saintfan

C'MON! We finally have a place to let it rip, and nuthin' but crickets up in here! Who are you? Which side do you support? Why? At what point should we run for the hills?

For example:

I am Saintfan. Raised in the south by Reagan Democrats. LOL For a time I was the only registered Republican in my family. I spent a lot of time listening to Conservative radio in my 20s and 30s and funny thing is, as a radio personality at that time you'd think I would have figured out that it's all just entertainment - on both sides.

I did eventually come to this realization. It didn't change my allegiance a'tall, but it did open my eyes a little bit to the mass-marketing - the propaganda - employed by American politicians.

These days I get my info from a variety of sources. I try to read and listen to both sides and I attempt to put some good 'ol southern common sense in the mix as I form my opinions. The marketing aspect really makes me angry - on many levels. Our Government and our politicians lie to us as a business practice. ALL of them.

As I watch our Government manufacture 'hot topic' debates I hold on very tight to the feeling I had when, after years of reading and talking with people who were there, and after discussing with people from around the world who in many cases have a much less "filtered" view, I came to know that the whole "Vietnam Thing" was a farce. When I came to that realization I was forced to re-think my position, my approach, and my Patriotism. I had to reassess my take on the 60s. Keep in mind I didn't live the 60s. I was born in 1969. My parents lived as a Military couple with a small child (my sister) in San Francisco from 67-69. The dichotomy between the military mindset and the hippie culture, especially then, and especially THERE, had to be deep and wide.

I grew up on and around Ft Polk Louisiana, where I was born because as soon as the Army sent my Dad to Vietnam my Mom went home. He went to war (for the second time) in February, 1969. I was born two months later. People with a military background have a unique view - no more and no less valid, but unique. I never served because my recruiter was a lying bastard, and thankfully, with my background I could see that. Trust me when I tell you that I admire and respect anybody who served in any capacity in any branch. We have built monuments and have holidays in their honor. It isn't enough, and you cannot grasp it unless you have been in or very close to it. You just can't.

Anyway, I'm Conservative overall, maybe even Moderate. Certainly Liberal on some things. I don't like big Government, and even though in many areas my guts tells me things are spiritually or morally wrong, I fully support and person's right to the pursuit of happiness. That is, after all, what this country is supposed to be about. If you aren't hurting someone or some thing - if you aren't abusing a child - I'm pretty much willing to leave you be. Some things just aren't for ME to judge, or at least not for me to act upon.

But make no mistake. I LOVE a good discussion. I like to debate (some say argue), but at the end of the day, maddening as your view on a thing may be to me, I respect your right to respectfully disagree. Let's argue until we're ready to kill one another, and then lets have the ability to cut it out, sit back, relax, have a beer, and talk about our Saints! I have learned a lot by shifting from hard-core to this more open approach. Indeed it takes all kinds to make a world.

I can tell you this: There is ALWAYS more than one view, and neither side, regardless of the topic, has a monopoly on 'correct'. I believe that Conservatives, Moderates, and Liberals need to COME TOGETHER and take our country back from the career politician. I believe campaign finance reform, tort reform, term limits, and a shift back to what the Constitution actually says (not what the academics want it to say) are each good places to start, and I believe it CAN be done if, in fact, Americans are willing to set aside their differences. Not only do I think we CAN do it. I think that for the sake of our children we MUST do it.

So c'mon. Follow up here with a little about yourself. Let's get some good discussion going on up in here. Let's bash each other upside the head with our different views, and let's come out on the other side with a collective mindset to take back ownership of America. It is ours after all!

Trust in Allah, but tie up your camel...

OldMaid

"I can tell you this: There is ALWAYS more than one view, and neither side, regardless of the topic, has a monopoly on 'correct'. I believe that Conservatives, Moderates, and Liberals need to COME TOGETHER and take our country back from the career politician. I believe campaign finance reform, tort reform, term limits, and a shift back to what the Constitution actually says (not what the academics want it to say) are each good places to start, and I believe it CAN be done if, in fact, Americans are willing to set aside their differences. Not only do I think we CAN do it. I think that for the sake of our children we MUST do it."

I agree with you here.

saintfan

Bump!

C'mon people. Tell your story!

Danno

I truly feel the only way to save this nation is to defeat Liberalism in any way possible.

If that means voting for the lesser of two evils (moderates) for the next 40 years so be it. Eventually we'll trend toward conservatism in both parties instead of the extremist views the left vomits upon us daily.

SloMotion

... bump ... alright, "hello, my name is 'SloMotion', and I'm a poli-sci-aholic", ... not really, when it comes to politics, I'm a bit of an enigma in that I have come to support and/or disagree with both the major parties on a wide range of issues and have come to genuinely dislike the entire political process ... hey, I'm a Taurus & avoid conflict at any cost, yet, I spent 12yrs of my life fighting in the infantry ... see what I mean? ... enigma, you figure it out, eh?

I guess I would best describe myself as a fiscal conservative and a social liberal ... in other words, when it comes to taxes & spending I tend to agree with the Repubs and when it comes to social issues, I tend to agree with the Dems ... real, hardcore middle-of-the-road stuff, I know, ... I just try to look at each issue individually and measure how it affects me directly, how it affects my neighbors, city, county, state and then how it affects the country before deciding where I stand, which tends to be all over the place, but I do know I'm not a big fan of 'partisan politics' or following the herd.

This is the only board I've ever expressed a political opinion on and I do it secure in the knowledge that at the end of the day, everybody around here respects each other's opinions regardless if they agree or not and remain friends, or as close of friends as you can be somewhat anonomously on a message board. For that, I commend you all and I look forward to flip-flopping on a great many issues as we move forward.

... this space intentionally left blank ...

saintfan

If everyone would do that we wouldn't be in the situation we're in. I'm a Taurus too, and I love a good argument. LOL Go figure.

SloMotion

It is uncanny some of the things I see in your posts that we have in common, ... even with you being out there on the 'left coast' and me in the heart of the 'Rust Belt' ... you know I got Section 8 neighbors as well? ... and I might just be having an affair with Zoey?, .

Danno

No, you did not just go there did you???

SloMotion

... hehehe ... I'd edit it out, but you already 'quoted' it, .

saintfan

Oh no you did NOT just use the words "affair" and "Zooey" together ?!?! Blasphemer!!!!!!!

This is not possible and thus you sir have been exposed (like Forever Fan) as a teller of the untrue. One simply cannot have an, uh hem, "affair" with Zooey. One can only have a truly meaningful life-altering spiritual/political stance-changing moment of heavenly bliss. You pretenders simply cannot grasp the angelic presence of Zooey Deschanel. You can have her sister...