Adventures in voting~

I voted the day before election day- last minute really because I run an election precinct for the City on election day and the rules do not allow us to vote where we work--but rather at the assigned precinct-an interference with voting. I went to a local community college and could not park anywhere i could see, I parked near a loading dock under a no parking upon threat of

peril sign--another interference with voting. When I got inside i explained I was an election official and they said-- "take a number" i plead my case to a beautiful Black woman who was running things and she said- "take a number" and batted her lovely eyes--a delightful interference with voting.
So i went to the back of the line where maybe 200 people were in line---waiting for a number--ahhhmeii!!! it was 4 pm and the place was to close at 4 pm so i could not leave-- so I went back to the beautiful Black Lady-- batted my eyes-- " get in line..." Pretty smile too :) So i thought about my car as a woman came to me-- why they always come to me i dont know-- to say she got $500 in parking tickets-- fire lane-- i went to a police woman and explained she said-- "take a number...your car is ok for now"...PHEEEWWW.

 

 OK so i stand there between the nice cop and the Beauty in charge for 45 minutes until they say 0k we gonna give you a number-- i got a number J-21 the next number to be called was B- 1 -50--- so b- c d e f oh crap an ALLNIGHTER!!!!! i was scheduled to be at work at 5:00 am.

 

 So i found a chair opened my tablet played some Brazil music--Milton Nascimento, Daniela Mercury, Elis Regina...I have good tastes in music. Noww two hours have passed and i start talking to a young beauty- she is from Martinique and we talk about Bahia and Black culture here, Brazil, the Caribbean-- she gets emotional when i say no cultures survived outside of Bahia-- dark eyes well up--- she has been waiting since 11:00am--it is now 7:00pm. I gave her a hug as she tells me about Black cultures from Africa here and there--was wonderful--so much passion--it is 8 pm now they call the Martinique Beauty's number-- she says how wonderful to have met me-- i feel a little lonely. 

 

Then the heavens open-- the Beauty who is running the place comes and says you-- come with me-- I cant stop grinning-- she has decided to let the workers go in a few at a time with the people whose numbers are up-- this has a feeling like the Green Mile ya know-- Early Voter Walking-- I am OVERJOYED i get into the voting area and there is the Martinique Beauty- she grins at me-- i get into the voting area and am given a seat in front of a election official-- they make up my ballot but as she does--"we can't let any more workers come in early-- you are the last( and first/only) ones to get in early...IIIII   VVOOOTTTEEE   AM STILL TOO OVERJOYED TO WORRY ALTHOUGH 5 AM COMES EARLY WHEN YOU GO TO BED AT 2 AM WHICH IS WHEN THE OTHERS WOULD VOTE.

 

 I got out at 8:30 in my car speeding the wrong direction on interstate 94,  i turn around at the next overpass and am home listening to Latin Cha-cha- cha all the way-- wondering if there is any Salsa dancing after the election on Tuesday--4 hours to vote-- i voted-- even voted for marijuana--well I think I was wishing i could have had some while waiting for 4 hours ;)-- we all could have used some - imagine what the purchase of munchies could have done for the local economy-- Bored Voters Spend Billions on Cheetos...hdm

— at Wayne County Community College, Eastern Campus.

Conserve this!

Satire- well my way of saying it is humor but is all true and sooo very wise ;0

I saw an advert for a Conservative group vowing to fight on after the elections, fighting to put business leaders in charge of guiding our nation…they were quite serious…

Leave our future to Entrepreneurs...are you out of your F***ing mind!

I watch so many apparently bright people join libertarian and conservative movements with the idea that government is a Great Satan and we must purify our society by abandoning public policy and turning over our nation to the private sector-- hmmm

Lets see  Private Sector,  I think these were the same guys who invented chattel slavery as a fast way to billions( aka kidnap, rape and murder, and working humans like an animal into an early grave). They even imprisoned their own children in slavery--some were our Founding Fathers. James Madison, once murdered 30 men who tried to escape from captivity, was later elected President-- well, as my non slave descendant friends often remind me-- it was legal to rape,  kidnap, and murder  then, ahhhhmeeiii--

I can find no evidence anywhere that the marketplace governs with wisdom, if an idiot has billions-- judging by the last elections there are a lot of them here-- and if there is a little profit in it- game on! For example: burning oil, then we will burn a lot of it, heat the globe to the point that only the billionaires will be able to afford clean air, water, and a reasonable life expectancy.  The social side of things I guess would be left alone, unless there were a profit in it-- brides for sale, young boys...ummm.   You see, every evil we can imagine has been connected with uncontrolled greed.  So what is it that draws these apparently bright minds to the conclusion that government and taxation are the path to destruction--  well, what is being Conserved here?.  I mean this brand of freedom is like 4th Century Athens-- a man on a hill speaking  nobly of freedom and sacrifice-- while a slave stands next to him holding a goblet of wine. It was a Golden Age of Freedom indeed where Six of Ten were slaves.

