Right vs. Left
Ever hear that expression the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing? How bout your my right hand man? Ever wonder if those same ideas come up in politics? I do. A lot.
I think its funny that I have quite a few friends that consider themselves Right leaning when it comes to politics. I also have quite a few friends that are left leaning as well. What I don’t have many of is friends that are any thing but republicans or democrats. I don’t consider myself either nor do I believe in the view of a true independent voter. I am glad when people say they are a republican or democrat as regardless to being liberal or conservative I can identify you.
The Independent voter is a republican or democrat just either afraid to admit it or likes likes on one side most of the time but likes what the other side has to say at any given time. Thats wishy washy but thank god and the heavens our system of government allows for such things. I could only imagine what would have happened to you during world war II in Poland if you said well the Jews are cool but I think I am going to go with the Nazi’s this time cause they talk a good game. Of course it was a bit more complex then that but Freedom Fighters didn’t see it that way. Nazi’s didn’t see it that way either but hey what ever right its ok to vote per annual tread I get that.
Almost every where else in the world the idea of political martyrdom is common place. I am not saying that we as American’s need to reach that level but if the middle ground cared as much as the right or left it could come to that. Of course we Americans have been there before many many times. As recently as 50 years ago we were killing people for political ideas and vocalizing those opinions. The fact is…the average American could care less unless it DIRECTLY affects them. That means the IRS is at their door, someone wants to mess with their medicare, their unemployment runs out or some other life changing event pits them against one force or another.
Whats the point of this? Good question! The point is after years of listening to many many many people in my 36 years of life, I can honestly say I love America! I can also honestly say I honor my country but those in my country men will never understand my political ideals. Why you ask? Its simple really, I believe that Americans fight every day to make this a more perfect union. Many of them not sure what they fight for but fight anyway. Most of them way to young to understand the complexities that make up our political system. Many of them not understanding what it means to be a democrat or republican but take on those titles because of their parents. Many of those people have lost their lives over the last 8 years and hundreds of thousands over the last 200+ years. They like my fight and they like my over the course of their lifes will understand deeper what they fight for. Oh yea back to the point sorry bout that.
What am I? Right or left? Democrat or Republican? Bush or Obama, Palin or Clinton? None of the above. I believe that in due time that we will review the ideals of our fore fathers and understand the ideals of great words of Jefferson and Washington and Adams and Douglas (yea the black guy remember him) and Lincoln and all the other great theorists of this great experiment called Democracy and fall back in line. I am for the ideals of state control with federal insight. I am for the ideas that one part of our vast region can not sustain the whole of the rest of the parts of our Country. I believe that the democratic process is broken and that we as Americans have forgotten that we don’t live in a 2 party country and that anyone with great ideas, ideals and fortitude can oversee this great land and all its individual parts. Much like the Workers movements in America we stand together to get things done. I believe that the Middle Class of America is the Working Class. I believe that workers do and leaders lead and tween the two only meet to figure out what the worker wants. I believe that the man or woman that works to live is the one that controls their dynasty. I believe that small business is what man this land ours but I also feel that the sweat put into those small business’ has never been repaid. Honest work for honest pay is a trademark of a great leader both giving and receiving. To often in America hard work is not repaid to those that do the work only the ones that guide the work.
Quick side bar – I work for a company that allows me to both grow and rewards their employees for their actions to a point that I am honored to work where I do. I also have stock in said company and have a vested interest in the well being of my employees, peers and management team.
To often I see the hard work go for not. I see the sweat and tears of long hours return nothing more then a crap life and a drain on the emotional well being of those people. Those are hard working people with special talents of some type. I have seen their bosses drive 100k dollar cars while paying skilled workers well below their peers at other companies. No vested interest in that company yet give 110% daily. Some of my friends that do this is out of respect. Some its to pay for food and others its to grow learns and understand so that they can become better business leaders in the future.
I guess I more then likely have clouded the subject more then cleared it up but I still fear lack of understanding for what I truly believe in. I will just say I believe in America and always will regardless of which way the wind is blowing that day week or year. Will quote the great Thomas Jefferson with this “There is a natural aristocracy among men. The grounds of this are virtue and talents.”
Tired of the SAME BS!
I am so damn tired of the dribble that is coming out of the House of Representatives. I have not heard one damn thing of value in the last 6 months that leads me to believe that they care about America. NOTHING. All I here is Nancy and John bicker back and forth about nothing. I have heard better talk come out of strippers at 10pm when I am still sober then those to back stabbing people. You have the nation waiting on you to produce something…anything at this point other then the crap that you have been shitting out for 6 months. How bout getting something done….anything! You control one of the largest legislative bodies I know now do something!
