Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Some Thanks Are in Order on Turning 21
I turned twenty-one yesterday and did a lap of the bars, although there was no procession for accompaniment. Nonetheless, there are a few people I would like to thank. I would like to thank my boss, Aaron Dorn, for giving me half of my shift off so that I could hit the bars earlier; I would like to thank my father for paying for the drinks; and I would like to thank The Garden for that wonderful deal they have where the first shot is completely free if it is your birthday (I got a shot of Jack Daniels.) Thanks everyone!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Conservative Frustration with McCain and Why It is Illogical
I finally got a facebook account, which is why I haven't blogged recently. I actually prefer facebook to blogging, but I don't intend to shut this blog down. For the moment, a few thoughts on the presidential election:
I know a lot of conservatives who are less than thrilled with John McCain and are instead looking to side with Ron Paul and make sure that McCain never makes it to the White Houes. As a memo to such conservatives, Ron Paul is not going to be running for president come this fall, but I don't think that this frustration actually reflects a distaste for McCain so much as it demonstrates the precarious predicament of the Repulican Party.
These people; these Million Strong Against McCain; these supposed idealists searching for ideological purity in an age when that is not possible prove only one thing: Following five years of utter failure on the part of the Republicans, McCain becomes an easy scapegoat for those who want to jump ship. He might not be the best choice to use as a scapegoat, though. Surely he's had is falling out with the Republicans in the past, but ninety percent of the time, he has been right.
Guantanamo has been a disaster for America's reputation abroad; so has waterboarding. McCain was not afraid to oppose either when his party had the audacity to defend the place and practice like artivles of faith. When Republicans were crusading for a border fence and even had a candidate running for president who made this the first agenda item on his platform, McCain had the courage to stand up to the idocracy. When every politician in Washington calls ethanol a solution to the fuel crisis, it is McCain who says no, it is part of the problem.
Don't get me wrong; I'm not an idealist. I think that McCain has his flaws and I think that, come November, I will still vote for him but will be much more disillusioned with him than I am now. The politician who ended up defeating McCain in the Republican primary has taught me to be disillusioned over the years, and, whatever bad things you might say about McCain, one thing I have no hesistancy to say is that, in 2000, he probably would have been a heck of a lot better than the other guy.
I know a lot of conservatives who are less than thrilled with John McCain and are instead looking to side with Ron Paul and make sure that McCain never makes it to the White Houes. As a memo to such conservatives, Ron Paul is not going to be running for president come this fall, but I don't think that this frustration actually reflects a distaste for McCain so much as it demonstrates the precarious predicament of the Repulican Party.
These people; these Million Strong Against McCain; these supposed idealists searching for ideological purity in an age when that is not possible prove only one thing: Following five years of utter failure on the part of the Republicans, McCain becomes an easy scapegoat for those who want to jump ship. He might not be the best choice to use as a scapegoat, though. Surely he's had is falling out with the Republicans in the past, but ninety percent of the time, he has been right.
Guantanamo has been a disaster for America's reputation abroad; so has waterboarding. McCain was not afraid to oppose either when his party had the audacity to defend the place and practice like artivles of faith. When Republicans were crusading for a border fence and even had a candidate running for president who made this the first agenda item on his platform, McCain had the courage to stand up to the idocracy. When every politician in Washington calls ethanol a solution to the fuel crisis, it is McCain who says no, it is part of the problem.
Don't get me wrong; I'm not an idealist. I think that McCain has his flaws and I think that, come November, I will still vote for him but will be much more disillusioned with him than I am now. The politician who ended up defeating McCain in the Republican primary has taught me to be disillusioned over the years, and, whatever bad things you might say about McCain, one thing I have no hesistancy to say is that, in 2000, he probably would have been a heck of a lot better than the other guy.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Preachers and Politics
"Many evangelicals are expanding their idea of what it means to be pro-life. John McCain's statement that he might stay in Iraq for 100 years is going to strike many evangelicals as not being pro-life"
-Approximate statement of Jim Wallis
This is so pathetic. When he makes statements like this, it does not sound to as though what he is saying actually reflects any occurring phenomenon; Rev. Wallis is merely saying that it would be nice if it effected many evangelicals' voting status. When he says "many evangelicals," I think that he basically means himself and maybe the Sojourner staff (I exaggerate, of course.) But what is worse is that he grossly distorts Sen. McCain's statement. Sen. McCain meant that he would be willing to maintain a troop presence in Iraq for 100 years if Americans were not exposed to attacks on a regular basis (meaning, in the same way that we have had a presence in South Korea for decades without casualties.) Apparently McCain is pro-life on the question of Iraq, too. But the Rev. Wallis doesn't want to admit this fact. Reverends should do better than to bear false witness against their neighbors.
-Approximate statement of Jim Wallis
This is so pathetic. When he makes statements like this, it does not sound to as though what he is saying actually reflects any occurring phenomenon; Rev. Wallis is merely saying that it would be nice if it effected many evangelicals' voting status. When he says "many evangelicals," I think that he basically means himself and maybe the Sojourner staff (I exaggerate, of course.) But what is worse is that he grossly distorts Sen. McCain's statement. Sen. McCain meant that he would be willing to maintain a troop presence in Iraq for 100 years if Americans were not exposed to attacks on a regular basis (meaning, in the same way that we have had a presence in South Korea for decades without casualties.) Apparently McCain is pro-life on the question of Iraq, too. But the Rev. Wallis doesn't want to admit this fact. Reverends should do better than to bear false witness against their neighbors.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Taxes (Blech!)
According to my tax form I'm in the 2.68 % tax bracket, but, according to the turbotax site, I'm supposed to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% of my income this year. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with this picture?
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