Over the last couple months, I’ve engaged in dozens of conversations about religion, politics, and other sensitive topics. The conversations have been online and offline and with people with whom I agree and disagree, in some cases vehemently. After some reflection, I wanted to point out a few things that I’ve learned can be helpful when approaching these kinds of issues. I’m still working on these, and my critics will be quick to tell you that I’ve still got a long way to go. They’re absolutely right. But you have to start somewhere.

Many will probably disagree with my fundamental premise, which is that dialogue is valuable and is the only true path to understanding.

1. Initiate dialogue with those you disagree with
Far too many of us avoid talking about the deepest and most meaningful issues of life, often because we dislike conflict, we fear not knowing the right answers, or perhaps we’re afraid of offending someone. Whatever the reason, the result is that many of us live in ideological bubbles where ideas are seldom challenged and beliefs are rarely scrutinized. There are many people who harbor deep feelings of resentment and dislike, even hatred, towards people who hold opposing viewpoints on religion or politics, but they have never actually had an open and honest conversation with those people.

2. Seek to understand the other side
If you approach these conversations with the goal of changing the other person’s mind, you’re almost certainly going to be disappointed. Now, I know that it’s unrealistic to go into a tough conversation on a controversial issue when you have a dearly held position and truly have an open mind. But do your best. Try and set aside the preconceived notions you have and really listen to what the other person is saying. It might not be as ridiculous as you thought. Even if you still disagree after hearing them out, you may find that you respect them and their beliefs more than you did.

3. Find common ground
When going into tough discussions with people we disagree with, we tend to focus more on what we differ on than what we have in common. This is a mistake, as it sets people as enemies when they may agree on many of the most important points of their positions. A good example of this is the incredible fracturing that occurs in most major religious traditions over the most trivial minutia, despite the fact that they agree on almost all the key tenets of the faith.

4. Keep your emotions in check
Emotion and passion are useful, but only when they are tightly controlled. It’s natural for you to feel something when faced with things you disagree with strongly, but if you let your emotions fuel your reaction, the entire discussion will be useless, and is likely to make things worse. Be calm and rational as best you can, and if you can’t, put the conversation aside until you can. This is one reason that discussing things online or via email is often more useful; each side can take the time to think things through carefully and let their emotions settle down.

5. Stay away from personal attacks
One of my favorite moments in all the debates leading up to the presidential election was when Joe Biden talked about how it’s ok to question people’s judgement, but don’t question their motives. I think this is great advice in general. The truth about liberals and conservatives is that they both love America and want to see Americans succeed and do well; they just differ somewhat about the best way to accomplish that. When you accuse someone of being unpatriotic because of a political belief, or otherwise impugn their character, you only do damage to your own credibility and character. Stick to the issues.

6. Admit when you’re wrong
You don’t think you’ve always got it figured out, right? You will be wrong. When you are, admit it, learn from your mistake, and move on. And take heart…finding out that you’re wrong is a great thing, because you’ve eliminated another incorrect belief from your worldview. Progress

7. Don’t get discouraged
The truth is that even if you follow the above (and any other great advice), you probably won’t see a lot of change in other people’s positions or in your own. People tend to hold many of these beliefs as a part of their overall identity, and getting them (or yourself) to think about them differently is challenging because they feel like they’re losing control over who they are at the core. But do not give up. I am living proof that rational discussion can change at least some minds. It may take years, but it can happen. And you might find that you change your mind on a few things, too.

I’d love to know if you think these tips make these kinds of discussions worth having, or if you have any others to share. Post them below…

Note to my clients: if you read this, be aware that none of this affects any of your projects

Is it just me, or does productivity come in cycles? Sometimes I’ll go weeks at a time and absolutely tear it up, getting tons done on client work, personal projects, etc. I feel great, motivated, etc. Other times, I struggle to get anything done and never really get into the groove. Why is that? I mean, I do get stuff done, but it just feels like such a freaking chore and I have to force myself to power through. These cycles seem to last several weeks each, perhaps a bit longer. I have a few speculations that I’ve pulled from thin air on why this might occur:

Natural biological process
It might be that there’s some natural chemical process in the brain that makes some people more or less productive and that this process tends to be cyclical in nature. I feel like perhaps I’ve read something about this…if it’s true, I’m not sure how much I can do about it other than be aware of it and try to use it to my advantage? For the record, I think this is the most unlikely of the three scenarios.

Reflection of what I’m working on
Perhaps I’m just more excited at times about things that I’m working on because they’re more interesting. This one is hard to evaluate, because I’m not sure if I’m feeling unmotivated because of boring projects or if the projects seem boring because I’m feeling unmotivated.