In the election cycle just past we saw the effects of warm air around the globe- and even in the face of a 500 mile windstorm people said--it could have been caused by something other than climate change.  Well, it is no longer rational to say that-- we have changed the air-- warmed it. We will do even more so now because so much ice has been lost that the sun will warm much more of our ocean surface-- and the sun btw has awakened from a long period of low energy emission.  Sooo are we ready for constant war, for policies that make enemies of every darker skinned nation or group, are we really ready to kill people who want a different form of government than our DOLLAROCRACY, and what of the nearly criminal activity that many rich people have engaged in to get those billions-- friendly bankers, derivatives trades, influenced bond and securities ratings-- and the same people who rated junk bonds and liar loans as AAA rated paper  have down rated the US government?  I mean -- dont they get it-- we can raise trillions any year we choose just by getting them and their Corporation Peeps to pay their fair share of taxes!!

Anyway, as flawed as the judgments of political leaders, as deep and deadly their mistakes have been, as corrupt and partner-friendly their use of our military and assets-- they are but fleas on the ass of a running dog compared to the devastation an uncontrolled private sector can bring. By this  I mean: do you really want to see the USA taken over by vulture capitalists, ripped apart and sold to high bidders? I'm sure there would be a lot of profit in it(--) I mean the nuclear arsenal and drones alone must be worth a few bucks(--)just sayin'...hdm

Election post-script

There is an end to a long campaignand while the Candidate of my choice prevailed in the contest of votes;it is only a step- vital one- towards an unfinished agenda, and a process
of national growth. The energy that was invested in the campaign, thelong hard look we have taken about progress and lack thereof-- of thevast opportunity and the seemingly meager steps we have taken. My conclusion is simple- we owe to ourselves, our children, to the sacrifices so many have made- to do better- to rise above the flood of dismal pettiness that has replaced our true purpose- toward a more perfect union- an opportunity based society.

We will not likely  succeed should bitterness become our objectives, rivalry in politics our goal-- we are a great part of a greater world, and by the blessing we have been given of wealth and strength - we have a great obligation to rise to the level of  an un-matched potential for good in the world.
We can put ourselves back to work - jobs for those who want them- opportunities for those with talent and ambition to seize them-- by the lessons we have learned as we have had to face our faults-our bigotry, our ignorance, our small mindedness- we can be so much more, if we allow ourselves to be the Big and Inclusive America, we can fall into our shadow should we remain the small and petty America- divided by conflicts over ideas that are insignificant to the great common interests in growth, opportunity, justice, clean air and water, sustainable food and energy.  I have seen in many ways a deep and abiding love of country,  concern for the disadvantaged;  a unity of purpose to make a better place for our children.

Divine Winds

History and legends tell of two incidents when the nation of Japan faced certain defeat by invasion and the enemy armada was destroyed by storms-- the armadas of Kubla Kahn-- and the storms that intervened to save them were called Divine Winds(kamika ze).  The word became infamous later in WWII as Kamikaze, there it was the last gasp of a defeated nation; an incredible choice to squander its youth in a vain attempt to extend a certain defeat.  This was a man-made divinity and it failed.

 I think of this now as a great storm seems to crush some parts of my country-- places I have lived and think of as my home-- and I do not think it is a Divine Wind.  There is suffering and loss of life and we should all send our prayers to those affected and any efforts we can make to help. No, it is the impact of this storm that speaks a lesson to me-- how the sophistications, and dedications to profits and business so quickly recede and lose significance when the land on which we stand disappears beneath roiled ocean waters and flood. When our systems fail, power gone, underground and above ground networks lost to unstoppable surge of tides; it is then we are reminded of the need each of us has for others. The need for help in dire times, when we cannot be saved by wealth or false pride--or the sense of superiority which none of us has earned.  Yes, it is the Divine Wind that sweeps away pettiness and we realize it could be us in the water or our child-- reaching for a rope, reaching for life itself--hoping for a Divine Wind....hdm

Politics of tanning- (a political satire)

I just saw coverage of Romney[ yes, that little Mitt!] on Univision and-- my first reaction was- he has painted himself brown!!!!, i mean if regular Romney saw this brown Romney walking into his house at night-- there might be white flight!

His whole neighborhood might be in white flight.
It was disturbing at one level but really i was laughing until my tummy 
ached ohh for the love of the 47% this man truly is the worst campaigner i have seen.
 

Now, Romney has previously campaigned as the white guy who appeals to voters who really want to see a white male in the Presidency, I speak to many each day who express that view but usually in much more subtle ways than Romney who- as we know- no one ever asks for his birth certificate[ they do ask for his Goddamn tax returns though!!!].

I give Romney his due: he did a great job of picking wealthy parents, who were themselves 47% folks on welfare at one stage of their lives- and like nearly all of the 47% people contributed in vital ways to our nation- military service( oops Romney dint build that one); raising a family despite hardships( Romney dint do that one either, thanks to Dad and Mom and that silver spoon in his....uhh); helped make a family and community strong by paying their fair share of taxes right out of their paychecks( Romney CLEARLY has not done this, he changed his income from INCOME to INTEREST to cut his taxes in half, and paid when he damn well pleased--if ever!!).