Motorcyle Day Dreaming
Posted by Lee in Motorcycle on September 16th, 2009
So its taken me most of the summer to get the balls to ride the bike…and now I am kicking myself. Good thing is the rain is holding out so far and the September days have be great riding so far. The bad thing is I wasted all of June and July because I am a sissy.
I kind of have a reason to be a sissy but not really. The day I brought the bike home, I almost laid it down and that made me crap my pants. I was just taking the bike out in the hood here and ended up putting 30 or so miles on it during that time. Well that didnt help much but at least I was doing something.
Amy got a scooter and we started going out together which was cool. Got me on the bike riding the streets and what not. That was pretty much all it took. I have not done much car driving since. Its great now that I have a few hundred miles under my belt and I am starting to feel better about my riding and getting my riding style down. I am also learning to control the bike in slow boring traffic situations which is an important skill here in Washington. I am also getting use to ever changing rode conditions with one of the roads I ride everyday. Construction changes the road every day to a new surface as well as path. Its awesome though because I feel like I can adapt pretty quick to road conditions now.
On Monday I am going to plot out a route and head out to Mt. Rainier for a longer ride. Thinking I am going to try a 150-200 mile day ride and see how it goes. I think I can handle it as long as I pace myself. Thinking about tossing the camera on my back and using it as an excuse to stop for “photo breaks”. Load up the saddle bags with water and snacks and just RIDE.
Another life goal done! Next will be a Sturgis trip….I hear there is one next year…maybe…or 2011! I hear Daytona is pretty fun too!
9 02 2009 We Were There
Most everyone I knows I was in DC over the last few days. I was there for one reason, to see Seattle Sounders FC play for the US Open Cup in RFK stadium. So much happened in the span of 24 hours I will try to recount it in all its glory.
September 2nd started with me on a plane, landing at National Airport around 1230am. A quick 10 minute cab ride over to the Capital Liaison Hotel and met up with Amy and Alex who had gotten into town about 2 hours before me (long story). We ordered some Pizza to tide us over till the morning and set off on the days journey. We ended up getting a few hours of sleep in there but were up at 8am getting ready to take on DC.
We found a Starbucks on the corner of the street we were staying on so we go some caffeine and set out for the day. We walked all the way to the Smithsonian Castle to get some more info for later in the trip. From there we moved on over to the Holocaust Museum for our depression of the morning (more on that in a later post). Left there and decided to hit the National Archives next which was a bit less depressing. Bout this time we were getting hungry so we headed back towards the hotel where we found the Dubliner Pub and grabbed some grub before a quick pit stop at the hotel.
Once we had a few minutes to rest up at the hotel we headed out to meet up with ECS (Emerald City Supporters) for the pre game meet up at RFD near China Town. We got there about quarter to 5 and the place was packed with a sea of blue and green (Pictures here) all singing and chanting and getting fired up for the game in a couple of hours. There was a small group of DCU fans that showed up at the bar but they decided they were out numbered and moved along. The people at RFD were great and let us pretty much take over the place. Things began to wrap up there as we hit the streets of DC to march to the match.
Lined up on 7th street moving to the Metro station to head to RFK we had a pretty large gathering chanting the whole way while people stopped and stared at us. A few people knew what was going on but most were in awe of the sight of a 100 + folks filling the sidewalks with scarfs, and singing. The singing happened all the way to the Metro and down the tunnel where the echo was awesome. Getting on the train was an experience as it was rush hour but we all got on. Of course there was a few DC fans on the train but it was normal back and forth between us and them. Getting off the train again was pretty loud (more on that further down) and we formed back up and headed out of the tunnel. As we got back into the sunlight of late afternoon we saw RFK and headed that way as a group and I am pretty sure that we got louder the closer to the stadium. As we rounded the corner to head to the gates we got about half way before we were “met” by our security detail. We were greeted and escorted to the stadium singing and chanting. This is where my story drifts a bit from most of the other ECS members there. We had to get our tickets from Players will call since they were purchased from the front office. It seems there was some issues with the location of our tickets. They knew we had tickets but they did not know where they were. This of course put is out front of will call for about 25 minutes or so in the heart of DCU fans. A few Sounders fans were also getting tickets and everyone left us alone so it was it was not too bad. March to the Match photos
Since we didn’t get to head into the Stadium with the rest of ECS and we had back packs we had to use gate A to get in. This was also fairly easy and nothing but nice things to say about the DC fans who we ran into. We of course looked for the $2 beer and hotdogs but the lines were 40 deep to get them so we ended up with $10 22 ounce corona’s and headed to our seats. We walked past our seats in the 300 level and proceeded to head up to the rafters to sit with the other ECS fans. I thought that they may have turned us down but there was no one up there except our security detail, a Washington Post reporter and ECS. We settled in for the game pre kick off by yelling, singing cheering and all the other stuff you do at a soccer game. It was about kick off time when our sections started to pogo (everyone jumping up and down) when Alex and I stopped and looked at each other with fright as we saw the upper deck flexing. I have not looked at our video yet to see if its there on tape but it scared the crap out of me. The first half both sides had their chances but it looked as if we wanted to win. Hard running and hard playing lead to some chances that the DCU keeper (more on that a bit further down) came up HUGE. Both teams headed to the locker rooms with a 0-0 draw.
