politic

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talking politics with people. i'd never done it with people outside my age range before leaving the country, and hadn't really considered it. now that i think back on it, i guess i had figured that older people would be set in their ways and not want to listen. now that i've tried, i believe that that is correct.

this fact, in particular, is going to make this next election difficult. i've always picked stances on political issues on my own, not checking to see which party thinks what. older people don't seem to do this. maybe a lot of young people don't either. i was trying to explain to someone the other day how much party definitions flux and migrate over the decades, in fact even just how much parties have changed in the ten or more presidential elections that have passed since the voter had begun voting in their lifetime. are they just happening to change their minds and views at the same time as the party, despite the fact that their choice of the party is unchanging, or are they just blindly following?

in the hands of competent political movers and shakers who are in charge of competent political lackeys, i wouldn't have a problem with people, the regular citizen, just following, despite the fact that following seems to be anathema to democracy. but right now i think it goes without saying that the current leadership has been anything but competent in it's protection, preservation, and promotion of the quality of life for americans. the economy is down again, the deficit worse than ever, big brother scare tactics, colonizing a weak nation while allowing a stronger one to develop nukes, a witch hunt mentality both towards scientific research as well as acceptance of diversity, turning a blind eye to violence, poverty, and shit education in our own country, ad nauseum.

i've only been back a few weeks, and haven't been too impressed by kerry. that's a great reaction compared to what i think when i see bush and his team of bullies. i don't appreciate a government that assumes i'm ignorant and happy that way. kerry might be a fool, as i've heard many bush supporters say, but he doesn't have a four year track record of running this country into the ground. when i hear bush and all his campaign promises i just smile; he's had his four years, and his actions speak loud enough. four more years of fear and disrespect? no thank you.

i didn't get any respect abroad for being american because of our political history. i come home and watch the news and find i'm not getting any respect from the guys in charge. i'm not rich enough for bush's policies to be benefiting me, and i haven't bought a bombproof shelter with a built in soda machine, so i can't afford to support his abuses of power in tossing american military might about the globe. bush's re-election will guarantee a less secure world, a more dangerous world; and since he and his have been neglecting their own nation for so long, it ain't lookin too pretty on the inside either.

peace