My First Entry

Folsom St
San Francisco

Dear Gene,

I know you know that I know that you would be upset and very annoyed with me for taking your hard earned trust and doing anything but putting it to good use on this website, your baby.

(ugh…lets start again)

My friend Daphne thinks that I should perhaps talk about something that means nothing, as this is my first post and it would be safest to not annoy Mac or cause Sara to create one of her cute posts which puts mine to shame.

So, here goes:

Have you ever noticed that a Big Mac is not really all that big anymore?

I mean, yeah…it looks kinda big on the three foot posters they put in the window but when you get your bag and look inside…

…er, no that is not good. TOO safe!

Let’s try again:

Yesterday I went to Virgin Records here in San Francisco to buy the newest Dame Edna series…Series II and the Christmas DVDs. She was there. It was kinda cool…except that she tried to sign the back of my neck and when I begged off, she refused to sign anything!

Too short…okay, last attempt!

Some people are a bit too trusting! I mean, think about it. Gene (a liberal to the core) leaves to go to his cousin’s wedding and asks me to be a guest blogger…stating that I cannot start until Wednesday night. This NOT because (as is the normal assumption) that he is leaving on Thursday morning, but something even more sinister! The Vice Presidential Debates are on Tuesday night! The cruel liberal knows that I am going to tear up Edwards! But, what he doesn’t even realize it that I am hating Cheney just as much!

So…on to my Blog:

Some people just think left or right. Some think right or wrong and do not include greys in their color pallete. I tend to at least try to look at all the sides. I will still think the way I think and say what I wish to say, but I at least sit through the 2 hours or so of Vice-Presidential Debates and come out on the other side thinking “I should’ve watched the game”.

Now, prior to saying anything, realize I am gay and also in NO mood for baseball after the Giants are no longer in the running. I really am no fan of baseball except for post season anyway. The payoff seems too far away. But, for me to say “I should’ve watched the game” really means something in this case.

Bush botched the first Presidential Debate and really needed Cheney to come through on this one. Edwards just needed to answer the questions and NOT go on the attack. This, in my opinion, would’ve buried the Republicans, as no one ever wins a debate–so why try? The only option is to simply lose a debate. Throwing facts and figures out does NOT make you seem smart if you cannot tell me where they originate. Likewise, when speaking of companies such as Halliburton, one must realize that to know what Halliburton is means that a voter has already heard pretty much everything there is to say about it–including all that Cheney did as CEO.

Now, the hard part–and the part that is going to shock Gene and cause FITS with Mac! I am probably going to vote Republican again this year…

Before Mac starts trying to find ways to sabotage this blog entry, let me explain. There are two factors affecting my decision this election.

#1 Taxes: Liberals are traditionally the party of taxation.
This is fine when the economy is fantastic and taxation creates needed income for jurisdictions, however the problem with this has been depicted in California for the last 3 years: Jurisdictions do NOT remove (for instance) the excess taxes they put in place for planting geraniums along the 145 mile (ish?) Cal Trans railway. Taxes that Palo Alto and surrounding residents could afford prior to the dot com bust–which today they cannot.

Nor do they lower (or remove) the tolls which cause the Golden Gate Bridge to cost $5.00 to come into San Francisco! This was put in place to help pay for the ferries and the people who CHOOSE to take them to cross into San Francisco. Now…why would a person who crosses the bridge have to subsidize the person who takes the ferry!!!?

Essentially, what irks me is that liberal jurisdictions tend to impose taxes (especially sin taxes) that the people pay during good times and then do not remove then during the bad times when people are out of work and cannot afford them anymore.

#2 Gay Issues: No one wishes to offer Gays the same rights as non-Gays
At least I know where I stand with Bush/Cheney. I am a second (if that) class citizen. However, I am a second class citizen in a non-standard family which takes in over 150k/year. Bush/Cheney do not care about me as a homosexual…however they DO care about me as a taxpayer (with purchasing power–which makes their buisinesses grow). They would rather not give me (as a homeosexual) the same rights that they (as married folk) have–however they will give me the same tax cuts! I get to see a better return on the investment of the ‘purchase’ of my vote. Yes, that is right people…basically I sell my vote for lower taxes!

In contrast if I vote Democrat this year and the Kerry/Edwards ticket actually gets elected, they will feel the need to increase taxes to pay for everything from “helping people around the world less fortunate than I” to “ensuring the future of illegal immigrant children by taxing the hell out of smokers to pay for the children’s health insurance.” These are tradeoffs I am unwilling to make simply to get an ear in office who will STILL tell me that “They are sorry…they feel my pain…they will see if they can do something” only to be told later that they need to “give in to the will of the majority for bilateral relations”.

I will not get equal rights under either party. SO…I put my vote where it will do the most good…in my wallet.

Issues buy votes…so I am selling.

(ummm..i did not stay safe..did I?)

…Jann