Motivational momentum
I think is probably the most likely scenario. Basically, I think that certain people (myself included) swim better against the current. When things aren’t going well and I’ve got a lot of pressure (both external and internal) to get stuff done, I tend to build up a lot of motivational momentum and push hard to get things done. On the way up this hill of accomplishment, things are good, as I’m getting a lot done, keeping up with all my responsibilities, etc. It feels great. But as I accomplish more and more, that pressure and stress begins to dissipate, and so does some of the motivation. At this point, I begin to crest the top of the motivational hill and the old feelings of being unmotivated begin to return. Over the next few weeks, stuff begins to gradually pile up again and the pressure and stress begins to build. But until it hits a certain point, my motivation doesn’t seem to really kick in. Once it does, the cycle starts over.

This has been an issue my entire life and I’m just now getting to the point where I can deal with it more effectively. In college, I dealt with it by keeping my schedule absolutely slammed so there was virtually no room for error. I finished 75% of my bachelor’s degree in 17 months and graduated with a 3.9 GPA. I say this not to brag, but just to point out that I had virtually no room to slow down or slack off. This is highly effective, but it carries two huge price tags: risk and stress. The risk is that you’re juggling so much that if you drop one thing, it can all come crumbling down. The stress comes from the fact that you have no margin for error. These two things feed off each other, as the high risk stresses you out and the high stress increases the risk that you’ll make a mistake. Obviously, this is not a viable long-term solution.

The core problem here (for me, anyway) is relying too much on motivation, which is a fickle emotion. It can be incredibly useful, usually at the start of a venture, to kickstart your efforts and give you that critical early boost in the right direction. But if you rely too much on it, you’ll find that it never lasts long enough to get you where you need to go. The primary reason that people fail is because they give up, and I believe that the primary reason people give up is because they rely too much on motivation. The going gets rough and they find that the only fuel they really had was an emotion that’s now gone, so they just kind of let things die out.

Here’s what I’ve tried to do: replace motivation (emotion) with decision (habit). This is the primary reason that I do my seven daily habits. These habits were carefully chosen as things that I want to accomplish daily to get me closer to where I want to be, regardless of whether I feel like doing them or not.

That doesn’t mean that motivation has no place in productivity and self-improvement, but I think that you can’t rely too much on it. To the extent that motivation does play a role in my productivity, I’ve tried to replace external motivation with internal motivation, where I’m pushing myself harder rather than waiting for other people to pressure me. As an example, one of my daily habits is to look at my goal plan every single day. I also carefully track my goals from month to month, recording what percentage I accomplished, and preparing a new plan for the next thirty days. I also carefully track the amount of time that I work on various projects and initiatives in my life. I do all these things not because I have some weird fascination with data (at least not primarily so), but because by carefully tracking my productivity and advancement towards my goals, I am often motivated to push myself harder because I’m not moving as fast as I would like. The adage that “what gets measured gets managed” is true for the simple reason that when we’re confronted with the data about how we’re spending our time and the results of our efforts, we’re often encouraged and motivated to improve.

I’d love to hear what other people’s thoughts are. Have you experienced cyclical productivity? If so, how do you deal with it?

I had an office until a few months ago (that’s a story for another day). I’ve looked a little since then, but small and cheap offices are rare in my new neighborhood. I was getting a little tired of working out of coffee shops, but today I finally nabbed a sweet new office like 5 blocks from my house today. It’s in an old dilapidated medical building that’ll probably be torn down in the next few years for condos, but they’re renting out artist studios right now, and they let me rent one of the spaces. My office is pretty sweet because it’s on the ground floor with a huge window looking out on the street. I’m right behind the tree in the middle of this image:

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I’m hoping to get an office mate to help defray the cost, so if you know of someone who is looking for a sweet office, have them contact me.

Look back over the last week, the last month, the last year, and ask yourself this question: did I accomplish what I thought I would? Am I happy about the progress I made during that time? Am I likely to accomplish what I think I will over the next week, month, or year?

Truthfully, I can’t say that I’m unhappy about the progress I made over the last year, but it’s definitely less than what I had hoped for. I tend to look forward a year and imagine that things will have changed much more than they have. I imagine that my progress towards various goals will be much more substantial, that my life will look more different than it inevitably does, that I’ll have changed more than I have. Why? Well, probably because I’m an optimist. But also because change is hard.

