Chicken Little

Or better known as Wisconsin's Gov. Walker, Ohio's Gov. Kasich and Indiana Gov. Daniels and all the others out there jumping on the Union busting wagon. We all must run outside to see if the sky is truly falling! But alas, it's just the GOP's, the hand is quicker than the eye trick. First and foremost, the unbalanced budgets in Ohio and Wisconsin are rooted in huge tax cuts given to the rich at the expense of the middle and lower classes. Some of those cuts have been made and some are proposed, but they are figured into the "budgets" which is causing these huge deficits. So, let's panic, run around saying, something must be done. Why does "something" always involve the middle class sucking it up and taking another one on the chin. And why not, we lead with it so often, but more about that later. 

Wisconsin Republicans, do you know that Gov. Walker said, no thanks to $800 million in federal money for high speed rail, and he gave the rich tax breaks worth $117 million. How many jobs do you think that would have brought to your state? As an Ohioan I know how I feel about Kasich proposing big tax breaks that are coming, but then turning down the stimulus money that could have created thousands of jobs here as well. Former Gov. Stickland said as he left office, "If governor-elect Kasich wants to return the funds for rail startup and send 16,000 jobs to another state, that will be his decision to make when he becomes governor."

I have had this discussion with friends and family and without exception someone will say, "I am glad Kasich killed that train proposal and saved the state all that money"....ah, WHAT?!

I want to say this again, because I don't think it can be said enough, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DEFICIT!! It is about politics, it's about elections and power.

But our caring Gov Kasich is quoted as saying “This is nothing more than an effort to reduce the cost of governance so we can start to create jobs,” he said by telephone. “This is an effort to save the state, no agendas.”Again, WHAT?!                              

But, Progressives, do we have anyone to blame but ourselves? Why are we famous for getting all excited with tshirts, buttons, bumper stickers, yard signs etc when the election is romantic? Yes We Can called to our grassroots hearts like Nascar to a redneck. We felt part of something greater than ourselves, which is something the extreme right finds difficult in their all about me and mine mentality. But when it came to the midterms, where were we? Was it cold, raining, were you busy?

The only real sky that is falling, will be of our own making if we can't get ourselves organized during ALL elections, not just the pretty ones. I hope lessons have been learned, and we learn to rally together as a true force BEFORE we have the chair pulled out from underneath us, and we are left sitting stunned on our asses once again.

We are fragile

As I watch the horrifying videos coming out of Japan, I am once again reminded of how little we truly control. When I see those faces, filled with terror, my heart breaks. Not only are they in that moment fearing for their lives but it is so much more. Imagine yourself there, feeling the earth move in waves under your feet so hard that you can't stand. Imagine your mind racing, will I live, where is my family, will I have a home, will my job still be here?
Are any of us here prepared for this type of disaster? I don't think many of us Americans can imagine this type of catastrophic event happening here. New Orleans probably knows better than any of us how quickly your life can be literally wiped out.

I live in Ohio. We had a bad ice storm a couple of years ago that shut the electricity down for hundreds of thousands. We fell apart here. People had no heat, their food went bad, and we had a small glimpse of having our comforts that we take for granted, taken away.
It taught me a lesson and I started canning. It's amazing the things I have learned. Who knew you could can meat? I also tripled the size of my garden and used my veggies to stock pile jar after jar. It is an empowering thing to know that if something happened like that event or worse, we could survive a long time on what we have. We have gallons of water saved and propane.
We are fragile, but we also have the ability to prepare ourselves to survive as best we can.
However, right now, I see that mass of humanity, cars, boats, debris being swept away at what they say is hundreds of miles an hour, and know that preparation is a good thing, but sometimes useless.
God be with them....

