I shouldn't be like this: a liberal Democrat in the great, grand, and glorious state of Texas. A redder state you'll never, and hopefully, won't, see. A state where there's a church on just about every block, with Joel Osteen wannabees selling salvation and forgiveness from every pulpit, and have a very definite path for you to follow to achieve both of those goals. A state where judges are elected, and parade around their party affiliation like some Civil War battle flag from General Hood's division guidon. A state where it's obvious to just about everybody that dinosaurs walked the earth with humans, and the earth was made in 7 calendar days 6,646 years ago next Thursday! Just ask the high school cheerleaders down in Santa Fe, Texas (and their mothers). Everyone I've ever worked for and quite a few of the people I've know for the last 40 years or so are confused, at the least, or completely gobsmacked by my core beliefs. They just can't believe that someone who grew up in Abilene, Texas, went to Texas A&M University (a member of the Corps of Cadets, by gosh and by golly!), spent 29 years as a commissioned officer in the USAF and was a fighter pilot for 15 years can be other than a howlin' mad angry white guy willing to see our union dissolve over such mundane concepts as freedom of speech, a progressive tax system or reproductive rights for women. I doubt that any of those folks will read this missive, so, I'll explain myself to you!
First of all, I am against the death penalty. Period. Notice I did not stutter, or use the "except" word or make any other wiggle room modifiers to my statement. The state should not have the right to put a citizen to death who is not an immediate, clear, and present threat to the lives of others. Such a penalty has never been applied fairly, and, when mistakes are made, there's no way to appeal after the sentence has been carried out. This is an ongoing travesty of justice and morality in our society today.
Second, the old saw that "government that governs least governs best" is just fatuous bull shit. Government needs to be as sophisticated, large and powerful as it needs to be to carry out the goal of protecting its citizens from foreign and domestic threats. If government had be doing its due diligence, would we have had the tragedy of Bernie Madoff?
And, finally, women should have complete control of their own bodies and the right to choose to continue a pregnancy or not. I thought this basic freedom was decided back in the '60's! How this remains in discussion is a constant mystery to me.