yes, dad! :) thanks, seriously, though
-------------- Original message -------------- From: Astromancer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ditto, Keith...What are you waiting for??? Bosco Bosco <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Damn Keith. You're a hell of a good writer. I love your insights and the skill with which you present them. Have you ever considered pursuing it further? If so, have you written anything I could see? Bravo!!! Bosco --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > well, that's the balancing act of being a leader of any kind: > weighing what you think is right versus what those you serve think. > Always keep only your own counsel, and you're an autocrat, harmful > to the people. Do whatever is popular, and you're a weakling, not > helping the people to see what's best for them in times when they > don't know it themselves. > > Maybe I'm a cynic, maybe I distrust authority. But I always think > of those times in history when the majority (or the most vocal and > influential minority) of the population wanted something that > wasn't right or moral, or simply efficacious in the long run: when > whites wanted slavery, then later, Jim Crow. When men didn't want > women to vote. When Germans actively wanted--or passively agreed > with--the subjugation of the Jews. When white South Africans wanted > their colored countrymen to remain as second class citizens. A > century from now, perhaps some will look back on a society that > taxed gays but refused to let them serve in the military equally, > or enjoy the same domestic rights as the rest of us, and say "If > only there had been a leader who'd done what was right instead of > what was popular". After 9-11, this country wanted blood--anyone's > blood. I always liken America's mood then to that of a crazed dog > that snaps at and attacks whomever happens to be near. Bush and his > gang poin > ted us in that direction, then said "This is what they want". And > all of our leaders--almost every dang one of them with a few > notable exceptions--went along with that fevered fervor, afraid to > buck the will of the people. Well, that's why I have a leader: to > see things more clearly in times when perhaps I can't, to make > decisions based on more information and considered thought than I > have. > > If I'm going to have someone lead me, it's because he or she has > the capacity sometimes to make me better, to see the bigger picture > in ways I can't always do. That requires someone with certain > convictions and basic principles that will guide him or her, that > won't change with the times or the whim of the public. A leader > should be a rudder for a ship in a storm (lots of metaphors I > know!) that can guide us in the right direction. Yes, sometimes > sticking to a set of beliefs stubbornly can be wrong. Bush is proof > of that in the way he's singlemindedly pursued a disastrous foreign > policy. But you know, at least I know where Bush stands, and > that's a good thing because i can then decide that he's not right > for the job and get him out. I know who and what he is, and I've > decided he's not right for me. There's a certain honesty and > courage in his stance, that allows me to see him for what he is and > then--fire him. And that's the point: a leader leads by trying to > get us to go in cert > ain ways, based on what we want and what he or she thinks is best > for us. If those two views differ greatly, then perhaps that leader > will be sent packing. Look at how McCain is hated for > ultra-conservatives because he wants a more reasoned approach to > illegal immigration, and the Bush tax cuts. But despite what it's > costing him, he still holds to those views. yet at the same time, > he's trying to modify them somewhat to go along with the people. A > balancing act. > > But with someone like Romney, who keeps changing to meet the mood > of the day, how can we ever know whether he's ultimately good or > bad for us? How will I know that in that one moment when I am > wrong, and I need him to be right, he won't do the popular thing > instead of the right thing? > > A > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: "maidmarian_thepoet" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > I may be stepping into it...but what exactly is wrong with a public > official supporting the wishes of his constituents? I wish that my > officials here really supported my beliefs instead of catering to > the > religious right. Of course, you can say that they are supporting > them---but that's my point. Wasn't he being a true representative > of > Mass. voters at that time? Now he is claiming that he could be a > true > representative of conservative voters. Isn't that his job? > > I am still recalling listening to a "This American Life" episode in > which a guy who was pro-choice supported Bush because he didn't > flip-flop on issues. He admitted that he didn't like any of Bush's > stances on issuses, but he voted for him because he didn't > flip-flop. > Why on earth should I vote for someone who won't vote my way? He's > my > representative, not a representative of his own convictions. If he > can > change my mind because he believes me wrong, that's one thing. But > he > shouldn't be voting his convictions whilly-nilly. > > Ok, I will get off my soapbox now. :-) > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > Like i said, an opportunistic flip-flopper. He was pro-choice, > pro > immigration (in terms of working something out instead of sounding > like > a Klansman), not averse to taxes as needed (which he calls "fees", > but > same difference). I heard a speech he gave just a few years back > where > he explicitly said he didn't want to try and recreate the Reagan > days. > Now he's a rabid ultr-conservative nut who evokes Reagan more than > some > of us call on God! > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > I got friends who are in prison and Friends who are dead. I'm gonna tell ya something that I've often said. You know these things that happen, That's just the way it's supposed to be. And I can't help but wonder, Don't ya know it coulda been me. __________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs I am me, said the stranger, and I work for the ones who pay my fee and that is not you." - The Side Street Chonicles by C.W. Badie --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. 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