Yes, tea partiers, we all realize there is too much government spending. The question is where do we cut back? Military budget? Social Security? Medicare? Homeland Security? Unemployment compensation? We need specifics.
Yes, we all want lower taxes. But how will we cut the deficit and balance the budget? The question is whose taxes should be cut, the wealthy 5% or the 95% middle and lower classes? Which will greater stimulate the economy?
I want the Tea Party to know that they are not the only angry ones in this country. This anger has been brewing for quite a few years. I am angry too. I am angry that voters re-elected President Bush after he got us into two unpaid for wars and gave tax cuts to the rich causing President Clinton's balanced budget and surplus to disappear and become a huge deficit after eight years.
I am angry that President Bush tarnished America's reputation in the world by invading two countries, condoning torture in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and allowing prisoner abuse in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
I am angry that Bush's economic advisors did not foresee the oncoming recession and housing, mortgage, and banking collapse of 2008. I am angry that taxpayers had to bail out the Wall Street banks (under Bush's TARP) and then the banks used the money to give their top executives huge bonuses. This is corporate welfare, plain and simple.
I am angry that no one from either party is taking any responsibility for this meltdown, but only blaming the other guy or gal from the other party. There is plenty of blame to go around.
I am angry that manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas since the 1980s and no one but Michael Moore has addressed the issue. I am angry that the only thing "made in the USA" anymore is bombs and tanks.
I am angry that the Bush Administration did nothing for eight years to curb climate change and now we are facing the hottest year on record as well as endless, global natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, and melting ice caps. Disaster relief funding through FEMA has further drained our budget and contributed to the deficit.
I am angry that just when it looked like we were on the road to economic recovery, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil well in the Gulf of Mexico blew up. I am angry that 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf. I am angry that President Obama didn't react quicker to control the situation. I am angry that Big Oil was in bed with the federal government and that there were no regulations on oil rigs for decades. I am angry that this man made disaster negatively affected the economy and caused Americans to despair.
I am angry that the GOP is blaming Obama for everything wrong right now in this country and Obama is blaming Bush for it all.
I am angry that DC is so polarized and no one wants to work together to find solutions to our problems.
I am angry at the Republicans for being obstructionists and the party of "no."
I am angry at the Democrats for being wimps and not communicating their agenda very well to the public, especially Obamacare. I will be angry at the GOP if they dismantle the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010." I believe it really will be good for us and the economy in the long run. Let's at least give it a chance before scraping it.
I am angry at all politicians for negative ads. I am angry at the public for being influenced by negative ads.
I am angry at the cable media for pushing their political agendas.
I am angry at politicians who avoid the press and debates. Face the public, damn it!
I am angry at those who expected President Obama to be the second coming of Christ. He is human after all and real change takes time and patience.
I am angry at those who accuse the President of being a Muslim and not being born in this country. Grow up!
I am angry at those who think just voting for the party that is not in charge will change things for the better. How will going back to Bush's crowd get us out of the mess they got us into? Besides what good will gridlock do at a time like this?
I am angry that racism is an issue at all in this upcoming election.
I am angry that Congress did not repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" gay policy when 75% of the public want it abolished.
I am angry that President Obama has not issued an Executive Order ending DADT and allowing gays to serve openly as President Truman did for African Americans joining the Armed Forces in 1948.
I am angry at the hatred and intolerance shown American Muslims in this country as evidenced in the Ground Zero Mosque controversy and the threatened burning of the Quran on 9/11/10 by a Florida minister. Whatever happened to freedom of religion?
I am angry that people don't realize that illegal immigration has gone down while deportations have gone up under President Obama and wonder when we will get true immigration reform.
I am angry that public schools are no longer educating our youth and that we are losing our intellectual status in the world.
One thing we can all agree on is that we are all angry and we all have good cause to be upset. But how about we put our anger to good use and channel the energy into bringing about real change that benefits us all? We can if we put aside our differences and work together for the greater good.