what are you looking at...

2008-06-20T22:24:00.001-07:00

alright--its been awhile but this is a long post! It is not a poem but a rough draft of my recentist(nice word eh?) thesis essay about the role of the President! try to enjoy......:)

From its founding, the United States has been revolutionary in its system of government. The founding fathers, disgusted with England’s tyrannical monarchy, decided to establish a checks and balance system, with three different branches, each with a different role and also authority which could be checked by another of the branches and thus balanced out. The legislative branch drafts bills, votes on them, and then once passed, gives it to the President to pass or veto. The executive branch, the president, informs the legislature of the state of the union in order to help them with ideas for legislation, signs or vetoes bills that are given to him, maintains the Constitution’s supremacy, and makes the “business” decisions. The judicial branch enforces and interprets the laws. Because of the colonists’ distaste for tyranny, these three branches do not hold supreme power. The founding fathers knew that “to err is human”, and therefore did not trust the future leaders to be just. In order to prevent the inevitable tyranny that would come with human fallibility, a constitution was written, containing a basis for each of the three branches’ authority structure. It depicts what each branch can do with it’s power and also how the government should work. Throughout the past 200 years, the government has shifted farther and farther from what the writers of the Constitution had idealized and now interprets it to do whatever is needed. While according to the Constitution the President’s power centered in the executive decisions, presidential candidates now make rash claims that they cannot fulfill in that office and have usurped legislative power, which belongs to the people.

The Constitution gives responsibility to the President. Interestingly enough, his most important duty is to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. In other words, he must preserve it as the supreme authority in the land, protect it from foreign influences, and defend its values. The executive branch is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Army. As the executive official, he executes laws, informs the legislature on the state of the union, and commissions to the officers in his cabinet. All of these duties are mandatory; he must carry these out while President. However, it also gives him power which he can use in certain situations, if needed. If treaties need to made, the President may make them if he has two-thirds approval of the Senate and is also in line with the Constitution. In order to appoint ambassadors, justices, ministers, consuls, and his personal cabinet, he must also get approval from the Senate. In the case of seat vacancies from Congress, the president may appoint an occupant for the duration of the session. Perhaps the most powerful tool in the President’s belt would be his veto power; although a two-thirds vote from Congress can overrule it. All of these roles are optional or even circumstantial. The President has both his duties and optional power in his Constitutional role.

Current Presidential accomplishments include both constitutional and unconstitutional acts. The recent economy stimulus plan was an example of unconstitutionality on the part of the President. Congress should have made the grant, passed it through both houses, and then given it to the President. New budgets for the nation and formed commissions are constitutional, because the president is the business side of the government. But new budgets for legislation are the legislators’ job, not the President’s. An issue right now which is absolutely unconstitutional is that of education. “No Child Left Behind” needed to be written by Congress not eh President. Human fallibility has come into play, those founding fathers were wise to give the future generations a written contract of sorts.

Since the President is not following the Constitution, it is only natural that the candidates vying for the office are mistaken as to what the duties would include, not to mention the populous. The candidates are promising to provide more jobs to strengthen the economy and to lower the unemployment rate. This would also try to employ more Americans and less foreigners; unfortunately this would higher costs for anything and everything. The candidates are making promises to tax the rich to take the burden off the poor, provide college education grants for minorities, and to provide health care everyone by expanding Medicare and Medicaid. The only problem with all of these promises is that once in office, neither of the candidates can do what they are promising. All of these issues would be in the legislative’s authority to formulate and pass. This “misunderstanding” of the executive role is either a trick to get more votes by promising the most grandeur plans, or true ignorance. Since the candidates try to out do each other in ‘amazing’ ideas, one would assume the former. Both candidates are form Congress; now they want to have more power but play the same role as their former position, because everything they promise to do is Congress’ role not the President’s.

The President’s role is three-fold: make the business/executive decisions, inform Congress of the state of the union, and to uphold the Constitution. Every promise the candidates are making do not align with this job description. The reason they can get away with these lies is because the checks and balance system has evolved into a power struggle. The legislative branch wants to become supreme. It does not want to refer back to the people for the decisions that need to be made unless it is election time. The executive branch wants the ultimate authority and so takes it from the people and congress. Its role is has usurped the constitutional role. The judicial branch has already overstepped its bounds and continues to do so because none of the other balances want to draw attention to the power struggle. In an ideal situation, the checks and balances would actually check and balance each other out. The United States government has become a steel-plated balloon; needles, good and honest men in authority, cannot even penetrate it even more. The entire system needs a redistribution of the correct powers. The executive must go back to just making the ‘business’ decisions. The legislature must go back to the people for their voice. The judiciary must apply the laws according to the Constitution. But in order to reverse the trend and drain the balloon, the campaigns must be reversed. The candidates prepare their stance on what the role of the President should be according to the Constitution and how they would fulfill that role. Hopefully someday soon, they would also begin to turn to the Bible for God’s instructions for rulers. As the checks and balance system is failing, the power struggle has taken a turn for the worst, and the candidates are lying to the people, it is obvious that something must be done. But it needs to start from the candidates looking to the Constitution.

help make a difference? vote. get involved with your rep and senator. pray.

