Monday, September 29, 2008

No Bailout?

I am a little perturbed that the House failed to pass the bailout bill. I'll be fine, although, I will have to get my symphony and opera tickets one show at a time, like a heathen. I've played poor before, and enjoyed it. A long time ago, I had a studio apartment, in Phoenix, where a lot of students and laborers lived. It was horribly unfashionable, but completely safe, near a number of car dealerships. My neighbors and I had a pot luck supper, a good three or four times a week, and they were wonderful! In this context, a pot luck is really whatever. That is to say, a part of a meal, a bag of chips, some dip, or even two or three dollars that we could pool into a case of really bad beer. If you were too broke for that, it was cool. Just come, you'll make it up next time. Pretty much, everybody did. When I got promoted, I moved into a nicer place. It was nicer, but much less fun. Although in hindsight, I'm sure I would've gotten bored with our little dinners, I certainly didn't think so, nor would I have said so, at the time.

What surprised me more then the House failing to protect the American economy, was a reason why... Barney Frank is saying that republicans had been offended by Nancy Pelosi's remarks. I didn't see her remarks, and I have no difficulty in believing that she used some hyperbole, but for republicans to vote against a measure, that is this important, because a democrat said something snotty, is a little ridiculous. It sounds like something a Hillary-Head would say, to justify the switch from a liberal position to a conservative one. A very high toned pretense of spite. What is that about? So what if one of your co-workers happened to tick you off, what does that have to do with your job? Nobody cares that this bill was put fourth by an unpopular president, whether or not he's liked, we expect him to do his job, and he did do it. It was the House that didn't.

To Bail, or Not To Bail...

So, last week, Congress had a deal to fix the economy, but then John McCain felt a little left out of the picture, so he came swooping into Washington, and stopped the deal. Well why not? He's not a guy who has to worry about his rent... It's not that I mind bipartisanship on such an important matter, but this crisis has been brewing for a long while, and we shouldn't have to make accommodations for those who show up tardy to the party. Congress had no business being taken by surprise. Now it's stalled again. The House may vote on it today, but the Senate won't until Wednesday, there's a religious holiday.

It just seems to me that somebody's deliberately stalling, allowing somebody's conception of perfection get in the way of good. The truth is, the fix doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to make sense. The market's going crazy not so much because conditions, as much as it knows new rules are on the way, and it doesn't know what those new rules are. Once the decision is made, the market will adjust. The market has an inherent gyroscope, that will provide direction, to those who know how to read its signs. At the moment, you've got billionaires bargain shopping, that's a good sign, but it often comes with a scary result. Too few people, owning too great a proportion of everything...

Congress, make a deal. Make it good, solid, quick, and make it make sense. We understand that somebody's going to lose. But the sooner that's decided, the sooner those folks get to start again. We are paying attention, and we know who is saying what, so don't let us down.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Debate, or no debate...

So John McCain wants to weasel out on the debate for tonight. He seems to do a lot of canceling. I'm of course thinking of the convention that he shortened due to the weather elsewhere in the country. This time he wants to reschedule due to economic conditions...huh? Congress is considering what to do, and John McCain wants to concentrate on the crisis. Shouldn't he have already been briefed? Wouldn't this debate be a good opportunity to explain to us taxpayers just what is going on? How did we get in this mess, and how much it's going to cost us to get us out. What's the plan? Personally, I'd like something a little more comprehensive than a public impression of Salome. To my mind, when you're in a crisis, might be best not to fire the person most likely to be able to do something about it. I'm not an economist, or a politician, and who can really say, what a good idea is or isn't. But why not have a public conversation about it? It's possible that some of us, just may learn something.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The View with Bill Clinton

How disturbing was that? Did he make it a condition that all the women wear dresses? It was just so wrong. Even Whoopi? Please don't misunderstand me, I like dresses. I like the shoes. Open toe sandals, go-go boots, and pumps that can hold a shine...I like the way I feel when I'm wearing a dress. Few things so nice as a pencil skirt, or a proper A-line, with just a little bit of play, to take over my attitude, and make my hips sway... but nobody makes me wear one! The ladies of the View are not, as a whole, a dress wearing bunch, they looked so uncomfortable. For that sofa, that angle, and that company, most of their skirts were too short. Although I will give a hat tip to whoever decided to put Hasselbeck so far away from him, good decision.

Bad decision to talk about sexism. Bill Clinton got himself impeached because he perjured himself about a sexual harassment suit. Don't give him an opportunity to excuse his conduct. Men know when they're out of line. Using a sports analogy is not sexist. It's just not. If by some random chance you use an analogy that I don't understand, I will either ask for an explanation, or I will conduct myself as an adult, and google the phrase myself. Let's not act like namby-pamby nit wits.

Men, relax, be who you are. You're probably a pretty decent guy. Course if you're not, if you truly are an SOB, the sooner I have that piece of information, the better.

This is the third presidential election since Bill Clinton left office. He hasn't put out real effort for any democratic presidential candidate. Nobody should be surprised that he isn't putting out much effort now.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Get a Grip

The question isn't whether or not John McCain was injured ENOUGH while he was a POW. We just don't want to be insulted. It was not John McCain, claiming his injuries kept him off-line, that was Karl Rove. John McCain said that he was learning to get online. Because as we all know, pointing at an icon and clicking it, is very complicated.

Anybody who wants to get online, gets online.

Susan Estrich has no business raising her voice to anybody. For the past 35 years, she's built an enviable professional resume, promoting causes that made her feel as if the high road was hers. Even through all of her inconsistencies, people did believe that she meant well. It's becoming harder to believe that now. She is still a matron of a very elite professional and social circle, she should remember herself in that.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

So What?

