Million Dollar March

Now that the Dems have 60 votes in the Senate you would think they could get off their asses and push through some serious reforms, like oh say in health care for example. Unfortunately, it would appear that some of the more conservative democrats (I can't even BELIEVE I am writing those two words together) seem to have other plans. And their efforts are being aided by the fact that the health care industry is spending at least ONE MILLION DOLLARS a day on lobbying Congress to squash any serious health care reform.

Well gosh guys, thanks for looking out for the little people.

What is wrong with this picture? I mean I thought the country voted for some change last November. It seemed to me that the majority spoke that they wanted the Democrats to make some change in Washington, and not continue down the path of lining the pockets of corporate America like the Republicans did for eight years. Health care should not be a for-profit industry. Why should corporations get rich off the backs of the average American living or dying? They make more money by keeping us sick then they do by healing us. It just all stinks if you ask me.

Republicans Gone Wild

Like most of the world I was surprised and immensely curious about Sarah Palin's decision to leave office. Part of me gets her wanting to focus on her family if that is in fact the true reason, but something in my gut says no. If that were the case, why wouldn't she have quit before her son was born? Why wouldn't she have never accepted the VP nod from McCain? There is too much raw ambition in this woman for her to simply be quitting because it isn't convenient for her family and their lives. As far as the media attention goes, the Palins have more than courted that in my opinion, so I can't really give her a pass on that one either. I mean what did she think would happen in our media-saturated culture that thinks it is ok to tour the home of a dead pop star, a home that he no longer lives in and is devoid of furniture or personal effects? I mean what does that even tell us about him or us other than that we are extreme voyeurs with souls that may no longer be worthy of redemption?

But back on topic. You can't rationally expect to be the first Republican female vice presidential candidate, especially one with five kids, one of whom is a pregnant teenager and another who is special needs, and not expect to get some media attention. If you thought it would be otherwise you are either in deep denial or delusional. Sarah Palin, may of course, be both of those things, but I strongly suspect she is a bit more canny than that. Lord knows I hate to give a Republican too much credit, but she has to have some smarts to have gotten where she is. So yes, I think that there is much more going on with her resignation than simply wanting to spend more time with her family. The other day the spouse saw a Romney/Palin sticker. So I wouldn't count Palin out in the political arena just yet.

Meanwhile, across the country another Republican governor should be resigning and isn't yet. What is with these dude's in the GOP not being able to keep it in their pants? But hey, at least Mark Sanford has found his soulmate right? Glad that his wife and sons weren't inconvenienced by his little affair of the heart. Just like with Palin, I think there is more going on here than we know about now. First, they tell us they don't know where he is, then he is hiking, but no one can contact him for days over Father's Day weekend. Finally he says he was in Argentina and is having an affair. And he supposedly used some tax payer money to fund his little love jaunts south of the border. But he doesn't want the state of South Carolina to take any of the bailout money, explain that logic to me. I hope Mrs. Sanford sticks it to the Governor but good, he deserves whatever she does to him.

Finally, Norm Coleman has decided to back down in the Minnesota senators race, after eight months, countless legal wrangling efforts, and the state Supreme Court saying that Franken was the winner. How gracious of him. If I remember correctly he said something about not wanting to divide the state anymore. Wow! Really—not having a junior senator for eight months was divisive enough for you?

It is amazing how much trouble the Republicans can get into in less than a month when you are just minding your own business and living life. Don't make me have to start paying more attention boys and girls . . .

Talk the Talk

I admit it, I got giddy when I heard that CIA director, Leon Panetta had manned up and said that Cheney almost seemed to want the country to be attacked again, merely so he could be proven right about all his doom and gloom media ramblings of late.

And then he did what all Democrats seem to do. Panetta backed down. Dear lord. What is wrong with the Democratic Party? Are they completely lacking in balls? I gotta go with Bill Maher here, who's final New Rule last Friday night called the Dems and specifically Obama to task by saying if they can't get their agendas through now, then when can they?



