A Topic I've Been Avoiding

But I Would Rather Do This Than Housework.

I've been sort of avoiding the topic of politics lately because it grows tiresome. I have been paying attention and all, I just haven't been talking about it. I'm still as opinionated as ever, however, I no longer feel the need to engage people of extreme viewpoints anymore. I just nod and half listen anymore when they start on their stuff. It's better that way. I'm not going to change their minds, and I figure if I don't listen too hard I might not lose much more respect for them than I already have.

Something has been nagging at me for years now, I don't talk much about it because it just doesn't make sense. I've never been able to understand this nearly universal and irrational hatred of Pres. Bush. I just don't get it. I happen to like the man enough. I like him much better than I do John McCaine. I just don't understand the Bush derangement syndrome. I don't know who coined that term, but it's about the most accurate description I have heard of this phenomena yet, so I'm going with it.

I think he seems like a stand up guy. In fact, my only complaint about him is that he has not been more verbally forceful against his critics, but given the many people I hear talk about how much they hate him, I guess that would be impossible. I don't like Hillary or Obama's political views at all, but I can't muster the hatred for them that I see and hear people spouting about Bush. These same people when I do ask them why they hate him so much usually say, "He's an idiot!" Really? I don't think so, in fact, some of these same name callers admittedly can't even begin to articulate the difference between a Democrat and a Republican, and yet, they know Bush is an idiot, because, "listen to him talk, he's stupid!" they say.

President Bush is going to go down as the biggest and most convenient scapegoat in history. Everything and anything from Katrina, to nosebleeds is blamed on Bush, and Bush alone, and will be for years to come. When discussions of the economy arise, "it will all be better when Bush leaves office!" is what I hear out of these people. I really don't think it's Bush's fault people are defaulting on their mortgages left and right, but I guess that is a convenient excuse. You know it was Bush's fault those people didn't get the hell out when the massive storm of the century was bearing down on them.

When the economy tanks under our new liberal leaders overreaching regulation, and new social programs, it will be Bush's fault. "We inherited this poor economy from Bush!" they will say. In all fairness, that's what was said about Clinton, that Bush inherited his poor economy. It's a trend, and honestly, I think most people are too stupid to understand how it all works anyway, so it sounds good in a campaign commercial. Hell, I'm too stupid to understand our complex economy, I can't offer any wisdom there. I don't know why the heck things are like they are.

I sometimes wonder given the sheer numbers of people I disagree with on political issues, am I the one that's stupid? Maybe I've got it all wrong. I don't even agree with Republicans on McCain. How did he come to be our nominee he's nothing like what I wanted.

Someone asked me the other day, "Who do you think will win, not who do you plan to vote for, but who do you think will win?" Without hesitation I said, "Obama". But I added the caveat that is if he can overcome this scandal with his extremist pastor who he claimed as his mentor. That situation will not bode well for Obama. His glory days are over, he will have to get his claws out to overcome that. He seemed quite an untouchable candidate up until those clips of his pastor's maniacal ranting and ravings came out. The U.S. of KKK A. is going to stick. People will have lost trust of Obama now. However, his charisma is quite high, and he may be able to just move on right past all of it.

There is something about Obama, he has a very charming factor about him. Even I listen to him and think, wow, he seems like such a nice guy. Of course, I cannot agree with his politics, but I can see the draw. People like him and trust him. Anybody who doesn't see him as a contender is being seriously naive. If Obama wins the nomination, I think he will win the Presidency. Team Clinton thus far has not succeeded in bringing out very much dirt on the guy, if they can't summon the sludge needed to bring him down, nobody can.

Then again, it would not be in the Democrats best interest to throw too much mud against each other, and it is obvious Hillary has had a tight rope to walk with that. At some point they will be facing off with McCain, and it would not pay in the long run to ruin any Dem's chance of winning the ultimate power. I like to watch them slug it out though, it's nice knowing the Republicans are decided, even if I don't agree with the choice.

That's where I'm at with it right now. We'll just see what happens.