Thinking we can both agree any semblance of discussion on OT is long extinct. I know I've done my part (which pisses me off). The way we're going at it only means we're both shrinking our worldview and becoming way more firmly entrenched in our beliefs to the exclusion of any new information (I know I've played my part). While I know my posts don't demonstrate it, I'm extremely interested in learning more about folk's worldviews on the big issues of today and really want to get into the headspace of others where I have such vehement disagreement with. I honestly have no interest in dems mindset but wonder how people on the same team can create unfathomable conflict. I'll start with how I developed my outlook...
I grew up in a republican house (soft R) with an insurance Dad and an educator Mom. Even back in the 70s I remember Mom railing on school administrators (nothing union) for going with the curriculum du jour, lack of resources and staffing. But I don't remember actually DISCUSSING politics other than few comments from my folk's friends. I was a military guy from the get-go without really knowing it. I used to read SOF for christsake!
For everyone of my generation back then, to a person the goal was to get to 18 and leave the house and start your own life your own way. Independence and personal decision-making were positive traits back then we're talking late 70s early 80s.... There's also some family things that required me to become an adult on my own far before I was capable. 13 year olds don't make great adult decisions I came to found out 46 years later....
WDM Valley to ISU in 1982 as a pre-nuke engineer. Truth is I don't think I ever made it as far as "pre" since $.75 gin tonic nights seemed like a better value than a nuke degree. Oh - did I mention I suck at moderate maths? 3 semesters and flunked out.
As a rootless flunkout, I needed connection, direction and success so I joined the big blue machine as an airborne russian linguist. I served under Reagan (WWAAYY under!) and flew exclusively against the soviets throughout the 80s. In fact when KAL got shot down they thought that was MY plane as we used to be fairly aggressive when testing Sov air defense networks. Always fun when you're realtime collecting all the SAM sights chatting us up all down the Kamchatka and targeting your aircraft!
Right there is a defining moment for me. I loved Reagan as he gave me permission to be outwardly proud of my country as conservatism stood for positive things while provide that beacon of democracy that used to be so important. We had numerous issues back then as well but my party always campaigned on positive notes and held themselves out as worldwide promoters of democracy, national security and general peace throughout the world. I still believe an internationally engaged USA made the world far more prosperous and far more secure.
But the flip side is I was a Soviet intelligence collector deployed against the soviet union who was, and is for me NOW, the epitome of evil. I was TSSCI so I did have access to info the public didn't, but it was nothing like national war plans or policy - it was listening to a guy die from a liver disease on the Kamchatka over the 36 hours we were orbiting. We DID know the sovs were a hollow force way before the US admitted as much. My intel on the dead guy was REAL intel (in addition to the hundreds/thousands of other collectors) that helped build a broader picture of the sovs and their complete lack of infrastructure and scarcity of the basic services we've always gotten in the US so easily. Every flight we had soviet fighters off our wing (remember this is when they thought they shot down my plane). Some of the sensational stories you now hear about russians and chinese aggressively intercepting our airborne platforms was what we called fun. Nothing more empowering than flying in an RC-135 about 40 miles off the coast of Russia flipping off a russian pilot who's INSIDE our wing. Hey - a bunch of 20-25 year olds saving the world and spreading democracy!
Sorry - I'm going way longer than I thought.
One last segment - I'm 59 and retired early from the natural gas industry 4 years ago due to several things including Jay Inslee's and my company's bending the knee to climate alarmism and ACTIVELY seeking to reduce/eliminate natural gas from the portfolio. 2nd thing is we were going HARD after DEI bs. Side note - DEI is the opposite of diversity. Give me 10 white guys, or 10 lesbians, or 10 midgets who all look alike but exhibit diversity of THOUGHT not looks...
So I'll end here. I've been a Reagan conservative since I came of age. In my brand of conservatism I look for the positive worldwide vision PROMOTING democracy, safety and prosperity while providing a comprehensive military approach (with our now awakening EU partners). I'm a high tide raises all boats - not just R or D boats. I'm a Bush 1,000 points of light guy. I believe in the shining city on the hill and feel an engaged and IN-CHARGE USA leadership is so far better for security and peace. I feel starting with Obama and his "lead from behind" crap has started us on this path of a shrinking US presence.
So when I witnessed the storming of the capitol, it impacted the very essence of what I thought/want/hope/believe this country stands for. It literally felt like a coup and I was ready to do battle to protect my USA.
