Losing the Faith..

A funny thing has been happening to me over the past year or so since the 2004 election. I can't quite figure out what to call it, or what to think about it. Am I experiencing another growth phase in my life? Do I now have other priorities that I must focus on? Am I the only one who feels this way? Is this country doomed?

What the hell am I talking about?

I just have had it with politics. *gasp*

This may not sound like a big deal to some of you all who might stumble on to this page to read my little diatribes and such, but alot of you know me and know that I follow and talk a good deal about politics, usually National and International politics. What has happened, you might ask??

I am losing faith in everyone I used to have faith in.

It has been a steady decline since before the election in 2004, the head of the Republican party, and the man I voted for in the last two elections, is really letting us down. But wait! Before you think 'ahha! He's finally got a clue and hates President Bush!' That's not it at all. I don't hate anyone, or anything. It's bigger than him, it's the system. Let me explain.

I can remember very clearly the afternoon I was driving home from work listening to the news on talk radio, as I usually do. The announcement was made that President Bush has promised 250 billion dollars to rebuild the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. My stomach dropped. I shouted 'what?!?!?!?! Who's gonna pay for all this???? wha wha WHA?!?!' Is it the federal governments responsibility to do this? Is this duty outlined in the Constitution as a specific role for our federal government? Is it our responsibility beyond all the charitable contributions and effort we have offered to help those people to pay for even more out of our pockets? Because that's what's gonna happen. I know it. You know it. It's already starting with this 'tax reform panel' that the President has commissioned. We're gonna pay more taxes. Plain and simple. We give billions of dollars to people around the world for whatever cause they need. Then the government spends $500,000 to paint a freaking airplane to promote the salmon industry in Alaska? What is wrong with these people? I'm paying for this. WE'RE ALL PAYING FOR THIS.

I voted Republican because they said they stand for limited government, and it ain't happening. They've held the majority in the Congress for six years or so now, and the spending is STILL getting worse. I feel lied to. The Democrats are even worse, and have never been an option for me. Until they start acting like grown ups, they aren't even worthy of consideration for my vote. What other option is there to support someone who is serious about bringing some sanity back to our overbloated Federal government? Should I vote Libertarian? They're against the War on Terror. Should I vote Constitutionalist? ummm.. who? Green Party? hahahahahahaha! (just kidding). Unfortunately the Republicans are turning into Democrats spending-wise, and the Democrats are just getting worse every year. These guys are all being paid off by some lobby or another and it's sickening. ALL OF 'EM.

When will all this spending and power tripping on our tax dollars end? Will it? Not as far as I can tell, so I'm pretty bummed about the whole situation and I'm tired of thinking about it. Because when my wife calls me to tell me that we had to take the car into the shop to get an oil change, and they found a problem with the air conditioning filter, and they need to replace a hydraulic on the door, and it's gonna cost us a cool grand, I worry. We need to replace our roof, we want to get new floors, we need to insulate the attic, we have a list of things that need to be done that continues to grow, and I worry. I worry alot more now with a beautiful child to take care of. And it gets even bleaker when I hear that the government is thinking about raising our taxes AGAIN. Just to pay for a bunch of pork. and it IS pork.

At what point will the American people .do something about all this garbage that's coming out of Washington?

Needless to say, I will post every once in a while on something politically oriented - but otherwise I won't spend too much time on this crap.

I'd rather talk about more important things like Brewing and Sports. Wake me up if something good happens, like real tax cuts, or a President who will fight our wars seriously, and treat our enemies as such.

In the meantime, I will part with this question for you all, is there hope for us?