Ahh the pale Mitt is a clever one and the tan Mitt tried to cover it up, but the people listening and watching on Univision saw through the make-up...tsk tsk underneath it all is a man who would be President ONLY because the US should be run by people like himself: pale billionaires, MEN who think they are superior because they have earned it all by themselves...by their inheritances( see they don't even thank their Mom's who really did build that!!) They just believe they should rule-- after all, they got rich the old fashioned way, they were born to it...hdm

from delusion to illusion

i watch with a sense of disbelief- that a man as apparently shallow and willing to mislead the public is the nominee of a major party for the highest office.  I then realize that this is clearly not an accident, that the billions of dollars invested in this man is for some reasons- important to someone.  I can only guess since i would not invest the price of an Internet postage stamp i that campaign (that was humor, there is no Internet postage stamp but there should be one- to retire the deficit- 1/10 of a cent on commercial mailings- would also put an end to spam as we know it).  I watched the man- as if it were a bad actor hamming it up on the stage- speaking something about- "you didn't build that"  as an insult to...ahhh so dismaying- the spectacle, lying to the public and living the lies.

If he believes what he is saying then he may be delusional since in most regards he has spoken these same ideas as his own articles of faith.  If he lying then he does it poorly, Ronald Reagan was much better- he would croon " nuclear war" in that sonorous baritone and people supported build 10,00 new nukes when we needed -none.  Reagan's wars were little things- dress rehearsals really.  Romney's war would be big- biggest in history- and would likely exceed the hundreds of thousands lost in Iraq because we may never find such easy pickings in the world anywhere again.  His initial foray was to get the US in a War with Israel against Iran- possibly two nuclear powers.
Ryan as VP means less delusional theories from the ticket, and more illusions- the sleight of hand that convinces people that the rights they have must be sacrificed for the common good, but the common good is defined as helping the rich keep their money, avoid taxes. Speaking as one who would likely benefit, i say this is larceny after thrust-- putting a burden where it least belongs.  There are privileges in this society such as buying and selling derivatives. A market that is early as big as the rest the economy.  One trader recently earned $3 Billion in one year.  There is a great way to raise revenues without taking Grandma's pension-- tax an activity that we limit to a privileged few who are making an un-Godly profit from doing nothing but passing paper back and forth from one friendly bank to another- betting for example that the economy will loose more jobs than it gains this year--or that mortgage failures will increase, housing will fall--then there is my other favorite- the spammer fee.  See-- with a little creative thinking we can increase revenues, educate our children, give food to hungry children,  reduce our deficit and not steal from the most vulnerable-- something we gave them for a lifetime of doing just what we asked of them.

Democracy Lost

We of such strength, mocked by voices of fear, instilling greater fear.  We are shackled by a changed past, captive like the bound man - stumbled Blind in Gaza- the loss of a vision, an acuity of faith in tomorrow.  We have let ourselves become trapped in the mix of love and hatred, greed and scarifice, wisdom and narrow sight, the melange of America.
Oh America, you were never perfect always though perfectly human.  In an era of unbridled greed you stole lives from Africa made an industry of kidnap and rape, enslaved for no reason except greed- Africa bled into you and you became richer in ways you did not then know.  Then you raised smokestacks and invitations to war- island of freedom born in blood,only to turn to live by blood money; even to this day.
You have helped put the world up to its neck in bullets and watch with subdued curiosity when parts of it begin to drown; we are Godfather of armies of child soldiers, the patron saint of warlord theocracies.  When hurt so badly, when our towers fell; we exorcised a small demon by a great trough of wealth--where the war machine fed until it was glutted; we shook the world because we trembled in fear, and would hear nothing but fear.  Even until the sweet song of freedom re-echoed from the courage we had kept, even as tyrants and terrorists fell to justice.

Now, there is yet the grim reckoning of the skin trades-- "leaders" hatching plots to close the doors to freedom to the Brown and Black south, open doors to a new North Atlantic crossing where the sun kissed its children more gently--so sad. To deny learning and opportunity to our children, to balance the equation of skin-- have we not yet  learned, the life within is the gift not the wrapper...

There is a Democracy found in the turned pages of history, it was not born with America, Founders did not trust their people, their partners in the revolts; Democracy was found in Shay's Rebellion, in the ante-bellum noise of rattled chains and prayers; in the blood given for freedom denied by rich to poor.  Democracy that has now been lost to a culture of dinosaurs, big devour little, strong consume the weak. Wither the America found in the winds of change that came from last breaths of heroes, gone to the auction block in the marketplace of gold and greed.

There is hope against even the most overwhelming enemies- hope despite the obedience of so many to such false prophets as these: a current batch, a plague- disciples of selfishness.  A democracy is a web of reliance, upon self, upon others, upon an innate and shared sense of justice.  A recognition that life is precious and fleeting, in its every part a unique opportunity to expand possibilities into a better world for everyone. That we have lost it is a source of sadness and fuel--for a more determined reach, a more solemn grasp-- for all that we know can be taken from us, if we allow, if we fail to stand for the principle of unity--that in unity we are greater than any can be alone.