...ransomed

the day of days...

2008-06-10T02:35:00.000-07:00

the day of days,
the one you dream of,
has finally come.

you wake up
and follow the light-
expectant and excited.

the day is waning
it hasn't come yet..
but what were you waiting for?

what did you look for
that was not there?
your dream was dashed.

Is there more to life,
than just a day of days?
please say yes.

What will replace
the day of days?
Is life merely broken dreams?

the world runs on fumes
fumes of dreams
fumes of distorted beauty.

their reality is a broken dream.
their day of days will never come,
except one in which they search for more.

how do they miss the point of life?
they go through life searching,
while their days waste away.

hopelessness describes their quest.
a hunger for substance defines their years.
cynical views distort their hearts.

will they ever wake up?
will they ever turn back,
to find their day of days?

The day of days
for those who believe
is that day when we rise.

We find heaven
waiting just beyond the skies
we'll see Jesus- all will be forgotten.

Only that which is perfect
will remain in our minds,
on that Day of Days.

...ransomed

life

2008-05-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

life was freely given.
life is freely taken.

life- a gift
life- a curse.

which is it
and what changed.

God created.
man destroys.

as the world wags away
man has tried to control.

life is not something
to be controlled.

life is a blessing.

thinking about how the meaning of life has deteriorated so much..

...ransomed

my prayer for today
"Right now I need You.
My prayers are far too few.
I only seem to draw close,
when I have some fear.

Strengthen my faith.
Renew my trust.
Embloden my words.
Purify my thoughts."

the invincible woman

2008-05-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

She stands up, alone- again
weakness is a failure
and help is for the weak

She can stand it, yet again
her heart is cold- colder than steel
it won't budge, it won't be moved

Individuality and self-reliance---her motto
She will meet perfection
but only in herself

She looks around
she helps others
not realizing they need to help her.

Life goes on
people move on
leaving her behind

No one knows of the pit inside
she must prove herself
but what is the cost?

Alone and afraid is that cold, cold heart.
in trying to prove herself
she lost it all.

too late she realized
her life had been spent
wasting her life- she gave it all up.

A few months ago I wrote a paper on the "societal woman of today" I'll post it here so you can read my thoughts. This was directed towards all the women of today who are wasting their lives in search of beauty and fame. Also it was to help me see the constant danger of relying on one's self--which I am too, too apt to do:( Well--here it is---

Since woman was first created, the role she has been required, by society, to fulfill, has altered dramatically. She has come from being virtually ignored to being independent and an equal to a man. The past cultures have shaped into what she is today. Giving her no role to play out, the Ancient times’ woman was looked passed. Medieval times had her raising heirs. The Victorian era made her the “angel of the house”, which meant giving selflessly to all, while managing the home. Today, she is independent and thinks of the home as a weakness. The socially accepted, ‘perfect’ woman of today is defined as “self”ish.

The way in which a woman acts, defines her. Today’s woman is ‘famous’, self-reliant, self-confident, and self-determined. Her fame is jumpstarted from her beauty and desire to be fulfilled by the media. Self-reliance comes from the fact that she only leans on her own understanding. Self-confidence stems from her belief that she is the most important and therefore nothing can go wrong. Self-determination defines her as well, because she does what she wants, when she wants it. Today’s woman is a self-pleaser.

The woman who is defined here, has a neither encouraging nor successful life. Her role in the family soon diminishes to obscurity as her career, status, and friends demand more and more of her and her time. Because of the neglect and disinterest that develops between her and her children, as she is busy with her own agenda, they grow up never really knowing their mother’s love. The children are not alone in their suffering, this woman’s self-reliance and self-determination have usurped the husband’s role as provider of the family. So she not only injures herself, but her family and thus community and culture as well. Soon enough, the modern woman is left with only the “self” that she has nurtures her entire life. When the “self” no longer maintains her self-pleasure, the woman deteriorates.

...ransomed

All day long

2008-05-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

All day long she wonders
will he ever return?
will life ever turn around?
will she ever be free?

Love came at such a price
looking back- was it worth it?
At the time it was perfect
now- can she say the same?

"He took me off me feet" she says
literally or hypothetically, i wonder.
She is in 'like', but not love.

She won't listen- I don't understand
She set herself up for a broken heart.
She wishes she was never born
did she really live for this?

She wasn't really ready. neither was he
love, real love, means you hazard all
they didn't want hazard, but pleasure
they live on, emotionally scarred.

ok---this one was not about me. In fact hardly any of them are, they're all just ideas that I wanted to blossom. But this is is special. it was written two days ago- i didn't know if i wanted to post it-- but i wasn't in the groove for poetry so i just posted old. It was written late at night remembering the grief and pain of a very dear friend that went through this whole ordeal. But she is over it now.

