THE LAST FIVE ...

Closing up shop
- Wednesday, Aug. 02, 2006

It may be time for a change
- Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Entry in the air
- Friday, April 21, 2006

Still here
- Thursday, April 20, 2006

Music of the moment
- Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Or ... BE RANDOM!


GOOD READS

101 in 1001
American Road Trip, 1998


OTHER PEOPLE

Chupatintas
Dancing Brave
Fugging It Up
Kitty Sandwich
Mister Zero
Sideways Rain
Ultratart
Velcrometer


THE BASICS

My crew
Latest
Older
Notes
Our host
Profile

Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2003 - 11:19 a.m.

One I probably don't want to write

Is this what American democracy has come to? Just because things didn't turn out the way you and your pals in the minority party wanted them to, you go and stretch the rules to get things your way? I'm not talking specifically about what happened in California yesterday, but that is certainly part of it. This starts back in Florida in 2000 where, in my mind, if there's any question about the results, the outcome and the process, that's one question too many. In the past three years, we've seen a president without a mandate and a questionable victory do as much to push his agenda and forget his campaign promises ("We will not be nation-builders") as he can squeeze into four years, just in case the results aren't the same the next time around; we've seen one state (Colorado) successfully gerrymander the congressional districts to give the Republicans a better chance at more seats in the House and another (Texas) try to do the same thing at the urging of a Senator all the way in Washington who has pretty good access to the Oval Office; and we've seen another state (Pennsylvania) look into the constitutionality of a 2002 redistricting that, despite half the voters in the Keystone State being registered Democrats, gives the Grand Old Party in the state a 12-7 majority on the Hill. Redistricting is meant to occur every 10 years, following the census, yet suddenly it's happening as regularly as the Olympics.

I'm glad I spent my high school and college years during such a prosperous and economically strong period in our country. The 90s are looking more and more like a golden time while this first decade of the new century is demolishing the 80s' reputation as the Me Decade. But now this comes during a point in my life where I have other decisions to consider when looking forward. In short (and I'm not anywhere close to even considering if this is in my future), how the hell would I be able to raise a kid in this environment, in this economy? I'm on a career track that could turn out to be lucrative if the right jobs come along at the right time, but there's certainly no guarantee about that. It's about who you know and where you've been in publishing, and you usually need one or the other -- and sometimes both -- to get on that lucrative and presitigous track. But how could I become a father knowing the burden and financial debt a son or daughter would have to face in 20 or 30 years? The current administration and majority party are playing around with Monopoly money up on the Hill. Forget "no child left behind" -- that entire concept has been buried beneath the horrendous budget deficit and rising national debt.

Someone at work yesterday said that the new governor -- I can't yet bring myself to say his name after that title -- will look to repeal the recall law once he gets into office (yesterday it was "if" he gets into office). I haven't tried to find proof of that, but if it turns out to be true, that's ridiculous. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. How can you go and remove the law that gave you the opportunity to have that kind of power? It would be similar to the president eliminating the Electoral College and turning the presidency over to a simple popular vote immediately following an election in which he won the necessary electoral votes but lost to his opponent in the popular vote.

I can't believe people were swayed with lines like, "I want to say 'Hasta la vista to Gray Davis' and 'I'm going to pump up Sacramento!'" Granted, I'm 3,000 miles and three time zones away. I don't live there, I haven't had to deal with the energy crisis and the cost of living. I haven't listened to the speeches and the candidates' promises. I do sincerely hope that the new governor and his administration have a strong, viable plan for the future of California, that he puts together a smart, capable support staff, that Davis helps in the transition like he promised on CNN last night. And I really hope that a good majority of those 3,519,161 who voted for him with 98 percent of precincts reporting as of 11 a.m. Eastern did so because of his message and his vision rather than his muscles and his name. I hope that one man on the street shown during The Daily Show's brilliant live coverage last night is in the far, far minority. He said, "I'm going to vote for him because, you know, I think ... I think he's going to, you know, take it," as Jon Stewart pointed out that the candidate's campaign song was, in fact, "We're Not Gonna Take It."

No. We're not gonna take it.

Previous page: The flight home
Next page: Another medical study

� 1998-2004 DC Products. All rights reserved.

Yeah, sorry I have to be all legal on you here, but unless otherwise indicated, all that you read here is mine, mine, mine. But feel free to quote me or make fun of me or borrow what I write and send it out as an e-mail forward to all your friends, family and coworkers. Just don't say it's yours, you know?