Bill’s Blog

It has been harder than usual for me to blog this year. Election years are hard to stomach. It’s easier to be optimistic earlier in the process, when one can imagine that we’ll actually get a new kind of president. Maybe an economist or a political scientist with a Ph.D. - someone with an extensive education in what sorts of policies work. Then the choices are narrowed, and I come to realize that it’s going to be another lawyer or war hero - another four years of business as usual. Everyone is all fired up, saying we must elect this candidate or that candidate, and I can only sit back in disbelief that these are our options. These are the leaders that excite you? I just don’t get it.

Usually I can at least rely on the Libertarian party to have a candidate on the ballot who I can vote for in good conscience. This year, though, I’m even cringing at that option. Bob Barr, former drug war advocate and Defense Of Marriage Act author? This is the guy on the LP ticket? Yes, I realize he’s changed his tune on both of those issues lately, but this guy is 59 years old. When it takes someone that long to finally come around to a somewhat consistent view supporting individual freedom, it does not give me much confidence in his core values.

So today, the day after George Carlin’s death, though I disagree with many of his political views, his commentary on voting really hits home.