Dubya thought he had a mandate in the 2004 election because he scraped out a win. Obama beat McCain decisively and he acts like he has to tip toe around a sleeping lion. The Republicans are down right now for the count, but if Obama and the rest of the Democratic Party don't grow a set (and SOON!) then they might as well be on the mat beside the GOP helping them back to their feet before the ref reaches 10.

The Democrats time is now and if they fuck this up, they have no one to blame but themselves.

Enough

I have been largely tuned out of the normal media melee of late. And I wouldn't say I have missed it. In a way I think I have purposely distanced myself from it all because there is only so much that even I can process at once and current personal events (ie BEING UNEMPLOYED) have somehow taken precedence. Selfish little broadminded.

But I heard about Dr. Tiller being murdered. I was outraged, horrified and disgusted at my "fellow Americans" but still I tried to not let it sink in. Then today an 88-year-old man killed another man at the Holocaust Museum. Dear god people.

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH OUR COUNTRY?

How can we harbor so much hate? This decrepit old white supremacist fart, kills a black guard, scares the beejesus out of a bunch of school children and all for what? He's pissed because a BLACK MAN is president? Because some family members job got sent to India? Because he thinks the Jews made the whole holocaust up? I mean what could be so awful and wrong that you are possessed to go kill an innocent person and god knows who else before someone else with a gun stops you?

Yell and scream all you want about the bad things going on in the world, I have no problem with that. But this is insanity and I have had enough.

Vindication Is Mine

Not to harp on this (because we all know that I would never hold onto something like a dog with a bone . . .) but I am about three issues into the Newsweek redesign and it is still leaving me cold. I have actually skipped articles accidentally because I thought they were ads, the layout confused me so.

Well I am not alone apparently. Rolling Stone labeled the redesign a "Hot Thud" in their recent "Hot Issue" (RS1080). Not even the nuttiness of Lady Gaga gracing the cover can wipe the smile off my face. And here I thought I was just being contrary because I don't like change.

Dr. West, I Presume

Dr. Cornel West—have you ever heard this man speak? Sometimes it is hard to follow what he is saying because you get so caught up in the rhythm of his words. And it doesn't help that he uses some pretty big words.

The May 28, 2009 issue of Rolling Stone has a pretty thorough article/interview with Dr. West. Dude ain't an angel, and he has some issues, but I can't help but be intrigued by the way the wheels turn in his head.

For instance, when he talks about his idea of what democracy is and how it takes people who are poetic (and not in the verse-writing sense) to shake things up, use their imagination and get the rest of us out of our own little worlds.

We need that. Lord knows I do, gentle reader. I often find myself moved to thought, action, and daring by the beliefs, words, and deeds of another. I have friends and acquaintances who I consider much better people than I am and who possess this almost otherworldly quality to think beyond themselves. I sadly seem to be lacking in that department, but when I am around those people, or reading the thoughts of someone like Dr. West, I can't help, but for a minute, shake off my own "little iron cage" as West refers to it and for a moment, no matter how brief, become a better person capable of so much more.

I guess the key is to make those moments last for longer periods of time.

Guilty As Charged

One of Obama's crew, Cass Sunstein, has written a book called Going To Extremes: How Like Minds Unite and Divide.

If you can't already tell from the title the premise is that when we get around people who think like us we become more strident in our views and apparently the Web is particularly bad about this (so if you are reading this and find yourself not always agreeing with me—way to go for operating outside your comfort zone!).

Alrighty then, I guess I need to fess up that I am certain I am guilty of this, not that I wouldn't be a flame throwing liberal regardless, but it is easy to see that my knickers are more twisted up after a good hour with Olbermann. That being said, while the Right may not agree, I do find that folks like Bill Maher aren't exactly toeing the total Democrat line and I appreciate when he has non-liberal guests. But unlike the spouse, I can't really bring myself to partake much of FOX. I think he mostly does it for kicks and giggles, but he says it is to see what the other side is saying and I believe he is somewhat sincere in that regard.

It is interesting, because we accuse (and by we I mean me as well) the terrorists and evangelicals of falling prey to this kind of polarization and obviously all groups are susceptible to this. Equally intriguing is how our modern conveniences seem to lend to our ability to segregate rather than bringing us together like they are so often touted as doing.