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Some of my friends have asked whether I'm Democrat or Republican, here is my answer: It is now 2007 and I'm both and I'm neither, on some issues I'm conservative on others liberal, some I take a Libertarian stance and others a Centrist. There are even issues I find myself siding with the Socialists. I care about people; I care about America and I care about this world of ours to which God has given us stewardship. Yes, I believe in God, but my God may not be the same as yours, yet I respect your beliefs as I would hope you would respect mine. I oppose the Iraq War because it was foolish to try to change peoples minds at the point of a gun. Only diplomacy, and love, can bring about change in that region of the world. Violence begets violence and a government that lies to its people in order to justify an unjustifiable war should be thrown from office no matter what party it represents. What have we learned? Only that we have made the world less safe and alienated all of our allies in the world. It must end and we must have a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq and bring the National Guard troops home where they belong. Other forces should be deployed where they are truly needed. The Patriot Act should be stripped of any teeth that erode the liberties and freedoms that my father and others fought to protect. By taking away freedoms to provide some security we have destroyed that which made America great in the world. We have trampled on all that so many have fought for since the American Revolution, and we need to throw this out with the trash. I deplore extremism of any sort, whether left, right, red, blue, whatever. Extremism gave us Adolph Hitler, Pol Pot, Ida Amin Dada, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Timothy McVey, Juntas, death squads, military tribunals, Guantanamo, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (The School of the Americas), and so much that causes hate and fear in the world. As with almost everything "truth" usually lies in the middle, not at the extremes. I'm a fiscal conservative and continuing to increase the deficit to trillions of dollars that our children and grand-children will have to repay is just plain bad fiscal management. Spending money we don't have to fight wars that need not be fought, to build pork projects that serve congresspersons and corporations, to fill the coffers of large corporations such as Halliburton at the expense of the American public is unconscionable. We must bring back fiscal accountability in our government and hold the President and Congress accountable. We must find a way to remove "Corporate Personage". Corporations are NOT persons and the law should not treat them as such. The fact that they can pour billions of dollars into lobbying and elections is in direct opposition to our constitution and makes them superior to the common person and above the law. The rich own the government now as they did before the Great Depression. In 1929 we saw the results of an unregulated economy and the pillaging of the people's right to make a fair living by the captains of industry. I fear that if we do not re-regulate at least industries such as transportation, power, health care and communications which are necessary for the public good, we will be headed down the road to ruin once again. Investment in alternative energy must be more than just political fodder and we must put our money into alternative fuels that are credible instead of those which "make good press" or are politically expedient. This may mean bringing back some nuclear plants and ending investment in scientifically disproved things such as electric or hydrogen powered cars. Electric cars are "remote polluting" and not workable at this time. Maybe 80 years from now they may prove practical but to pour money into that when there are workable alternatives out there now is throwing good money after bad. Same for hydrogen power. Hydrogen is a carrier of electricity and does not produce it so it is not a true alternative power source as some presume it to be. All Americans should have a good primary education and health care as guaranteed rights for this country to survive and prosper in the world of today. We spend more on alcohol in this country than we do on the entire education system. We spend more on Video Games, Christmas Presents, Gambling, and so many other things than Education. Something is drastically wrong here. The health system is out of control and run by the Insurance companies which are themselves above the law. We need to rise above labels, cliques and pigeon holes. We need to do every thing in our power to help the weak, the impoverished, the hungry and the hurting. We must make every effort to put others above ourselves, to stamp out corporate greed and the lust for power that destroys so much in the world. We need to have compassion, empathy and show kindness. Am I "Republican"? "Democrat"? Other? NO! I am an American. Sheldon
Sheldon's Book of Quotes
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