Why are We Here?

We’re coming upon the new year.  This document is long overdue, thereby.

I’ve always kind of figured that everybody who reads what gets written here by the various writers, including myself would be able to figure out based on those writings what this blog’s mission was… what we are about.

In looking at some of the feedback recently, however, I begin to understand that a lot of people, while they like what we do here, don’t really understand the thrust of our efforts.

So, with the year drawing to a close, maybe it’s time for me to take the opportunity to explain to you what my vision for this particular site is.  To understand that, it will perhaps be useful for you to understand some of the site’s history.

I personally have spent nearly 30 years of my life discussing politics in one electronic venue or another.  I am a veteran of the BBS era… back when a 300 baud modem was considered a “fast” modem. Commodore VIC20’s and C=64’s, Apple ][‘s CoCo’s and such ruled the day.  After that, my efforts bridged over to Usenet, and then to GT and FIDO.  In all those venues, the process was one of development, both in terms of writing, and of recognizing the truth and falsehood underneath the various strains of politics.

Now, if you look, you may notice that very nearly the first posts available on this site, spoke to the issues surrounding the 9/11 attacks. I’ll be honest; my commitment to this site was not a full one, until the events of 9/11.  Even there, it took me a full day of thinking, editing, and re-editing before those postings went up.  That’s an important clue to my thinking about this site and its purpose, because those events had real impact, not just political impact.

You see, I have always been of the belief that politics is not a game onto itself, as many hold it.  Rather, I consider that ideally one’s politics is a reflection of one’s most deeply held beliefs, and a means to represent those beliefs and those values to the locality, the state, the nation… or, if you like, to the remainder of society.  As such, this site is not just about a Brand X vs Brand Y philosophy, but rather to competing deeply held beliefs.

I think there’s a moral imperative for us all to do as we can in terms of speaking out on the subject of right and wrong.  On the subject of freedom.  And on supporting the best mechanism that man has ever devised yet in terms of supporting that freedom… these United States.

Alas, there are number of people, many of whom make up our current government, who are in the process of reshaping and redefining that United States, into something that does not support freedom, and apparently has no concept of right versus wrong to the point where all that remains is power and who wields it.

Now, mind you, that they are deeply held beliefs, does not necessarily suggest of itself that those beliefs have actually been thought through with any degree of logic involved.  Indeed, it is my take that  the majority of what we see as modern liberalism today, has not, in fact, been thought through with any degree of logic.  It’s proponants seem to me utterly devoid of logic, in fact.  As such, I generally find myself in a balancing act between the political right and libertarian philosophy. I am firmly convinced based on the nearly 30 years of political and social observation that the political left has little to no redeeming value to the discussion of right versus wrong, and the subject of freedom, which certainly is a subset of right versus wrong.

It’s my view that the outcome of the political discussions is important because it will affect how we as a society, and even more importantly, we as individuals, conduct our lives.  Because this stuff does matter, and because the outcome of this discussion, call it as you will, politically or values oriented, will affect me and my and directly, I simply cannot sit idly by.  I cannot be neutral.  I must speak out.  I suspect there are a large number of Americans, who over the last several years have also come to the same conclusion.  Thus do we have the large number of tea parties and other protests going on against current government actions and current government occupants.

Like many of you, I have found myself underemployed, overtaxed, overburdened with government regulation, and have found much to my amazement that the solution offered by my government is more regulation more taxation which will result in further underemployment or perhaps unemployment. Certainly, each of these represents damage to the concept of America, and under that umbrella the concept of freedom.

I argue in these spaces about politics not because I’m a political advocate per se’, not because I’m a brand X or a Brand Y kinda guy. I argue about politics, because of the underlying right or wrong in each position. I have been accused many times of being a GOP stooge… someone who will invariably play the party line.

Untrue.

Rather, I have become firmly convinced over the last three decades that our biggest problem as a country is the degree to which modern liberalism, which I often refer to as neo -socialism, has crept into both parties. That, if for example, is the reason why I had such great difficulty in supporting John McCain for the last election cycle. It is also why I consider “bipartisanship” to be such an anathema to the goals of freedom and the lengthening of the American Story. Those claiming “bipartisan” values, invariably tilt left. Certainly, the only time the Democrats use the phrase “bipartisanship”, is when they’re losing a given argument.

We tried remaining silent for a while, while we were spoon-fed “compassionate conservatism” the end result of that was an unprecedented growth of government, and a reduction of freedom, also unprecedented in the annals of American history. The result of that, currently resides in the White House, And who himself has brought about a growth of government and a reduction of the individual ten times greater than that of his predecessor. The left considers this an accomplishment. I consider it a destruction.

Within my lifetime, and perhaps a half century before, we as Americans have tried every political combination possible in terms of the makeup of our government. All except one. The only one that we’ve never tried it is a real conservatives in the presidency and in power in both houses of Congress. That’s the only, nation that’s never been tried. It’s my guess that after four years of President Obama and the destruction wrought from that existence, Americans will be ready to try that untried combination as they have never been before. Said, I think, that all that destruction must occur for the American voter to come to the conclusion I came to three decades ago.

Mind you, I don’t have any particular educated insights on any topic I bring up here.  I simply shoot from the hip.  I speak the truth is I see it.  I, along with I daresay, most of the people that come here to read this website, come from a less than pedigreed background. We are a nation of mongrels, after all.

I spent 15 years in Radio, and just under 20 years in IT (Hence the nickname “Bithead”) and with recent events on the economic front have been forced into a major career change at age 52, into the role of a long-haul truck driver.  Not being of a pedigreed line however, does not negate my ability to detect right from wrong.  It does not negate my ability to stand up and speak for my own interests, as well as those of my country, and most important, of freedom.   In fact given the prevailing lack of morality evidenced on those subjects amongst the fortunate sons in our society, I dare say I have a rather unique ability and requirement to speak up for such. No, this is not an indictment of the “evil rich” that you will see so often from leftie sites. It’s a matter of culture and morality. Consider; George Soros is rich. Do we ever see the left complaining that he’s rich? There’s a clue.

I believe that American values, where they still exist, best exist amongst the middle class.  The overworked, overtaxed, underemployed middle class.  There is a great deal to be said on the idea that there is an increasingly pervasive disenfranchisement of that middle class, most likely in my view because of the values it holds.  the That Middle class is a group of people, that has just recently begun to figure out how badly they’ve been screwed over by people who promised “change” without really defining what they meant in their use of that word.  As of this writing my take is that the American middle class is about to rise up with an anger that will be terrible to see. As a result they will find they are more powerful than they ever dreamed. They have the power as it stands to take back this country from those trying to redefine it. They just don’t know it, yet.

With all of that as a background, some on this blog will make discussion of political events and their import, and issue their opinions and thoughts. Often, our political commentary will be biting and acerbic, and heavy on the snark.  Other authors at other times will make note of social events, and slice of life stuff, written about Jack and Jill Everyperson.  These mesh because as I point out again, politics is not a game unto itself, but is a reflection of our most deeply held values.  I consider the slice of life articles that get posted here are a timely reminder of that fact.

I’m pleased that David, Mel, Karen, Fersboo, and Art have all chosen to join me here, writing at BitsBlog. They’re all talented at expressing their views, and a couple bring some serious technical gravitas as well, which is helpful. They are in reality a more talented group of people that I could have possibly hoped to draw to this cause.  I am forever grateful they are here.

I’ve often said in our internal discussions to my fellow writers here at BitsBlog that we have in our core readership, some of the best readers of any site on the web.  I firmly believe that.  So, I am grateful that you are here is well. And we invite your comment.