Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The Personal and the Political
It's kind of weird when I think about it, but it seems like my life started to go off the rails about the same time the country did (and if you don't think the country is off the rails, I don't even want to look at you.) The 2000 elections were mind-blowing; I mean, it seemed like a dog-and-pony show better suited to some banana republic than the U.S. I'm not big on conspiracy theories, but why did all the shit have to go down in the state where his brother was governor? Political scholars and wonks might argue, but for the first time I can remember, it felt like democracy in America had failed, that the president was appointed rather than chosen.
And then 9/11 happened, and the path got really dark and twisty, and Americans grew afraid and suspicious and demanded protection pretty much at any cost.
I made some bad career choices, NSA was in a car accident and became disabled, a close friend's eldest daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. There were some good moments, and the 2004 race gave me hope, only to be dashed with that same smug, smirky face. Things trudged along, getting slowly worse for the majority of the country. And then when the economy is tanking, the Dow bouncing like a Superball, my mom faces a crisis of her own. Barring any miracles, I know what Mom's outcome will be, I can only hope the nation fares better. It might sound strange, but when I see the micro reflected in the macro, I feel like maybe change on a larger scale will help me personally, too. Like maybe a leap of faith taken with an honest-to-goodness idealist is exactly what America, and I, need. I guess I'll just have to see.
And then 9/11 happened, and the path got really dark and twisty, and Americans grew afraid and suspicious and demanded protection pretty much at any cost.
I made some bad career choices, NSA was in a car accident and became disabled, a close friend's eldest daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. There were some good moments, and the 2004 race gave me hope, only to be dashed with that same smug, smirky face. Things trudged along, getting slowly worse for the majority of the country. And then when the economy is tanking, the Dow bouncing like a Superball, my mom faces a crisis of her own. Barring any miracles, I know what Mom's outcome will be, I can only hope the nation fares better. It might sound strange, but when I see the micro reflected in the macro, I feel like maybe change on a larger scale will help me personally, too. Like maybe a leap of faith taken with an honest-to-goodness idealist is exactly what America, and I, need. I guess I'll just have to see.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Drunk Blogging, Palin, And Monster Hurricanes
Too much cheap merlot (two-buck Chuck, for those of you in the Trader's Joes know), and easy Internet access are a dangerous combination. Hopefully, this is vaguely coherent, if I even publish (but I'm stupid that way.)
Palin reminds me of all of the things I dislike about Alaska, when there's so much to love. She's narrow-minded and convinced she's RIGHT, no matter what. She has good qualities, but somehow, they end up wrong, like wanting to protect her family. She looks at the wonderful bounty around her, because Alaska IS huge and lovely and bountiful, and fails to realize that much of the rest of the world isn't that way. So much of the world is desperate and impoverished and simply trying to survive. An example; while most Americans received an economic stimulus check of $600.00 this year to help offset gas prices, residents of the state of Alaska will receive over $3000.00 for each man, woman and child (yes, that's over three thousand dollars per person)(or, for a family of four, a down payment on a house) in addition to the paltry six hundred bucks that most Americans got from the Federal government. This is thanks to the PFD (permanent fund dividend), which was set up by some enterprising public servant by way of sharing oil royalties with the Alaskan general populace. And oil prices have been high this year, so boo-yah!! I guess what I'm saying is that Palin's perspective is limited. Alaska is a small, rich state (much like Beverly Hills), and I don't understand why someone from Missouri or Oklahoma would want a privileged white woman (despite the "hockey mom" status) dictating (at least in part) how the country is run.
Ike is headed for Texas, where he's pretty much sure to cause a lot of harm. Scientific research has shown that human beings are responsible for the factors that cause hurricanes to be more powerful (despite what the Bush administration would like us to believe), and so I say, how many lives and how much property must be lost before we wise up and realize that we control our fate, that we are the captains of our destiny? We are one of the few thinking animals on Earth, we are obligated to take care of it, even the Bible says that we are the stewards of this magnificent creation. And yet we treat our only home like a frat house. Fuck the plumbing, fuck the rottting floorboards, we are here to par-tay! The next residents (i.e., our children and grandchildren) can pay the price.
Wow!! Drunk blogging is seriously hard! A bottle of wine later and my typing skills are shit, I find myself backspacing a lot. I'm going to go ahead and put this ramble out there, although I might seriously regret it later. (Can someone tell me, does The Birdhouse still exist, or did the owners not rebuild after the most recent time it burned?)
Palin reminds me of all of the things I dislike about Alaska, when there's so much to love. She's narrow-minded and convinced she's RIGHT, no matter what. She has good qualities, but somehow, they end up wrong, like wanting to protect her family. She looks at the wonderful bounty around her, because Alaska IS huge and lovely and bountiful, and fails to realize that much of the rest of the world isn't that way. So much of the world is desperate and impoverished and simply trying to survive. An example; while most Americans received an economic stimulus check of $600.00 this year to help offset gas prices, residents of the state of Alaska will receive over $3000.00 for each man, woman and child (yes, that's over three thousand dollars per person)(or, for a family of four, a down payment on a house) in addition to the paltry six hundred bucks that most Americans got from the Federal government. This is thanks to the PFD (permanent fund dividend), which was set up by some enterprising public servant by way of sharing oil royalties with the Alaskan general populace. And oil prices have been high this year, so boo-yah!! I guess what I'm saying is that Palin's perspective is limited. Alaska is a small, rich state (much like Beverly Hills), and I don't understand why someone from Missouri or Oklahoma would want a privileged white woman (despite the "hockey mom" status) dictating (at least in part) how the country is run.
