I consider myself a moderate to liberal Democrat. Actually, to be fair to my uncle Allen, he would want me to be a card carrying "yellow-dog" Democrat, or one who votes down straight party lines no matter who is running. I have not always paid attention to the mid-term elections with previous Washington administrations, but this year, I have been forced due to the incompetency and sheer amount of fear mixed with piss and vinegar this White House has evoked within so many people around this great country. For example, I find it boggling that within six years, our national deficit has doubled since Bushy took office raising it to 8 trillion dollars. Guess who is going to flip that bill. Sure as hell will not be the GOP. It will be us, paying that bar tab long after this crop of politicians leaves D.C.

Now, yes, the war has had alot to do with that deficit. But, there are numerous companies who have lobbyist ties who are profiting from the war in Iraq. Yes, there are people making money off the war...because someone, somewhere along the way got a whole bunch of people to decide to outsource our troops day to day needs and overall stability. Meaning, that the tasks that the normal soldier could do, such as clean toilets, make food and feed his fellow man, has now been turned over to people who can be paid to do those jobs. One of the companies making money? Haliburton! Dicky Cheney's arm of course will be reaching into that pot of cash long after he has left office, I can assure you. It makes me sick to my core that this administration, probably with full knowledge, has allowed such a shameful act of treason to exist. Making money off the dead men and women who gave their lives for God knows what, in a country that wants the good ole US of A to leave, does not at all speak trust to me...that I am to give my support the war on terror based on just that small tidbit of betrayal to soldier's families is evil and wrong.

I have had it with this stupid excuse for a president! You know, Clinton was not the best when it came to perhaps maintaining a professional and personal balance with his life, but look at his record of this country's approval rate and you will find that it supersedes Bushy's any day. If Clinton was doing such a horrible job, why did we as a country have the lowest unemployment rate in years? Now, it's back up again. I ought to know. This Texan bumpkin needs to shut his mouth for the last two years, and leave quietly. The GOP needs to stop being self-righteous, pretending to not know what's going on with its over-paid senators wasting tax dollars, sitting at computers, talking dirty to Brooks Brothers dressed, over-cologned, Harvard rejected page boys and do their fucking jobs...namely to get us the hell out of Iraq as we the American people were lied to, to justify going there in the first place, and now we are of course without an exit strategy whatsoever. Stay the course...my ass! In the month of October alone, we as a country lost 100 soldiers to this so-called war. That's 100 soldiers who will not fall in love, get married, see their kids grow, kiss their spouses again, spend Christmas around the tree with loved ones, enjoy the sounds of a beautiful symphony, or see another sunset. These are 100 lives who will not ever understand why they died, or perhaps what they were doing in Iraq in the first place.

I grew up with the knowledge that my military is a good thing. The military that I pay for, as many issues or shortcomings that it might have, is generally a thing that I should support. And I do. But, I feel that using it for a personal agenda or vendetta is not what it is there for. It is not some president's personal chess pieces to be moved along the chess board of the world threatening check mate whenever someone comes along that that president might not like. Are there bad guys in the world that need to be taken out? Absolutely. North Korea is going to be next on this country's radar, I guarantee it...once this president leaves. But, we cannot be the playground bully around the world, by ourselves for too much longer. Is it any wonder that well-thought out intentionally smart countries have basically looked at us in what we are doing by who's leading us, and wished us luck, but want no part in what we are doing based on who's leading us? I know that Democracy will not be the dominant way of the world to do government. I know that. We as a country cannot be so arrogant as to think that Democracy will fix any country out of its unrest and ethnic misunderstandings. In fact, it is our arrogancy as a country, that alot of nations despise, who therefore hate us because arrogancy in their minds has led this country to be a very debaucherous Sodom and Gomorrah. Now, that's just one take on it. But, I spoke to a guy from England a couple years back when I was in Dallas for a pastor thing, and he is my age. We got to talking. And he said something I will never forget. He said, "The whole world knows that your country is killing this planet slowly, and it's sad that your arrogancy as a country has blinded you to that." I loved what else he said. He said, "I still have no idea how a country so smart would have elected such a wanker for a president." I said "Exactly...me too."

I am going to vote tomorrow. It is my right as someone who is fed up. My one vote could help place some much needed checks and balances back to where it needs to be in D.C. If the Democrats take control of the House, Pelosi becomes speaker, and thus begins the never-ending battle to make some positive changes in this country be for the good of the people, instead of one man's conscience. Yes, my Democratic tank of thinkers and doers need to take stands on issues and stick with it...create backbone among each other so as not to please every whim and whine that the GOP accuses them of...stand the ground of taking a position and you will earn the people's respect. Needless to say, I am going to vote Democrat because I can find not one Republican I would trust. Bill O'Reilly has it wrong. I think that American people are going to show up in droves tomorrow to make some change happen. He is of the opinion that low voter turn-out will help the GOP maintain control of the House, therefore continuing Bushy's agenda. I know lots of folks are just as fed up as I am. So, we need to make our presence known tomorrow. We need to vote, and take the power back to where it belongs...in and among the American people who want this country to be led by government that cares about them, appreciates them, and values them so they can serve them...as opposed to what we have now... a government serving itself for itself. I cannot and will not accept that. I hope you will not either. More later...

P.S. I have not written anything lately as I haven't really had anything to say. My life is pretty much the same thing in and out each week. I am not liking it all that much lately either. I love spending time with the "brick"...he is my life. I love him. But, I am incredibly disillusioned with a church who I thought was oiled enough to help its brothers and sisters out who need another call. Boy, how wrong have I been. This man made religion is getting under my skin and forcing me to realize that this is not what Jesus had in mind in building his church. I want to return to that vision and start a church that is all heart, faith, and intentionally seeking to be a real community who surrounds itself with the redemptive, restorative, and revolutionary story of God, wanting to be changed by that story and living the story out not as an obligation (of which many people in the Lutheran church do), but as a normal way of being. So much so, that dying to themselves becomes a forethought into breath and silence, motion and speech, emotion and dreams. This is the church that I see needs to exist for so many folks, who are just as turned off by institutionalized religion as I am. I will write more about that some other time. Until then...happy voting.