I'm an apathetic middle-class, middle-brow, middle-of-the-road Republican
Ever since the GOP lost it's majority in Congress in 2006, I have posted a lot of the analysis, criticism and debate that is taking place in the GOP. And, since November, I have often agreed with the dissenting voices in the GOP but never 100%. I post excerpts from articles such as the two below to stimulate thought and discussion.
This blog is not an echo chamber. (There are plenty of blogs which are.) My blog can never be an echo chamber because I've never been very good at toeing any party line. Probably because I was born and raised in a society which not only discouraged dissent but punished it, I just don't get any sort of "group-think." For me, the Bill of Rights is an expression of individual sovereignty and personal liberty not "group rights." If I wanted group rights or wanted to toe the politically correct party line, I'd join the Democratic Party.
The thing is: I'm quite content with the GOP. It sure isn't perfect. It's simply the lesser of two evils in a fallen world. I may criticize certain aspects of the GOP but that's in order to stimulate debate and strengthen our arguments not to purge the party. I'm quite happy co-existing with libertarians and the little blue-haired ladies who are the backbone of local party politics; the religious right and the Chamber of Commerce types. We all have one thing in common: we all love America just the way it is.
Or at least that's what I used to think. I always associated discontent with the status quo with the Left but it seems that many on the right also think America needs to be changed and improved. Whereas the Left wants to advance the clock ahead of it's current setting, it seems that some on the Right want to turn back the clock to an imaginary Golden Age. I'm quite content with having the clock set at it's actual time - which is right now as messy as it is.
Right now isn't perfect. The world of human beings never has been and never will be perfect. Hamlet set out to bring justice but only succeeded in creating more misery. I don't feel oppressed or outraged or disenfranchised or victimized. I've got exactly as much wealth, power and influence as I want, deserve and need. And I think a lot of ordinary middle-class Americans feel the same way. For me, activism is not something the middle-class does.
Yes, I'm an apathetic middle-class, middle-brow, middle-of-the-road Republican who is quite happy with the muddled and messy GOP but do you feel dumbed down by my blog or exorted to think? I prefer to be intellectually stimulated.
This blog is not an echo chamber. (There are plenty of blogs which are.) My blog can never be an echo chamber because I've never been very good at toeing any party line. Probably because I was born and raised in a society which not only discouraged dissent but punished it, I just don't get any sort of "group-think." For me, the Bill of Rights is an expression of individual sovereignty and personal liberty not "group rights." If I wanted group rights or wanted to toe the politically correct party line, I'd join the Democratic Party.
The thing is: I'm quite content with the GOP. It sure isn't perfect. It's simply the lesser of two evils in a fallen world. I may criticize certain aspects of the GOP but that's in order to stimulate debate and strengthen our arguments not to purge the party. I'm quite happy co-existing with libertarians and the little blue-haired ladies who are the backbone of local party politics; the religious right and the Chamber of Commerce types. We all have one thing in common: we all love America just the way it is.
Or at least that's what I used to think. I always associated discontent with the status quo with the Left but it seems that many on the right also think America needs to be changed and improved. Whereas the Left wants to advance the clock ahead of it's current setting, it seems that some on the Right want to turn back the clock to an imaginary Golden Age. I'm quite content with having the clock set at it's actual time - which is right now as messy as it is.
Right now isn't perfect. The world of human beings never has been and never will be perfect. Hamlet set out to bring justice but only succeeded in creating more misery. I don't feel oppressed or outraged or disenfranchised or victimized. I've got exactly as much wealth, power and influence as I want, deserve and need. And I think a lot of ordinary middle-class Americans feel the same way. For me, activism is not something the middle-class does.
Yes, I'm an apathetic middle-class, middle-brow, middle-of-the-road Republican who is quite happy with the muddled and messy GOP but do you feel dumbed down by my blog or exorted to think? I prefer to be intellectually stimulated.
posted by Joubert at 4:56 PM
The Alliance
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