Election Fallout.

This will be a bit of an uncertain post to write. As well we all know, Bush won the election a week ago. Obviously in Portland there was much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. What's been... interesting I guess is to see the fallout among people whose opinions I value greatly. When I went to school in Utah, it was comical: All of God's good little children always voted Republican. Being a person with a bit of common sense, a bit of analytical ability, and a college degree that focused on valid social issues, it's hard for me to respect a group of people who would vote for Hitler were he to be nominated by the GOP.

Then I move back home to Portland. Where the general urban populace would vote for Hitler as long as he was a democrat. On either end of the political spectrum, it's just stupid blind dogma. I have a lot of thoughts on the current political landscape, but for this post (there will be more in the coming days), I want to state what I feel about what's happened.

I voted for John Kerry for the simple reason that I am, or have been an example of everything he campaigned about. I lost a job to outsourcing. I have a college degree and can't find a good job. I have no medical or any other kind of health insurance because my employer doesn't feel like they need to offer health benefits until you've been with the company for a year or so. I believe that our country can do better than it's doing, and I honestly don't think it will with George W. Bush as the president. I don't feel more safe from terrorists because we invaded Iraq and abandoned the UN. I don't appreciate being lied to by my government. Do I think it was a bad thing to remove a tyrant? No. Do you think we were honestly dealt with as to exactly why we invaded Iraq by the Bush administration? I sure hope no one is that gullible.

Am I liberal? I don't know. I don't support abortion rights at all, and I really don't care about gay marriage, which seem to be the two accused touchstones of "those darn liberals". When in reality, I know that's just a bogeyman that conservatives use to tell themselves that they have God on their side. It is a difficult place to be in. I am a spiritual and religous man, so that obviously means I don't fit in so well with the left wing of things... but on the other hand, I CRINGE when I go to fast and testimony meeting and hear that "God annointed George Bush to be out next president" (true story), because I know in my heart he is no better choice for my future or my family's. Like a lot of life, I don't feel like I fit in here or there. I have lots more to say on this... I'll take up my pen again later.