Wizard of Oz

Don't look behind the curtain. Look over here, pretty lights, nice suits, flags, Bibles, sensitive country music songs that bring a tear. I am old enough to remember that the union workers were the common man. The truck driving, gun owning middle class people that just wanted to be able to make a living wage and get health care for his family. How in the hell did we come to the point that the hard working union workers, laborers, fire fighters, police officers, teachers have become the enemy?
I will break it down for you. Of the top 10 campaign contributors that affected the 2008 elections, 7 of them were conservative entities or individuals, and 3 out of the 10 were unions that were campaigning for Progressive candidates. SO, the conservatives that promised that their first order of business was to create jobs, and help the economy, immediately started trying to bust the Unions.After all, 2 years is not nearly enough time to change all those things (even though 3 months after Obama took office they were saying, where is the change), but it is enough time to bust the Unions that generations before us fought so hard for. If and when this happens, and trust me progressives, if we don't get off our asses and walk the walk, the 2012 elections are going to make us cry out loud. And, you have no one to blame but yourselves.

Intolerance

I really must stop sleeping with my television on. Although most times the white noise keeps my insomnia from rearing it's ugly head, this mornings awakening was an ugly one. I fell asleep with AC360, yes I do have a little crush even though I know he doesn't play for my team :). There is something about his wrinkled brow when he is really intent on something that I am addicted to.
This mornings report however made MY brow wrinkle as well. As obsessed as I have been with our own local news the hearings on terrorism barely received a notice. As the hearings were going to be starting soon, there were those on both sides of the issue commenting on the sensibility of airing what was bound to be inflammatory discussions.
First and foremost if you haven't seen a picture of Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y, you must google or I will add here. He is one scary dude. There is a look people have that have spent their lives unhappy, angry, and some would argue, plain evil, and it is etched in his face.
These hearings are to "shed light on the recruitment of homegrown terrorists". However,

the top Democrat on the committee, Bennie Thompson, says he believes the hearings could be used to inspire terrorists.

"I cannot help but wonder how propaganda about this hearing's focus on the American Muslim Community will be used by those who seek to inspire a new generation of suicide bombers," Thompson said. And I agree. There truly is a growing number in our population that believe Muslims=Islam=Koran=radicalism=Terrorists, point a finger and yell "A HAH! told you!"

There is a very informative piece that Time presented on the Koran, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101011001-175987,00.html It really breaks down the fact that the Koran was written as was the Christian Bible in another time, one of war and was written mainly to bring peace to a troubled world. The terrorists use selective passages as does our own dear Rev. Phelps to incite those that want to be told what to do instead of educating themselves and making their own decisions. 

These hearings will be played in bits and pieces by Fox News and clips will be dissected by the Glenn Becks and Rush Limbaughs and the hatred of the uniformed followers will start growing. The hatred of an entire people for the actions of the few will grow and intolerance of anyone other than the conservative, upper middle class, white, Christian right will continue. Hell, it is growing daily and now we are even starting to eat "our own" with attacks on Unions which built this country.

While I do not bury my head in the sand and completely agree that there are those that wish this country harm, these hearings are going to incite distrust of neighbor for neighbor based on their religion. Many believe that all Muslims are "out to get us". A study by the North Carolina-based Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security paints a different picture. It found that tips from the Muslim American community were the source of information that led to a terrorist plot being thwarted in 48 of 120 cases involving Muslim Americans.
It also reported a decline in terrorist crimes or arrests for terrorist crimes by Muslim Americans, from 47 in 2009 to 20 in 2010.
I pray that cooler heads prevail, that we don't allow this slippery slope to a police state continue unchecked. Some of this countries worst enemies are sitting on Capital Hill as we speak.

Selfishness, it's in all of us

Who doesn't remember tormenting a sibling, or being a kid in daycare or early elementary? Weren't we all born with the me, me, me mentality?
I had an older sister, she was the oldest child. She was smart, really smart. She easily paved my difficult way through school :) Don't get me wrong, I think I am smart too, but she was one of those, breeze your way through school kids.
Did I expect her to do my work for me? No. Did my parents think that book smarts was the only way to be counted? No. Was there any communist thinking about no one excels and we are equal? No. But what I was taught by my wise, spiritual Grandfather was that no talent is second to anothers.  I had those same people that praised her test scores, give me kudos for my singing, acting, rifle twirling (yes, I said it, and I can still do it) skills. Was she better than me, or I her, again...NO!
So, if that happened decades ago, how do we Americans find ourselves here? Well, the CEO's, business owners, right wing politicians and the far right are trying to tell you that if you weren't born of privilege, or grew up in the right neighborhood,  than to bad this time around. If you don't have the same religious beliefs, the same sexual orientation, the same socioeconomic stability and support, so sorry, to bad, We all know that elections are bought and paid for by campaign contributions now (thanks to the no limits per business legislation).
This is the beginning of the revolution. Don't sit on the sidelines or you might find something you really are about being slaughtered in your local, state, or national legislation.
Shine a light on all of it people!!! Rise up and tell these people what the REAL masses believe!!

