Who should be our next president?

I know, this is my third post of the evening, but since I researched Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton today, I thought I would share my thoughts on this topic. For those interested, you can visit these websites to learn more: http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/?splash=1

I decided to read their positions on issues I cared about and decided I liked Hillary over Obama, with one exception. The one exception is that I do like Obama's approach to the war a little more than Hillary's, but they are not different enough on this issue to make it a deal breaker for me (whereas, McCain, for instance, has a position on the war that I just cannot live with).

You can read for yourself about the issues and make up your own mind, but I thought I would tell you how I see it.

Immigration: While I do like that Obama suggests increasing the number of legal immigrants, I don't like the focus of cracking down on employers who hire illegal aliens. On the other hand, Hillary supports the DREAM initiative which would give those children who were brought here by their parents illegally the chance to become legal citizens through higher education or military service. For me the difference is that Hillary wants to give good people a chance to be here legally and does not talk about fining or penalizing them, which Obama does. I know, most of my family sees this issue exactly the opposite of me. But I have worked closely with these people and I feel that has given me a lot of insight into the lives they lead, why they are here, and the kinds of obstacles they face as illegal immigrants.

Women: Hillary has a section that makes her stand on abortion explicit, whereas, if Obama addresses this issue, I missed it. He is pro-choice, I just noticed that it was not a main feature on his issues menu.

I actually went back and read what each of them had to say in more detail on the other issues. On a lot of them, they are not that different. I guess that these just happen to be two issues I feel strongly about and see Hillary as more a champion for the way I see things than Obama.

Camping Update

For anyone interested, I think I will go camping to Canyonlands the weekend of April 8th (yes, without a reserved campsite). I'm no longer planning a camping trip to the desert in May, but Dan and Scott are planning one Memorial Day weekend, so far as I know, up American Fork canyon. So until the fall, April is the only month I am planning on camping in the desert.

Genealogy This Saturday

That's right, I said Saturday, not Sunday. Mom and I are going to the BYU genealogy library in the afternoon or evening for anyone who wants to come along.

Genealogy Update

I went to BYU's genealogy library again today. I stayed for about 2 and 1/2 hours this time. I researched a little on the Johnstons and Foremans. The main thing I discovered is that our ancestor Joseph Johnston's mother was not married to John Johnston, he was her son. She was married to William Johnston. This should help in researching that line further back. For those of you who don't know we are related to William Johnston this way: my mother, Linda Lockhart's father was William Lockhart. His mother was Mary Ellen Pugh. Her mother was Annie Eliza Pool. Her mother was Nancy A. Johnston. Her father was Joseph Johnston, and his father was William Johnston. That's 8 generations!

Genealogy This Sunday

I'm going to the BYU Genealogy Library this Sunday, if anyone wants to come along. Just let me know.

Camping!

Yes, it's time to start planning camping trips. So set aside a weekend in April to go to Canyonlands. I was going to go to Zion's but it costs $25 to get in there versus only $10 at Canyonlands, and I've been to Zion's before (if you haven't gone, it's worth the $25 and if I were in a different financial situation, I'd pay it to go to Kolob Canyon, which is part of Zion's, but that's not the way things are, so...). Anyhow, I think either the weekend of April 8th or April 15th would be a good time to go, weather permitting, of course. It's a beautiful drive to get there. Well, after looking at a map, I'm not sure. Maybe Canyonlands, or maybe Deadhorse Point State Park? Maybe Goblin Valley State Park? Any of them would be fun. All of them have an entrance fee and then you have to pay to camp there.

Anyway, I think it would be fun to leave Saturday morning and get there midday, have lunch, and set up camp. Then either go for some scenic drives or walks/hikes, have a fire-cooked meal for supper and enjoy the vast beauty of a desert sky at night (assuming no clouds). Then pack up Sunday and drive home. What do you think? If my employment is still part-time (heaven forbid), I would be able to leave Friday and come back Monday, ooo, wouldn't that be fun?

I know, I said I wasn't going camping with this new car, but I will stick to main roads. And I know it's the desert so it's dusty, like red dust, but I just can't bear the thought of not getting in as many camping trips as possible and do you know how long it's been since I camped in the desert? Too long!

So, get out your lanterns and marshmallow roasters, Spring is just 2 months away!

Wild Swans

Yeah, I know, no one has commented on the last two posts I've made, so why am I making a new one? But I read this poem the other day by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Wild Swans, and really liked it. It is how I feel. It is copyrighted, I guess, so I will only put the first part of the poem here.

I looked in my heart while the wild swans went over.
And what did I see I had not seen before?
Only a question less or a question more;
Nothing to match the flight of wild birds flying.