Politics According to Flo

Well as I start out my second blog for the year I have decided to rename my blog, “Go with the Flo.” Thank you so much for all of those who helped me come up with the name, this was the contest winner.

I would like to spend this blog on one of my favorite past times, politics. I have always been interested in politics. I was a junior in high school when I joined the debate team. I was taking a public speaking class and the teacher asked if I would be on the team. I was doing team debating and then on one trip to Cedar City, Utah many of the team got sick. The coach asked if I could do some foreign and domestic extemporaneous speaking. I said sure not knowing what I was getting myself into. My first speech was based off of a political cartoon. Luckily my dad was a big political cartoon guy so I knew how to read them. I got first place in foreign extemp., for that meet and I was on route for the state tournament.

I have only missed voting in one election and that was when my grandfather died. We had to get to Utah so we left early in the morning. I remember getting to Utah and my grandmother asked me who I had voted for and I said, “We left early so we were gone before the polls opened.” My grandmother was not happy and reminded me that my grandfather would have wanted me to vote before coming to the funeral. Since then I have voted in every election.

I love this time of year I love watching the political pundits talk about who is going to win and what is best for the country. It is funny to me to hear different ideas coming from different networks. If you watch Fox News and listen to certain shows their opinions lean very much to the right. If you listen to most other networks they lean very much to the left. I like to listen to Bill O’Reilly, because I feel that he is balanced. I used to love listening to Tim Russert before he died because even though he had worked for Senator Daniel Moynihan, I felt like he was fair.

We have now had two primaries and one caucus so far this election year. We have had three winners, yes, Rick Santorum did will in Iowa after all of the votes were counted. I will give you a hint that my candidate has won one of these three events. I am not supporting Paul and if he got the nomination. (Which he won’t) I couldn’t vote for him. I think he has some great ideas fiscally but in 2012 we must have a president that is willing to deal with other world leaders and not stick their head in the sand. I know that there are many people that think he is a “breath of fresh air.” I don’t know if he is that but I know he is not the leader the United States of America needs right now. I think 150 years ago he might have been but not in the time of terrorism.

As tonight is the State of Union Address I wonder what accomplishments voters think that President Obama made. I don’t think he has done everything wrong. We were able to catch and kill Osama Bin Laden, this is an accomplishment. I don’t think President Obama has done a good job at all. The economy is worse and we are still over 8% unemployment. As a mom of a teenager it is hard for that age group to find a job. Why, you ask? It is because many grownups are now working at what would have been a first job for me. If you counted teenagers, and those that were underemployed the numbers would be huge. Also I don’t think that spending our way out of debt is a good thing at all. My parents generation will not pay any of the debt down, my generation will be lucky to pay even 10%, it will be my children’s generation and my grandchildren’s generation that will pay. Do we really want our grandchildren to have to pay for this? I think we might be lucky if it is only our grandchildren and not our great grandchildren. I am also tired of the talking points being that this is really President Bush’s fault. At what point does President Obama have to take some responsibility.

So who do you think we should vote for? Newt is smart; there is no argument about that. Listening to his exchange with Juan Williams last week made me cheer, but is he the best? Rick Santorum gave one of the best speeches the night of the Iowa Caucus. I felt moved and inspired, but he has also said things that don’t please me. Romney has led business, the Olympics, and was the Governor of Massachusetts. I think that is a plus, but I think like many others he has flip flopped on some of the issues.

It is a wide open race, and Florida is going to be tough for the final four. I am curious to know what you think about whom should run against President Obama and who you think would win. Is President Obama going to be a one team president? I sure hope so. Well, that is politics according to Flo.