As a former republican, I really agreed with a lot of what was said by my party. Did I want other people to have access to my money? Hell no. Did I think Bill Clinton was too soft on foreign politics? Yessirree! Did I believe in my constitutional right to bear arms? Absolutely!
And do I still believe in these things? Yes, I sure do.
But when it came down to it, and I saw the right railing against things like abortion and stem cell research... when I saw George W.'s terrifying brand of foreign politics...when I saw what a batshit crazy harpy Sarah Palin was, and how things would likely turn out with her doddering and confused warmonger candidate...I spooked. And I looked closer.
Obama--I disagreed with some things, like capital gains tax. And I thought he was a little to liberal on social spending. But he spoke up for my rights as a woman. He spoke up for the rights of my homosexual friends. He seemed capable of foreign diplomacy, rather than just foreign "fuckyaI'mashootya" thinking. He was just a good, healthy, all-American dude. I LIKED him.
McCain--Was a POW (but since when did being kidnapped equate to being a brilliant domestic and foreign leader?? How is that a qualification??). Loved A-murr-ka. Believed in gun rights. Helped the rich get richer (played to my sense of enjoyment while shopping, but made me feel guilty for not helping the poor as God would want me to do). Really, I didn't like him, and while I disagreed with some of what Obama said, none of it made me feel like a dirty traitor to my sex and my friends and myself quite like McCain could. Then Palin hopped on board, and there is nobody on earth I view quite as hostilely as I view her. Ugh.
So now I'm trapped. I've got the candidate I respect and admire, and I agree with much of what he's doing. I'm grateful every day that our country was blessed with a reasonable leader, and not sentenced to McCain and Palin. But I don't agree with everything Obama is doing.
And that'd be fine, except for that the right is getting so far beyond reasonability each day that I feel more and more alienated from the GOP. So there's no going back, not unless I want to identify with hate and bigotry and stupidity. It's hard.
That's my political point of view. Hopefully it will help explain my positions on some things.
---Kristie---
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How can I take this seriously when you immediately label republicans as hateful, bigoted, and stupid? Liberals label ANY criticism of Obama as racially motivated or just being a sore loser. Why can't I disagree with Obama just like you disagreed with Bush? All of a sudden critism of the pres is hateful. -Mike
ReplyDeleteYou can start by not taking it so seriously, given that it's meant to be taken lightly.
ReplyDeleteBut then you can look at the fact that I never said all republicans are hateful or bigoted or stupid. I only said the GOP has been aligning itself thusly more and more recently.
Plus, I don't think the criticism of Obama is indicative of bigotry. Here's my working definition--from Miriam-Webster: A person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices.
And I feel like the homosexual marriage issue has brought out a lot of bigotry from the right. Not from all republicans, but from the collective "right."
So settle down, Mike. This isn't an attack on you.
I had just watched MSNBC when I wrote that and it riled me up, so sorry for that. I think the media hone in on a few nuts and project that onto all republicans.
ReplyDeleteHi there!
ReplyDeleteI started out reading your gardening blog cause I'm fairly new here and I'm struggling to grow just about anything (what with the insects, the drought, the torrential rains,the heat, the cold, the snow, the snow AGAIN)! I found you had another blog and I have enjoyed reading some of your posts. I think your posts and this one in particular are very good, and you sound like a mature, well spoken person who is a concerned citizen like most of the rest of us. I didn't think you sounded like you were calling all republicans stupid, bigoted, hate mongers.
So keep blogging please, its nice to read something rational these days. I'm not a Democrat or a Republican but I get really aggravated at both of them and so try to stay away from blogging about politics as much as i can because i am not as good at controlling my temper as you seem to be.
:)