There’s nothing really profound in this post, just some lessons that I need to remind myself of on occasion. Earlier this evening, I was sitting at dinner, pondering some conversations I had today about opportunities in the real estate market. The real estate market has taken a beating, and right now is a fantastic time to buy if you can make the deals happen. But financing those deals is hard, lenders are wary, and cash is scarce. On top of that, the general feeling in the real estate market right now is one of fear and dejection. The vast majority of people (even experienced investors) would conclude that this is a good time to sit on the sidelines for a bit and wait for sanity to return. But I wonder if times like these separate the timid from the titans. I spent some time today on the phone with lenders and people who are out there doing deals, and I’m much, much further along than I was at the beginning of the day, though perhaps still a long way from doing any deals. But the thing I realized tonight is that lack of capital, connections, experience, etc, etc. are not what’s holding me back. The only thing holding me back is me. The only thing keeping me from diving in 100% and making something happen is my unwillingness to do so, for whatever reason. Sure, lack of capital, connections, experience or whatever else will slow me down and make it that much harder. But it definitely can be done. I just have to want it badly enough.

As I think about what’s truly and honestly holding me back, I’m reminded of a quote:

“After a lifetime of making money and observing better men and women than I fall by the wayside, I am convinced that fear of failing in the eyes of the world is the single biggest impediment to amassing wealth.”
-Felix Dennis

What’s holding you back?

Ok, this post is going to be a bit weird, but I need your help. I’m 26 years old, but I feel like I still dress like I’m 16. I hate clothes, including shopping for them, taking care of them, selecting them in the morning, etc. As a result, I often just throw on a pair of jeans, one of the five shirts that I’ve had for years, and a hoodie. However, I’m getting tired of this. Previous attempts to improve my wardrobe have not gone over well, so I’m turning to the public at large for help. I know I can’t be the only guy (or girl) out there who wants to dress better but is completely lost as to where to start. I’d absolutely love any advice, from people who struggle with it, and from people who love clothes and fashion. But first, here’s a bit of background about the context of the problem:

My activities

Everyday
I’m a web developer / entrepreneur, so I spend a good portion of each day working from home or from my neighborhood coffee shop. I would like to look halfway presentable during these times, but comfort is a key factor here.

Professional meetings
As part of my work, I often have to meet with clients and potential partners. Obviously, this requires a bit more decorum than sitting alone at home does, but this is San Francisco, so I don’t need to show up in a suit or anything. Perhaps a button-down and a sweater when it’s cold?

Casual evenings out
Dinner with family, accompanying my wife to a play, grabbing drinks with an old friend. I don’t need to wear a tie, but perhaps a blazer or something?

Formal affairs
Weddings, funerals, very special occasions, etc. I have a good dark suit, so I’m pretty much set here, I think.

My criteria for clothes

Flexible
I don’t have a lot of cash or space, so it’s important to get staples that can be paired into as many combinations as possible. I’d rather not buy an item of clothing that can only be worn with one other item of clothing, for example.

Affordable
I’m willing to spend some money here, but I’m not paying more than $100 for a pair of jeans, for example. I’m willing to spend more for great articles of clothing that will last years and fit with a lot of situations.

Durable
I hate clothes that shrink in the dryer, get stretched out after just a few times of wearing them, fade easily, etc. I’m looking for good stuff that will last awhile. I’m also looking for classic items that are durable in the sense that they won’t go out of style in six months. I think guys have it easier here, fortunately, but there are still fads that I want to avoid, at least for the most part.

Comfortable
If I’m not comfortable in my clothes, I won’t wear them. I’ll revert back to my jeans and tshirt “style”, which is not what I want. Not sure what people can suggest here, but there it is.

Easy to take care of
I hate to iron. Seriously, anything that doesn’t require me to iron it for twenty minutes has a huge advantage. If I can just throw it in the washer and dryer without worrying about ruining it or having it shrink, that’s a big plus. I’m willing to do some work to take care of things, but I’m not sure I’m into hand-washing and line-drying all my clothes.

What I need help with

What to buy (and what NOT to buy)
What are the absolute essentials? What are some ideas for good combinations that fit the criteria above? What should I not buy…are sweater vests still awesome? Something like this, for example:
- 2 pairs of jeans
- 2 pairs of dress slacks
- 4 button-down dress shirts (2 dark, 2 light)
- 2 sweaters (1 dark, 1 light)
- 2 pairs of shoes (black dress shoes, brown casual shoes)
- etc, etc.

Where to buy it
Should I be looking at Brooks Brothers, Old Navy, Macy’s, Wal-Mart, Banana Republic, or some funky thrift store? Ok, a couple of those were jokes, but seriously…what kinds of stores are great to find what I need? Links to online stores are definitely appreciated.

