Ten Steps To The Voting Booth

1. Discover what you hold important and prioritize your list. I'm serious. Make a list and shift the items around until they're in order. Revisit your list from time to time, and shift issues around as necessary. Evaluate each candidate as you would a new job, a new employer, a retirement plan or long term plan for your children.
2. Think genuinely for yourself. Gather information from a wide range of resources. Don't stop until you've weighed each side of an issue and evaluated it honestly.
3. Use information to bolster or augment your position, but be honest with yourself always.
4. Don't be a follower just because it's the cool thing to do. You lose the power of your individuality this way!
5. See through the BS, the sound bites and the media slant (in both directions).
6. Listen as much for what is NOT said as for what is.
7. Look for ulterior motives always. There usually is one.
8. Don't dole out the benefit of the doubt. If it isn't clear, chances are... it's muddy.
9. Ben Franklin once said, "He that lies down with dogs, shall rise up with fleas." I'm reasonably certain he wasn't referring to those of us who actually sleep with our dogs, so keep that in mind.
10. Vote your convictions, but keep in mind that conviction is defined as the state of being convinced or compelled; a strong persuasion or belief. Voting is not to be taken lightly. It's important... so don't let anyone else do your thinking for you!

A Nonconformist and Anonymous Conformist

This blog is called 'anonconformist' for two reasons:

1. Nonconformist: My belief in, yea commitment to, social freedoms paired with my conservative stance on social programs, taxation, illegal immigration, and the war on terror... yields me a nonconformist in any party, any culture or subculture. In spite of my position in life, the social circles in which I travel and the body in which I was born, the sum total of my beliefs do not mirror, in any way, shape or form, the views of most of my peers.
   
2. Anon(ymous) Conformist: I love a good debate, but I also respect the rights to other opinions. I'll confess to you that I shock the bjeebers out of friends when I make my points, for they have little or no factual ammunition with which to retort. I never take the opportunity to revel or drive the point home, because I believe we learn more when our backs aren't up against a wall. And so, in my own mind, if no other... I am an anonymous conformist.

I Don't Heart Huckabee

On the surface and earlier in the presidential marathon, Mike Huckabee has seemed to me to be... while likely not the candidate I would vote for, certainly an all around good guy with whom I would enjoy sharing a meal or a heart-to-heart conversation.

As this political season has progressed however, and as I have come to know him better, I'm pretty sure I've changed my mind.

Forget my bulleted list, my sentiment could not be better expressed.

Hillary Nutcracker

Get yours here,
where you can also purchase nuts in the shell,
"best used with the Hillary Nutcracker and a little imagination"!

Brought to you by FunWithNuts, a division Eagleview USA, Inc.

Proverbial Catch 22: Freedom

America is founded on freedom and equality, including the freedom of unmoderated opinion and open public debate.

I pray this will not be the source of her failure.

Condi Rice Passes on the NFL Commissioner Opening

It's widely known that Condi is a huge NFL fan, and has made no secret of her aspiration to run the league one day. The fact that Paul Tagliabue is retiring this July would mean that she would not only have to abandon her current duties, but also any other political goals she might have in the back of her mind (hint, hint).

"Unfortunately, it came open at the wrong time," Rice said Wednesday, clearly amused when a reporter posed the question. "Obviously, I'm very busy as secretary of state, and I intend to continue to be secretary of state as long as the president of the United States will have me."

Taxation with Representation

As an update to my recent post at my weird stuff happens to me blog:

I've worked 33 hours in the last three days. I've experienced momentary lapses into feelings of contentment and relief... that I am replenishing my savings, I'm getting a little bit ahead, and I might even be able to reward myself with that Dyson vacuum cleaner over which I fantasize(yes, my life is THAT exciting)!

I'm operating on little rest, but as I began to map out my plan for the week, I included a response to the "little" IRS matter that I mentioned in my "napmare". So, tonight, I pulled the little love letter out and read the entire document. And upon further review, I find that I DO, indeed, owe the IRS four figures... for matters relating to the estate of my Mother (and previously my Father's pension fund).

Great. It doesn't seem to be enough that I've lost, with the deaths of my parents, the most precious resource I've ever had... but it seems that the government needs me to contribute further toward the upkeep of my dear Martha.

