I was just ruminating with a colleague about Ron Paul supports and how, on average, they seem to be sort of obnoxious.  This is something that’s been bothering me for awhile.  I wondered if perhaps libertarians were generally obnoxious, self interested people.  That may be so, but my friend pointed out something very important- anyone passionate about any candidate is likely to be obnoxious.

That made sense to me.  I think some candidates are better than others while some are outright horrible, but am not in love with any of them.  I mean, I wouldn’t think of attacking anyone who didn’t support my candidate.  Obnoxious though I may be, I try not to be obnoxious about my politics.

And, on a related note, Ron Paul is done.  Give it up.

I was reading Romney: President needs prayers of people of all faiths and was pleased to see Romney was quoted as saying “religious tolerance would be a shallow principle, indeed, if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree.” I would expect, given that statement, he would be more open minded about religious views and be more, I don’t know, tolerant. It’s clear that he isn’t and doesn’t, though.

Romney said religion is essential to freedom, without pointing to any specific faith.
“Freedom requires religion, just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone,” the GOP contender said.

I’m sure Romney doesn’t get the irony that religion is in diametric opposition to freedom. Besides being demonstrably incorrect, this statement paints a pretty intolerant portrait. Perhaps being an unfree atheist is a step in the right direction. It wasn’t long ago that Bush said “I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.”  Religious freedom indeed.

Unlike Hillary, who is in the pocket of big pharma and mega insurance companies, the rest of the Democrats who aren’t much different, and the Republicans, who profess to care about the lives of the unborn but wouldn’t bother stepping over a dying kid in the street, Kucinich makes sense on health care. A not-for-profit health care system. Watch his ABC interview. Sicko is a pretty good start to making a comparative analysis of health care in various countries. Don’t like Michael Moore? Talk to a Canadian and ask them what they think of our health care disaster.

Here’s the funny thing- I’ll probably never have to worry about health insurance. I’m white, have an excellent education, a 401k, live in household with two incomes and no kids, and have a pretty good resume. Perhaps I should, like the Republicans I know, worry about taxes more than I worry about things like health care for others, the environment, and a sustainable economy. But I don’t. I’d rather we were all better off than just me being better off. Dennis Kucinich obviously feels that way, too.

Watch this video of his responses in the November 15 debate. And, by the way, I’ve seen UFO’s, too.

And that’s why I like Dennis.

I was surprised to see a reply from my congressman, David Price, of North Carolina’s 4th district.  He is, as far as I can tell, the only sane, rational representation I have.  Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr, my senators, have an uncanny knack for opposing me on every single vote.  In fact, Burr once said that Usurper in Chief Bush is “right 96% of the time.” Yeah, that sounds pretty likely.  Anyway, here is a letter I received from Congressman Price this week:

October 19, 2007

 

Mr. Jim Tuttle

Cascadilla Street

Durham, NC 27704

 

Dear Mr. Tuttle:

 

Thank you for contacting me regarding a letter circulated in the House to Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Administrator Karen Tandy related to research on the potential medical uses of marijuana. I am pleased to report that I am one of the 45 members of Congress who signed this letter.

 

I share your support for biomedical research and agree that the DEA should approve the University of Massachusetts-Amherst’s application to produce marijuana for research on the potential medical uses of marijuana. Currently, the University of Mississippi, under contract with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has the sole authority to produce marijuana for research purposes in the United States.

 

I am hopeful that the licensing application will be approved quickly so that privately-funded sponsors of FDA-approved research will have the opportunity to conduct studies with a strain of marijuana of their own choosing. As noted in the letter to DEA, I believe licensing University of Massachusetts Amherst Professor Lyle Craker’s research facility would be in the public interest. I have attached a copy of the letter for your reference.

 

Thank you again for contacting me, and please continue to keep in touch on issues of concern.

 

Sincerely,

DAVID PRICE

Member of Congress

The aide said that guys like me were “in what we call the reality-based community,” which he defined as people who “believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality.” … “That’s not the way the world really works anymore,” he continued. “We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you’re studying that reality€”judiciously, as you will€”we’ll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that’s how things will sort out. We’re history’s actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.”

“Faith, Certainty and the Presidency of George W. Bush” October 17, 2004, New York Times Magazine article by writer Ron Suskind, quoting an unnamed aide to George W. Bush.

I do indeed believe that “solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality” and wish beyond hope that the politicians theocrats in this country also believed it to be true. As Point of Inquiry is fond of saying, “Who ever thought that reality needed defending?”