Thursday, June 30, 2005

I can't drive 55 was meant to be my first post, but I have a confession or two to make first. One, I decided to "blog", don't like that word, sounds like vomit, but, hey in a way it is, verbal vomit. I like that. Anyway, it's been now 15 days since I turned 55 and I told myself I would create a blog for my birthday, and 13 days later I did, so Two, I'm a procrastinator, and there are far worse things in life, but I'm working on it. Here goes...
SUMMAH, SUMMAH, is here in 2005. A time to let go, release, breathe in the warm fresh (COUGH, COUGH) breezes in Bahston and elsewhere. But Summah 2005 is a lot different than previous summers. Relaxation doesn't last very long, the UV rays are much stronger, the air quality is day to day, unless you live in Maine or Vermont, great places to vacation. And of all things the national politics are smokin'.
I got to get this out of the way, while I'm still doing some Spring cleaning, and then hanging by the pool briefly in the Sun with my sunblock UV 30, (was it last year that 15 was still strong enough) watching the little toddlers jumping gleefully into their parent's arms, and kids splashing and playing Marco Polo, and interrupting my meditation.
The government has let us down, and both parties, the so-called "Republicans" and "Democrats" leave us much to be desired and little to be admired. That's probably a catch-all phrase that even they may use some day. But as my eighth grade teacher used to say, and I wish I remembered her name, "People get as good government as they what? Deserve.". And what more can one say about the Bush administration that seeks to spread Democracy (sic. capitalism) abroad, while pushing extremely hard at home to restrict liberty and liberties we take for granted, and circumvent the Constitution through the expansion of the cleverly named Patriot Act. Read the stories people, know what you are losing. This law affects you, me, and that toasty babe in the pink bikini bathering on her cell phone about her latest date, and her hair coloring appointment on Saturday.
Well, this is what you need to know about how Bush is planning to slowly transform this country, not the Mideast dictatorships, except of course our oily friend Saudi Arabia, into a police state. So baby, oil yourself up and get comfortable. The sun ain't shining here. Oh, and what is that book you're reading, Nora Roberts' latest trashy, er romance novel? Who wants to know? Well, until recently the FBI might have had the power under Section 215 in the anti-terrorism law to obtain a wide range of business records and other "tangible things," like library patron lists, and book sales records or book customer lists.
An amendment passed by the House now will bar terrorist investigatiors to check out the reading habits of patrons of libraries and bookstores. And thankfully 38 Republicans joined 199 Democrats and one Independent to get the amendment passed. Oh, and the Independent just happened to be Representative Bernard Sanders, the amendment's leading proponent. I culled this information of course on line, the last free bastion of thought and freedom of expression, ironically, and it is worth repeating the quote by Mr. Sanders. By the way you'll never see this or hear about it on the "News stations."

"Every member of Congress and every American understands we have to do everything we can to protect the American people from terrorism. That's not the debate. The debate is whether we can and must do that and protect the constitutional rights that make us a free people. That is what Congress voted for today.
This sends a real message to the President that the American people do not want Big Brother looking over their shoulder when they walk into a library or bookstore."


So, honey, you can turn over, you're getting a little burnt, and get into that passage that is making you hot, tan and hot. Ah, summer. Hey, but even that brief statement should be enough to give you goosebumps. You only have to look up and as far away as Washington to see how the Bush Fear Factor is bent on limiting America's freedom in the shadows of the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorial, and in view of the Washington Monument, under the all encompassing, oppressive, mysterious term, "terrorism."
Boy, would that have meant that if you had read "1984", or looked at R.Crumb cartoons, you might be a "terrorist?" It's sort of like an ass backwards Redneck joke, where the joke just might be on you. Unless, of course you live in the red states and have only read "Bambi."
Back to that quote about the government. While Bush is blatant about usurping our freedom, the namby-pamby Democratic party is just that. No cahones, none. Kerry, a joke. Dean, rediculous, Hilary Clinton, a fountain of platitudes and the usual blah, blah, blah, good education, affordable health insurance, clean air, protect the environment, safe streets, blah, blah, blah. But the worst sin is the sin of (C)OMMISION, pick your choice.

WE CAN DO BETTER!

Huh!? Better than what? What can we do better? HOW CAN WE DO BETTER?
If you knew how, Bush wouldn't be the President of USA, INC., would he? This third grade slogan picked by a three hundred millionare irritated the hell out of me. Every time they said it, and they still do, I screamed at the TV, "Are you kidding?"
It's the lamest excuse for a rally cry I've ever heard. And do you know to this day they haven't given us any answers. They haven't given us anything concrete, and Kerry, every time he has an opportunity to take a stand, he doesn't. The consummate politician, who plays both sides against the middle and says nothing.

Oh well, there's always the excape mode to the Red Sox, the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox. And then there's Brad, and Jen, and Angelina, and Tom and Katie, and Star Wars Episode Three, Batman Begins, and soon the War of the Worlds. See a pattern here, God, I hope not. People have got to get involved, people have got to care, if not for ourselves than for the kids splashing in the pool.
I now return you to your regular programming. Bush, Cheney, Iraq, insurgents, Social Security, U.N., Bolton, Condoleeza Rice, Oprah, Tom, Katie, Jacko, Manny, Ortiz, Arroyo, Bill Moyers, The Web, Dean. Oh, and don't forget the Daily show.
Peace.

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