Carpe Datum

Politics and Friends

I had a great birthday yesterday. Lots of loot (most of the things on my list, with some very nice clay poker chips to come according to my mom), some good eating and even a pretty thunderstorm rolled through which cooled things down so that I got a quick 9-hole disc golf round in with some of my new discs.

I was going to respond to Meg's comment yesterday with a comment of my own, but I decided it was better to turn it into its own long post. As I've said before (at length), I learned from a painful experience not to discuss politics with family or close friends who disagree with you (unless they are very open-minded). Much better to talk politics with acquiantances who may or may not be open-minded. Otherwise, it turns into a frustrating and bitter affair. It is most definitely not worth risking ties of close family or friends over.

As I've also said before, I can understand why some principled people vote Republican. If they believe on principle that government should be an arm of any particular religious faith (or their highly selective or misguided reading of some holy text), for example, even though history has shown that is an awful, awful idea, then they should express those idiotic beliefs and vote. That's what America is about. Similarly if they believe things like the Patriot Act are good ideas whose time has come, that civil liberties are more trouble than their worth, then I can understand people voting that way on principle, provided they are going into it fully aware of what they are supporting.

What drives me crazy is the people who say they are voting Republican because they think Republicans are doing a bang-up job in Iraq, or because they think Republicans are the one to trust on fiscal issues, or because they think Republicans are better for our military, or because they are ethically superior somehow, or better on taxes (see the "waitress and the lawyer" story from Franken's book for examples of new taxes/expenses/costs we all have because of Bush's tax cuts for the rich ... there's no such thing as a free lunch).

Or because they knee-jerk think Democrats are worse than Republicans on issues like these, in spite of our experiences with Democratic and Republican controlled legislative and/or executive branches during the past 25 years (even taking into account things like the famous business cycle). Things like that are *really easy* to disprove (I've spent over a year doing so), and when someone refuses to look at the incontrovertible facts in front of his or her face, then that tells me I'm talking to someone who doesn't take his or her right to vote seriously.

Clearly, a lot of liberals vote with blinders on, too, and I am equally frustrated by them. With rights come responsibilities, and people who vote have a responsibility to get informed. When they refuse to do so, and *especially* when they get all cocky about it (and act like anyone who disagrees with them is an idiot), then I used to get really mad about it. Now I just don't bother with such people. They are a waste of my time. Life is too short to suffer fools, you know?

I don't blog here to convince anyone, to sway anyone's beliefs, to win political arguments (though I do sometimes enjoy such arguments), etc. I blog here to vent, to inform, to create a record of my own of the things in my life and in my country that are important to me. And I'm glad that some people find that worthwhile to read. But please don't take anything personal when I throw around terms like "idiot" or "moron" or whatever. I'm obviously being hyperbolic, and I do not mean to offend.

I'm sorry that people who otherwise seem perfectly nice and normal (i.e. Lauren) have it in their heads that they want to vote for Bush. I'm sure they feel the same way about me. Live and let live. I'm not going to go invade their blog (well, not much anyway, I try to be on my best and most respectful behavior) and prosletyze against Bush. They are welcome to come here and get informed and/or open up a debate (provided they don't freak out, piss me off and humiliate themselves a la Doc), but I'm not holding my breath.

For a fuller story about politics and personal relationships, see this from the archives (and the link to Neiwert's post is worth following).

Posted by Observer at May 28, 2004 07:02 AM