Ike is headed for Texas, where he's pretty much sure to cause a lot of harm. Scientific research has shown that human beings are responsible for the factors that cause hurricanes to be more powerful (despite what the Bush administration would like us to believe), and so I say, how many lives and how much property must be lost before we wise up and realize that we control our fate, that we are the captains of our destiny? We are one of the few thinking animals on Earth, we are obligated to take care of it, even the Bible says that we are the stewards of this magnificent creation. And yet we treat our only home like a frat house. Fuck the plumbing, fuck the rottting floorboards, we are here to par-tay! The next residents (i.e., our children and grandchildren) can pay the price.
Wow!! Drunk blogging is seriously hard! A bottle of wine later and my typing skills are shit, I find myself backspacing a lot. I'm going to go ahead and put this ramble out there, although I might seriously regret it later. (Can someone tell me, does The Birdhouse still exist, or did the owners not rebuild after the most recent time it burned?)
Monday, August 11, 2008
Oh, Johnny Boy
Words can't adequately express how glad I am that John Edwards didn't win the Democratic nomination, only to reveal himself as a liar and adulterer. Not that I care, I mean, morally I think sexual indiscretions are primarily the concern of those involved and not a measure of leadership or political savvy. Far less damning than being corrupt. But so many Americans do care, at least publicly. I did view Edwards as being the most electable of the Dems running, and I would have voted for him, but I will happily vote for Obama (and would have unhappily voted for Hillary), because the possibility of four more years of the current state of the nation scares the living shit out of me. McCain is just more of the same, only slightly less to the right than Bush, and temperamental, a sort of Cheney-lite. I don't think he will do any good for the economy or foreign policy, and if he's elected, I think the U.S. will continue to decline, both internally, and in international esteem.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Weird Week
Is it just me, or what the hell has been going on lately? I mean, other than Obama winning South Carolina, it seems like the tragedy level has been riding pretty high. Things haven't been good for me for awhile, but on some supra-psychic level, it seems to be infectious. Heath Ledger died?! Christian Brando died too, although, frankly, that's less of a loss. And McCain is the current GOP frontrunner, scary shit!! My anxiety level edges ever upward, or maybe it's just dry winter air that's making my skin crawl.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Political Worries
The way things are going economically, I really, really hope that this country can elect a president that is able to handle the issues of the average American. I personally am worried about rising inflation and unemployment, the war in Iraq dragging on and on (and on), and how a recession will effect my job as well as my husband's disability benefits.
I don't like Bush at all, never had, he wasn't joking when he said his constituents were the rich and the ultra-rich, that's exactly who his policies, both foreign and domestic, have benefitted. I can't believe we've had to suffer with him for eight fucked-up years.
I'm concerned about the current crop of politicians. I like Obama and Edwards, I think fresh minds are exactly what we need in Washington, but I don't trust Rodham-Clinton, Guiliani or Romney. There's just too much baggage or disingenuity or plain old twofacedness among the three of them. I hate how McCain seems to have sold the rest of his soul in the desire to be President. Huckabee seems grounded, but the Southern Baptist conservative thing is really off-putting, and Fred Thompson, well, I think he'd do a good job acting as president.
I don't have faith that the American people will do what's best for themselves or the country. I don't honestly think that the U.S. is ready for a black or woman president. I'm afraid that the public will once again elect a man who will smile to our faces, reassure us that everything will be just fine, and continue to dig the country into an ever-increasingly deep, dark hole. I like the sunshine. Canada, anyone?
I don't like Bush at all, never had, he wasn't joking when he said his constituents were the rich and the ultra-rich, that's exactly who his policies, both foreign and domestic, have benefitted. I can't believe we've had to suffer with him for eight fucked-up years.
I'm concerned about the current crop of politicians. I like Obama and Edwards, I think fresh minds are exactly what we need in Washington, but I don't trust Rodham-Clinton, Guiliani or Romney. There's just too much baggage or disingenuity or plain old twofacedness among the three of them. I hate how McCain seems to have sold the rest of his soul in the desire to be President. Huckabee seems grounded, but the Southern Baptist conservative thing is really off-putting, and Fred Thompson, well, I think he'd do a good job acting as president.
I don't have faith that the American people will do what's best for themselves or the country. I don't honestly think that the U.S. is ready for a black or woman president. I'm afraid that the public will once again elect a man who will smile to our faces, reassure us that everything will be just fine, and continue to dig the country into an ever-increasingly deep, dark hole. I like the sunshine. Canada, anyone?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)