Frankly, I think I've become completely apolitical.
My mother, who is about as political as a person can be, keeps explaining to me that politics today is not what it used to be. That politicians had points of view, but the Vice-President wouldn't tell a Senator to "fuck off" just for saying good morning. I remind her that the way it used to be in the Sixties, if we didn't like a political figure, someone just shot them. She tells me that isn't funny.
I think I've always felt fairly helpless in the political system at large. That is, I know I have a vote, but it doesn't count for much, really. Witness the last election. Then, once those people are in power, what can I really do to prevent them from doing what they do? Not much.
I reconciled myself to the fact that the powers that be wanted an excuse to invade Iraq...and they made one up, and they invaded. It's not clear to me what they hoped to get out of it...too many options, I guess. Rebuilding contracts, oil, Saddam Hussein out of power, a show of strength...something. But all we ended up with, really, is dead teenagers and twenty-year-olds. Which is all we ever end up with, really, when old men decide to play the war game.
They cut spending on education, libraries, roads, public parks, public healthcare, medicare, and so on...and spend it on weapons and vehicles we leave in a desert somewhere. I'm sure that makes sense. I know we're not spending it on soldiers...they keep cutting combat pay and benefits.
Do I believe that we should be in Iraq? No. Do I believe there was anything I could have done to prevent it? No. So I just shrug and say "They're gonna do what they want." Do I believe that standing outside in a park waving a sign will change Adolf Cheney's mind on privacy issues. No. Nor do I believe that anything I do, whether it be vote, write letters, or protest, will bring our troops out of Iraq any faster than they would have come out anyway. I suspect that people my age didn't have that feeling in 1972. Something caused that change. No idea what.
A lot of my friends insist that it's a bad attitude to have, feeling like we have no say as to what happens to our country...and it probably is. But what can I really do? Set up a website demanding accountability? Start an "Impeach Bush" campaign? Go assassinate someone? Not likely on all fronts.
I'm a pretty staunch libertarian with liberal leanings. I think you should do what you like, provided it doesn't impact me, and I don't have to pay for it, or listen or watch you do it. This implies, to me, that I take care of me and mine. My friends, my family...might even take care of my neighbor if I'm so inclined. But I don't want anyone forcing me to care (or pay for caring) about people, and I don't want anyone preventing me from doing what I think is right...provided I don't impact someone else. I don't see a lot of politicians running on that platform.
My mother says "There may not be anyone you want to vote for...but there's always someone you want to vote against." I think that's true.
In general, I think people who are violently political make me nervous. Violent is a bad word...I mean like rabidly political. The same way that people who have very strong religious convictions make me nervous. Anyone who's that certain of something...so certain that they get emotionally pitched...it makes me question their credibility. When you're dealing with a political or religion machine, I find it hard to believe that you know all the moving parts and so you know what the right thing to do is in regards to it. But I suppose anything is possible, right?
I would vote for someone who just said "You know...I'm not certain what we should do here...we'll try this, and we have good reason to believe it'll work out, and here's why. But if it doesn't, we'll admit we had a flawed plan, we'll address our errors, learn from our mistakes, and try again." But you'll never hear that from a politician. Although I hear Jimmy Carter was a lot like that. Welcome to one term, Mr. President.
Does anyone else remember if any president prior to Ronald Reagan ended their presidential addresses with "God bless, and God bless the United States of America?" I don't think they did. Where did our separation of church and state go, anyway?
Why is Michael Moore any more tolerable than Rush Limbaugh? In my mind, they're mirror images of one another...although Moore's funnier than Limbaugh. And probably less of a drug addict.
I dislike very strong emotions in my political decisions. I like to think that foreign policy, domestic policy...all those decisions are made with rationality at the forefront...not emotion. I also like to think that I'll win the lottery, that Santa Claus is real, and that I'm a good cook.
Looking back at this, I see it's a muddled collection of thoughts, ideas, and ranting. Frankly, I think that sums up my thinking on politics in a nutshell.