blaugra

When I met a potential presidential candidate...

Here's my story about when I met Rick Santorum.

It's from when he was my senator. A few years back. Enjoy!

Dancing under the Big Top

I just saw this cartoon and it pissed me off.

 
Why, indeed? Why is Arnold Schwarzenegger, entertainer, a governor? Why was Ronald Reagan, entertainer, a president?  Why did little Glenn Beck the entertainer have his own political rally show?  Why are the foxy Jon Stewart and the okay-looking-not-foxy Stephen Colbert, who started out as comedic performers and writers, "getting into" the political arena?

Is this so strange? Noooooo. Our current president is essentially an entertainer. An inspiring performer and writer.  That is something I think our whole country would agree upon regardless of your votes and party and current opinion of his presidency. 

Colbert and Stewart are not just "getting into the arena." They have set up a new one, kind of like a sideshow arena that picks at freaks and flaws, and of course it's on a cable comedy network.  Why is that so weird?  After all, the "Cable News Network" runs a (horrible) Showbiz Tonight show (that to me is weird and unnecessary and I've only watched it late at night when the only other alternative was an hour of Quacker Factory on QVC.)

But Stewart and Colbert and their satire are oh, so necessary.

Wait a freakin minute. Is this cartoon saying just that?  Mocking those who criticize the fact that people who got their start as comedians/actors are important to the political world now so in essence it's agreeing with me or I am agreeing with it?

I don't know, that's why I dislike political cartoons.

And is there a little guy in the corner saying "If the clown shoe fits..." so who's the clown in this scenario? Am I the clown? I'm the clown in this scenario, aren't I. A dancing clown.

Anyway, are you going to the Rally to Restore Sanity?  I considered going, but of course, I have to study.

Is Jewish a race, religion, or culture?

When I was a naive college freshman I said something that offended some of the people in my dorm.

They were Jewish, and I was not. I was, in fact, heavy into a born-again Christian phase.

I don't regret the phase because it was what literally saved me at a very vulnerable time before my freshman year, but, I do regret some of the attitudes I had temporarily adopted.

Anyway, my dorm-mates and I were talking about our cultural or ethnic backgrounds one night and of course mine is suburban euro-mutt so that's so very fascinating, and one of my friends said she was Jewish. And I was like, "No, that's a religion. That's not a culture. Where is your family FROM?" the typical U.S. American conversation. And she argued, "No, I'm Jewish. It's a race." we went back and forth and I got very judgy like I knew it all, at age 18.  It left me confused and with one less friend, and to this day I still talk about the issue with D., who never says "My family is German." He always says he is Jewish. And I never really get it.

This news item I just read piqued my interest:

"Using sophisticated genomic analysis, scientists have probed the ancestry of several Jewish and non-Jewish populations and better defined the relatedness of contemporary Jewish people. The research, published in the June issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics, may shed light on the question, first raised more than a century ago, of whether Jews are a race, a religious group or something else."

First, calm yourself, don't be so shocked that I do read Science Daily alongside OK! Magazine and the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Based on scientific research and not just belief, I now perceive that the Jews are a race and are bound together by religion and cultural traditions.

I can't compare being Jewish to being Christian, and I've tried to organize that in my head over the past 20 years.

The other reason this study is interesting to me, thinking about current events, is that the other day I got a tweet about a video showing a passionate Palestinian group protesting Israel in the wake of this whole flotilla thing, and against them stood a solitary Israeli student. 

But at the end of the video, the Palestinian demonstrators tell the reporter "There should not be an Israeli state, it does not even exist" Hmm. I think there have been some mighty big advantages of having an Israeli state. "The only reason Israel is doing this is they got kicked out of Germany whatever happened to them." Jeeezus, they sound less informed than I am but even I know that 'whatever happened to them' was called GENOCIDE.

So this linked together in my head. Genetically, scientifically, the Jewish people are from Israel.  Even if you don't care what the Bible or other documents and proclamations say about having a birthright to Israel, does a scientific study bring some logic to it?  Well, I think we're way beyond logic in the conflict.  Why all the fighting?  Why all the misunderstanding? The hate?

The frustrating thing is it's not logical. It's not about land or religion, as some Americans think. I think it's about resentment and hatred of a race.

I'm a pro-Israel shiksa moderate Republican and you can have at me now, dear reader.

 

Why I'm Not in Politics

I had to attend a "Meet-and-Greet-Wine-and-Cheese," and don't you love howthosewordsallruntogether?  

And in what order do we accomplish the four tasks? 

I decided to first meet or greet (sometimes I greeted people before meeting them, whatever that means) and I had resolved not to wine or cheese, but to simply club soda. However, after 5 minutes of meeting I was at the bar getting wined and then talking to the cheesemaker about some triple cream monstrosity smeared on a biscuit with fig orange jam.  DEEEAMN CHEESEMAKER GIRL, that was good!   Now, why was I here...?

