evolution

you know, i had posted a long manifesto explaining my politics on this site. i’ve seen things, mostly the rise of hostile, barking leftism, that have made me angry enough to get political. i don’t like politics, and i don’t like being angry.

i used to be about life, living, and learning. what happened to me?

i’ll tell you what; i’ll cut you a deal. i know where i stand (government exists to protect me from criminals, terrorists, and the poor house, otherwise get lost), you (however enlightened or misguided you may be) know where you stand, and we’ll call it even.

i like living, thinking, and learning too much to get caught up in the rest. i know there’s a large class of people on the coasts that think that because i’m a midwesterner from “flyover country” that i’m “more given to jingoism” (reportedly from newsweek) - i.e., that i’m an idiot who’ll believe anything anyone who waves a flag says. i have a message for you - fuck off. i’m an educated man. they don’t just hand out master’s degrees in mathematics - even at kansas state.

if you’re currently in government, i have a message for you - fuck off. you’ve done nothing but raise my taxes for wasteful breaks for big business and wasteful social programs, and interfere in my life in a myriad of other ways.

fortunately there’s a piece of paper that says i get to say what i just said. unfortunately there are groups who either ignore it or want to ratchet it down on us.

so i guess if i needed a term to describe myself, it’s “independent” - i don’t depend on east coast elites, west coast elites, other midwesterners, or you. if you need to look at a set of values that i identify with (i suppose), think midwestern.

remember that if you are a person who, like me, likes living and learning, you can get yourself really pissed off by reading what’s out there on the internet. average people and nutbags alike can voice their views out there; it’s best never to take it too seriously.

you want me to suggest someone to vote for? forget it. that’s not my style. i’ve already said i’m casting for george w. you can vote for whoever you damned well please.

ah, crap. what has politics done to me?