40 thoughts on “MOY: The Beginning of the End”

  1. I don’t care about politics as much anymore either.

    It does feel like a game and the older I get I KNOW I don’t have all the answers.

  2. Great pic.

    The Stumbler. The Nobel Peace Mongerer. The Deciderer. The Cigar Polisher. And the Peanut Farmer. I like Jimmy. He’s my favorite.

      1. He’s practicing godly separation.

        I honestly don’t know much about his presidency, but he has done a ton of good since leaving office.

        I also like the way Bush the Younger is standing. He reminds me of one of those kids who are always elbowing their way to the front. “Look at me! I’m the bestest, most powerfullest, most firstest! All you other ex-presidents may kiss my righteous backside!”

        1. There is a strong case to be made that President Carter’s administration was the worst in US history…which is why he is trying to re-write his legacy by being the “greatest ex-president” (whatever that means). I think that the others moved away from him to try and distance themselves from the walking-talking failure. Plus I think Clinton is still pissed that Mr Carter tried to conduct unapproved foreign-policy missions while he (Clinton) was in office.

        2. Carter is now thinking that maybe his will only be the second worst administration in history. 😯

        3. Bro. Bluto and Don: I wouldn’t argue that Jimmy was a great president. He wasn’t political enough, wasn’t cold-hearted enough. Didn’t always make the best decisions. Granted.

          However, I just re-read though some highlights of his political career, and there is a lot to like. For a lib’rl like me.

          In foreign policy, he really did seem to side with peace. Just like the Lord Jesus says we should do.

          Do you brew your own beer? Carter’s administration made that legally possible. Big bonus points there.

          I’m not sure it’s really kind to ascribe bad motives to Jimmy, as if all of his humanitarian work during and after office is simply a bid to “re-write his legacy.”

          It could be, just maybe, he really is a pretty good guy. But I can see that political conservatives would have a problem admitting that. That’s politics for you!

        4. I lived through the Carter years with their double digit inflation and the absolute worst foreign policy that America had suffered through up to that time. I will always remember Jimmy as the “do nothing” president. To me Jimmy’s legacy will always be the 444 days of Iran Hostage Crisis. Jimmy’s weakening of the American Military was not only an embarrassment but could have cost American lives. (And in fact, at least 8 died in the first failed rescue attempt.)
          So my beef isn’t with liberal or conservative politics but with the fact that Carter was a spineless do nothing president in spite of allowing for homebrew.

        5. Well, that’s understandable. I don’t think any less of you or of Bro Bluto because you didn’t like Jimmy’s presidency–his presidential faults were pretty bad, I agree.

          However, I can’t agree that his foreign policy was absolutely the worst, nor can I agree that the inflation and other domestic problems were entirely his fault. At any rate, is it fair to discount his post-presidency humanitarianism because one thinks he sucked as president? I don’t think it’s fair, but that’s just me I guess.

          This is probably one of those things we will just have to be satisfied to have a good-natured disagreement about. Preferably over a homebrew!:smile:

        6. Don – we must be “twin brothers from other mothers” because I read your post and it was so spot-on I thought I wrote it.

  4. It’s easy to become a bit cynical about the state of US politics. Recognizing that big money has a strong influence, I still vote without fail. By doing so I’m reminded that we’ve not yet become a banana republic. Noam Chomsky would classify the US as a failed state–but I’m not ready to go there either.

    1. “…across the elite spectrum there was deep concern about the democratizing and civilizing effects of the 60’s. That’s why the 60’s are now recorded and taught as the time of troubles or the birth of error. The troubles were that the country was just becoming too free and democratic. It was actually called a “crisis of democracy,” which meant too much democracy.”

      Noam Chomsky

        1. Ahhh, but we don’t have an absolute democracy. People are not called on to vote on every item, every piece of legislation. We have representatives, as such. The representation is not adequate as both parties have tended to gerrymander the districts to keep power.

          But in this age of nearly instant communication, you will have people sharing their opinion — and reminding their representatives of their right to vote for them or Not.

          So, which is worse, expanding the power of the electorate or trying to take away the power of the electorate? Would you have people believing they can and should rule themselves, or do you want to install an authority over them?

          I am, of course, talking about human governance and not the potential reign of Christ. In terms of human governance, Democracy is the worst form of government, except for everything else.

