There is a movement going on today to Throw Your Shoe at Bush. I encourage you all to join me by posting a picture of your shoe on your blog, then posting a link in the comments here. I had a picture of my favorite shoe, a red pointy high-heeled mule, but I lost it... that's okay, this model that's on my mantel is heavier and harder.
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With that shoe, I'm throwing a prayer as hard as I can for Obama's safety for the next four years, and then (let's face it) the four years following that.
PS: Someone noticed today that I'm losing weight. Squeee! The starving is paying off. (I am not literally starving. I'm just eating tons of fruits, veggies and BEANS, and not eating cookies. Which I hate. But whatever, I'll let myself fall off the wagon in another month or two.) I just hit a snag today, however, because my cheap iPod knock-off no longer accepts the songs I want to put on it. This is a big problem. I won't be able to afford the cheapest iPod for another two weeks, and that's only if we keep eating beans. Blasted winter bills!
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17 comments:
Abby, I've commented here quite a bit, and I'm really at a loss on this one. I know we disagree on this subject pretty sorely, but - grow up. I thought for a while if there was something else more constructive I could say, but I got nothin'. Just grow up.
Instead of celebrating your guy getting sworn in, you (and all the other shoe throwers) are still focused on pouring negative attention on Bush. What's the point? He's not the President anymore. So what is being accomplished? I'm all for criticism of active leaders, but like him or hate him, he's done.
It really seems like the energy spent spreading this around online could've been better spent cheering on the new guy - which I'm even willing to do, and I sure didn't vote for him. My prediction is that whereas the Dems have bitched and whined over the years of Republican reign, Republicans are going to act with greater dignity and poise toward the new Democratic administration.
Are you serious, Amy? "Greater dignity and poise"? Speak for yourself, but no matter how shitty a president Bush was, nobody was ever yelling "kill him!" at rallies. And we don't have any horrifying media icons (Ann Coulter, etc.) who promote far worse than shoe-throwing, which is really just silly fun.
I stand by every word I said.
http://babysmoran.blogspot.com/2009/01/throw-shoe-at-bush.html
Here is a link to our shoe throwing. I think it was a fun "throwing away" the old and ringing in the new.
As a fellow shoe thrower I have to say that Bush got us into this crap and new "the new guy" and the citizens of the United States have to deal with the aftermath. We do not get to leave and go home to our ranches and tons of money.
So here is our shoes. Hopefully "the new guy" can get us out of the huge hole we were left with/
It's really easy to blame everything that sucks right now on Bush, but it's not accurate. Yes, he was the President. In reality, though, it's the Congress that governs and does much of the job of steering the country (not that Bush didn't have a huge role in our foreign policy, but as far as the financial crisis - that's a domestic issue that really goes back to Clinton-Era deregulation).
Yeah, I was speaking for myself regarding the 'dignity and poise' comment. It's not accurate to play the Ann Coulter card as though all conservatives are like her. The vast majority are not. I happen to think she's disgusting and obnoxious. And for what it's worth, the Democrats have their share (Rosie O'Donnell, anyone?). Not that there aren't extremes, I'm just predicting a much more bipartisan, "play-nice" attitude from all involved, from now on. My point was really this: If, as a conservative who did not vote for Obama, I can welcome him as our new Commander in Chief and genuinely support him, is it so much to ask that Obama supporters put their Bush-hate aside and just enjoy the moment - put their energy into supporting their guy, not focusing on how much they think Bush sucks? It seems like a pretty reasonable request to me.
Anyway - I didn't mean for this to become a debate hot-spot. I'm done!
How fun! Talk that has nothing to do with kids. Great for the childless Friends of Abby. I celebrate the fact that your fellow blogger Amy has decided to be poised and dignified about the changing of the guard. It gives me hope, as I still hear Republicans around me grumbling about how they didn't vote for "that Muslim." Because that doesn't sound like dignity and poise to me. It is reassuring to know it can exist among the politically conservative right now, though. These last eight years I didn't really bitch and whine as much as I lamented and was moved to tears over the status of my beloved country. Today I have hope. And George Bush is back in Texas, where he isn't my governor like he was almost a decade ago, he is just a man whose heart was probably in the right place but whose ego got in the way all too often.
I am thrilled you have lost some weight. It's always a double-edged sword when people notice it on me...my discomfort probably goes back to developing very young and having boys make mean comments about my body. But good for you! You will run a marathon yet.
And if "growing up" means you lose your wicked funny cynicism, don't do it. I won't be your BFF anymore. SRSLY.
Ahh, good morning all-- nothing can wake me up at 1 am (that's right, one) in a rage like politics. Four hours of sleep is downright refreshing.
