In Which Dallas Reveals Her Political Affiliations

Lamar Alexander Wasn't So Bad Back in the Days of the Red Plaid Shirt

Since I will be posting from time to time about politics, I'll start by declaring my political affiliations.

I have none.

I once voted for Lamar Alexander in a Republican primary, but it was solely as a favor to a friend named John Alexander (no relation). That got me blacklisted by the Democratic machine of Ray Blanton, who won the election for Governor of Tennessee. I was unable to get state jobs, and even my student loan applications were denied.

I pulled the lever for another Republican once, and it was the hardest thing I ever did. I accompanied a severely physically disabled client into the voting booth in Greene County and, at his direction, voted Republican straight down the line, since he was unable to operate the controls on his own. I'd done my best to talk him out of voting for Reagan, but was unsuccessful. After I pulled the lever for him, I went back in the booth and cast my own vote  for Jimmy Carter.

That's my entire Republican experience. My Democratic experience has been limited to votes for Carter, Clinton, Gore, and Obama.

I've never joined a political party or campaigned for any candidate (my mother did her best to get me to distribute Goldwater leaflets, but I refused). I did run as an independent for the city council of my tiny town, but thankfully I was defeated.

And now you have my entire political history.

Until now, I've not written about politics. I've done my best to be apolitical, and I've been mostly successful. But now I feel compelled to write.

Why? Because the country seems to be descending into political insanity. There are so many outrageous claims, distortions, and outright lies, so much hatefulness, so much hypocrisy, so much craziness that I feel compelled to speak.

I have no doubt I'll be going after more Republicans than Democrats. If so, it won't be because I have a political affiliation or any particular sympathy for Democrats. It will be because more Republicans than Democrats behave badly enough to compel me to write.