So... 75% feel just like me

I was just reading about a recent poll that 75% of Amercians feel Congress is out of touch with average Amercians. I hate debating politics but I'm frustrated so I'm gonna do it.

For once it's nice to know that I am not the only person feeling incredibly p*ssed off about what has happened in government pretty much since I was old enough to vote. I feel like there is absolutely nobody worth voting for that has a prayer of winning. Anyone who wins is bound to do something stupid and not in the nation's interest, and all of us will go watch movies like "Man of the Year" and agree with everything Robin Williams says, and then vote the same turkey's into office again. Tough not to do when all you have is a field of turkeys to choose from.

I am a Christian, an ordained minister, and a Republican. I voted for Bush twice. I can honestly say I'm so sick of the whole lot of them in DC that I feel they have failed me, failed the country, and failed God. They have twisted everything I grew up believing was right in America... we are now the bad guys, we condone torture and find ways to say it's legal, we wire-tap fellow Americans in blatant violation of our national laws, and we hold US citizens for years on end without access to legal counsel on trumped up charges as "enemy combatants".

It all makes me very much ashamed to be an American. I don't know who I'll vote for in November, or even if I'll bother. If I can find myself feeling this way then the Republican party is screwed because I am part of their "conservative base". I don't even know what the Republican Party stands for anymore, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

How we decided Elvis was really Columbus

"Next week is a 4 day week", Kirk announced with a grin.

Kelvin seemed both surprised and unimpressed. "No way. It can't be."

"Yep", I said, "It's Columbus Day. We get off for Columbus Day".

"Why?" Kelvin wondered

"It's because we are based out of Boston and they are the center of the patriotic world or something like that. You know, like the Boston Tea Party.", I volunteered.

"Columbus was never at the Boston Tea Party. Columbus had nothing to do with America as a nation."

"Sure he did. He was one of our nation's founders, the zeroth President of the United States."

"He was ash long before the Declaration of Independence was even signed."

"Yeah, but he did help write it, even if he was in semi-retirement at that point and only functioning as a consultant in an advisory capacity."

"Oh come on!"

"He also presided over the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims."

"Yeah, but he was working for McKinsey back then and he recommended that the indians all get laid off."

"You mean killed."

"Well, he called it a Reduction in Force."

"That still doesn't explain why we get Columbus Day off. Columbus wasn't even an American. Celebrating him gives glory to Spain, not to us. We might as well be celebrating Leif Erikkson or that Chineese guy that they say got here even earlier."

"No way man. Columbus was a native born American son, born in the heartland on the plains of Kansas. He even did a stint in Vietnam and received a commendation for bravery."

"ok..."

"Well, you did know Elvis was really Columbus right? Columbus has been living down through the centuries, unable to die. His Elvis phase had a lot of us worried that maybe he was becomming less distinguished in his old age. Why do you think everyone is convinced Elvis is still alive? It's because he is, because he is really Columbus. The government knows about this and that is why we celebrate Columbus Day... it's a tribute to the king from those who know."

"I suppose that makes as much sense as anything else. I still don't get why we have it off."

"Don't analyze, just enjoy!"