I Can't Stop Crying

I can't stop the tears. At precisely 11:00PM EST I started crying. I went to bed, slept so great, woke up and turned on NBC. The waterworks started again.

I can't help it - it was history - real and true, forever remembered, history.

And we were a part of it. From a cold day back in February when the boys and I stood in line for two hours to hear him speak at Youngstown State University; to the Town Hall meeting I attended in August (thanks to our Mayor who knows him personally); even to the bonding my husband and I had over our disdain for Sarah Palin - in our small way, we all were a part of history.

I also can't stop praying. I pray there isn't another Lee Harvey Oswald just waiting for his moment in history. I pray that this isn't the catalyst for another 9/11 - America with their guard down - vulnerable.

I pray for his family - his beautiful little girls and his strong and intelligent wife.

May God keep them all, and us. "We" can do all things through HIM who gives us strength - Phil. 4:13

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!