On Being a Liberal...

As I mentioned, I'm a liberal. And it really chaps my bunions that we on the left have allowed them on the right to set the frame of the discussion. We have allowed the right to make 'Liberal' a dirty word. A quick search of the word 'Liberal' on Google comes back with "Broad-minded; favoring progress and reform", among other things. So, because I'm willing to look at issues from more than just my perspective, that's a bad thing? Because I believe that you should be free to do what you want as long as I can do what I want, that makes me a freak? WTF?!

Being a liberal is a good thing. But I know it's not the only thing. There is a place for Conservatism. I don't believe that this is an all-or-nothing world. Sometimes, the Right is right, and sometimes, the Left is right. But what makes me wanna holler is when Senator A says,"Yada yada yada, ", and Senator B says, "Senator A is a Liberal!", and Senator A sputters, "N-No, I'm not!!" That just makes my head explode. If Senator A really is a liberal, and there's nothing wrong with that, why not just grow a pair and say, "SO?!"

We on the left are hampered by a self-defeating need to be all things to all people. We want to please everyone, and God help us if someone gets mad at us. Please. The Republicans, for all their faults, and I feel that there some to discuss, have one very enviable trait: BACKBONE. The Dem's really need to invest in some of that. Stop trying to pander to the smallest part of the other party! Remember that you were elected to do a job. Do it.

Steve, is this about Health Care reform? You bet your sweet Aunt Kathy's false teeth, it is! The Dems have a two-house majority, and the White House. That this discussion has gone on as long as it has is sickening. The Republicans have said that they will not vote to pass health care reform. So why are the Dem's compromising and weakening the bill just to get 'Bipartisan support' that will never happen?

It's sorta like this: Say you're having a Christmas party, see, and you invite all you friends, and your ex-wife, who left you because she caught you with her sister. She hates you. Anyway, you've got this great party all lined up, and all your friends are looking forward to it. The ex says she ain't coming, because she hates you, and your rap music. You agree to change to country-western music, which you have always hated. She still hates you, and the meat you're serving, since she hates you and she's now a vegetarian. You change from corn-fed steaks and lobster to a locally-grown only salad bar. She still hates you and she really hates dancing girls. You cancel the dancing girls. She hates you, and she hates football. This party, to be held on Christmas Eve, the night of a hotly-contested playoff game, will now have the TV's locked onto her favorite Country-music channel.

Dude.

She.

Is.

Not.

Coming.

Neither are your former friends, who all think you're acting like a putz. Man up, and do what you gotta do, and the hell with her. She, like the Republican Party, is not the least bit interested in helping you or your stupid party. And when it tanks, and it will, she, like the Republican Party, will be the first to shout, "I Told You So!!" This is what it is. Deal with it, Dem's! Go and pass real, comprehensive health care reform. Leave a LEGACY. It's a once in a lifetime chance. Please don't blow it!

Welcome to The Griffin Perspective

Hello, and welcome to my opinion. My name is Steve Griffin. I am a forty-something sales professional who has the 3 things required to be a blogger: a computer, internet access, and something to say. I live in beautiful west Florida, in the Tampa Bay area. I'm blissfully married to a wonderful woman, who, after 20 years, is still a hottie. I'm also one of the millions of folks affected by the current economic downturn, so I actually have a little time on my hands. Because of that, I thought that now was a good time to start this project. And finally, shout out to Silas! Let's get started!

I want everyone who gets here to know where they are and what I'm doing. This is commentary. It is not news. I'll basically take a story or two from the most recent news, and publish my take on it, or my perspective. You are then free to disagree. This will be basically about National politics and world affairs. No updates about Jon or Kate, I don't care who Jennifer just broke up with, and the only way we'll be discussing Beyonce is if she's the 3:00 am call we were warned about. If you don't get that joke, you're probably at the wrong site.

I'm a liberal, first and foremost. I've voted Democrat, Republican, and Independent. But I am a liberal, and as I get older, the farther to the left I lean. So you should know that going in. You've been warned...