As I write this column, the Dems are opening their convention.
I believe the cost of the two conventions to be enough to put
a dent in the national debt. Sixty-five thousand (less a few
scared off by a storm) attended the Republican event and a
similar number are expected to show up for the current one,
why?
Conventions
in the past were where the final decision on who would be
the party’s
candidate was determined. I recall some states would go on record, joining others
in support of possible candidates. At the conventions several seekers of the
party’s support were put forth and a favorite chosen. Acceptance speeches
were made and the convention concluded.
Why
have conventions now? They seem like popularity contests
with party members taking the podium to impress whom – each other? Perhaps the Tea Party was
not finished shouting and its queen; Ms. Bachman needed another chance to sound
foolish. It may be those who attend, AT TAXPAYERS EXPENSE just need an excuse
to “party.”
I
for one did not understand why Clint Eastwood was a speaker
at the Republican convention. Was he there to demonstrate
you might as well talk to a chair
if you’re asking to hear a plan? Perhaps he was there to show Clint
could understand a chair talking back.
What
should be done at a gathering of party leaders is demands
made that chosen candidates lay out and detail exactly what
their plan for the country
is if
they are elected. The time spent trying to find out if anyone is better
off than they
were four years ago or how much a person has in foreign banks is not
what will carry our country forward. Discussions on gay rights,
same sex marriages,
abortion,
gender values etc have been repeated for years. These supposed current
problems should have been settled; didn’t the Supreme Court rule
on them?
As
I see it, if the above listed topics and their related problems
have not been taken care of after all the years of debate,
they should be
set aside
and our
politicians should begin addressing more urgent issues. The financial
status of our country and how to get control of spending would be of
highest priority.
Instead of debating who should receive tax relief, we should set a
budget enabling us to determine how much to collect in taxes
to live within
that budget. Instead
of spending first and borrowing to pay, we should collect resources
first then spend. Families are forced by limited incomes
to live like this,
why can’t
our government?
The
Republican theme of looking back and asking are we better
off is worn out and why are they still looking for a birth
certificate? It’s sad that we
can’t find candidates, running for any office, that have nothing
to hide. People who want our votes without a promise of special action
or favors
returned.
Why can’t people who will commit to a plan and tell us how they will execute
it run for office? Why can’t the two parties work together
to better our country and begin to return us to stability.
New
York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman declared on Meet the
Press last week, “I
have seen Romney’s plan and it cannot be carried out.” That statement
is probably true but Obama’s plan when elected in 2008, if
he had one, was never carried out either. Did he put forth his
plan for
the
next four
years at the convention this week? Was anyone listening?