My dear pal, Jimmy:

Seems like this thread (and perhaps you too, buddy) are mixing apples and orangutans. The old line "Some of my best friends are ... add appropriate label) applies to individuals. I believe we are all challenged to consider everyone as an individual first, rather than applying generalities (we agree here, jt..) But, when I step into a voting booth, especially to vote on a national level, I am usually voting for a political party, even though an individual is the candidate. I am a democrat who has voted republican several times on a mayoral election, because in that case, I felt the qualities of the individual justified supporting the candidate. On a local level, I believe that an individual candidate has more influence on the direction a community takes. On a national, or even State level, I would be far more hesitant to vote Republican, because I believe that the Republican party's theme songs is God Bless The Child That's Got It's Own. I don't think the Republican party has a corner on crooks, or that they kick their dogs when they come from work any more than Democrats do. I vote on a national level based on what I believe is a major difference in social philosophy. Those who are as old as I am may remember a great Al Capp character, General Bullmoose, whose motto was "What's good for General Bulmoose is good for the country!" I don't like the whole idea of trickle-down economy, because it smacks too much of Lazarus begging for crumbs at the rich man's gate."

None of what I say is personal to you, and I think you shouldn't take it that way. A week ago, I took a thread about singer-songwhiners personally, and ended up making an ass out of myself, because the comments weren't directed at me. I consider myself an angst-free songwriter. Somehow, a button of mine got pushed, with no intention of directing the phrase at me. It was my fault that I took it personally, and I felt embarassed about it and apologized.

Truth is, jimmy, we could not make it through one day without generalizing. Make a generalization that cars don't run red lights, and it won't take long before you get run over, crossing the street.
The danger in making generalizations is that you measure people by those generalizations, rather than as individuals. As far as I'm concerned jimmy you are downright swell. I think George Bush is as dangerous (or more so) than Saddam Husein ever was. I'm not judging GW morally, but on the power he holds and weilds so recklessly, much more as a dictator than an elected official.

Now, when we get to political parties, you have to make generalizations. If you vote, I assume you choose a Republican candidate based on some generalizations of your own. If you only vote for an individual, then you would not identify yourself as a Republican, but an independent. You are voting on a different set of generalizations than I am. Like me, I don't think you judge someone simply on a party label. But, you judge a party on it's basic platform of beliefs.

I think it will take years to undo the destruction that G.W. has done in this country and the world. But I think you're a fine man, jimmy. Don't take things so personally, my friend... And I agree wholeheartedly with Naemonson.... You choose to be a Republican. No one chooses to be disabled, or black or of a particular nationality.
Unless someone starts a thread that says jimmyt is a Republican Jerk (
if they do, they'll have to deal with me) assume they're talking about some other Republicans. God knows, each party has more than it's quota.

U DA MAN, jimmy!

A pointy-headed liberal