How to buy it
Is it worth waiting for sales? Should I be more opportunistic and buy stuff that strikes my eye, or should I come up with a plan and stick to it? Should I only buy stuff that fits perfectly, or should I consider buying and having things tailored? Which kinds of clothing work well with that strategy, and which don’t?

Other resources
Good books, blogs, or sites that are geared towards helping young professionals dress appropriately in a variety of social situations. most of the books I’ve looked at for men’s fashion were clearly written for people who are trying to decide what combination of tie and dress shirt to wear with their suit every day. I need to wear a suit perhaps once or twice a year. Links to particular articles of clothing would also be interesting. Even TV shows or movies where you like the wardrobe styles would be helpful at this point.

This post turned out a lot longer than I had envisioned. I was just thinking I’d ask for a bit of advice. Am I being too…structured here? I really want to get better at this area of my life, so I welcome any and all suggestions. Please post something in the comments…I’d really appreciate it. Thanks!

Confession: I love to argue. I love the clash of ideas and defending a position for the fun of it. Sometimes this gets me in trouble, as I find myself defending a viewpoint against someone who is deeply offended because they don’t share my love of debate. Putting that issue aside, my question is this: does it even make sense to debate these hot-button issues that get people’s emotions flared up so easily? Can anything constructive come out of a discussion over liberal ideology vs. conservative ideology? Or do they inevitably devolve into name-calling and insults? How can we keep these discussions constructive and discover truth? I’ve got some ideas on the subject that I’m going to share in an upcoming post, but I’d like to hear people’s thoughts. Post yours in the comments.

I really, really don’t want to write this post. However, in the interest of accountability, I must. The fact that this is one of the few blog posts you’ve seen from me in October should be a tip-off: my October goals and habits did NOT go well. Here’s the damage:

• Out of 23 days for my seven habits (I do them mon-fri), I did them an average of 33% of the time, down from 54% last month
• My weekly habits were done 40% of the time, down from 50% last month
• I completed both of my monthly habits, or 100%, same as last month
• Of 18 goals, I completed 0, or 0%, down from 54% last month

Ok, I know, I know. These numbers are absolutely abysmal. There’s no excuse, but here’s what happened:

• I spent a lot of time applying to and obsessing about YCombinator
• I got too wrapped up with client work
• I lost focus

The only feeble defense that I can muster is that I came very close on about half of my goals, and a few more are things that I’m contemplating dropping, for reasons that I’ll explain later. Regardless, I’ve moved all the goals that I’m still committed to into my Nov. goal list, so now this month is going to be tougher than ever. Please, don’t hesitate to ask me how things are going; apparently I really need it.

Warning: this post is about politics, so please skip it if that doesn’t interest you. I’ve got a few more political posts over the next couple weeks, but things will die down in that department after the election, I’m sure. Until then, thanks for bearing with me

As I wrote last week, I’ve decided to vote for Barack Obama. Many of my family members and friends who are conservative Republicans were dismayed to hear this, but the feedback I got overall from people on both sides was generally respectful and intellectual, with a few notable exceptions. One of the excellent questions that many people sent my way was this: if I disagree with Obama on many issues (which I do), why vote for him at all? Why not sit the election out or vote for a third-party candidate as a matter of principle? It’s a great question and I wanted to talk a bit about my reasoning here.

The option of not voting or voting for a third-party candidate was one that I wrestled with for some time before making my decision. I actually campaigned for Dr. Ron Paul during the primaries, which might surprise some of my readers, as Dr. Paul’s views and positions are drastically different from Obama’s. But the truth is that I have never met a politician that I agreed with on everything. So in some sense (though I disagree with the term), I’m always voting for the “lesser of evils”, even if I vote for a third-party candidate. In this case, I made the judgment to vote for Obama instead of a third-party candidate for two reasons:

1. I’m a pragmatist. Either Obama or McCain is going to be President, and I want the one that will do the better job. One of the valid points that someone has raised is that this position sounds like all I’m interested in is winning, rather than the defense and support of the truth, as I have accused many in the Republican party. I think the crucial difference is that the Republicans that I’m speaking about are so consumed with the attainment and retention of power that they are unwilling to admit any failings or shortcomings in their own party, or admit anything positive in the other. And as I talked about at length, they have turned a blind eye to lies and injustice if they believe it will help them win. On the other hand, I’ve tried to speak out against lies on both sides (and I will be doing so more). I certainly don’t agree with the Democrats or Obama on everything, and I’m willing to speak about those things when asked. But I still believe that Obama will make a much, much better president than McCain.

