11 June 2009

Schadenfreude

They were gracious hosts. When they heard we were going to stay in a hotel they opened their beautiful home to us. The hostess and I were to attend the same meeting, so it made arrangements much more simple... we could discuss the meeting beforehand and share transportation the morning of the meeting.

All went well until we started talking about current events and the subject turned to politics. When they discerned my political leanings they confided, "We're not big fans of George Bush."
That was understatement. It quickly became obvious both host and hostess were full-blown BDS sufferers. Conversation for the rest of the stay was civil, but tense.
At weekend's end we hugged and thanked them for their hospitality, and as we turned to get into our car the host shouted "I'm not rich enough to be a Republican!", and quickly closed the door before I could respond.
Irritating and cowardly...
These folks have beautiful homes in Michigan and Florida...
How "rich" do you have to be to be a Republican?

He's long retired from GM.
Now, frightened to tears about what Bozama is doing to our auto industry, they're being forced to consider their vote in the last election. They're also having to consider selling their home in Florida, in what may be the worst real estate market in decades.

I think soon they'll be poor enough to be Republicans.

16 comments:

Rita said...

And once they become Republicans, I'm sure they'll change their ways and become "intolerant" since we all know that all liberals are tolerant of others beliefs and all Republicans are not.

I'm always constantly amazed at how incredibly tolerant liberals are as long as you agree with everything they believe.

cary said...

How about smart enough to be Republicans? Or more precisely, to be conservatives?

Capt. Schmoe said...

Evidence of what happens when people's are based on charisma, teleprompters and soundbites. I suspect that there will be more people second guessing their votes as time passes.

Your hosts were deceived by the media twice. First when they were influenced by the media's intense hatred of Bush, second with the media's illogical love affair with Obama.

Frankly, I don't have confidence in either party. After being a republican for nearly thirty years, I became an independent after watching the republicans waste an unprecedented opportunity to set the course for the near future. They were too busy trying to appease the liberal moderates instead of doing what was right.

Keep the greasy side down,

Joeseph Schmoe

the golden horse said...

So, are these the same people that think the Kennedy family isn't rich? Or the Clintons? Or the stars of Hollywood?
And that list could go on and on.

These have to be the same people that think a playing a good offense gives them a good defense.
I think in about 3 1/2 years, that line of thinking will have changed.
I can tell you, I am a Republican and for sure, I am not even close to being rich. These people have a horrible case of denial. They need to get real.

CJ said...

Perspective is everything, isn't it? Now that the leader in the White House is 'one of them' and is actually doing your friends personal harm, the shoe is on the other foot.

But, I have to echo some of the opinions above. I'm not much happier with most of the Republicans in DC than I am with the Democrats. I am a conservative and if the GOP leaders don't reclaim their conservative roots, I'll be looking for another party.

cjh

CnC said...

Hmmm I wonder if good old David Letterman is rich enough to be a Republican. I USED to watch his show every night, but his politics have made him unfunny and unwatchable over the last several years, I would rather go to bed early and watch the back of my eyelids. Much more interesting.

THIRDWAVEDAVE said...

This is happening more and more in these politically charged days we live in. I can imagine how tense the rest of the evening was. In time, though, I'm sure they'll become aware of the mistake they have made.

Now, let's talk about the church!!

Keep at least 1230lbs in the tank, GB.

Flightfire said...

It must be tough knowing you're right all the time and other people are just idiots. What would it take to shake your conservative roots? Can you imagine how you'd be howling if Democrats had started a war in Iraq. If the Liberals had starting torturing prisoners. If Democrats had been in charge when the financial markets collapsed.

You've turned every issue into a partisan culture war. You don't care about what actually makes the most sense, you just say if it bears the label of Democrat then it must be bad. Partisans on both sides do this, and I'm guilty of the same offenses during the Bush years, but I can concede that he did some things right. The surge in Iraq was the right thing to do. The original war wasn't, but the surge was. Firing Donald Rumsfeld in the aftermath of the war was the right thing to do. He didn't make very many good decisions, but he was able to correct some of his mistakes.

