You know you must be getting old when you start to have nostalgic longings for the good old days.  I’m really not that old, and, in truth, those days really were not that good, but they sure beat Hell out of what we’re getting now.  I used to work for the government, so I don’t expect much, but is it too much to ask to go back to the times when there were two sides to every issue?  I know, politics has become polarized, but that’s really nothing new.  In the 1930’s, FDR and the Democrats had overwhelming majorities in Congress, but it was understood that there could be different opinions.  The Republicans were “the loyal opposition,” and, from time to time, even Democrats disagreed with their President.  Democrats who opposed FDR may not have been invited to dinner, but they weren’t indicted either.  And it’s not just politics.  A wise man (Bob Grant) once said, “there’s nothing less liberal than a liberal.”  He was so right.  Today we no longer permit two sides to any issue.  Global warming?  We are told it is “settled science.”  Anybody who dares to doubt must be a nut.  What about the 30,000 scientists who signed a petition saying they are not convinced?  Doesn’t matter what the scientists think, Al Gore said it’s settled.  Case closed.  Gay marriage?  A few years ago we were told gay folks didn’t want marriage, just civil unions.  Fine.  Then one morning, that changed.  I don’t know how, I don’t know why, but one morning, we woke up and you either favor gay marriage (now called marriage equality) or you are a bigot and a homophobe.   Now personally, it makes little difference to me, and I think that divorce lawyers should have equal opportunity to screw straight and gay clients alike.  What if you have a religious objection to gay marriage?  Sorry.  Religion is not approved by today’s culture.  You don’t count.  What about the First Amendment to the Constitution?  Why do you think the Founders put religious freedom first?  Did you just say Constitution and Founders?  Aha!  That proves you are an extremist.  So, yes, I long for the good old days when the liberals, the self same liberals who today are dictating our thoughts and opinions, were telling us to “question authority.”  If we’ve reached the point where authority is beyond question, God help us.  Wait, did you just say God?  Aha!