2. Positions and policy aren’t everything. Despite the “lesser of evils” theory and being practical, there is a tipping point at which both options are too evil to support. However, though that point has been reached with McCain for me, that point has not been reached with Obama. I truly believe that Obama’s motives and integrity are in the right place, though this is just my opinion and is very subjective. If I felt the way about Obama that I feel about McCain, I would vote for a third party or not vote.

Both of these points are very subjective and personal in nature, so some may be unsatisfied with this explanation. All I can tell you is that it was a tough decision and I only made it after significant research and reflection. I hope that everyone puts as much (or more) honest effort into making their decision in the coming weeks, and I deeply respect those who do, regardless of whether their conclusion agrees with mine.

I’ve made a very tough decision: I’m voting for Barack Obama. I’m sure that many of my Republican and conservative friends and family will be deeply dismayed to hear this, but I would ask them to hear me out with an open mind before firing up the prayer chains. I would also ask that before contacting me, you read this post in its entirety and take some time to ponder. I would absolutely love to have a logical and well-reasoned discussion with anyone on the things I’ve written below. I am determined to fight to discover the truth and defend it at all costs. I’m absolutely willing to change my mind if the case can be made that I should. However, if you intend to contact me with an emotional diatribe about how I’ve been swayed by the liberal media, how Obama is a baby-killing terrorist sympathizer, how you just know in your heart that the liberal establishment will destroy everything we hold dear, accusations of my faith being in jeopardy, or any other unfounded hysterics, please don’t bother.

Also, please be aware that most of this post is my opinion and is to be treated as such. Also be advised that I am well aware that not all Republicans (or Democrats) feel the same way. I have tried to qualify my statements as much as possible and make it clear that I am speaking about the majority of Republicans and the direction of the Republican party in general, not every single individual.

Before I get into the meat of my post, I should give you a little background on my life. I grew up in a staunchly conservative and Christian family, which in my mind was synonymous with being a Republican. I remember watching the election results in 1992 with a group of people that included my parents and many of their closest friends. I remember the deep dismay and disappointment in that group when Bush lost to Clinton, as if we were at a funeral. I remember it again when Clinton defeated Dole in the 1996 election. I remember the mood among many Republicans (elation?) when Clinton was impeached in the late 1990’s. I remember our excitement when Bush, a no-nonsense Christian conservative (that I voted for) defeated Al Gore in 2000.

I graduated high school and enlisted in the US Navy, graduating boot camp on September 13, 2001. I was sent overseas to Italy, where I was stationed for 2.5 years. The military already tends to lean conservative, and in the years after 9/11, we tended to view Bush as a tenacious defender of freedom and democracy around the world. I argued stridently for the Republican cause, convinced that our actions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world were justified in name of defeating terrorism. I voted for Bush again in 2004, though by this time, Iraq was starting to look a little less black-and-white to me.

I got out of the Navy and went back to the University of Colorado for business. I took all the usual business classes, but I also took a few classes which would end up having a huge effect on my perspective, including topics like macro- and micro-economics, formal logic, human anthropology, developmental economics, energy science, and globalization. For some of these classes, I couldn’t get enough, and for others, I was a voice of dissent on much of what I viewed as liberal thought. But being exposed to some very different perspectives than I had grown up with was good for me, especially since the environment there was one that encouraged dialogue, examining the evidence, and forming conclusions based on that evidence.

I’m sure that many conservatives will read this looking for some clue of exactly where I was misled or duped into believing the great lie of liberalism. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint, but there’s nothing there. I’m not a liberal, and my political views fall much closer to true conservatism (or libertarianism, as some like to call it) than they do to liberalism.

As recently as a couple years ago, I viewed John McCain as a maverick, a man of honor, and someone who was willing to place himself in political peril to follow his conscience. He had a record of crossing the aisle and working with Democrats, and I admired that. He was a war hero, clearly a man of courage, and independently-minded. Though I didn’t agree with his policies or positions in many areas, particularly the war in Iraq, I admired him for being willing to tell it like it is.

But over the last few years, something gradually began to change. McCain started voting with his party and the President more and more. He started changing his positions on things, and he started saying things that didn’t turn out to be true. The trend has worsened over the last six months, but the tipping point was McCain selecting Palin as his running mate. That a man of his experience would select an arrogant, inexperienced, ignorant, and dishonest woman that he had only briefly met twice to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency indicates that McCain is no longer the man of character that I once thought him to be, but rather a man who will do anything to win. The last three weeks have only confirmed it, as Palin has repeatedly demonstrated her ignorance and arrogance, repeating the same discredited lies over and over, often with McCain at her side. It seems as if almost everything either of them say at this point is either a distortion of the truth or just empty words with no meaning.

