I vividly recall the 2020 presidential campaign. Anytime I said anything that was not 100% supportive of Donald Trump or the Republican Party I was attacked with vicious comments, usually from people I don’t even know, alleging that I was a stupid, evil, RINO who was unfaithful to the GOP cause. My recourse was to simply block those folks and unfriend them, and there were a lot of them! Well, it has started again, so let me set the record straight.
I am no longer political partisan. Yes, I served in public office as a Republican from 1992-2014, but I have NOT been involved in partisan politics since I left public office ten years ago. If you’re looking for partisan political commentary or unwavering support for any candidate or party, you won’t find it here.
These days I teach government and politics to young people, and I try to avoid partisan politics at all costs. I just try to be an independent and objective observer of politics, and comment on the important events of the day as I see them.
Sometimes I am supportive of the GOP, and sometimes I am critical. That’s just the way it is. I call it as I see it.
However, I will admit that I am seldom supportive of the other side. I just don’t have much in common with Democrats from a policy perspective, although I do have many friends who are Democrats and I try to be respectful of their views. Yes, that is possible in the real world and among mature people.
For the record, I voted for Donald Trump in 2020 (not that it’s anyone’s business), and I plan to vote for him again in November. Not because I agree with everything he says or does, because I don’t. I will vote for him because I think he is the best choice among two less than desirable options.
But let’s be clear. I will not be a rubber stamp for Trump or anyone else, nor should you. That promotes authoritarianism and it is dangerous in a democratic system.
So, if you’re looking for a Trump/GOP rubber stamp, someone who will always toe the party line, you may not want to follow my page because that’s not my style. Feel free to unfriend me. In fact, I encourage you to do so.
However, if you value objective political analysis that tries to inform and make you think, and sometimes challenges the majority point of view, then I welcome your presence and your input. Just keep it civil. Otherwise, you will join the ranks of those who have been unfriended and blocked!
One last thought.
Political polarization and vitriol are as high in our country right now as they have been in a long, long time. Don’t be part of that problem.
You are entitled to your beliefs, but so are others. Just because someone sees the world differently than you do does not make them stupid or evil.
As Ronald Reagan once said, the person who agrees with you 80% of the time is an 80% friend, not a 20% traitor.
Differences of opinion are what make us stronger, assuming we are willing to listen and learn. Our entire political system was designed to promote compromise and moderation, and suppress extremism, either from the political right or the political left.
Unless you are prepared to tear that system down and replace it with something else, respect that. And trust me, whatever system you are prepared to replace it with will not be as good as the system we currently have.
I hope this helps set the record straight for some of you who seem to think that anyone who doesn’t agree with you and your vision of the world 100% of the time deserves to be condemned and ridiculed. They don’t. Grow up.