State of the Union rant

A friend and I just had a vigorous exchange on Facebook. It's my fault. I tossed out a status update that stirred the pot, stating that I am moving away from my lifetime Republican voting patterns because I'm fed up with win-lose styles that guarantee nothing will happen. I don't mean to suggest that this is only a Republican style; Dems do the same thing when they don't have the votes. My buddy actually embraced this sort of "preventionism" as a defensible political philosophy.

I'm thinking about that.

But my concern is that in that sort of political climate neither party will get the chance to actually learn if their policies are flawed or not. Everyone entrenches as "true believers" because it's all theoretical. In the meantime folks on both side toss out shameful mischaracterizations of a policy position--there's no attempt to represent the other side's position accurately because the goal is to win the argument at all cost.

As a follower of Jesus I can't rush fast enough or far enough away from that approach. With Christians passionately identified as both Dems and Repubs can't we at least be the voices of integrity that blow the whistle on unfair fighting techniques? Truth. Love & respect.

In the meantime I just want to know who wants to GET SOMETHING DONE??? I don't want to concede on policies to prove they don't work. But I think I have elevated political logjamming to the top of my value pile when it comes to my vote. And I think that's because of my love for Jesus and belief that peace-makers are bridge-builders who need to have skills and character that stands out among the fatally, sinfully flawed human beings that we all are. Who is it that is skilled enough in politics--not the art of getting and staying elected--but the ol' fashioned horse trading it takes to move us from an unacceptable status quo? That's who I can vote for. I'm stuck.

It's been a while since I've written anything. Both kids got married, so that's something. Anyway, I hope I've not disappointed. A friend told me that he liked my stuff and asked why I don't keep it up. So I think I'll try harder.

Wish I had a more spiritually endowed phrase at this time then "I'll try harder." Feels like by this time in my life (I'm 55) and journey with Jesus (since I was 16, but it still feels new in some ways) I should be able to draw upon some nearly Christian-bumper-sticker-worthy way to describe how I will re-engage an effort which started well and has since lapsed.

Help me out if you can. Maranatha. And stay thirsty, my friends.

Oh, by the way, one of my inspirations for writing again is the joy I've gotten the last couple of weeks from reading Jon Acuff's blog. Pure fun and admiration for the art of articulation. Here's the link, if you haven't been introduced: http://stuffchristianslike.net/