Hello All,
This is my first diary, so I thought I would tell a little about me. I have to defend my name. If I begin to ramble and not make since, it is because I am also playing poker online.
Although my parents were Democrats, when I was first able to vote, I registered Republican. I lived in Oklahoma. We grow up here hearing all the ProLife information. I also was listening to Rush, and believed in the "Compassiate Conservatism." In 1997, I married an intelligent woman who was and is a staunch Democrat. We have voted against each other on a majority of issues. But, we did vote together on a few others. In 1999, we moved to Texas. While down there, I fell into the Vote Bush trap. In 2000, I voted Bush. But then, it all started to change.
My wife's grandmother is really into politics. She and I used to really get into some heated debates. In 2000, or early 2001, she told us we would be in Iraq. Even my wife did not believe her, so how was I supposed to believe her? President Bush wouldn't lead us into a senseless war. After 9-11, I stood behind President Bush and the push to stop terrorism. I believe Afghanistan was and is the correct place to start. When President Bush talked about WMD's, I believed. As the war drew on, my wife and her grandmother were beating me up in the debates. I had to look at the facts at the time. No evidence of any kind of WMD's. But, President Bush would NOT lie to us. He is a Christian. He asks God to bless our country. But, no evidence of WMD's. Grandma did say we would be in Iraq before the war began. I decided, Yes, President Bush was not telling the full truth.
In late 2003, we moved back to Oklahoma to be closer to family. I registered Democrat. I still believe the Republicans in taking responsibility for your lives to some extent. I am also still ProLife in my beliefs, but believe the expectant mother deserves the right to choose. These items plus a few political quizzes pointed that I am actually a Moderate on either side. Since reading Kos, I have moved more to the left, and I like to think of myself as a Progressive.
Now, one of the things pissing me off is the Republicans and what they are doing to those living in poverty, or right above. They have these people voting on abortion and abortion alone. They do not understand the administration's role in the economy. I see these people barely making a living. I have one employee who will lose state-funded health care for her three year old girl next year when I give her a modest raise. That insurance will now have to come out of her pocket. She is already at the point where she is deciding between food and gas to get to work. Now, an added cost of health insurance. Every time I try to talk to her about her politics, she responds with: abortion, Bill Clinton's sexual exploits, and national security. They are using people's morality, and I am fed up. We need to remind people, although the Republicans say we can't, Democrats can be Christians also, and that morality extends beyond the issues the Republicans spout.
Now I have to get back to my poker game, I am losing.
Thank you for listening to my rant. And thank Markos for allowing us this opportunity.
Also, Georgia10 is one of my favorite bloggers!