LibertyBob.com

Red Winged Black Bird on a fence post in a field.

Put Up or Shut Up

2005-07-06

Category: politics

It?s been pointed out to me, repeatedly, that I don?t comment on politics too much anymore. These days I just post short (crappy) fiction, humorous (crappy) poetry, and the odd smart-alec comment. ?Where,? they ask, ?is the Liberty of LibertyBob?? Well, I?ll tell you.

I noticed a pattern to my political writings. No matter what the issue was, I believe it could be solved through a balance of Logic and Compassion. All the problems were the same to me. Sure, I would exaggerate things for my own amusement (and hopefully yours too) but the keys were always the same. Eventually, I even proposed the creation of a Reason Party.

As my studies and work took away more and more of my time, I fell out of touch with the daily struggles of the political world. I just couldn?t keep up any more; it took too much time. It got so bad that I couldn?t even find a moment to post my normal, non-political drivel. Things fell behind.

I have a little more time now, but I still haven?t been keeping up with the political battles. It all looks the same to me. The Supreme Court expanded eminent domain. A gay governor outed himself before the story of cronyism broke. A congressman compared Gittmo to Gulags. The Pope passed and got on the fast track to sainthood. Bush said something retarded. (I?m just assuming that last one based on statistical inference.) The overriding theme here is that people do stuff.

I still have another year of school left. I have to finish it or I won?t maximize the return on that investment. I have to be fully employed. Since this is a relatively new career it will take me a while to get up to speed. It would be a real hoot to finally have a family. (The reasons I don?t have a family is a long story in itself.)

More importantly, on the political front, I keep repeating myself. I gripe, complain, make fun of, et cetera. At some point I will have to make a decision, sort of put up or shut up, so to speak. I will have to choose to be actively involved in a complete fashion or acknowledge that I?m just a whiney bitch. At present, I?m not in a position to make that decision; school comes first.

I look at the pile and wonder a bit. There are only three LibertyBob buttons left. I could always make more if needed. (I made all my buttons because it was cheaper in the long run. They?re great to do while watching television.) Spare pens and pencils stick out of the ?Trapp for Statehouse? mug; it seems like 2002 was ten years ago.

The City of Cedar Rapids has just decided to change its form of government. We had a full-time Commission and Mayor. It has served us well over the past century. Some have suggested that there may have been corruption at different times, but the one they accuse most often was one of our best and the city thrived under him. No we will have a part-time Mayor and Council with a full time city manager. If things don?t go well with the people we choose, I may have to get involved locally.

Of course, there are still national matters. There will never be a National Sex Offender Registry as long as Kennedys have any power. The Bushes will always oppose homosexuals in an effort to keep any coked-up, alcoholic relations of theirs from mixing their metaphors, if you take my meaning. The war on drugs will always be about dogmatic twaddle instead of thinking. Though I?m still in more danger from bad drivers than from terrorists, my state will still be required by federal mandate to spend more money on anti-terrorism measures than on gas for the State Troopers. I won?t even start on why we aren?t pushing for more Gasohol.

So there you have it. There are reasons why my political rants have tapered off. They may not be good reasons, or more correctly, they may not be excuses. It?s the cause none the less. I could suggest that you be patient and see what comes, but I?m not truly sure what is coming. What ever it is, I?ll try to keep you posted.


Comments (5)
You gotta pick the right guy to do the job.
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...and in domestic news, research has shown that your father left because you were such a disappointment.