During the first half of play you could see the La Barra Brava and the DCU supporters going to town in the lower bowl shaking the stadium as well. They were all they promised to be. Looking around the rest of the lower bowl though, there was a bunch of empty seats. It sure didnt feel like 17k + they announced. Not sure if that was tickets sold or not but it seemed lower then that in the place.
Right as the second half began a guy in a La Barra Brava jersey came up to the ECS section with a girl with a Sounders Scarf. Not sure to many people saw him but he was as asked to head on out which he thought was move to the other side of the bleachers. We told him to take off his shirt so he did and all was right with the world. Back to the game….
The second half started off with a bang much like the first. Lots of energy from both teams but you could see Seattle was about ready to pop when in the 66 minute changed the game…..This is when the Sounders score a goal which was followed by a flurry of activity on the far side of the field. Most of it, I could not see until I got a text message from a friend saying it should be a straight red….half a second later it was a straight red to Josh Wicks for stomping on Montero post goal. Montero was carried off the field but he came back on until the 76 min. There was some more back and forth ball with 12 minutes or so to go and then came the 85th Minute in which the whole of the upper deck began to shake and roll again as Le Toux puts one across the goal and who was on the other end of it? None other then Roger…who put away another USOC goal! Now all we had to do is hold on and make it to the end!
Things got a bit tricky though as the 88th min brought a goal from DCU which is what none of us wanted but it happened. The 90th min came and the 4th official put up 5 minutes and just about every sounders fan watching around the world started to hold their breath. I am pretty sure that was the longest 5 minutes I have experienced in a long long time. Once that whistle blew we all knew it was our trophy. The team was on the field jumping, we were all jumping. I teared up a little bit. Our boys did it. They did something that DCU never thought would happen, we came to their house and took their trophy. The same trophy they just spent a month talking about winning.
While we were jumping around the whole team came to our corner and gave us a bow then they went and got the trophy and brought it over to us! During this whole time I didn’t realize that most of the lower bowl was empty…..It was like a ghost town when I looked around! There were a few Barra Brava still lingering but everyone else that was not in blue or green was gone. Security held us up for a bit before they walked us out and half way down the road to the Metro where we were met by a few DCU fans and what seemed like the DC Swat team. I guess Metro called them after we came through the first time. Most of the fans were really cool but there were a few that did not like the fact we won. The guy holding up the we win trophies sign after they just lost was kinda funny.
While we were on the train there were 2 DCU fans sitting next to us. They were pretty cool and we gave them a little crap but nothing more. We all walked with giggling smiles all the way to RFD where we took the place over again until they closed the doors.
Amy, Alex and I then headed back to the Hotel for a well deserved sleep.
Post Game Picture of Alex, Amy and myself
Rave Green on the Move
Over that last 24 hours and moving through the night into late tomorrow, the Rave Green of the Seattle Sounders Fan base will be moving east. The Seattle Sounders are playing in the US Open Cup finals in Washington DC against DC United. This has brought a sense among Sounders faithful to spend their hard earned cash on airfare and hotels to follow the boys in green east.
I will be among them with Amy and my buddy Alex watching the Sounders fight first hand from RFK stadium on Wednesday night (430pm PT on FSC). I have not missed an Open Cup game this year the Sounders have played this year and I refuse to miss the biggest yet. Its hard to fathom that they have made it this far in both league play and Open Cup play. The battle for 120 minutes against MLS leaders Houston was something we who follow soccer live for. Sending a team home with nothing more then sore legs and dashed dreams of hardware put a smile on my face! It was that moment that we began working to find a way to be there to support our team. Things worked out tickets booked and tomorrow mid day we are on our way.