Thanks Amy!
I have wanted to comment a few times in the past, but have held back. Not this time! Really, Abby...don't you have more constructive things to do with your time than spending it doing something so downright moronic. Honestly, it makes me pity you, instead of being angry. Shoe throwing...really?? As Amy said before me, GROW UP!! Can't anyone disagree with you and you still give them the kudos that what they said made a lot of sense. Amy articulated so well what is in the minds of many McCain voters. I really do feel sorry for you because I would not like to have that level of hate inside my head.
Oh, bite me.
I don't understand conservative logic! I just don't. It boils down to money being more important than people and I can't get behind that. I spend hours trying to wrap my brain around it and it just makes me angry.
If I am so horrible then go read someone else's blog.
Abby, you don't understand conservative logic because you're twisting it into something it's not and basing your theory on idiotic stereotypes.
I'm a conservative who quit my job, thereby cutting 50% of our income, to stay home with my kid. That's the antithesis of money above people.
I'd be waking up in a rage, too, if I had it that dead wrong.
Okay. You have a point. Here is what I see: Conservatives are anti-tax because they don't want their hard-earned money going to "those" people. Poor, lazy, probably minorities. However, (A) I am a public school teacher who believes in the benefit of a public investment (which is often called "throwing money at the problem"-- so wrong!). (B) I have been one of "those" people. When I was a cook I made $8 an hour. I worked myself to exhaustion, picking up OT hours whenever I could, and I still had to steal food from work to eat. And I was single. If I tried to do that with a family? No way. God forbid I ever became "lazy" enough to get sick or old and need a social safety net-- gasp! Because I should have managed my money more wisely, right? Maybe invested in a retirement plan or a health savings account? The people who preach these ideas usually aren't trying to get by on $8/hr.
So the argument could be that I should have strived for a better-paying job. Fine, I did in the end. But if everyone did that, who would clean hotel rooms? Cook food and wash dishes in restaurants? These people work very, very hard, and in this country they get squat in return. (And then conservatives are anti-union on top of that, but that's another long topic.)
I also have several Canadian friends who can't believe we put up with our health care system. Say what you will about it not working there, but they all say it does. And the maternity leave? It is disgusting here. Insulting. The idea of gov't supported paid family leave is usually shot down by conservative lawmakers, who spout "family values" out the other side of their mouths. So only rich people should have kids?
I also don't agree with the worship of "the market." Business models are applied where they don't belong, like in schools, where they wouldn't work. And why are the interests of business always more important than human beings? Did you see "Sicko"? (I'm guessing no.) Why are companies allowed to get rich off people being sick? Why are companies allowed to destroy the environment in order to get richer? What would Jesus do? (For the record, Jesus was the ultimate liberal.)
And what is the problem with gay people? Who are they hurting?
There just seems to be zero compassion on that side. None. It's every man for himself, and I don't believe in that.
Now... Tell me why I am wrong.
PS: Of course Bush didn't do this single-handedly, but he appointed nutjobs all around him (like Mike Leavitt, the Health & Human Services Sec. who equates birth control with abortion-- and abstinence education? Stop the insanity!). So in that sense, yes, he is responsible. Okay, blame Congress, but we had two out of the eight years.
I'll try to take what you said point-by-point here.
1. Don't confuse anti-tax with anti-subsidy. Conservatives are generally quite good with money and understand that tax is a necessity. And don't assume that we're all stuck-up bastards. My own mother is one of "those" people. She makes $8 an hour. She and my dad have worked extraordinarily hard their entire lives. And life's not always been fair, they've caught some nasty breaks. But they aren't bitter about it, and they sure aren't crying out for government subsidy. The fact is, we live by the choices we make. People should strive for better paying jobs if they want lifestyles that require more money than they're making. You did it, and someone came right behind you and filled the job you left. It's not like the world is going to bottom-out if people start movin' on up. There will always be a fresh wave of people ready to take those jobs.
So, as a conservative, I don't like subsidies. I think that industries that can't thrive naturally should be left to fail (with exception to what's going on in Detroit right now, because letting that fail outside of this crisis might have been ok, but letting it fail amid the other financial turmoil would be catastrophic). And I think that while people should have access to a leg up and help when it's needed, the assistance should be met with gratitude in the form of work that leads to no longer needing it. Unfortunately, many of the people our tax dollars subsidize sit back and enjoy the "free money" and never try to better their lives or their financial situations.
