Sunday, April 20, 2008

Bottom Line Question

As I've said before, I consider myself a social liberal, fiscal conservative, military hawk, center rightish libertarian. Essentially, if I can keep the Right out of my bedroom and the Left out of my wallet, I'm a happy camper.

Then along comes political season. Everyone begins looking to the government for solutions to the issues of the day. Why? I mean, with all due respect to the average citizen, WTF?

There seems to be a universally accepted truth in politics, no matter what one's affiliation is. That truth is simply this; most politicians cannot be trusted, and the government screws up almost everything they do.

Here is where I part company with many Republicans, and most Democrats. Past performance is often a good indicator of future behavior. If the government screws up almost everything they touch, why do we continue to ask, expect, hell, demand that they do more?

Oil prices, the sub-prime crisis, healthcare, these are all things that have people clamoring for a government solution. In God's name, WHY? Is there any reasonable expectation that whatever centralized solutions are devised will actually make things better?

I'll never understand the mental masturbation that takes place here. Feelings trump reason, and desire and effort are lauded as accomplishments. It's more important to feel, or try than to do. This isn't pussified pee wee soccer. There are no participation trophys, yet that is the way things seem to work.

Fuck that. I'm with Yoda on this one, do, or do not. There is no try.

Grab your ankles, folks. Nothing is going to be fixed in this cycle, but it going to cost us.