Yanno... I've been mulling over if I should or shouldn't post this for some time now... but here goes.
Please, please, dear US citizen who reads this blog, go vote. Vote for sanity. Vote for Obama.
He's been blamed for being a socialist, and I ask you... what's wrong with that? I live in socialdemocratic Sweden, and I see benefits that don't exsist in the US, to my knowledge. When I had my appendix removed, all the testing, the two nights at the hospital, the surgery... it cost me an incredible $40, that was paid up straight. Why did it even cost $40? Because I came in through the ER.
When I see my doctor, it costs me $20 a visit. I don't pay health insurance. If I'm forced to take medication that ends up costing more than $150 a year, that medication is subventioned by like... 60%. I don't need to quarrel about pre-exsisting conditions, or not get insurance because I was born with Asperger syndrome. After I've paid $150 to my doctor, the rest of my psycologist/psychiatrists meetings are free for a year. Beacuse I have AS, I see a psychologist at a habilitation place, where I don't have to pay anything.
I pay taxes though. About 30% of my income dissappears before I get it, because of taxes. Together, me and my Owner make about $25 000 a year. We live in a nice apartment, we can afford food and all bills get paid. Why? Because, even though he is on sickleave, and I'm studying, we're both getting money from the state. We get enough to live. Is it enough? Yes. Is it a lot? No.
I don't understand this huge debate about taxes. Someone who is richer than me, pays a little little more in taxes, so that I'm able to have all of these benefits that I do have. When I get a little older, get a job, and earn more, I'll happily pay a little more, to help someone who's in the same situation as I am.
Why do I want to pay taxes, that might go to the rehabilitation of a drugaddict, that got high and addicted all on his own? Because, when that drugaddict is finally recovered, and it might take several turns in rehab, he'll pay taxes that'll help me see my therapist and doctor. That help children get transplants, old men get care and rehab after heartattacks, suicidal people treatment, anorexics into clinics.
I pay taxes, because I like good roads, and good schools, and for children who get good meals at school. I pay for everyone to have equal healthcare. I'm more than willing to pay for that.
And, the War. Srsly. How long are you going to stay in Iraq? A country that had little to do with 9/11, with a leader who the US put in power and who is now dead? Did you know, the US hasn't actually pulled out of
Germany yet? How long are you going to stay?
Do I think there are parts of Iraq where the US has done good? Yes. The Kurds I speak with, who are from Iraq and still have family there, want the US to stay, because the US soliders are helping keeping them safe and sane.
Are there parts of Iraq where the US has not done good? Absolutely. Did you know the first thing the 23-year-old who was put in charge of Baghdads health administration did? He started an anti-smoke campaign. Why? God knows. That money could've been put into creating hospitals and .. you know, helping the people being bombed.
The Middle East is a region of the world, that is simmering right now. I'm not sure what'll happen when, if, the US pulls out. Will Syria, Iran and other countries rip apart Iraq? Will there be more fighting? Will it lead to a civilwar? It might. I don't know.
What I do know is that the people being shipped to Iraq are ill-equipped, don't have any knowledge of Iraq and it's culture and have no real plan (that I can see at least). That is not how you go to war. That is how you fail.
The money spent in Iraq could easily go to American schools or hospitals. Once upon a time, I remember that someone from the US was always seen as highly educated, a smart person, someone knowledgeble. Especially someone who'd gone to college and Uni. Today? I have more knowledge, with my unfinished Junior College/6th form education, than some people graduating college in the US. I know, with a certainty, that most people around me can point out places on a map, know certain things about history, understand certain conceps and foremost: I know they can read. The litteracy account in the US is, to me, miserable. The average grasp of maps, math, sience and how the world works baffles me. Heck, in Sweden, and I've done this, I can get around town, ask for help and instructions, buy things, excuse myself, ask for busses and timetables, get help translating things, pretending I only speak English. Most people, at least under fiftyfive or so, speak rudimentary English. Most also have at least a very very basic grasp of either German, French or Spanish.
Where did the sanity go? I have no doubt that most US citizens are amazingly intelligent, but being intelligent wont help you be knowledgeble and articulate, which are two things that'll help me judge intelligence.
It's not for nothing, that US citizens backpacking in Europe (which is a continent, not a country) tell people they're from Canada. Once upon a time, everything coming from the US was cool, and countries over here strived to be more like the US. Today? Not so much. Most people sigh, roll their eyes or snicker at the US.
Why? Because, the image of your country, is in shambles. Your politics are incomprihencible, the administration you've had for eight years has lead us to laugh and point our fingers. We don't understand why your goverment doesn't answer to the people, and how you can be satisfied with the bullcrap that's been spewed out.
Did you know, that in France and Italy, strikes and demonstrations are common? Us Swedes are a bit cowardly compared to them, because we'll go through the proper chanells and mull things over into endlessness, but even we will object and rise against what we percieve as our rights. And, unless it fulfills certain strict requirements, the goverment can't stop us. They can't cencor or pre-watch what's in our papers, our TV-programs, or online. (Am I naïve enough to believe that
never happens? Of course not. We have propaganda and shady buisnesses as well.)
And goverment will, must, listen to the people. That's what they're appointed for, to be an image of our values, wants, wishes and thoughts. If they're not? They're doing a bad job.
But enough ramblings now. Sweden is far from perfect. Our system has cracks, sometimes huge, gaping ones, and people do fall through them. Life here isn't always easy, either. Sick people do have to fight for their rights, here too, especially the psychologically ill. I don't think it is perfect anywhere in the world. I'm
not saying: "Become like us!", I
am saying "See what change can give you?", I'm saying "What you're doing comes off as insane to me, and this is what I base that off", I'm saying "Jesus freaking Christ, how could you not want change?!"
I'm just begging you. I know the people of America are amazing, have a tough spirit and a vary respectable history. I know you have values, I know you're intelligent, I know - I
know - that I can't be the only one who wants change. Who thinks what's happening is insane, and that wanting more of it is even more insane.
But
I can't vote. So I'm calling on you. Vote. Vote for sanity.
Please.
I'm begging you.
