The blog that was posted by Politics:  Not Worth My Vote titled Mandatory Drug Testing To Receive Welfare Benefits brings up many issues about our welfare system and it's fairness.  I currently am a receiver of unemployment due to outsourcing.  Because of where I live, jobs are few and far between.  I live over an hour from Austin and jobs in the Burnet area are low paying and nonexistant.  Because of all of the people collecting unemployment, it cuts benefits to those that are actually looking for employment and can't find a decent paying job.  I agree that drug testing should be required to receive any type of welfare to include unemployment.  The writer posts a good point that drug testing is required to get a job so it should be required to qualify for help.  I worked for over 20 years without collecting unemployment and I don't think that it is right that my benefits might be cut because of lack of funding because of the number of people on welfare.  I also believe that all of the classes to help you get a job that are available at the workforce offices should be available at all offices instead of just those in Austin or Round Rock.  Because of where I live it cuts my sources to jobs and sources to broaden my work opportunities.  If they took the money away from drug users maybe there would be more money for job hunting resources.

Made in America

I watched a program on Fox News the other day about Christmas shopping and the problem that we have in this country of buying foreign made products.  The program was saying that if each American just bought one gift that was made in America that it would create 200,000 jobs in our country.  The reporter on the street randomly stopped shoppers and asked them to check the items in their bags for American made items.  Not one shopper had a locally made item.  Out of all the gifts that I purchase during the holiday season, I don't think one gift that is made in America is too much to ask of our citizens.  In a time of low economy this is good to promote.  Our government needs to give tax deductions to those companies that hire locally rather than outsourcing their labor.  Locally, cities give tax breaks to companies that build locally so this is not a new idea.  Why do we boost the economy of a country such as China that doesn't even celebrate the holiday that we are purchasing gifts for?  I was raised in a Union household so the notion to only buy American made products is not new.  It's just becoming increasingly difficult to find items made in America whether it is a gift or an item that you need on a day to day basis.  I challenge everyone that reads this to buy at least one item made in our country.  Better yet, buy something locally made by an artist and support our local unique stores.

Abortion

On the Contemporary America blog page a post was posted Abortion: A Hot Topic.  I agree with several items in the post such as babies need to have a voice and that every life deserves a chance.  There are so many couples that are in line to adopt a child that it seems wrong to take a life.  I also understand the reason behind the government legalizing abortion.  So many lives were lost from women getting illegal abortions in unsafe conditions.  Not only the baby was lost but also the woman.  I believe that every woman has the right to do with her body what she wants but I also believe the unborn child should be represented.  I'm not sure what the solution to this problem is.  I know that birth control doesn't work 100% so even if women were required to be on birth control after a certain age unless trying to get pregnant, there would still be unwanted pregnancies.

No To Obamacare

I do not believe in Obamacare because I want to be in charge of my health with my doctor.  I was diagnosed with Cancer at the age of 36 and I had insurance at that time.  Because of the insurance that I had, I had to see certain doctors and have certain treatment.  It was not my choice at any point what care I received.  I live in Buchanan Dam and because of my insurance, I had to travel over 1 hour each way to receive chemo treatments.  There are chemo clinics where I live but they were not covered by my insurance.  Because of this I started seeing a doctor that doesn't take insurance for my health care needs.  I would rather pay the full fee and be in charge of my health then just pay a deductible for visits that don't accomplish anything.

Currently I do not have health insurance and I don't miss it.  I can see any doctor I want and get cash discounts and be in charge of my body.  Most doctors don't want to deal with all of the paperwork that insurance causes them to deal with.  If they didn't have to mess with the insurance companies constantly, the doctors would save money and they could pass it down to their patients.  I feel more in control of my body now then I ever did with health insurance.

Obamacare takes control out of our hands and puts so many restrictions on doctors and other health care proffessionals that it ends up costing us our health.  Insurance tells the doctors what they can and can't treat and how they can treat.  Let the doctors practice medicine instead of practicing paperwork.

Young Voters For Obama...Are They Really Cratering?

In the Redstate blog, the opinion was posted that young voters for Obama are cratering Obama's Support Amoung Young Voters .  After reading the blog, I'm not sure if "cratering" is the correct term.  The author, Streiff, gives allot of polling information about young voters and their opinions and convictions back in 2008 and how they aren't sure if they vote again in 2012.  I don't think "cratering" is the correct term for not going to vote.  I believe that the young voters that had so much faith in Obama in 2008, don't have the same faith in him anymore.  Obama promised allot of changes and our youth is not gullible.  They expect the change that was promised to them.  I believe that the young voters that voted for Obama in 2008 have woken up and realized that they made a bad choice.  Streiff also gives statistics for Romney and says that young voters that believe in Romney are more likely to go out and vote.  I believe that voting has always been inspired in the belief that the candidate you are voting for will be true to his word.  The young voters have gotten a taste of reality in politics and woken up to a bitter smell.

Gay Marriage: Not Only About Love And Politics

I found this older article in the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/business/gay-marriage-debate-is-about-money-too.html?_r=0 Gay Marriage Debate Is About Money Too.  It raises the questions about people going into business together are given more rights than two people going into a relationship together.  To me this says that we should put more faith into business than we should into peoples emotions and this doesn't sit well with me since I have a gay son.  My son should have all of the rights that anyone going into business has such as tax deductions and shelters and he should have the trust from those around him that it will last as if it is a business.  As we have seen in today's society most relationships last longer than new businesses so shouldn't we support new relationships as much as we support new businesses?  To me it doesn't matter what sex the couple is, it is about emotions and support and being happy with who you are.  I have read some other blogs and articles saying that same sex marriage will be the downfall of society and cause destruction in neighborhoods and cause children to question themselves and all I have to say about that is shame on you.  Don't worry about other people's relationships....worry about your own.

Politics Is Not About Your Race

In the KXAN story where Obama attacks Romney for "not knowing Americans", http://www.kxan.com/dpps/elections/president/obama-suggests-romney-hasnt-gotten-around-a-lot-nd12-jos_4603744 I am dissappointed again by the media and the politicians focusing on race as a political issue.  The presidential candidates need to focus more on the issues.  At one point in the article, it talked about what Obama has or has not done for the Latino Americans and Obama answered honestly in that he doesn't have complete control.  The Senate and Congress have to cooperate.  So many Americans try to blame the President for laws not being passed that he promised would be taken care of but as my mom says....it takes two to tango.  In this case the two would be the Democrats and the Republicans.  If the politicians would work together instead of trying to one up one another, maybe more things would be done for Americans.