Hit me baby, one more time

Ahhh, what a glorious evening was last night, and what an enjoyable day today.

I’m tired, because I was so wired last night that I was up until 4 am. I did next to nothing today, other than reading through the analyses and various takes on what happened, the demographics, and so forth. I kept the TV off all day, I didn’t feel like talking to anyone, and I just enjoyed the moment as I read my fill. I didn’t even spend a whole lot of time on Facebook, reading various reactions. I needed the time to regroup, take it all in, and let out the mental breath I’d been holding for about two freakin’ years! Whew!

I gave myself 24 hours to gloat, and I’ve posted a few items today that were definitely of that ilk. I’m not a mean-spirited person, for the most part, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t ecstatic that President Obama not only won four more years, but did so by beating one of the most cynical, mendacious candidates I’ve seen in some time. There have been times when I felt rather sorry for a losing candidate; I even had a twinge of that in 2008, because despite my anger at McCain for foisting the Grifter Palin upon us, he gave a decent and honorable concession speech.

Not so Romney. For some reason, he refused to make the phone call to President Obama for about an hour and a half after the race had already been called by the networks (if not Karl Rove, haha). When Romney finally did give his speech, I found it to be perfunctory and stiff, and it reeked of the attitude that he truly felt that he was entitled to win, and in fact, believed up until the end that he would. Most accounts say that he had not written a concession speech, only a victory speech. I believe this might be a classic case of hubris and nemesis. I can cut him some slack on the tone of it, I suppose; it’s not easy to lose. However, McCain (as well as Hillary Clinton, when she conceded the Democratic nomination to Obama) showed that concession speeches can be gracious and that the person who didn’t win can do so with decency and strength. Romney’s concession speech showed little of that.

It’s all a moot point, of course. Mittens is toast. I would be very surprised if he runs for office again. The endless parsing of the votes and the breakdown of the demographics have already begun. (Note to Republicans: your white guy base is dwindling.) It’s been fascinating to watch not only the demographics, but the hilarious freak-outs of various right wing pundits and “celebrities.” Donald “The Dorito” [thanks for the nickname, Holly!] Trump called for a revolution (at least until someone apparently told him that that might be considered treason, and he removed that tweet), batshit crazy bobblehead Victoria Jackson cried that America had died, and pants-shitting draft dodger Ted Nugent called Obama supporters pimps, whores, welfare brats, and “subhuman varmints.” I would like to give the Republican party a word of advice: until you start condemning these wingnuts, calling them out for their hyperbole and hatred, and start signalling that you do not find such rhetoric acceptable, you are going to continue to hemorrhage supporters. As long as you continue to build your coalition on white, conservative, religious-motivated voters, you will continue to hemorrhage supporters. And unless you let go of your death grip on your bibles and your religious-based social attitudes, you will continue to hemorrhage supporters. Don’t believe me? Fine. Just keep going the way you’re going. In about a decade or so, we’ll see how that is going for you, okay?

Another interesting takeaway from this was the rise of the statistics gurus. My own “personal” guru (at least the one I’ve been reading since the last election) is Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight blog. For the past three months or so, it has been a daily check for me. It’s even become a joke among liberals who were wigging out about Obama’s chances for re-election: Keep calm and check Nate Silver. Nate took a lot of flak from the right wing pundits (and even a few on the left) who felt that gut instinct would triumph over statistics and math. Peggy Noonan (insert Seinfeldian ‘Noooonan’ here) based her declaration that it was going to be an overwhelming victory for Romney on seeing lots of Romney yard signs in a particular neighborhood. Mm-hm. Maybe they feel that their jobs are threatened? No worries...the world will always need talking heads. But the complete refusal of so many to accept the polls and/or the math—and even the reality—was rather mind-boggling to me. Nate, who bases his statistical model on all the polls that are taken, both nationally and statewide, was fully and completely vindicated when he successfully predicted the outcome of every single state. (Florida still hasn’t been called, but it seems that Obama is going to win it.) In the last two elections, that makes him 99/100 when it comes to calling the states. I think a whole lot of people owe Nate Silver a big fucking apology today!

