Lately i have become increasingly disillusioned with the state of, well, our entire government and country. It just seems to me that a 50/50 split between liberals and conservatives is absolutely devastating to our ability to get anything done, or even more fundamentally, get along with each other.

I don’t remember there being a time when there was so much hate out there. Even I have to admit, i really do hate right-wing ideology. Despise. I was just looking at the morons who were commenting on the White House’s official Facebook page.

The President is a domestic threat to the country. He has caused more job losses. What?

Everything to destroy jobs. Of course.

This genius went to a mexican restaurant to apply for a dishwasher job and was told no cause he couldn’t speak spanish. Yes, he also lived in Arizona. Well, that might be the only believable comment in this whole bunch. Still makes him a moron, though.

I am not so much going to break down our jobs situation for the countless idiots out there who blame Obama for them (even when he came into office under pre-existing depression-like economic conditions) as much as i like to read my own thoughts after the fact. I know it makes no difference  to either people who agree or disagree (once a teabagger, always a teabagger).

Our economy sucks mostly due to two things – the housing market shitting the bed (because under regulated banks offered up loans to people who had no business taking them) and two simultaneous wars that we aren’t winning and that are taking all of our available funds and flushing them down the toilet. Unfortunately there isn’t much that can be done about either of those situations now after the fact. Republicans are standing in the way of financial reform (makes sense for them, i mean, if we can’t fix the problem then we can blame Obama for it later) and of course, the war isn’t going away anytime soon, as pointless as it is.

So we are destined to have another contentious election coming up. Whoever is elected will be reviled by roughly half of the country, and will not be able to make any progress to solving these problems. You can surely bet that when a Republican is voted into office, the calls for their removal will begin the day after they take office. Its just the way it is. Politics has turned into a sport where there are winners and losers. If your ‘team’ doesn’t get voted in, then you are going to stand up and boo and wish ill on whoever is in there. Remember all the religious folks praying for Obama’s death? I foresee that happening again, with whoever is unlucky enough to be elected.

My belief is that the terrorists have already won. Their agenda was more than toppling some buildings, or killing 3000 people. Their agenda was to turn Americans against each other, which by and large is exactly what they have done.

Before 9/11, the country was united. We had a President who we hadn’t realized (yet) was incompetent, and the economy was more or less in good shape. Although the election was controversial, I think people more or less were coming to grips that we had a new President and to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Fast forward to today. The country is turned against itself, our economy is in ruins, our military is stretched way too thin, we’ve lost more soldiers than we lost in the initial attack on the twin towers. Half the country does not even respect the President, nor willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, much less support in any fashion.

To me it is incredible that after 8 years of epic failure that conservatives are so quick to decry what Obama is trying to do. This current President is inheriting probably the worst financial state of any President in history. He has been dealt the shittiest of hands. He literally has the worst job in the country, and yet still he can’t get any support – not even from other politicians who should know better. When a congressman stands up during a Presidential address and calls the President a “liar” you know you have hit rock bottom.

Just a few weeks ago, my wife attended a rally on health care in Phoenix. A guy showed up toting an assault rifle on his back, to the same street corner that the President was possibly going to drive by to wave at supporters after talking to veterans.

Whether you think the President’s policies or good, or bad, does not give you the right to start arming yourselves. For everyone that says, “He isn’t MY President” I say yes he is. There was a vote. Obama won that vote (handily). The same argument conservatives made back when Bush was in power that not supporting the President was equal to treason (ridiculous) need to look at where this country us today.

How can you think that the terrorists haven’t won? We aren’t united as a country, our economy doesn’t work, we aren’t winning any wars. We’re basically in the shitter.

Watching the local news this evening, there were veterans on talking about how they are happy with their insurance, don’t want it changed and absolutely refuse to pay more for it so that other can have it. Obama’s proposals follow a common theme, one which I subscribe to – during these really tough, shitty times, the folks who have more should pay a little more. To me, it is just a no brainer but a lot of people are angry about contributing a greater share even though they can afford to. Bummer guys, but seriously. You don’t take money with you after you die, and many of these older veterans who are being asked to now kick in a few extra bucks are whining about it. Others are just opposed because its a Democratic President, or due to some ideological reason that doesn’t allow for rational thought.

Affordable health care should be something everyone has, rich or not. Really, who gives a shit if the government provides it. As long as someone is, I don’t really care.

In which GM's Rick Wagoner escapes certain financial uncertainty

I really want to fail at running a business.

I’m thinking a bank — but you know, an insurance company or car manufacturer would be okay too. I’m not that picky. It just has to be something large enough to draw the attention of the government and employ lots of people. You see, the larger my company would be, the more I’d be able to get when I was booted out for performance reasons.

Our economy in crash mode

Our economy reminds me of “Crash Time” mode on Burnout – a popular video game in which you rack up points for creating the largest vehicular spectacle possible. Hit a few cars, jacknife a few semi’s and you’re looking at a new high score. Not unlike corporate America.

Obama really doesn’t have a choice. He can’t let GM fail because the ripple effect will be like the Death Star exploding. All of a sudden a lot of folks are going to lose their jobs, from auto workers to people who supply the parts, etc. At the same time, the guys piloting the ship (into the iceberg) are smart enough to have thier spots on the lifeboat. They won’t be sitting on a wooden bench seat in that boat either. It will look a lot more like a high back executive leather chair.

All around them are people drowning. Its cool though because the drive to fail garners the grandest rewards.

A new day in America

We have a new President today and it is a beautiful thing. Watching the inaugaration on CNN (with the Facebook bells and whistles turned on) was really awesome. You know, people give Michelle Obama a lot of shit because she once made a comment that she only recently really became proud of being an American.

Truth is, I think a lot of people feel that way.

Over the past years there has been catastrophic damage done to our nation’s reputation abroad, economy at home and overall morale. I blame most (but not all) on the previous President. Whether Barack can turn it all around in 4 or even 8 years is of course not known. But he certainly can’t do any worse and if he only achieves half of what he promises, our country will be so much better off than it is now. Hell, even if he is able to bring people TOGETHER that will be a major improvement.

The end of the world as we know it - do I feel fine?

Lately I have been wondering if the world is coming to an end. I don’t mean in an “asteroid colliding with the planet in a fiery inferno” kind of way, though.

This is all about economics.

People are getting laid off left and right, literally, and these aren’t just people I’m hearing about on the radio but folks I actually know and call friends. This economy is scary.

I was laid off myself almost 9 months ago, at a time when the economy wasn’t nearly in as bad as shape as it was now. And I worked hard and was productive. Given my experience and salary rate, I wouldn’t have thought of myself as the low hanging fruit in the company but obviously the writing was on the wall.

Now, doom and gloom is everywhere. People are spending less, which then leads to companies laying off staff or making severe cuts, which of course leads to more unemployed folks who don’t have the money to spend — a vicious cycle.

It makes me wonder what Obama can possibly do to help turn this all around. It isn’t like he is going to be alone, he will have Congress to help, but still. Things right now are as bad as I can ever remember them being economically in our country.

And here, I have been saving money each week, stashing it in a sock (not really, but close) so I can afford a new TV. How irresponsible would it be to buy one, knowing that the week after I took it home I myself could be a casualty of these crazy economic times.

I titled this blog “The End of the World.”

Maybe it is a tad dramatic, but it certainly is the end of the world as we knew it only a few years ago. How long will it take to get this mess sorted out?