Politics and Me

Until a few years ago I was uncomfortable with aligning myself with one part or the other. Nothing quite fit, to my way of thinking.

I am old fashioned enough to have some traditional conservative values:

• Despite the constitutional right to freedom of speech I still don't think that cursing should be widely accepted in public or on television or radio.
• I believe that the separation between Church and State should mean the State should stay out of religion (meaning if you want to pray in school, or have a religious symbol as part of your town or business you should have that right.)
  
• I believe that morality is not just something that should start and end in a home, that it is society's responsibility to have a say in what it deems acceptable for the times and what should be part of larger society in general.
  
• I believe that a strong military is important for our safety, and that we have some responsibility to assist other countries when called upon to do so.
• I don't think "Gun Control" would do anything but take the right to bear arms away from law abiding citizens. Anti-gun laws only create difficulty for the legal right to own a weapon, not people who would buy the illegally. And someone who wants to kill someone doesn't need a gun to do it.
  

However, I am a product of my generation, and feel it's time to give up some of the backwardness of those who came before us. Children grow and learn, we as a society could stand to do the same:

• I believe that someones sexual preferences are no business of anyone else, and should not be the foundation of any law that prohibits them from any freedoms anyone else enjoys.
  
• I believe that women should have the right to have an abortion, regardless of the moral beliefs others may have in that area.
  
• I believe that everyone has a right to believe or not believe in a religion without others creating difficulty in their lives because of these beliefs.
• I believe that having a strong military doesn't give us the right to make other countries adhere to our principles, and that we should strive to be good neighbors, not bullies.
  
• I believe the wealthy class of our nation shoulder far to little of the financial responsibilities and garner way too many tax breaks, while the middle class struggles unfairly to provide the funds for everything from business opportunities to educational opportunities for your children.
• I believe that in order to be a good leader to the world in general, to be able to provide assistance of any kind, we first need to take care of our own. Our children should have top rate education, our families should have whatever support they need to provide sound upbringing for the children, and society needs to offer opportunity for higher education and jobs as they grow up. Without these the next generation will be in no shape to help anyone.

What does this make me? Before the Bush administration i would have said it makes me someone in the middle of the road somewhere who just wants what's best for America, and my own children's future. These days though I think it makes me a democrat. There is no way with the way the Republicans have driven our econmomy into the ground, lied to us about a war that is draining us without any foreseeable end, and made us rediculously unpopular worldwide. I know some people who would say they don't care about any of that, but I do. I like to get along with my neighbors, and I don't fool myself into thinking we will never need thier good will.

So how will I vote this November? I don't think it's too hard to guess. I don't know how it will turn out, last time you could have pushed me over with a feather to see that American's voted for Dubbya a second time, I only hope there is some sanity to found found this go-round.