Tag: politics

Budget-Friendly Tips for Visiting DC

~ SA Otey

Stay in Virginia

Unless you like throwing away money, you can stay at a similar hotel in Arlington Virginia for a fraction of the cost. I recommend the Homewood Suites near the Rosslyn Metro station. They have a free shuttle to Rosslyn Metro which will connect you to the Orange, Blue, and Silver lines.

Use the Metro Rail

If you love driving around and seeing endless brake lights, then by all means, hop in your automobile. Overcome your fear of confined underground metal bacteria tubes and use the Metro Rail. I’d suggest starting at $20 per rider and refilling it as needed. You can get to all the major sights by using this transportation method if you don’t mind a little walking to and from the Metro stations.

Contact your Senator

If you plan ahead you can contact your state Senator and book a White House, Capital, and Library of Congress Tour. The Capital tour was my favorite because it was a small group and our guide was very knowledgeable. We also got to ride the underground people mover from the Senator’s office to the Capital Building. Plus we got to go in rooms not available to the general public.

Pack Light (most of the time)

For Government buildings, you will be restricted to small purses or handbags. Don’t bring a backpack with everyone’s lunch or water bottles. If you take a capital tour with your Senator’s office, you can leave your backpack in the air-conditioned office and pick it up when you are done. You can take pictures and they will let you know with vigor when you can’t. A small point-and-shoot camera or your smartphone is fine. Do not attempt to bring your SLR with a 600mm lens.

Bring a reusable water bottle and snacks

For times you can bring a larger bag (museum days), and fill a reusable water bottle with ice from your hotel. Most places have those filtered reusable water stations that remind you haven’t killed any sea turtles today.  There aren’t many options to eat at the National Mall, so pack a few snacks so that you don’t have any hangry meltdowns.

Minimize your walking

Don’t try to do the National Mall in one day. Going from the Capital Building to the Lincoln Memorial is quite a haul. We did it, it is possible, but I regret it. Try to plan your museum visits based on your metro stops.

Use the DC Circular

To help minimize your walking there is a large red bus that will stop at all major spots in and around the National Mall. It’s only $1 for as long as you ride. Some drivers will let your kids on for free. Good for getting from one end of the National Mall to the other.

Suggested YouTube Channel: Trip Hacks DC

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Revising Age Limits: Driving, Voting, and Drinking Explained

~ SA Otey

Currently, we allow driving at 16, voting at 18, and drinking at 21. I propose to move these ages to 18 for driving. We should keep drinking at 21. Additionally, I suggest moving the voting age to 25, and here’s why.

No one in their right mind should let a 16-year-old drive a car. Cars today are too easy to drive. They have too many distractions. People text while driving or eat bowls of fruity pebbles on the way to school. Kids also were driving cars playing Grand Theft Auto and Mario Kart, so they’ve probably picked up a few other bad habits. If they must drive, let it be a vehicle with a manual transmission, roll-down windows, and no air conditioning. I enjoyed driving at 16 but really didn’t know what I was doing. I found myself driving as if there was a cinder block attached to my foot and not looking before I crossed railroad tracks. More on that in a future post.

18 is way too young to vote. Kids barely have the discernment skills and judgment to drive a car, so why let them drive to the polls and elect government officials based on what they’ve learned from The Daily Show, Facebook friends, or liberal college professors? There are no such things as liberal parents, that’s got to be a myth. (see below)

Drinking at 21 should remain the same. People ignore this anyway. There needs to be a 4-year buffer zone between fascination with alcohol and voting rights. How can you trust a person who chooses natural or Bud Light over Guinness?  Sadly, some individuals never graduate from this phase. Either that or they progress to whiskey and don’t care about anything but whiskey.

Voting should be moved up to 25 years old. Society seems to mark this milestone age as where you begin making good decisions. Insurance companies recognize this by dropping your rates. Geez, even the government wants parental insurance coverage until 26 because they don’t think you can find a job and support yourself. By this time, most people have bought a house, tied the knot of matrimony, and started producing children. At this point, most people have achieved personal responsibility. They will want a limited government that doesn’t tell them what to do. They will want a free market to choose the products they desire. They have the liberty to make their own decisions without a government mandate. See, no such thing as a liberal parent! It’s just common sense, that’s all.

What do Democrats and Republicans Believe? Part II: Economy

~ SA Otey

get it @ redbubble.com

Democrats:

Favor policies that promote economic equality, such as progressive taxation, increasing the minimum wage to drive the cost of goods and services up and customer service down to nonexistent. Expanding social welfare programs like abortion healthcare and brainwashing education.

Republicans:

Advocate for lower taxes so you are not working more and getting paid less. Deregulation to stimulate economic growth, and free-market principles with minimal government intervention.

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What do Democrats and Republicans Believe? Part I: Ideological Spectrum

~ SA Otey

https://www.teepublic.com/sticker/51556654-fedup-with-politics-in-2024

Democrats:

Also called the “left” of the political spectrum. Emphasize social welfare programs at the expense of the taxpayer turning the safety net into a hammock. Environmental protection except for their private Gulfstream jets to attend climate change summits. Healthcare reform so your benefits are decreased to fund their premium plans. Progressive taxation, taking more of your money to fund government programs.

Republicans:

Positioned on the “right” of the spectrum. Advocate for limited government so you can mind your own business with little intervention in the economy. Lower taxes so you can keep more of what you earn so you can donate generously and not against your will to entities you disagree with. More deregulation so you can drive the car you enjoy without worrying about destroying countries mining for battery parts. Traditional values so you can keep our society from getting out of control with pagan ideologies.

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