Personally, I admit to being a rather conservative thinker. One might say “Jay you’re only that way because your parents are”. WRONG! My pops is a moderate Democrat and my mother is a right leaning independent. Others like Matt might say “Jay you don’t think freely because you love the conservative party line”.
Well let me tell you a story about Jay P. Jay P. Gobeil grew up going to a public school where liberalism was preached from an early age. When Jay was in middle school and began to find politics to his liking, he decided he was a proud liberal and he loved the green party. Then came eighth grade, the presidential election was beginning to get into full swing. Naturally, Jay worked once for Mr. Crazy lib himself Howard Dean. Jay was not able to think. Then, Jay started to do research. Jay started to look at the issues and say “hmmm I don’t really agree with this any more… Did I in the first place???” Jay decided that he was a liberal Republican and would support President George W. Bush for reelection because it made sense to him. Jay still, however, was a very liberal dude…
Then came the moderate year! Ahh ninth grade, first year of high school! Jay was a giant John McCain fan back then. He loved his senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe! Jay was a true TR in the making. A real Bull Moose!!! But then, by sophomore year, came the tipping point. Jay plunged deep into the depths of what Matt would call “stupidity” and “not being able to think for one’s self”. Jay became a conservative… Jay found that the conservative message made sense to him, much more than the moderate one of senators like Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. Jay soon began to support the Steve Laffey’s of the world and the Rick Santorums. Jay found that he agreed with many of the principles he once (earlier in life) hated. Jay had made a perfect 180.
Now we come to Jay junior year. Jay is still a conservative chap but he is continually changing his stances and viewpoints on certain things. Jay now, as opposed to sophomore year, considers himself a more libertarian style Republican. A conservative Libertarian perhaps??
After much research and inner debate, Jay has undergone a full transformation from, basically, socialism to conservatism based on his conscience and what he thinks is right. Jay has done research to see WHY he believes what he does. Jay is now a fan of Democrat Zell Miller and admires Zell’s old-time, Democratic, small town approach to conservatism. Jay has a profound respect for Joe Lieberman, even though Joe is a liberal and ran for V.P. with the Al “the sky is falling” Gore campaign in 2000. Jay is a major MAJOR fan of Rudi Guiliani and might just vote for Guiliani in 2008 (even though Rudi disagrees with him on MOST social issues). I guess it’s just too bad Jay falls into such lockstep with the Conservatives… I guess he’s just not a freethinker after all!
Blue State Observer 
I’ve had a similar experience. I was the most anarchistic leftist motherf—er you’d ever meet in freshman year (Jay can attest to this), but I eventually grew into an Libertarian leaning independent by sophmore year.
I myself now Jay personally, and even though he most always takes conservative stances, I have a lot of respect for him because he is able to defend these stances pretty well, even if it doesn’t always come across in his writing.
I won’t lie. You all know that I was a crazy liberal until earlier this year when Iran started calling for the destruction of Israel — it led me to rethink my positions on National Security and Foreign policy. I still consider myself a Democrat, although a Conservative Democrat.
Someone once said that when you’re young, if you’re a conservative, you don’t have a heart — and as you get older, if you’re liberal, you don’t have a brain.
Okay, I learned two things out of all of this:
1) I need more sleep.
2) People like to rip open my dumb comments that I make attacking Maine’s libertarians when I haven’t had enough sleep.
Sorry for going over the top and ranting about nothing there, Jay!
The good news is, this prompted 2-3 really cool posts on political thought development. Bravo, BSO!
My transformation is a little different from the rest of yours. You see, my mom’s a kind-of out-there libertarian/Republican, while my dad’s a somewhat authoritarian Republican. I used to be all into the Republican deal, supporting G.W. Bush the II in 2004 (big mistake, but at least I didn’t support Mr. Waffles!).
Then, I too went to the moderate Republican deal, seeing John McCain as the greatest thing since sliced cheese (not like that has really changed- although now he’s closer to the best thing since sliced pizza, which in Mattspeak isn’t quite as good, despite the great taste).
You see, I started studying history more and more and realized how seriously monkeyed-up capitalism is. No, I didn’t go join the gay-Green-vegan-pagan-immigrant-abortionist-peacenik community. In fact, I’ve been called quite conservative in Connecticut for being pro-life, a war hawk, against affirmative action, pro-guns, etc.
Still, I shifted over to the socialist perspective on economics. I just plain realized that capitalism is to economics as nobility is to politics: a few deluding the many with visions of great success, while not dealing with the here-and-now issues.
Basically, I guess there is no problem with changing. I don’t even know why I shot at you as some sort of arch-conservative (you’re obviously not given your social stances on some issues). I think I was aiming more at the Bush-ite neoconservatives, and hit you by accident. Sorry! Good thing you wear that bullet-proof vest of a quick tongue ;.)
Rick Santorum may be an original thinker, (jeez, I’m a bad shot!) but I still despise his ultra-conservative social views. I guess I wrongly labeled him, too.
So, to all of you out there who I freaked out, my bad.
First one of you to get a politician to say “my bad” wins a virtual cookie!
ha Matt I know what you mean! I NEED SLEEP!!! I’ve stayed up late like every night since school started (one night of which to reading like a million pages out of my history book that I was SUPPOSED to do over summer)… bleeccchh! Anyway, no problem lol we all do weird things when we are stressed and have had like nooo sleep… Political opinions change over time, which I think we all exemplify. I am in agreement with you on many social issues Matt (my 7th grade self would hate me for it :-D); however, the actions of the President and the “conservative” legislature drive me to agree with libertarians on fiscal issues. Republicans, Democrats, they both tend to favor more spending and more government… I’m THRILLED that the BSO is getting more “action” as the school year moves forward! Keep it up guys!
Balanced Budget Boy over here in CT, despite his many socialist economic views, agrees with the need for more fiscal responsibility as a citizen, and probably would have voted for Ross Perot because of it.
(Sad puppy eyes) I’m really sorry I called you an unthinking conservative, Jay. Please forgive me? (Really sad puppy eyes)
I still like disagreeing with you! (Really, really sad puppy eyes that are actually illegal in less liberal parts of the world)
Epilogue
Matt’s really, really, really, etc. sad puppy eyes continued to get bigger and bigger, before eventually popping in a gruesome display of eye-poppage.
He is in an imaginary intensive care unit for this non-existent impairment until further notice.
-Matt’s doctor alter ego, Frederico
haha again, no problem over here matt! Don’t worry about it one bit! Lol it’s bout time the BSO got a little heat! Don’t know bout you but “no controversy is bad controversy :-D”!
I wish your puppy faced alter ego a swift and speedy recovery!