I Heart Mike

todays rant: politics, part 1 of . . . many


can we all just admit that the 2008 winner is screwed?

if ever there was a position for scapegoat this is it. it is astonishing that so many people, both Republican and Democrat, are attempting to gain office. I have to wonder what they want it for. because none of them are going to "fix" America in four years. that dumbass in office now has done his best to make the history books, even if only as the most destructive president ever.

The President That Made America A Third World Country.

well, Dumbass may get that title, but it will probably go to the next president. who has to satisfy a grouchy electorate, fix the economy, deal with the stupidest war since, um, well it probably wins that title actually. plus we have all the issues that are distracting the world - health care, the environment, immigration, gay rights. where education, the veterans, and crime went I don't know. not to mention a foreign policy that doesn't include killing off everyone who steps outside in the Middle East.

there is still a year left before the election, there are debates every week, and if you love celebrity trash and People magazine this is your time. revel in it, because as it goes on I bet we'll start missing Britney and Bradjolina and whoever flashed their coochie this week. I think I'd already miss them, if I weren't so busy trying to pay bills, be a decent mother, and stay awake long enough to see the sunset. and if that were my thing, ahem.

honestly, I don't care what Hillary wears to the debate. I don't care if Romney is a switch-hitter (for gays, against gays, whatever, I'M not voting for him). once again the Democrats are attacking each other, instead of issues or Republicans. at least the Republicans attack each other subtly, instead of in debates. which is probably why they'll win again. Republicans seem to see the big pictures, which is winning the White House, as opposed to the Dems, who want to win, but nicely. so naive.

and I don't care who voted for the war, or tax breaks, or the Kyoto Protocol. I want to know what is in the future, not the past. it never bothered me that Kerry changed his mind. the problem with Dumbass is that he flips a coin to make decisions and then sticks to it. win the war in Iraq? can we agree that this is not going to happen? No Child Left Behind? can we agree that it's Most-Children-Left-On-The-Side?

for the sake of the gods, Schwarzenegger is doing a better job in government.

what frightens me the most is that people still think the president is more than a talking head. it seems to me that Congress and Chaney are the ones in charge. granted we have a pussy Congress right now, but you never know. health care is not going to get sorted out because someone has "a plan". social security and medicare/medicaid are not going to be solved by ignoring them. the economy isn't going to change until the middle class is reestablished. the Middle East? there is no solution that America can offer, it has to come from the people who live there.

and while all this is going on we're ignoring a real live genocide happening all across our tv screens and newspapers. Congress seems more concerned about an Armenian genocide that happened 95 years ago. of course, it is much safer to be irate about something in the past (hence the current political debates) than it is to stand up in front of a gun today.

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right now I'm all about Mike Gravel. he's an old curmudgeon who can actually debate without bringing up hairstyles. he's almost as grouchy as I am, has ideas that might actually squeak through Congress, and is pretty clear-eyed about how fucked up American politics are. granted there's the whole Groucho Marx thing - about not wanting to join any club that will have me. it's hard to trust any politician. none of them are all that willing to discuss how useless they really are. but that's beside the point.

I'm not going to sell Gravel. he's an unknown, and can't even get into the debates. which sucks. you can go check him out at www.gravel2008.us - although it's a pretty sad sight (and site). Ralph Nader writes the intro piece to "Meet Mike Gravel". I'm just waiting for Howard Dean to endorse him. The proverbial nail in the coffin, you understand.

still, I like the old dude. he's got more passion for politics than the rest of the Democrats. Gravel is more interested in government than popularity. and, personally, I think this is the way to go with politics. find the fucker that best represents you and vote for him because he thinks like you, not because he kissed your baby or ate your chili.

and, for the love of the gods, vote, ya big babies. it may make it a little bit more difficult to expatriate, but at least you can fall back on the "Hey, I voted for Nader" when they question you about your patriotism.


Coming Soon: the old cat explains the difference between democracy and republic, and starts throwing things at the electoral college