As for predictions, I made mine back in early September, with a political email group I am involved with. Here was mine:

Obama 326

Romney 212

Obama wins OH, PA, WI, CO, NV, VA, FL, NH

Romney wins NC, IA, MO

The only one I got wrong was Iowa. If I had made my prediction more recently, I would have put Iowa in the Obama camp, as well, but that’s the problem with making your prediction so early on! Again, they haven’t called Florida yet, but it looks likely Obama. When that happens, it will be Obama 332, Romney 206. I’m more than a little pleased with myself! But I owe it all to Nate Silver. So for those who kicked sand in Nate’s face, just stop it, you guys! Leave Nate alone!

So that’s that. This concludes my period of gloating, and now I’m ready to move on and help to make shit happen. I don’t wish Mitt Romney or his family any ill, but I can honestly say that I’m very glad he lost. I did not find him a likable candidate, nor an honorable one. (Please note that I specifically used the word ‘candidate,’ not ‘person.’ I don’t know him as a person, so I don’t feel that I can make that inference.) There is plenty of work to be done, and I hope that our legislative branch will get off their asses and start doing it. I foresee many letters and emails in my future, as I try to keep their feet to the fire.

After all, we all want what is best for the country, right? I think we can all agree on that. We might disagree on how to go about it, but as Joe Biden said in his debate with Paul Ryan, “Facts matter, Martha.” Just ask Nate Silver.

One picture

Game time

What a long, strange trip it’s been. After a seemingly never-ending campaign, we’ve come down to the end of it, and it’s just a matter of waiting for results to roll in. I’m hoping we’ll get a clear picture tonight, and based on all I’ve been reading, we will.

I think my guy is going to win, but of course I’m nervous and anxious anyway. I’m not going to go into polls, momentum, demographics, or anything like that in this entry. It is what it is, and time is winding down. I can say that although I will still enjoy reading political books and analysis, I’m looking forward to not being all but consumed by the latest polls and reporting. My brain will be happy for the reprieve.

It’s been a weird day for my emotions. I started out almost giddy, in a high state of hilarity and laughing at silly things I found online. Then I moved into determination, as in “We’ve got to win this.” Then I was feeling a little sad, because I love this stuff, it’s been fascinating, and in some ways I hate to see the excitement end. Now I’m just trying to be patient as we start to wait for results. I think it’s a safe bet to say that I will end up shedding some tears tonight.

In the meantime, I’m sporting my “Hoosiers for Obama” t-shirt, and I’ve got a pork roast going for pulled pork sandwiches tonight. Seems like good comfort food for tonight, and maybe barbecue, cole slaw, and baked beans will work some mojo on North Carolina and turn it blue again!

I also find that I remain in awe of our right to vote. We have our share of problems with our voting process (Can we please get rid of the abhorrent Citizens United? And can we follow the lead of other countries and ban advertising? What a horrible waste of money.), but I will always be grateful that I am able to cast my vote as a free citizen. I take it seriously, I do my best to stay informed, and I feel that it is an honor that should not be ignored or dismissed. I will never understand anyone who doesn’t care enough to vote, and it makes me question their intelligence. I’m not kidding.

So batten down the hatches, folks! It could be a bumpy ride tonight. I’m going to do my best to keep my adrenaline in check and not completely wig out. I hope you are able to do the same!

Fear turns to loathing

I’m sitting here with my foot elevated, because like an idiot I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing today, and missed an entire step going out into the garage. I seem to have given myself a mild ankle sprain. It hurts like a mother, and I’m doing my best to make sure I can handle some walking tomorrow, because we have a chance to see Notre Dame go 9-0 by beating Pitt! So I’ve iced, wrapped, elevated, and Advil’d, and I’m hoping that it will be okay enough that I can handle the walking tomorrow. Maybe we need to buy a little wagon, and Ken can pull me behind him! I just laughed at that mental image.

Anyway, this is a good time to do an update. This could very well be the last one I make before the election, so I’ll try to make it a good one. I’ll warn you that I am pissed, so proceed at your own risk.

Before I get to that, let me say that I’m thinking of the people on the East Coast, and sending special thoughts for several friends who have had to deal with Sandy and her aftermath. Our good friend Raquel, in particular, is having a rough time of it, as she lives in the Village and has been without power since the storm hit. She’s been able to go on walkabout to charge her phone and find wifi, so has let us all know that she and her Mom are okay. She has also maintained her sense of humor, and I don’t feel ashamed to say that she embodies all that I love about New York and New Yorkers: tough, but with a heart of gold. Love you, Raquel, and I hope they’re right about you getting your power back TONIGHT!