I am sorry these are not more cheerful! My inside is very emotional right now and not too cheerful- but its getting to be a bit more bright!

...ransomed

A little girl's dream..

2008-05-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

Tiny and beautiful
in a dress that twirled
this girl was danced to bed.

Roses and teacups
dolls and and her daddy
made up her world.

Older and innocent
this girl lighted up the world
for all who knew her.

Who could know
that on the inside
this girl was dead?

She lived the life
but the years began to tell
a story that didn't add up.

One day she couldn't hide
she let it spill, to those
who loved her the best.

That little girl,
so full of life and beauty,
had wanted to change the world.

This older girl,
empty and broken inside,
let the world change her.

People never knew
only those very close
that she was living a lie.

Her attempts to hide,
her personality and face,
must have worked.

She fooled so many
she never let on
that she was dead.

The dream of dancing
with a dress like Cinderella
came back to haunt her.

Then the brazen scorn
set in and mocked that dream.
But a little corner of her heart began to live.

She met a young man
and fell in love but kept it to herself
She never asked and she never told.

Now that dream blossomed
that tiny part of her heart grew
She really began to live.

Now she dreams of dancing
in a dress like Cinderella
with her young man at her wedding.

Her life had come back together.
The help came from One.
He gave back her dreams.

She sought Him
He found her.
She worships HIm.

She still hasn't told the young man.
But she is complete for now.
Even now- she is ransomed.

...ransomed

True Love

2008-05-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time
a fairy tale fell apart
it had looked promising
but reality came and knocked.

The 'princess' of sorts
was alittle girl one second
the next, a woman
the truth had aged her.

The moment she understood
all the naivety, innocence left
pain, rage, hurt- her new companions
haunted her for the rest of her life.

The nightmare never left
every night the same
her soul was broken
then true love found her

He knit her heart back
He was all she knew
He was all that mattered
He was the only one who cared

This gift was not one-of-a-kind
it can be given to all who ask
it is called salvation
that little girl was me.

...ransomed

a look in a mirror..

2008-05-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

i looked in the mirror today
past my eyes.
past the pride
past the hurt
past the pain
do you know what I saw?

i looked in the mirror today
i looked past my dreams
past my future
past my present
and past my past.
what did I see?

I looked in the mirror today
and saw a dream
saw a future
and saw something
i'd never seen before.

I've always been different.
never wanted to fit in
but my smile has never been easy
you might think i am naturally cheerful
but that is not the case.

I looked in the mirror and saw what i've always wanted.
a smile that looked normal.
this sounds silly i know.
but my smile is beginning to look right.

The hurt and the pain of the last few days
is finally coming to an end(i pray!)
now i look forward to a future
where my smile is more prevelent.
where i smile more and am not ashamed of my smile.

tomorrow the sun shall rise with a smile.

i looked in the mirror today
and saw a true smile.

...ransomed

that day i don't remember

2008-05-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

The day came.
The day I had dreaded for two years.
I go into the place where I will never come out the same.
Why do I take the step? I must, but I must not remember.

I talk to the doctor,
he puts the IV into me,once, twice, no three times before it works.
I hope this is not a sign of how it will go.

Then I drift asleep.

Then i wake up, crying.

Everything hurts, and the worst thing in the world
could be defined as waking up. But it is my only choice.

I don't remember any thng else, but
walking through the door at home, tears streaming down my face
wishing, dreaming, that this was all a nightmare

But I pulled through that day, and the two following.
My jaws ache with every heart beat. I can't eat, my teeth and tongue cannot move.
Remind me why I did this??

I don't even remember..

...ransomed

tomorrow will never come..

2008-05-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

They say that tomorrow never comes
but I am living proof that it did.
It left me crippled, wounded, and sore.
My soul has not recovered.

They say that yesterday never comes again
but I say that everyday comes to haunt
the pain, the rage, visits again.
just like yesterday, that has gone.

They say that someday you will be loved
but what if you're scarred and wounded,
and no one ever looks your way.
how come they say these things?

Who are those 'they' that say
suchcruel things? What if I want yesterday back?
not the one with scars,
but the free-spirited yesteryear?

What if I want tomorrow to come,
not the one I've lived through,
butthe sparkling one yet to come.
The ball that princesses dream of,
the dragon and maid that knights dream of
can it still come?

Or has tomorrow, yesterday and today
been ruined by my living through it?
How can this be?
All i wanted was for tomorrow to never come.

..ransomed

she goes for it again...

2008-05-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well. I have decided to start blogging again. new site. new title. probably the same goal.

last time it worked for about 2 months max. let's see if i can keep it going longer!

Right now I am laid up in bed with a broken jaw...(and no my brothers did not break it playing soccer. just if you were wondering..) and craving something to do. I will start by putting in 3 'poems' that I wrote..each in 5 minutes max. i am doing a writing exercise to see how fast i can get something on paper. i am working on poignancy and word imagery. let me know how i did! the first two are depressing. the third is more redeeming!

even now-
ransomed