        2. Exactly.

          We are a Constitutional Republic.

          We have an underlying Rule Of Law.

          Laws Obama doesn’t think apply to him.

  6. I am tired of “team politics”. The idea that I must support my party even when they are clearly immoral and wrong is ludicrous. This doesn’t leave much room in modern politics. It will get you labelled a DINO/RINO in a heartbeat.

    1. Well, isn’t this what SFL is all about, not supporting “team politics?” :mrgreen:

      Once I actually verbalized my disdain for the Fundamentalist Party politics I became a free man; free to “vote” as I please without fear of the fundy backlash.

      (takes a deep breath) Aaah, the sweet air of the freedom of conscience!

      B.R.O.

      1. Agree with this.

        Actually, though, this is hard to completely escape. I love my current church, and it’s not fundy by any means. But I’m not naive – most of the members there – not everyone – are far more conservative, politically, than I am. Even though politics is never rubbed in your face, and never, ever preached from the pulpit, it’s easy to feel a bit different. Or strange, when people just sort of assume that you share their politics because you worship with them.

        I sometimes have to remind myself that we’re all one in Christ. Especially around election time. And not to look at facebook posts from church friends around November, either.

  8. I am not necessarily more politically active than I used to be, but I am more politically vocal. As I see attempts by conservatives to rig elections and to crash the government if their demands are not met, I find myself frustrated.

    Any attempt to paint the different parties as acting the same is a false equivalency. Certainly no party is perfect, nor any political philosophy. But I know bad faith when I see it.

    1. Very much this.

      I’ve voted in every election since I’ve been eligible, way back when Hubert Humphrey was running against Richard Nixon, and I’ve never seen a political party so uncompromising. It’s the antithesis of politics. Like you, I’m frustrated, and I know bad faith when I see it.

    2. And I think that was Darrell’s point, and one which I, and a growing number of Americans are seeing play out in Washington. Just because you see one party acting unethically does not automatically mean that the other party is acting in good faith; nor does it mean that the other party should get our vote by default. Unfortunately, with 45% of the voters automatically voting in their Team Republican and another 45% doing the same for Team Democrat in every major election, we have a long way to go before we get back to majority of the general populace casting informed, intelligent, and open-minded votes in our elections.

  9. Don’t none of ’em look like they’re happy to be in a room together.

    The way they’re all standing & looking at something off-camera makes it appear like they’re in the midst of following instructions for the hokey-pokey or something. “You put your right side in…c’mon, Lefties, you, too!” 🙄

    1. Ha! I bet they’re standing the way they are to hide all the animatronic controls back there.

  12. I don’t *like* politics, but I find myself compelled to stay involved, only because there are authoritarians in both parties who want to compel obedience to their personal beliefs, and I am really averse to the idea of having my door kicked in someday.

    “Live and let live” is a virtue, not a vice.

    Personally, I think most authoritarian proposals would go away if all politicians, the wealthy, and their staff had to abide by *all* the rules they seek to impose on others…

    1. “Personally, I think most authoritarian proposals would go away if all politicians, the wealthy, and their staff had to abide by *all* the rules they seek to impose on others…”

      I think that’s a great idea, but then what would be the point of being rich?

      1. Oh, I don’t mind people enjoying awesome things that I’ll never be able to afford to own or do. What I mind is when those people pass laws to straitjacket the “little people” while carefully exempting themselves and their supporters/associates/staff from those same laws.

        1. But Phil, that’s supposed to be the fun part–not so much having all that money, but being able to enforce rules for other people that you don’t have to keep (not that I’ll ever be able to do that, mind)!

    2. Don’t need to kick your door in. Just ask the NSA.

      We relinquish our liberties in the name of safety & security. Thus we get the so-called ‘Patriot Act.’ 🙁

      1. Well, a good portion of us—left, center, and right—oppose that crap. Most of our modern surveillance state and other authoritarian trappings was pushed from the top down via legislators and corporate media, not demanded by the grassroots.

        The problem is, those pushing omnisurveillance, theocratic laws, nanny state laws, and such don’t like the idea of people opting out of the Crusade Du Jour…

  13. Excellent post, Darrell. You pretty much put in writing my own opinion about politics.

    One thing I wonder if you care to touch on: I often feel that many “Christians” worship “conservative” (being nice) political ideology far more than they worship God. Thoughts?

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