I need a break

I'm tired.

I'm tired of this election. It's been dragging on for two years already. I'm tired of the candidates, tired of their lies and distortions, tired of them ignoring things that need attention, and deeply concerned that neither of them is up to the significant challenges facing our nation.

Stubborn Facts reports that Medicare went into deficit this year and its unfunded obligations are upwards of $85 trillion. Social Security is on a similar path. Entitlement programs eat up more than half the federal budget. Will any politician even talk about these things, much less propose a serious response?

I'm sickened by the outrageous and predictable vote fraud being perpetrated by ACORN, abetted by Democratic politicians, and largely ignored by the media. I'm angry that we've known for years that this is business as usual for ACORN and done nothing about it.

But Obama likely won't even need those fraudulent votes because people are going to vote for him even though they oppose everything he stands for and think he will be a terrible President. People actually admit that they want government to take over Wall Street, give them 'free' health care, and somehow magically make it all better.

And I'm disgusted by the strong-arm tactics of Obama's campaign and outraged by the repeated assertion that opposition to Obama is racist -- from people who don't know me, my friends, my life, my ministry, or anything about me. I am already sick at the thought of having to hear that kind of ugly, destructive political slander for the next 4-8 years.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and it wasn't destroyed in a day. Rome had been in a long, gradual decline for years before the Goths showed up. They simply realized what the Romans had already decided -- that Rome wasn't worth saving. The Romans didn't make a conscious choice to destroy their Empire, they just made a series of small decisions over a period of time which gradually undermined the moral, economic, and social foundations. Each of those decisions in themselves were not disastrous, and were perhaps even justifiable in isolation. But the whole created a culture of apathy, dissolution, cynicism, and selfishness. Read Dr. Bob's piece. At least for me, it's not hard to see the parallels.

I don't think Obama will destroy America. But I am convinced that he will head us in the direction of greater government involvement in and control of our lives, of less freedom, more dependence, and uglier and more destructive politics -- done with a smile and government handout, of course. Obama says he believes America needs "fundamental" change. Given his background, voting record, and political bent, that scares the hell out of me. And I feel like there's nothing I can do about it, and I hate it.

I need to take some time off. I guess I need to stop caring so much about politics and what happens to our country. I wish my grandfather were still alive so he could tell me how me made it through four Roosevelt administrations.

I started this blog to share some of my thoughts and reflections on religion, politics, and culture. Writing about this stuff just seems more and more pointless, irrelevant, and bothersome. It takes up too much of my precious time which could be better spent closer to home.

I may write if something grabs my attention. I may stop by other blogs to make a few comments -- but there doesn't seem to be much point when you can't have a conversation even at moderate sites without ugly, hateful, and stupid invective being thrown around.

Thanks to everyone for your comments, encouragement, and support.