Why don't we just elect a bunch of monkeys....at least we can pay them in Bananas

Government Shutdown....

This is a topic that I have been struggling with for the past couple weeks. I knew I wanted to say something about it, but I wasn't sure exactly how I felt.

Let me outline what will happen if the government shuts down (at least so far as I can figure)

-All non essential workers will be furloughed and sent home until the government restarts.

They will keep their jobs, but will not be paid

-Non essential versus essential will be determined by the individual agencies following some "guidelines" from the feds

-Essential jobs will continue

Essential jobs include Air traffic controllers, airport security, military and defense, mail

-Non essential jobs will include but not be limited to

Trash men in DC (how is sanitation not essential?), administrative jobs, national parks, passport processing, tax return processing etc.

All of these things I can look at and say ok. Not that I agree with them, but in principle i could see those as essential vs non essential (except trash collection) There were two points that I would like to point out that I cannot fathom or accept as the right way to to things

-Congress will continue to get paid

-other essential jobs, including military families, will not get paid

Those two points are unimaginable to me. The people whose job it is to set a budget didn't do their job and got us into this mess in the first place. Those people will continue to get paid, but those who are doing their job correctly will not get paid? I live paycheck to paycheck, as do many Americans, but those would be the people losing their pay?

Well fuck you congress. Fuck you house of Representatives, fuck you White House. The fact that you cannot pull your heads out of your parties asses and put together a budget is pathetic. This is part of your job, your fucking job! Do your job! Anyone who says bring on the shutdown your are a fucking tool. Thats peoples livelihoods! Thats your Armed service going into harms way and not even getting the shitty pay they did before! Thats your neighbors, your friends and your family so grow up you child

Democrats grow a set of balls. The country is trillions of dollars in debt, you will not get everything you want. Spending needs to be cut, which means programs will be cut. To have so much of my paycheck taken away is ridiculous. I make the money if I want to help people I will.

Republicans there is something called separation of church and state, I would appreciate it if you fucking listened to it. Ideological problems should not be holding up anything. Planned Parenthood is a fabulous organization that helps treat thousands of men and woman across the country who cannot afford the current health care system. Pregnancies are legal, get over it. You want to change that? Your allowed to try, but your concern now is putting forth a budget, not regulating a womans body.

Tea Partiers you are the worst group of asshats I have ever seen. Don't try and call yourselves Patriots, Minutemen, especially don't say you are small government. Compromise doesn't equate to weakness. You can have your ideals fine, but this is the United States of America, not the Tea Party express. You represent your constituents, but they are only a portion of the US. It;s your responsibility to put forth a workable budget, not one that caters to your every want. You aren't libertarians so don't call yourself one. You aren't pro Constitution so don't call yourself that. You are bunch of whiny bitches who want to take their ball and go home because someone wants to play different rules at kick ball.

Since when is the Pentagon authorized to disagree with the Court?

Alright so usually I am very pro things that the military, as a whole, does. But where the hell does the Defense Department get off telling soldiers to remain quiet until pending appeals go through? This is America and the United States Court system has ruled that Don't Ask Don't Tell is unconstitutional. Fuck you DOD. You don't have the right to punish anyone who is following the law. Thats not how the United States of America operates. The law is ridiculous and unconstitutional in the first place, but you making a move to disagree with the court and not assure that the courts decision can be followed is unacceptable. Fuck you and the horse you rode in on D.O.D

Ps. A gay person can protect and serve just as well as a straight person. This is America home of the free, not America home of the free unless you are gay in which case you need to pretend you are straight or you may hurt your fellow soldiersfeelings. Your fellow soldiers don't like it then they should take a dishonorable discharge. They sign up to protect and serve the people and constitution of the United States, including people they dont agree with. If they don't want to carry out that charge then get the fuck out of the military you stupid cowards.

All the MMA kids will cringe at seeing this but it's the truth in this case.
" Mine is not to question why, mine is but to do or die" Do your jobs, I'm sorry your big macho-ness is offended by a gay person, just do your damn job

Conscientious Objectors

For the longest time I had a real issue with conscientious objectors. I didn't understand (beyond getting drafted) why you would join the army if you didn't want to fight. After some news reading today I came across this article and it changed my views dramatically on what bravery and a conscientious objector really is.

To me this is the true measure of honor and duty. Here is a guy who was a conscientious objector, finding fighting to be against his religion. Instead of saying o hey I don't want to fight I am out of here, he took a fantastic approach. He became a medic. It seems to me this is the perfect thought for what a CO should be. This is saying that he wants to help people, he doesn't want them to be hurt. He is going out of his way to help his countrymen (and any others for that matter) by healing them. The fact that he won the Congressional Medal of Honor is not relevant (although I think its fantastic) Here is a guy who didn't abandon his post nor his duty and still followed his beliefs. I think more people should do this

First post

This is my first post on a new blog. This is more of an area for me to vent or to write or to post anything I feel relevant to my life. This feels a wee bit emo, but I think it's good to get feelings out into the open. This place is a blog for me only and if you are offended then don't read it. Feel free to comment on it as discussion is always a fun activity.
Now onto it.

First I would like to explore the title of my post. This is a quote from the movie Horatio Hornblower: The Duel. Horatio Hornblower is a character originally written about by C.S. Foster and then adapted into some made for TV movies. The quote is said by Captain Sir Edward Pellew of her Majestys ship Indefatigable. In the context of the movie it is to rebuke a young midshipman (Horatio) from taking offense to something the Captain said. To me it is much more of that.
Obviously I do not agree with many of the things believed in the Napoleonic times ( racism and the thought that woman were inferior being two big ones), but I think that I do like the ideal of the time with some gentleman. I like the fact the ideas of duty, honor, chivalry and respect. I feel that is a trait that has fallen very far on our list of practiced ideals. Obviously many men (probably most) didnt actually practice and possess these traits.
It is very difficult to define and practice honor and duty. Many think it is not, but the idea of honor and duty is putting others before yourself. That is a very difficult thing to do as you need to put yourself before others to survive. However to me honor is the biggest ideal one can have. It ties into all others of course, but to have honor (especially regarding your friends) is very important to me. Many people change over the years, but to keep a certain duty to your friends is the most important thing in a friendship. Thats why I am very thankful to have 3 or 4 friends that I have always been able to call at any time for anything. I know many people would argue a different definition of honor, but this is my post so poo poo to you.

Duty is another huge one that I feel is connected to honor. If you take on a friendship with someone you have a duty to them. Not a duty in the sense that you will get in trouble if you dont do something, but duty in the sense that they are not just another person, they are your friend.
I feel that these two ideals are ideals not seen near enough in this day and age. With that I will leave you with another quote from Captain Sir Edward Pellew....." I judge a man by what I see him do, not what others tell me he has done."
CW out
Ps. In honor of my lovely Fiance all names will be replaced with initials.
PPs. I strongly urge people to both read and watch the Horatio Hornblower series, fantastic works