Liberal Parenting

I've been thinking about this more and more. Why are we afraid of our government? Why is it that the only accepted "statement" we make as a country is in the voting booth...and most don't even do that? If we are so unhappy with our government, then why do we 'bow' down to it in all things?

I was watching part of "Sicko" the other day, and Michael Moore was in France. My jaw dropped when I heard the minimum benefits that the French enjoy. And they were saying that at one point the government wanted to increase the workweek from 35 hours and the country went nuts. Why do we not do that? Is there any working mother (or even SAHM for that matter!) who can honestly say they would not like the option of a longer maternity leave? More flex time? More support?

We are supposed to be a government 'Of the People, By the People, For the People' yet it seems like we are more 'Of the Big Business, By the Big Buisness, For the Big Business'. Why is this accepted?

It makes me sad.

But what is the underlying issue? Is it really fear? I don't think it is - I see from the other side a lot of contempt, not fear. Contempt for the government, contempt for elected officials, contempt for other citizens. There seems to be a lot of "your problems are not my problems" and a complete lack of wanting to actually do ANYTHING to help anyone else out - not wanting to pay taxes, calling taxes "theft", saying they will take care of their family and no one else. I've even seen people actually being proud of being "heartless" or "compassionless" as if these were good things and sterling qualities. If you even so much as hint that maybe we are all in this together, all human, and should look out for each other you hear immediately cries that you are a socialist! a statist! a communist! a bleeding heart!

It's so bizarre to me. And like you said - it is supposed to be for the people NOT big business. It's also so bizarre to me that so many seem to put big business on a pedestal - if a big company is doing it, it has to be right! Gotta have those profits! Who cares about the people who suffer? Everyone is out for themselves. You hear so much outrage about poor people who may be scamming the system but hardly a peep over big business scamming people. And which really costs us more in the long run? People freak out over unions which are asking for decent wages for workers - but are okay with CEOs making seven, eight digit wages PLUS perks and stock options and golden parachutes?

I don't know, Jessi, I could go on and on. So many other nations have really great set ups - college, daycare, maternity leave, health care - but we can't even discuss it because heaven forbid that someone somewhere might get something for nothing? I definitely would think higher taxes would be well worth the peace of mind of knowing that kids could go to college, that children have a safe, stable daycare environment, that you will not go bankrupt seeking medical care - but apparently many people just plain don't agree. I don't know...

ITA with everything you said Melodie.

THANK YOU FOR MY WONDERFUL SIGGY SOPHIE!!!

Because politicians deliberately scare their vulnerable constituents instead of having intelligent dialogue and truthful conversation with them.  It should be considered unethical for politicians to do these things and yet they do them daily.

A politician who holds up a baby on the floor of congress and says that her mommy "will" lose her health insurance under this bill is an outright lie by speculation.  It should be against the law for politicians to manipulate their voters by these tactics.