Sucker-punched, again. (shakes his head) I’m sitting in a meeting with six fellow state employees. Someone remarks that we might need to further explain a recent purchase, “I mean, with Governor Walker slashing budgets left and right, and taking money out of my wallet, we need to explain why this is a necessary purchase?”

*sigh*

Believe it or not, I have an opinion about this little Liberal sucker-punch. (And, by “sucker-punch”, I simply mean, “out of the blue”, “unnecessary”, “unrelated to the topic-at-hand, and awkwardly inserted in an otherwise innocuous situation”.)

Point One: SHUT UP! What is with this Damn-the-Social-Protocols approach to modern-day Leftism?! And, yes, I will drop this at the feet of the Left. I live in Madison, Wisconsin, and I am inundated with this stuff. Is no place safe? The bus, the elevator, the hallway at the office, waiting in line at the grocery store, the dog park, overly-loud conversations at restaurants: Any place one might encounter another human being, we Conservatives have to be constantly on guard against the unsolicited political sucker-punch.

These vociferous Lefties either 1) are idiots, for assuming that everyone WANTS to hear what they say, or (much more likely) 2) they simply do not care what anyone else thinks. I'm not sure which is worse.

Ya see, I have an opinion, too. And, that opinion is every bit as strong as this Lefty’s opinion. But, I recognize that I live in a pluralist society with lots of people from different views and attitudes and ideologies. I understand that not everyone wants to hear my view. And, even if someone agrees with me, not everyone wants to talk politics in the office place.

Point Two: Let’s travel back in time: let’s go back 12 months, before the Big Bad Wolf (Gov. Walker) came took up residency in the Governor’s mansion. Back then, Lovable Cuddly Jim Doyle was governor. He enjoyed a Democrat majority in both chambers of the state legislature. You remember those days; the birds sang every morning, everyone rode bicycles, and we enjoyed idyllic autumnal temperatures nine months out of the year.

Back in that blessed time, would anyone have EVER prefaced a question with, “I mean, with Governor Doyle spending us into $3.6 billion biennial deficit, and raising taxes on businesses, why is this a necessary purchase?”

Would anyone ever have spoken up in a meeting, and attached that seemingly whacked-out editorial prefix to a business-meeting question? Ans: Of course, not. Partly because it would be political editorializing, and back then, everyone knew that such behavior is inappropriate in the workplace. But, also because it’s apparently PERFECTLY FINE to spend frivolously when the state is reeling towards record-setting deficits. (?!)

Anyway… had to vent. Thx for listening. I feel better.