kellementology

life according to me

Tag: Election

  • The President Elect and the crazy uncle at the table.

    Clearly, I should have known that in much the same way traveling can interfere with the simplest goals, the “staycation” we planned for this Fall has effectively proven that a significant change in my daily routine leaves me floundering. Best intentions to get back into writing petered out after a weak four days. To compound the problem, the election was held yesterday, and I think we’re all processing the results on any number of levels, whether pleased or not.

    I’m most decidedly in the not camp. But my wits are about me this afternoon thanks to the ruminating I immediately engage in when something is bothering me. I read. I read, and question, search for understanding, and spend long periods of time fighting with myself over issues I’d prefer not to. Issues of a very personal nature which involve people I’m related to in one way or another.

    More than once, I’ve seen memes fly past in my newsfeed referencing the dysfunctional aspect of certain family members — the crazy uncle who must be tolerated at holiday dinners, for example. It’s presented as a joke, as something many of us can relate to, and it’s easy to laugh it off until you realize that for too long, you’ve really had to deal with this and you’re tired of it.

    I’m tired of it. But I’m working through frustration and general disillusionment by considering the winner of yesterday’s election in the role of that dysfunctional family member. He may be President Elect, but I don’t have to tolerate him. I don’t have to invite him into my house, or to sit at my table. But he will have my complete and undivided attention because I will choose to stay tuned in, to research anything unclear, to question, and relentlessly challenge with as much grace as I can muster. Sticking my head in the sand will solve nothing. Giving in to those who choose not to engage, who complain that they’re tired of it all, and plead for a return to the innocuous sharing of puppies and cats, cupcakes and jokes exclusively is not an option for me.

    Nor should it be for anyone.

    The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men — Plato

    “Here is what Donald Trump wants to do in his first 100 days”  I’ve read through this list several times making sure not to get caught up by the repetitive use of “I will” and “direct,” “cancel,” or “suspend.” It’s more important to understand the list and to research what he has the authority to actually do. It’s also important to consider what on that list directly or indirectly affects you and your family.

    “Statement from the PRA (Political Research Associates) on the 2016 election”   It’s a sobering read that addresses much of what is on the list above, and what we should do about it.

    “The Populists” It’s an older piece, but a Populist is a Populist. Or is he? I need to understand.

    This was an eye-opener. Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort

    And then there is this: “The ruthlessly effective rebranding of Europe’s new far right” To say it makes me uncomfortable would be a gross understatement. She couldn’t be more thrilled that Trump has paved the way for her and others.

    The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all. — John F. Kennedy

    Ignorance, indeed.

     

  • Right on Day One.

    The day has finally arrived. It feels as if I’ve waited forever and think of all that has gone on in this country and the world in the past eight years. Almost a decade with someone in the White House that I believe never should have been there. Ever.

    That’s quite a bit of water under the bridge, wouldn’t you say?

    I’ve had much on my mind as I’ve watched the candidates line up over the last year and begin their campaigns. It’s been an incredibly long year. Too long. And when I realize that as much as I’ve waited for today to arrive, we still have nearly nine months left to see how big an ass Rush Limbaugh can make of himself over the outcome of the presidential election. Did you hear what he said about John McCain yesterday? O.M.G.

    Unbelievable.

    He’ll flap all the way to the bank. I’m sure.

    In the meantime, I’ve placed my vote in the same garage I’ve been placing it for the past five years since moving to this area of Paradise. The same pleasant people greet me and chat each time.

    “How’s business been today?” I asked one of the women. “Busy?”

    “No,” she responded, surprising me.

    “What’s wrong with this neighborhood?” I teased, knowing what her comeback would be.

    “We’ve got over 65% who vote on absentee ballots here!” she smiled. The young man assisting asked me how I’d be voting today because I’m registered as non partisan.

    Um. I sort of forgot that I get a bit feisty about this whole choosing sides from time to time and hadn’t remembered changing or when I’d changed. He patiently explained that I could vote Democratic, or N/P, or…

    I confessed that I would be voting as a Democrat, just to cut to the chase, grinning as the woman handed me a ballot. I made sure I knew what I was doing because we’ve had umpteen gazillion changes over the past few years about HOW we cast our ballots. Having gone seriously high tech now, we are using a black ink pen and a ballot printed on card stock. No poking, no punching, no scanning, or beeping or page flipping. All I had to do was fill in the bubble.

    They continued casual conversation over my shoulder as I scanned my ballot, laughing because more than one of the volunteers had submitted an absentee ballot, and now, as we all know, many names originally on that ballot are no longer present for the primary today.

