Thursday, October 30, 2008

It's My Party and I'll Wear My Heels if I Want To


First of all, I would like to begin this blob post by sending virtual smooches to all of Moi’s liberal and conservative homies for playing nice AND for so thoroughly articulating your beliefs. While I may disagree with many of them, I sure do respect the heck out of all y'all for at least having them. It takes a certain class of human being to give serious thought to the proper nature of government and I’ll give props to anyone who puts in the time to formulate a set of ideals and back them up.

But, being who I am, I oh so do want to have the last word. Because, if I'm reading our parties correctly, it seems to me that they have BOTH got it wrong.

The Democratic party as it currently exists seems to me to operate from the idea that human beings are nothing more than hapless victims for whom life is terribly, terribly hard and unfair. Thus, say the Democrats, it is the proper role of government to take by force the property of those who thrive and reapportion it to those who have not earned it. In the process we are all robbed of our dignity, purpose, and self respect.

The Republican party as it currently exists seems to me to operate from the idea that human beings are nothing more than criminals for whom life is one big cesspool of temptation. The proper role of government therefore is to propagate feelings of shame and fear in order to make us behave. In the process, we are all robbed of joy, courage, and the justifiable moral outrage needed to fight the real evils of this world.

I subscribe to neither view. As a friend of mine said to me recently, “We need a new box.” Well, yes.

And, also, no.

It’s like my chocolate cake. For years, not content with what had proven to be a perfectly delicious recipe, I spent a tremendous amount of energy searching for something even better. But in the end, I realized, I couldn’t get much better than the recipe on the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa box. It is moist without being fudgey, with a well-defined grain that holds up to just about every frosting/butter cream/coating you can throw at it. You can sheet it, layer it, cupcake it, or Bundt it. You can dress it up or down. But it essentially remains one of the best, most serviceable chocolate cake recipes around.

Our government is like that. We don’t need a new cake recipe. We need to dust off and polish the one we already have. Sorry, those are some really weirdly mixed metaphors, but I think you get my point.

Certainly, there are many people in this country who DO desire a new government, one based on either or both of the philosophies I outlined above. Have at it, I say. They won’t be the first people in history eager to wield power and control. And they certainly have many fine examples of tyranny throughout the ages from which to draw.

But they need to do it outside of Moi’s sandbox.

So, that's my last word. You can leave yours here in the comment box, but continue to play nice, por favor.

Tomorrow, inspired by the assistance I was able to give my lovely amiga Da Pirate regarding a Frye Boot fashion dilemma, I will be back with a SHOE POST. Yes, Czar, I do wear the stuff in the house . . .

16 comments:

Aunty Belle said...

Aristotle's honey wore Louboutins.

Jenny said...

ahahah to Aunty.

The Dems make me feel weak and the Republicans make me feel alone. So, I've been sitting on the Big Party Fence for a long time. *sigh*

I'd love to hop off. Truly.

Oooh, it's SO time for a fashion post!

moi said...

Aunty: And de la Renta, too :o)

A.B.: Yes, it is. I got paid yesterday. So I was naughty. But in a very sensible way.

fishy said...

Well splash me! A girl who doesn't sugar coat her politics or her cake!

Big Shamu said...

Cake?? When are we going to slice into it?
Political discussions are much more amusing when spoken through a mouth full of chocolate crumbs and luscious buttercream icing.

VintagePurseGal said...

What is it Lewis Black says? "The Republicans are a party of BAD ideas; the Democrats are a party of NO ideas."

I'm all for bundting the lot of them.

Bretthead said...

I was following along just fine and formulating my intelligent whimsical response until I got to chocolate cake. Mmmmmm, chocolate cake.

Your what hurts? Huh? Where am I?

h said...

I like this quote regarding the difference:

"The Democrats are a Traitorous-Party-Of-Filth and the biggest single threat to freedom we face.

Republicans, by contrast, are a Patriotic-Party-Of-Clean and the biggest bulwark of freedom we have."

moi said...

Fishy: Normally, I'm all for sugar coating. But when it comes to these strange daze, no.

Shamu: See, the key to peace between the parties is most definitely baked goods. Just call Moi the Betty Crocker of the Republic.

Wendy: Your comment immediately brought to mind the image of Moi, on the fifty yard line, punting, one at a time, Obama's and McCain's bloated heads through that football goalpost thingee. Score!

WTWA: See, I could use you in my administration. Weapon of mass distraction.

Troll: Yes. But what do you think of chocolate cake?

h said...

Cake? I agree with you. But experiment with what you serve WITH it.

Jenny said...

for the record, I love chocolate cake.

VENTL8R said...

This is why I'm a registered Independent. I feel both sides are right on some things and both sides are complete idiots on some things.

Meghan said...

Um, can I still come play in your sandbox?

moi said...

Troll: Coffee? Port? More cake? Oh, right. Ice cream.

A.B.: I know :o)

Ventl8R: See Wendy's comment, above. The poleeticians would love it if we all remained in our little set ideological boxes. So much easier for them.

Meghan: Of course! Oh, and, got milk?

Jenny said...

happy halloween!!!

Bretthead said...

That is what all the girls say.