The last 5 weeks have produced several rounds of back and forth between GM’s of both clubs followed by the FO of DC United mounting a full out blast of the greater DC area along with a website (www.wewintrophies.com) attempting to fill the rather large RFK stadium. As of this post DC United reported 11k in ticket sales. This of course has asked the question, could Seattle fill 32k seats at 1pm on a Tuesday? The question will not be answered this year as our bid for the cup final was rejected in favor of DCU’s. I am ok with that, DC is the current holder of the cup and in all fairness they should have some favor to host as a defending champ. As questions go unanswered our major supporter groups have been having fun with it. La Barra Brava have been digging the local boys of the Emerald City Supporters and its been sent back in full.
I have been watching the pot and its boiling over with excitement. People yelling about respect and honor and all the other crap Football Supporters put out there. DCU has been in MLS since the beginning while the Sounders are the new kids on the block. That is the story on the outside but so many have forgotten the Sounders Legend. Seattle Sounders of recent have won 4 USL-1 championships as well as having the leading scorer in US Open Cup play last year. That of course is recent past…..That does not count the Seattle Sounders of NASL hosting the greatest US team the NY Cosmos at the Kingdom. That legend of course has produced the Pacific Northwest as the largest hotbed of Soccer in the US in both youth and adults. Any given day you can find a game somewhere going on.
As we walk into RFK on Wednesday I am Sounders…I am ECS. I guess I should just mention that I grew up in the DC area and always cheered the red and black on but only in the MLS. This time I am going home to see my team, with my family and I will be wearing green. For those who think I am just some commerical fair weather fan that just caught this Sounders wave I did not. I can tell you exactly where I was the day that we got our MLS nod. I can tell you exactly where I was last year and I can tell you that when we reopened the wound that is our win in Portland this year, I was there wearing green…Rave Green.
Keep an eye out for pictures from DC this week as Seattle fights to bring home the Lamer Hunt US Open Cup Hardware to Seattle where it belongs!
Where is my High Speed Rail System
Remember back in March when there was all that talk about improving America’s transportation system with green high speed railways?
Where is it? No really where is it? Where are my shovel ready rail projects and where all that damn money we should be putting in to it? Seems that is now the caboose of the health care train. That really blows.
Targeting the Right Talk Box
This week I heard a lot of political ramblings about health care from Democrats speaking to their more undereducated Republicans. It amazes me that in today’s access to anything you want via internet, there is so much confusion on what health care reform really is.
Death panels and the first step into becoming a socialist country. Liberals stating we HAVE to have a public option of health care. The fact is the only thing that is true at this point in time is bills are being written to reform our current privatized system. Is there something wrong with that? Nope there is nothing wrong with our appointed leaders looking to find a better way. Lots of talk on what to provide to who and what things to change. Ideas which in the end will provide reform.
I am pretty sure that every American deep down inside can understand this is an important topic and not doing anything is worse then trying to do something. Old people screaming about a public option that are ON a public option. Talk of Co-Ops and long wait times for care. Illegal immigrants getting free care. All of this plus trillions to the national deficit. Lots of talk with no factual basis for any of this.
This week the President spoke with Michael Smerconish on his radio show and directly addressed this with a few listeners in a respectful way. I think that the President answered the questions in a clear direct manner of what HE wants all of us to work with our elected officials to get this done. I really hope the word is getting out that scare tactics from both the left and right are nothing more then that.
The tactics are trying to either keep people rich or conversely change a few major fundamental principals we Americans have. I personally want health care reform and feel that any advanced country should have. I also don’t think that on average 8-10 percent of my earnings should be paid into a private system that can drop my coverage at their whim. Since this is something that I really don’t have a choice in I will make my stand here.
Please take a moment out of your day that you would set aside for TV sound bites and do some research on what your elected officials are planning to do. Find out what you personally want for you and your loved ones today and tomorrow and decide for your self if health care reform is needed. Look at your bank account and see how today’s system is effecting your bottom line, in fact go back a few years and add up that amount you pay and see what you could have spent it on. We all need to see what we need to do and get up and speak the truth and how it effects us not what some radio talk show person thinks it should be.
A trip to Washington in September
I’m taking a trip to Washington between September 1st and September 5th.
Site Seeing and Sounders Open Cup Final!!!
Staying away from Health Care
The battle is raging on around the country today between our broken 2 party system. Once more it seems that the fight is not about what is right or what is wrong but who is right and who is wrong. Scare tactics and TV ads are the tools of the fight. Grass root efforts on both sides are at war with each other while America suffers.
