Now that I have a few minutes at lunchtime, I feel the need to be a man and explain my childish behavior in the Daily yesterday - something that is totally out of character for me. I am so tired of politics right now I could scream. I have no problems with people's beliefs, opinions, party affiliations or leanings. Nor do I think I know it all. Far, far from it. I know very, very little. But I have grown weary of the venom that is being spouted in this country today. I'll try not to add any here if I can. I am tired of people who will not vote for Obama solely because he's Black - or has a Muslim sounding name. I am tired of people who will vote for Obama solely because he is Black. I am worried about Obama losing because I fear people will blame it on racism. I am worried about McCain losing because many will see it as a misguided (my opinion) "mandate" to move us further left of center. I am tired of attorneys and politcos overwhelming Alaska - not looking to discover who Sarah Palin is, but in the hopes of find out what she may have done wrong. I am weary of 19 months of campaigning. It used to be you didn't know who the candidates were until the Conventions. It scares me that people think the Christians are more dangerous than Muslim Extremists. I am weary of always hearing that McCain = Bush. I am really sick about the Media who actively and obviously support one candidate, rather than simply report the news. I am amazed anyone would consider Obama less than Patriotic. I am tired of good, young men dying on the wrong battlefield. I am fearful of another 9/11 if we leave too soon. I frequent a few political sites where recently, if you do not exactly agree with everything the person posts, that you are evil, extremist, or just plain stupid. I do not usually make my views known because I do not believe in pouring gasoline on a fire. When DH started dabbling in Reagan, Clinton, and Bush , I was already feeling seriously dumped on and belittled and I went off the grid so to speak. DH did not intend it (I hope) but his "humor" is often misinterpreted. I agreed with a whole lot of DH's post. My DW is a Mortgage Banker as luck would have it. A few years ago when the Housing Market was booming and Mortgages were being bandied about like candy, I can remember her commenting many times "There's no way on God's green earth, this couple should be buying this much house. But I've given them all the required disclosures and they're well aware that an Interest only loan can come back to bite them." I can also remember her commenting to her boss that she's losing loans to other mortgage firms that were basically giving away money. In many cases, her company at the time (Chase) held tight to their approval criteria and the loans would go elsewhere. At other times, because Chase had to be competitive to stay alive (a very important point to consider), they eased their criteria and went where the market was at. Was there some greed involved? I suppose. I know DW and I enjoyed several of the best earning years of our lives. But would Chase's shareholders or executives let Chase lose market share? Of course not. But Housing is cyclical as is the Stock Market. The housing bubble had to burst as the Internet bubble of a few years ago had to, and did. Some of the homes that people were happily paying $750,000 for a few years ago, were not worth $250,000 in many instances. Now that home is worth around $300,000 or so and that $400,000 loan is upside-down. If that couple is fortunate enough and has the means to keep paying that mortgage until the market rebounds. But in many cases, they walk away and into foreclosure or they file for bankruptcy. Running provides us with a great, healthy outlet to the stresses and realities of life. I love running hard, feeling like I'm going to die, and not thinking about some crazy person spouting off on the left or the right. This Forum has been an oasis of friendliness, encouragement, hearing about each others' lives and goings on. Rarely were political opinions put forth. Like I said, an oasis and i want that back. For my part in the childishness, forgive me. I am not like that. I hope DH can read this and post his humor about me again as he seems to enjoy doing. I think I'm going to trun off my TV, avoid the Internet, and curl up with a Good Book until November 10th or so. I am terribly worried about the path I see this country taking. And it is not just our leaders or the major parties, but us ... the ones who post meanness about others with opposing points of view. Meekly, Bill

There is really nothing I can disagree with about your post Bill...yeah, "very well said". I am terribly worried about the direction of our Country also. People layed off from work here last Friday - Another local Dealership is closing this Friday - Another one just told everyone that there will be a 20% pay cut across the board - Kim, our assistant warranty clerk just realized she lost another $3000.00 in her 401 K plan...and this is just in my little neck of the woods, and I could go on and on. Your friend, Tim

I very strongly dislike politics - especially during recent elections - so I refrain from commenting either way. I do read most of the posts though, because I think it helps to sometimes read another's point of view. My hope is that there is a seperate thread started and those that wish to read and comment can do so. The last thing I read last night before going home was your final post Bill. It just saddened me more than I can tell you, and I thought about it a lot last night, hoping that you would change your mind but also understanding why you did it. Maybe it affected me more due to the fact that it was my post that made Bruce leave just last week. (which I still feel terrible about) I hope you come back to the daily ... but I'm still going to post about my puppies once in a while ... because I know Ribs likes it SO much!

