Psychoblues
Senior Member
Those were some great words from one of my best friends and fantastic country music writer, Tom T. Hall. I don't mean to diminish their importance in our culture but I do mean to exemplify the simpleness that we all tend to gravitate.
Old Dogs are obediant, slow, and demonstrate little interest in anything new or out of place. Children are eager to learn but have little to compare and discern forthcoming knowledge/propaganda. Watermelon Wine kills some of the pain of realization and promotes a feeling of euphoria even in some of the worst of predicaments.
What Tom T was trying to say is that we enjoy simplicity, an opportunity for mental relaxation, a time to let it all hang out without fear of moral consequense. Utopia, if you will. But life ain't like that. It's comforting to sing or hear about it but it just ain't happening in our lives. I find that same feeling prevalent amongst non-millionaire self-described conservatives.
There's nothing wrong with being "conservative". But being "conservative" as a factor in our lives and being "conservative" in our politics are two completely separate issues. Let me share with you some of the thoughts and experiences I've had on this subject.
I once had a serious battle with a "conservative" politician that wanted to destroy a public park for the sake of building a road for the convenience of a shopping mall. He ultimately lost and was at first opportunity voted out of office. What at all was "conservative" about his position? I've never figured that out.
I had another altercation with a politician that wanted to give over a major health benefits program to a company that promised to deliver less and for a higher price. I'm sad to say that I lost that issue but proud to say that he was also voted out later while I retained my seat in the political arena. I find that many of the people effected by the increase in their out-of-pocket expenses for virtually less benefits but voted for the jerk anyway are glad he's gone.
Lemme tell you about another "victory"!!!!!!! This went on for a couple of years!!!!! We wanted to let a contract for a building. The low bidder was a minority contractor without demonstrated experience in this size project. His assurances of abilty, completion dates and quality guantees were totally ignored by the "conservatives". After a delay of almost three years, we finally let the contract to him. His work was nothing less than extraordinary. What was so damn "conservative" about that fight? The fight cost us millions, the building cost us less than the fight. What's so "conservative" about that? As the "low bidder", the contract should have been let three years earlier and without the additional expense to the taxpayers.
I could tell you a few hundred other stories but I'll let you discuss these for a while before I continue. I don't find anything at all "conservative" when it comes to politicians that lay claim to the word "conservative". On the other hand, I was ostrasized often as being a "liberal" simply because I tended to view issues on their merits rather than future benefit, or maybe it was a present benefit that I didn't know about.
Old Dogs are obediant, slow, and demonstrate little interest in anything new or out of place. Children are eager to learn but have little to compare and discern forthcoming knowledge/propaganda. Watermelon Wine kills some of the pain of realization and promotes a feeling of euphoria even in some of the worst of predicaments.
What Tom T was trying to say is that we enjoy simplicity, an opportunity for mental relaxation, a time to let it all hang out without fear of moral consequense. Utopia, if you will. But life ain't like that. It's comforting to sing or hear about it but it just ain't happening in our lives. I find that same feeling prevalent amongst non-millionaire self-described conservatives.
There's nothing wrong with being "conservative". But being "conservative" as a factor in our lives and being "conservative" in our politics are two completely separate issues. Let me share with you some of the thoughts and experiences I've had on this subject.
I once had a serious battle with a "conservative" politician that wanted to destroy a public park for the sake of building a road for the convenience of a shopping mall. He ultimately lost and was at first opportunity voted out of office. What at all was "conservative" about his position? I've never figured that out.
I had another altercation with a politician that wanted to give over a major health benefits program to a company that promised to deliver less and for a higher price. I'm sad to say that I lost that issue but proud to say that he was also voted out later while I retained my seat in the political arena. I find that many of the people effected by the increase in their out-of-pocket expenses for virtually less benefits but voted for the jerk anyway are glad he's gone.
Lemme tell you about another "victory"!!!!!!! This went on for a couple of years!!!!! We wanted to let a contract for a building. The low bidder was a minority contractor without demonstrated experience in this size project. His assurances of abilty, completion dates and quality guantees were totally ignored by the "conservatives". After a delay of almost three years, we finally let the contract to him. His work was nothing less than extraordinary. What was so damn "conservative" about that fight? The fight cost us millions, the building cost us less than the fight. What's so "conservative" about that? As the "low bidder", the contract should have been let three years earlier and without the additional expense to the taxpayers.
I could tell you a few hundred other stories but I'll let you discuss these for a while before I continue. I don't find anything at all "conservative" when it comes to politicians that lay claim to the word "conservative". On the other hand, I was ostrasized often as being a "liberal" simply because I tended to view issues on their merits rather than future benefit, or maybe it was a present benefit that I didn't know about.
