Uncrunched

Like a lot of people, particularly in the bay area, I’m pretty libertarian. I tend to like Republicans on fiscal issues and Democrats on rights issues.

As a libertarian I don’t think that redistribution programs as a rule help society or even the individuals receiving the redistributions. And the staggering, country-busting expense of them isn’t pretty, either.

I could go into why, but it would just be a long debate with some of you (ostensibly about economics but really just about politics) and I’ve seen that movie before. My point is, if I was forced to pick one of the two big political parties based on my beliefs it would have been Republicans in the past, because I don’t like large welfare and other spending programs.

In the past I’ve said that if the democrats could just take an econ 101 course they’d be perfect. And if the republicans could just stay out of our bedrooms, they’d be perfect.

One issue that has always made me very uneasy about voting for any republican, though, are gay and womens’ rights.

The libertarian in me really comes screaming to the surface in these situations. The only really emotional issue debates I’ve had with people over the last several years have been about gay rights in particular. It just really makes me angry that someone feels so superior as to tell other people who they can and cannot love.

Trust me, I think lots of liberals also have ridiculously superior attitudes, too, and they piss me off all the time.

But I think my struggle is over now. I’m going to have a blanket policy of not voting for any Republican from now on, unless they are publicly pro-choice and very libertarian in their human rights beliefs in general.

Why? This Todd Akin asshole. It’s just way too over the top to even think about letting it go.

I was talking about this with a friend this last week. The republicans have thrown away generation after generation of new voters with their absurd infatuation with controlling our personal beliefs, what we can do with our body, and who we can love.

I think I’d actually be more willing to stomach the financial armageddon that the liberals are walking us into than have to continue to see elected officials lecture women about rape and gays about love.

Which is too bad. Just a week ago I was toying with the idea of voting for the Romney/Ryan ticket. But that’s absolutely not going to happen now. I may not vote for Obama because I think he’s the worst president we’ve had since Carter. But I’m certainly not voting Republican.

It’s time for the republicans to give up on the oldest generation of voters, and the religious nuts. It’s time for them to focus on the next 50 years. There are millions of voters that would embrace them, if only they could stop the hate. I’d be first in line.

Comments should be fun.

Went to Detroit this week. It’s a lot nicer there (at least in the burbs where I was) than I thought it would be.

I flew Delta because it was the only nonstop flight option from Seattle. I bought a first class ticket, just like the last time I flew Delta.

A lot of you know my feelings on Delta, if not you can read them right here.

It’s my absolute last choice when flying. I can’t think of another business where everyone is so damned surly all the time, practically snarling at you from the first interaction at checkin all the way until you land.

I was joking with someone earlier this week about just how bad it was, saying my interactions with flight attendants basically came down to “hey asshole, you want any food?” An exaggeration, obviously. But it really does feel that way on Delta most of the time.

Anyway, today when I got to the airport the first class check-in area was pretty deserted and there were three Delta people behind computers to check people in. Doing absolutely nothing.

I stood at the front of the line area, the only person around. None of the three people were helping anyone. None made eye contact with me or asked me to walk up to them.

I asked one of them in general if they were open and if I could approach. Something like “Hi, can I check in with you?” She was about 15 feet away from me

She said “I need a couple of minutes.”

I stood there. No problem. Lots of time. A little while later she said “I can help you once you have your boarding pass and ID.”

This was from 15 feet away, and she didn’t invite me to the counter and it was sort of clear that I wasn’t to approach the counter until I had those items.

It was a little absurd, having a loud conversation from 15 feet away. And I was confused because all I wanted from her was my boarding pass.

I said “I thought I was supposed to get my boarding pass from you.”

She said “what?”

I said “I thought you were supposed to give me my boarding pass. If I already have a boarding pass what is it you do for me?”

She said “what?”

I said “it’s a little awkward talking from this far away. Can I come over to you?” Still in a good mood, finding this sort of fun and funny.

She said “Sir, I can help you once you have your boarding pass. Please stop yelling.”

Flashback to that hilarious scene from Anger Management.

So at this point I’m at the front of the check-in line at Delta. The woman who’s job it is to check me in has told me I cannot approach her area until I have my boarding pass. And we are having this absurd catch-22 conversation that neither of us can really hear because I can’t go close enough.

Okey Dokey.

Eventually I went to the computer area and got my boarding pass. Didn’t go back to her.

This all goes back to my old post where I talk about how Delta employees seem to hate their jobs so much that it’s almost impossible for them to be nice to customers.

This whole situation was mostly just funny and sort or surreal and wasn’t that big of a deal.

But it does remind me of one thing about business. There are so many self destructive businesses out there that sometimes you only have to actually be normal to have a competitive edge.

When I fly Virgin they’re usually pretty competent. But really it’s the vast difference between Virgin and Delta/United/American. The old airlines are so bad, and Virgin is so normal, that it seems like I’m being treated like a king.

When really all that’s happening is I’m allowed to walk up to them and get my boarding pass.