Adam Wells « POWIP

12Aug/110

Birth of a Neocon

I don't suppose my story is really all that unique; raised in a household loyal to the Democratic Party. "Loyal" may be an understatement, perhaps "devoted" is a more accurate term. I was at least a 4th generation Democrat, starting at least as far back as my great grand father during the Great Depression; judging from the stories my Grandmother tells of her Daddy. Her husband, my grandfather for whom I was named, was a union leader at his John Deere plant. My father started working there a few years before my Grandpa retired, and my younger brother has been there for more than 10 years now. Union politics run in my family, so I was raised to believe that Republicans were evil, intolerant hypocrites who hated poor people and kicked puppies in their spare time.

I read stories of conservative students attending colleges dominated by liberals, but I had the opposite experience, which only served to reinforce the beliefs of a stubborn 18 year old kid. At a small college that was, roughly 90% GOP, I reveled in being a Christian Democrat among friends who didn't understand how that was even possible. I may as well have shown them a round triangle. So voting for Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996 came natural, as did voting for Tom Vilsack in 1998.

By this time, however, I was deeply involved in listserv discussions with newfound internet friends across the country, and I was slowly discovering that these Republicans didn't hate poor people and they weren't just trying to hoard their money. They honestly believed government was getting in the way, and that if that trend could be reversed, the lower class would have access to more and better jobs.

At the same time, Monica Lewinsky hit the headlines, along with all of his defenders on the left. All those powerful women on the left, who championed the cause of feminism, were all falling in line defending a man who, at the very least, had abused his position as the most powerful man in the world for personal gratification. That shattered my idealism, I no longer believed my political heroes (ie Tom Harkin) were so true to their beliefs, so I started questioning their beliefs. This led to me questioning everything.

If Democrats weren't the stallwarts of Truth, Justice, and the American Way, as I'd beileved, perhaps Republicans really weren't the living embodiments of Lex Luthor. As I started rethinking things, the 2000 election was approaching and I started, for whatever reason, to think of Bush as a Republican I could actually vote for. I also started realizing that I was, in a lot of respects, already conservative. Aside from the social conservatism I'd been raised with, I was coming to grips with the fact that government programs, high taxes, and arbitrary regulation were all hinderances on the economy, and thus job killers.

When my daughter was born in 2000, and we were considering daycare and other job-related expenses for my wife, I finally understood how the costs of working (and risk) would reduce the incentive to actually engage in financial risks that are inherently necessary for economic growth. Finally, Al Gore made it easier and easier to vote Republican that year, and Tom Harkin's disingenuous attacks on Dick Cheney's lack of a military record pushed me over the edge. At that time, I not only decided to vote for Bush, but vowed never to vote for Harkin again. Then there was 9-11, and my decision was confirmed in my mind, as the thought that Al Gore could have been president for that scared me.

Adam Wells

Living life at 84 mph and 7000 feet. All I ask is that you don't block traffic, act like a professional, and don't act all surprised when your actions have consequences. Oh, and don't complain about the refs; trust me, they don't care if your team wins or not.

Filed under: Invincible Ignorance, Politicas Desnudas! No Comments

24Jun/112

It Couldn’t Happen Here, Right?

Since I can't figure out how to post at the Conservatory yet, I'll put it here.

Blogger jailed for insulting restaurant owner or something.

Adam Wells

Filed under: Too Lazy to Categorize 2 Comments

23Jun/110

BlackBerry Down!

I lost a friend yesterday; my BlackBerry Storm. I'd only known him just shy of two years, so I wasn't really that attached, I guess. I thought I'd see if anyone had any good suggestions for a replacement phone, noting I'm not spending a ton of money on it. I'd ask you to email me with suggestions, but, well, my BlackBerry isn't working due to a shallow water drowning that took a day to complete.

Adam Wells

Filed under: Too Lazy to Categorize No Comments

15Jun/114

Because It’s Such A Pain to Knock Down The Door

Apparently, if you own a business or rent an apartment in Cedar Falls, Iowa, then your expectation of privacy needs to be re-set. Also, apparently, residents and business owners in other nearby cities have already experienced that drop in privacy.

The city council has passed an ordinance, awaiting the mayor's signature, that expands an existing requirement. Currently, commercial businesses and apartments with six or more units are required to have a lockbox outside the building that contains keys to the building; in case of emergency. Cedar Falls is a college town, so there are going to be lots of residents enjoying life knowing that there's a key to their building right outside in a marked (but locked) box.

