Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Obama and bikes

So we have a new president. I am glad the time of "W" is over and that he cannot get elected again. I think that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, some choose to voice them with family members, friends or work associates. I have done none of the above, except maybe with Jenn. It seems like on a daily basis, I was getting some kind of email hating on Obama. This is coming mainly from my family, since most of my friends actually agree with the way I do. I know that my vote actually doesn't count in the great state of Texas, but I voted anyways. I actually don't agree with all of the politics of either major candidate. The one I agree with the most was/is Nader, but everyone knows that he would never get elected. So I chose the lesser of the two evils.

This is an email attachment that was sent to me.


Redistribution of Wealth


"Today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read
"Vote Obama, I need the money." I laughed.

Once in the restaurant my server had on an "Obama 08" tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference--just imagine the coincidence.

When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the home less guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I've decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application."



This is the response that will be mailed out.

I'm very very excited right now. More than excited, content and again, I have faith in our government. Barrack Obama is the right choice for our nation.

I sincerely believe a wealth of good is going to come in the next 4 years - hopefully we can make it 8.

Since the 1960's race riots, minorities have gained their freedom, yes, but they have yet to be empowered. There are the few from the bunch that have exceeded what society expects of them, but it was not easy - not as easy as it has been for us. What excites me MOST about Barrack Obama is his passion for education - leveling the playing ground between lower income and wealthier schools. Yes, there are some white kids in inner city schools, and there are some minorities in wealthier, suburban schools, but the numbers are frighteningly disproportionate. The goal will be to give all children the same education from the get go, and then what they do with that education is up to them. It takes a certain ambition to go out and make a change for yourself, and hopefully with the confidence and education behind them, our next generation will be more ambitious than ever. It is NOT ACCEPTABLE that we have high school seniors who can not speak English, nor can some of them read. Absolutely unacceptable.

When I hear "Spreading the Wealth," I do not see socialism. I see a government being truly concerned for the underprivileged of our nation. The underprivileged children that did not get to pick their unwilling parents - that do not get to choose if their school has current history or mathematics books - that do not get to choose what language their parents know or if anyone will care to teach them English. It is this empowering of EVERYONE, no matter who your parents are or in which community you live, that will make this nation great again. Right now, the education level of students is becoming more and more segregated, just like our nation's wealth. 90% of us make enough to survive, while 10% make enough to celebrate. This is the same with education. We need everyone to be on the right track from day one, and stop becoming concerned only once young adults make it to college. If we give people the education to provide them with the confidence and self respect they need - are dually permitted to have - we will create a nation of people competing for that 10% of the wealth, and I believe will have a much wealthier nation. Not only based on dollars, but on freedom of choice, thought, and expression.

Barrack Obama's ideas have been beaten down to a disgusting level. He is not trying to give a hand out to homeless people. Please, focus on the youth of our nation and empowering them as much as your loving, caring parents have done for you. Not everyone is blessed with your resources.



So now Obama is going to be the next president. I am ready for a "change" in this country. To me, McCain was just another Bush. I'm ready to see what will happen in the next four years, so I can let my opinion about everything be shown to everyone that was talking shit all the way up to the election.


Alright, enough about that. As I am sure ou have seen from other blogs and just surfin the interwebz, there are a couple of Obama bikes out there.





Then we have some spoke cards,






Then we have the man himself riding around town.





We also have McCain busting a fat skid. You can tell he was trying to get some of the hipster vote.oh well, that didn't work.






Alright, I got to get some stuff done now.

til next time

OLC

1 comment:

j e n n said...

Obama won Travis County though. 64% to McCain's 35% - your vote did count this time!

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/individual/#mapPTX

Enough Waiting for Bicycle Infrastructure. Click Here to Sign The Austin Bike Plan Petition

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