a vacation to a resort in Arizona, hire an independent company to produce useless surveys and still deny SSI to someone with a disease that is progressive and inevitably devastating?

My daughter and Me

My daughter and Me

To top it all off, my daughter has Factor V Liden, a blood clotting disorder.   She suffered a massive stroke at 18 which left her in a coma for 2 weeks and rendered her unable to speak for 6 months.  Thankfully, my ex-husband had good health insurance, because I shudder to think what would have happened to her if we had to rely on the government for help.  She will probably never be able to collect a dime of the money she has paid into Social Security upon her retirement because there will be NOTHING LEFT.

How much more are we supposed to take?  I just don’t get it…