Politics,

It seems to me,

For years,

Or all too long.

Has been concerned with right and left,

instead of right or wrong.

Richard Armour

Not that it’s anyones business, but I voted for Barack Obama. It might surprise some of you to know that I also voted for George Bush in 2004. I’ll take you back further and let you know that I voted for Al Gore, Bill Clinton (both times), George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. In 1972 I worked on Richard Nixon re-election stuffing envelopes. Now, I did this for extra credit in my government class, but I did it nonetheless.

I not ashamed of the fact that I am a bit of a CONSERVATIVE when it comes to my thoughts and feelings towards the Constitution of the United States of America. One of the definitions of Conservative as found in Webster’s is: tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions. I am good with that definition being used to describe me with regards to the sanctity of this precious document.

Nor am I ashamed of the fact that I also tend to be a bit LIBERAL in my beliefs about how this country should be governed. Again turning to my trusty old Webster’s, we find: of or constituting a political party in the United Kingdom associated with ideals of individual especially economic freedom, greater individual participation in government, and constitutional, political, and administrative reforms designed to secure these objectives. Very nice. Now do you see what I am trying to get at? Now of course there are more definitions of these two words but I think these both clarify my intent rather well.

Most people don’t realize that the very men who founded this great country and drafted our constitution shared both of these traits. They were LIBERAL in their determination to craft and establish a constitution based on the concept of liberal government. And what was this liberal government? It was one that allowed the government rule by consent of the governed (we’ve come a long way from that ideology, eh?). It allowed the freedom of man to work his land, to sell his goods, to worship his God on his terms, his way, his choice. And they were CONSERVATIVE in their dogged determination not only to accomplish this, but to ensure that what they had started would last for countless generations to come.

Now, here we are in the 21st Century and my how 232 years have changed things. Conservatives have us in a war in a country in which we have no business being in and really no chance of winning. I know, go ahead and call me unpatriotic but the last time that I checked a newspaper, Osama Bin Laden is not now, nor has he been in Iraq for quite some time. Then we have the Liberals who are looking to expand government control on just about every level imaginable.

I voted with my conscience since I have been able to vote. Although I was a member of the Republican Party for a number of years, I still voted for the candidate whom I felt was the best choice for my country. It is not a vote for Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal or Left or Right. It is, has been, and will always be a vote for what I think is right and that is the preservation of our great Democratic Republic.

I vote with the hope that at some point we can drop the party lines and work as a united and free people, much like those brave souls from two centuries ago.