The Economic Stimulus Package. For Real. Read It If You Want To Argue With Me About It.

I have been getting into some heated debates with people I know and love, who THINK they know what is in the bill and what isn't. I say, even a lot of the congressmen and senators who voted for or against it don't even know what's in it. The dang thing is "at least" 1580 pages and growing. So, because I have talked til I'm blue in the face and only accomplished alienating and angering people, I am supplying the link here where you can go and read it at your leisure: The Stimulus Package. I am on page 440 of it, and my eyes are crossing, but I am determined to read the whole thing. Boring!

I WANT to be knowledgeable of what is going on. I have never read a bill this large before, but I have read several bills that have interested me in the past. It has been eye-opening sometimes to read what is in these things. Like The Patriot Act for instance. Wow.

As of yet, I can report that I have NOT found the line or sentence that reads "money for young women to go to foreign countries to get their abortions" as one person dear to my heart screamed at me, and called me a very vile name, before hanging up on me. If I do find that provision in this bill, I will call that person and let them know how very right they were. Until then, though, I am not in the mood to argue with people over a bill that has already passed, that they have not read, and their only knowledge of it comes from watching C-Span night and day. That they believe is the beginning of the end of the world as we know it.

I may or may not agree with any and or all of the provisions of this bill. I may or may not benefit from it. I may or may not like any or all of the politicians who are in office now. But, I think I have the right to agree or not, I have the right to benefit or not, I have the right to like politicians or not. And I don't think that anyone else on the face of the earth has the right to tell me I'm stupid for what I believe. Or don't believe.

As a rule, I generally try not to talk about politics with most people. What I believe or don't believe is my business. But sometimes it comes up in conversation, and before I can get away or hang up the phone, it gets ugly. I really don't want that to happen. So, take the time to read the bill. If you want to talk to me about it after that, ok. Maybe I'll have finished reading it by then, too.

My Thoughts On Sarah Palin and The Republican Ticket

I have heard from several of my relatives and friends who think that Sarah Palin is the best choice the republicans could have made for the vice presidential candidate. I have also read and heard a lot of the news media's comments about her daughter, Bristol, being pregnant at 17 and how "tragic" that is, and how Bristol's life is over. What?

First of all, life is NOT over for her. It will be a different life, a harder life, one that includes diapers instead of dances, but certainly not OVER. She and the boyfriend have made a CHOICE to raise the baby together. (If indeed it was her choice and not her mother's, who is pro life and not pro choice.) OK, so Mom, the vice presidential candidate used the word "decision" and not the word "choice", but they mean the SAME THING!!! Also, I am of the opinion that poor little Bristol will still have a comfy life, what with a well to do family and all, I don't think she will actually be the one taking care of baby. She will either have a nanny or her Mom and Dad will be doing the actual child care.



Second, and a very important item to me, is how can she say that this is a choice her daughter made, and that the news media should respect her privacy, and then campaign against choice for the rest of the women in this country? She said "We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi's privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates." Yet, she brought them to the convention, paraded them around for the public and news media to see, even had Levi in a photo op with McCain. Don't want them in the spotlight? Don't put them there yourself. She refers to Bristol and Levi as children, but let them make a very important adult decision.


While I personally would have never chosen abortion, (and I did get pregnant at 17 before I was married, so I know for sure I wouldn't choose abortion,) there are millions of women who deserve the chance to make their own decisions. If Palin wants the people of this country to leave her daughter out of the spotlight, to accept that her daughter has the right to make this choice, then Palin needs to understand that EVERY woman has the right to make the choice of whether or not to have a child or an abortion. EVERY woman has the right to decide what to do when faced with an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy. And Palin's position on the pro life side of that particular issue is what makes her daughter's "decision" important. The very fact that she was allowed to make a choice, whether it was for keeping the baby or not, is what keeps the spotlight on Bristol.

Not every woman has well off parents who can help them. Not every woman has a man who will stand beside through it all. Not every woman is capable of taking care of five or six or seven children. But, every woman should have the chance to make the decision of what to do for herself, without interference from government. The same as Bristol Palin.