Having said that, I’ll segue into why I’m pissed. While President Obama was busy getting shit done, looking all presidential and junk, and meeting with his new BFF New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Romney was left twiddling his thumbs. Out of decency, he canceled his campaign events. Well...sort of. He decided to go ahead with a rally in the quaint little village of Kettering, Ohio, but changed it from a campaign rally to a “victory rally.” Ostensibly, it was to help raise supplies and funds for hurricane victims. A couple of things, though. A) The Red Cross specifically says on their website to NOT send food or clothing. It takes up too many of their resources to sort and catalog the items, and a monetary donation is absolutely the best way to help the organization and the people it is trying to assist. But ol’ Mittens is like the honey badger. He doesn’t give a shit. So he collected items and talked about how they were going to box them all up and drive them to a donation site. And 2) because this was a last-minute shift in focus, they wanted to make sure it looked like they were rolling in item donations, so the campaign went to Walmart and spent five grand buying supplies to stack on tables. When people were told that they needed an item to donate in order to gain admittance to the rally and said they hadn’t brought anything, they were told to “grab something off the table” and then present it as their donation.

I honestly don’t know when I’ve seen such crass opportunism as Romney and his campaign are displaying. This even trumps (HA! Get it??) the Paul Ryan “I’m barging into this soup kitchen and washing clean dishes whether you like it or not” moment. As I’ve written before, I’ve got a super duper double viper Bullshit-O-Meter, and this entire campaign reeks of bullshittery.

But THAT isn’t what pissed me off the most, believe it or not! What really did it for me, and sent me from fearing what Romney’s policies would do to our country and the economy and actively disliking his  persona into the realm of genuinely loathing the man is another Ohio-related incident.

He told the crowd at a rally in northern Ohio that he “saw a story” about how Chrysler is thinking of moving all Jeep production to China. This, in a state that relies heavily on the auto industry. GM and Chrysler spokespeople immediately responded saying that that couldn’t be further from the truth; what they ARE thinking about doing is expanding production in China, which indicates a sign of health for the companies. They are not closing any U.S. production facilities. Even the Chrysler CEO had to weigh in and say no, this is completely untrue.

But Mitt the Honey Badger don’t care. He released TV and radio ads repeating the exact same BIG FAT LIE. This, despite immediate and forceful refutation from the companies themselves.

So what was it about that that pissed me off so much? He needlessly scared people. Panicked workers were calling into their workplaces wondering if they were still going to have a job. In a state where the auto industry means so much—and unemployment is lower than the national average, thanks to the auto bailout—he was purposefully trying to frighten people. What kind of an asshole does that?? These are people who are worried about their families and their livelihood, and he’s scaring the bejeebus out of them in order to score cheap political points.

All those people who think he’s an honorable man? Do you want to change your answer? To me, an honorable person doesn’t pull such a cynical, asshole move on people who are scared. An honorable person does their best to reassure those who are hurting and scared, and works his ass off to get them the help that they need (please scroll up to see that picture again).

Well, if there is any sort of redeeming aspect to this, it is that his actions and words speak of desperation. I am not taking anything for granted, but these are not the tactics of someone who is winning. They are those of someone who is losing.

As well as the tactics of someone who is a Loser. Capital L Loser.

For a little comic relief, please enjoy this clip from “The Daily Show” that had both me and Ken laughing out loud...especially the end!

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

It seemed like a good idea at the time

Six years ago, I decided to jump on the blog bandwagon. I had always been interested in what I could do online, and back in the day, I even had a “web page” on AOL. But a few years ago, publishing a personal blog became very easy, and I thought I’d join in.

A lot has happened in six years, both good and bad. I’ve gained many friends, but I’ve lost some people who were very dear to me. But life goes on...because that’s what life does, as long as you’re living, and that’s about as profound a statement as you’ll get from me tonight!

I am very fortunate to have met quite a few of you in person over the years, and I can truthfully say that I have never had a bad experience. Quite the opposite...meeting some of you for the first time has been like meeting a long-time friend. I feel honored to have the readers I do, and that so many of you have stuck with me this long.

