Day 19- What Do You Think of Religion? or Politics?

I'm not going to talk about religion. I already did that, remember??? If you didn't, here's the link.

*rubs hands together*

This is all about politics! Funny how I have blogged about the two subjects that are considered no-no's in social situations. What can I say??? I love the controversy! I consider myself a Moderate, leaning toward the Liberal side. No, I don't have mixed feelings on issues, I just happen to have viewpoints that fall on both ends of the political spectrum.



When I was 20, I took an American National Politics class at Longview. One of the activities we did was to take a test to see where we stood politically. It asked all kinds of questions, from viewpoints on the death penalty, taxes, gun control, and abortion, among others. After tallying up the results, I noticed I had an even number of conservative and liberal answers. So I was literally a moderate.

Since I took that class (and received an A... go me!), I have been a lot more active in educating myself on issues. Some of the issues that really peaked my interest include the legalization of marijuana, Proposition 8 (gay marriage in California), and Senate Bill 586 (Missouri Strip Club Laws). I found myself spending hours researching them on the Internet and thinking about how they would affect businesses, people, and the economy.

The one I was most passionate about was Senate Bill 586. Matt Bartle (R) decided to present a bill that placed a lot of limits to the adult entertainment industry. It passed this summer, and has greatly impacted the industry... and not in a good way. I don't mind the fact that such businesses are not allowed to be within 1,000 feet of certain businesses, like schools and residential areas. What bothers me is the fact that those facilities can no longer have alcohol, the dancers in the strip clubs cannot strip down any less than wearing a bikini, and that some businesses are losing a lot of money due to the fact that they have to be closed by midnight. This is virtually killing off a lot of business in the state. I predict that all of the bordering states of Missouri (and yes there's 8 of them) will profit off this. We will see a lot of residents crossing state lines to be entertained from time to time. Needless to say, I do not support this law at all. I'm keeping an eye on it because there are already lawsuits from strip club owners and employees.

I personally believe that everyone should attempt to get involved in politics. I'm not saying to the extreme, but just enough that you understand what issues are affecting your community, your state, and nationally. There's nothing wrong with that... you just may learn new things and prevent yourself from doing something that may cost you later. Knowledge is power, people! Educate yourself!!!