God Bless Facebook!
(There! I said it!)
I'll admit it - the only reason I ever signed on to FB was because I needed to do so as a means of following the planning for my 30th high school reunion a few years back.
I've gotta admit, though... old friends... re-connections... new friends... all the photos, jokes, stories...
Yep. There's plenty of crap on FB. That said... there's plenty of good stuff too!
L.B.C. was actually a classmate of mine... a classmate who married a childhood friend of mine with whom I'd had a falling out. (My fault!)
She and I didn't run in the same circles, but of course we knew each other.
Anyway... once I got on FB my "former" buddy and I reestablished our ties through common bonds, interests, and memories. Next thing I know... I'm friends with his wife... my former classmate... L.B.C. It turns out we have lots in common as well!
Anyway... common interests and friendship doesn't mean people are always gonna agree on everything. That's cool. As everyone knows, my big "thing" is politics... and economics... and history... foreign affairs... governance... philosophy... ethics...
(*GUFFAW*)
So... a few days ago a conversation about personal financial responsibility branched out to a discussion on banking... which then focused on "bad bankers"... and then touched upon Thomas Jefferson and his contemporaries...
(*STILL CHUCKLING*)
Anyway... at one point I suggested L.B.C. check out my blog. She did. Next think I know the conversation moves to the Tea Party, the Koch Brothers, and Monsanto!
(*CHOKING BECAUSE I'M LAUGHING SO HARD*)
So... in honor of L.B.C. allow me to reiterate my general thoughts on the Tea Party:
First and foremost, there is no unified "Tea Party" in the sense there's a Republican Party and Democratic Party.
When referring to the "Tea Party," the most inclusive description of those who would consider themselves "members" applies to constitutional and economic issues. Pretty much anyone who would consider himself or herself a "Tea Partier" is well versed in the history, text, and meaning of the Constitution and views the Constitution as the Supreme Law of the Land with the Amendment Process being the only legitimate method of changing the meaning of the document (and it's Amendments) in terms of how's it was written, read and adhered to from the perspective of those Founders and post-Founders who created our Supreme Law of the Land 1788 thru 1992.
(*EXHALE*)
As to economic issues... Tea Partiers believe in financial responsibility, free markets, and the invisible hand; we hate crony capitalism as much... and perhaps even more... than we hate socialism. Tea Partiers believe in small government centered at the lowest level (villages, towns, counties, states) closest to the People.
Are Tea Partiers "anti-government." No. Anti-big government, yes... anti-out of control government, yes... libertarian-leaning government... yes!
Now... beyond such broad statements as I've already posted... what does the (so-called) Tea Party stand for? Well, that's not a simply answerable question due to the fact that, as previous stated, there is no unified "Tea Party" with an actual platform as such. (And even if there was a platform... well... how many Republicans or Democrats believe in 100% of their Party's platform?)
All I can tell you folks is what I believe in.
I believe in the Constitution. As written. As intended to be understood line by line as each line was ratified and put into effect as a part of the Supreme Law of the Land.
I believe America was founded as a Republic and that if it were up to me we'd still be a Republic. (Yes... I'm saying we're no longer a true Republic.)
I believe that America should be the strongest military power on earth... but... that we should not be the world's "policeman." I fear and find unAmerican the military-industrial complex Eisenhower warned us about. I believe in a foreign policy that always looks to the interests of America first in the sense of George Washington's vision of foreign policy.
I believe in individual rights... and yes... in God Given Rights above and beyond the legitimate power of any government to take away from "We the People."
I believe in fiscal prudence, limited taxation, limited governmental expenditures, and strongly opposed "redistribution" of wealth.
I believe in honesty, integrity, self-reliance, and true charity as individual conscious dictates.
I could go on and on and on... but simply browsing this blog will tell the interested reader pretty much anything and everything he or she would want to know about me and my beliefs.
My bottom line as far as the "Tea Party" is concerned...
(*PAUSE*)
If one opposes the Tea Party... if one isn't in line with key Tea Party ideals... then one either doesn't understand what the Tea Party concept is all about... or... one rejects the fundamental American ideals upon which I place my hopes, faith, love, and beliefs in favor of so-called "progressive" (and) "fundamental" change.
To my friend L.B.C: If we disagree then we disagree. I'm always ready to discuss, and yes, debate, my views... my reality... my beliefs... but I'm also content to tailor my interactions to less divisive pursuits... "non-political" conversations.
(*WINK*)
Finally... whether one agrees or disagrees with me... I can guarantee that regular readers of my newsbites and stand-alone posts will gain knowledge... context... that otherwise they might not.
The thing about me... my ideals and philosophy... I'm not really a "Republican." I'm certainly not a "Democrat." My libertarian streak is wide but not all-encompassing. I'm pro-order but anti-establishment. I'm not a warmonger, but neither am I blind to the threats we face. (Where it gets confusing to some is where I see those threats coming from - often they come from us... particularly from the neo-cons embedded in both major Parties.)
Trust but verify...
Do unto others...
What's good for the goose...
Again... I'm pretty much an open book. Read me! Enjoy me! Learn from me!
(*CHUCKLE*)
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