Happy Birthday America

May not be able to do much online tomorrow. It's the Fourth of July as it were. I must say it's the first time in several years that I'm actually proud to be an American again. We've got Jimmy's 32nd birthday - I've felt incredibly old ever since he turned 30 - to celebrate. His birthday was the same day as VDO but since it was a weekday, we're holding up the cake and ice cream for the weekend. Now that we live close to the park where the fireworks celebration happens, we just have to take lawn chairs out and watch. It's nice.

So on America's birthday, I would like to just share a very heartfelt thank you to all who supported President Barack Obama. Don't let the naysayers get you down. It's tough going these days in an economy he inherited from conservatives who seem to think the same old same old should fix the problem it caused in the first place. I'm not 100% with him on all issues but I am on most and I am quite certain, the only thing the Republicans can offer us would be more of the narrow-minded, selfish, xenophobic arrogance that got us into the mess we're in right now. Barack Obama is our best hope and on the anniversary of the birth of our nation, I wish him well and hope he overcomes the nastiness of Washington, D.C.

Face it, the Democrats aren't helping matters any. The politics as usual thing doesn't set well with me and both sides are playing politics as usual. I'm not happy about that one bit.

Ah well, we will hopefully come out of this stronger and smarter. This time let's not forget the lessons of history. The last time we had a depression, we decided government oversight and regulation was in order. Then came the "Republican revolution" where business was allowed to run unfettered and unchecked. Alan Greenspan even admitted he was mistaken in thinking the private sector could regulate themselves. It was some kind of group insanity in the banking sector that allowed things to get as bad as they did. It was because of the lack of government oversight.

So Republicans who say the private sector can help everything from health care to this economic meltdown, I say you need to study history and pull your heads out of the sand. Welcome to the real world where the Bernie Madoffs of the world ruin the lives of people so they can maintain some kind of ridiculously wasteful life of over consumption. Live and learn and stop being so flippin' stupid. Deregulation DOESN'T WORK! When given the opportunity, greed will cause entire industries to behave badly.

Here's hoping the American public will realize that we have to suffer a little before we can come out of this and it's not President Obama's fault. I hear the blame landing on him already. The right is becoming more and more hysterical and are probably self-medicating to make themselves feel better. Doesn't Rush Limbaugh look like he's back on drugs? Lost all that weight and he's saying really stupid things. I mean downright crazy things. It's outrageous even for him.

I have faith that things can turn around in this country. We just have to keep the faith and believe that some how, cooler heads will prevail. Write to your elected representatives and tell them to get with the program. We need all kinds of reform and don't let your fear of change scare you. Seriously, can it be any worse than it is now?

Well, okay, so if Sarah Palin were anywhere near Washington, maybe. Watch out world. The moron just announced she's resigning as governor of Alaska so she can promote her own retard self better. Okay, that's not what she said exactly. But that's my take on it. God help us all if she ever gets close to the presidency. That would be so scary, I won't even bother saying I'd leave the country because no matter where on earth you are, if that simp gets into office - which I highly doubt as she's not learned a thing from her mistakes - we're all in BIG trouble.

I thank God that we have a competent individual in the White House. I'm thankful that he's thoughtful and inclusive. I'm quite comforted to know he has a world view, not a myopic America only view. Because in the end, we've become very globalized in modern times with all our technology and you can't go running around bullying the rest of the world while proclaiming how we are the best country on the face of the planet.

Sure our light has dimmed a bit but I see it starting to shine once more. I see that hope in the face of modern America - Barack Obama.

So happy birthday America. We now have a chance to make ourselves better.


[NP: Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight]