Sorry, But You are About to be F*cked

Sorry, But You are About to be F*cked

Nothing is less surprising, yet immensely disturbing, as watching your friends cave to pressure.  The nice thing is, at least your political friends will take the time to let you know they are giving up in the face of pressure and leaving you holding the bag.  That’s how you know who your “real” friends are.  They will buy you a nice lunch and chatter with you about all of the personal stuff you normally discuss with a friend and then, as the check is set down, they will confess.  I had one of these experiences today.  It makes my heart ache.  But, at least they had the decency to send a friend to tell me.

One of the big political activist groups in the country has been a friend in the fight against big government and higher taxation by our never-satisfied government.  For years, we have found ourselves fighting on the same side of a plethora of issues.  Sometimes I am surprised to see them there caring, because it really ISN’T their core battle in their industry.  But, I’ve come to recognize that there are good people with solid core values who actually believe in the holistic approach to policy making.  They always show up to the fight… Today, they sent an emissary to tell me they were in “talks” to fold on a fight I had counted on them to fight with me.  They don’t know when it will be public, or what they will get for it, but they are throwing in with the other team because they are “afraid” of possible retribution by another powerful politician.

I have come to recognize that everyone has his or her price.  Very very very few in the world, much less in politics, are willing to “go all the way” for what they believe in.  But, sometimes people just give themselves away too cheap. That’s what gets me down… They could be high-end call girls riding in limousines and eating caviar, but they don’t have the self-confidence to demand this, so they end up like ideological common everyday streetwalkers nibbling on a Twinkie behind a Git N Go.  I don’t know that I would die for my issues, so I include myself in that mix of folks who have a price.  But, there are SO many things I would withstand, short of death, so I have a whole mess of people to look down on in this regard.

As one of the last Mohicans, I am the oft recipient of the meetings like today, as one by one all of the other freedom fighters turn in their halos for some hot pink spandex pants and a fur-lined tube top to complete their “whore” ensemble. … It is a very nice and courteous “Sorry,  But you are about to be f*cked.”  And, as courteous and nice as it is, it can still ruin my day like nothing else.

Goodbye Group X.  I hope you don’t sell yourselves for too cheap.  You’re better than that.