Newscoma

My friend, YoMick, decided last night he wants us to run for president and vice-president.

We both argued about who would be vice-president because we both wanted that gig. We thought in this day and age it was the better deal.

I opted to back out, after this conversation, ’cause, I mean honestly, the president’s job must really suck compared to being vice-president.

Because when you are vice-president you get to snarl a lot. I mean, when Dick Cheney snarls, asphalt rolls up on the road in fear.

I think a life of snarling would be sort of groovy. Well, not really.

In the end, we decided neither one of us wanted the jobs. Being on Deadliest Catch would be more relaxing, YoMick decided.

I concur.

Also, last night at a party I attended, a young man I didn’t know told me he was for Ron Paul. I asked him why and he said “because he’s at least talking about stuff that affects me.”

Sometimes, living here in Hooterville is fun. A lot of politics were discussed last night while I was looking in people’s eyes. Here in the virtual world, you can’t hear the tone of one’s voice, the thoughtfulness in someone’s words (even if you disagree) or participate in a dialogue that has nuance. (Ironically, I met five people last night for Bill Richardson, but we aren’t hearing as much about him on MSM but the people I was chatting with are very intrigued with him.) One guy was for Fred Thompson, but sadly it was because he liked him because he thinks he’s good on television.

One reason I quit writing about politics so much here. I don’t see the faces. I don’t hear the voice.

I can’t see your eyes.

Some folks just sit behind a keyboard on BOTH sides of the political landscape and bang their keys in fury. I decided I get that at work. I don’t want that so much here. And last night proved it. I was with liberals, conservatives and libertarians and we had discussions where we could see each other. We listened. (It was decided I was a libertarian by the folks I was talking to but we know that’s not true.)

We talked about the federal and state budget, we talked about wasteful time managment in government, civil liberties, the constitution and our role as being citizen advocates in the issues that we found important.

And we didn’t agree, but we listened to the other guy’s side. Not one soul got mad. Not one soul told another person to pound sand. We actually laughed, shook our heads in disagreement at times and nodded in agreement other times.

And I’ll be damned if we didn’t just talk.

Don’t always get that on a blog, although I’m quite smitten with the blogging thing.

But I must say this, on this day, the Fourth of July, I’m pleased that in this country we can express our opinions. We can discuss things. We have that right.

But if all sides want to be taken seriously, we have to participate in a dialogue and not throw barbs for the sake of throwing barbs.

And to all of the people who read this blog yesterday and commented, I want to thank you in having a civil debate.

Wonder why I like meeting other bloggers both political and non-political.

Because, my new friends, I can see your eyes and it reminds me that we are all human beings despite our differences.