I don't like to drink at business functions but apparently other people like when I do. My nervousness mixes with the alcohol and I become a big sassy comedienne.  Not quite Lisa Lampanelli, but frighteningly close. That's the only way I can get through a professional Meet and Greet, I guess, as early as 4:00 PM. It's like I'm an early bird wino.  OMG, I'm turning into my dad, who has his daily red wine happy hour at 4:00 PM!!!

A couple days before the Meat-and-Greet-Whine-and-Cheese, I told Salty D. that I was nervous about talking to some of the politicians that were coming, but I had to greet or meet them.  So I asked if I could practice on him. 

And we were at a bar. 

Me:  OK, you be the U.S. Representative guy who's gonna be there, and I'm me.  OK?  OK.  Here I go.

D:  OK.

Me:  Hello Senator, pleased to meet you. Have you heard about our children's programming?

D:  Well, first of all, he's not a senator, he's a congressman.

Me:  Do you think he would mind if I fucked that up?

D:  He's a cool guy, so, whatever.

Me:  OK, so back into character.  Senator - I mean, Congressman - thank you for supporting this organization.    OK, so now you go.

D:  What do you mean?

Me:  Be the congressman, and you're meeting me.

D:  OK. Where's my drink?

Me:  Congressman, [I touch D's arm] do you know what children's program is one of my favorite?

D:  No!  I do not!  Please, tell me now! I must know!

Me:  Well, Congressman, our therapists work with children and their families to effectively...ummm...

D:  Don't touch him.

Me:  What?

D: You're touching my arm.  Don't touch the congressman.

Me:  Oh!  Shit.    [the bartender looks at us quizzically]   OK, let's try it again.  Congressman, our children's program is so important...

D:  You're touching my arm again...

Me:  ...it's so important!  Did you know some children have trouble swallowing and our therapists work with the kids to essentially teach them how to swallow?

D: [sets drink down]  Do not - DO NOT - talk to the congressman about children and swallowing.

Me:  Why?  It's a real problem!  Did you know that? I didn't know that!  Imagine not being able to swallow!  Ach, my throat is closing up just thinking about it...

D: That's crazy talk.  Be yourself.  Just don't bring up health care reform in that setting.

So what did I do?  Congressman was being shmoozed in every corner and I finally intercepted him as he was making a break for it near the exit. I smiled and said, "Thanks for coming!"  And he said, "This was a very nice event.  I have to go pick up my kids."  Then I said...."OK BYE!"

"OK BYE?" ! 

Obama, night 12?

I dreamed about Barack last nite.  (sing to "Spiderweb" tune)

I had a guest house at the White House but I was in the kitchen when President Obama came home from meetings with NAFTA or NATO or something like that.  He took off his jacket and loosened his tie.  His shirt had splotches of sweat on it. 

NOTE:  THIS IS NOT A PRESIDENTIAL PORNO.  Not that kind of dream.  It was just very vivid and detailed.

Ok, keep reading.

He asked for a drink and someone ran to the large cooler full of Snapples and Honest Teas and Nantucket Nectars and got him a Big Cran and he gulped it down. Wow, he must really be depleted because drinking an entire Big Cran is like, 2.5 servings.  That's a big tall drink of...sugar.  Governing is hard work.

The kitchen staff whispered to me, "You're not supposed to look at Mr. President unless he addresses you first."

So I turned my attention to a construction paper craft project on the table in front of me.  When I could, I stole a look at him.  Then said, "Mr. President, you look really tired, and it's only been a week."

He really did look like shit.  He had dark circles under his eyes, and I already mentioned the sweat. 

Obama looked at me, did not smile, threw his jacket [which a servant had quickly steamed the wrinkles out of]  on and said, "I gotta get back out there."  And he exited briskly into an old black VW Rabbit diesel which one of the staff had started up for him.  He had to hunch over to steer it, it was way too small a car for his frame.  I ran after him.  "Mr. President!  Take care of yourself, it's a jungle out there!"  I was stopped by two female guards in uniform, I think they were two of the cops from Reno 911. 

This was the first time I have ever dreamed about a politician.

p.s. photo is part of this fine photographer's light graffiti work.  watch her video of how she does it.

Obama day 10

I love that our new administration is blogging.

I heard that the press was not too ecstatic about it, as they see this communication outlet as trying to eclipse the job of the free press. Is that the issue?  I'm trying to accurately remember what their issue was.

We need a free press, we need the Washington Post, but it's good to have an easy go-to place that's without media bias (ideally) with presidential statements and transcripts of briefings presented in a clean, nicely designed forum.  Then we need the press and smart people to ask all the questions and poke holes in the squeaky clean rhetoric. So I dig it.

