The Way It Is

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Your Vote Counts, But Does It Matter?

I’ll have to admit. When it came down to it, on election night, a part of me wanted Mitt Romney to win over Barack Obama. Does that mean I would have voted for him? No. There’s a big difference. I feel that I am accountable for who I vote for, so I never would vote for someone who doesn’t adhere to certain principles. At the same time, I recognized that perhaps the only thing our country had going for us was a change.

It was interesting to read all the early morning, early afternoon comments from people on Election Day, declaring their pride in the democratic process of each citizen having the ability to cast a vote. Most of them had just returned from the polls, or were waiting in line and felt the need to declare to the world through social media that they were performing their civic duty. There is a sense of accomplishment when one does something even this simple, when there is an understanding of the collective impact in can have on a city, state, and nation.

Labels: election, Obama, president, Romney, voter fraud

Monday, November 12, 2012

The Mormon Mourning

I'll be honest, I have been completely shocked this past week to hear the reactions from the outcome of the presidential election. A large number of my Facebook friends are of the Mormon faith, and they seem to be in mourning. These same people, who a day earlier were singing the praises of a free land where every voice is heard, and every vote counts, now curse the fraudulent nature of the voting system that has apparently been manipulate by men with dirty hands.

Let me clear up a few things to try and ease the pain and suffering I've witnessed among those who supported Mitt. This is also done in an attempt to inform those who are not Mormon, that not all Mormons are in mourning. The way I look at it, Obama and Romney were pretty much the same. They like a war-based foreign policy, showed no commitment to cut spending, supported government run healthcare, and have an agenda of "security for America" (aka less freedom).

Here are some things to consider before you lose all hope in the future of our country:

1. I don't believe Mitt Romney was God's choice. I have no doubt he is a wonderful caring man, so I'm going to chalk up his political platform to ignorance. I have a hard time understanding how someone who supports the Patriot Act, the Federal Reserve, detaining US citizens indefinitely without a trial, and an aggressive, military minded foreign policy - I have a hard time understanding how he was the hope of a people who follow the Prince of Peace.

2. Mitt Romney was not going to save the Constitution. Ron Paul was. Mitt even acknowledged (see here) that Paul was the expert on the matter. One one occasion, Romney was asked if it was constitutional to declare war without a declaration of war, Romney said "I'd have to consult my attorneys".

3. I have not lost faith in my religion. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is still true. To clarify again for those not familiar with the Mormon Church, here is our church's statement on political neutrality. Our church as a whole was not backing Romney. I don't consider this a defeat for Mormonism. I wonder how many Mormons would have voted for Romney if he wasn't Mormon, and actually understood his policies on war, the federal reserve, civil liberties, etc. I also wonder who they would have voted for if Obama was the Mormon. I understand that many did know his policies and still supported him, but I also know of many who didn't listen to one debate, have no idea what he stood for, and voted heavily based on his religious persuasion.

4. I didn't vote for Romney, and not all Mormons did. I've always said, "The only thing more disturbing than not voting for someone because of their religion, is voting FOR someone BECAUSE of their religion." Again, this is not to say that all who voted for him did so based on religion, but it's just to reinforce that I don't understand how so many people can be SO devastated that he lost, when his record in Massachusetts and his platform is so disturbing.

I've played this over in my mind countless times. My wife has even asked me if I think I'm clouded. I've thought that many times through this whole election process. I keep having this one thought come into my mind: It's the actions that count. It's not what a man says in politics, but it's how he votes and it's the policies that he puts in place that is the measure of who he is.

Thus concludes my one and only Election 2012 post. Good night all.

Labels: election, mormon, mormons, Obama, presidential, Romney

Monday, November 5, 2012

Your Only Two Choices

Tomorrow we will find out who wins the Presidential Election, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney. We only have two possible results. The interesting thing is on my mail in ballot there are five other candidates that are listed. Of course, I've never heard of these people, and they have no shot of winning, but nonetheless, they are on the ballot. Ron Paul will probably end up with more votes than any of those five other no-names, and he'll only be a write-in. This got me thinking, what if all of our options in life were limited to two?

What if there were only two possible women you could marry, and you weren't attracted to either of them?

What if there were only two movies to watch at the theater?

What if you only had two occupational choices out of college?

What if there were only two kinds of ice cream?

Labels: Obama, presidential debate, Romney

Thursday, October 4, 2012

"We ask you to contribute just a little more"

In watching the replay of the Presidential Debate that was held in Denver a few months back I'm getting really annoyed with President Obama's sly suggestion that in order to increase revenue he is "asking that those of us who have done very well in this country contribute a little bit more to reduce the deficit". Seriously, this makes me want to throw up. What he really means is: "We want to steal more of your money to make up for corrupt decisions that include endless war, the federal reserve, and foreign aid."

A recurring theme in The Book of Mormon is that wicked kings loved to tax people heavily to be "supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which (the king) had put upon his people; thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity." Mosiah 11:6

King Benjamin said: "And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne..." Mosiah 2:14.

King Noah did: "And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain." Mosiah 11:3

King Noah is known as the most wicked king in The Book of Mormon and he only taxed 20%. Add up all the taxes we pay in different forms today and many pay over 50% in tax. (This is not even addressing corporate income tax rates and estate taxes)

The federal income tax is used to pay off debt to the Federal Reserve Banking system, which is not affiliated with the government at all. It is a private bank that literally prints money out of thin air, lends this worthless paper to the US government, who then pays back the money with interest. They get the money to pay back interest from federal income tax.

All the government services that we depend on such as Social Security, Medicare, schools, construction of roads, etc. are paid for with other taxes (gasoline tax, sales tax, property taxes, etc, etc). The federal income tax started in 1913 at 1%, and now????

My question to those who read this is: Do you feel a sense of pride paying taxes? Do you think it is your civic duty to pay federal income tax? Or do you feel that our tax code is corrupt and something that we should be more aggressively trying to amend through proper channels? Let me know your thoughts.

Labels: corruption, debate, federal reserve, Obama, Romney, taxes

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The Great Debate

I'm trying really hard not to be cynical, so I won't be. Tonight was the first presidential debate between Brother Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama (that I have yet to watch). I just wanted to pass along a thought from my co-worker from the south. What she said cracked me up. She was expressing her confusion as to what to do with regard to her vote when she said, "I'm from the south, and I'm supposed to choose between a black man and a Mormon?" I don't think I've ever considered that southern dilemma before.

For those of you who fight back and forth and stick up for your candidate while knocking down the other, these are for you. :) Don't get too excited about either one, because they're backed by the same banks.