Clarification

In my previous post, I bandied the terms Liberal and Conservative about pretty carelessly. I should be clear: political Liberals annoy me, mostly because they want to steal my stuff and, via redistribution, squelch in others the natural motive desire to build/acquire stuff of their own. But I should be clear: Republicans (i.e., self-proclaimed Conservatives of a political bent) annoy me as well, given that a little taste of power makes them drop their principles within a few months. And Christian Conservatives bug me, although I admire their adherence to principle and their predictability.

Weird to think that I ridiculed Barry Goldwater as a youngster...

And folks are usually surprised at my voting record.

And I condemn our current President, but not for the usual reasons.

In any case, there is no way to corral politicos into an easily identifiable group (gee, a lot like race, really), but it is fairly safe to say that the very act of becoming a politician calls into question one's motivations and principles.

Mostly I am scared of groupthink; indeed, I consider it (usually) a given that if the bulk of people are thinking/doing/saying one thing, then that thing is likely sub-optimal (almost by definition: the mu is equal to the average, i.e., the mediocre).

Also, as I re-read my post, I was sorry to have brought the subject up. When I see the friend of whom I wrote with his baby, I see just a Poppa (okay, I see a fit, smart-ass, financially savvy, maritally committed, runner-type Poppa, but that's about as far as my descriptors go or need to go or care to go). I like him because, well, because he is Just. Like. Me. He is trying to "figure it all out," trying to discover what is really important, trying to save for the future (and for his offspring), trying to make best use of the gifts he has been given.

Damn. I just wanted this to be a sentence or two.