Thursday, July 5, 2007

In Which I Abuse Italicized Foreign Phrases

I've been loathe to breathe even a single political word in this space, because, well, I'm an attention whore, and I'm afraid of alienating the few people who do come here and feed my need. Y'all seem to be such kinder, gentler souls than I, and I didn't want to out myself as an auslander.

But now that I've been voted a sensitive, albeit Rockin', girl, I think it's time I admitted it: I voted for George W. Bush.

I'll wait for the gasps to die down.

I only did it the first time, I promise. I won't defend the decision, because I'm sure most of you consider it indefensible. At least the second time I voted Libertarian.

I don't know what to think about politics anymore. When I was in high school, I was oblivious. When I was in college, I was indoctrinated into the affirmative action outrage, animal rights outrage, pro-choice outrage. I've kept most of that last one.

When I got out of college, I did a lot of independent reading, some of it about the Civil War, and began to think more about states' rights and large, centralized federal bureaucracies. It's not the lesson we're supposed to draw from the slavers/liberators morality play that the Civil War story has become, but I began to believe that the larger a bureaucracy became, the less effectively it was able to manage the problems for which it was created. A large bureaucracy with coercive power has a built-in motivation to grow ever-larger, and corruption and abuse are inescapable side effects.

So conservatism, here I come! And which of the two major political parties pretends to be the fiscally conservative defender of the Constitution? Well, they both do to a degree, but I bought into the Republican hype because the Democratic hype doesn't have that much "limited role of government" rhetoric to it. And then there was Bill Clinton. I spent the end of the nineties whining, with much exasperation, "He's the chief law enforcement officer in the nation, who committed perjury and asked others to commit perjury in order to avoid personal liability in a civil lawsuit brought by a private citizen! Of course he should be impeached!" And the answer was always, "It's just sex. Everybody does it!" And so I swore off the Democratic Party for all eternity, amen.

But a friend made it his personal mission to liberalize my conservatism. His particular bent is environmentalism, and there is some truth to the idea that there is no other entity in the world with the authority to protect our natural resources from selfish misuse better than a large, federal government. So there's that.

And then there's the fact that the Bush administration, those fiscally conservative defenders of the Constitution, have grown the federal bureaucracy and mutilated American civil liberties more than any other administration ever, Republican or Democrat. So there's that, too.

Oh my, I just received an office-wide email about building security. It has the subject line "Back Door Entry." Must. Resist. The urge. To reply. Must! Resist!

Sorry, I got distracted for a second there. Where was I? Oh yeah, what's a fiscally conservative, socially laissez-faire boy to do?

I was thinking about this guy, but he came across as a total goofball with virtually no political savoir faire when I saw him on The Colbert Report. Of course, how can anybody come across as anything but a goofball when they're on The Colbert Report? But then I also read that while he doesn't think the Federal government has the authority to regulate abortion and gay marriage (they are more appropriately left to the individual states to legislate), he is personally strongly opposed to them. So that takes him right off the table. I can't vote for a guy who, upon becoming President, might suddenly feel the call of his moral imperative.

What does that leave? Where does someone turn when he wants a small federal government that doesn't interfere in social issues like gay marriage? Libertarians, I guess. But that seems kind of like voting for your little brother's video phone footage for Best Picture Oscar: it could be a gas, and it might even be true, but I can tell you right now, he won't ever have to worry about writing that acceptance speech. Anybody got any better ideas?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh I, Rodius (said sadly, shaking my head).

And I had such high hopes for us becoming friends.

No, seriously, we can still be friends. Just friends that can't talk politics.

anniemcq said...

I'm laughing hysterically, because I was literally saying "Ohhhhh, Rodius" and sadly shaking my head.

Then I saw Tracey's comment.

I'm afraid that politics is something we don't agree on, but one of my very best, favorite friends is a Conservative Mormon Republican, and even though we almost had a catfight during the last election, we are still great friends.

And I won't even take back the nomination. But I'm going to try hard to convert you, for Thumper's sake!

My husband and I are sure that Joe-Henry will become a Conservative Republican when it comes time for him to rebel. Sigh....

Anonymous said...

Oh God, Annie, do you have visions of J-H becoming Alex P. Keaton? Rich and I talk about that. It's sure to happen - because that's the way the universe rolls.

Anonymous said...

I was totally nodding my head at the mention of the Civil War. I remember distinctly having debates about the Civil War with my friends in school, saying that the war was never really about the slaves. It was about the right of States to govern themselves. Of course, most of the other 6th graders weren't terribly interested in the debate. They just wanted to see documentaries where people were blown up.

Anyway, I'm with you on your political misgivings. I believe in the rights of states to govern themselves and, fiscally, I'm a conservative. For those reasons....I have been a registered Republican since college (huge gasp). That's right. It's true.

I can honestly say, though, that I have never voted for a Republican. I have been so turned off by the increasing tendency for Republicans to be part of the Conservative Christian Right, that I have not seen a single candidate that I could support.

So, I vote Democrat. And I have to tell you that I am really impressed with Barack Obama. I have read The Audacity of Hope, and I have high hopes for the man.

If you haven't checked out his platform, you should take a look. It's not small government, and it's not conservative fiscally, but it's responsible. And I like him.

I, Rodius said...

I'm with you, Rich. Why does conservative mean "limited role of government, except when it comes to enforcing my moral and religious beliefs on everyone around me?"

anniemcq, convert away. My history shows that I'm apparently quite malleable.

minivan mom, that's ok. Pops told me never to discuss religion or politics with anyone but family, so, uh... How them Longhorns lookin' for the fall? Hook 'Em!

Steven Tyler's PJs said...

My dear, dear honey is a fiscally conservative, socially liberal, libertarian-aligned person too. We both really want Obama, but he says that people will try REALLY HARD to assassinate the first black president, and no one wants THAT! So should we vote for him even if it means risking his life? Someone already tried!

Twisted Branches said...

Oy (nope, not jewish) Vey (just like usin the phrase)!

I've been lurkin around the blogosphere for a bit now and you are a daily check in. You kill me, seriously!

I had such high hopes, but now, well now I know how *sick* you really are. You see, I too voted for George W. And I know how *sick* I am, so you must be of questionable sanity as well.

So you see, I won't banish you because I understand you. ;O}

I, Rodius said...

Jennie, I can't imagine Obama's got anything about "limited role of government" in any of his rhetoric. I have Audacity of Hope as an audiobook, but I haven't listened to it yet because it doesn't seem like it'll be the most motivating workout accompaniment. I'll get to it, though, I promise. I'm think more along the Giuliani line, at least until he finally abandons the pro-choice and civil unions planks in his platform.

SUV Mom, thanks for delurking, and for adding me to your Daily Check In List Thingy. You may be my first. Please be gentle with me.

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