It seemed like a good idea at the time to start a blog, and I’m still glad I did it. I don’t update as often these days, and I don’t comment on other blogs as often, but I still enjoy writing here and reading elsewhere.

Thanks for continuing to read about our adventures and occasional tribulations. You’ve all been supportive in both, and I appreciate it more than you could ever know. I love you guys. I really do.

Excoriated

In my previous entry, I wrote about why I support President Obama. In this entry, I’m going to write about why I do not support Mitt Romney.

I could go into detail about the many of his policies with which I disagree, or about how I disagree on a very basic level with his vision of our country, especially concerning those who are less fortunate; I could also talk about his embrace of trickle-down economics, even though that cute little experiment has failed miserably for going on four decades now. Honestly, what does it take to get people to understand that lower tax rates don’t create jobs and drive the economy? It’s all about demand for goods and services. So there are deep philosophical differences I have with Governor Romney.

But as I was thinking about all of this, I realized that I could distill my dislike for Romney into one simple phrase: he lacks a core.

He may have that when it comes to his faith, and he probably has it when it comes to his family. When it comes to policies, however, he has no core. We’ve seen his frequent changes over the years in almost everything he’s dealt with. NBC published a fairly lengthy article on Romney’s changes on foreign policy over the years. And that is just foreign policy! It doesn’t include his many changing stances on marriage equality, abortion, and as far as I can tell, virtually every other issue he has encountered in his entire political life. As the saying goes, you’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.

This goes beyond simple evolution of stances on issues; I think we all grow and learn and change as we get more experience. For example, I’ve written before about my change from supporting civil unions only to full-on support for marriage equality. However, you won’t see me changing my stance on that again...ever. That was the culmination of years of thought, the exchange of ideas, and simply knowing and loving several gay people over the course of years. No...Romney’s changes happen frequently, and oddly enough, seem to coincide with his political campaigns. As candidate for Governor and Senator of the decidedly liberal Massachusetts, he took a moderate, even left-of-center stance; in the presidential primaries, he moved far to the right according to the dictates of the far-right factions of today’s Republican party; as the Republican nominee, he is distancing himself from those remarks—some made just weeks ago!—in order to court the moderates and independents. His head is spinning faster than Linda Blair’s in “The Exorcist.”

I can appreciate the changes that people experience in their lives and that cause their stances on issues to evolve. What I can’t appreciate, and actually abhor, is anyone who engages in crass attempts to change the core of their convictions based on popular opinion, or based on what particular bloc of voters they happen to be courting that day. I find this sort of blatant ass-kissing deplorable. It speaks very strongly to me of the character of a person, and makes me question their ability to make proper decisions. I’ve always hated a bullshit artist, and I can spot them a mile away. Mitt Romney reminds me of drunken frat boys trying to get into my pants in college, saying whatever they thought would appeal to me in order to get there.

America, Mitt Romney wants to get into your pants. Show some respect for yourself and walk away. You really don’t want to take that Walk of Shame on November 7th.

Why I support President Obama

I really need to stop apologizing at the start of every entry for not updating sooner. It’s the new normal. I’ve been pretty absorbed with polls and articles about the election, but I’m also on the verge of burnout, so I’ve been trying to balance it with some general reading, quiet time, and fun things like Notre Dame games. I find myself growing increasingly disillusioned with news channels and journalists (other than my real-life journalist friends, who seem to have their shit together more than many of the national journalists!), and I find myself withdrawing from much of it other than the political blogs that I read. But we’re getting close to the dénouement, aren’t we? And I am delighted to get to use the word ‘dénouement.’

Anyway, I thought that as part of my advocacy, I’d lay out exactly why I supported Obama in ‘08 and why I am still supporting him in this election. In no particular order....

