Despite what some readers may think, I do not hate Republicans; I just dislike many of them. I voted for Tom Campbell and John McCain, but I think that would-be President-elect Bush is a major-league bastard, and Ronald Reagan is the spawn of Satan. I know it’s strange, but the politics of McCain and Campbell were quite appealing when compared to their opponents.

I’m no fan of a lot of Democrats either, but it seems that the Southern redneck Republican leadership that we are currently stuck with is obsessed with legislating our personal lives. That is, of course, unless it involves our guns or Bibles.

The Republicans who are still in bed with the self-righteous religious right are way too concerned with the way we live our lives and how we should be acting. They claim to stand for freedom, that is unless you are a poor woman who is seeking an abortion. They fight for freedom of religion and then want to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms. To me, freedom of religion means freedom from everyone else’s religion.

Our leadership is just too hypocritical. Even look at how Bush is handling the Florida recounts. He campaigned on the idea that he trusts people, but apparently not if they are recounting votes by hand–leave that to the machines. And instead of doing the work himself, he sends out his father’s Secretary of State and a whole assortment of political hacks to stop a fair recount.

Given what we have seen so far of this man, what can we assume will happen when a real crisis erupts? His trademark jackass smirk certainly won’t help him then, but it’s a good thing for him that his father’s old advisers are around to run the administration. Just remember, four years and he’s out. And then it’s on to Hillary Clinton.

…It’s not often that I disagree with my own newspaper, but last week’s “Wings & Stings” was way off. Aside from the computer lab technicians, the employees in The Hive have to be among the rudest around.

Every experience I have had in The Hive has been accentuated by the rude service. No smiling, no thank-you’s, and a 15-minute wait for a hot dog. Adding insult to injury, the food is lame. In fact, the only thing that The Hive has going for it is that it is the only place on the south side of campus to get a beer.

Fortunately, Round Table Pizza is taking over the spot soon. Hopefully they will hire new help.

But keep the beer.

Brendan D. Wonnacott is a Government and History major and is opinion editor of the State Hornet. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by mail c/o The State Hornet at 6000 J St, Sacramento, CA 95819.