Hello, Philadelphia

I'm voting for this guy.

Welcome to Philly Weekly’s new blog about national politics.

Who am I? Well, I’m Joel Mathis, the online editor at Philadelphia Weekly. Until a few months ago, I’d lived in Kansas all my life. (Cue Wizard of Oz jokes here.) Yet, somehow, I ended up liberal.

I came of age among Mennonites in Central Kansas, growing up among people whose German-speaking grandparents had emigrated from Russia in the late 1800s because they believed the compulsory military service didn’t square with serving a God of peace. Modern Mennonites remain very interested in peace and social justice issues, and they influenced me greatly.

That influence set me on the path to my current set of beliefs.

* I think wars of choice are a bad idea. And while I think some military action is needed in defense against terrorists, I think that jihadism is an idea — and that we need to give as much energy and effort to competing in the realm of ideas as we do to killing our enemies.

* I’m against torture — and waterboarding clearly qualifies. I think the “ticking time bomb” scenario used to justify torture almost never happens in real life.

* I think security and civil liberties can co-exist. Imperfectly, perhaps, but still.

* I think our economy, national security AND the environment can benefit from higher fuel standards for cars and trucks — and that’s just the beginning of what our efforts should be.

* I believe my gay and lesbian neighbors deserve the same rights and protections that my wife and I receive.

* I think that health care is a right — and that while the market (usually) does a lot of things right, it’s insane to let the forces of capitalism dictate my life span and/or quality.

And so on and so forth. I think that makes me fairly liberal; I resist, however, any tests of ideological purity.

But I don’t think people who disagree with me are necessarily evil. (I think I can make an exception or two.) I’m a lifelong Kansan; I couldn’t possibly have had civil relations with my neighbors if I thought so.

Still, let me declare my sympathies up front: I’ll be voting for Obama come November. And if — knock on wood — he becomes president, well, I plan on doing what I can to hold his feet to the fire.

Let’s get the conversation started. And feel free — I know you will — to tell me why I’m wrong.