I've been watching and reading about the RNC. So far I have yet to be inspired.
Is political affiliation nature or nurture? My folks lean pretty heavily to the Dems, although my Dad has a brother who is pretty far to the right. Mom has a sister also pretty firmly on the Elephant side.
I'm pretty sure my sibs and I are at least close to the same page politically. But I know we all have different views about stuff. So where does the label come from?
Perhaps as we grow, we are shaped by the opinions of our parents... to a point. Then we base our beliefs on our experiences. In my life, I've seen and done a great many things that lead me to believe that Government should spend more time and money educating our youth, rather than training them for war. Lord knows I love my Marine Corps, but military service is, and ever ought to be, voluntary. Education should not be. That leans me to the left.
But I am also all for the death penalty. But only in slam dunk cases. And whether folks want to admit it or not, some of those cases are quite open and shut. I think I got that belief from seeing the scrudge of human meanness. That leans me to the right.
On the other hand, I am very much Pro-Choice. Would I or my wife ever abort a child? Not if it is one we have conceived. Would I force my beliefs onto every other woman in the country? Not a chance. This is not China. This country that is such a proponent of Freedom sure does a lot to try and harness that in. If we do take away the choice, then we should also limit the number of children a couple can have to avoid overpopulation. We should pass laws supporting adoption of the unwanted children to the people who vote pro-life. And if we are telling a woman what to do with her body regarding pregnancy, then we really ought to take away the man's ability to reproduce if he fathers an unwanted child. Snip. If we want to protect the lives of the unborn, then we need to attempt to stop the conception in the first place. That means education about how that all works, getting condoms and contraceptives into the hands of sexually active people who don't want kids. So again, I go left.
(As an aside, my jaw dropped at the Palin statement about their daughters pregnancy. Not that she was pregnant. It happens. But this quote from the statement.
"We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents."
If it was "Bristol's decision" to have the child, then she... chose...right? She made a choice? They are proud of her choice? "Proud" meaning "for" the choice, or Pro-Choice? Sarah Palin, you are an enigma. Give your daughter the respect she deserves and let her choose. But take away that right from my daughter. Do you think I won't teach my daughter about my respect for life? That I would tell her all unwanted pregnancies have no other option than abortion? Or that I will raise her with so little control, maturity and self-awareness that she gets herself in that mess in the first place?)
I'd really like a smaller government, decidedly a GOP view, but I still want a government by, for and of the people. I think we could shift some federal things to state, but they are still required one way or the other.
I'm also not too hip on the whole Universal Health Care push. I know the Pros and Cons, I work in health care. I'm for insurance reform and more responsible administration...or at least accountable. Universal is just not realistic for spoiled Americans.
I believe in the concealed carry permits, but only for prior service or law enforcement who know how to handle them and are re-trained and re-qualified on the weapon every year. In pistol qualifications I watched a bunch of Marines who could hit a quarter at a hundred yards with a rifle go 50% - 60 % with a pistol at 20 yards. It's remarkably hard to hit something with a handgun, even when nobody is shooting back. A bunch of wanna be cowboys will just make things worse.
I believe in the second amendment "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." If somebody wants to own a hundred guns and hang on to their assault weapons and claim 2nd amendment rights, then they sign on to the militia, which can then be called up for service in case of a threat to the country... like Iraq. They can head over with the other gun owners as a unit. Think of the money we would save! They already have their own weapons and ammunition! All we need to get them is a plane ticket! GO SURGE! If you can't kill a deer (or any other animal) with a one shot rifle, then you shouldn't be hunting in the first place.
I believe that the economy of this country should not depend on loans from other countries. And that our government should play by the rules every household in America should be playing by. If you don't have the money, don't spend the money. Americans have followed the example of their government and borrowed billions. How do we pay that off?
I believe that before we get all worried that gay marriage will destroy "traditional" marriage, we should take a look at how successful "traditional" marriage is. 50% divorce rate? Maybe if we allow more loving couples to marry, regardless of gender, we can get those stats up and actually be proud of "traditional" marriage. As for "traditional" values. Going back to the beginning of our country we did not have a consensus on "traditional" values. Only that we wanted to be treated fairly by the Crown. Values are dependent on the person. While groups of people can share values, that doesn't make them correct. For reference, check out the white supremacists values. Those are traditional to them. How 'bout Amish values? Those are remarkably good to follow for lots of people. But I don't see the far right trading in their Escalade's for horse and wagons. I would define marriage as a union between two people and their god. If the government wants to make a little money on the side, and they do, then so be it. But if the government regulates it, then outlaw divorce. Jails will quickly fill with ex-spouses. 10 year mandatory sentence. Plus one year for every month the couple has been married. And if the Government wants to up the marriage stats, how about rewarding couples who stay together through better or worse. Give them tax breaks for each five years. Maybe a cash bonus, or a vacation package. Lord knows The Wife and I would LOVE to take the kiddos to Disney World!
I believe it is immensely hypocritical for a nation of immigrants to try and kick out other immigrants. Having just a trace of Lakota blood in me, I'm all for kicking out the immigrants...GO BACK TO EUROPE WHITE MAN! But then, I'm mostly European Mutt. Can I kick myself off of my land? Hmm...
If they break our laws, send them home. But if they want to work, let them! Then we can collect taxes from them, shore up Social Security, add a little more flavor to the melting pot. And if you truly believe that they are taking jobs from Americans, then get out in those fields and pick the tomatoes yourself. Get into that chicken butchering factory, go work some of those jobs the "illegals" have stolen. Let them stay and make them ours. Or get all of the "illegals" out. Mexican, German, Irish, Norwegian, British, French, etc. etc. Leave this land to the original caretakers. They were doing better with it anyway.
... OK, so I guess this proves I'm probably not a Republican. I'm not too much of a Democrat either. Give me a President, regardless of race, gender, orientation, party or otherwise, who can lead the country. Who has the best interests of the entire country at heart. Who will try and stay true to the tenants of the Declaration of Independence. Who for the love of all that is holy can form a complete sentence without creating new words. Where's Abe when you need him? (He was a Republican, buy the way. And he would have had my vote. He also surrounded himself with people who opposed him as well as agreed, so he could hear all sides of the issue before deciding.) Give me a government filled with leaders like that.
Now that would be a change.
God Bless America, and may the good Lord take a liking to you.
More Later
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