Think!
I’m not a liberal.
I’m not a conservative.
I’m not even a libertarian or an independent.
I think and I vote.
(Man, I want that on a T-shirt)
I don’t listen to the talking heads – or more accurately, I don’t listen to any one talking head in particular. I question everything I hear. It’s gotten me in trouble at church (yup, kicked out of Sunday School for asking about dinosaurs), it’s gotten me in trouble at work (Our slogan is ‘moving forward, looking back?’ that means we’re not watching where we’re going!), and it’s gotten me in trouble at school (wait…you became a Law Professor because you didn’t want to practice law?). But it’s never gotten me into trouble with me, my God, or the ones I care about in life. In fact, it’s made them love and respect me more, even if they get a bit frustrated sometimes.
My views are right in line with the Republicrats on some issues and right in line with the Democans on others. It makes it really hard to vote in some elections, and really easy in others. Most often, I look at the candidates first and if there’s one I really want to elect for some reason or one I really can’t stomach voting for, I’ll vote accordingly. But when they are both unsatisfactory, one of the things I take into consideration is who is in charge now and by how much. If the Republicrats have a majority, I’m likely to vote Democan and visa versa. Why? First and foremost, I reject the idea that there is really a difference in the parties as they function today. Sure, they pander to different groups, but in the end they’re all basically shades of gray except on a few hot issues that they use to get elected, or re-elected. I’m only human, sometimes those hot issues sway me one way or the other.
Secondly, I want the government at a stalemate.. When Government actually gets something done, it tends to be a bad thing. I know, I know – there are exceptions – but to prove my point, any exception I listed here would generate hate emails from people on one side of the fence or another. Most often, the end result hurts people like me and makes the powers that be richer and more powerful.
I think it’s time people realize, as our founders did, that Government works best when it works least.
The only thing more dangerous than one party in full dominance is when the two parties unite.
I say we vote them into a stalemate every chance we get and watch them dance around the ring for fun – because while they’re doing that, they’re leaving us the hell alone.
To my normal readers – I’m on a political kick right now, but hang in there – it’s getting to be my favorite outdoor time, and that’s when the Bushcraft/Survival/Camping/Hiking stuff comes back. I’m just too busy to do anything with it right now.
first I can’t imagine a church kicking a child out of class for asking about dinosaurs. Maybe I am sheltered since I am a Methodist but we still discuss dinosaurs in Adult Sunday school. Study, Thought, and discussion are a requirement at any church that claims John Wesley as a founder. I can tell you are the type that does not want to be labelled politically. So I am going to label you……………You my friend are a Federalist. To bad one has not ran for office in a hundred years or so ( since politicians realized the only way to obtain ultimate power is through a over reaching Federal Government. Your pal the Envirocapitalist.
I’m thinking you meant anti-federalist. But that’s not really it either. I’ve looked – there is no party I can find that reflects my view.
I’m thinking of calling it the Stalemate Party. A party with the sole aim of intentionally voting in a way that will create a political traffic jam and prevent the Government from taking any real action at all.
Sorry I type faster than I think and I guess technically it was called the Republican-Democrat party and was started by Thomas Jefferson. I believe that the nature of government makes what you envision impossible. Government must do something to justify its existence and the more it does the more it is needed to “fix” the problem people perceive. What is going on today reminds me of Samuel. He warned the people what a king would do before he picked one and the people said they still wanted one to fight for them………people fear freedom and government feeds on fear. God bless squirrel and keep up the thoughtful writing.
Are you suggesting that human nature is such that government, as intended by The Founders, is impossible? Thus, the need for grid lock? Would it not make more sense if We The People truly understood our Republic and voted accordingly for the general welfare? And what if those who represent us truly understood The Constitution and upheld their oath as envisioned?
Maybe it’s not possible, but that would be a bad day for this experiment in freedom…
Maybe your label should simply be; “American”.
Actually, what I’m suggesting is that the Founders intended gridlock except in cases where the path was clear enough that all factions could agree.
If you really look at the system they devised, it seems crafted to function slowly and infrequently.
I agree. Particularly when you look at how often Congress met in the past. Just tryin’ to stir up some conversation until we get a review of some gear or something.
Here’s what’s curious to me. If the system was designed to function slowly and infrequently, then why do you feel the need to personally play both ends against the middle? In other words, why bother voting one way or another to encourage grid lock, when grid lock is likely to be inevitable?
To me, it’s a form of protest. I’m so fed up with the system that I want to use my vote to express contempt rather than dance for some candidate or political party. I’ve come to the point where I don’t believe the Government represents me any longer and I’ve lost the illusion that anything will really change, so I’m using my vote to try to contribute to the gridlock.
Got some interesting reviews in the works, actually. Just need TIME.
I couldn’t agree more. Maybe it’s time to storm the castle? Unfortunately I’m fresh out of pitch forks! It is maddening though.
I here ya about time. I’ll keep checking back.
Check back now – I just put a review up.