ALRIGHT, YOU WIN. I’LL GET MY OWN BLOG.
After posting numerous comments over the past two years on other people’s blogs, I’ve taken the advice offered by too many of them: Why don’t you get your own?
Sometimes the advice was not offered as constructive encouragement. I take pride in still being able to smile when asked to leave because I’m ruining the party.
What’s the reason I’m here?
I’m a Hoosier Democrat who’s survived in this Republican state for a few decades now. No one in Indiana has been told more often, “We like you…even though you’re a Democrat.” Or, “For a Democrat, you seem to be alright.” Better still, “Are you SURE you’re a Democrat? You seem so level-headed.”
That last one gets me going. I usually respond with a shockingly offensive comeback, somthing along the lines of “Thanks! I think I’m level-headed, too. That’s why I think Hillary would make a great President.” Or for more fun, “I guess I’m a Democrat because I’d choose the family values of Bill Clinton over those of Newt & Rudy anyday.”
My beliefs aren’t far-left, nor are they safely and conveniently moderate. A liberal Indiana Democrat often ranks far to the right of a liberal Democrat from any True Blue state. But there’s no doubt I’m to the left of the average Hoosier.
My beliefs are based on government putting people first, and on honoring and respecting the rights we all have as citizens of the United States and of the State of Indiana. They are centered around debating issues of public policy based on what is good for the people, not special corporate interests.
In this blog, you’ll get more opinion that a cut-and-paste of today’s news that you can find at the source. So to provide a fair and balanced disclosure, here’s who I am:
I’m a citizen who expects the President of the United States to be smarter than I am.
I’m a Hoosier who expects my Governor to manage state government, not pay private corporations to do it for him.
I’m not afraid to make mistakes, or admit it when I’ve made one. Don’t know how I’d ever learn anything if I didn’t make a few on a regular basis. Also don’t know why our President or our Governor think they can’t possibly make a mistake, let alone learn from the ones they’ve made.
I’m way past the “get behind the most electable candidate” begging of the Democratic and Republican Parties. When those Party Leaders actually show some intelligence and preferably some balls, then they can ask me to support their annointed ones.
I’m not about making a point (or money) by calling people names ala Ann Coulter or anyone else at Faux News Channel. Except when it comes to people like anyone at Faux News, Matt Tully of the Indianapolis Star, and a few dozen others. I prefer reasonable and honest debate and have little paitence for those who don’t.
I despise hypocrisy in the public debate arena. For example, I’m a Christian who wonders why more people don’t see that the very ones Jesus condemned in his day are the Falwells and Bakkers and Robertsons of today: money-grubbing high priests who would run over a homeless person with their Mercedes before they’d ever wash anyone’s feet.
I’ve made a career of serving others, in local government, in education, in community development, and in politics. The horse race still gets me pumped up, but the quality of the horses today ain’t what it used to be.
I’ll post when there’s something to say, just like I’ve been doing for the past two years on others’ blogs. The only difference: I won’t be annoying the blog’s author/owner anymore by challenging sacred positions and opinions.
