A friend recently sent me an article (full text at the bottom of this post) that made me think...
that is both sad and funny
I still constantly ask myself about whether it is the government's role or my role to make things betteri firmly believe we need government to protect us from larger evils like other governments, but i also believe that the government cannot help solve all social problems. that is best left to communities and local smaller governments that can tailor to their constituents a little better. that is where we come in and we're responsible for making things better.
I keep coming up with different conclusions.
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> Leaving the left for fun and profit
>> Jeff Gillenkirk in the S.F. Chronicle
>> After a lifetime voting for and working for Democratic candidates> and> independents, I'm finally going to make the switch and become a> Republican.>> The reasons are many, not the least of which is age. I recently> turned 55 and, having lived more than half my life, I can't afford> to worry any more about the other guy. It's time for me.>> As a Republican, I can now proudly -- indeed, defiantly -- pledge> to never again vote for anyone who raises taxes for any reason. To> hell with roads, bridges, schools, police and fire protection,> Medicare, Social Security and regulation of the airwaves.>> President Bush has promised to give me more tax cuts even though our> federal government owes trillions of dollars to its creditors. But> that's someone else's problem, not mine. Republicans are about the> here and now, and I'm here now.>> As a Republican, I can favor exploiting the environment for> everything she's got. No need to worry about quaint notions like> posterity and natural legacy. There are plenty of resources left> for everyone, and if we don't use them, someone else will.>> I want a party that doesn't worry about things before we have to.> Republicans refuse to get hog-tied by theories such as global> warming, ozone depletion, fished-out oceans and disappearing> wetlands. The real problems -- if there are any -- aren't forecast> to take hold for at least 50 years. So what do I care? I'll be dead.>> As a Republican, I can swagger and clamor for war -- in Iraq,> Afghanistan, Colombia, wherever -- even though I've never fought in> one or even been in the military. I can claim that we're fighting> for Democracy, ignoring reports of torture at Abu Ghraib, Bagram> Air Base and Guantanamo Bay,> and a spreading gulag of secret detention centers around the world.> Freedom, as every American should know after spending $300 billion> for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, isn't free.>> As a Republican, I can insist on strict moral values when it comes> to sex and ignore the growing moral chasms in business, politics,> sports, journalism and the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.> A society that loses control of its sexual urges faces unwanted> pregnancies, socially transmitted disease, broken families. Those> overzealous about wealth, however, produce only a higher GDP,> lifelong security for their family and more minimum wage jobs for> the lower classes. What's wrong with that?>> As a Republican, I can favor strict punishment of criminals, except> for those who happen to be my friends or neighbors. Isn't that the> very definition of community -- looking out for friends and family?>> I will be pro-death penalty and anti-abortion, pro-child but anti-> child care, for education but against funding of public schools. As> a Republican, I'll have a better chance of getting to spout my> opinions in the media, which for some reason seems convinced that> since Bush was re-elected with the smallest electoral margin of any> sitting president in history, liberals are passé.>> As a Republican, I'll say goodbye to "old Jesus" and hello to "new> Jesus. " Sure Christ started out as a liberal Jew, and look where> that got him.> Compassion, love and diatribes against the rich only encourage the> weak and punish the most successful among us. The Jesus that> Republicans> worship is a muscular, white, decisive, pro-war crusader hard at> work cleansing the world of evildoers, not, God forbid, turning the> other cheek.>> My decision to become a Republican didn't come easily. For years I> clung to the idea that the foundation of a democratic society was> our implied social contract, each of us committing some level of> personal sacrifice to the common good of all. I regarded taxes as> dues we pay for better roads and schools, safe inspection of meat> and dairy products, maintenance of parks and protection of> wilderness areas. I see now that looking out for the common good> resulted in shortchanging the most important element in this> formula -- me.>> Let Democrats continue promising the "greatest good for the> greatest number." Republicans clearly have my number -- No. 1.>> I'm sure a lot of my friends reading this will ask me, "How can you> sleep?" My answer will be, "Who's got time? I'm busy earning> money." While they're bellyaching about rising deficits, the> outsourcing of jobs and casualties in Iraq, I'll be marveling at> the march of freedom in the Middle East, upticks in the GDP and the> president's plan to link Social Security to the magic of the> marketplace.>> As a Republican, I simply won't listen to bad news anymore. Bad news> doesn't get me or my family anywhere. If you don't have anything> good to say about somebody, don't say anything at all -- unless it> happens to be about a Democrat, of course.
