How times change

As I was on my morning run, I noticed a man along the side of the road in his car, talking loudly and gyrating with his hands. Now, in not too many years ago I would have been alarmed and figured he was hallucinating or had something mental going on with him. Of course, today we think nothing of it, knowing that he is probably on cel having some heated political conversation with someone.  No big deal, heated political conversations are pretty common these days.

Speaking of, as I have probably said before, I classify myself as an independent, politically, I mean.  Yes, I have always been pretty independent you say, but I'm narrowing it down right now to politically speaking.  Really, why would I want someone else to define what I think and believe? I can do that for myself.  Just because some politician says that it is so doesn't mean it is in my book.  It is interesting that often when they say what first comes into their head (which is usually what they really believe) they later retract when they hit opposition with their party. Oh, that's not what I really meant to say or after careful evaluation on the subject this is what I really meant.

There just aren't many absolutes in this world and politics is just not one of them.  And anyone who holds to a view solely because their party tells them that this is the way "we" think and if you want to be one of "us" then this is your truth, too. There is some truth coming from each direction as well as a lot of hog wash coming from both. Take the topic of unemployment insurance.  There are people who really have tried to get a job.  Then there are those who won't take a lower paying, because they have a steady income from unemployment coming in each month.  It may not pay what they would like, but they prefer it to doing something they prefer not to do.  So, something that can be a good thing can become an enabler for the opposite effect. No black and white here.  And so it goes with most issues, so I remain on the middle of the fence and decide which way I will jump as the wind blows.