Spiritualoitics: definition, being accepting of all religions and criticism of yours because you are well away that no two people's religion or spiritual path is the same. However, when politics are in question, every opposition ins taken as a personal affront.
So, yes, over the past four years I have lost contact with a lot of people over political issues. They won't play the race card because that would not be a socially acceptable way of being demeaning and would make them look very small in the eyes of others.
I have an extremely open view on politics. I don't believe any political party is right, but a few have a good idea. Well, they all have good ideas and the best of intentions from their perspectives (even if the intention is lining their personal coffers, that's ok, let's just not blow up the world while you are at it.
I lost touch with one long time friend over comments I made about the Tea Party. Nothing untrue, just pointing out that there are factions that have acted in a Klan type manner at rallies and have played the race card. Sorry this was enough to end a long friendship.
Some fast facts:
The President can only change things without Congress's help in times of emergency. Bush actually enacted many of these Executive Order powers while he was President and his father before him so he wouldn't have to work through the Congressional process.
Therefore, anything else the President wants to do (such as fixing things broken or destroyed from the previous President) have to go through the House and Senate. In the Senate, you can kill off another party's bill by a process known as filibustering. This is talking long enough to take up all the time to discuss a bill or measure and thus killing it. You don't even have to discuss the bill. You can talk about the weather, your last vacation, or Pam Anderson's latest video. There was once a 24 hour filibuster. http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/tp/Five-Longest-Filibusters.htm
What's important here is that we can't do these jobs, someone else has to. We have little or no control over who that will be.
For the voracious political types, do you know that your vote doesn't elect the President? An entire state can, for example, vote Democrat and a republican still get the votes from your state. A group called the Electoral College actually elects the president. How else do you think they could tally all the votes up all around the country so fast, yet it takes a month or so for you to get your tax refund?
This is why I don't discuss politics. Voting is the ultimate illusion of control.
So, before you drag out your soapbox, please remember, there is nothing personal in discussing politics, who wins or loses, or the policies enacted are light years beyond your control.
Truth is, you just want something to fight for and a side to be on. Nobody elected will make your life any better, so get off your ass and go build a good life for yourself.