However, what’s even more troubling to me than McCain’s and Palin’s repeated lies and distortions of the truth is the complete and total unwillingness of a single Republican that I know personally to admit it. Not one Republican that I know has been able to say “That’s not true. I support McCain and his policies, but he’s lying. He should apologize immediately.” Not a single Republican that I know or have talked to has been able to admit that picking Palin was a cheap political trick. Not a single Republican that I have talked to has had a single good thing to say about Obama. Not one. Only one has had anything negative to say about the prospects of a McCain / Palin presidency.

Why is that? Why would so many Republicans, who pride themselves on having the moral high ground and many of whom are people of faith, tolerate (or encourage) such blatant lies and distortions of the truth? Well, I believe it’s because they want to win, more than they want to be champions of truth. Like so many who determine to fight against something worth fighting against, the Republicans have become the very monster they hate, in three ways:

They’ve lost their focus on small government
Traditionally for small, limited government and states’ rights over a large Federal government, the Republicans of today offer not small government and a policy of fiscal conservatism, but big government and a policy of spending far more than we bring in and borrowing the difference. Bush ran in 2000 on a platform of a humble, non-interventionist foreign policy. Now we’re mired in two wars that will cost the taxpayers over a trillion dollars. We have seen the Federal government attempting to consolidate more and more power under Bush. But perhaps the most telling change we’ve seen is the sheer increase in the size of the Federal government combined with a huge decrease in the revenue we bring in. Here’s a quote from an article about the official estimates from the Congressional Budget Office:

In 2001, CBO predicted the federal government would amass surpluses totaling $5.6 trillion over the 2002-2011 period. Now, CBO data show a cumulative deficit of $3.8 trillion over that same period. That’s a $9.4 trillion deterioration, $7.2 trillion of which was caused by policy actions. Tax cuts and security-related spending increases caused 83 percent of that.

They’ve lost their moral compass
Ironically, I believe that the reason that Republicans have lost their moral compass is due to the commingling of the Republican party and Christianity (the Religious Right). Evangelicals in particular, convinced that they needed to save this country from its impending moral downfall, resolved to become more active in politics. This in itself is not a bad thing, but somewhere along the way, Evangelicals began to focus more on political power to defend virtue than the virtue itself. They assured themselves that they could defeat evil through legislation and judicial influence, and pursued those aims with fervor. The results have been disastrous, as Christians and conservatives have fought to change the heart of this country from the top-down via legislation and judicial decisions aimed at defending “traditional values”. Aside from the fact that this approach can never be effective, the greater travesty is that in their pursuit of legislative and judicial influence, Evangelicals have lost sight of the very values they were trying to defend. The pursuit of justice and truth became less important than winning elections and passing laws. Exacerbating the problem has been political strategists like Karl Rove and Steve Schmidt, who have shamelessly exploited the propensity of this demographic to be “single-issue” voters, usually around abortion. These strategists have worked hard behind the scenes to inflame emotions and passions in the party faithful and painted the debate in terms of these moral and social issues. The result today is a party made up largely of Christians and other believers who are unwilling to condemn dishonesty and injustice if they believe the results will be in the favor of their cause. After reading too many accounts of voter purging and other electioneering tactics in the 2000, 2004, and perhaps the 2008 election, almost always at the behest and benefit of Republicans, I am convinced that many in the Republican party no longer care one whit for fairness, democracy, or liberty, but only for the protection and exercise of power at any cost.

They’ve forgotten what makes America great
Republicans over the last eight years have repeatedly shown that they are willing to sacrifice freedom and liberty for the sake of security, with the War on Terror serving as the battleground for this ideological battle. Let me be clear: terrorism is a horrific thing, and deserves our full fury and strength in response. We should never tolerate it, and we should never negotiate with it. But if our response sinks us to a level where we’re no better than the monster we fight, is it worth it? We have stripped away the rights of thousands of terrorism “suspects”, thrown them into secret prisons without explanation or notification to their families, held them for years without charges or trial, tortured them, and then released them without apology or explanation. Many of these people were treated this way on the slimmest of evidence, perhaps only because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. To watch those who claim to follow the teachings of Christ try and justify these actions turns my stomach. Domestically, we have seen the encroachment of more and more of our civil liberties in the name of security, and the executive branch has attempted to lay claim to far more power than it is entitled to, laying waste to the system of checks and balances our founding fathers so carefully crafted. On top of all of this, much of this has been done in secret and in violation of the Constitution. And rather than offering a message of change and accountability, Palin throws out snarky comments about how Obama is too concerned with reading terrorists their rights, to hysterical cheers of the party faithful. No, Ms. Palin, we’re just concerned with making sure that people like you don’t strip away the rights that our founding fathers called inalienable.