Interesting

I find ignorance can either be bliss, or it can be incredibly dangerous. The middle class has been blissfully so. We have thought that no one can come along and strip your rights from you as long as you are  a church going, hard working, home owning, family oriented American. Well, WAKE UP!!  I am way too freaking poor, even though I own a very nice home, 2 cars, etc. I have fought for all of it!! HARD!  I live now from paycheck to paycheck. Seriously, I am a self employed recruiter and my husband is a retail designer. Yep, both industries suck right now. I hate the fact that our friends are dividing into the have and the used to haves.
I started attending protests when my son and his friends were being targeted by the religious right (yep, I am a Christian and we will get into that later). I went with my sons ex boyfriend because he had to work to the state house to protest the hell bound Fred Phelps and company came to Columbus.
I am disgusted by the right acting like they have the lock on morality, purpose and sensibility! Are these the same people that want small government? And yet, want to tell women what they can and can't do with their bodies and reproductive rights? But when these same babies are born, they also say that there are to many welfare mothers?! Really?!
And, small government should be able to dictate who marries...really?! Isn't that something, that is all about gathering revenue for you at our govt. offices with marriage licenses?!
I pray that the sleeping giant of not just the Democratic party but the independents and those Republicans that really believe in the hard won Civil Rights movement, wake up and speak out!!

My New Awakening

Isn't it crazy what awakes the sleeping giant in all of us? Here I am at my advanced age (no I am not going to tell you) and feeling a need to have my voice heard!
I have always felt passionately  about things, but always figured that everyone or at least someone felt like I did and would take care of all the dirty work. Well, Wisconsin and their shoving their union busting ways down the throat of their hard working residents did it for me!
I have been a life long Dem, no big surprise to anyone that knows me. But early in my life, I was, like most young people living my life, having kids, working, divorcing, remarrying etc. to think that I had any responsibility to retain the Civil Rights and the Workers Rights that were hard won. For Pete's sake, we had Grandparents that did that for us so we could just live the easy life and expect the status quo.

Then, real life becomes apparent. My son, who I knew was gay from age 2 comes out to me at 17, trust me I would have been way more shocked if he brought a girl home. I also know that the nurture vs. nature argument would have been clear if anyone else had shadowed my life. Two sons, one sports obsessed, straight, completely masculine, then 2 daughters, and my youngest son. All you Moms out there that think that you smothered your first baby, male and made him gay, well....NOT. My youngest is the one that is gay. He is then most independent of the 4 without question.

Then secondly, I become a single parent of 4. If anyone thinks that all you have to do to get assistance is walk on down and say, feel sorry for me, give me money, you are sorely mistaken.
I found out quickly that the system is NOT set up to help with emergency needs. I had no car, no way to get to my new job, no way to buy food, pay my rent, utilities etc.
I, with help from people that were loving, helpful, and were then and remain now life long dems like me, was able to make it though. Trust me, the privileged within my  community where not there offering a "hand up".

There are so many of us that get caught up in our everyday lives, bury our heads in the sand and expect someone else to fight for our freedoms, rights and our ability to pursue our happiness. If this continues America, we are all going to become Wisconsin's shocked residents. We are going to wake up to find ourselves unable to fight for our rights as workers, women, LGBT Americans or anyone who is not the rich elite 2% who control the 80% of our countries wealth.

I will continue to fight the good fight! I will no longer bury my head in the sand. I will no longer expect that someone else is holding that sign, attending that town hall meeting, making those phone calls.
I WILL fight for what I believe, I WILL speak out, I WILL try to educate, I WILL lend my time, talent, and words to the causes that I believe in. I WILL STOP PHONING IT IN!