Gun control revisited

Okay, so I'm not really for/against gun control. I don't buy guns, and I don't think "gun control laws" are going to stop criminals who go around shooting people. But I am disappointed that special interest/lobbyist (again) manage to beat gun control laws that over 50% of America supports...because there is an election in 2014. It just goes to show how a majority of swing-politicians are more spineless than non-kneejerk decisive. You'd think leaders would base their decisions on rational thought, not on getting swayed by emotional reactions by the masses, or by financial pressures in next year's elections....

Middle East tension

America's support for Israel has caused tension in the middle east. My solution? Let whatever Palestinians who want to move back, move back. Most have lives in their "new" territory, and few are crazy enough to move in to non-muslim nation because that's where they lived over 60 years ago. Even if you have to "buy" peace (ie real estate, so the Palestinians who move back get "free" housing") so few would do it - and it's still much cheaper than security costs the tensions entail.

Gay Marriage

I am AGAINST "gay marriage" but FOR "gay marriage." What? The problem is that "marriage" means different things to different people. I am AGAINST "gay religious marriage." Politicians should not be able to tell a Catholic priest that he is REQUIRED to marry two people of the same gender. I am FOR "gay judicial marriage." Two consenting adults should be able to do whatever they want as long as they're not hurting anyone. If a partner is on life support, the other partner should be able to make decisions (without filling out a power of attorney.) --- (Half of) the problem is that religious folks knee-jerk to "gay marriage" as if the government is going to automatically start butting into their cherished religious ceremonies. The (simultaneous other half of) the problem is gay people aren't sensitive to how cherished marriage is to traditional folks. I think gay people would be shocked if Catholics started saying "We should have a Catholic bah mitzfah!" Granted, "civil union" sounds less romantic than "marriage" - and "gay judicial marriage" sounds just as boring as "civil union." But that's what it is - if you're protesting for equal (legal) rights - go for those - you can always have your "romantic marriage" as a separate ceremony that is unrecognized by the government. (Which is what everyone else does anyway.) ---- So I am AGAINST "gay traditional-religious marriage" but FOR "Gay Judicial Marriage."

Sequestration

Seriously? The "most working" plan is the one that was intended to be so bad that it would be horrific if it happened? And yet, Dems and Reps seem to agree that it's better than compromising (which would look bad to their voter/supporters.) I thought they were going to do a last minute "compromise but moan about it." But now I think the "temporary sequester" is going to be a "permanent sequester". Which is fine, I don't think we needed a giant military anyway. (But I do think we need the jobs making weapons that we'd never use...)

gun control

Really? Obama, would you be pushing for gun control if there wasn't a recent rash of shootings? Policy should be made based on need, not based on emotional fervor due to "events of the moment."

slow news period

You know it's a slow news period when the headlines are about Obama appointing people (95% of Americans will never be able to name/describe what they do.) And (obviously) Republicans have to be against it, because, well, that's what Republicans do.

Dems vs Republicans: Compromise

both Dems and Republicans moaned about the fiscal cliff compromise. At least in public, to make their crazy supporters like them more. But the more they do this, the more they polarize the nation and make future compromises harder.