Let’s talk presidential politics

Mitt Romney is a lying, wooden, back-pedaling politician with all the integrity of a drunken sailor on his first day ashore after a long voyage. I caught him lying several times during both of his debates and his political ads are full of so much excrement that I’m working on a way to use them as fertilizer for a garden.

Mad yet? Go ahead, take a minute to walk around the room and cool off. Or perhaps you’ve already jumped down to the “comments” section of this column and are already banging out a response: “Mr. Compton, I find your article repulsive and my goldfish is three times more intelligent than you ever will be. A pox upon you, your family and your dog!”

If I really hit a nerve, maybe you are unable to read the rest of this column because you just punched your computer monitor. For those who haven’t “rebooted” your computer the old-fashioned way, take a deep breath and read on.

That first paragraph is what I call an “attention getter.” These are the types of things I’ve been reading in the news and magazines, seen on TV and my Facebook. It often seems that the political environment gets more and more toxic every election. I don’t know, I just think we develop political amnesia and forget. Personally, I recall some pretty horrible things being said about Carter, Reagan, Hart, Ferraro, etc.

So what’s the solution? Wait it out and hope that as a country we all suddenly become nicer people? Hmm. I guess it’s good to think positive, but you won’t catch me holding my breath. So by now I bet you’ve already mumbled to yourself, “Best policy is to not talk politics and religion, Mr. Compton.” Yeah, I’ve heard that too. Grew up believing and practicing that policy. But as I grew up, I slowly changed my mind (about openly discussing politics that is, not religion).

This country was founded by a group of men who discussed and debated over what kind of country they wanted it to be. They compromised and yes, fought, as they created a framework and, eventually a Constitution that endures today. I would hope that this spirit lives on and that we would not only have the desire to openly discuss our views, but would actually feel obligated to do so. How can we ever hope to find “middle ground,” or even begin to see the other side’s point of view, if we feel as though we “aren’t supposed to talk about it?”

No, I don’t feel that its politics per se that are the problem. Rather, it’s the way society has degenerated into a rude, obnoxious throng of people with huge mouths and no ears. We are condescending, arrogant and feel that “debate” means screaming, shouting and insulting each other. But it gets worse.

I believe in minimal government, limited taxes, limited spending and states’ rights. I believe the First and Second Amendments are the most important. Obviously, I tend to lean right. Some of my best friends, however, believe that it is the government’s obligation to take care of us as much as possible and are happy to pay more taxes to cover that. Some of them aren’t so hot on the Second Amendment. Obviously, they lean left.

And you know what? I like it! I can’t even begin to count the number of new perspectives my left-leaning friends have brought into my life. But because I lean right, I freely and openly admit that I will vote for Romney. Because I think he’s a swell, honest, upstanding guy? Heck no! I watched him lie, lie and lie again during each debate and his campaign ads are a joke. I think he’s a slimy politician just like 98 percent of the slimy politicians in Washington.

But, before you liberals start crowing over that, I also watched President Barack Obama bray and spout off one load of road apples after another. Yes, Obama is just another politician too. And he comes from that truly special land of unique politics called Chicago. You really think he’s above fudging, twisting, contorting and otherwise attempting to manipulate us? If so, may I introduce you to a world I like to call reality? But those of you with a liberal bias will vote for him. You have to, and that’s OK. Just as I’m stuck with Romney to represent my views on government and politics, so you are stuck with Obama to represent yours.

The sad part comes when we begin standing up for these guys, actually getting defensive when anybody calls them out for their lies or even just pokes fun at them. Sometimes I look around and see people defending them and it’s just sad. It’s like the two most spoiled-rotten, dishonest brats on the playground are standing there smiling while the other kids yell back and forth at each other defending either this or that miscreant.

People, we’re better than them. Yes, I said it — you reading this column right now are better than these politicians. While they’re out blowing our money on foreign aid to countries that hate us, kickbacks to campaign donors and the like, you and I are out working hard, earning and paying the taxes. Because we are better than them, I think we need to work harder at rising above this petty bickering and arguing in defense of such people. Yes, by all means, please vote your political beliefs, but don’t waste your time with negative energy defending a man we all know is lying his pants off just to pander to us and buy our votes with BS.

And let’s return to civil discussion and friendly talk about our differences. Got a friend who is opposite you politically? Take him/her out to breakfast and have a fun discussion about it. Yes, you read that right: a fun discussion about it. It can be done.

If you’re a conservative, go to YouTube and look up one of the “Bush seeks advice” or “George Bush speech mistakes” videos and laugh about them. Because they are funny. To my liberal friends who got so mad at me a week ago, I made the comment that I assumed Biden was smiling so much during the debate because he was either experiencing a bowel movement or remembering that Obama promised him ice cream if he made it through the debate without screaming something like, “They’re gonna put y’all back in chains!”

I made that comment because I think Biden is funny. The guy is like Bush; he really shouldn’t be allowed to speak in public.

Lighten up. Politicians are the easiest people on the planet to make fun of, for crying out loud. Don’t deny me that! (I do a killer Bill Clinton impression and a fairly good George Bush. I would hate to give those up.)

Ben Compton is a Palmer resident and publishes his column as “Compton’s Corner,” the same title used by his grandmother, Phyllis Compton, a longtime Frontiersman columnist.