Cranky Bastard

Welcome. Cranky Bastard Blog (CBB) is a haven for those who aren’t just party line parrots, but rather those who enjoy thinking through politics. We will also be covering current events unrelated to politics, but a week before election 2004, it is hard to think of anything else. It’s hard for the random guest to know where Cranky Bastard is coming from without a run down of stands on buzz issues. Likely, some of these will change over the years, but it will give some insight into posts on CBB.

United Nations: Corrupt, but necessary. Those who urge pull-out also face irrelevancy.
Partisans: Both sides of the political spectrum have its partisans, and they are necessary. These people tend to be the voices that bring to the fore issues that otherwise would be overlooked. It is only when the partisan’s volume rises that the complacent middle starts to pay attention to what eventually becomes a buzz issue. These people tend to get the nickname nutcases, but CB sees them as necessary nutcases.
“Damn libruls” (said with a southern drawl)-said respectfully and partially in jest. CB has almost exclusively damn librul friends and family, so the phrase is not actually meant to damn you to hell.
Abortion: not sure, lean to the right
Death penalty: not sure, lean to the right
Race relations: Bill Cosby seems to really get it. Now can he go to the redneck neighborhoods?
War in Afghanistan: in favor
War in Iraq: in favor
Tort reform: in favor, but want to make sure that those truly wronged can get compensated
Oil prices: Sports cars will soon be in again.
Taxes: low-Please do not respond with “we have to be able to pave roads and buy school books”. I am not anti-tax, merely pro-government audits.
Ashcroft: Dead wood
Colin Powell: Brilliant
Condi: For President ‘08
Rudy: For President ‘08
Arnold: Too many Gray days necessitated change.
Favorite California Congressman: Radanovich
Bunning: He has been an incredible voice for the State of Kentucky. Mongiardo should be ashamed of the ugliness he has allowed to spew from his campaign.
Teresa Heinz-Kerry: If we do not think of the First Lady as a diplomat, then she would be fine, except…
Harold Ford (D-TN): CB loves him. He is a dogged, yet thoughtful liberal.
Economy: Adam Smith
Government Size: Club-For-Growth small
Education: To fix the current system is going to take a radical step toward the past where kids are expected by the teachers and their parents to perform and behave. The government can only encourage that behavior, but cannot legislate it. Neither candidate for President is going to be brave enough to effectively tackle this issue.
Energy: If the majority of Alaskans want the economic benefits of drilling ala ANWR, then let the drilling begin.
Recycling: yes
Air and water cleanliness and conservation: in favor of incenting good behavior
Foreign policy: Neither shame nor ego for who we are.
Marriage: Allow for civil unions, and don’t fight for the word marriage.
Mary-Kay LaTourneau-Damage already done. Sick? Yes, but let them try to scrape whatever sense of normalcy around them that they can for the sake of those children and get over it already.
Guns: Pro-hunter, anti-gang
Healthcare: Another topic in need of radical solutions and brave leadership. Similarly, neither candidate for President is going to be brave enough to effectively tackle it.
Immigration: The issue is so big and has such incredible implications that it is difficult to have a steady opinion.
Religion: Sleep in on Sunday, pray occasionally, christened Methodist
Social Security: Current donations go to the elderly, but are unlikely to be there for the Gen-X’ers.
Lawyers: We only seem to like them when we need them. CB salutes lawyers, but opposes those seeing corporations as piggy banks.
Trade: Trade is about give and take. We cannot reasonably expect India, China, Russia and others to buy our products, but to get nothing in return. While outsourcing hurts CB’s business in the short-run, the overall benefit is recognized in spades.
Basketball: University of Kentucky and the Lakers
Football: Cincinnati Bengals, the Bucs, the Falcons, Favre, Seahawks, Delhomme, Mariucci
Baseball: Red Sox over the Cards in ’04 World Series (Don’t tell CB’s grandfather.)
Hockey: No thank you
TV: News Junkie (MSNBC, Fox, CNN, and C-SPAN), Cold Case, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, Kudlow and Cramer, ER, HGTV
Museums: San Francisco MOMA, Cincinnati Art Museum