    Interesting…

    And more than 65% in our area alone vote absentee ballot? That could prove to be interesting with respect to the Republican votes, so much has changed. We have so many absentee ballots in Paradise, I heard they began to count them very early this morning to get a head start on results.

    On the short drive home, I noticed only two campaign posters — one attached to a stop sign and the other a light pole. The Vote for Ron Paul poster seemed out of place here, but anyone’s would. But his posters are the only ones I’ve seen anywhere in the last couple of weeks. Even bumper stickers have been rare. Although I did notice one plastered on the bumper of a Lexus when I was walking the dog yesterday. And then there was that forty-something woman who was standing on the center divide early this morning with a huge homemade sign that encouraged passers by to cast their vote for Obama… And the youger woman outside the mall with a small, but official looking Vote for Hilary sign in one hand hanging next to her side, and a much larger, homemade Obama sign in her other, held high above her head.

    Still undecided?

    What did Obama say during the debate with Hilary in Hollywood the other night?

    “I’m right on Day One.”

    And I believe it more than I’ve believed anything in a very long time.

  • Silver linings and Butthole dragging dogs.

    As Far As Today Has Gone…

    What was annoying?

    Getting up the second the alarm went off, getting ready for my first official day as a person who actually goes to work after a year (only part time) and is ten minutes late because of traffic.  Three miles in twenty minutes is a problem.  I am not someone who is ever late.  Ever.

    But what’s good about it?

    Not getting pissed off about it.  I got to work.  All was well.  And tomorrow, I’m taking another route.

    What’s gross?

    Realizing that the dark smudge and related four-foot streak across one of the only clean places left on the carpet this morning was caused by the dog who couldn’t take an extra minute to poop outside, so came upstairs, summarily parked her butt hole on the carpet, then proceeded to skooch forward using all four paws, removing whatever offending turdlett was hanging on for dear life.  It worked.  What a genius.

    Where’s the proverbial silver lining?

    Obviously not on the carpet.  But the image of the dog dragging her butt hole is completely, side-splittingly HILARIOUS even though the spot remover didn’t quite remove the stain.  The bottle lied.  I’m an expert at lying carpet stain bottles. And in knowing that she doesn’t have worms or clogged anal glands.

    What makes me want to rip my hair out?

    After pulling off a B+ so close to an A in Algebra II during the first grading period this year, the RT has systematically worked to destroy his grade (okay, so it’s a B-) by not doing most of his homework because he doesn’t feel like it.  He’s knows it’s more than strange that he’s engaged in this rather highly developed form of academic suicide, but hey!  He’s good at just not thinking about it.
    Why do I grit my teeth, grinning to bear the agony of this revelation instead of ripping his lovely brown eyes out of his skull?

    He’s in more agony about it than I could ever be.  Daily, he procrastinates, then doesn’t do the work and the routine begins again the next day.  He must love the torture.  Plus, he must love my rather lengthy and antagonizingly argumentative discussions about life and work and responsibility.  And the concept of beginning to look for a job now that requires no degree and a cheap place to live while employed in said fashion.  In San Diego, that would be a cardboard box.

    And the bright side of this debacle is?

    He gets this flat look about the eyes, like I have the calm audacity to suggest he will have to fend for himself in this world, and that he may not get it right.  It lets me know I’ve gotten through.  And then I get to tell him that he’d better figure it out because he only has about six years of math left to take in his life if he isn’t planning on the minimum wage job route.  It doesn’t matter that he most likely will NEVER use any of the math he’s required to take, but you can all rest assured that at least with my kid, the good ol’ U S of A will have a chance to compete.  You know.  Mathematically.  In the world.

    Could someone tell Edwards for me please?  He was sweating bricks over it during the minute or two I listened to the debate today on NPR.

    Oh, and the RT completed his math while I wrote this, so clearly it’s not challenging.

    Like I said.  Torture.

  • Skip Bil-ary: I’m the man for the job.

    It’s official. I’ve decided I have the qualifications to become a candidate for President of the U.S.A.

    What do you think?


    You Are 5: The Investigator


    You’re independent – and a logical analytical thinker.
    You love learning and ideas… and know things no one else does.Bored by small talk, you refuse to participate in boring conversations.
    You are open minded. A visionary. You understand the world and may change it.At Your Best: You are sharp, inventive, and creative. You have the skills to lead the world.    At Your Worst: You are reclusive, weird, and a bit paranoid.

