Today's Lesson in Politics

One would think the Christian conservative-lead right would have enough to worry about. What with the shooting of innocent Italians in Iraq (and equally innocent Iraqis on a daily basis), the fight to destroy Social Security, the trials of Delay's money launderers and here in Texas the shameful attempts to cheat millions of children out of quality education (so busy they over-looked 100 million in federal funds meant for poor children's healthcare and lost rights to the money).

But no, not our dear friends in the GOP. Fearful of allowing one branch of the government to perform as the constitution instructs (as a system of checks and balances), the right has started a rallying call, circling the wagons and informing the righteous of the need to weed out compromise-minded justices from the list of possible replacements for Chief Reinquist, should he retire. This in response to the latest Supreme Court ruling, striking down the death penalty for juveniles. Seems conservatives are mad at Justice Kennedy for writing the majority opinion, which concludes that murdering children violates the constitutional restriction against cruel and unusual punishment. What's even worse, he used the court of world opinion as a basis for his decision. Nothing pisses off the conservative right more than being told we shouldn't kill kids because we are the only country in the world to do so. F**k France and all those countries like them, we wanna kill!

You gotta love the inconsistency of the right. Death penalty good, abortion bad. 16 year-olds are old enough to know murder is wrong and therefore should be put to death, but not old enough to choose to have a legal abortion without parental consent. One day a 16 year-old will be put to death for ending a pregnancy and the right will sing Hallelujah and pronounce it justice, American-style. Is this a great country, or what?

While Bubba's Away

Power is a strange thing. Since Bubba invited me to post on this site, I have felt very much the guest at somebody else's party. I've tried to be reasonably polite, stay on topic, and not BWI (Blog while Intoxicated). And it's been fun, if a bit nauseating for my family. Tonight, however, I've been freed. Bubba has gone skiing for a week and I sit on the throne of power. I control the Blog and the booze, as Bubba has left me in charge of his house as well. What will he come home to?

First, I think it is about time we acknowledge the passing of Hunter S. Thompson. In many ways, Thompson was the first Blogger. At a time when journalist were supposed to be objective, third-person ciphers of the story, he was the story. Fear and Loathing...in its many forms, put the author in the center of the action, and journalism hasn't been the same since. He may have been chemically-aided, recklessly focused and maniacally self-serving, but Thompson lead the way for bloggers everywhere to go where salaried, credential, serious journalist fear to tread. Would Jeff Gannon have been a story if HST hadn't been, I don't think so. In honor of Mr. Thompson, tonight Belly of the Beast is going a little Gonzo. Enjoy!

Politics makes strange bedfellows. Why does my spouse, British Bubba, who hates what Bush has done in Iraq, the deficit and the incursion of religion in public life, think he is a Republican. My sister-in-law voices thoughts that are socialist in nature (like the inhumane disparity between the rich and the poor) yet voted for Bush in this, her first election. My brother-in-law listens to Rush Limbaugh even though he has a gay business partner and supports marriage rights. My brother, parents and in-laws think Bush is the second coming, even though they all support limited government and a strong separation between church and state. My own daughter likes the idea of Bush's SS reform. Why do all the people I love miss the forrest for the trees?

The Republican Party used to stand for limited government and strong defense (when defense meant defending our country at home) . The Democratic Party stood for social issues. Then everyone decided that winning was the most important issue, and everyone came into the middle. No longer right and left, but are you with us of against us, and where do you stand on God. What ever happened to separation of church and state?

Jim Wallis has written an interesting book, God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It. He explores the issue of why the left used to own religious politics and how they lost it. My favorite topic statement: helping the poor is mentioned 1000 times in the bible, while reducing capitol gains taxes is left curiously out. In our search for the perfect society, we have managed to screw thing up majorly. Do any of the people related to me accept this irony? Not a chance.

I plan to vote for Kinky Friedman for Governor in 2006. Some people may find this as lame as my vote for Nader on 2000, but they would be wrong. I voted for Nader because I hate both political parties and would support any viable third-party candidate, because change is good. Nader was not on the ballot in Texas in 2004 and I promised Bubba I would vote for Kerry, or I would have voted for him again. And in case you are wondering, I did NOT vote for that idiot Perot in 1992 or '96, because even I know a crazy man when I see one.

Kinky, on the other hand, is a man who stands for something. He has been a Peace Corp volunteer, runs a camp for underprivileged children and a no-kill shelter for abandon animals, and he smokes Cuban cigars. I support Roe v Wade, gun control, and the rights of every person to live and die as they so choose. We are a marriage, Made in America, destined for the future.

I'm for Kinky... What are you for?