Fair Warning: Every four years, I get a little political.
I usually keep quiet on social media and whatnot when it comes to politics. It just doesn’t seem worth it. Screaming into the echo chamber.
I have friends on both sides of the spectrum, but the ones who are wrong generally know I think so. I don’t see a need to argue with them in front of everybody.
And, let’s be honest: there aren’t many of them. Most of my friends lean left like me. That’s how it goes, I suppose. A natural selection based on industry and education and learned kinship when discussing the world in general.
At any rate, I realize that I have come to be more angry and less vocal as time goes by.
But today, I saw a phrase I really liked. In a long post, Bill James said this before getting into the weeds on Donald Trump:
“I’m not telling you what to think. I’m telling you what I think.”
That’s a good disclaimer. CNN, Fox and the rest should be required to put that in 20 point font across the top of the screen in perpetuity.
I’m not going to reiterate Bill’s points about Trump, but I generally agree with them. It will probably be lost on the few people who read it, because it’s a dense essay, but in the latter half, he floats some really interesting thoughts about why Trump has gained the traction he has.
For my part, I’m not sure how I feel about the election yet. I like to think I keep an open mind, but there wasn’t much chance the GOP would put up a candidate I would vote fore before the Republican Primary became a legitimate circus.
On my team, I have reservations about both of the front runners. I really wish someone with a bit of Bernie’s passion and Hillary’s practicality could have emerged.
So it goes. Imperfect people for an imperfect system. How it should be.
I can’t even get that worked up over the dumb obstruction the Senate judiciary committee leveled today, playing their hand so early about now considering a Supreme Court nominee for the better part of a year.
Seems like a wasted opportunity to me. Let Obama nominate anybody and then drag out the hearings. People will get bored with the process. This kind of a stand makes for easy hashtags (#doyourjob) and could backfire when the election rolls around.
I guess we’ll see what happens, and maybe I’ll float some stronger opinions when things start to round into shape.
With two daughters now, I care more than I used to about a great many things our government does. It might be time to speak up some more.
You’ve been warned.
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Photo credit: CGP Grey via Foter.com / CC BY
