Carefully Choose Not Only Your Battles, But Your Opponent As Well

I have a neighbor down the street that thinks Obama is going to not only "save the Country" but also establish an utopia like humankind has never seen before.  He thinks once Obama is done, no one in America will ever need for anything.  He thinks Obama is going to end hunger, poverty, drastically reduce crime and give us all World peace.  Of course he also thinks Obama is going to give everybody no cost health care that will make it possible for everyone to live to be 100.  I could spend HOURS with Stan and discuss the issues with him.  We would go back and forth and back and forth and I doubt either of us would change our mind. 

I happen to think the exact opposite of Stan.  I think Obama is going to do great harm to our Country and while putting a kink into his armor in 2010 will help, the man uses Executive Orders a bit too much for my liking and he has proven that he doesn't feel the need to consult Congress as proven by his small army of Czars which he can appoint without any kind of confirmation.  I think some of the damage Obama is going to do may either be very difficult to reverse or impossible altogether, much like the "New Deal" of FDR.

So how much time have Stan and I spent going back and forth?

About 5 minutes total in maybe 3 or 4 conversations.

"But Rodge, you have to try to change this guys mind!  You have to expose him to the truth and get him on board with  the good guys!" You might say. 

I disagree and let me tell you why.  Nothing I say will change Stan's mind.  Arguing with him will raise my blood pressure to dangerous levels.  I have chosen my battle and I have chosen my opponent based on where I feel the energy will be most effective.  My battle is on Health Care Control as proposed by the Democrats and my opponent is my Congressman, Scott Murphy of the 20th District in New York.  You see when it comes time to vote, Scott will have a vote, Stan won't.  Scott has the power to help end this debacle, Stan can't do a thing.

I see people yelling and screaming at each other at the protests and counter protests and I can't help but think how much they are wasting there breath.  It's the politicians that need to hear your voice, not the citizenry on the other side of the road.  Biting there finger off does little to help the process and for God's sake, leave the guns at home.  This is a health care fight, not 2nd Amendment.  Slinging a semi-automatic over your shoulder distracts from the debate, it does not contribute to it.

No matter what side of this battle you are on, choose your battle and then choose your opponent and base your decision on who can make the most difference in hearing your opinion.  If it's someone that isn't elected, you are probably wasting your time.