What I don't love - I'm still not comfortable with the middle east. And that's saying a mouthful.  Meanwhile the Palestinians in Gaza broke the cease-fire agreement a few days ago and again Israel fought back.  Now, whatchu gonna do?   

Obama-nation, day 2

I'm not happy about closing and releasing prison camps in "Gitmo."  What are they gonna do with all the suspected terrorists, who are now even angrier at the U.S. since they've been detained for so long?  

Not happy about his commanding Israel to cease fire in Gaza in time for inauguration.  I get why, but I don't think it's right.  The whole situation is fubar, from the beginning.   Israel has every right to defend herself against the constant terrorist attacks of Hamas.  More on that issue later.  It has taken over my house so I live and breathe it every day.

p.s. later this day...

I've decided to implement a regular weekly (or more often) feature during Obama's first 100 days in office.   It will be one thing his administration does that I like, and one thing I don't like.  I will be putting this in my own half-assed, biased, somewhat glossed-over suburban American point of view, but I think this is exactly what the new administration wants to see, people getting more involved.  I'm not afraid of my views being criticized or challenged so let it rip if you disagree.

Therefore...

This is one thing I liked: Late day rulings of Bush were put on hold on the new Obama day.  Stuff like...W. wanted to revise the Endangered Species act.  I don't know what the hell he had against gray wolves, maybe a wolf bit his daddy or something.  Anyway, Barack is saving the wolves, at least for now.

 

Jesu Obama

The other day a frustrated republican said to me,  "Why is everyone treating Obama like he's Jesus?  Like he's their savior?  He's just like all the others, he's nothing special."

I understand where that person is coming from, it's easy to get frustrated and cynical with all the hype about change and hope and audacious-ness.

But there are some similarities between Barack H. Obama and what we know about Jesus H. Christ:

• Both are dark-skinned men.
• Their speeches move nations.
• Each were born into modest means and moved around a lot as a child.
• They are both teachers with apt pupils.
• Neither is self-righteous nor without sin.
• Both leaders talk about hope, love, healing.

I told the Republican - and we both agree that Jesus was an inspiring rabbi and not a god who makes every touchdown or rap music grammy award possible - that's where the similarities end between the two men.

He said, "Yeah, but it's like a cult for some people!"  And I said to this person:  Push aside your frustration and cynicism for just a minute - what is the need that Obama fulfills, what makes us cry and celebrate today?  For one, it feels like HE needs US.  Everyone wants to feel needed and relevant.  Eh - I couldn't sell him on that feeling or anything else.  But I feel good. 

I call myself fortunate to be alive and inspired every day this year so far.

Why I split my ticket and voted for Obama and Why I'm Happy Today

Not because I think he's the savior, not because I agree with all of his policy plans, not because he's multi-racial, not because he was endorsed by Oprah, not because he's a democrat.

But because an attitude shift is so desperately needed in this country, and he represents that.  Young, well-spoken, inspiring, smart, a "real person," he represents our country well.  Not a legacy, not a good ol' boy.

One of my friends, I hope he don't mind nothin', but this is part of what he wrote and I echo the sentiment.         

"Ok...here we go...im the promise collector....member when you walked around with Jehovah Witness' glaze...telling everyone within three feet how to choose their days?..member?...Ok...your boy won..better come out of that cannon like a fresh fired gun...keep those stickers and clip boards out...buy a pack of fresh gum...your moment has come...time to earn it...told everyone to buy a candle..you better be the first fucker to strike a match and burn it...it means shut your fuckin tv off...it means go out and pander and get the public off..it means no time what so ever to get lazy and cock off...time to go folks..."

Get off your ass, shake a tail feather, together.  It feels again like a world full of possibilities and not doom but Obama is a leader and we all need to act.

Jumping off of soapbox now.  Rock on.

Sufferin' Till Suffrage

I can't wait to vote, I can't wait until the new president is elected.  I am so sick of all the weeks of "last minute" campaigning.  I'm annoyed by people who assume they know how I'm going to vote.  I'm really, really annoyed by people who say the most hateful things as a way to express differing political viewpoints.  That goes for people of both major parties.  Just. Stop. Being so mean.

In the meantime, I'm sure many of you, especially women, received the chain email about "Why Women Should Vote."   If you haven't, read it and then just try to stay away from the polls on Tuesday. As if.

Almost 91 years ago, the "Night of Terror" took place.  Suffragists were fighting for the right to vote.  The U.S. had just declared war on Germany. Just 88 years ago, women were granted the right to vote.  It seems so long ago but, no.  Not when you realize that your great-grandma wasn't allowed to vote. Can you even imagine this, girls?   

Anyway, most of this I learned from Schoolhouse Rock.