June 28, 2005 - 6:37 pm

Even though we all have our own individual dreams in life, I think we all want pretty much the same basic things. You know, the pursuit of happiness and all that � freedom of speech and religion, equal rights, quality affordable healthcare, opportunity to advance economically, corndogs.

I seriously doubt our elected officials are out there fighting for hatred, oppression and starvation (no, not even republicans). Usually the disagreement lies in how to go about achieving these basic things that we all want, and that�s where ego and personal interest tend to get in the way. When working on your own goals, ego and personal interest are okay to some extent, but when working out public policy, those things need to be put aside for the common good. Sure, lower taxes will help me as a business owner, but our country is in a serious financial tailspin due to a poorly thought-out war which we will not likely be out of any time soon, and, while I disagree with the war on many levels, well, lowering taxes is probably not the best thing to do right now.

I was discussing this very thing � the part about how to go about it � with a few gentlemen at The Earl during CORNDOG-O-RAMA-5000 this past weekend. Naturally, the conversation erupted into a shouting match, as is so often the case when four semi-intelligent, moderately well-educated adults get together to discuss politics at a bar. At 2:30 in the morning. While eating corndogs. We simply could not agree on one single thing. Go figure.

I like to think I�m reasonable, but when someone makes blanket proclamations as if they are fact (after many beers and jalepeno corndogs), yet has no sources behind those statements other than Rush Limbaugh (and the bravado of many beers and jalepeno corndogs), I get a little irrational myself and usually end up calling the guy a monkey�s ass or something equally profound.

Fortunately it didn�t go that far, but when my new friend Toby expressed shock that I could have grown up in the south never having eaten a corndog, I couldn�t resist the urge to remind him of this basic tenet that I�m certain even Karl Rove is aware of: the Liberal Elite do not eat corndogs.

But, in the spirit of putting personal interest aside for a greater cause, I ate one. And you know what? They�re damn good. We may not have agreed on domestic or foreign policy, but at least we came together over the corndog.

So let that be a lesson to all you Liberal Elites out there! If corndogs are that good, well, maybe � just maybe � NASCAR is fun, the French are pigs, Rush Limbaugh is a swell guy, and war is good for the economy.

~Samantha

recommended:
reading -Drop City by T. C. Boyle
viewing - 8 1/2
listening -�Your Phone�s Off The Hook (But You�re Not)� By X

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