... but I'm still going to post about my puppies once in a while ... because I know Ribs likes it SO much!

Hey, I for one really like your puppy posts...and I love the pictures... but then, I'm one of those whose LOOK AT WHAT CUTE LITTLE JUNIOR DID posts probably make a few cringe...

Well said, breger. You expressed many thoughts similar to mine. I am disgusted with the political shenanigans leading up to the election. Actually, I have been disgusted with them for the last several years. I often think back to one of my junior high teachers who said something that connected, even with my immature junior high mind. She differentiated between a politician and a statesman. It went something like, "A statesman is an American first and party member second. A politician is a party member first and an American second". I would be hard pressed to name a prominent person in politics I would call a statesman. I fervently hope the country can elect the best person (or at least the worst bad) to be president (I don't know which one it would be) and they can govern responsibly and wisely. I also hope the congress can join the new president in governing responsibly and wisely with the best interest of the country in mind. Since good and intelligent people can have different ideas about the best paths to follow, I hope everyone, from the person on the street to those in the highest places, can try to see the logic in the other person's point of view and express their different ideas in a civil and respectful manner. It's probably a pipe dream but I can hope. I'll get off my soap box now. TomS

Breegster, I read your post just before I went out for a lunchtime run, and I was planning on composing a thoughtful and erudite reply in my head while I ran. But it was 78 degrees and sunny, and now my brain is fried. Sorry, I'll try again later. Besides, Tramps writes better erudite posts than I ever could. I think one of the problems with presidential politics is that anyone who would actually want to be president is probably not suited for the job.

Yeah, I caught the trun off the tv comment too. Good to see that! Hey Byll, I had a whole bunch of stuff I was gonna say, but none of it seemed right. I agree with you. I worry about where our country is going. If you ever have heard P!nk's song "Stupid Girls" she really sums up a lot of it. I hope you'll stick around. You've got so much to offer and while us "double posters" can meet up at KR, the folks who post on RA need to hear from you, too! Besides, gotta keep in touch... we have a date to keep, right?

I am mostly glad to see that you are unlikely to leave this forum. I use it as a reprieve from real life. I enjoy reading the daily. Heck, I might not even mind reading people's political views if I know in advance that is what is being posted. So, bravo to you for putting this in its own thread. I too want to continue reading about your runs in hot and humid Florida especially when it turns icy cold here in the northeast! You are one of my ties to the idea that the sun will once again warm my area of the country yet again. P.S. As long as this thread has a political tinge to it I want to add I am not the least bit worried about this country. Our economy is strong, as are our political institutions. What may seem like a "crises" now, since we are living it, will likely go down as nothing more than a footnote in the history books. The booms and busts of the 1800's make the depression of the 1930's seem like a party. The casualty figures and costs of the Civil War, WWI, and WWII and even Korea and Vietnam were all several times higher than those of the current Iraq war. We got through all of the big historical challenges we will get through these, relatively good, times intact. We will even do so no matter who is elected. I really believe that most (not all but most) politicians want to help the country. Sometimes they mess up. But that is what elections are for. At worst they will mess things up for a few years, new leadership and policies will emerge and the country will continue on long history of economic prosperity. Despite the fact that it is intellectually in vogue to run down our country it remains the home of the most accomplished people in history. A very good friend of mine conducts research in Africa (on getting people treated for AIDS). If you want to know just how fortunate you are to live in the US just listen to a few of her stories about life over there. I know for many this all sounds Pollyannish but it is what I believe about this country, its people, and its institutions.