There's No Excuses Not to Vote Next Week

Even though the races here in New York and New Jersey are fairly set in stone, races across the country are still up in the air. And honestly, if you're a minority, a woman, any American who feels that voting counts, go vote on Tuesday!

The polls and whatnot have been driving me crazy. Sure, it's easy to get discouraged, but look at what Obama has had to deal with. The Republicans see him as an extremist, as "un-American". Maybe we need someone who is not so much as un-American, but And yes, I'm not entirely thrilled with a man who might be the reason why Jeb Bush becomes the 45th President. I'd rather take Hillary, even with her history, over another Bush. I don't want to bring the gender card into play, but we've had forty-four men run this country. I think it's time for a woman for a change. I am a man, and I say this strongly: I trust a woman's judgement over a man's. It's exactly why I consult my mom on issues from time to time.

All I know is this: I don't want my country turning into a libertarian's paradise, one that is coated in a theocracy. America needs to move forwards, not backwards. Sure, a few rotten eggs should not get back into office, but the good ones should get in.

And there's always 2016 if all goes wrong. Now to get my nerves back!

My response to "Malia Obama Attends Lollapalooza"

In early August, President Obama allowed his older daughter Malia to attend Lollapalooza. Kudos to the Commander-in-Chief to allow his daughters to lead somewhat normal lives. How she got to the event is beyond me, but that's besides the point.

I beg all eligible Americans...

...to go vote!!!!

If there is anything that concerns me more, it's the state of our union. Since taking hold of the House of Representatives in 2010, the Republicans in that body have brought any progress in this country to a standstill. The course that this country is on is self-destructive. I am not bashing all Republicans. There are many who are very reasonable and rational. But on the whole, the party has demonstrated that they are unwilling to work with a president because of false perceptions on the whole.

My solution? Cleaning house across the nation. On Election Day, it is critical that EVERY American vote. It's no secret that Republicans haven't put Americans best interests at heart. The belief of the trickle down theory has not worked, more and more Americans are working minimum wage jobs while the wealthiest Americans pay the least in taxes probably in our nation's history. But one of my biggest concerns is the world that we are leaving to our children and grandchildren. While an overwhelming majority of Chinese believe in climate change, barely 55% of Americans do. I want to live in a world where New York City isn't under ten feet of water. I don't want to live in an apocalyptic world, and I want there to still be a world left when my grandchildren are born. Time to get our heads out of the gutters.

Also, it's not good to be penny-wise and dollar-foolish. Our nation's roads and airports are suffering from neglect American airports are consistently ranked as some of the worst in the world. And let's not forget Amtrak, which is much more beneficial than many want to admit, and it plays a vital role for commuters on the Northeast Corridor. My complaint with Amtrak is that it is not allowed to better compete with discount bus carriers. Railroads should not have to live with a double standard in comparison with road and air traffic. Hawaiians made that clear when they ousted their unpopular governor in a party primary over the weekend. We've been living in a country struggling to get by. What happened to the America that my grandparents gave birth to their children in, where labor unions were strong, where Americans had much better access to public transportation? Every American should have the RIGHT to a living wage. You hear all these conservatives wanting to turn back the clock? I'm not sure if they have the right clock. The 1950s were only better in that the economy was much better.

Republicans have proposed cutting funding for our basic infrastructure. And while President Obama is no saint, Republicans have made the job near impossible for him. I give the man credit, because I would have resigned already and would have already lost my cool. If it were up to me, the White House and Congress would be meeting daily to discuss arguments. In this era, and with the world in the state of crisis it is in, it is crucial that all parties work together and make concessions. As I once said as a youngster, "compromise is a [strong] spice of life". I've finally found out why I was put on this planet: to save my state (and to a lesser extent, my country) from it's self-destructive behavior. I'm not comparing myself to Jesus Christ. I'm not here to pay for the sins of humanity. I'm here to be a voice of rationality, a voice of "instead of sitting around, let's get to work and bring America back to where it once was".

To the people who don't vote: YOU MUST. The direction that this nation takes is in your hands. This election is too crucial. The reason our country is in the sad state of affairs it is in because people are too blinded to know what is going on around them. Instead of watching American Idol, go read the news online. Grab a newspaper. Listen to news radio. Be informed. Your country needs you to not be ignorant.

Vote the way you want to. But remember this on Election Day: the statistics don't lie in that Democrats have done more positive to this country's economy than Republicans have. Heck, all of our rights are in danger because some Republicans feel it is good to deny people the right to vote.

My response to "Katy Perry Says She Doesn't Need a Man to Become a Mom"

From Woman's Health:

Katy Perry's been a poster child for girl power her entire career, which is why we're not surprised to hear the entertainer say she's more than willing to tackle motherhood—with or without a partner at her side.
"I want to be doing that in the right time," the singer shares in the latest issue of Rolling Stone. "And that's not in the next two years, you know? Maybe it's in a five-year plan, but I need to really be able to focus 100 percent of my attention on it. I don't really want to take the child on tour. Not until, like, birth through five is over."
We like her perspective on motherhood—and the fact that she's so honest and unapologetic about it. There's no shame in wanting to focus as much love and attention on a kid as you possibly can (and waiting to have children until you can do that).
Katy's also got great perspective on 21st-century options when it comes to wanting and caring for children. "I don't think I'll have to [have a guy], but we'll see," she says. "I'm not anti-men. I love men. But there is an option if someone doesn't present himself."

Katy, do us all a favor. Find the right guy first, don't be the celebrity who finds a donor. I obviously don't know this first hand, but gosh darn it, if I was a woman wanting to have a kid, I'd want a guy in my life. And this is my double standard: Katy Perry knows better. She's from a good home of all things.

ON THE OTHER HAND....

The redneck in me is screaming "Don't she need a guy to make a kid with????"

UPDATE 1/24/15: Katy Perry and John Mayer MIGHT be getting back together. Let me say this: they're cute together!

My response to "As primary defeat looms for Hawaii governor, Democrats may be at risk of losing in November, too"

Old news. Abercrombie's political career has tits up. Dead. A word to the Dems: start running better candidates!

Sort of hiatus

Guys,

Due to a new job, I'll be taking a hiatus from writing this blog. While I hope to write 100 blogs this year, that might be highly unlikely due to circumstances beyond my control. A few entries I will be writing regardless.

Sasha

My response to "Autistic Adults Have Poor Driving Skills: Study"

If there one thing the press has gotten both right and wrong on is on autistic drivers. It turns out that many of us are simply mediocre drivers, and not by choice.

The reason I'm a so-so driver is because of the fact that I'm a slow driver, as in with reaction time. When you're driving in the tri-state area (most of the Hudson Valley, New York and all of its suburbs) slow drivers are a recipie for accidents. In fact, I drive so little just for that reason. Driving ideally for me, is a means to access frequent public transportation.

What's surprising is how the study was conducted by the lesser of likely schools: Drexel University.