What would George Washington say (on Facebook)?

You know, I had a REALLY riveting post scheduled, about the Justin Bieber songs I listen to while I run--but that all seems incredibly dumb at this point, coming off of yesterday's *very* political offerings.  If you are new here, then you should probably know that I am a Republican that likes almost every song BETTER when it's sung by the cast of Glee.  Can we still be friends?


On a serious note.  THANK YOU for sharing yesterdays post, for commenting, for emailing me, for sending me text messages.  Because, true to the self-centered ego that I claim, this makes me feel incredibly important--and as I've proven, I will do anything for you to endorse me on the Internet.  Well, anything but porn, to be clear.  But if you want me to milk a goat in my beer wench costume, I can probably make it happen.


I think the debate we're talking about is an important one.  And I'm NOT talking about the whole Planned Parenthood/ Komen debacle, or the upcoming presidential election, or President Obama's healthcare plan--or any of the MILLIONS of things we could make this about, while we sit back in our nice homes and tell others to be ashamed about issues we are really doing nothing about ourselves.  It's about how we live, people.  How we treat others, what we unfairly expect, what we think we deserve, what we think OTHER PEOPLE should do about it and what we are willing to do about it ourselves.  I'm not asking you to be a Republican--I'm asking you to THINK about how you live your life and what it means.  When I said yesterday that I AM the problem, I completely mean it; but I also don't think that gives me license to sit back and be complacent.  I need to figure out what I am called to, and I need to DO IT.  I cannot fight every fight or every perceived injustice--I just don't have it in me--but I am definitely stirred to do SOMETHING, and I am *fairly* certain my God-given purpose in life is NOT heckling the Kardashians (even though I'm pretty AWESOME at it).  


To both sides of the equation, I say this:  SOMETHING has to give.  Can we agree on that?  This current political landscape ISN'T working.  And I'm not talking about having a Democratic president; I'm talking about it all just being so selfish, and ugly, and all about money, and impossible to get anything done.  We are spending more than we have, PERIOD.  I'm not an expert, but that means something NEEDS to be cut.  A lot of somethings, actually.  And if the whole PP/ Komen debate is any indication, cutting funds is UGLY.  People take it personally, and the mud-slinging starts, with the claims that we are taking a good intention and making it about "politics".  Well, duh, that's what it's about, people.  You can't change it.  If the government cuts funding to early intervention programs that help children with developmental delays (I'm using this example, because I am familiar with it, first hand)--then there is BACKLASH.   My kids were helped by this very program, no doubt about it--but I struggle with thinking that helping my kids is something my local government may not be able to afford.  It's emotional, and it's sad, and it feels like a personal attack for many of us, but the country is DROWNING people.  And we're all just so very concerned that none of our stuff gets thrown overboard, that we are sinking right along with it.   I don't really think we need to argue over how to tinker with a system that's already overburdened--but it's interesting to consider what I would give up to make it better.  What do I bring to the table, so to speak--verses, what everyone else is doing "wrong".  I don't really know, but I'm working on it.


Mostly, yesterday's post was just meant to give a voice to those of us (on both sides of the argument) who REALLY hate the mud-slinging.  Because I think there can be a voice that doesn't yell, and call names and tell others to be ashamed of what they believe.  That isn't who I want to be, and I think that's mostly how you feel too--so I just ask that you THINK about what you throw out there on Facebook.  Most of the world doesn't pay attention to the less-angry voices, because they aren't likely to rip the weave off a political candidate, and let's face it, we've come to expect that kind of *entertainment*--so a big THANK YOU to all of those who passed this on and gave it some volume.  PLEASE continue to do so, and share your opinions, because I will dance in clogs to earn your comments and to know that you are reading this blog.  


Now.  Go do some good.