I Approve This Message

Is anyone else tired of this phrase? Did they pass a law about requiring this statement that I am unaware of? Is the voting public considered so idiotic that they could not/would not distinguish between a candidate's ad or a smear campaign from the competitor?

Last year, the Belle and I had a conversation about the 2008 presidential election. She told me who she planned to vote for and when questioned further, she said, "He will take the best care of the veterans." I confess, I had this thought:

Oh my Gosh, will you still be living here in November? (I was thinking moving, not death.)

Every vote comes down to personal circumstances and priorities. Mine might be property taxes. Yours might be the school system or gambling in your community. I don't think we choose by age, sex, race or religion, but I know some people who will rule a candidate out based on these factors. I guess you have to weigh it out, based on your own value system and your own priorities. Frankly, I don't care if a candidate smoked a joint in college. (Although we all know Bill Clinton didn't inhale.) I respect the freedom of religion but I admit to a little wariness with some of them.

The oldies don't get to vote this time. That makes me sad. This is the first year the baby gets to vote in a presidential election. That makes me giddy. I know he will vote because if I've done my job well, he is afraid of me. I have drilled it into him. This is the poor child that I have (more than once) dragged out of bed to watch some historic event. During Reagan's funeral, the cameras panned the crowds. I asked, "Who is that?" It might have been world leaders or important people in our government. Yes, his eyes glazed over but I choose to believe some of it was absorbed through osmosis.

I'm Sheri Riley Roman and I approve this message.

Gray Areas

Indiana was once again featured in a little segment on the Today Show this morning. Clarian Health has instituted a new policy where they will fine employees with unhealthy lifestyles. Overweight? Smoke? High Blood Pressure? High Cholesterol? You will be fined. I'm oversimplifying but that's the gist of the concept.

I'm not sure how I feel about that.

The next segment was a priest who is instituting a new policy in his parish. If you have children in the catholic school system and receive the monetary waiver as a member, you must attend mass or pay a fine. If you go on vacation, you can bring the bulletin from whatever mass you attended and you'll be ok.

I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I have friends and a husband who do a lot of work in the health care world. I know the system is broken and we are all spending b'jillions of dollars unnecessarily. Yet, there's a part of me that says this is private. This is my choice.

It's kind of like abortion. I've never had one. Never even been in that situation. (Thank you God!) But, I have a HUGE problem with a bunch of people telling me what I can do with my body.

If I understand it correctly, our health care system is failing. People feel entitled. Diabetes is rampant. People are living longer, with major health issues.

All of the candidates seem to reduce it to a sound bite. No one has given a proposal that outlines solutions.

The husband and I are both Baby Boomers. The oldies are WWII veterans with lots of issues and lots of medical needs.

Is there a solution? I don't want Big Brother living in my house or looking over my shoulder.

I'm very clear on how I feel about that.