Uh oh, tedious and benighted TMST political views. Quickly now: click here to deflect!

Watched the debate last night. I only mention it with some preterition, as it means we got wine and pizza. Again! Which is GREAT! But last night's pizza was like a pool of warm oil poured over uncooked dough, and I had to drink a gallon and half of water before I went to bed to give myself some ballast. Felt pretty much the same way about the debate.

What was I looking for in the debate? No sure. I was waiting for one of them to make a ham-fisted slip-up and spend the rest of the night cowering behind his podium, yelling out half-witted answers to Brokaw, (who would demand that we "move on" again) but it didn't really happen. (There were no podiums.) Unfortunately for all those who know me, I'm one of these guys who vote based on principles and values, and not charisma. Obama's got charisma in droves and it may be the thing that seals the deal for him and the country and the world. Me, I'd vote for a dill pickle if it felt the same way as I do about health care.

Incidentally, this "health care" thing was the one issue that clearly separated the two, Obama saying it was a "right" and McCain claiming it as a "responsibility." The correct answer would have had McCain adding a caveat that it is the "responsibility" of the government to look after and take care of the least of those in our society who can't help themselves, (and then mentioning that it happens to not be listed among the other rights in the constitution) but he dropped the pallino on that one. In the end, as a small business owner it will be my responsibility to provide rights to my employees, I reckon. I can barely afford the health care for my own family as it stands, so I'm not inclined to go hire anyone else to take care of, not with an economy on the downswing. Anyway, I'm one of those American blowhards who happens to think that there isn't any "health care" problem in the country. On the contrary, we've got the best health care in the world! What we do have is a health insurance problem, and that insurance is too freaking expensive and too freaking complicated. I blame the lawyers.

I just looked up some facts: according to the Dept. of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau, 99.7 of the firms in this country are small businesses. Over the past ten years, 60 to 80 percent of all new jobs were created by small businesses. Very small firms with fewer than 20 employees annually spend 45 percent more per employee than larger firms to comply with federal regulations. These very small firms spend four and a half times as much per employee to comply with environmental regulations and 67 percent more per employee on tax compliance than their larger counterparts. I remember the good old days when health care was a "benefit". Not anymore, I guess. Now, I'm legally obligated to take care of my employees. It used to be just a "moral" obligation, but Big Government likes to blur the line on those things. (Who says you can't legislate morality? We do it every day!)

All that being said, we will not be expanding the family business any time soon, and I doubt the rest of the country will either. I can do it myself (which may be the most American thing about me.) Heck, you all suffer, too, as a result, because you have to hear me complain about atomic element number 13 and my sore back and bleeding fingers and sunburned head! And yeah, I know, I should get a hat. (But why should I if the government is going to provide a dermatologist in my old age? This is where the government realizes they could save a lot of money if they legislated hat-wearing on construction sites, hence the establishment of the Bureau of Hats and its code enforcement officials. Why stop there? Why not have uniforms for all workers? Healthy, safe, form-fitting uniforms that are both attractive and compliant and don't differentiate us by aptitude or class! And wouldn't it be healthier for all if there was some sort of organized fitness routine that we could do? Engage in it together in a show of patriotic unity! But who needs exercise with all that goose-stepping?) Ah well. I'll try to keep the moaning and bitching on the job site when the customer's not there. See what happens when you listen to right-wing talk radio all day?

Okay, sorry for the rant. Look, I'm a meat-headed construction worker, not particularly sharp, kinda slow on the court, and who never really finished college -so it might be a compromising blunder for you to agree with me. Heck, I even failed this perception test! (Thanks to Jane for embarrassing me on that one.)

Yep, Obama sounded great last night. He's so bright, clean, articulate and nice-looking. But I say, ELECT Dill Pickle!

I'm a dill pickle, and I approved this message.



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