So try to look at what Obama and the Democrats are doing right. He's fighting to keep more Abu Grahib pictures from being posted, he's drawn down troops in Iraq and bolstered them in Afganistan. He authorized the killing of those pirates off the coast of Somalia a while back. The economy is bad, but just his election seems to have bolstered a little bit of public confidence that things will turn around sooner than later. He's made some pretty good calls in his young administration.

Maybe if you could concede some common ground and realize that the other side aren't really idiots, cowards, or spendthrifts then your evenings wouldn't be so awkward.

CJ said...

Flightfire -

Common ground? Okay, some questions, first.

Do you think the government of the United States has any business, any standing, or any right to be in charge of the banking industry, the major stock-holder in the auto industry, or putting a 'pay csar' into place to control what the heads of private corportions make?

Do you think the federal government, which has done such a bang up job with the postals service, should be in charge of our health care? Have you seen how well socialized medicine works in England or Canada?

While we're at it - just who do you think these 'czars' are answerable to?

Do you think it's fine for Obama to decide what it is you can eat?

How about that tax on cell phones? Or the VAT? Think those are fine?

Withholding the photos of Abu Grahb is the right thing to do and Obama is making the right noise. But, he could put the issue to rest once and for all by classifying them. He hasn't yet. Why not?

So, I'll be waiting for your answers and maybe then we can discuss common ground.

cjh

Unknown said...

Re Flightfire's comment:

I wouldn't know where to begin dissecting his claims, so stunningly numerous, naive and myopic are they. My time is too valuable to waste doing it. So I'll leave it at this...

"You cannot reason a man out of something that he did not reason his way into." -- Jonathan Swift

"What a fool believes, no wise man has the power to reason away." -- The Doobie Brothers

Bob Barbanes: said...

Heh. I know people who let their politics get in the way of their personal relationships. I always find it sad, as I do now.

Whether Obama is right or wrong in what he is doing, the clock is ticking - and he knows it. Unless he can make some real, long-lasting improvements to the economy - and soon! - there'll be someone new redecorating the White House in January, 2013. And remember, Obama is no dummy.

Obama inherited a mess, no doubt about that. You may not like his solutions...heck, I may not like them. I just hope and pray that there are people in Washington D.C. who are smarter than you and me, and who can see things in the big picture that we may be missing. With that confidence, I remain unpanicked and hopefully optimistic.

camerapilot said...

My take is that all politicians are Modern Day Pharisees. Yes there are some politicians that speak moments of wisdom yet years of folly.
Will we ever find a politician that speaks to all and has the gift to heal all wrongs? No.
Out here in California we are hitting rock bottom. Govt. got too big; Propositions were proposed, put on ballots that we had no funding for and the people spoke and voted in a life style that we could not afford and now we are eating it big time, government is having to undergo a Lap Band Procedure which I am loving! I mean look at it, government offices are closing, government is getting smaller! How great is that?!
Listen people, if you think having government in your bed is a good thing don't forget to jump in the Sheep Dip before heading toward your stall.
Change of subject GB, did your .30 cal ammo come in?

Unknown said...

GB -- I came across a post I wrote about a year ago that ties in with yours -- and directly addresses the comment left by Flightfire.

http://radiopatriot.blogspot.com/2008/08/sunday-morning-reflections-after.html

Greybeard said...

Hey Bob, thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment. It's good for others to see that we helicopter pilots are not carved out of a monolithic block. But as to your comment, when I can figure out how to get some of that wealth Bozama is "spreading around", I'll be a much happier camper. Maybe you've already figured that out?
Share brother!

CP-
Cabela's is now promising my ammo will arrive at their door on the 29th of June and they'll deliver it soon after. I'm so amused by their promises now I'm just gonna sit back and see if they ever tell the truth. In the meantime, I'm hearing there is a trickle of ammo beginning to reach stores, and I'll gobble up whatever I can.
What are you hearing?

Andrea-
Thanks for the link.

camerapilot said...

Out here in Ca. it's a "no go". Shooting ranges, sporting good stores and alike are experiencing shortages on all popular rifle & pistol ammo.
I followed your cue and ordered ammo from Cabela's (.22 LR) on the 10th. I'll let you know when it arrives.
More firearms have appeared on gun store shelves that once were bare.

Greybeard said...

Erik-
Thanks for the joke. In order to avoid wailing and gnashing of teeth here I'm not posting that!
But thanks for taking the time.