I pledge allegiance to Grover Norquist

Would somebody explain that to me?

Call Me Simple

The Sunday morning talk shows are still arguing whether taxing the wealthy is punishing the "job creators." Put an end to that issue by giving tax breaks to the job creators, whether they are wealthy or not. If they create unnecessary jobs to qualify, their businesses will suffer or fail. Incentive to act smart. I guess I think in such simple terms I don't understand the problem.

What sticks in my craw is the idea of giving tax breaks to the corporate executives who steal from the shareholders to finance their own extravagant lifestyles. Examples abound, from Enron to the financial institutions. Million dollar bonuses are being handed out to executives whose companies lose millions. The only jobs created are for makers of gold plumbing fixtures and teak decks for the yachts.

Pigeonholes

I just read another lame article grouping those of us who believe in global warming with those who hate the constitution and guns and are conspiring to create unemployment, poor school performance, and starvation by Guinea worm. Now I truly don’t believe that hair spray is killing the ozone layer, but something is going on for sure. Glaciers have always shed chunks into the sea from time to time, but this time it seems a bit excessive.

Another author has implied that if I believe in evolution I must be a Godless heathen liberal Gore-hugger. I’m reaching for a connection, but it is eluding me. Neither God nor the forces of evolution or global warming gives a rat’s ass what I believe.

One thing I do believe is that if one more smarty-pants tries to pigeonhole me because of my age, my gender, my voting record, my religion, my race, or any other category, you don’t know what you’re talking about. None of those factors can predict what leaders I support. Show me someone who has character, integrity, and shows courtesy and a goal of public service and that person will get my vote.

politics

Well, we're not supposed to discuss politics or religion in polite company, but I'm talking to myself here. It's my blog and I'll say what I want to.

I want to like both candidates better than I do. Flip-flops don't bother me a lot, because new information always comes along that we hope a candidate would listen to. A wise person said that "I wouldn't want to join a club that would invite me in." A corollary is that I wouldn't trust anyone who would actually want to be a politician, particularly a successful one. You have to sell a little bit of your soul to the devil or the party or the contributors to stay pure. Maybe pure is overrated anyhow.

Confucius said something like "To know that you know what you know, and to know that you don't know what you don't know, is true wisdom." I don't know, for example, why McCain is so reluctant to put any distance between himself and George. He is giving George credit for lowering the price of oil by $3.00 a barrel by announcing his support for offshore drilling, and joining that support. What about the fact that the price of oil went from $28.00 to $143.00 in George's watch? Just being practical, support for offshore drilling may cost McCain the Florida vote, because we're nuts about our Gulf.

Another thing I don't know is why Obama doesn't do more to counter the internet chatter that "exposes" him as not just a Muslim, but a secret agent of Al-Quaida who has been on a mission since before 9/11 to take over this country and turn it over to them? Show some backbone, Barack! I dunno.