As some of you know, I am trying to be more policy-focused than politician-focused in my exercising of political rights as an American citizen. In evaluating the current situation in both the country and my life, this will be my new policy:
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1. THE BIG THREE ISSUES (GRA, or CGNS): National security (GWOT); Right to Keep and Bear Arms (RKBA); and, as a personal concern, Animal Welfare (AnWe)--aka, "Cats, Guns, and National Security". As for the "the economy," just tell me how much fuel and ammo will cost, and I'm done with such matters. These issues combine what I deem as the most important issues facing our society, and one issue I am compelled to consider.
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These, of course, are the focus of my invitation-only personal blog, "Cats, Guns, and National Security": http://catsgunsandnationalsecurity.blogspot.com Anyone desiring access to this blog who does not already have it, please submit a request, and it will be given every consideration. (Bribes helpful, but not required.)
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2. AMERICAN HERITAGE (AmHe): Cultures change over the years, whether for better or worse, but our heritage--our origin and foundation as a nation--remains and should remain. So, I do little on "culture war" things, since that is so subject to divisions among people otherwise on the same side. However, I stand for our basic heritage, in opposition to PC. As a practical matter, I will do this almost entirely in the context of involvement in the Big Three, taking AmHe as a consideration. Basically this is simply resistance to the agenda of the Left ("Left" as the term is used by legitimate political science, not some Tea Party-type who has no idea about anything, but talks anyway.) AmHe traits will be treated as guideposts and restricted areas when pursuing those matters--that is, I will resist PC in the context of pursuing them.
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AmHe is broken down into two basic categories:
- DEMOGRAPHICS: Foundational demographic (FoDe). No PC discrimination against "traditional ruling classes"--no Affirmative Action, no "special rights" which have disparate impact on those classes, and a recognition that those classes (WASPs and such, with acknowledgement to American Indians) are indeed foundational. Culture changes will occur, but the foundational demographic should be respected regardless.
- OWNERSHIP: Private property and enterprise (PrPE). This is not so much about "regulation," but rather about in whose hands the bulk of property and enterprise is held. There are few areas where "the government" needs to be owners or to exert extreme influence--military production, the postal system, roads and bridges, etc., being among those cases. Our society should be predominately private in basis, and while cultural and technological changes will impact on how this is manifested, an eye should be given to maintaining that.
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3. ORGANIZATION FOCUS: While I will as able sacrifice personal concerns for "the cause," I will focus primarily on supporting effective and legitimate organizations doing the job, rather than trying to do an "operation of one." This will improve overall impact while helping me keep my sanity.
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Prime organizations by issue, and the exception, are as follows:
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- GWOT: ACT! for America (A4A) (with honorable mention to Frank Gaffney's Center for Security Policy). http://actforamerica.org/
- RKBA: National Rifle Association (NRA/NRA-ILA), noting their "Friends of NRA" grassroots outfit. (Don't mention GOA to me. REPEAT: Don't mention GOA.) http://www.nraila.org/
- AnWe: Personal volunteer action at the lowest level, as it is less "political," than it is simply service and aid to our furry friends.
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4. MILITARY SERVICE (ARNG): My service in the Missouri Army National Guard is becoming more time- and labor-intensive. Between that and the other requirements of such service, it will by necessity--and indeed, all propriety--take on a higher priority in my life--a life I have always tried, though with errors, to dedicate to matters above and beyond myself. Simply put, this "citizen-soldier" needs to put more on the "soldiering" side.
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5. PERSONAL LIFE (PeLi): As much as I strive, have striven, and know the need for all Americans to reshape their lives from lives of self-focus to lives of focus on their community, the reality of life is finally hitting this old guy.
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The effect here will be on two points:
- LIFE SIMPLIFICATION (LiSi): This goes way back in my life, though many influences, but the jist is that I will limit my involvements, be they personal, business, or ideological. I will also continue my often-violated but ever-more-important precept of keeping physical possessions to a minimum, with storage for things like family heirlooms (I consider such things as belonging not to me, but ather to the family).
- PERSONNEL CIRCLE (PeCi): Family (which is shrinking) and a few--FEW--personal friends. All my life my natural mentality has been to think in terms of establishing an esoteric ("closed-circle") life, with the aim of consolidating as much of it as possible and centered on a common aim. Some do this with religion. Some do this with business. And some do this with their nuclear or modestly-extended family. One's country can be used as this, but using something at that level and with so much of it outside of the "circle" limits its effectiveness. In my own case, the focal of the circle is still developing. And though I know it won't be perfect, it especially is necessary for my maintaining my continued functioning--and what is left of my sanity.
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The upshot of all of this is that I intend to be personally less "political," while having a bigger impact on the important matters toward which I as a citizen have a responsibility. That means I will be less obnoxious, but also more focused. I will still be a jerk, but perhaps a more focused jerk with better-aimed obnoxiousness. I just don't have the whatever-it-is needed for my old way.
Thank you for reading, and have a real nice day.