Voting

Hi, my name is Chase and I'm a republican.

This election is one that has turned out a bit different. While I was in DC this summer I was able to get an insider perspective of how our government works. I believe that real action occurs in the legislative branch, not the executive, so if we want change, we need to change congress. While I was there, I became more conservative. Part of that was spending 40 hours a week in a republican office, but part of that came from actually working on issues and researching them.

So why, if I am an unaffiliated voter who identifies themselves as republican, am I jumping ship and voting mostly democratic this year? I feel the republicans have gone too far. President Bush has broken laws, disregarded international treaties, doubled in the deficit, and left the country in worse shape than it was 8 years ago. Thankfully Bush is not on the ballot this year. But because I know how politics is played, McCain will look an awful lot like Bush. Obviously he won't be Bush, and the state of the economy will require new policy, but republicanism is republicanism. It isn't going to change.

Of course, Obama isn't going to change either. He is going to increase government spending, penalize those that actually work for their money by raising taxes so that the welfare state can be increased, move towards socialized health care, and not do much about our oil dependency. His goals are lofty, and in the partisan system we have won't be obtainable. I don't believe Obama has "change [I] can believe in".

After reading, and studying, and thinking, both McCain and Obama are both saying the same thing. But there is something about McCain that rubs me the wrong way. I think it was his behavior in the debates. I love McCain's foreign policy experience. However, in the debates he treated Obama really poorly. McCain came across as a arrogant, crotchety old man. I don't want that type of person representing me at a G8 summit. I can't really explain why I am so apprehensive about McCain, but I am. Therefore, I have decided to vote for Obama.

Now, in the State elections, I am voting for Huntsman. But most everyone else is a democrat. I believe the republican party is corrupted. But, that is bound to happen when you have such a large majority. I also believe that anytime your party chairman is a lobbyist, married to a representative you are likely to get corruption. It becomes easier to bend the rules. Don't get me wrong I like the party chairman, he is a nice guy. So is his wife. But something happened over the past 4 years. The republican party leadership has decided that it is invincible, and they have become bullies. Their attitude has become one of "If you don't do what I want, we are pulling funding" I don't think that is right.

The only way in our system to really show displeasure is at the polls. I hope that the republicans get the message. In Utah County every republican should be able to win easily. I hope it takes effort this year. My way of voicing my displeasure is to vote democrat. This decision is easier than voting for Obama, because thankfully, the Utah County democrats are really republicans. They just switched parties because they knew they had a better chance of winning. I don't blame them for that. it makes sense. If I am going to put time and money into a race, I want the best chance of winning. Our primary system, that is based on delegates, makes it really hard to beat incumbents, so why not switch parties. I'm ok with it.

This year we have a chance to show we are upset at how things are run. I know that Utah has been insulated from the recession. Republicans say it was because they were in control. I half-way believe that. When the governor proposes the budget, and the legislature is only given 45 days to approve it, I think the credit really goes to the governor. 45 days is not enough time to really play the budget all that much, so it is basically approved as is every time. I think the democrats, if they were to win a majority would side with Huntsman.

Ok, enough of my rant. I need to go fulfill my civic duty, and lets hope it takes no more than an hour

Midterms and Halloween

It's that time of year again. Midterms. This week was pretty light. I only had 1 midterm, but it took 12 hours of studying for, done over a day and half. That lovely test was my econ 459. I think I actually did pretty good at it. It only tool 1 hour and 45 minutes to take and the best part is that its over. I guess I could fret about the test. I don't think I did better than an 80% but there is no use. The test itself is a sunk cost. I'll never get the time back, so there is no use in worrying. Besides, at BYU if you get a 60% on a test you can probably bet on getting a B.

This next week is a little bit more hectic. 2 presentations and 2 papers are due. I haven't really started any yet. I have a 3 minute presentation in 341 on the British Conservative Party's reaction to the economic crisis. a 5 page bio 100 paper compete with 10 sources due on Friday (at least I have gathered most of the sources ) and a research design paper and presentation for my capstone. My biggest stress right now is that for my research design, I am actually going to have to spend a few hours just thinking and being creative. I don't do that well. I have a short attention span. Just ask Kerri. She is lucky if I make it through the sacrament portion of the sacrament meeting before I whisper "I'm bored".

So today is Saturday and the game plan is to spend a couple hours working on my presentation, and a couple hours on my bio paper. Tomorrow I'll spend a couple hours thinking about human rights (a rather appropriate sunday topic don't you think?) and then on Monday it will be anyone's guess.

