The Endless Campaign. "Hell, I Don't Have To Think-- I've Got A National Committee That Does It For Me."

Parnell's recent decision was probably fueled by pure politics as much as anything else. He backed some progressive legislation (education, women's issues) in this last session, so now he has to show his true conservative colors--after all, he's facing re-election.

This is consistent with the concept of Constant Campaigning that is currently dominating our national political scene--to a nauseating degree. No one dare break with his party line and risk losing office. Campaigning has taken precedence over legislating and it's tearing the country apart.

Scary Thought

Parnell claims that universal health care will "cost us our freedom." Hey, Sean, without your health you don't have freedom, you don't have anything. Without health there is no Life, Liberty, or Pursuit of Happiness--oops, I almost forgot. According to the Tea Party assclowns, Thomas Jefferson was un-American. Jesus Christ, I thought Jefferson invented America!
You really have to wonder just what these people's idea of America is. It's becoming a scary thought.

Who Needs Sarah, We've Got Sean

Alaska's governor, Sean Parnell, just joined the other 19 states suing the Feds over Obama's health care bill.
This is personal--that bill would definitely help ME.
If Parnell has decided that my good health is a threat to his plans for Alaska and the rest of the country, he's right. I'M BACK AND I'M PISSED!

GOOD-BYE

It's been fun, but I've decided to focus my efforts elsewhere. If I'd had a glitzy web-site I might have attracted a bigger audience but that's not my way and, as usual, I've paid the price. For those of you who have listened to this small voice screaming in the wilderness--THANKS!

I really fear for this country. As jobs and resources dwindle, disillusioned workers will be driven into the arms of the demagogues in the Christian Right. Palin, Beck, etc. pose a bigger thtreat to America than bin-Laden but we will not realize this until it's too late. "Liberal" Democrats are as much to blame as conservative Republicans. Clinton's Free-Trade took jobs from millions of voting workers and gave them to serfs who have no voice in their government. This is how we "spread democracy"? Obama's bail-outs and Insurance Care has further strengthened the corporations at the expense of our workers. His foreign policies will keep us continually at war. The drift toward facsism continues.

I have been lucky. I believe that I got to see America at its best. I'm afraid that future generations will see America at its worst.

I am haunted by the words of Charles Bukowski: "We have everything but we can't have it."
Compassion is the greatest human trait, but greed and cruelty are built into us too. All we can do is keep fighting the good fight. Keep fighting. Good luck.
Joe

We'll Drink A Toast To Your Success, Dmitry

Brilliant! Russia's president, Dmitry Medyedev, has decided to fight his nation's alcohol problem --not by introducing reforms to improve the lives of Russian citizens, but by doubling the price of vodka.
It will certainly benefit the rest of the world to monitor this bold experiment. If it is successful, perhaps we can fight obesity in America by doubling the price of food. Cancer might be eradicated by simply raising the cost of chemotherapy. Stay tuned.

Too Good To Last

3 days into the new year and I'm still in a relatively good mood. I'm sure it will pass. Especially when every time I turn on the radio there's a newsperson telling me how we're starting a new decade. (Did all of these people flunk 3rd grade arithmetic? Is there some new way of counting to 10?) I'd also like to remind these same people that there is no "N" in the word "legitimate" and that "disconnect" is a verb. Ah shit, here I go again--it's hopeless . . . But you know, that steak really was good.

A Good One

Well, the holiday season is finally over and it was a good one for me. I neither gave nor received any Christmas presents, and I never once heard Aaron Neville sing "Silent Night" nor any version of "The Little Drummer Boy"--both of which make me break out in hives.
Juneau, notorious for rowdy behavior, survived a full-blue-moon New Year's Eve without any more than the usual amount of drunken stupidity. Alaska's capital is equally notorious for its bad food, but on New Year's Day I was served a reasonably priced steak cooked to perfection.
All is calm. All is bright. Happy New Year.