Why is America suffering? Its simple, when we get distracted on one issue for so long, other issues lose priority that may need attention from the President, Congress or the courts. Issues on the 2 wars going on oversees as well as other domestic issues go by the way side. Instead of fixing the issue and moving on we are in a heated debate on if its needed.
It amazes me to think that anyone in America would think that our healthcare system is not broken in some way. Maybe its due to the rising costs of premiums or maybe its just the ability to get care. I understand there are millions of people without healthcare for one reason or another. Some is employer based for not wanting to cover employees. Some is personal choice of not wanting to pay into the system. Some is due to insurance companies denying coverage for some conditions.
Americans need healthcare. I need healthcare and pay dearly for it. I am also stuck in a privatized healthcare system where my insurance company can pick and choose when to raise rates or deny coverage at will. Do I feel that I would be better off with a government program? Nope sure dont. What I would be better off with is some government regulation. I think the best thing that could be done would be to make Private Healthcare not for profit. Why you ask? If companies like United Health Group and Aetna had to work with the idea of serving their clients instead of serving their interests for profit, America and Americans would no longer have to fight for something they pay for. Also by doing this it would open up the requirement for community giving. Giving back to the 46 million that may not have healthcare for one reason or another. Provide free clinics to reduce ER visits and provide doctors the chance to give back to the communities they choose. What about medical CO-OPs as well?
By having insurance companies putting profits back into the system over time would allow for a stronger US healthcare system. It would allow for all people to have a choice which is what they want and it would allow doctors to provide CARE and not reduce cost.
Now this leads to another issue. Doctors like the money they make and who wouldnt? I dont remember any of this effecting what doctors make or charge but I feel that there needs to be a national guideline. If a procedure costs $1000 to do nationwide and your doctor choices to do it for $3000 dollars, the remaining cost should come out of your pocket. That is the price of choice of doctors. This reduces overhead on the now nonprofit insurance companies and allows doctors to play ball in the free market.
There are so so many things that need to be reviewed with such a system but it allows for our national healthcare debate to be neutral in nature and allows for what we all want which is a capitalistic view on our growing rich fast country.
Dr. Feelgood
There is a lot to be said about the state of the US Health Care system. The last few weeks there have been lots of this and that bickering about what should and should not be done. Obama is using his “Yes We Can” ideas which are fine and all and he has done something that I think most people in Washington would be afraid of, he gave a deadline.
We all know that deadlines in Washington are not something they are good at or like. This means that people have to work for a change. Just like the rest of us for the rest of us. I wonder if anyone cares if Congress misses their summer vacations? I personally don’t.
What do I think about the plans? Well I am personally in favor of socialized medicine but I am also pro choice in what I get. I think that like most things people need in America, people will find a way to charge you more for it. In the case of health care though its been out of hand for a long long time.
I have a pretty good health plan and I pay decent amounts of money for it but its a requirement. I have a kid and a wife these things are needed. But why does that amount need to go up all the time but as the price goes up the services and service levels go down? If I pay more money into the system I should get more correct? The price of drugs is not going up over all for the manufacturer is it? I am pretty sure its not. Does an MRI cost any more to produce films today then it did 2 years ago? I am pretty sure that it does not. I will say that the average cost of sending the doctor’s kids to private school has gone up as well as the country club fees. But its not just the doctor, its the insurance execs as well.
Health care is not a right nor a privilege for any US citizen and I do not claim it should be. What I do think is that the US pays for the worlds healthcare. Example I have back issues that require I take medication to reduce swelling and allow me to have a productive life. While in Mexico I was able to purchase the same medications I take here for the price it would cost me for one doctors visit and one trip to the pharmacy. I had to do the math but as this is a reoccurring thing with me I figured why should I pay $50 for 20 pills and a doctor that cant do much for me instead of just getting the same thing for 1/5 the price ($50 for 100 pills). Why in the US do I have to pay for medications or services that are drastically cheaper in other countries? Why can’t our healthcare system pay the same prices as other 1st world countries instead of absorbing the costs for other countries for their subsidies?
The concept does not make sense to me. Everyone at the upper management level wins but the rest of America loses. Now those pharmacy companies and insurance companies are making tons of money that we HAVE to pay into while they raise costs. I want reform and I want it now but I am not willing to lose my rights as a person to choose. I do not want to be forced to do what I don’t want to do but I think its time that we look at ways to bring health care costs down for all Americans.
Stand up and get what we all need, a functioning healthcare system.