My attitude carries me through.

I have a novel way of quickly discovering who I shouldn't vote for in any election. By looking at my neighbors' lawn signs. If the neighbors are supporting certain candidates, I automatically know: don't vote for 'em. Because they are most likely Republicans and on the far, far right. Doesn't matter whether it's a national, state or local election. I live in a relatively affluent neighborhood. With some multi-million dollar mansions. Turns out my lot is valued at more than my house. So I'm not as affluent as they are. But I'm not poor and destitute either. I'm a member of the middle class. Which makes me the riff-raff of the neighborhood. And I might very well be run out of the neighborhood if word gets around that I'm a socialist sympathizer. Two years ago, I may have delivered my neighborhood's lone vote for Barack Obama. Furthermore, I live in a congressional district represented by Michele Bachmann, a member of the Republican Party's lunatic fringe. It's almost as if I live in a foreign country. Despite the fact that Minnesota is a blue state. A liberal state. Albeit, we have the shameful Bachmann and a Republican governor. It goes to show that I can adapt to living under hostile conditions. And still be happy. It's my attitude that carries me through. The fact that I'm in love with life. --Jim Broede

Give me love instead of politics.

I'm guessing that a majority of Americans don't give a damn. Doesn't matter who gets elected to public office. And what will be, will be. For one thing, the indifferent and apathetic don't really care about the issues. That even goes for me. At least on the local level. I don't follow the issues all that much. I know very little about the candidates for city council or school board. Maybe I know who I don't like. Just because they're Republicans. And not that I like Democrats all that much more. Anyway, the local elections are supposed to be non-partisan. But still, I think a Republican is a Republican. And I don't want to see 'em holding any elected office. No matter how lowly. Because I tend to believe many Republicans are stupid. And dangerous. I'd go to bed at night feeling much safer if we didn't have any Republican office holders. Oh, I know that some Republicans are harmless. But better safe than sorry. That's my motto. Anyway, often enough, I don't care. I have better things to do than sweat if Republicans get elected, or even if they become the majority. Instead, I just focus on my love life. And I forget about politics. At least I can control my love life. I can't control politics. --Jim Broede

Like we've been doing. Forever.

Life and politics often have a strange way of playing out. When Barack Obama and Democrat majorities swept into Washington two years ago, it looked like the liberals had it made. And that the Republicans were virtually dead. My, my, how things have changed. Here we are. With mid-term elections today. And the Republicans are expected to regain control of congress. By plenty. And maybe even gain a majority in the U.S. Senate. That would be quite a feat. And normally that should make a socialist/liberal like me depressed. But no, I'm looking at the long term. For an optimistic scenario. Because now it'll be up to the Republicans to get us out of our economic morass. And if they fail and even make things worse in the next two years, maybe we'll have another resurgence of Democratic and liberal rule. We'll discover that electing Republicans or Democrats or any of the usual suspects won't make a significant difference. Because there's something rotten in the American form of government. Namely, the politicians. No matter their affiliations. And the fact that they can be easily bought by the big corporations. By the lobbyists. By the wealthy. And that's always gonna mean that those of us considered poor or middle class get the royal shaft. Maybe by 2012 ordinary Americans will wise up. And see the benefits of socialism. And the need to severely regulate American-style capitalism. We liberals and socialists can hope. Just like we've been doing. Forever. --Jim Broede

The smart ones aren't so cerebral.