This brings me to Halloween. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. We have decorated the apartment, bought giant pumpkins to carve, and if I am lucky, I'll have a costume. This year we are lucky because the holiday is on a Friday, which means I have nothing due the next day, so unlike in year's past where I have had to skip halloween becuase stuff was due the next day, I am actually enjoy it. That is if I am awake long enough.

Pomp and Circumstance

I actually don't like that song very much. It gets really old. Why can't we walk to something like Eleanor Rigby or anything from Jethro Tull. I think that I can safely say that listening to 15 minutes of the Beatles or Jethro Tull would be a lot more enjoyable. Especially at BYU when it takes a good 20 minutes for the graduates to finish walking. I know that no matter what, in April I'll be walking to Pomp and Circumstance. But maybe I'll wear my iPod and at walk to my personal favorite, ABBA. Heck, I've paid my dues why not put the whole ceremony to ABBA. I could walk to Dancing Queen, when I get feklempt (help please on the spelling) I could listen to Chiquitita, When the speaker talks about the long hard journey (it was really hard) I could listen to I have a dream, and when it is over I could listen to Fernando. That's my kind of graduation. Although, I don't think my parents would approve.

Enough of this rambling. The point is I am graduating. I put in my application. Everything is approved, I just need to finish out the semester + 1 class.

In other news, I am over my cold for the most part. I emailed my 341 teacher for help in the class (that is the class that I got a C+ in) I should be meeting with him tomorrow. I like putting forth the effort. I believe in the law of mercy, and most teachers are kinder at the end of the semester if you have gone to them for help. At least they know I'm trying right? But, in the end, if I only eek out a C in that class. C'est la vie.

Today is dentist day and catch up. The pressure let up this week so I have a lot of time to play catch up on my research and maybe get a little bit ahead. I just hope the dentist goes well.

What a week

So today my theory paper was due. I have been working on it all week, and trying to keep up on my other homework at the same time. I finished the paper last night at 1:00 and BAM I immediately have a head cold that came complete with a fever and head congestion, and raspy voice. There went any sleep I could have gotten last night. I have been sweating all day today in class and can't concentrate. Needless to say, I am doing nothing to night. I am also not doing well on my diet. I am tying to be high protien low carb and low fat, but I'm sick and don't care about nutritional information. I have been downing high carb orange juice all day.

Well I get to class so I can turn my stuff in, and I get my paper back that I wrote for Poli Sci 341. I got a C+. That is the worse I have ever done on a paper. I am a bit suprised because he followed my arguments, he just though they were vaugue, and the paper was un polished. Whatever. All I need is a C to get my degree.

Well I'm signing off. I want to sleep.

My prediction

I am in the midst of trying to write my theory paper, but it is time to take a break. So I thought I would put my prediction in writing. After last night's debate where neither candidate said anything important, but McCain really couldn't put it together I think Obama will win. I think we still have a race but Palin's popularity expired a long time ago, and that was what McCain was counting on.

Why won't McCain win? Because he said this "I think I know what we all don't know" Huh?

On another note, I am going to be really dorky and go and see this movie this fall:

Swim

Those of you who have seen my phone, you know it says "Just keep swimming" on it. That is my reminder to do as Dory did when things get rough (and I do speak whale, although I can only speak to French whales, I am not fluent in English whale yet). So that is what I did this week. I kept swimming. I pulled of a 6 page paper in 20 hours, not the best product I've done, but I honestly think it was the best I could do. I just got a 95% on my biology midterm, and I stayed on top of all my reading. Why? Because I kept on swimming. Well now I have another song to go with my phone.

I believe everyone should have a theme song, and that it should play behind you when ever you enter a room (I think life would be funnier that way). I don't have a theme song yet, nor do I think this song should be it, but it is a good reminder. It is one of Jacks Mannequin's new songs, and not only does it remind me of how I felt this week, but it will be a good reminder next week as I try to write my 7 page theory paper for my capstone. It's called Swim (and one day I am working this into a talk at church, as well as the Borne trilogy).

Run Fat boy Run!

I guess this title is fitting for two reasons. I have now embarked on a new weight loss program, so I will be the fat boy running, but the real reason I posted is because we just watched this movie and it is great. I am probably behind the times, and heaven help us if my parents watched this before us (we thought we had them beat with Lars and the Real Girl. Little did we know that not only had they watched it, they owned it). Anyway, I recommend it to anyone. And to those who question my taste since recommending À la folie... pas du tout or in English: He Loves me, He loves me not, (I think you all should see it) don't worry, this movie doesn't have a creepy twist half way through the movie. It is quite normal. I'd write more but I have bio midterm to take in the next 12 hours, and I think it would be wise to spend at least 20 minutes studying for it.