For the first time ever, I voted in a presidential primary yesterday. It was very easy and took just a few minutes. I simply showed my voter registration card, told them which party’s primary I was voting in, and pushed a few buttons on a touch screen. You still have time for early voting, so look up your location and use your voice!
Category Archives: Politics
BB Gender Poll and More
Thanks to all who participated in my first poll! Obama was the clear winner with 44% of the vote, followed by McCain. Note that Texas’s primary is March 4, and it’s an open primary, meaning that you can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary (but not both) regardless of your party affiliation. Since it looks like McCain has the Republican nomination in the bag, the only primary that matters is the Democratic. Apparently Clinton has a large following in Texas and is predicted to carry the state. So if you happen to dislike Hillary, you need to vote for Obama whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat. =)
As you can see, I’ve created a new poll on the right: BB’s gender! Some people have “feelings” about babies’ gender before the sonogram reveals it. Others simply want to guess. Now is your chance! This poll will run through Feb 27, when we hope to find out the truth. Happy voting!
Jenny and I are back from Orlando after a very successful but draining trip. We leave for Oakland on Tuesday, fly to Phoenix Wednesday night, and fly home for good on Friday of next week. We’re having a great time, but it will be great to be home for an extended time once next week is over.
Happy belated Valentine’s Day to all! Jenny and I had a lovely dinner at Cafe Cipriani in Las Colinas (try the souffle!) and walked around Lake Carolyn a bit after doing some shopping. I remember flying her to New Orleans for our first-ever Valentine’s Day about 6 weeks after we started dating. How time flies!
Coming Soon: A New Chief
Most of you know that I both hate politics and find it interesting. (I’m complicated) I hate political parties, blind devotion to political parties, and politicians as a group. But there are certain issues that I do care about, and I choose to believe that motivated politicians have the power to address some of the problems we face as a nation. Since the war in Iraq makes my blood boil, I look forward eagerly to January 2009, when a new president will take office and (I hope) start ending the war and making wiser use of our troops, equipment, and tax dollars. Since he was one of the only people in Congress to actually vote AGAINST starting the war in the first place, I currently support Illinois Senator Barack Obama. I like many of his ideas on issues that matter to me such as health care, poverty, energy, the environment, foreign relations, and immigration. Despite rumors to the contrary, he is also a devoted Christian and has been since years before he entered politics. Check out his website to learn more.
And It Will Not Be Long, Love, Till Election Day
Hee hee…I might be the only freak in the world who gets that joke. Anyway, today was election day, and I did my civic duty by voting against the Republicans and Democrats wherever possible except for the US Senator election. Kay Bailey Hutchison helped repeal Wright, so I couldn’t vote against her, but she also insulted Southwest’s coffee in a press conference afterward, so I couldn’t vote for her, either. She’ll get elected either way. I’m still pulling for Kinky, though…
I have a new project and possible use for my MBA – making money in the stock market. I picked up some books at Half Price Books, and I’ve been reading reports by Warren Buffett on his investing philosophy for Berkshire Hathaway. From what I’ve seen so far, the stock market is largely illogical, despite what I learned in my finance class. We learned tidy formulas for valuing a company based on the present value of projected future cash flows, discounted by the risk premium, etc. But it seems to me that a stock’s price is largely determined by the market’s consensus about the stock’s future movement rather than the actual value of the company, especially if the company doesn’t pay signficant dividends on earnings. The price goes up if the analysts and investors think the price will rise and down if they think the price will fall. How circular is that?!? In addition, a stock’s price is significantly affected by how closely the company hits the analysts’ and its own earnings forecasts, more so than by the actual amount of profit or loss that help determine the company’s health. Even more strangely, Southwest’s stock price often DROPS when we report our quarterly earnings, which have been positive every quarter since the early 1990s, even if we BEAT the target! Despite the insanity of the system, there is money to be made, and I intend to figure out how to wisely carve off a slice for us. I know a couple of people who are getting into day trading with some success, but that sounds a little risky for me. I want something a little more stable and logical. I’ll see what my books recommend…
Politics
It’s election time again, so let’s talk politics. I hate politics. I hate political parties, especially the Republican and Democratic parties, because they shift the focus from what’s right to what’s popular and in line with the rest of the party’s platform, from helping your constituents to tricking those constituents into voting for you again. The members of Congress have taken the month of October off to campaign for the November elections. If they’re not trying to win their own reelection, they’re probably trying to help someone else in their party get elected. What a waste. I wish Congress would outlaw political parties. Naturally, that won’t happen because the members of Congress are almost exclusively Democrat or Republican and depend on their party for influence and reelection assistance.
You know whom I’m voting for in the election for Texas governor? Kinky Friedman. Not because he has any good political experience, but precisely because he’s not a politician. He’s from OUTSIDE the system. He won’t have a clue what he’s doing, and I don’t agree with him on every issue, but electing him would be a small step toward reducing the power of the parties and returning the focus to the people.
Sorry for being so cynical. I’m just fed up with the system, and election time brings that frustration to the surface. Despite my rant, democracy is a better system than any other. I’m very grateful to live in America, free to post inflammatory comments without fear of disappearing in the middle of the night. I just wish democracy could live up to its potential.
A Nation of Immigrants?
I’m a bit confused by all of the recent protests over the pending immigration legislation. The protesters seem to want the right to ignore the law and to live and work in whatever country they want without following the proper procedures. It is true that America is a nation of immigrants, and I don’t have a problem with people who come here legally. Indeed, although not perfect by any means, America is a great place to live. I understand why so many Mexican nationals want to escape the poor living conditions in Mexico and come here to live and work. I respect their drive to change their situation and take better care of their families. I’m sure I would do the same if possible. The problem is the ones who do it without documentation. Some get paid in cash, so their employment is off the record and invisible to the government. Others get fake documentation, which isn’t that difficult if you know where to go. They come here and use our services (county hospitals, freeways, etc.) but generally don’t pay many of the taxes they owe, leaving the legitimate taxpayers like me to pick up the tab. My sister (a labor and delivery nurse) will tell you that in some hospitals like Parkland in Dallas, the majority of the patients have no health insurance. They just show up at the hospital wanting a doctor to deliver their baby, knowing the hospital can’t turn them away. Some of them, like the man who rear-ended me in 2004, drive around with no license and no insurance, hoping they won’t get caught. If declaring them all felons is the only way to do it, so be it. I don’t know what the best answer is, but something needs to change.
On a happier note, tomorrow is Jenny’s 30th birthday! We’re having a pizza and skating party in Irving to celebrate. =)