Liberals may be a bit too cerebral. They tend to talk over people's heads. Therefore, they don't connect with non-liberals. And that's what they need to do. In order to win converts to liberal causes. Meanwhile, conservatives have mastered the language of stupid people. And lazy people. The ones more likely to respond favorably to simple words. To sound bites. They don't like to think. Because that taxes their limited brain capacity. Sarah Palin is a perfect example. She speaks in shallow terms. And listens only to shallow talk. For instance, she thinks she understands foreign policy. Because she's convinced that she's seen Russia. From Alaska. And she doesn't want to be bothered with specifics. Or with complicated matters. She wants lo keep things simple. Easily understood by simpletons. She's greatly bothered by Barack Obama. Yes, because he's too much an intellectual. Too superior. Too elite. Really, too liberal. And impractical. And she thinks Obama looks down his nose at simpletons. She proclaims that Obama is the inferior one. Because he can't even shoot a moose, and field dress it. Instead, he talks like an educated man. Like a philosopher. Or a college professor. Little wonder that he and so many other liberals have difficulty communicating with the masses. They're too uppity. If truth be told, could be that Palin and her fellow conservatives are the smart ones. Because they aren't so cerebral. --Jim Broede

I'm a rather tolerant fella.

I really don't want to fit in. I want to be the square peg in the round hole. In a way, that makes me comfortable. Tells me that I'm not a comformist. I've never needed an abundance of friends. Usually, one or two will do. And I could even go without any close friend. Though I've never had to. Nowadays, I have about 10 friends. That may be the most I've ever had at any one time. The rest are acquaintances. Many of 'em that I like. Potential friends. But I don't cultivate 'em. Maybe because that would spread me too thin. I often describe myself as a loner. Or a lone wolf. My very best friend (my girlfriend) happens to be a loner, too. Capable of appreciating solitude. I find that true friends tend to accept you as you are. They are very forgiving. Very understanding. They don't want to change you. In my case, they are well aware that I am a non-conformist. And they respect that. Some of the most amusing people I know want to change me. Make me comform. To their idea of what I should be. Oh, they could still qualify as a friend. Mostly because I'm a rather tolerant fella. --Jim Broede

Socialism ain't as bad as portrayed.

I don't trust a diehard capitalist. But I'm more likely to trust a socialist. Because I think a socialist's heart is in the right place. Working for the common good. Meanwhile, a capitalist is generally working for his own good. Out to make a profit. Many capitalists would cheat me. Rather than do me a favor. Oh, I think there are incompetent and dishonest socialists. Perfectly capable of screwing up the system. But when run properly, socialism can be very beneficial. Take the American social security and Medicare programs as examples. If we had a single payer health care system similar to Medicare for everyone, it'd be great. Again, if it's properly run. Designed to provide health care at cost. Not for profit. I think that's the big bugaboo with capitalism. Cornering the market in order to make exorbitant and obscene profits. Get rich schemes. So typical of Wall Street. And the common good be damned. Capitalism might work if it's well-regulated. In essence, made to operate a little more like socialism. If capitalists are given free rein, they'll generally put profits ahead of everything else. And ignore common decency. That's my observation. Of course, I'll concede there are some right and proper capitalists who don't take unfair advantage of the system. They do the right thing. And even acknowledge that socialism ain't as bad as capitalists often portray it. --Jim Broede

Are we in hell or paradise?

I wouldn't play god. Even if I had the opportunity. It would be a far too daunting task. Yes, a task. To make so many, many decisions. But then again, maybe god's biggest decision was to make no decisions. To just leave things happen. Randomly. God created the world. Everything. And then withdrew. And just let it be. To never interfere. In that sense, god left the decisionmaking up to us. Individually. And collectively. My gawd. That's an overwhelming burden, isn't it? Or maybe not. I want to be free. Able to do the right thing. But I'm not sure what's right. So maybe I have to ask god to relieve me of all that responsibility. And to take charge. Maybe that would be much better than putting my faith and confidence in my fellow beings. Especially if they are corrupt politicians. Maybe that's being redundant. And all politicians are corrupt. Or still another possibility. Maybe we are all corrupt. We can't help ourselves. God made a mistake. And created us all with blemishes. I suppose we could choose to look at it that way. That would be hell, wouldn't it? Unless, of course, I thought I had discovered love. Real love. Genuine. Total. Unconditional. Then that would be heaven. Paradise. --Jim Broede