I once had a friend

I was listening to the radio today and had one hell of a flashback.

I had a friend once, in the early 1980s when I lived in Ft. Lauderdale. Actual when and where I lived has nothing to do with the story, but just establishes perspective.

This friend was highly critical of just about everyone and everything. We got along, but maybe because I was a good listener and mostly nodded and was not judgemental. Anything that went wrong in his business and personal lives was not his fault, as he would say repeatedly.

Now my friend has an explanation for everything and a solution for anything. Problem was, no one really listened to or followed his ideas, because they were idiots. And if they did listen and implemented his suggestions and problems were encountered, it was just because they did it wrong. And since he was mostly a second-guesser of those that tried to accomplish something, (unsurprisingly) people stopped listening to him and tried very hard not to have him around. He was fired a couple of times. He claims it was because his bosses were afraid he would take their jobs. In truth, the man had no vision or creativity, which was very much required of his profession. When I last spoke to him, it had been months with no employment prospects.

What does this have to do with today. Well, I was listening to the usual cabal of national Democrats salivating about what they will do when the win back the House this year. I heard not one original or sound idea about what they want to accomplish. Only that the problem has been Republicans and George Bush and they would fix both.

My friend was a devout Democrat. At the time, my political leanings were not fixed. But now I understand my friend better. It takes a certain type of person to be a Democrat. He was the epitome.