Adam Wells

Filed under: Too Lazy to Categorize 4 Comments

14Jun/110

Done

Well, we're finally out of the old place and tripping over boxes in a smaller house. I'm not overly thrilled with how we left the old place, but that's what deposits are for, I guess. We're going to start packing for the next move soon, should give us about two years.

Adam Wells

Filed under: Too Lazy to Categorize No Comments

12Jun/113

What I’ve Learned While Moving

Because, after all, it really is all about me.

1. It's exhausting.

2. It's possible to put Cadillac horns on a Mini Cooper.

3. We need to get rid of a bunch of stuff.

4. Glass should not be wedged between boxes anywhere above floor level.

5. Hiring pros is the way to go if you want to salvage friendships.

6. You never really have enough boxes.

7. You never really have enough time.

8. It's exhausting.

9. I don't care about Wieners, Weiners, or Weeners, when I'm climbing 100 flights of stairs over the course of a week.

10. I need some ice.

11. And a drink.

12. We're just going to start packing now for our next move.

Adam Wells

Filed under: Too Lazy to Categorize 3 Comments

5Jun/112

Moving Day

More like moving week, actually, in that we're taking time to go through a bunch of garbage and, well, not move it. Yesterday, we had some friends and a rental truck (not telling which company unless they pay Dan for advertising) to move a bunch of our stored items and a few pieces of furniture that were on the main floor and easily moved. Today, I hired some professionals to move the heavy, awkward, and stair-case-requiring items. I may not be a genius, but I'm no moron and I like to keep my friends.

I'm freaking exhausted.

Last time we moved, it took us two runs in a 26 foot truck to go through the mountains. So far, I've made two runs in a 14 foot truck (not renting more) and the single trip by professionals focussing mainly on the furniture. Everything else will be transported by van or car in what will seem like 50 trips. Now, if I can just get the kids to contribute.

Did I mention I'm effing tired.

Adam Wells

Filed under: Too Lazy to Categorize 2 Comments

3Jun/112

Term Limits, hmmm

I've generally been against term limits for various reasons; mainly that I don't think they'll do what people say they'll do.

Here's an interesting column, from a famous face, with an argument for term limits that at least makes me think.

Oh, and my son wants me to put his name in here, which really takes away from the gravitas of my point. Such as it were. So, here we go. Logan.

Adam Wells

Filed under: Politicas Desnudas! 2 Comments

3Jun/111

How Not To Shore Up A Budget

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that NYC schools are suffering from budget issues. If not, they might find themselves doing so soon.

I have to admit, I'm generally inclined to think they should be able to make their own decisions as a school board regarding who gets to rent their facilities. But the reasoning given for this decision is just idiotic.

My favorite bit of idiocy (but only a portion):

“Jews and Muslims generally cannot use school facilities for their services because the facilities are often unavailable on the days that their religions principally prescribe for services,” Judge Pierre Leval declared. “At least one request(ed) to hold Jewish services (in a school building used for Christian services on Sundays) was denied because the building was unavailable on Saturdays. This contributes to a perception of public schools as Christian churches, but not synagogues or mosques.”

Uhm, Pierre, I'm not sure how to put this delicately, but the only reason schools are free on Sundays is because of Christian tradition in this country. An even easier solution would be to start scheduling school events on Sundays, thus tying up the school.

Now, back to the point of my headline:

Thomas said churches are not given any favors. They pay thousands of dollars in rent – and must abide by the same rules as any other organization.

In other words, the schools are going to be losing out on thousands of dollars in revenue. Gotta love school boards....

Alt headline: When Morons Get Robes

Adam Wells

Filed under: God Bothering, Hypocrisy 1 Comment

2Jun/112

When Idiots Make Signs

Getting gas this morning at the local grocery store, I saw what is quite possibly the dumbest sign ever posted at a business. If it's not the dumbest, it's tied for it.

The sign read, essentially, "We will shut off your gas pump if you are using your cell phone. It is against state law, and we will enforce it." Not only is there no state law, but they are working off a myth. I emailed the chain, ending with, "it's embarrassing to use a non-existent state law to justify enforcing a rule based on a myth."

Just thought I'd share; we have idiots even here in Colorado.