Conservative, Liberal, Moderate

Political discourse these days centers around one of the handful of labels we all use to identify ourselves and our adversaries. Well yesterday on the show we got a random call from a very sweet, very youthful sounding and very vibrant 77-year-old woman who called just to tell us how much she loves our show. (By the way I love that we get 18 and 25 and 35 and 50 year-olds that enjoy what we do)

Well that wouldn't be that out of the ordinary, other than the fact that she made the point that she loves us despite the fact that she is a liberal democrat. We try not to delve too deeply into politics that often, but when we do it's obvious where we stand.

She is still active in sales and I was impressed with her grace, warmth and energy. What confused me about a 77-year-old liberal democrat with no apparent tie to government income (other than her SS check which she is eligible for), is that she still believes in a horribly, obviously failed system of government control.

She explained her position by saying she likes to help people. To which I pointed out that conservatives give far more to charities than liberals, hands down. She said she also gives to charity and I certainly believed her.

The so called good intentions of government programs which have taxed us into stagnation and crippled our economy are now in clear focus more that 50 years after the "Great Society" and the "War on Poverty" started during the Johnson administration. Through this "good work" and "helping people", we have damned several generations of families to constant and sometimes total reliance on government to make it through every part of life.

Many of these folks think it's the government's obligation to do this and have no example or personal experience of self reliance and any sense of accomplishment, rendering them totally dependent on the state. I can't think of anything more damaging to the human spirit and ones family legacy.

This country has always offered the "opportunity" to get in the game and succeed, not a promise of supporting someone. Also, with the government's help, by lowering lending standards to encourage home ownership, we now find ourselves in the worst financial crisis in memory.

The States social engineering practices have punished the hard working and upwardly mobile with higher taxes and reduced opportunity, and enslaved the so called "poor" to a legacy of dependency and a horrible work ethic all in the name of "helping people". I never understood the old adage that "the road to hell was paved with good intentions" until I took a careful look at the last 50 years of our government's domestic policies.

I suspect our friend (and I do mean that sincerely) was swayed to that side, back in the 60's when abortion rights were being fought for, along with the civil rights movement and women's rights. She took a side and stuck with it. That's the label she was given or gave herself and she's kept wearing it like a comfortable old robe.

Time to shake that thing out dear and maybe get a new one. Or maybe just go without one. Today politicians who call themselves liberal democrats are plunging ahead full force with the exact same policies that have painted us into this very uncomfortable corner we find ourselves in. It's also failed REPEATEDLY around the world.

I'm neither a democrat or republican in party affiliation, but I am liberal on social views and conservative on fiscal matters. Have an abortion once a month if you want, as long as I'm not paying for it.(Me and my insurance company paid for my vasectomy!) Marry your buddy Phil and buy a nice house next door to me. I'll have you guys over often for one of my big Italian family Sunday dinners. But don't keep confiscating more of my hard earned income and take it at an even higher rate, should I become more successful.

Is that so hard to understand or agree with? It frustrates me greatly when someone can get my sometimes off-the-wall sense of humor, but can't get the fact that what our government and politicians have been doing in the name of "helping people" is damning us to hell!