Talking Politics

The other day I had a long conversation with one of my dearest friends about politics.  He said to that politics isn’t personal. I have to strongly disagree; politics and religion are the most personal subjects that one can endeavor to discuss.  When a candidate uses a religious stance to back his political agenda then that makes the issue personal.  When they allow religion to dictate to the rest of the country the laws they must abide by that makes politics personal. When a politician tells his tales of woe and suffering to appeal to you for your vote, he makes it personal.  When they attempt to say their way is better than your thinking and they know best, it makes politics personal.  Everyone whether or not their opinion is based on emotion or logic or some mixture of both have definite opinions regarding the issue on the platform.  Those feelings then pass forward to the candidates they desire to back.  It is all personal choices based on your life, your family, your income, your religious beliefs, and your ability to decipher to the logic involved in each situation.  You have to choose but that choice regardless is a personal one.

I am a creative mind.  I tend to think outside the box sometimes more than others. Yes I do allow my heart to guide me in some matters but the person who says they don’t is only lying to themselves.  For the record, I am a registered Democrat but honestly I tend to vote for the person I feel best suited for the job. My politics are based on the needs, financially, emotionally, and physically of the people I care most about.  My vision of the future is based in the same place.  I do not understand now or ever why people rich or poor, white or blue collar, religious or spiritual feel they have the right to dictate to me how to think or feel on any given issue especially not ones that have such a potentially huge effect on me and on my children.

I am really very frustrated with those of you who constantly question my judgment because my opinion is not your own.  Yes, at times, I do play the devil’s advocate.  I want you to think past yourself and your bank account to the good of the many and not the few.  Sometimes the good of my few outweigh your voice, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I am wrong or stupid or naïve.  Most usually it means that I am attempting to be open minded, respectful, and consider that the future isn’t about just this moment or that person.  I am not asking you to stray from your beliefs or your principles or even to change your mind.  All I am asking is to be heard and for you to listen as patiently to my thought process as you expect me to listen to yours.

I find it horrible that candidates feel the need to build larger smear campaigns than they do platforms. It is ridiculous that there have to be fact checkers going crazy to prove or disprove the speech of anyone running for a higher office.  This election is riddled highly emotion issues and the turmoil of this economy is on everyone’s mind.  But come November, one way or another, one of them will be elected and we will still have to go on be friends and family.   I think it is high time we all realize this storm cloud too shall pass.  Tolerance and acceptance are incredible qualities that I highly value.  So I am asking you to please use them in regards to each other and to me.