    Your Fixation: Greed

    Your Primary Fear: Being useless or incompetent

    Your Primary Desire: Being competent and needed

    Other Number 5’s: Bill Gates, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Bjork, and Stephen Hawking.

    What Number Are You?

    “Know things that no one else does…” Can you even imagine the number of things DubYah knows that we will never, ever know?  Scary.

    “Refuse to participate in boring conversations…”  Like at press conferences with the media persistently ask why…or how… or when…and DubYah grins and blithely states that he said he wasn’t going to answer those questions.  Because he’s just not gonna do it.  He doesn’t have to.

    “Have the skills to lead the world…”  Think about it — his daddy set things up ahead of time.  And then he just hired all of his daddy’s people.  And he made sure no one ever actually saw Cheney.  Ever.  And setting up the whole hanging chad thing was a good touch just to make sure.

    “Being useless or incompetent…”  Who was it that said that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself?  Churchill?  Actually, it was Eleanor Roosevelt.  Okay, so be afraid.  Be very afraid.  Wait.  I already am. (See below)

    “Reclusive, weird, and a bit paranoid…”

  • Edsels, Nexters, and Whining Reporters

    I know this constitutes the second politically based commentary I’ve made in a single day, but in the spirit of ranting about “the other side,” I thought, what the hell.

    So finally Fred Thompson has officially declared his candidacy for the Presidency. And although that isn’t a surprise, it is a bit humorous that he chose to sit out the debate the other Republican wannabees were elbowing their way to in New Hampshire at about the same time, in what New York Times writer Susan Saluny described as “[providing] himself a pleasant, risk-free forum, safe from potential negativity and tough questioning from reporters, a debate moderator or the public.” Oh, yes, that would be terrifying, wouldn’t it.

    Uh…are we whining here that someone isn’t playing by the rules? I think it’s pretty funny. Thompson did it because he could. Period. And why not? I’d want to separate myself from that pack as well. I’ve tried to watch them in previous forums, and I just can’t handle it. They’re all so…insignificant. Unimpressive? Typical. Well, except Romney who looks like he should be doing toothpaste commercials. Or selling Grecian Formula for Men.

    The Thompson announcement that ran in our local paper from the Associated Press and The Washington Post included reactions from “some New Hampshire Republicans” who “expressed disappointment, even sounding a bit hurt, that the former U.S. senator from Tennessee didn’t show up.” Being empathetic to the obvious plight those republicans are struggling with (knotted panties), I’m will attempt to put myself in their collective shoes. Somehow it comes out similar to the feeling I imagine one may have if, after being given pre-season football tickets, he arrives at the game to discover that a newly signed and much touted free agent won’t be playing. It doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a newspaper, log on to the Internet, or watch television to find out what will be happening as time goes on.

    The fact that the article continues, stating that “curiosity is giving way to skepticism and maybe even cynicism about [Thompson] in part because of how he’s handling his grand entrance” is what bothers me. Cullen, the New Hampshire GOP Chairman has a bit o’ the sour grapes as well, and reminds me of someone who’s reacting to being snubbed by a desirable invited to an afternoon tea. Get over it.

    I understand that New Hampshire has this bizarre arrogance about their primary and being “first” for eighteen gazillion years, but how many people live there and vote? More importantly, how many of them are people who watch Jay Leno, are inclined to look up a web site to gather information, and then join forums to discuss what they’re learning?

    In case you’ve been wondering whether this means I’m happy that Fred’s hat has been thrown in the ring, think again. I’m more interested at this point in watching the goings on while I sit back and gather my thoughts.

    And I’m fascinated by George F. Will’s piece on Ford’s ’57 Titanic that ran today and the connections I made between what he had to say about an ugly old car and Americans:

    Americans are more discerning and less herdable than their cultured despisers suppose, so what matters most is simple. Good products.

    Are there any out there? It’s going to be tough to weed through the sludge encased in this spin or that, but I’m gearing up for the challenge. Funny thing, though. There is a whole group of individuals who will just make their decision without getting too worked up about any of it.

    PBS’ Judy Woodruff dubbed them “The Nexters” in their broadcast “Generation Next 2.0.” The program documents Nexters’, or “young people between the ages of 16 and 25” “views on life, the future of the country, social activities, technology, and other topics, comparing and contrasting them with previous generations.”

    The conclusion drawn was intriguing: that they are somewhat more conservative than their parents.

    It’s interesting to see how the younger set’s inclinations with respect to the election are being tracked…Very.

    I think I’ll stay tuned. Edsel, anyone?