Where Do I Stand?
Lately, I find myself wondering where I stand politically. Am I a democrat or a republican? Do I support the Bush Amdinistration? Not really, but I don't always disagree with the decisions of the federal government, just as I don't always agree.
As I've reached my mid-twenties, I feel as if my uber-liberal stance on life has hardened a bit. I've been working full time after college for almost three years now, and I've begun to realize that the world isn't so black and white. The issues that plague our globe are not simply bipartisan, and it's not as easy to simply take a "side" in a discussion. Political issues are much more complex, and can often be viewed from multiple angles, stances and views. What an American might find normal and proper, a European might find absurd and downright sickening.
Perhaps I should have learned this while studying journalism and political science in college, but there truly is only so much you can learn in a classroom. Only after moving into the real world, with bills to pay, a career to embark upon and taxes levied, have I even begun to grasp how the world functions.
I do not presume to ever fully understand the complexities of this earth, and the countless nations, cultures and political philosophies that govern it. However, one defining thought has seemed to dominate my thoughts of late. With all the political turmoil across the globe in recent weeks (Cuba, Israel/Lebanon, Iraq, Colombia/Venezuela), it has become apparent that a partisan view of politics is simply absurd. The entire idea of walking a party line limits one's ability to even facilitate a rational belief.
Only when we all establish our views on an issue-to-issue basis, will we truly find viable solutions to the world's issues. It's time we all think for ourselves, rather than allow an identifying icon like an elephant or a donkey choose for us.
I guess this officially makes me an independent in search of a symbol.
posted by Wozzy Bear @ 12:33 PM
8 Comments:
woz, i learned a while ago that unless u like to be brainwashed, its pretty hard to follow one party's stance on all issues. being for a liberal minded area with strong religious groups in the northeast, it is easy to be pulled both ways. at one point u are told to think freely with your mind and go into it with an open opinion. at the same time, most people still have some religious background and these usually help develop some morals and that pulls u in a different direction on issues.
open mind = liberal
religious views = conservative
now this has really just become lately. the whole basis of the republican party is for less government involvement in things and crap like that. but religious zealots have hijacked the party and used it for their own views. one can be a republican at heart but when it comes to their stance on things like stem cell research and abortion and war it is harder to follow their views. at hte same time it is harder to follow the democrats all the time too. growing older u dont like to see all your money that u pay in taxes go to waste. u begin to see what your taxes go towards and realize that it isnt always worth it. also, sometimes liberals are too left wing and not good.
in the end i say go independent of mind into everything. and base your decisions on the topic at hand and not what some party is telling u to think or what u think fits your overall political views. go case to case. easiest way to deal with your own ease this way.
"in the end i say go independent of mind into everything. and base your decisions on the topic at hand and not what some party is telling u to think or what u think fits your overall political views. go case to case. easiest way to deal with your own ease this way."
Right on brother...that's exactly what the point of this post was. I wanted to emphasize the need to formulate an opinion on an issue-to-issue basis.
Unfortunatelty, this is not how newsreporting approaches politics.
NY Post =
Conservative/Republican. NY Times = Liberal/Democrat. CNN = Liberal/Democrat. Fox News = Conservative/Republican.
Many people read the news, or watch the news, and have no idea that this is the case. Many fail to see that the news is not covered objectively. Sadly, it's covered in a partisan manner. We are left to formulate unbiased and non-partisan views on our own.
the best was the political cartoon in the post today. a bunch of elephants in straight jackets cheering for the senator nominee who beat out lieberman in conn.
lieberman is a friend of bush's and has many conservative views that almost make him a conservative. ny post was not happy about him losing.
Yeah, I read the NY Post everyday as well and laughed at that smae cartoon during lunch. What's even more disturbing is the paper's insistence upon running the "Paul LoDuca Divorce/19 Year Old Mistress" story on the FRONT PAGE for three straight days! We have a war going on between Lebanon and Israel, that our Govt. is supporting, yet the starting catcher for the NY Mets and his extramarital affair is what gets top billing. Simply amazing....
It is always interesting the importance we put on a name.
For example I know people that say they could never be republicans and that they are democrats. Yet, when you actually break it down to them and discuss individual issues, you realize that their views are actually the antithesis of the democratic party. Same thing has happened with people claiming to be Republicans yet their views fit with the democratic party.
It seems some people are so concerned about the label that the actual issues and views become irrelevant.
Democrats = Social Justice.
Republicans = Haliburton, Cheney, Enron, Ken Lay, privitazation of Social Security (give the $ to Wall Street crooks) and so much more.
Looking back, amazingly, the last liberal president was ... Richard Nixon. He could never be elected as a Republican today - too liberal. Not religious enough. Would not pass the litmus tests Republicans require today. Heavan help us. Please.
As far as the issues today go, I'm about as opposite as a republican as one can be. Maybe that's overstating it a bit, but I would never consider myself a republican today. Yet, when I look at the core tenet of republicanism, the want of a smaller governemnt, its something that I truly believe in. Today however, that has gone out the window. The Repubs today want more government, they want the government to control its citizens' daily lives with what they watch on TV, what they hear on the radio, what they read, what they eat, etc. Neither party believes in smaller government any longer and it pisses me off to no end. I've been done with the Democratic and Republican parties for a few years now.
My advice, in the congressional elections, vote democrat if possible just to have some much needed checks & balances that have been lacking the past 4 years. But if you can't find a democrat that you are confortable voting for, than go independant. As for presidential elections, I don't see myself voting Dem or Repub for quite some time.
Also, I'm happy as hell that Liebermann lost Connecticutt. Hope its a big wakeup call that you can't just call yourself something that doesn't fit simply to get elected. The people in Conn. finally stood up to a lying politician. Ned Lamont is a good man and I hope he wins the congressional seat.
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