Political Ponderings

Well, the Republicans are down, but not out, right? I think not. What can I say? Where there is no vision the people perish. (Prov 29:18) I comfort myself in the fact that these elections were no surprise to God. He is Sovereign.

However, my mother is doing a happy dance in her living room this morning and I really don't want to call her. She is a Democrat. She is a "yellow dog Democrat". Do y'all know what that is? It is a Democrat that would rather vote for a yellow dog than to see a Republican in office. This term goes all the way back to animosity concerning the Civil War. My mom wasn't even alive during the Civil War, but she certainly carries the animosity towards Republicans! The funny thing is this; all 5 of her children are Republicans! ha!

As I was pondering all of this this morning, I had to reflect back on my childhood. I was raised in Democratic, union-loving, Republican-hating household. My parents worked for General Motors and they were both in the union. Who do the unions love? Yup, you got it...them Dems!

Anyway, my earliest political memory concerns Jimmy Carter. My mother just adored Jimmy Carter. Still does. It didn't matter what he did or how he did it, he was the cat's meow in her
eyes. I was right along there with her. I can remember being enthralled with seeing pictures of Amy Carter as well. I still can't figure that one out! I can remember chirping away in 4th grade about us "bein' Democrats". This was 1978. I was oblivious to the Iranian hostage crisis.

Ironically enough, I was disappointed in 1980 when Ronald Reagan became president. Why? Because he was a Republican and mom and daddy were disappointed -so I was disappointed.

When Ronald Reagan pushed for Social Security reforms, my dad was caught in the crossfire. From what I remember Reagan was trying to eliminate Social Security fraud thereby taking away Social Security from some. My dad's was taken away. He was a disabled Vet who was forced to retire early because of his disability. He was not committing any kind of fraud, but had to go to court in order to get his SS back. He succeeded, but the bitter pill left in my mother's mouth from that experience exists to this day.

I remember my 6th grade teacher telling the class that Reagan had been shot. I remember the space shuttle Challenger blowing up when I was in high school. I remember the Berlin Wall coming down. Unbeknownst to me, these things were shaping me. Unfortunately, I don't remember much else about Reagan, much to the dismay of The Mad Monk.

My first election I voted in was the 1988 Presidential election between George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis. I was not living at home then. I was here in Texas at college. Ironically enough, I voted Republican. Why? All I can say is,by God's grace.

I've voted in every election since. Always conservative. At times, it has caused major discord between my mother and I. Why, I'm not sure. I love my mother and would go to the ends of the earth for her as I've proved many a time. I chalk it up to the fact that she can't believe she raised a bunch of Republicans! The funniest part of the whole thing is that my mom is conservative. She's not in line with what the Dems are for, she just hates Republicans so bad that she votes Democrat. Now that's a yellow dog Democrat! :)

I won't say I'm a Republican anymore because I'm not. I am a Conservative. There is a big difference. It truly states where I stand and it diffuses my mother at the same time.

So, while I'm not happy with the outcome of yesterday's elections, it was anticipated. And eventually, I'll have to call my mother. Only after the happy dancing is over though.

God is Sovereign.