A Bit Off-Topic

I seem to have veered off-topic toward the end of the last post. It has been my goal, if not quite a firm rule, to stay away from politics, religion, and other areas in which I can offend somebody real easily.

I do have a few thoughts on these issues, and I believe I can express and defend them, and I am fully capable of changing my mind about as often as I change my socks. Some of my ideas smell about as good as the old socks. I just haven't wanted to, uh, bother people with them.

I'm not sure which Wisconsin district Steve Kagan represents in Congress - it used to be the Eighth, including the Fox Valley. I knew Kagan in school, and I believe him to be a good man and a good choice. I mention him because of the smell thing. In middle school, which back in those days was known as junior high, we were on the football team. Steve had a practice T-shirt which, worn daily under pads, never went home for laundry. Toward the end of the season, you could find his locker pretty easily. Showering after practice one day, another player let fly with an expletive which may or may not have offended someone of Steve's Jewish faith, and followed it with "Hey Kagan, I hope you're not around!" He was, and he came after the fellow brandishing this utterly ripe T-shirt, and rubbed it in his face. This was partly in fun and was met with laughter by all, including both fellows. Kagan is a Democrat, and I hope that folks in the Fox Valley will continue to elect him to whatever office he seeks. He's bright and a hard worker, and his youth was good enough that I think he's still all right.

I made a plea for Obama. You should know that I went for Hillary in the primary, with the goal that Obama would be the VP and have eight years to get ready for his own two terms to follow.
Considering their various strengths and ages, this made ultimate sense. But I remember the speech he gave at the 2004 convention, and I called it then: he had the Voice, and he would have to be considered sooner or later. The fall election requires that we do everything possible to remove the Republicans from power, since they have abused it every which way for eight years. But it also requires that we vote not only in the booth, but with our words and our works. Obama needs our help not only to win, but in the daily conduct of our lives, and in our interactions with each other and the world. If we want new leadership to make the changes we know are necessary, we can't just sit and hope the leaders will take care of it. We need to be the change.

Some changes will suck. Changing the way we deal with energy involves changes in our choices, from where we go and how we get there to food, clothing, entertainment, etc. Did you know that an old tube TV uses about 100 watts of power, and a plasma uses about 400? I am way out of line here, as I have much to change in my own ways, but a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Golly, have I heard that somewhere?

I have some philosophical trouble with some of my views. I support a woman's right to choose abortion or many other options. I support assisted suicide and the right of people to choose when to end their lives. These fit my view that 6 billion - and growing - is too many people for the planet. People are not the best place to store water. But should I then support capital punishment? Why would I be an organ donor - my driver's license says I am - when people who don't get organs will die? What about prenatal screening for severe disability? Should that encourage the choice of abortion? And who gets to choose? Who will snuff me if I can't choose for myself?

But we can move on energy. We can move on peace. We can move on health care, and on encouraging health instead of trying to fix it later. Sometimes we need to make tough choices -the best way to make alternative energy take over is to use tax and other government policies to reward change and punish the status quo. Can we do for solar and wind what we've done for ethanol? Shoot the lobbyists for oil?

And now you know why I generally stick to beer, yard work, and other small things that absorb me. Thanks for putting up with this one; I promise not to do it again soon.