In honor of Election Day

I shy away from posting about politics. Although I do have my own views, I hate getting into political discussions, so I avoid them. But in honor of Election Day, here are a few political topics that came to me while staring into space, waiting for the phone to ring, while covering for the receptionist at work.

• The greatest gift to lazy people like myself is Permanent Absentee Voting. It true, you can vote right from your armchair, on your own time, at 3am if you want to. As long as you get the ballot turned in on time. And it comes with free postage. No longer do I have to stand in line and show 5 forms of ID. I can't extoll the awesomeness enough! Google it and find out how to do it in your state.



• I would totally move to Sweden if I could. Yeah, they pay tons in taxes, but their social policies rock- months of paid maternity leave, state sponsored child care and well paid teachers, nationalized health care, paid vacations even for Stay At Home Mom's, EU grade regulation of chemicals, pesticides, GMO's. But it's so damn cold there.



• Republicans- they want less government regulation and government out of our personal life and family life. But yet they are OK with the government regulating what we can personally do with our bodies (ie abortion and right to die issues)? What about allowing big business (ie health care organizations) determine health care policies instead of letting us make our own care choices*. How can they be OK with regulation in some areas but not in others? Isn't that kind of hypocritical?
  


• A's workplace union just had a vote on whether to agree to concessions on their contract to keep the company afloat. There was much debate about this on the pilot's forum and in pilot conference calls. It passed with something like 60% of the vote. I wonder, did people vote along traditional party lines for this vote? Did the democrats vote in favor of taking less money for the good of the company and the republicans vote against it with the rationale of "full pay to the final day. no one is taking away the pay raises we earned"? Have votes historically gone this way?

• If I could have my way, I'd change two things. One, disallowing bill riders that have nothing to do with the bill they are attached to. So much crap is hidden in those that the public has no idea about. And two, paid lobbyists. Politicians should listen to their constituants and vote based on how things will effect their area of representation, not based on the nice dinner they got on behalf of the XYZ industry who has views opposite of what the populace wants.
  

*Interesting info on how insurance companies are influencing hospital policy and the health care we receive related to some of my favorite topics in this book, this book, this film, this book and the whole mandatory HPV vaccine mess.