I had come to believe that there was no longer much common ground between the current Democratic Party and my own political views. I certainly used to feel at home with them, many years ago, but as I followed their response to the last decade of changes across our world, my faith in their wisdom and judgment subsided... to say the least.
Yet, I'm man enough to admit when I've made a mistake.
I owe them an apology, for a lot of the bad things I've said about them in recent times. It seems that I do, indeed, retain much in common with the Democrats, after all. Shows what happens when you take the time to listen, to actually listen, to what the "other side" is saying, to get first-hand, straight-from-the-source information, rather than listen to someone merely telling you what it is that someone said. Shame on me for forgetting: "you're not always right, they're not always wrong."
This video provides many examples of sincere sentiments expressed by former President Bill Clinton, Senator Hillary Clinton, Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden, even Barack Obama, that I find myself nodding along with in complete, genuine, agreement.
3 comments:
Charles Henry, you're not alone.
I've always considered myself kind of Dickensian, as far as politics goes. That is, don't mess with free will, but don't ignore social suffering. As such, I don't make a good fit in either party, insofar as they allow themselves to polarize around a few "pet" concepts.
(Black and white as a reality template never works.)
Along these lines, I'd like to know what you Canadians think of John McCain's choice of running mate.
(P.S. I'm sorry I've been "AWOL" so long -- previously, when I discovered you guys, I was unemployed with plenty of time on my hands, but now I'm in training for a demanding job and free time is heinously restricted, alas. But as I can, I read you religiously!)
I'd like to know what you Canadians think of John McCain's choice of running mate.
Eowyn, I think Governor Palin is a good choice; I appreciate that she's pro-life, I'm impressed by what I've been learning today about her administrative record on fighting irresponsible spending, I like what I see in her biography about her seeming to be more of an "outdoors person" than an "indoors person"... there are many points that win me over.
I am scratching my head, however, at the absolute emotional euphoria I am hearing from some conservatives over the choice. One example: Dennis Prager, whom I deeply admire, was almost unrecognizeable to me on his radio show today, whenever he started to talk about Governor Palin. "Folks, I am getting chills just listening to her!", "The American Margaret Thatcher!" And so on. He sounded like a pro-wrestling play-by-play announcer, not the thinking analyst that I had come to respect so much. (I can only presume that he is in shell-shock from having attended the Dem's convention all week long; I hope he's feeling better next week...)
I'm not in love with John McCain, by any means: for every policy plus there's a minus, as far as I'm concerned. Yet, I'm shocked that Americans can even think of voting for Obama (as the video I linked to makes clear, I hope..!) given what an empty suit he is, as far as any career accomplishments are concerned, and for his gutlessness as a leader (voting "Present" anytime there was a tough bill being debated... what a coward).
Dennis Prager did make a good point today on air, in-between gushing like a swooning teenager over Palin, that I agreed with: he made the case that today's Democratic Party is the anti-JFK Party. Kennedy famously said: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You, Ask What You Can Do For Your Country. Today Obama asks: what can your country do for you.
That infantilization marks a 180-degree shift in that Party's values.
Governor Palin appears to me to be a more Kennedy-esque figure in her political philosophy, being more of a "...we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty..." person that Jeremiah Wright's disciple could ever be.
How is your job training going? I hope that works out for you.
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