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| For all the Veterans |
Let’s call it what it was, an ass whooping. The Republicans got their collective asses whooped, and perhaps that was overdue. I’ve been complaining since the Bush years that my party was hijacked by the religious right, and I think they finally drove the pope mobile over the cliff. Perhaps this wake up call will usher them into the 21st Century (or even the 20th for that matter) -- you know, that era when women have the right to decide what to do with their bodies and tolerance is favored over marginalization? Hard to believe, but not all Republicans are boneheads. Not unlike the Muslim extremists who have sullied Islam, so have those bozos on the extreme right undermined the Republican Party. I think Obama’s victory in former Republican strongholds sent a message to those afore-mentioned nut balls that the rest of America is not buying their brand of tuna. In a perfect world, both parties would now move to the center and do what is best for America, averting the imminent fiscal nosedive we are warned of daily. I am doubtful. It's time to stop this horribly irresponsible behavior and LEAD, and while we’re aspiring to do the impossible, perhaps we can figure out a way to implement election reform. A billion dollars spent for nothing; what a shameful display of waste! As for the yeah-we-showed-the-Republicans comments about a decisive victory, certainly this was a shot fired over the bow, but hardly a definitive national consensus. The popular vote indicated a divided country. As for the disrespectful nonsense I read and hear from both sides, I have this to say. We are all to blame for this mess, not Republicans or Democrats … all of us. The sooner we accept this and deal with it, the sooner we start the onerous process of digging ourselves out of this fiscal mess. BTW, I am a registered Republican. There, I’ve said it. This does not make me an ignorant, filthy rich, greedy, homophobic, evangelist, or a misogynist. Shame on those who would suggest this, directly or by inference. I have friends who are respected economists, doctors, employees at the Chevy plant in Buffalo, teachers, even women, who vote Republican. We are all Americans. We have differing beliefs about the course of the ship of state, and intolerance is childish and ugly be it from the left or the right. We wonder how so many of our public servants became so foolish and divisive … they pander to their electorate. It’s called politics. Final election comment. Polling results in Florida, where one humorist suggested Cubans go to live and Jews go to die, were still outstanding days after the election. WTF Florida, good thing the election did not hinge on your vote! Next time, let’s give Floridians a two week head start, you know, kind of an election handicap.
It’s been about two weeks now since Sandy washed away parts of the East Coast, and from what I’m reading and seeing, things are still pretty grim in the hardest hit areas. Ask a Long Islander what he or she thinks of Long Island Power and Light and you will likely get an earful. To add insult to injury, a N’or Easter just walloped the same areas devastated by Sandy, dumping snow on some of the worst hit areas. Did any of you see the 60 Minutes segment last night on the Queens community of Belle Harbor? Wow, talk about a group of people with a backbone.
Finally, and speaking of courage, yesterday was Veteran’s Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day here in Canada. To the 118,000 Canadians who have lost their lives in the line of duty, and to the countless Americans who have died to protect our freedom, thank you for your sacrifice. As ridiculous as our society and our democracy sometimes seems, we share the greatest privilege in the world and I never take my freedom for granted. And to the victims of Sandy, may your lives resume some sense of normalcy soon.
Now who wants pizza?
Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2012 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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