My disdain for Trump is he's (loosely) like Obama in shrinking this country, it's presence, leadership and overall standing in the world and eliminating the positive things we can bring and HAVE provided to the world through-out our history. I'm a huge adherent of American Exceptionalism... There is NOTHING democrat about me.
I grew up in a republican house (soft R) with an insurance Dad and an educator Mom. Even back in the 70s I remember Mom railing on school administrators (nothing union) for going with the curriculum du jour, lack of resources and staffing. But I don't remember actually DISCUSSING politics other than few comments from my folk's friends. I was a military guy from the get-go without really knowing it. I used to read SOF for christsake!
For everyone of my generation back then, to a person the goal was to get to 18 and leave the house and start your own life your own way. Independence and personal decision-making were positive traits back then we're talking late 70s early 80s.... There's also some family things that required me to become an adult on my own far before I was capable. 13 year olds don't make great adult decisions I came to found out 46 years later....
WDM Valley to ISU in 1982 as a pre-nuke engineer. Truth is I don't think I ever made it as far as "pre" since $.75 gin tonic nights seemed like a better value than a nuke degree. Oh - did I mention I suck at moderate maths? 3 semesters and flunked out.
As a rootless flunkout, I needed connection, direction and success so I joined the big blue machine as an airborne russian linguist. I served under Reagan (WWAAYY under!) and flew exclusively against the soviets throughout the 80s. In fact when KAL got shot down they thought that was MY plane as we used to be fairly aggressive when testing Sov air defense networks. Always fun when you're realtime collecting all the SAM sights chatting us up all down the Kamchatka and targeting your aircraft!
Right there is a defining moment for me. I loved Reagan as he gave me permission to be outwardly proud of my country as conservatism stood for positive things while provide that beacon of democracy that used to be so important. We had numerous issues back then as well but my party always campaigned on positive notes and held themselves out as worldwide promoters of democracy, national security and general peace throughout the world. I still believe an internationally engaged USA made the world far more prosperous and far more secure.
But the flip side is I was a Soviet intelligence collector deployed against the soviet union who was, and is for me NOW, the epitome of evil. I was TSSCI so I did have access to info the public didn't, but it was nothing like national war plans or policy - it was listening to a guy die from a liver disease on the Kamchatka over the 36 hours we were orbiting. We DID know the sovs were a hollow force way before the US admitted as much. My intel on the dead guy was REAL intel (in addition to the hundreds/thousands of other collectors) that helped build a broader picture of the sovs and their complete lack of infrastructure and scarcity of the basic services we've always gotten in the US so easily. Every flight we had soviet fighters off our wing (remember this is when they thought they shot down my plane). Some of the sensational stories you now hear about russians and chinese aggressively intercepting our airborne platforms was what we called fun. Nothing more empowering than flying in an RC-135 about 40 miles off the coast of Russia flipping off a russian pilot who's INSIDE our wing. Hey - a bunch of 20-25 year olds saving the world and spreading democracy!
Sorry - I'm going way longer than I thought.
One last segment - I'm 59 and retired early from the natural gas industry 4 years ago due to several things including Jay Inslee's and my company's bending the knee to climate alarmism and ACTIVELY seeking to reduce/eliminate natural gas from the portfolio. 2nd thing is we were going HARD after DEI bs. Side note - DEI is the opposite of diversity. Give me 10 white guys, or 10 lesbians, or 10 midgets who all look alike but exhibit diversity of THOUGHT not looks...
So I'll end here. I've been a Reagan conservative since I came of age. In my brand of conservatism I look for the positive worldwide vision PROMOTING democracy, safety and prosperity while providing a comprehensive military approach (with our now awakening EU partners). I'm a high tide raises all boats - not just R or D boats. I'm a Bush 1,000 points of light guy. I believe in the shining city on the hill and feel an engaged and IN-CHARGE USA leadership is so far better for security and peace. I feel starting with Obama and his "lead from behind" crap has started us on this path of a shrinking US presence.
So when I witnessed the storming of the capitol, it impacted the very essence of what I thought/want/hope/believe this country stands for. It literally felt like a coup and I was ready to do battle to protect my USA.
My disdain for Trump is he's (loosely) like Obama in shrinking this country, it's presence, leadership and overall standing in the world and eliminating the positive things we can bring and HAVE provided to the world through-out our history. I'm a huge adherent of American Exceptionalism... There is NOTHING democrat about me.