The Republican party of today uses fear and the constant threat of a terrible enemy to justify violating the Constitution, impugning the character of their rivals, and attacking the patriotism of any who disagree. One need only spend a few minutes watching the Republican National Convention with an open mind to understand what I’m talking about. How many times have we heard Bush and Cheney tell us about the grave dangers that we’ve been spared as a result of allowing further encroachment of our rights? How many times have we seen Republican pundits imply or claim outright that liberals hate America, hate freedom, tolerate terrorism, or any other despicable nonsense? This sort of ideological terrorism is designed to silence all dissent and appeal to a part of the human psyche that devalues reason and logic in favor of panic and acquiescence for security’s sake. And too often, it is successful, as people cower in fear and refuse to speak out against such propaganda for fear of being labeled unpatriotic or a terrorist sympathizer. The case is often made that if we don’t strip away these rights “just for a little while”, there will be nothing left to protect. So be it! This country was founded on the unquenchable fire of belief by a group of determined men and women who risked everything–their lives, their fortunes, and their reputations, in order that liberty might be bought. As Patrick Henry proclaimed, “Give me liberty or give me death!” Where are the patriots of today in the Republican party who are willing to sacrifice anything for freedom? If the price of security is the loss of liberty, then we as a nation should be willing to lay down our lives, just as the great patriots who came before us were willing to do. As Benjamin Franklin said, if we give up our freedom for the sake of security, we will ultimately end up with neither.

I’m sure many conservatives at this point are wondering why I think Obama is any better. Just like I do with McCain, I disagree with many of Obama’s policies and positions. I don’t care for his trend towards larger government and his views on gun control. I disagree with him on abortion, though not with the vehemence and vitriol that many Republicans do. I disagree with him to some extent on health care, though the health care debate in this country is far more complex than most people understand or are willing to admit. To the extent that his campaign has misrepresented the truth or the positions of their opponent, I strongly disagree. I do agree with him on some very important things, including foreign policy, the War in Iraq, and civil liberties. I am convinced that unlike McCain, Obama will not lead us into another war unless we are attacked.

Policy and positions aside, I deeply admire Obama’s character and background. He seems to be a prudent and temperate man who practices what he preaches. I admire the fact that he attended one of the best colleges in the country (Columbia), despite coming from a background that certainly didn’t predispose him to that. I admire him for being willing to serve some of the poorest parts of Chicago as a community organizer for a cause that he believed in, not for money, fame, or power. I admire him for attending one of the best law schools in the country (Harvard) and graduating Magna Cum Laude. I admire him for using his legal training as a civil rights attorney, helping give a voice to those who have none. I admire him for teaching Constitutional law at another of the best law schools in the country (Chicago) for twelve years, demonstrating a commitment to knowledge and to the Constitution, two qualities that have been sorely lacking over the last eight years. As one conservative who has endorsed Obama put it, it’s comforting to consider having a president who has actually read the Federalist Papers.

On a side note, I despise the vicious streak in many Republicans today that tend to view all of the above and disregard it. “Community organizer…haha! Civil rights attorney…who cares? Graduate and teacher at some of the world’s best schools…whatever, they’re just liberal institutions.” The worst of these displays was at the Republican convention, when several of the party’s leaders openly mocked Obama’s commitments and accomplishments in these areas. Disgusting.

I’m not sure how much weight this should have on how we vote, but I also admire his personal life. Though wealthy by most standards, his family owns one car (a hybrid, of course). He has been married only once, and by all indications, has a great relationship with his wife and daughters, despite the stress of the national spotlight. You can tell by looking at his children’s faces and the way they interact with their parents that they have grown up in a loving home. I also admire the fact that his wife is well-educated and well-spoken and has served in a leadership role for non-profits for causes she believes in. And I deeply admire their marital relationship, which is a phenomenal model to the nation of what marriage should be, something we’ve not had in the white house for quite some time.

I admire that he has been willing to put himself in political peril to work towards goals he believes in. A good example is the fact that he spoke out against the Iraq war in 2002 and 2003 as a state senator, despite widespread support for the war on both sides of the political spectrum. As a state senator, he had nothing to gain from making such statements; the easy thing would have been to say nothing. And I know this is going to shock people, but I actually admire him for working with Bill Ayers on a cause he believed in. To have refused to work with Ayers on a worthwhile goal for fear of hurting his political image because of something that happened four decades ago, deplorable as it was, would have been a cheap and self-serving political move. Knowing someone and even working with them on a cause does not mean you agree with them on everything.

