CAN'T WE JUST ALL GET ALONG? NO.

As a Conservative I do not believe the Liberals are "wrong." They are doing what they believe is necessary and correct to create the society they wish to create. I, and other Conservatives, just believe that what Liberals wish to create (a fundamental transformation) is wrong for the country and in direct opposition to the society (envisioned by the Founding Fathers) which the Conservatives wish to preserve. So, it would only make sense that the two sides would fight like two cats in a sack.

Let's take a look at, in general, Liberals and Conservatives views:

Liberals are generally described as being open to new experiences, celebrating diversity and questioning authority. They speak for the weak and oppressed and want change and justice even at the risk of chaos. Liberals tend to view life more illogically, more “gray’ and more spontaneous. They challenge existing norms and values and local customs and generally look for ways to change the current state of society. Liberals tend to believe in an expansive government and with commensurate tax rates needed to fund government welfare programs and believe in a large “commons.”

Conservatives tend to view life more rationally, more black and white, more this is the way thing are and should be. They are more comfortable with safety and dependability. Conservatives speak for institutions and traditions. They defend existing norms, values and local customs, and generally wish to preserve the current state of society. They believe other societies would benefit from our values. Conservatives believe a limited government must "live within its means," believe in a balanced budget and that government welfare programs should be narrowly tailored, therefore oppose excessive government debt.

Pretty divergent views! So how do we then come to a common ground so we can move forward? Both sides think the other side doesn't compromise. I think what they mean to say is that the other side won't do things "my" way, therefore they are not willing to compromise. "I agree to do what you want if you will have your 5-year-old son run across the Interstate 10 times at rush hour." You say, "No, of course, I won't have him do that!" "OK, I'll compromise; have him run across only 5 times." The stakes are just too big and the differences too fundamental for any substantial political compromises. Both parities are, pardon the cliche but I happen to believe it, are fighting for the soul of the country.

Why does it seem the left/right divide is deeper and wider now than any other point in our life time? I believe it starts at the top. At the top we have a very unusual situation. We have as a leader, someone who, to the best of my knowledge, has not, in his formative years, lead the life of a typical "American" child. (Attending state fairs, sitting on the side lines of the Memorial Day parade waving a little flag, saying the morning Pledge of Allegiance before school, singing the Star Spangled Banner before a football game, watching Andy Griffith, Leave it to Beaver, Ozzie and Harriet on TV) Those are the years where a child becomes "imprinted" by the American experiences that would lead the typical American child to share the values and morals of other previous Presidents, and most of the inhabitants of the USA.

If I had spent my childhood in places like Kenya and Indonesia, came from a broken home, with Communists as parents and adult role models, experienced Islam as a prominent religion, spent my time as a young man in a schooling and social setting where the US was seen as just a part of the global scene, no better or worse than any other plot of land in the world of global sameness, and my young manhood was spent with anti-American extremists, I guess my world view would be more like the President's.

I know there are those who agree with the President that we should not see the US as exceptional, and I understand that, but what kind of a motivational speech would a football coach give if he told his team they were no better, and in some ways worse, than the team they were playing? Shouldn't our head honcho be our head cheerleader? I do not believe President Obama could ever give an inspirational speech to jack up the country like Ronald Reagan could. Not that President Obama isn't a fine orator, he is, he just doesn't feel it. Not his fault, he just doesn't have it to feel.

Considering that a person is a sum total of his or her experiences and Barack Obama didn't share the experiences of (wild guess) 90% of the population, it is no wonder he governs the way he does. Again as I said in the beginning, he is not "wrong" in the attempt to impose his beliefs. What he does is designed to drive America to a whole different place--from Leave it to Beaver to Two and a Half Men.

As a Conservative viewing the actions (not the rhetoric) of the President and taking him at his word that he wants to fundamentally transform the county, which would mean to make it different at its core than it is. I would assume he would want to make it like he and his life's influencers want it to be. I don't believe they are shooting for a stronger more influential USA. Possibility just the opposite.

