More Perfect

So I woke up today, walked outside, and what I found was amazing. The sky was not in pieces on the ground. In fact, it was perfectly in tact and right where I left it. Go figure. I guess health care reform becoming law didn't cause the sky to fall, after all.

But I'm glad it's over. I'm glad it's over because I'm sick of the complaining and whining. I'm sick of hearing the complaints of the people who have no earthy idea what they're talking about. I'm sick of hearing the complaints of the people who didn't say a word about government spending when President Bush was in the White House, only to suddenly become concerned on January 20, 2009. I'm sick of hearing the complaints of people who have no other ideas. I'm sick of hearing the complaints of people who don't even properly understand the definition of "socialism." And I'm sick of the complaints of the people who think that the American public always knows what's best for them, because they don't. If they did, there's a possibility my friend Dwayne and I would still have to use separate bathrooms.

But despite how mad hearing them talk may make me, I'm not going to sit here and argue the points with them. And I'm not going to walk onto the floor of the House of Representatives and yell, "You lie!" or "Baby killer!" And I'm certainly not going to call congressional offices and make violent threats against members of congress who did not vote the way that I would've liked them to (as is now happening). I won't do these things for two main reasons:

First, you never argue with a drunk or a fool.

And second, I know that given enough time social conservatives will lose every time. That's what happens when you try to apply yesterday's thinking to today's problems.

Perfect? Not even close. But rather, more perfect.

A History Lesson...

...of the musical kind.

Gillibrand Questions Obama

If you didn't catch President Obama's Q & A with Senate Democrats today, check out Senator Kirsten Gillibrand' question here. I think it's important.

You Can't Be Neutral On A Moving Train

I was first introduced to Howard Zinn in my 11th grade Advanced Placement US History class, and I read A People's History of the United States shortly after graduating college. And now that he's gone, we have to remember his greatest lesson: You can't be neutral on a moving train.

Patterson Not the Only One Being Replaced

2010 does not look like a good year for Governor David Patterson. His polls are in the tank. His campaign funds are desperately low. He just lost one of his top campaign strategists. And he's faced with making severely unpopular proposals in an effort to bridge New York State's $7.4 billion (that's with a "B," people) deficit. Do you think imposing a one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks is going to send people running to pull a lever next to his name? How about that $1-per-pack tax on cigarettes? (By the way, I'm not saying these proposals are good or bad, just that they are most likely bad PR for a governor in Mr. Patterson's position) I guess those commercials I mentioned back in November haven't been helping all that much.

So, with each passing day it looks more and more like Attorney General Andrew Cuomo will be the Democratic nominee for governor of New York this November. He has the numbers, the money, and the image to defeat Patterson in the primary, and Patterson's campaign is in a state of turmoil. I guess we'll find out September 14.

But Governor David Patterson isn't the only one that's going to be replaced this year. I am, too. For a few different reasons, I have decided to indefinitely suspend my blog, and it will subsequently be removed from the Poughkeepsie Journal website once a replacement has been chosen. If you are interested in being the person who replaces me, please send an email of interest and sample blog posts to Irwin Goldberg at igoldberg@poughkee.gannett.com. Until then, I'll still be making a few posts here and there.

Waste

If you haven't checked out the front page article from yesterday's Poughkeepsie Journal, I suggest you do so. However, if you do not have the time, I will simply quote the first sentence for you:

"Dutchess County spent $1,092 for each of 27 desk chairs for use at the county's Emergency Command Center in the Town of Hyde Park — a room used sparingly as a coordination and control facility during natural or man-made disasters."

What!? Are you kidding me!? Do I really need to bloviate on about how terrible a decision this was? I think not.

And people wonder why taxes in our county are so high.

In the wake of Wednesday's New York State Senate defeat of a law that would have legalized gay marriage in our state, I would like to post for the 3rd time:

"I believe in 50 years, our society will look back on the fight against gay marriage the same way we now look back at the civil rights movement of the 1950s, or interracial marriage, or slavery, our country's original sin. 'They were fighting over this?' they'll ask. On a long enough period of time, social progressives will overcome social conservatives every time. And if our textbooks are any indication, history will not judge well those who try to keep others from enjoying the same freedoms."

The majority does not have the right to limit the rights of the minority.