Mixed feelings.
Two years ago I spent a sleepless night, watching the election results come in with increasing fear and despair. The shred of hope I had that enough voters would come to their senses in time, thus ousting a man who should not be allowed to hold a knife, never mind public office, dissolved in the winds of no-change-at-all. This pretty much killed any remaining political fight I had left in me. Basically, if as a country, we could re-elect Bush, what was the point? Clearly, the lunatics had not just won, but moved in, clogged up the toilet, eaten all the pie I was saving for a midnight snack and locked the dog in the basement.
Yet, I vote because there really is no point otherwise. And this time, there was a glimmer, an inkling of light peeking up over the dark horizon of GOP doom.
Santorum is gone.
The House has its first woman speaker.
The first Muslim is elected to Congress.
Somebody who actually uses the word socialist to describe himself is elected (go Bernie).
Rumsfeld has resigned.
South Dakota abortion ban defeated.
First black governer of Massachussettsm is elected.
Democrats control the House (and maybe even the Senate?)
How do I feel this time round?
No, ask me again. How do I feel?
Like dancing, baby.
Still, because I'm a deeply jaded cynic when it comes to U.S. politics and the likelihood that anything will change for the better, for the moment, I'm reserving my party hat for when the Marxists take over. Mwa ha ha ha. Yes.
Because let's look at the flip side. Gay marriage amendments defeated pretty much everywhere. (BOO HISS New Jersey. I was counting on you.) The Democrats largely won seats by seizing (I hate this) the middle ground. They're the new moderates. Gah. And now they have a "mandate for change." Well, I'm all about change baby, so show me the money. Universal healthcare? Gay marriage legalized? U.S. troops out of Iraq and pretty much everywhere else? Environmental standards enforced? Big oil companies show how to anally insert pipelines? Funding for public television and radio? Support for education? A complete abandonment of all inflammatory rhetorical nonsense about the war on terror, nine-eleven, or any axis of evil? A return of our rights as citizens not to get arrested just because we disagree with the President? A return to due-process?
Show me the money. Then I'll pour the champagne.
*********************
NaNoWriMo thought for the day: Daniel is now far more obsessed with my word count than I am. I have no choice but to write in public, that is, in front of the children, but he's pretty keen to know how many words I have. The word count is both the kick and the carrot of NaNoWriMo. It keeps me writing when I would give up, but kicks me when I'm down.
Yet, I vote because there really is no point otherwise. And this time, there was a glimmer, an inkling of light peeking up over the dark horizon of GOP doom.
Santorum is gone.
The House has its first woman speaker.
The first Muslim is elected to Congress.
Somebody who actually uses the word socialist to describe himself is elected (go Bernie).
Rumsfeld has resigned.
South Dakota abortion ban defeated.
First black governer of Massachussettsm is elected.
Democrats control the House (and maybe even the Senate?)
How do I feel this time round?
No, ask me again. How do I feel?
Like dancing, baby.Still, because I'm a deeply jaded cynic when it comes to U.S. politics and the likelihood that anything will change for the better, for the moment, I'm reserving my party hat for when the Marxists take over. Mwa ha ha ha. Yes.
Because let's look at the flip side. Gay marriage amendments defeated pretty much everywhere. (BOO HISS New Jersey. I was counting on you.) The Democrats largely won seats by seizing (I hate this) the middle ground. They're the new moderates. Gah. And now they have a "mandate for change." Well, I'm all about change baby, so show me the money. Universal healthcare? Gay marriage legalized? U.S. troops out of Iraq and pretty much everywhere else? Environmental standards enforced? Big oil companies show how to anally insert pipelines? Funding for public television and radio? Support for education? A complete abandonment of all inflammatory rhetorical nonsense about the war on terror, nine-eleven, or any axis of evil? A return of our rights as citizens not to get arrested just because we disagree with the President? A return to due-process?Show me the money. Then I'll pour the champagne.
*********************
NaNoWriMo thought for the day: Daniel is now far more obsessed with my word count than I am. I have no choice but to write in public, that is, in front of the children, but he's pretty keen to know how many words I have. The word count is both the kick and the carrot of NaNoWriMo. It keeps me writing when I would give up, but kicks me when I'm down.
posted by Francesca Amendolia at 22:05
10 Comments:
Yeah, that. The passage of the "affirmative action" ammendment in Michigan really had me depressed, though:
"to amend the state constitution to ban affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity, or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes."
Those white men ... they really need protecting. Sigh.
Another NaBloPoMo'er here. My goal is to leave a comment on someone else's blog each day. I'm working my way up from the bottom of the alphabet. Love the title of your blog ... and your politics, too. I lived in PA in the Santorum years. Yea, verily it was a time of darkness.
May I copy this :
Well, I'm all about change baby, so show me the money. Universal healthcare? Gay marriage legalized? U.S. troops out of Iraq and pretty much everywhere else? Environmental standards enforced? Big oil companies show how to anally insert pipelines? Funding for public television and radio? Support for education? A complete abandonment of all inflammatory rhetorical nonsense about the war on terror, nine-eleven, or any axis of evil? A return of our rights as citizens not to get arrested just because we disagree with the President? A return to due-process?
and send it to my congressman? It is so succinctly stated!
Pauline, I'd be honored if you thought that worthy to be sent to your congressman. Maybe I'll send it to our new senator Bob Casey (the moderate!) and see what he says.
I'm from MI too. I was surprised and disappointed that the affirmative action proposal passed. It just seemed dirty and sneaky somehow. I wonder what the reprecussions will be...
I am convinced the world is going to hell in a handbasket--and while I think we may be travelling a little slower for the next couple of years, I (like you) am not seeing the dramatic change of course we so desparately need.
A (moderate democrat) friend of mine sees those of us on the left being so guarded as yet another proof that radicals have no fun.
She always groans when I pull out my Marx brothers shirt--the one with Groucho, Chico, Harpo, and Karl.
I live in TX, where an idiot was just re-elected as governor with only 39% of the vote, because there were 3 contenders for his throne, including a guy named Kinky (he got 11%!). GAH!!! So I took heart that the rest of the country has at least started to peek around the blinders, if not yank them off.
No need to pour the Dom Perignon, but for godsake - let's at least admit that the US gave Bush the finger on Tuesday, and dude - he was NOT expecting it. That's enough for some cheap champagne, yes?
(Thatta boy, Daniel - keep Mom moving! :-))
You're totally my favorite new blog-find.
I did that same dance! And then realized the same realities you did.
Sigh.
My kingdom for some true lefties and some of that good ole fashioned socialism. Can I say kingdom and socialism in the same sentence?
I hear ya! I am a cynic too. I never quite trust it in the long run. But, like you, I'll take it this way than the way it was. It's a start.
My sentiments exactly. And Marxists rule! Well, not really "rule" but they should. Can I get arrested for saying that? And I am still mad at the dems for not using the filibuster.
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