A Conversation with my Ego-Burdened Friend, Bill

On Thursday, I had a conversation with Bill, whose vote I am also determined to sway to Kerry - and I am making headway. Bill was telling me about his brother who is at West Point, emailing him campaign ads charging the flip-flopping of Kerry, which clearly Bill was believed: the he voted for the 87billion, before he voted against it chorus-line . For a guy pursuing a PhD, Bill is marginally open-minded. Research demands an open mind.

First of all, getting your information on candidates on the campaign ads is one giant regression for mankind. It's just ignorant to do that. But I wanted to make a broader point about the failure of US media, which I will make in minute. I had to first of all deal with the damn flip-flop charge. Very simply, there were two bills or two versions of the same bill presented.

Bill1: distinguished between military operational costs (67 billion) and Iraqi Nation Building (20 billion). Specifically, it proposed that Iraqi Nation Building (20 billion) not be borne by the American taxpayer without representation. they proposed ways in which Iraqis, among other things, would pay for their nation building through oil revendues and or loans. This is the version that Kerry voted for.

President Twitchy threatened to veto this Bill - demanding taxation without representation for the American taxpayer. 'Most eEveryone folded, they drafted a Bill the President wanted,

Bill2: The one that has American Taxpayers paying for Nation Building. This is the one Kerry voted against, in protest - knowing full well it would pass. Voting in protest, to me, is a sign of a robust democracy. it says, let the record show - not everyone agreed with this absurdity. In the same way that Ted Kennedy's vote against the authorization of the use of force (war) against, says: at least one guy saw through this shit.

Bill who is not incapable of understanding reason, then agrees with me. He said, "yeah, George Bush does that he simplifies everything." I am not sure what this all means, because it sounds like another " campaign slogan," albeit true. With Bill though, I know one thing: he has a huge unforgiving ego; the idea of seeming wrong or being proven wrong is very uncomfortable, actually downright traumatic - when brought to bear by a woman. Painful, painful stuff.

Oh, for some reason, Nation Building is not very unpopular with folk here.