On
January 25, 2012, I posted the following in the Now
Playing section of my web site:
I
don’t consider myself a Democrat or a Republican. Can’t really
say I’m an Independent.
Instead,
I tend to believe that most politicians are unqualified idiots,
shrug my shoulders, and then try to do as thorough a job of
research and decision making as I can before casting my vote.
(I said “most”… not all.)
Now
when I say “unqualified idiots” you have to understand… I honestly
feel that most of the people best suited to lead our country
are either too smart or making too much money to even be remotely
interested in political office. (Often they’re both.) In essence…
we’re not getting the best to represent us in our government,
we’re getting people that managed to fill out some forms correctly.
(And they don’t always manage accomplishing that.)
If
I was pressed to take a position, a borderline accurate way
of summarizing it would be: I tend to prefer most of the Democratic
theories (but usually do not at all like what they become in
practice), and I tend to prefer most of the Republican personalities
(but usually not at all what they become in office).
Exceptions?
Sure.
But
this year is something other than exceptional.
It’s
on the verge of tragic… sad… and many other descriptive words
we can find that express a negative atmosphere.
At
the end of this paragraph I’m going to write a simple, nine
word sentence. And I would like you to read it, pause, and consider
it for just five to ten seconds. Seriously consider it. Ok?
Here we go…
Newt
Gingrich has become an actual possibility for nomination.
Are
you back? Did you take in the thought, let it sit there for
a moment or two, and really consider it? Are you scared?
See…
I’m not going to get into a deep debate right now. Not looking
for that.
I’m
not saying Mitt Romney or Ron Paul or any other Republican candidate
is better than Gingrich. (Or, shudder, worse.) I didn’t say
Gingrich is a legitimate, in it all the way until the summer
convention candidate for nomination.
What
I am saying is that in 2012 we have a simply ridiculous situation
developing… and this is a wonderfully ridiculous example of
how ridiculous it is.
Remember
when Bush won twelve years ago? And then eight years ago when
he was re-elected? Remember the people that laughed in 2004
while saying the Democrats were so disorganized and troubled
that they couldn’t find a candidate to defeat George Bush?
I
do. (And history does so love to repeat itself.)
Here,
in 2012, we have the Republicans in such chaos that it sure
as heck appears that they cannot find a single candidate capable
of defeating Barack Obama.
Don’t
believe me?
I’ll
repeat… the calendar has reached the primaries… people are making
choices… and…
Newt
Gingrich has become an actual possibility for nomination.
It’s
so mind-numbing that Democrats can’t understand
it or believe it’s possible. I don’t often agree with
Carville or Begala… but look over their column, and honestly,
even a quick read of Gingrich’s history should tell you that
“none of the above” is a better way to go. (And go quickly.)
Politics.
Wow.
I
could go on, but for now… for this presentation… I’ve already
given it way too much time. I’m not looking to support any candidate
or any party. Not here. Not now.
I
just want to take a moment to observe how absurd it all is…
how crazy it is getting… and maybe laugh to keep from crying
as the summer circus begins its march to town.
I
decided to expand on that a bit because of something interesting
that is taking place right now.
Basically…
our category is taxes.
In
2011 it’s optional for employers to show what they pay for an
employee’s medical benefits. In 2012, depending on the size of
the business (my understanding is that it is based on the number
of employees), it will be mandatory.
Now
this is becoming a wonderful source of rumors… such as one about
what will and will not be considered taxable income.
Again,
as with the observation I made a week ago, I’m not here to dig
deeply into it.
Instead,
I want to go back to the debates between Obama and McCain during
the last presidential election. Because the reality is nothing…
nothing… has changed.
Does
anyone else remember Obama telling us about how McCain wanted
us all to be taxed on employer-provided medical benefits?
Now,
obviously this was in the middle of the political gamesmanship
that goes into debates and elections. Facts and statements are
quite often perception based and not always reality based.
But
the message I thought Obama wanted me to take from it seemed clear
(these are my words, and my take on it): he (McCain) wants you
(me and other voters and non-voters, but mostly voters) to pay
taxes (boo – hiss – taxes – evil) on your health benefits. (One
piece that quotes Obama as saying: “You may end up getting
a $5,000 tax credit. Here’s the only problem: Your employer now
has to pay taxes on the health care that you’re getting from your
employer. McCain’s plan doesn’t call for taxing employers on health
care benefits; it would instead tax employees. As the law stands
now, employees don’t pay taxes on the dollar value of their health
insurance benefits. Under McCain’s plan, they would.” And another
one, where outside of the debates Obama is quoted
as saying: “My opponent can’t make that pledge, and here’s
why: for the first time in American history, he wants to tax your
health benefits.”)
Roughly
four years later… today, in 2012… Obama elected and not McCain…
and you may have heard all about the new health care legislation
passed under this president’s watch… and my W-2 is being sent
along to me so I can send it to the government with the details
about the costs of medical benefits on it.
(Forgive
me… Obama said what McCain would do… Obama elected… 2011 W-2 with
2012 to follow… walks like a duck… swims like a duck… and it quacks…
something ain’t right here.)
I
have said it before, but I will say it again here…
Everything
I’ve seen about Barack Obama as a person seems likeable enough.
I would welcome the chance to have lunch with him or watch a sporting
event with him.
The
truth is… while technically we may not have a duck here, since
I’m not yet paying taxes on medical benefits and my W-2 will eventually,
supposedly, only show the value of it, it sure seems like one
reason McCain was supposed to be scary for us Americans is starting
to take shape under the Obama administration. And to that I say,
politics hasn’t changed, and neither have the politicians.
The
other day I said: “I honestly feel that most of the people best
suited to lead our country are either too smart or making too
much money to even be remotely interested in political office.
(Often they’re both.) In essence… we’re not getting the best to
represent us in our government, we’re getting people that managed
to fill out some forms correctly. (And they don’t always manage
accomplishing that.)”
I’ve
yet to see anything from the Republicans this year… or the Democrats
that promised change four years ago… to show me I’m mistaken.