Not Will Smith » Health Care

How the terrorists won

William Smith — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:12:45 +0000

This morning as I was driving to work I decided to call my dad. It had been a few weeks since we had chatted just due to schedules and such. Ironically, I didn’t even consider the date as I dialed the phone. To me, it was just another day. That might sound insensitive, but I really don’t see the point in reliving the events of 7 years ago each and every year. Anyway, my father being a staunch conservative and me, a staunch liberal, I should have known it would be a recipe for argument.

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.

Health Insurance: Don’t Mess With Mine

william — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:35:51 +0000

I just had to sound off on the health insurance debate in this country (that being the United States). It basically sucks. Too many people don’t have it, and the way it is set up is that if you really, really need it, you either can’t have it (pre-existing conditions) or it is priced so high that you have to choose between eating or paying your other bills and getting your medicine.

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.

The move on comment

william — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:15:22 +0000

A few people asked me what I meant when I tweeted the other day about moving on and the suggestion that it was a good thing. For the record, I was not talking about my job. It was rather simply a reminder that you can’t change the past, and mistakes that may have been made have been made.

Dwelling on mistakes isn’t any way to make progress.

And because of my upbringing, I tend to carry a lot of guilt around. Recently a friend of mine wondered if I was catholic, which was actually pretty funny. I guess catholics carry guilt? I grew up non-denominational so I wouldn’t know.

In any event, that’s really all I meant — I know, super vague, right?

I have had a lot of really disparate thoughts recently – anything from the moon and space, politics and health care, agency vs freelancers, the fear of dying and why I shouldn’t really be scared of it, True Blood and whether or not a world with vampires would be exciting, among other things.

I’d really love to write on all of them. Sometimes, I then think about how my blog is totally a dumping ground for random crap. Should I try to make this site a little more focused? Don’t know. Is this site the Seinfeld of blogs? Thats an interesting thought.