Monday, October 27, 2008

$150,000 Clothing Budget

All I can say is perhaps she should donate the clothes after the election to a pay off someone's mortgage.

It's the Sarah Palin Economic Stimulus Plan!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

The Daily Show and The Canadian Election

Happened upon this on-air this morning - maybe this is why I would vote for the Conservatives in Canada!

Friday, October 17, 2008

The Secret Lives of Soccer Moms

Here's a good opening...a bunch of soccer moms were waiting for their kids at soccer practice and started talking politics. It should be noted that not one of them was wearing lipstick.

This is a true story...the subject of Sarah Palin came up. I fully expected comments such as "I like her - she's just like me", "it's about time we had someone sticking up for woman", "she's a breath of fresh air"...

Instead I heard - "She offends me in the worst possible way", "Interesting that she supports special needs families when she cut special needs funding in Alaska BEFORE she had her baby", "I have three children at home - do you mean to tell me if I got pregnant and my life was at risk Palin would expect me to die and leave my other three children without a mother because she doesn't believe in ANY form of abortion?"...

On the flip side, several of them commented that their husband's think she's hot!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

The Debate

There are so many things I could comment on regarding last night's debate. I agree Obama seemed flat. I agree that John McCain had this maniacal smile on his face everytime Obama was speaking. I agree that, for the most part, they both said the same old thing...except this...

How in the world does John McCain make a connection between Sarah Palin having a nine month old with down syndrome to her understanding the needs of children with autism?!?!

First: She has a child with DOWN SYNDROME - that is not the same as autism. Down Syndrome is considered a physical impairment, therefore the child qualifies for health care and therapy services under most insurance plans and government programs. He will receive numerous interventions and qualify for significant therapy services. Autism is considered a neurological impairment and, depending on where the child falls on the spectrum, is NOT covered under most insurance plans and government waiver programs. Most families are completely lost in the system and some receive no help at all because their child cannot receive an accurate diagnosis; "he looks normal..."

Second: Her child is only nine months old AND she has been running for Vice-President for two of those nine months, 24 hours a day. How in the world does she have any clue what families with special needs children are going through? She hasn't had to deal with a two year old who screams and bangs his head on the floor because he has no other way to communicate; she hasn't had to deal with a four year old who walks around 24/7 with a wrist in his mouth to self stimulate his overloaded senses while the other hand is raised over his head to hit anyone who stands near; she hasn't had to deal with a six year old under his desk at school because he wants to be a bear in his cave; she hasn't had to deal with teaching a ten year old to tie his shoes because his fine motor skills are so weak; she hasn't had to deal with a twelve year old who obsesses over imaginary holes in his sports jerseys and has major screaming meltdowns if you say you can't fix it...

She hasn't had to deal with a child with Aspergers or any other autism spectrum disorder and I am deeply offended to think she has any clue what WE go through everyday.

So John McCain, don't tell me Sarah Palin knows what it's like to have a child with autism and has fought for our rights. Give her 12 years to live with it everyday and then we'll talk.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Here's a New One...

In relation to yesterday's Canadian election...the Conservatives didn't get a Minority. According to Wikepedia, they got this...

In voting, a plurality vote is the largest number of votes to be received by any candidate or proposition when three or more choices are possible. With only 2 choices the winner would have the majority. The candidate or proposition receiving the largest number of votes has a plurality.

Therefore with a whopping 143 of a possible 308 seats, the Conservatives will rule with a plurality government. Isn't that the same as double-speak?

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Parliamentary versus Democracy

Yesterday Canada went to the polls for the third election in four years and gave the ruling Conservative Party its third minority government in four years. So what does this mean?

It means that nothing has changed. Again.

Canada's parliamentary system, based on the same system used in Britain, is an antiquated, medieval, form of government that basically allows civil servants to run the country.

Seldom do Canadians elect a true majority government, permitting one party to have control over the country's affairs. Especially with a three party system, Conservative, Liberal and New Democrats - the vote is always split. I think there is even a fourth party - the Separtiste's - but they only get votes in Quebec because they want to join France (there's an entire week's worth of posts!)

The question is - which system is better? Parliamentary or Democracy? Having lived in both I would honestly have to say...Parliamentary.

WHAT?!?!

Here's the thing - the American system gets bogged down in trying to please everyone and often that means nothing really ever gets done. Look at the example of introducing a dollar coin. The American's system tells the people they are going to introduce the coin and then do nothing to support its implementation.

In Canada, the government introduced the Loonie about 25 years ago and here's how they did it; they told the people they will start using the coin and REMOVED dollar bills from circulation! Now how smart was that? It saved millions and millions of dollars.

The people were pissed initially but after a few years I think they actually enjoyed digging in the bottom of their purses and finding spare change that added up to something instead of a dollar here and there!

The government liked it so much, they introduced the Toonie (2 dollar coin) a few years later.

So come on America - throw away those dollar bills and embrace the coin! We could call it the Wannabe!

Monday, October 13, 2008

I Am Way Too Opinionated!

I really needed an outlet for my opinions. I have gotten in trouble so many times for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person at the wrong time.

I can't help myself - call it passion, call it inquisitiveness, call it stupidity - I just have to express myself.

Over at my other blog, SportsMum, I have been sharing about my family and our life in and around sports. Frequently, I have veered off into Opinionville, which I'm sure has alienated those readers who simply want to know whether my oldest is playing quarterback on his freshman team, whether my middle son won his wrestling match, or whether my youngest son mastered his latest Nintendo DS game! (It's really not THAT boring - but you get the idea)

I recently posted my thoughts on Sarah Palin and her choice to run for Vice-President. This elicited several intense discussions and a call from a Producer at Fox News.

It was then that I knew I needed a place to vent and for others to have their way with me!

Here's my current status - I am a Canadian, living in the United States as a Permanent Resident (Green Card), therefore not able to vote - ANYWHERE! Crazy huh? - I have my reasons and you know I'll tell you about them!

I love Barack Obama but also would vote for Stephen Harper (a Conservative), in tomorrow's Canadian election. I think John McCain has a lot of class, that George Bush is an idiot but his wife Laura is amazing, that Hilary is right on when she says "it takes a village to raise a child", and that our education system can be fixed - if the government would fund it properly! (No Child Left Behind is a joke!)

And that's just what I'm thinking today...