The Other Guy

Here's a question; how do you have a discussion, or argument if you will, with someone who thinks they are right, you are a radical and all your opinions are colored as such, yet you read the news (several hours a day) and all they do is watch MSNBC for thirty minutes while drinking their coffee in the morning?

Have you ever tried to have a theological discussion with a zealot? It’s a very similar feeling. The political zealot, or more accurately lemming, I have in mind knows what they know and wont be dissuaded, and ironically, they think the same of me. Except, of course, in this particular case I happen to be very well read in mainstream, non-hysterical, news.

Why do conservatives support this administration?

Strangely enough there are still folks out there that think we have a conservative Republican administration. Now, as I understand it, the traditional conservative wants lower taxes, more states rights, less meddling from the federal government, a balanced budget, lower federal spending etc.

Other than lowering taxes how is our current government in any way similar to what I've outlined above? Under the current administration we've experienced record spending (even without a two-front war), we've seen a budget surplus turn into a record deficit, and through a variety of ways they have tried to get their fingers into our lives by championing anti same sex marriage, shutting down planned parenthood, limiting contraceptives, railing against so-called 'activist' (federal AND state) judges (at least when it suits them), and a completely silly flag burning amendment. Not to mention a long line of politically motivated non-binding resolutions like the resent 'prevail-in-the-war-on-terror-support-our-troops' boondoggle.

You can lead a horse to water…

I guess the question becomes how do we start to make people pay attention? And once we have their attention, how do we make them learn, or educate themselves. And what’s more, how do we get them to educate themselves on something that doesn't spoon-feed them their opinion. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, we all have to think for ourselves and we CAN NOT rely on ANY news organization to give us the whole story.

I hate to quote a movie, but here goes; "Democracy is advanced citizenship."

It's time for more of us to step up to the plate, open our eyes, and try to see the true lay of the land. Try to strip away the slimy veneer of politics, use your common sense, and decide for yourself. It seems amazing to me that if you tell the average citizen what he can’t do, he gets PISSED. Tell him what his opinion is via the TV news, and he just buys it wholesale! You should get pissed when someone tells you how to think. But then you need to back that up with some mental shoe-leather. Find out who’s right and who's wrong. You'll probably find the answer lies somewhere in the middle. We live in a gray world that politics tries to make black and white.

Still not willing to get out and find the truth?

Then do us all a favor next election day and stay home. This is the adult table. You kids go play...