life

Conservative Politics and Moving Out West

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One of the reason I want to move out west is to move into a political environment that is more comfortable and agreeable. Living in New York and being involved in City of Albany politics, I frequently run into people that are extremely liberal and whose views are much farther to the left then I could ever accept. At least for some city political activists, I’ve been characterized as downright conservative, even if I’m generally pro-union, pro-worker rights, and pro-strong environmental protections.

Black Angus

I find it particularly painful to be categorized as a conservative outsider. I support many progressive positions, and for people to just label me as a conservative who is against progress just bothers me. I want to have a clean healthy environment, I want to have a high minimum wage, and allow people to make their own private lifestyle choices.

PA 155 Frame 4

In a more conservative area, many of core beliefs, particularly on rural issues, will be norm for the society. I may face an uphill battle in rural areas on more progressive issues like the minimum wage or clean air from big corporate polluters, but wherever one goes there still is a core progressive group that I can join up with that shares my progressive beliefs. I find it much easier to fight for a liberal cause, then against a liberal cause I disagree passionately with.

Sandy Plains

One the things I loved best about attending college in North Country of New York State was I could find like minded Democrats in the region. Many of the progressives of the North Country shared the same beliefs that I hold dear, but also where strong progressives on the major issues. Rural progressives generally where not proponents of gun control or hostile to rural issues but still cared strongly about labor rights and strong environmental protections against some of the worst abuses across our country.

When You Are In The Country?

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There seems to be a magic line that separates the country from the cities. There is a point where you get far enough from the city, where farms aren’t surrounded by suburbia or concerned with the suburban way of life. There might still be long distance exburbian commuters out in these parts, but they are essentially rural and free of the control of the big city.

There are several things that come to mind when you are truly in a rural place:

Speed Limit as 55 MPH. The state speed limit starts in almost all non-hamlet parts of rural towns. If the vast majority of roads in the town can be driven essentially as fast as you dare, then your in a rural place.

No Local Police Enforcing Local Laws. Rural communities may still have their own code inspectors and assistance from state police, but there is not the police presence that exists in the big cities. There simply is not the crime in the country, and lots of people leave their keys in their ignition.

Agriculture Not a Quaint Part of the Past. In most truly rural towns agriculture is not just a quaint hobby of people, but is a professional occupation of a number of citizens. In many rural towns there are far more hobby farmers then professionals, but the agriculture preformed on both farms is different then closer to suburbia, and often involves big animals.

People Burn Their Trash. While fewer and fewer people still have burn barrels, particularly in exurbian areas, in truly rural areas the vast majority of people still take their trash out back and burn it. Trash pickup simply is incompatible with the way of life of Rural America.

Big Pickups and Quads. People out in the country are more likely to own pickup trucks and quads. There is a need for vehicles that can haul things, and there is a culture that supports the pickup truck way of life. And people like playing our in nature with their snowmobiles and quads. Not to mention it’s fun to chase cows around on the quad.

Large Segments of Population Don’t Go to the City. The exburban and suburban commuter regularly drives to the city, rural people do not. There may be some exceptions, and most people do come together in a community regardless of where they live, but more often then not it’s a small city of less then 30,000 people.

Forest Road Hardened for Drilling Rigs

In other words, a large segment of the rural population is wild and free, and not controlled like people in the big city. They aren’t limited in their possibilies or their land, or how they must live their life.

As I’ve Gotten Older I’ve Written Fewer Words

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When I was 21 years of age, I used to be a prolific blogger. I used to write all of the time, almost doing a post every day, about a different topic. For a while I had a theme for each day of week, later things kind of fell into reruns, with less frequent posts. Eventually, blog posts and essays became an occasional part of the blog – not something I wrote on every day.

When I was 21, I felt I had unique experiences and unique views that ought to be expressed. Indeed, many of them have been expressed on this blog. But now that I am 30, I am more interested in what other folks have to say, and sharing what they share. Sometimes it better to listen, and if somebody hits something right on the nose, to share their content, rather then right my own. Not all works have to be creative – and indeed, many know better then I know.

Beginning of Hinkley Reservior

Many life stories I haven’t chosen to share. Sometimes, I am just not willing to share my mistakes, lest play up the embarrassment of the story. Other times, I can’t share on promise to others to keep what I know in the back of head, and not public knowledge. And in many cases, I plain lack the words to write them down.

A Fork in the Road

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Lately it seems like I’ve be coming to many a fork in the road. It seems like they come much too quickly and frequently, and I often do not know which one to take. Do you go left or right? Which is the right way to go and which is wrong?

It’s frequently not clear. If there where signs to direct you along the way, the signs have long since disappeared. They’ve been stolen, because others didn’t want you to follow in their path. They wanted you to make up your own decisions, and find your own way.

Goodrich Corners

Not that I ever was much of a fan of road signs. I’ve never been one to follow the directions of others, and often when I see one sign pointing to good and bad, I choose the bad road, just to see what’s down there. The good road, after all wouldn’t let me check out how well my hubs worked.

So that’s where I stand in life.

People Got to Be Free

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The other day I cued up this song by the Rascals on my old record player. One of my favorite songs, it lyrics quote from the bible and other sources on the topic of freedom. “It’s a natural situation for man to be free.” Indeed, it is.

“You should see, what a wonderful world it would be, if everybody learned to live together.” Such good advice, living in a world that sometimes seems to have so much hatred of our fellow man. We all live on one small planet, and we have to learn to live together and respect our fellow man.

“Seems to me that we got to solve it individuality. I’ll do what you to you what you do to me.” Our world’s great problems won’t be solved by an single individual’s actions, but that of many Americans. We must learn to respect one and other, and realize how we treat one individual will reflect back on how we are treated by others.

Why I Like Working on the Blog

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Notes on the Re-Run for Saturday, May 19th.

— Andy

Occasionally people as I why I blog.

I have a story to tell and a life to share.
I want people to read and experience a little piece of my world.
I have a desire to express.
I want to be an individual.

It’s not because I want to impress anyone.
It’s not for a girl friend, a boy friend, my boss or anyone else.

Route 357 Dannemora

I just want to develop a sense of identity.
Some kind of meaning.
Reflect upon my own priorities in life.

I want to figure out right and wrong.
I want to be able to look back and see what I’ve done wrong
and right.

You Do Your Thing

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Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to watch the gay marriage debate in Assembly several times on the computer. Its always fascinating to watch how passionately people will debate an issue that they have no stake in themselves nor do their district has no stake in it. There is no (significant) economic benefit or cost to gay marriage. It doesn’t deprive anybody of their rights or restrict what they can do in their back-40. It really doesn’t do much at all.

So why do people really care? I don’t understand.

Tower Steel

The same-sex marriage bill indeed is only a single page long. It simply replaces man and women with person in the definition of marriage in the domestic relations law. It also states that no person can be denied the right of marriage simply because of their gender, and that no church or religious institution must preform any marriage. Not a big deal.

The critics of gay marriage are right in saying that many gay couples engage in behaviour that is quite strange. Yet, there are many other gay couples that are quite happily living together, living the American life like most other Americans. There are certainly gays living in suburbs, gays who own farms and ranches, and gays who live in the city and work for big corporations. Most of them are totally normal except for their choice of a partner.

People often fear what is different. They might even believe that what is different is having a negative impact on their lives. People need to do their own thing, and just ignore what other people are doing. Indeed, it seems the people who complain about the smell of cow shit are no better or worst then those who complain of gay marriage.