Cosmic Irony

I heard on NPR today that there are definite signs the recession is on its way out. One of those signs was that our GDP shrank 1%. I thought that was an interesting marker, but I suppose that’s why economists are economists and I’d rather pursue a career as a behaviorist, working with people who have severe disabilities.

What does this mean for us? Can the progressives jump up right away and say, “See? See? Obama’s stimulus package did work!” Or perhaps that conservatives can stand up and holler, “See? It did it on its own, despite the horrible stimulus package that will put your great-great-great-great- grandchildren in debt” (for the next ten years, but they’ll leave that small detail out).
Cause and effect are not always distinctly related, even when it may appear so, which means using it in argument is sketchy until studies can be done and science’s stamp of approval can be put on it by at least three different independent institutions. But it’s hard for me not to think, “Well, many economists did say it would have been worse without the stimulus package, and seeing that it’s only eight months after inauguration day, I’m willing to bet that that smart, eloquent, hard-working, productive man we call Mr. President may have had the right idea.” Of course, I’m bias because I voted for him. And campaigned for him. And bought his bumper stickers…etc.

Nonetheless, it is good news for our country and for our wallets. Perhaps this Christmas will come with a lessened sense of urgency to wait in line for 48 hours in front of Best Buy for a measly 10% off of an Xbox (maybe. It might just be embedded in our culture that missing Thanksgiving so we can spoil our kids with what they really want is better than “quality time together”).

Despite being split by two ever-conflicting ideologies on how government should be run, we have still survived and are still one nation. We will do things differently (for awhile), we may even keep some of the frugal habits we developed in this recession, much the same way my great-grandmother did from the Depression (“only two sheets of toilet paper? But grandma…”). But in the end, we have bounced back like we always have. Doesn’t that make you warm and fuzzy inside? Or is that feeling just the effects of the Recession Diet of canned asparagus and powered milk?

The king of pop was rushed to the hospital today. Despite his weirdness, the man is a musical genius and his entire life is just sad. I hope he gets better.

I know, I know, it’s been awhile. So much has happened that I should be blogging about! The election, the inauguration, the torture memos, Prop 8, France, Burma, etc, etc.

The truth is, I’ve been busy. Yes, I’m a liberal. Yes, my yearly income puts me below the poverty line, but contrary to what any conservative would say about those two qualifications, I actually have been working, paying bills, and getting an education. Pulling myself up by my boot-straps, if you will.

Of course, contrary to their insistence that doing so would give me health-care, beaucoup bucks, financial stability in the face of any expensive repairs of any kind, and a super ability to magically live wherever I want, I have none of those things.

I have actually taken a weekend job on top of my other one, two more substitute positions at two group homes, and full semesters at my local college. Thankfully, after a few years juggling jobs and school loads, the only thing I have left before a transfer is Maths.

Despite everything, I can appreciate what I do have. A studio apartment for cheap (after moving five times in two years, it was nice to ask the landlords how long they would rent to me for so cheap and hear “as long as you want”), despite the fact that it’s in the worst town of 400 people IN THE WORLD. I’m now classified as an “Intermediate” French speaker (which means I can read it and say it, but I have the damnedest time hearing it and spelling it). I’ve learned yoga recently and have lost 13 lbs on a vegetarian diet. I’ve chosen a CSU (but I haven’t applied yet, haha), San Francisco. I’ve joined the Democratic Party in my area as well as the local Young Democrats club so I can continue spreading the word about Progressive policies.

See? I really have been busy! I didn’t forget about this blog, or just become lazy and pop out a kid so I could make $400 a month on welfare (which is such a good price, isn’t it? It’s a wonder more people aren’t on it, having baby after baby). Obviously, I’ve held onto my attitude and sarcasm. Sweet.

Alas, I think I’ll lay off the politics for awhile. I’ll let Chris and his arch-nemesis we call Red fight it out for awhile over on Crispy Quips (see blogroll). I’m still basking in the glory of Obama’s super margin of victory on Nov. 4th. I’d rather keep it positive. So from now on I’ll be blogging about things like movies, Fringe, killing millipedes that make their way into my apartment from this god-forsaken town (Pollock Pines, Ca…no, really, don’t look it up). Things like that.

I hope everyone enjoys their summer. I’ll be keeping in touch (maybe).

You are using the media to misrepresent information as much as you say the Big Media did to Sarah Palin. Your YouTube video does not represent the results in your original poll. I read through the entire thing and the results are just about what you would expect, most people got things right on the stuff that got more media attention, less people on the obscure stuff or the stuff that happened decades ago, and even less on the question whose correct answer wasn’t even given as an option. As for your new poll on McCain voters AFTER all this has gotten media attention. Good job there. You exposed that demographic to the correct answers and THEN interviewed “random” people, getting a higher rate of correct answers among that demographic. Guess what? You’re still an asshole.

As it stands, according to the California Constitution, the definition of Marriage is not defined between a man and a woman. Proposition 8 would change the LAWFUL definition of marriage, not the religious definition.

Technorati Tags: campaigns, Civil Rights, law, Marriage, politics, Prop 8

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McCain is trying to rein in the hostility of his supporters today, according to this

article today. He calls Obama a “decent man” whom he just “happens to disagree with.”

Is he really afraid of the behavior of his zealous, extremist supporters who call Obama a terrorist and an “Arab?” Or is he just trying to calm the flames of the fire he fueled because he sees that it is not working in the polls? I would assume the latter, since the man is a disgusting pig who could call his own wife a “cunt,” but that’s just my opinion.

When it’s all over, and Obama is president, the extremists are promising to be just as hostile to a Democratic President as they have been to him as the Nominee. These, my friends and fellow bloggers, are the seeds of oppression, division, and the kind of speech you find in years preceding the last centuries most horrific genocides. John McCain has allowed this to happen despite the warning signs. Now he wants to retract and look like the bigger man. What a fool.

John McCain and his party are dangerous people. It shows in their hate speech and in their lies. It shows in the extremists that join their rallies. It shows when a “liberal” church is attacked by a Ditto-head. It shows when our leaders’ lives are threatened and even taken by people who refuse to here facts from more than one source: the right-wing media. People at the McCain/Palin rallies say how they are “scared” of an Obama presidency. What they should be afraid of is themselves.

Two headlines in Google news just caught my eye. The first, “Obama vows to cut federal spending on contractors,” describes saving $40 billion dollars by cleaning up unnecessary programs and cutting funding of contractors. Sounds like a good idea.

How will McCain “change” Washington? He surely has a plan as well, right? After all, he’s been talking about fiscal responsibility for a while now, and has just recently adopted “change” as a principle he will bring to Washington.

This brings me to the second article, “McCain pledges to ‘raise hell’ in Washington,” which sounds less like a policy outline and more like a threat, but perhaps he will elaborate on what “raise hell” actually consists of.

Or not, apparently, as McCain’s statements after that consisted of complaints that Obama doesn’t have a real plan for cleaning up the mess we are in. So his plan to save the economy is to …. complain about the other guy’s plan. Right.

If you really want to know more about Obama’s plans for the economy, please, visit his website and find out for yourself. Along with a comprehensive and bold plan to provide thousands of jobs in the Green market you’ll find that he plans to encourage domestic car companies to improve their mileage so they can compete with the companies overseas, stimulate the largest group of income earners in the country (the middle class), provide education to our society so our children and young adults can compete in the global market, insure Americans who can’t afford health care so that one accident or illness doesn’t throw them into poverty, and best of all, take those billions of dollars per month we are spending in Iraq and use it for Americans. But of course, McCain doesn’t mention that. He’ll just “shake it up” when he gets there. Then we’ll find out what that really means.