Jeez, talk about twisted panties....
I said I would never talk about politics again on this journal, but this is something I feel should be addressed.
In the election, the gubernatorial race here in Maine came down to Paul LePage (R) and Eliot Cutler (I). I admit, I was torn between the two. Cutler's politics were closer to the center, but he was a Carter man (and I thought Carter sucked), so there was a problem. LePage was homeless at 11, but bounced back to become a wealthy businessman. He has tea party connections, but I don't view that as good or bad.
As it turned out, LePage won. Republicans also have the state senate and house, which hasn't happened in about 40 years. Yes, you read that right. I know some of you guys are pretty die-hard Dems, but the way I see things, the Dems have had control of this state for a long time and it's been run into the ground. It's standard business practice to boot someone when they're not doing their job properly. Guess what? That's what happened, and I'm good with it. A little mixup was needed. This career politician shit needs to get nipped in the bud. We shouldn't be letting these assholes stay in the government for longer than a few terms or it becomes more of the same, no matter the party. For that reason, I'm glad the other side is in charge. But here's the big point:
On FaceBook, an old friend from high school (a pretty hardcore liberal who voted for Cutler) said:
"Now we're a red state? You think Lepage can fix our budget because he managed Mardens? Ridiculous. Ignorant social policies do not have a place in Maine. We need to continue/start moving forward to make Maine a destination. Conservative republicans don't have the right frame of mind to be in charge here, and in four years, I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."
I left a polite comment under the entry. I basically said that a liberal Democrat (John Baldacci) has been in charge for the last 8 years, and financially, Maine is in the crapper. Therefore, by that logic, I felt it a fair trade-off to allow a conservative Republican (a businessman, at that) be Governor. After all, you can't really gauge a person's performance until they've actually done something, so it's best not to go off preconceived notions of party lines and see how it turns off. Maybe it'll work out.
Half an hour later, you know what happened? My comment was deleted, and he said, "This is not a discussion."
I thought this was extremely immature on his part. I never said anything to piss him off, just point out that maybe it'll be better than he thinks. Instead, he did what amounted to blatant censorship.
It's tough to be open-minded in politics, but remember, you can't know what someone will do until they do it. I think folks let their feelings blind them and don't keep their eyes and minds open. If you go back, you'll see that I never said Obama would suck as President, but now, after 2 years, I will say don't see what's so special about him. If people like him, fine. I just think he talks out his ass too much and his (and his staff's) lack of knowledge of the private sector is pathetic.
I want to say this: What this guy did was uncalled for and a demonstration of extreme close-mindedness. Since liberals commonly tout being tolerant, I thought it was ironic how he would just delete my comment and not even acknowledge my point. If this is liberal tolerance, then I must ask: Is it the liberals or the conservatives who don't want to listen?
In closing, I would ask that you guys note this: Elections aren't about what you want. They're about ensuring everyone gets to put in their two cents. You get what you want at a supermarket, not an election. Just remember that even though the one you voted for didn't get elected, it doesn't mean you should harbor ill will or hope they fail. Nothing gets done if your mind isn't open.
In the election, the gubernatorial race here in Maine came down to Paul LePage (R) and Eliot Cutler (I). I admit, I was torn between the two. Cutler's politics were closer to the center, but he was a Carter man (and I thought Carter sucked), so there was a problem. LePage was homeless at 11, but bounced back to become a wealthy businessman. He has tea party connections, but I don't view that as good or bad.
As it turned out, LePage won. Republicans also have the state senate and house, which hasn't happened in about 40 years. Yes, you read that right. I know some of you guys are pretty die-hard Dems, but the way I see things, the Dems have had control of this state for a long time and it's been run into the ground. It's standard business practice to boot someone when they're not doing their job properly. Guess what? That's what happened, and I'm good with it. A little mixup was needed. This career politician shit needs to get nipped in the bud. We shouldn't be letting these assholes stay in the government for longer than a few terms or it becomes more of the same, no matter the party. For that reason, I'm glad the other side is in charge. But here's the big point:
On FaceBook, an old friend from high school (a pretty hardcore liberal who voted for Cutler) said:
"Now we're a red state? You think Lepage can fix our budget because he managed Mardens? Ridiculous. Ignorant social policies do not have a place in Maine. We need to continue/start moving forward to make Maine a destination. Conservative republicans don't have the right frame of mind to be in charge here, and in four years, I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."
I left a polite comment under the entry. I basically said that a liberal Democrat (John Baldacci) has been in charge for the last 8 years, and financially, Maine is in the crapper. Therefore, by that logic, I felt it a fair trade-off to allow a conservative Republican (a businessman, at that) be Governor. After all, you can't really gauge a person's performance until they've actually done something, so it's best not to go off preconceived notions of party lines and see how it turns off. Maybe it'll work out.
Half an hour later, you know what happened? My comment was deleted, and he said, "This is not a discussion."
I thought this was extremely immature on his part. I never said anything to piss him off, just point out that maybe it'll be better than he thinks. Instead, he did what amounted to blatant censorship.
It's tough to be open-minded in politics, but remember, you can't know what someone will do until they do it. I think folks let their feelings blind them and don't keep their eyes and minds open. If you go back, you'll see that I never said Obama would suck as President, but now, after 2 years, I will say don't see what's so special about him. If people like him, fine. I just think he talks out his ass too much and his (and his staff's) lack of knowledge of the private sector is pathetic.
I want to say this: What this guy did was uncalled for and a demonstration of extreme close-mindedness. Since liberals commonly tout being tolerant, I thought it was ironic how he would just delete my comment and not even acknowledge my point. If this is liberal tolerance, then I must ask: Is it the liberals or the conservatives who don't want to listen?
In closing, I would ask that you guys note this: Elections aren't about what you want. They're about ensuring everyone gets to put in their two cents. You get what you want at a supermarket, not an election. Just remember that even though the one you voted for didn't get elected, it doesn't mean you should harbor ill will or hope they fail. Nothing gets done if your mind isn't open.