The Season of Politics - History, Ground Rules and Decorum (Part 1)

Welcome to the Season of Politics also known as Presidential Election Year.

For many of you, this season comes around once every four years and is very short. I understand your trepidation. I also hope that you realize our lives are stake and will participate with energy and enthusiasm. No, seriously, our LIVES are at stake.

The purpose of this posts is to set some back story, ground rules and define proper decorum in a political conversation. I hope to explain why politics is important to me and hopefully, it will become something that you consider important enough to learn about. I don't care if you are a Republican or a Democrat as long as you care and voice your educated opinion by voting and participating. Again, our LIVES are at stake.

Let's get one thing straight from the beginning, I will never be offended if you disagree with me as long you defend you argument well.

What do I mean by this? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if your rebuttal is that you are right because I'm wrong, I will rhetorically rip you to shreds. The negation of one argument does not prove another. Also, no matter how much anecdotal evidence you have, you still have not proven your argument. There is an old joke in debates. How many anecdotes does it take to prove a point? (That's the joke, sorry if its really not all that funny). Anecdotes are NOT proof. Only stories and hearsay about what people interpret as happening.

I enjoy an argument that is well founded, well researched and articulated clearly. Most people think of arguments as angry hostile altercations. A disagreement is not a bad thing. It is through discourse of our differences that we change the future. Feel free to disagree with me at any time. Just do it in a way that doesn't make you look like an ass.

This political season looks to be as nasty as ever. The Democrats are racing into their convention with no clear primary winner. This ain't gonna be pretty.

Once people get to know me, they learn that politics, and in particular, the study of the U. S. Constitution (the document, not the boat) are very important to me. They are the cornerstone of our society and more importantly, the basis for our freedom.