Breaking my own campaign promise ....

By Mike Ullery
Chief Photographer
mullery@dailycall.com

At the beginning of this presidential election race, I made a campaign promise of my own. I vowed to keep my opinions to myself and avoid publicly sharing my views.

We are less than a month away from elections and I now feel just like a true political candidate — I am about to break my personal campaign promise.

I will begin by saying that I have not watched either of the debates. This was for a number of reasons.

First of all, I figure, why should I listen to two guys standing on a stage telling lies to each other and all of us? Second, even if one of them has a good idea, do any of us really believe he stands a chance in H-E-double toothpicks of getting that idea past a congress that is so screwed up it stands little chance of ever being fixed?

What I do find mildly amusing about the debates is that on Facebook, a nearly-real-time analysis takes place. One doesn't have to know the question or the issue being discussed. It is enough to watch my Republican/Conservative friends comment on the same points as my Democrat/Liberal friends.

On any given point, both will proclaim that "we" won. As each issue is raised, friends on both sides will post that the opponent was foolish, or shallow or lying.

As I watch all of this unfold, one thing jumps out with glaring clarity.

Since we clearly cannot get anything done in this country due primarily to all of the government bureaucracy, how can anyone believe that we need more government programs and government intervention in our lives?

We need less government. Actually, we need far less government. If a candidate wants to make sweeping changes to our country, put a stop to all of this government red tape and mandated programs.

We must stop giving handouts to other countries. We cannot be the babysitter of the world. I have said before, we need to look out for ourselves in America. No one, I mean no one, will look out for us.

Our government is in a shambles. I don't see it ever being fixed because their are too many people within our government and big-money lobbyists pulling their strings, who are only interested in one thing — themselves and their personal gain.

We are living a real-life Mr. Smith goes to Washington with real big-money corruption all around us, and I fear, no Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart) to come to the rescue.

Our liberal friends want "free" health care and "free" birth control and a laundry list of other things for any American who wants them. What some don't seem to understand is that nothing is free. There is a price tag on everything.

What we need is affordable health care among thousands of other services. That will never happen as long as our government is involved.

If our government will not control itself, it is up to the citizens of our country to tell the government that we will not take any more of their crap. Maybe it is time to take a stand.

What I do hope is that as the 2012 presidential election looms over us, all Americans who are eligible will exercise your right to vote for whichever candidate you believe best to guide our ailing country.

In spite of our problems, we are still the greatest nation in the world.