I have some Canadian friends, too. And while there's admittedly a lot wrong with our health care system, they'd take ours over theirs in a heart beat. It's why their summer vacation funds are spent on trips to the States to get competent medical care. You get what you pay for, and I'd rather not reap the "benefits" of free health care. In fact, government-run health care scares the shit out of me. The reason we have the best doctors in the world is that they're driven by the free market. There's big money in curing things, and when that motivation disappears, I'm afraid that the cures will, too. I think it's sad that this is the case, but it's true, nonetheless.
I can't comment on gov't paid maternity leave. While it would have been really, really nice - I'm thinking that having a baby is a private financial burden. Perhaps mandating that a woman can leave her job for up to a year or two and still be able to return to it (or a similar position) would be valuable, but I don't think taxpayers should pay for me to stay home with my kid. Even though that would be sweet; ask me, I'm broke right now. Despite my own financial plight due to quitting my job to stay home with my daughter, I've got to say that it's the parents' responsibility to fund the baby-having. If you can't afford to have a kid - don't have one. Period. Get to where you can, and then do it. So, in so many words, yes, only rich people should have kids - that is, yes, only people financially able to support them should have them. There would be a hell of a lot less poverty (the burden of which is born by kids who had no say in being brought into that kind of situation) if people would quit doing it when they can't afford it.
I agree that business models get applied selectively and that they don't work universally (like on schools). I disagree that the interests of business are constantly put above those of human beings. And you're right, I haven't seen "Sicko" - and I'm doubting I will in the future. Michael Moore: me :: Ann Coulter: you. As I alluded to above, companies are allowed to get rich off of people being sick because that's how the sick people get cured. For better or worse, it's how it works. While it's unfortunate that people get sick to begin with (my dad is in remission from lymphoma as of this December), I'm glad there are money-hungry doctors and scientists working their asses off to cure this stuff, even if their motivation is money.
What would Jesus do? Yeah, he was liberal. He was also a Jew. And a carpenter. A blue-collar Jew - need I say more?
I don't think the gay people are hurting anyone. I'm more of a Libertarian than Republican, though. Frankly, it's just not an issue at the top of my personal list. And say what you will about Bush, the 2-year Democratic Congress has accomplished jack shit. I don't expect that to change in the near future.
Compassionate conservatism is not an oxymoron. I'm proof of that, and I think you'll find the average conservative is, too. Yeah, there are whack-jobs. There are on both sides. I'd just like a fair shake that's not based on caricatures, stereotypes, and leftist media bias.
You make some good points. I still don't believe that compassionate conservativism is not an oxymoron, unless the compassion is for business interests. You disagreed with me, then went on to defend business interests. My mind stands unchanged.
Look, people hold views based on their experiences, and it seems to me that people are against many things until they've had personal experience with it. I know someone who squawked for years about "lazy people collecting unemployment." Guess what he's doing now that he's been laid off? Yep. Certainly not running his mouth anymore. I know someone else, someone very close to me, who was on welfare as a child in the '50s because her drunk father couldn't hold down a job and her mother had an 8th-grade education and three kids (she'd had to quit school to work).
Circumstances change. I had a baby because I can afford it. But what if something happened to my husband? Or one of us got sick? Would we be retroactively irresponsible? There is just no wiggle room for real life in conservative ideology. Oh, and the health care thing? Yes, we do have the best doctors in the world, undoubtedly. But! Only for those who can afford it. I'm gonna ask again: what would Jesus do?
We will just have to agree to disagree.
I'm glad your father is doing well.
As a side note to your iPod problems, you should really consider the Creative line of mp3 players. I have the Zen and absolutely love it - I'm a convert! It takes all the songs I bought in iTunes and the software is way better. Plus, it's cheaper =]
Oh god thank you for writing about something else. My chest tightens when new comments come up from this post. I will definitely look into it!
I cannot have your chest tightening. God forbid you become ill and unable to work...you might have to give Sascha to me as I would be in a better financial position than you and Nick. So here's a diverting thought...for the first time in YEARS, I went to the driving range with my dad Sunday. It was a beyond gorgeous day. So imagine me (not tiny) hitting one ball (tiny) after another (fairly well, I might add). It must have been quite a sight. I miss you, you hateful, moronic, immature, pitiable liberal. Send me an email when you get a chance.
Thank you for teaching me more about American politics than I would've learnt otherwise (haven't the time)!
Yay Obama.
From a country other than America,
Kiwi Karen
Abby, I linked to your blog from another one awhile back, and I absolutely love it. I'm newly married, finishing grad school and pondering the possibility of having kids sometime in the near-ish future, and I love reading your real-life and realistic insights. THANK YOU for summing up your anti-conservative points so neatly. I am a tree-hugging liberal who somehow sprang from a conservative family, and I simply cannot wrap my head around conservative ideology. Your "talking points" are perfect ammunition for future discussions!
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