Blog? Really?

When I first heard the word Blog I said to myself "what the hell is a blog and whatever it is, can't they name it something else?" I felt the same way about Twitter and was confident neither would ever go anywhere or be used by anyone. Boy was I wrong. Not only am I blogging right now, I just Tweeted on Twitter a few minutes ago. Go figure. 
Both give me a sense of expressing myself and being heard. Not something, I think, most Americans are familiar with in my experience. Americans can speak their minds about anything they want without fear of punishment, unlike many societies, but rarely do we expect to be heard and something done about whatever we're complaining about. 
Take this new Health Care Reform, please. Sorry, couldn't pass up that old one liner by Henny Youngman. People are rising up against it by the thousands demanding to be heard. How unAmerican!! I was shocked by the anger people are showing at the Town Hall meetings being held by democrat politicians all over the country. Is this really America? People revolting against the machine? Wow, I am blown away by it. Not because I am for the Health Care Reform bill, I haven't read it yet and have only been able to get bits and pieces of it in the news. I'm not against it either yet because like most new bills, there are pros and cons and I don't know how this bill is going to affect me. Having been born in America and lived my entire life in America, I feel like a full blooded American. I don't revolt, having learned a long time ago that going with the flow reduces my stress levels and really, what can I do about it anyway? I'm just one American. So after the Iranians revolted against Ahmadinajad's election, I typically felt "that's what other countries do, they revolt and rally and hold rallys." But not Americans. Long gone are the hippy sit ins in the 60's and thousands of people marching against racism and other things we don't like and won't stand for.
It also doesn't look like the politicians who are holding these town hall meetings are backing down in anyway from the revolting Americans either. They just keep bringing it and try to convince us it's what we all want and need. Am I missing something here? Haven't we all been complaining about our current health care system for decades? Doctors make millions, hospitals turn away Americans without insurance but treat illegal aliens for free? Haven't we all been paying for everyone else to get free medical attention while our insurance costs just rise and rise? Hasn't the middle class always born the brunt of the poor and the rich? Haven't the billionaires always made more billions, and the poor get everything for free because the stupid middle class just keeps going to work every day and paying all the cost for both of them? Excuse me but why didn't we get to vote whether or not to bail out these companies? Aren't we the MAJORITY? 
Okay, let me get a grip here and search my true soul. I do want all people to be able to come here for a better life. My mom immigrated from Ireland, my father's father from Sicily, and on and on with most of my aunts and uncles. They all became citizens and paid their taxes. Other than becoming citizens of the U.S. of A, I want a way to determine if illegal aliens are criminals prior to becoming citizens. That's all I want from illegal aliens. That's not asking for much is it? Can't we set up entry areas around our border and welcome everyone in after a proven screening system and give out citizenship at the borders like EZ Pass? Okay, that may be going a bit far and in my mind I could hear our Homeland Security people screaming at me, but I'm an American and expect instant gratification and lightning fast technology to save us from everything in an instant, and don't sweat the details. I do want all people to receive the best medical attention on earth and if that requires insurance, then I'm for it. 
As for the billionaires. Some people are brilliant, some are fortunate, and others are the hardest working people on the planet. And some are criminals. To the brilliant who made their fortunes with their smarts, well some are just born with greater gifts than others. The greatest gifts to me include memory and math ability. If you have a great memory and are a wiz at math, you have no excuse not to be a millionaire or billionaire. Except of course if you were not born with social skills and suffer from being the genius outcast. Watch The Big Bang Theory sit com and get over it.
I don't want people who earn companies billions not to be paid millions in bonuses. They do what we can't do. No matter what my professional accomplishments are, I am not capable of walking into Apple and changing their culture to the tune of billions of dollars in profits and therefore securing the company's future for decades to come. I don't deserve million dollar bonuses and Steve Jobs does whether he's an a---- (as noted in the famous No a---- Rule book) or not. 
Let's talk oil. All politicians talk about our dependence of foreign oil. Why are the foreigners the bad guys? Are our domestic oil companies, who we buy 70% of all oil used in the country from, giving us a discount on the price of home heating fuel or gasoline? No! Even though they get their crude locally and don't have to pay $80,000 per day ( a number quoted to me by a local oil buyer and distributor) for ships to bring oil over here from there or the cost of the ships and now the security to protect them from pirates. Give me a break American Oil companies!!! How about a discount on domestic oil? However, if I am going to be honest with myself, if I worked for Exxon or Citgo and made million dollar bonuses wouldn't I defend the prices based on "what the market bears?" You're damn right I would. So my outrage is based on selfishness isn't it? Sigh, yes it is. And isn't the price of oil only going to go up when fuel efficient cars replace all of the gas guzzlers? Yes. Don't the oil executives want to increase their employer's profits so they can continue to earn million dollar bonuses? Of course and we would all do the same thing. 
How can I be upset with those billionaires who made their money through hard work? Mike Bloomberg, Donald Trump, Bill Gates all come to mind. I can't do what they do or I would have what they have. From what I have read, Donald Trump has worked 7 days a week for the past 30 years and the same is true for Mike Bloomberg. Bill Gates is famous for his incredible work ethic. I want weekends off, two weeks paid vacation, and all holidays. I'm doomed to failure right there due to my "must have balance in my life" credo. No millions in my future and that's JUST THE WAY IT IS MAN!!!!! I accept that and I love my little life here in New England Connecticut. 
Don't get me started on the criminals. Bernie Madoff. The good news? He got caught! Enough said because evil exists in the world and he'll get his. I just hope all the people he ripped off get their money back.
Today I am proud of every American who is taking the time to go to these town hall meetings to be heard. I would NEVER shout at any politician until I READ THE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL, HIGHLIGHTED EVERY PORTION I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT and then for some reason was refused the right to ask questions about the bill. Going there to jump all over someone because of the hype is ignorant and people need to get a grip. Yes, go and sit and wait your turn to speak and be prepared when your turn comes up people!! That's American! That's intelligent and civilized. 
I am the last person to support our thieving, adultering, lying sons of bitches politicians but there is a way to go about things. Acting like politicians ourselves only makes matters worse. That's why term limits came into existence. So the rotten politicians, listening New Jersey, have to be replaced on a regular basis to weed them out. There are not enough good intentioned politicians who work for the people in office and there never will be. But SOMEONE has to put these things into action. We need the politicos to hear us and get these things done. We complained forever and now the change we wanted is here.
In conclusion, and thanks for anyone who reads this, I don't expect ANYONE to, if I felt for one minute my opinion could make a difference, I would go to these meetings to be heard. But I don't. And when I sit and take the time to reflect on my 50 year life experience in America the truth is, it's been a very, very good life thanks to all those people I have no control over. We have not had a suicide bombing, a plane hijacked, a nuclear bomb launched, etc. SOMEONE IS DOING SOMETHING RIGHT!
So Health Care Reform is here and millions may benefit from it. Some of us may have to give some for them to get it. Okay, it's been that way my whole life, why not now? You get what you give in this life, I believe, so let's keep going the way we always have. Middle Class rise up and help the billionaires and the poor. We are the back bone of America! Accept change. It always hurts at first but eventually many, many more Americans will get health care they couldn't get before. Isn't that all that matters? Keep your billions and give me health! If I'm healthy and live in America, I can achieve anything I put my mind to. And I'll have the energy to go to a town hall meeting and be heard. 
Now I'm a blogger. Go figure.