I have to admit that this has inspired a bit of anger in me.

My father worked, from the age of 11 until the end of his life, still happily employed full time, at the age of 62 years and 10 months.

He served our country in the USAF. He held office and served local government for many years, without payment. And he served the state for meager to moderate to justifiable compensation, due in part, to his conservative values, when it came to taxpayers' moneys and tooting his own horn.

Mother was very ill when Dad passed away. In the short remainder of her life, she drew a very tiny portion of the 51 years of Social Security contributions that my Father made. Because his pension fund also provided insurance for his beneficiary, she never qualified for most of the benefits of Medicare (much less Medicaid), whatsoever.

I thought that the taxes related to the settlement of this part of the estate, had been deducted. I'm not sure how or why THIS sum (tiny in the grand scheme of things, but not so tiny at this moment) might have been overlooked. On my part, depression has clouded my actions and lack thereof. I'm likely at fault, not intentionally... but because I know I've shut down. I've tried really, really hard... but the feelings of loss and hopelessness are sometimes overwhelming.

The very worst events that could EVER happen to me... happened. I was DEVASTATED by the loss of my Dad. My Mom suffered terribly, emotionally, physically and mentally, prior to her death. And when Mom passed away, I succombed, in many ways, to the meaningless acts of survival, estate settlement and moving forward. I worried 24/7 while she was in the realm of this world. I remained in an almost constant state of prayer and negotiation with our God. I cared more and stood strong against odds greater than I ever dreamed I had the strength to face.. I "willed" so valiantly... good health, happy thoughts, diligent prayers and God's blessings in her behalf... that when all my efforts failed... I just sort of coasted to a stall, nodded in defeat, eventually accepted, agreed, signed documents and went along to get along... in order to just survive my loss.

I KNOW that I'm not the only one who has suffered such events. For me, though, the emotional toll has far overshadowed any sort of financial resentment that I might feel. I know, though, how my Father would feel by the imposition of taxes and penalties on his son and daughter.

My brain isn't naturally wired to think solely in financial terms. It is a conscious effort, on my part, to plan and save and worry. I don't need a lot of material things, and I don't have to support a rich entertainment habit. I live relatively simply. Financially... I worry, only, that I might have to work all the way to the grave, in order to maintain my modest lifestyle. Enough BAD STUFF (stories for another day) has happened to me to make me worry about what's around the corner... as well as what (and who) I must learn to live without.

So, the sub-total is this... last week's overtime will assist in bringing Martha Stewart to "justice"... or may, perhaps, partially pay the tab on the very illuminating (hmmmph) 9/11 report .

The bottom line is that, if I were to run for office (and that's not a possibility, on account of introversion, personal ethics and many reasons I'm not prepared to discuss at this time!), I would propose a system of taxation with dedication, whereby the payer could explicitly name the areas of government he or she elected to fund or support. The government would be run on a budget, just like its contributing supporters establish, in which every dollar earned is dedicated to a certain expense, or savings.

No matter how dire my financial circumstances, I've always financially supported (albeit sometimes through time rather than money) charitable organizations that I deem worthy. Not only do I believe that the tax dollar directed toward certain social and domestic causes breeds abuse and disempowerment, but I also believe (perhaps idealistically) that the dollar given voluntarily seems so much more powerful than that taken by (legal and federal) heist.

My idealistic system of taxation and elective funding would, realistically, never gain the support of either party. Both parties would frown upon the empowerment of the masses. Republicans would resent the funds dedicated to stem cell research, and away from the preservation of the "sanctity" of marriage. And Democrats would surely find the system antithetical to their (seemingly communist and socialist) leanings, as ALL people would be empowered by investment, rather than subjogated by continuing weakness, addiction and self pity.

Yes, that's right. I said it. And now I'm having doubts about my own proposal. You see, my intention is not to disempower the poorer among us. Heck, I'm one of them! I just believe there's tremendous waste. And I wholeheartedly believe in the will to survive, and the old "teach em to fish" theory.

For me, for now, it's time to put behind me... the vivid dreams of the great sucking (Dyson) vacuum... and whip out the check book for the great (-------) governmental programs to which I, surely, owe my overtime. I only hope it buys Martha a sateen pillowcase and the occasional lobster tail.