So, Lynn Forrester de Rothschild is formally coming out on behalf of John McCain. What a burn! As Hillary Clinton couldn't speak to her own personal and rich friend and get her to act like a democrat, what exactly is she good for? Hillary Clinton has not spoken against de Rothschild's public silly rants, she hasn't spoken against the Hillaryis44 website, it's almost as if she doesn't want to see a democrat in the White House. Hmmm.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Nice try...

So Karl Rove is telling us that the reason John McCain isn't online is because he's a war hero, who gladly gave up his ability to type, so that we could remain free. Huh? His hands don't work properly, due to the torture he suffered while a POW, in the 1970's. According to Rove, McCain can't tie his shoes, I'm not sure if he can button his shirt, or if he needs assistance when nature calls.

I am sure, however, if I were a beer heiress, it isn't likely that I would be going online for my husband, the partially crippled war hero. I'd have a staff. If I were to marry a partially crippled war hero, he'd have a valet, to help him dress. He'd have a personal secretary to go online for him, I wouldn't be the one doing it.

Props to Karl Rove for taking the shot, but if there is a medical reason for John McCain not being online, it would be mentioned in his medical records. Nice try, big boy...

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

No Catfight?

So according to Howard Wolfson, there will be no cat-fight between Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. Who the hell does he think he is, using sexist words like cat-fight? Exactly who is he trying to fool, and why?

I know Hillary Clinton billed herself as a fighter, but she's really much more of a sucker-puncher. She only fights those who can't, or won't defend themselves. Do we all remember how tough she was, as she cowered away from Steven Kluger's Vassar housemate, aka, Rick "look at my butt" Lazio? At this point in time, it is very awkward for a man and woman to go toe to toe, a point that Hillary Clinton used to her advantage, and it's the same point that Sarah Palin will be using to her advantage, if she's allowed...

I also know that there are those who say that the Clintons don't owe the Obamas anything. I say that the Democratic Party has been very, very good to the Clintons, to the detriment of itself, and the Clintons owe the Democratic Party a little something, something. Let's remember, it was democrats that prevented Bill Clinton from going to prison. He did commit perjury, people do go to jail for that. Bill Clinton, because of the democrats, was allowed to pay a fine. A fine he paid, by using money donated by a third party. Some of those democrats, lost their seats. The Democratic Party, lost control of the House and the Senate, all in an effort to protect and elevate the Clintons.

Now the Democratic Party wants to go to the White House, and the Clintons are being cutesy-wootsey. In a vulgar display of ingratitude, they are negotiating their roles. Using Howard Wolfson to plant sexist expressions, so that sexist expressions can be denounced!

You-who, Outrage, where are you?

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Sarah Palin

So this past Friday, everybody's favorite, Susan Estrich, who is not shy about letting folks know that she and Hillary Clinton, then Hillary Rodham went to school together, used the bold type to state that women are not fungible. For all the non-lawyers out there, fungible is an expensive, albeit grungy sounding word that basically means interchangeable. Because of her long-standing relationship with the Clintons, she naturally took offense that John McCain would choose a woman, who isn't Hillary Clinton, as his running mate. She makes clear that Sarah Palin is not a stand-in for Hillary Clinton.

I've been having a hard time figuring out whether Hillary Clinton is upset at John McCain, or not. Is John McCain doing Hillary Clinton a favor, possibly creating a larger role for her in Barrack Obama's campaign? Is she taking it personally? Why would she? Isn't this what she worked towards all her life, or at least 35 years of experience? She and McCain have been friends for decades, would he deliberately snub her? Or is it just strategy? Did anybody think Sarah was supposed to be a stand in, for anybody? She is a republican. Maybe John McCain thinks that there are some lady republicans who might enjoy voting for a woman, who agrees with them? Just saying, why shouldn't people of all ideologies get a shot? Why should every woman politician be only valid as a reflection of Hillary Clinton? Why should the nation behave as if she somehow has dibs, and no other woman should ever aspire? Why should we assume that every voting woman, only wanted to vote for Hillary Clinton? People disagree all the time, why not women?

At least Susan Estrich was a little less venomous in today's opinion piece. She's still playing the victim card, and still over-playing the sexism. People are allowed to ask Sarah Palin questions about motherhood. Having a child with Down syndrome is a thing. I don't much care myself, I'm sure she has a nanny, or a nurse or the husband and other children to help, but I can see why folks would want to know. (Please be much more gentle with the children, even the ones having children, none of that was necessary.) Of course it's only been a couple of days, and a holiday weekend, I think everything will find it's own level. I just hope we don't have to use that fungible word again. ICK.

I think part of the problem with these feminist from the '60's is that they expect everybody to be the ideal that they dreamed up in the dorm rooms. Not everybody has the same level of education, same kind of childhood, same this, that or the other thing. We Americans, are not a monolithic group. Instead of being angry and asking, "would that question be asked of a man?" why not also ask that question of a man? Sometimes, answers do come, and occasionally the answer is different than we expect. Let's have the conversations, give each other ideas, and just see what happens.

I can certainly understand why Sarah Palin's nomination would be tough for the likes of Susan Estrich. They are completely opposed on issues, and Susan Estrich had something to do with Geraldine Ferro's nod and felt like she had a stake in Hillary Clinton's run too. Sarah Palin is the first woman to be in this position without Susan Estrich's hand in the mix. No wonder she's mad.