Early Optimism

In most cases, I consider myself an optimist. I know things will turn out well for me, and I always think in terms of the best case scenario vs. the worst case.

Except when it comes to the United States electorate. People who were so befuddled they believed Saddam had something to do with the terror attacks on 9/11, who think cell phones should be illegal on planes because they are annoying, who continue to elect representatives whose primary goal is to get as much money from the Federal teat sent back to their districts.

Charles Burris has a more optimistic take. He thinks the revolution has begun, the catalyst being the Ron Paul presidential bid.

I'm a huge Ron Paul fan, and I'm ecstatic his run is starting conversations like this one. But I don't give the US electorate nearly that much credit. Far too many people are guided by what they see on the tee vee, what they read in Rolling Stone or Newsweek, and their local newspaper. There are still people, lots of people, who equate health insurance with health care. Who think stem cell research was banned by the President, who simply don't understand why what they like about Ron Paul doesn't mesh at all with their statist positions on other subjects.

I hope I'm wrong, that the revolution really has started. But if it has, it's moving awfully slowly. We need to find more ways to move it along.