Mean Gene

What State of the Union Address?

While the President spoke on every major and minor network laying out his plan for the next year and beyond, I was sitting in front of my monitor watching my betters play down to the end in the WPBT tournament. Yes, I'm a fully engaged citizen of the United States of America. Ehh, I'll just read a few blogs and they'll tell me what to think.

Much was made last week about how the Iraqi elections were a major victory for those who believe in freedom and liberty. And indeed they were. Seeing people facing possible death or injury in order to cast a vote, and then showing off their purple-dyed fingers, was a big extended middle finger to the insurgents who declared war on democracy last week. Give people a little freedom, a little power to control their own destinies, and they'll fight like ferrets to hang on to it.

Until about 100 or so years go by, and then they'll be so blase about voting that they won't bother. It disturbs me that, while Iraqis braved car bombs and death squads and sundry horrors, Americans often don't vote if the WEATHER is a bit spotty. How often have you heard pundits say, "Today's rain may keep away just enough voters to make this a close race!". Folks, and I mean this seriously, don't let an afternoon shower disenfranchise you. Just because it looks a bit blustery outside is no reason to surrender your voice in the political process. Come now. Next election day, if it's a bit nasty out there, put on a sweater, get out your galoshes, and go vote.

End pontificating. No, a bit more. Bush keeps talking about Social Security going bankrupt by 2042, even though no one seems to believe him, not even his own party. The President keeps saying younger workers need to put some money into private accounts, tho he doesn't say how we'll make up the shortfall to pay current retirees. My question is this--why is this getting so much attention? Bush has laid out no plan of his own about how to solve this dilemma, and if he expects Congress to do all the dirty work and present him with a neatly-wrapped package he's nuts. You think a Republican House wants to risk pissing off 50 million seniors just to please a lame-duck President? Don't think so. Plus it would give the Democrats an issue to pillory the GOP with in 2006. So I'm going to just ignore the whole Social Security thing until folks start getting serious, which should free up more time for "Iron Chef America". Which sucks, by the way. I'll post about that sometime in the near future.

During the last election I kept getting emails from the Democratic National Committee, mostly asking for money, occasionally asking for my support on whatever issue was hot that day. I don't know how they got my email address (perhaps thanks to my doomed Presidential campaign, which only longtime readers will understand) but for awhile they positively persecuted me with demands that I wake up and see what the Republicans were up to. The election came and went and the emails thankfully went away...but then they started up again. First asking for me to support the gubernatorial recount in Washington State, and now I get them every other day asking if I'm as outraged about what Bush and Co. are up to as I should be.

Now, I voted for Kerry (with TREMENDOUS enthusiasm, let me tell you) but I'm not exactly proud these days to say I'm a registered Democrat. Actually, when I got the email about the Washington recount I was tempted to reply back asking, "Wait, you guys are still in business?". The Keystone Kops had more on the ball than the Democrats have at the moment. If they don't clear out the cobwebs soon I'm going through with my threat and turning Communist. At least when you tell people you're a Commie they don't roll their eyes and laugh in your face.

OK, the pontificating is done now. I'm going to try to follow the advice Pauly linked to in his last post and blog more often in shorter chunks. More about last night's tournament will come maybe tonight before volleyball. We shall see. Well, you shall, anyway.

UPDATE: Just got another DNC email, this one blasting Bush for saying he wants to preserve our grandkids' future while pursuing policies that will saddle them with trillions in debt. A point that resonates very well with me. But two things tick me off. First, they keep addressing me as "Eugene", which I hate. Two, the letter is signed

"Sincerely, Doug, Eric, Jesse, Nancy, Morra, and Josh; The DNC Internet Team".

Doesn't that sound like a bunch of high school kids huddled around a computer in someone's bedroom? I half expect them to sign it "The Bloodhound Gang". Come on, guys, you're battling Karl Rove and the Republican steamroller here, time to get outta the kiddie pool. Have it signed, "Jack Savage, Democratic Special Ops Warrior". THAT would get my attention, and maybe some respect.

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