(Photo from the
anti-Palin rally in Wasilla, Alaska. "Somehow" this event escaped media coverage. Want more? Write me, I'll send you a link.)
I sleep with the TV on. Like you - every morning this week I awakened to some of the worst news I have ever heard. Strange concepts ... bailing out the mega-wealthy by breaking the backs of American workers. Six and seven figure exit payments to the bankers who brought it on, some who should be going to jail.
Terms like "another depression - worse than the last."
I never paid attention before. I told a friend this morning - sometimes I will switch off the news to watch reruns of Friends because you MAX OUT ON IT.
Who in their right mind will buy non-essential goods in this economy? Some will bury their heads in the sand and pretend nothing is happening. Check the morning shows ... candy ass chicks are still aspiring to designer handbags that cost the average mortgage payment.
I work at an ad agency ... try being a person of conscience coming up with words that convince hard-working people to part with their money. For the most part, the demographic of our clients is my own age group. The people who survived Nam, the assasination of Kennedy, who lived large in the 80s and are scrambling to survive now as they (we) age with dwindling funds and limited prospects.
As I listen to the giant swooshing sound of my karma going down the toilet, I placate my inner word whore with the thought that if people don't buy these unnecessary things, there won't be jobs.
IF AND WHEN YOU BUY, PLEASE BUY AMERICAN MADE!!!
I know, it's hard to find American made goods these days. You want four more years of this bullshit?
I posted the Democratic Debate Watch to my singles group. (I founded the group, started with 7 lonely people on July 4, 2007; now we have about 205 people.)
I am a paid professional when it comes to words. First I went to meetup.com to make sure it was kosher to post political events. Then I took great pains to be fair. I invited Democrats and undecideds, gave the details and welcomed Republicans to post their own events. I asked that members of my group RSVP to the event portion of
http://www.barackobama.com/ instead of my meetup group.
Because I thought people would take shots, as people do.
I was blown away by the number of mean-spirited remarks I endured. I know some of these people. I wrote them "I have Republican friends; we treat each other with honor and respect." None of them bothered to read the details I provided in the posting, they saw what they wanted to see, accused me of being biased, of having invited Republicans to a Democratic event (that was a total lie) and censorship when they attempted to copy the entire group with their inflammatory remarks.
As of Thursday I had to cancel the event on that board because McCain was off to Washington as if Washington would be hopeless without him. If you post an event on Meetup and it is cancelled at the last minute, people are stranded.
On Friday morning I got a notice from the New York Times that McCain WOULD be at the debate. So around noon I sent out an email with a link to the news story on the New York Times. I suggested everyone watch the debate. There was no mention of Democrats or Republicans, just those who might realize they HAVE A STAKE IN THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY.
And I heaved a sigh of relief, knowing there was no way ANYONE could take offense.
And again with the venom, as if suggesting people watch the debates was somehow offensive. All non-organizer emails must be approved by the organizer (me) so I was able to head them off. One of the most vicious attackers "quit" the group saying there was "too much drama".
One Democratic event posted on a singles site and one email to the group suggesting they watch at home was "too much drama" for this bitch.
It's a singles group. You quickly find out why some people are SINGLE.
Frustated beyond belief, I wasn't sure I would attend the debate because the first "Obama watch event" had been a reality check; bigots and rednecks were out in force. The organizer had accidentally chosen a hostile venue. (See previous posts.) So I was a little nervous about this one.
I walked in to an alternate universe ...
people of every age, color and persuasion. Not the blinding white of the Republican Convention.
I was intellectually "home" for the first time in a long time. If I could find a church like this, I would go just to hang out. Good people from all walks of life on the SAME PAGE. I was early enough to snag a barstool where I could easily see the TV. Next to me was a Phillipino (?) woman my age. Then came an adorable young gay guy. We shared our two barstools with him, rubbing shoulders during the debate, laughing, yelling and booing for all we had.
A middle-aged woman with giant hooters walked by on her way to the john. My new gay friend said "those have to be fake" and I said "no, I think they're original equipment." He asked why ... I said "they're structurally unsound." He's like "oh, so you're saying it's the bra?" And I said YEAH.
More people attended than expected, many stood throughout and two women near us got tanked and had to be shooshed; but on the whole it was a major success. We all walked out smiling and energized.
Like everyone, I've been giving everything a lot of thought this week. And I came to some conclusions. Understand that I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to this stuff.
But here's what I think.
A vote for McCain is a vote for President Palin because his age, health, and the stress of the election compounded with the heat of the presidency will certainly kill him. And Palin? I was wondering what people see in her.
Anti-choice, against informing kids about birth control (abstinence doesn't work for her family - why would it work for anyone else?) born again, pro-war, pro-aerial hunting of wolves and bears ...
So who is for Palin?
Fundamentalist Christians. You know what? I have a few born again friends I love dearly. I recently received an email from one of them - it contained photos of dead and aborted babies. As if I were a baby killer because I believe in the right of people to make their own choices.
Palin is ALSO pro-war.
Where are the photos of America's sons and daughters coming back from Iraq in BOXES?
I thought church and state were supposed to be separate ... how long will that last with President Palin?
