Jerry Brown and My Father, The Republican

[MineralMan]

As I do every Sunday, I called my parents in California yesterday at noon PDT. They're both 86, and I don't get to see them more than a couple of times a year, so those weekly calls are important to all of us. We chat about what we've done over the past week, share family news and information, and just generally have a good time for an hour or so. My parents are long-time Republicans and I'm most definitely not, so we tend to avoid politics entirely, since politics have nothing to do with our relationship.

Yesterday, though, my father asked how I thought the elections would go. I told him that Minnesota was probably going to get a Democratic Governor, for a change, and mentioned that I was almost certain that Jerry Brown would be elected in California. What happened next surprised me a little.

My father said, "Good. I hope so. That Whitman woman has just tried to buy the election and doesn't have any ideas for fixing what's going on here. Brown's a damned liberal, but he seems to have some sense. We're voting for him, and I hope he can start turning the state around."

Gobsmacked, I asked what he thought about the Boxer race for Senate. Another surprise: "Well, same thing. Another attempt to buy an election by someone with no ideas. We're voting for Boxer."

Nobody has polled my parents. Maybe there's some hope out there, despite all the doomsaying and negativism. My parents are still Republicans, but they can see that the Republicans have no ideas for California's desperate financial situation. Good for them!

[warrior1]

1. Heart warming

Thanks for the story.

[MineralMan]

3. You're welcome. A little positive news on election day eve seemed

like a good thing. Maybe we'll hear some more, and get some even better news after the election. I'm always an optimist.

[tabatha]

2. I hope so, Thanks for that info.

Whitman or Fiorini would be beyond depressing.

But watch, Whitman will not lose with grace.

[MineralMan]

4. I don't care a whit about Whitman's grace, as long as she loses.

Let her whine to her heart's content.

[tabatha]

8. Yes, but her lack of grace

could drag things on unnecessarily. I hope the defeat is clean and large enough.

[MineralMan]

11. I'm pretty sure it will be.

[BeyondGeography]

5. Hooray for your parents

:patriot:

[MineralMan]

9. Yeah, my dad's a curmudgeonly old fart, but he can still think.

He also voted for Gore and Kerry. He's an old WWII B-17 bomber pilot, and called Bush a "chicken hawk." He calls himself a Republican, but he votes for people, not parties, and won't hesitate to vote for a Democrat if the Republican's a moron.

[Booster]

18. I'm a life-long Dem and my best friend and I were talking about

the candidates in CA. She asked me if I would ever vote for a Rep if that person seemed like the best candidate. I said yes I would, but that certainly isn't the case in this election. Good for your parents. I love people who do what's right no matter what party they belong to. By the way, I have NEVER voted for any Republican. LOL

[Hepburn]

6. Wonderfuly story...

...:hug: Thanks for posting it!

[MineralMan]

12. Thanks. I love my parents, for many reasons.

[Hepburn]

13. Well, this I can say...

...they seem to have raised a wonderful child! I bet they love you for many reasons as well.

[MineralMan]

15. I think they love me in spite of many reasons.

That's my parents for you...you can count on them to turn a blind eye to their unruly child.

[BeFree]

7. They are part of...

...the Silent Majority.

They know scams when they see them and they can smell the desperation of the pubbies.

Good for you, you have raised your parents well. <>grin<>

[MineralMan]

10. Yah, well, goodness knows I've tried to raise them properly.

I'm their old hippie son.

[pinboy3niner]

14. Good to hear, Mineral Man

[tularetom]

16. I think a lot of us old farts here in CA feel the same way

Good for them.

Not sure I agree with your dad that Brown is a "damned liberal". On matters of taxation and government spending he was far more conservative than St Ronald.

Yet the public employee unions support him. Wonder why that is.

[MineralMan]

17. Ah...my dad thinks lots of people are "damned liberals."

He knows that I am.