Welcome

My other blog is more related to my professional life. Outside of my professional interests, I have been and continue to be a political "junky." My Master's thesis in Sociology was focused on Politics, Economics, and Class, all of which are still interesting to me today.

My Political Philosophy

I tend to lean left of center, but not so much so that I blindly adhere to liberal tenets or the Democratic Party's platform (though, I am registered as a Democrat). I am wary of (and will in the future rail against) extremes on either side of the political spectrum. I'm fiscally conservative and believe in the principle that a smaller government is better, but I don't necessarily believe in the Republican (read: William F. Buckley) philosophy that the role of (federal) government should be minimalized to the point where individual states have too much control. Therein lies a balance where states have control over their economy and to a certain extent their social mores, but only to the extent that individual rights cannot be impinged. To that extent, I believe that the size and strength of the federal goverment should be proportionate to the needs of society. No more and no less. When the federal government is too large, we relinquish too much power to too few; on the other hand, when the federal government is too small, we leave too much control to the states to consider the interests of the nation at-large (much like herding cats).

Socially, I tend to be more liberal. I believe that government's sole responsibility is to ensure that all citizens are afforded the opportunity to live their lives in a manner that harms none. For me this means:

• Gay Rights: I believe that homosexuals should have the same rights afforded to heterosexuals, including rights of survivorship, the ability make decisions for partners when they are incapacitated, and to be recognized as a legal and binding partnership in every state in the union. In short, whom one partners with is none of my business, as is my relationship with my wife none of anyone else's business.
• Women's Rights: Women still earn less than men, and frequently are overlooked for promotions. I firmly believe that merit (regardless of gender) is the ultimate benchmark of anyone's ability to succeed.
• Religion: I firmly believe in the separation of church and state. I believe that all religious traditions should be respected, and that no religion is superior to another. But I believe that religion has no place in politics or government. Period. Like Andrew Sullivan, I have my own religious beliefs, but strongly assert that these remain separate from my secular life.
• Environment: I believe that global warming is real, and man-made. We need to clean up our mess, and need to find alternative fuel solutions, and fast.
• Race: I find it discouraging that this is still in the public discourse. How does the color of someone's skin or their birthplace make someone more or less likeable, interesting or vice versa?

About Me

I grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts, the "birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution", in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood. I went to public schools through junior high school, and went to a catholic high school in Lawrence. Lowell is a blue collar city, ethnically and racially diverse. There were Irish, French-Canadian, Greek, Polish, Italian, African American and Puerto Rican enclaves within the city. Politics were (and generally still are) dominated by Democrats.

I moved to Colorado in 1986, and attended the University of Northern Colorado. Colorado politics aren't nearly as visible as those of my youth. Politicians infrequently make news, and the political discourse is as rough and tumble. Here, folks are much more inclined to be left alone, and only want government involvement when they ask for it. Otherwise, they prefer that government's footprint to be very light. There's a much stronger emphasis on socially conservative ideals - of strong moral character and doing the "right" thing.

I also lived in Northwest Washington State for 8 years. Politically, this region is a mishmash of very liberal and very conservative views, somehow coexisting in a tenous detente, neither side having or exerting too much or too little influence.

I'm influenced by all of these political mindsets. My family and friends cover a wide swath of the political spectrum also. To me all facets of politics are interesting personally, and sociologically. I'm interested in the internal and external factors that influence how an individual chooses to vote. I'm interested in the dynamics of politics that influence our elected leaders in their decision making processes.

In this era of instant news, and a wide range of opionions from the punditry, it's truly mind boggling that anybody "gets it right". There are so many spin doctors competing for their version of the truth to win out that the average American is justifiably cynical about politics. I enjoy the spin. In some ways, it truly is an art form; in other ways, it's pure BS. Nevertheless, my hope is that I can untangle their spin, and put my own on things, purely through my own rose colored spectacles.

And with that, some ground rules: I enjoy polite, courteous, and civil debate. No one person has a monopoly on what's right or wrong. At the least, we can agree to disagree; at best, we can find common ground for further discussion. Flame and hate trolls aren't welcome.

I hope you enjoy. On to interesting discussions.