Talking with my old man

[Mythsaje]

I've mentioned that my dad and I have a lot of political conversations. He's a long-time Democrat, wouldn't vote Repug if they paid him, but some of his views are pretty moderate. He's no friend to the corporatists, though. If anything, he hates the insurance companies and Big Pharma even more than I do.

It took him a long time to realize what a fiasco this war was, and how unnecessary. He still harbors suspicions that the WMDs were sent to Syria or the like rather than being used by Saddam when the troops swept in.

He gets most of his news from the local paper and, though I don't read it myself anymore, I do know that he's far better informed than he used to be. He knows exactly who Halliburton is, AND Kellog, Brown, and Root. He's aware of Cheney's recent drama and that it means Dick's been running the country.

He's beginning to make links between what I've told him and what he's seeing in the paper now.

He knows about the prison-industrial complex. He opposes the bullshit war on drugs as much as I do--to be honest, he's probably the one who turned ME on to how ridiculous it truly is.

The local paper, at least by what he's telling me, is starting to print real news again, or, at least, print the news that it wouldn't have touched two years ago. It's a good thing to see, because there are people like my dad who wouldn't quite get it if they didn't.

I just hope those people have someone like me in THEIR lives to help them dig through the muck and find the gems of truth within it.

[babylonsister]

1. Yes, I have a dad of my own, who claimed to me that * would be bad;

he figured the old poverty class 'soup kitchens' might become popular again, and he loathes *.

Listen to old men!

[Swamp Rat]

3. Damn straight!

;)

My dad even watches the Daily Show and the Colbert Report with me. :D

[babylonsister]

4. If my dad could stay up late enough, he'd do it, too. Cherish that,

my friend! And yes, I know it airs at 9amCT, but I don't have Daddy here, though I'm going to see him Saturday!
Swamp Rat, Love ya lots!

[Captain Angry]

2. It takes time.

My dad has the Clinton blinders. So every time I would point out another atrocity by the Bush administration, he'd say "Yeah, but Clinton did that too..."

But Enron got him paying closer attention to me. I had pointed it out, and he didn't follow it very closely. So I sent him Smartest Guys in the Room. Now he's read four books on it, and has a very good grasp on what happened.

And that opened the door to many other discussions. Before I was just a conspiracy nut. Now I'm a conspiracy nut that has been right several times.

He hasn't lost his visceral hatred for Clinton, but Bush is fast approaching that level.

My dad won't listen on Iran. He thinks that Bush's poll levels will prevent it, or cause an impeachment if he tries anything. But he's heard me bringing it up for a long time. And the news about Iran keeps trickling in. If we hit Iran, I don't think my dad will doubt anything again until I'm wrong on something.

This is a case where I'd like to be wrong. I don't want us anywhere near Iran, but I think it's inevitable with the people in charge right now.

[EFerrari]

5. Most media outlets need people like you in their lives.

:)