I say that because of their actions. Is accumulating, and adding to, an almost unsustainable debt making the country stronger or weaker? Is changing the core construct of a strong society, the traditional family, making the country stronger or weaker? Is forcing our businesses to pay workers what the workers want rather than what they are worth, making the country stronger or weaker? Is passing laws that make it harder for the good guys to have guns while doing nothing to prevent the bad guys from "carrying", making the country stronger or weaker? Is curtailing the hometown production of the world's main energy source thus freeing us from dependence, making the country stronger or weaker? Does allowing almost unfettered access to our country by unskilled workers, thus adding "takers" not "givers" to our population , making the country stronger or weaker?​

Our President's view of what part America should play in the world, how Americans should relate to each other and what should be our relationship with our government are, in most cases, diametrically opposed to the Conservative philosophy. This is why Rush Limbaugh said, (and was much misunderstood and maligned), "I hope he fails." Rush did not want the US to fail, but it was said with the sincere belief that if the philosophy of a person with Barack Obama's background and subsequent political beliefs succeeded and ever got to be the law of the land, the US, as we have known it for 238 years, is lost. If you reread the conservative philosophy above you will see why, for a Conservative, defeating President Obama's particular brand of Liberalism is worth the fight.

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THE GOOD LIVES LONGER THAN THE GOODS

On June 18, 2014 I lost my father. I didn't really lose him; I'm sure he went to the place where good people go after they die. After Dad's death I began doing, what I believe many of us do when losing someone close, and that is reevaluate our own lives, searching for life’s meaning and quickly giving up the search for life’s meaning.

But, like Lazarus, questions do arise.

Are we where we wanted to be at this stage of our lives? When we die what will be said about us? Will any of the nice things said be true?

Recently, being up close and personal with the process of dying and death, I realize how little it means how much a person had while he lived. I admit having is important from a practical point when you are "top side," but in the end it boils down, not to what you had, but to who you were. As the old Italian proverb says, Once the game is over the king and the pawn go back into the same box.

Dad had a little stuff as a child, got his stuff during his life, and at the end I stood with Jean looking over a small box with a few clothes, his telephone and a razor. His stuff. But for three days I heard genuine heartfelt stories of what a good man he was. They didn't have to tell me, I grew up with his values, morals, beliefs and most importantly, his example. It was who he was that will live on.

Back to us. Who are we? What will people say about us when we "join the great majority." Will people have to think long and hard for something nice to say about us? Will people not attend our funeral but tweet their approval of its actually happening?

Death is the last thing we will ever do in this life. We can't do anything about what people think of us after death (unless everybody is included in the will). What are we doing about it now? As was said, A friend of mine stopped smoking, drinking, over eating and chasing women--all at the same time. It was a lovely funeral. By funeral time that part of us that lives on is set in the minds and hearts of those we leave behind.

The uber majority of us will not find the cure for cancer, be first to set foot on the Sun (Tip: only do that at night, it's too hot during the day.) or become professional athletes, but every day we can live a life that others, especially others who look up to us, can learn from. What are people who look up to you learning?

When the attendees at your service gather in the back of the room, when your family is not around, to discuss how old everyone else has gotten, what are they going to say about you? Will they genuinely discuss what a good person you were? Will you leave pleasant memories? When they think of you, will they get a brain-smile?

If your answer is "No," or "I don't know," and you are alive enough to read this, there is still time.

Here are a couple of random ideas how we can "work well with others" while there is still time.

Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Don't do it. I personally don't buy that rule. What if others don't want done unto them what you like done unto you? It's a good start, but to be a good person, wouldn’t it be better to take some time to determine what others want done unto them, before you done do it to them?

Hippocratic Oath: Drastically summarized and paraphrased is, "Do no harm." Live your life with that motto in mind. Do no harm, and if you have any time left over, do some good. Given the human condition, there may not be too much time left over.

No Expectations. This is my own personal rule. What helps to make us unhappy is when someone else doesn't live up to our expectations. When we are unhappy, there is a good chance we're not as nice to others as we would normally be. If we don't expect anything, we're never disappointed, therefore happier more of the time.

I know it's not that important in the grand scheme of things that everyone like us. (Since that's impossible, I'm glad it's not that important.) But, I got to be a part of the life a very good man, and I think I'd like to shoot for that kind of a life.