• I am a woman. I truly believe that Obama accepts women as equals and supports our right to equal pay for equal work. The very first piece of legislation he signed into law was the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which promised exactly that. He also supports our right to choose, our right to affordable health care (more about that in a moment), and our right to control when or if we become a parent.
• I am a scientist. President Obama has launched a campaign to promote STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) for America’s youth, encouraging kids to get into these fields in order that we can continue to compete globally. He is probably the most science-friendly President we’ve had in a while, and I believe that these areas are where our future lies. I also love and support arts and music education, but I think an extra emphasis on science education is sorely needed.
• I am a former health care worker. President Obama was able to do what has been needed for some time: pass comprehensive health care reform. Millions more Americans will now be able to get health insurance, and preventive care will be a part of that. Electronic medical records will result in less duplication of tests, and outcome-based payments will start to move us towards a focus on wellness and outcomes rather than inefficient fee-for-service payments. Is it perfect? No. (Personally, I’d like to see single payer insurance, such as Medicare for all.) But it is a very good start, and we can continue to build on it. Joe Biden was right. This was a big fucking deal.
• I care about the less fortunate. Unlike President Obama’s opponent, I don’t feel that the 47% of Americans who pay no income tax are lazy moochers who feel entitled to government handouts. I believe the majority of them are hard workers who are doing their best to provide for themselves and their families, but need some help from the rest of us. The sad truth is that it is almost impossible to support a family of...say four...on minimum wage. I do not begrudge them the help from our government, or paying taxes for that purpose; that is part of its mission, to promote the common good. This is probably the greatest difference between the two candidates and the two major parties: a “we’re in this together” attitude vs. a “you’re on your own” attitude. I want to see ALL Americans succeed and grow prosperous, and I believe that President Obama shares that wish. I do not sense that from his opponent.
• I want to stop waging war. I know it is sometimes necessary. But I want a President who pursues diplomacy first and considers military involvement a last resort. I want a President who considers all the options (such as monetary sanctions), and doesn’t have a knee-jerk reaction to conflicts around the world, one who understands that war is not to be worshipped or glorified; it has real costs, both human and financial. A President who, in his or her youth, didn’t protest in favor of a war, even as they were avoiding it themselves. President Obama has increased benefits to veterans and their families, including increased money for college tuition, an increase for the VA budget, and tax breaks for firms that hire veterans.
• I want to see an increase in jobs. President Obama has a plan to invest in infrastructure, education, and clean energy. All these things will create jobs. The most important driver of job creation is demand; consumer confidence is up, housing starts are up, and continuing the middle class tax cuts (as the President wants to do) will allow the biggest group of consumers to continue to drive that demand.
• I believe in equal rights for all Americans. I was heartened when President Obama came out (so to speak) in support of marriage equality. Sure, ol’ smilin’ Joe might have forced his hand a little sooner than Obama was prepared for...but that was a good thing. The Democratic Party then added marriage equality to its platform, so it was a win-win situation. It’s high time we stopped treating a portion of our citizens as less than other citizens. It’s not right, and the Obama administration is on the right side of history on this one.

I originally became a supporter of Barack Obama when I read his book The Audacity of Hope. I felt that he had a reasonable and cogent vision of how best to guide our country. I still feel that way. I believe he will continue to govern for every American, not just the rich ones, and not just his own supporters. I see nothing wrong with asking the wealthiest Americans to pay a few percentage points more in income taxes and lose a few loopholes that allow them to game the tax system. I see everything wrong with giving the wealthiest Americans more tax breaks and asking the middle class to take on more of the tax burden. Prosperity for all doesn’t come from letting rich people keep more of their money. They are not the job creators. The middle class, which purchases the vast majority of goods in this country and creates the demand for those goods, are the real job creators. I feel that President Obama understands this.

You might have noticed that I didn’t delve into personal traits. I could have...I like our President’s rational, cool demeanor. It’s obvious that he loves his wife and daughters very much, and that’s great. I love it that he loves basketball. But I don’t base my voting decisions on such things. I base them on policy, and I mostly agree with Obama’s policies. It always made me laugh when I’d get emails from online friends saying, “Did you read this about Obama?? Do you agree with this?!?”, knowing that it was something that I wouldn’t agree with. Since when does any politician embody everything we want? There will always be things I don’t agree with, but I am supportive of the majority of his policies and the decisions he has made in his first term.

You might also notice that I did not rail against the President’s opponent. I’ll save that for upcoming entries. I want to make it clear that I am not voting against the opposition; I am voting for President Obama. We are going in the right direction, on the right path to recovery, and America needs four more years.

Oh yeah...and THIS: