What's in a name?

Editor,

The other day, one of my golfing buddies said, "I hope you are not upset that I call you a liberal."

He lives on the golf course in an expensive property and home. Now, I am actually much more "conservative" than he. I purchased a modest house three miles from the golf course.

And on the golf course, I see some of the guys winding up, taking a mighty swing with their driver, almost coming out of their shoes. The ball may go anywhere. I, on the other hand, take a modest, smooth swing with my driver, don't try to kill the ball, and hit it down the middle.

How often I hear these words: "There goes ol' Bobby again … down the middle. How boring." Yes, maybe boring, but "conservative" nevertheless.

Then there are the poker games. You would not believe some of the moaning and groaning I hear on the first tee on Friday morning after the Thursday night poker party. Money changing hands faster than Bush shuts off a critic. I choose not to play poker. Instead, I stay home, taking care of chores around the house, walking the dog, and having quality time with my wife. I am simply too "conservative" for poker.

Then there's the war in Iraq. Here's where it really gets strange. For two years I have spoken out against the war in Iraq. Would you believe I'm called a "liberal" for this? This is actually an ultimate indication of my "conservative" nature. Why spend billions going to war in a country that was no threat to us, lose thousands of American lives, kill countless citizens of Iraq, and mortgage our future? I'll plead guilty on this … I apparently am much too "conservative" to see the wisdom in this whole thing. Maybe this is why I'm not president.

So, "what's in a name?" I wonder about that. Maybe, on a Friday morning on the first tee, I'll ask that question, if only not to have to listen to the stories of the previous night's poker party.

Bob McClellan

Polson