Finally, I admire his ability to grasp complexity and nuance and wrestle with it appropriately, rather than painting the world in black and white. This propensity has cost him, as trying to explain a balanced position on some complex and emotional issues makes for poor sound-bites, causing people to accuse him of being verbose and waffling. But I do not want another President who shoots from the hip, who makes decisions with his (or her) gut, or who fails to recognize and assess complexity. Increasingly, McCain has shown himself to be that kind of leader, and Palin has no other choice, as she apparently has virtually no experience or knowledge to fall back on.

As I said, I do not agree with many of Obama’s policies, and I think that some of them will eventually do harm to this country. But the Republicans have lost something far more important than having a better policy position: their integrity. They’re so consumed with winning the culture war at any cost that they’ve sacrificed the very morals and values they claim they’re trying to defend. Perhaps one day they’ll realize it and return to the roots of the true conservative movement. Until then, I cannot vote for a candidate who repeatedly lies to the American public and continues to advocate stripping away our freedoms with the hubris that only comes from knowing that his constituency will allow it.

Shame on us all.

WARNING: This post is about politics, so please skip it if you don’t care

This post makes me very happy to be able to write. Here are five conservatives who have had the courage and decency to speak up with the truth about McCain and / or Palin. I don’t agree with them on all points, and I think they’re being far too generous to McCain / Palin in some cases, but at least they’re speaking up. Perhaps there’s hope for true conservatism yet.

“Palin Problem” by Kathleen Parker

“Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.

No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.

…

If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself.

If Palin were a man, we’d all be guffawing, just as we do every time Joe Biden tickles the back of his throat with his toes. But because she’s a woman — and the first ever on a Republican presidential ticket — we are reluctant to say what is painfully true.”

“Experience Matters” by David Brooks

“Sarah Palin has many virtues. If you wanted someone to destroy a corrupt establishment, she’d be your woman. But the constructive act of governance is another matter. She has not been engaged in national issues, does not have a repertoire of historic patterns and, like President Bush, she seems to compensate for her lack of experience with brashness and excessive decisiveness.”

“Palin the Irresponsible Choice?” by David Frum

“Should John McCain lose in November, Sarah Palin has just pole-vaulted into front-runner status for 2012. Should Mr. McCain win, her grip on the next Republican nomination will become a lock.

So this is the future of the Republican party you are looking at: a future in which national security has bumped down the list of priorities behind abortion politics, gender politics, and energy politics. Ms. Palin is a bold pick, and probably a shrewd one. It’s not nearly so clear that she is a responsible pick, or a wise one.”

“McCain Loses His Head” by George Will

“Conservatives who insist that electing McCain is crucial usually start, and increasingly end, by saying he would make excellent judicial selections. But the more one sees of his impulsive, intensely personal reactions to people and events, the less confidence one has that he would select judges by calm reflection and clear principles, having neither patience nor aptitude for either.

It is arguable that, because of his inexperience, Obama is not ready for the presidency. It is arguable that McCain, because of his boiling moralism and bottomless reservoir of certitudes, is not suited to the presidency. Unreadiness can be corrected, although perhaps at great cost, by experience. Can a dismaying temperament be fixed?”

“A Conservative for Obama” by Wick Allison

“But today it is so-called conservatives who are cemented to political programs when they clearly don’t work. The Bush tax cuts—a solution for which there was no real problem and which he refused to end even when the nation went to war—led to huge deficit spending and a $3 trillion growth in the federal debt. Facing this, John McCain pumps his “conservative” credentials by proposing even bigger tax cuts. Meanwhile, a movement that once fought for limited government has presided over the greatest growth of government in our history. That is not conservatism; it is profligacy using conservatism as a mask.

Today it is conservatives, not liberals, who talk with alarming bellicosity about making the world “safe for democracy.” It is John McCain who says America’s job is to “defeat evil,” a theological expansion of the nation’s mission that would make George Washington cough out his wooden teeth.

Barack Obama is not my ideal candidate for president. (In fact, I made the maximum donation to John McCain during the primaries, when there was still hope he might come to his senses.) But I now see that Obama is almost the ideal candidate for this moment in American history. I disagree with him on many issues. But those don’t matter as much as what Obama offers, which is a deeply conservative view of the world. Nobody can read Obama’s books (which, it is worth noting, he wrote himself) or listen to him speak without realizing that this is a thoughtful, pragmatic, and prudent man. It gives me comfort just to think that after eight years of George W. Bush we will have a president who has actually read the Federalist Papers.”

The truth is devastating, is it not?