Random Post Election 2010 Thoughts

I still feel pretty lousy from whatever it is I have. However, I had to leave the house yesterday to vote and get some groceries and I stopped by the campaign headquarters of my congressman, John Boccieri, et al and I was promptly taken in hand by a lady I worked with who made sure I got a T-shirt and an invite to the Democratic Party's party (lol) last night since the kids I worked with weren't around, I promptly decided that I would attend.

I went and had a really nice time talking with some of the other elders who worked so hard for John. Yanni, my fav of John's interns, came over and I hugged the daylights out of him. It was fun seeing the kids. I feel bad for them but glad that they got the experience (and college credits) of working for him. It's gratifying to know that there young people out there who will be good leaders down the road. After I finished my second drink, I decided it was time to head home -- a mere ten blocks -- and catch the rest of results at home. It was a close race when I left but it got worse and John lost his seat to a tea-bagger darling, millionaire Jim Renacci, who owns nursing homes were elders died suspiciously and needlessly and was sued successfully, as well as assorted other nonsense -- not my kind of guy to put it mildly. John didn't promise us a rose garden and two years wasn't enough to change everything. I just hope I have enough strength to help if he runs again in 2012.

I am disheartened and disappointed with my fellow Americans. I fear for the future of my children and grandchildren. Hell!!! I'm afraid for myself and my fellow citizens here whose only 'sin' is being old or poor or both. John did a great job for us and I mourn his loss with him. This past weekend he shared the podium with Bill Clinton who was campaigning for Governor Ted Strickland and while there, John got word that his lovely wife had gone into labor for the fifth little Boccieri and he had to leave -- probably breaking records to get to Alliance. Here's video of him rushing off the podium. Nice that he has his priorities right.



* Some good news is that Toledo's Marcy Kaptur stomped her teabagger, Nazi re-enactor opponent who outspent her 4-1. Here she is after Iott conceded. I think she got it right and I'm wondering if I shouldn't think again about heading northwest. Her gracious speech on her victory is here.

* More good news is that Dennis "the Menace" Kucinich won so another progressive will be there for us. Can you tell that I favor candidates with a progressive agenda and blue collar roots? I like candidates who know how we ordinary mortals live and woe to the candidate who forgot where he/she started.

* Mr. ManTan (remember that stuff?), John Boehner, won. All I can say that's printable is a resounding "Yikes!" This scares me. I just wanna know how nutty they are down there. There's a reason I stay out of southern Ohio,

* We have a new governor, John Kasich -- a GOP hack. I thought Ted Strickland did a great job. I especially liked his respect and support for us elders. Sigh.

* Y'all would have been proud of me on Monday. For some reason, I was getting a dozen+ recorded calls a day from GOP candidates. Can you say "harassment"? I was not amused and called my local GOP headquarters and told them to stop. The lady who answered told me I was stuck on their list forevermore and hung up on me. Can y'all say I was livid? I knew you could. However, I did stop and think a minute and went to the 'Net for the RNC. I called their fund-raising line and hollered and the nice lady said that she would stop the calls immediately. And she did. Save this for future reference.

* One of the political blogs I read is The Rude Pundit -- it's not for the faint of heart or excrutiatingly proper and my mother (and yours prolly) would not approve. Here's the short version of what he posted last night: "we're f*cking f*cked". I can't help but agree and wish I had the cojones to say it out loud -- and I might! I am afraid for our country's future.

Well, I think I'm over the legal limit for ranting so I'm going to leave you with the song of the week:



And yeah, I am done with politics for a while!!!!

Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!

Kay

Election Day

Today all we can do is go to the polls and pray a lot (if you are so inclined). I liked the poster above a lot -- it's a great site.

I wasn't sure what/if I wanted to post today but I opened my email and the answer was there. This is from The Borowitz Report and I always enjoy it. Hope y'all do, too!!!!

As you head to the polls today, please keep these three things in mind:

1) Don’t be intimidated by electronic voting machines. There are simple instructions in English, Spanish, and Tea Party.

2) Your vote is precious. Politicians have spent billions trying to buy it.

3) Please vote because every vote is counted. (Offer not available in Florida.)


Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!

Happy Voting!!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!

Kay

It's the Groaner of the Week!!!!! And a Quick Note

This week's grooooaaannnnn has a political tone -- go figure! And when y'all recover, watch the excellent video below and pass it on!!!! Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Finally, a new bumper sticker for both political parties:

"RUN Obama RUN"

Democrats put it on the rear bumper. Republicans put it on the front.

My friend d r i f t g l a s s posted this and asked that we pass it on to others. It delivers a lot of sense in less than three minutes and I ask y'all to do the same!!!



Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Voting!!!!!!!!

Kay

Saturday Fun

I'm still fighting this virus thing and I am doing almost absolutely nothing. Yesterday my big accomplishment was doing the dishes that had accumulated. I hope that It goes away soon. I don't want to go to the doctor.

A lot is happening in the world and, while I'm sick of politics, it's like a bad accident and I can't walk away from it. I'll be glad when Election 2010 is over.

* President Obama appeared with Jon Stewart Thursday on The Daily Show and y'all can watch it here. I was impressed with what he had to say. He made sense to me and was quick to point out what he's accomplished considering the opposition he's had to face. I'm soooo very tired of the GOP's obstructionism (Is that a word? If not, why not?) and I thought he presented himself very well. He mentioned the tough race my Congressman, John Boccieri is facing. I never cease to be amazed that a blue collar union town like mine tends to vote Republican. My dad was president of his union so our mailbox usually contained labor-related magazines and literature in it but he didn't usually vote a straight ticket. I have followed his example but refuse to do it any longer until the not-so-grand-old-party restores common sense and common decency and get rid of Sarah Palin and her clones.



* Today is Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear and y'all can watch it online here and some wag hacked both Sarah Palin and Glen Beck's Facebook pages sorta -- I love it.

* In a rare instance of serendipity, Ohio State is playing Minnesota after the rally at 8 pm EST so I'm not missing a minute of either! I'm smiling.

Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!!

Kay

Random Cranky Thoughts Before the Midterm Election

Yeah, whatever the hell this is that I have, it's still very much with me so I'm mostly vegetating. I haven't been working on John's campaign because I don't want to pass on this you-know-what and I really don't feel like it. However, I've been trying to get caught up on what y'all have been doing and think I have at least made a dent in that so I know that y'all have been busy, too, and I appreciate your comments and support despite my sporadic participation of late. I love y'all madly!!!

* My buddy Russ of Russ' Filtered News weighs in with an excellent memory of the Republican party before it was taken over by thieves, liars, and bullies here and a bunch of links that prove it that it's no longer the party of Barry Goldwater and Abraham Lincoln. I have always heeded my Dad's advice to vote for the man (woman?)-- not the party but I reiterate that I will never cast a vote for a Republican again until they clean house and get rid of these people who are more concerned (consumed?) with power than their constituents.

* I found this excellent blog, The Baseline Scenario on the economy because I saw one of the authors, Simon Johnson of MIT in a video with Bill Moyers (one of my favorites for common sense) on the economy and yeah, my hero Marcy Kaptur is in it, too. I took an economics course in college and how I managed a B+ in the course, I'll never know because I find it confusing. These guys actually de-mystify the problems so we ordinary mortals can understand them. It's a long video but definitely worth the time because it reveals how badly we have been treated. I learned a lot and it scares me.

* Has anyone besides me been confused by the inclusion of Bristol Palin on Dancing with the Stars? She's a star? I don't think so. (Rumor has it from Alaska is that she's preggers again -- so much for abstinence.) That DWTS is playing to her mother's antics tells me I don't need to watch it anymore.

* If I hear the word(?) 'sheeple' applied to anyone who doesn't support Palin and her toadies one more time, I'm going to hurt someone. The real 'sheeple' are the ones throwing the term around. Just my take.

* My good friend Rain posted this excellent piece on the Tea Party crazies. As usual, she makes excellent sense.

* Would you vote for someone who doesn't know what's in the First Amendment? No? Neither should the people of Delaware. It would be funny if it weren't so pathetic.

* On a rare positive note this week, Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity will be held on Saturday and he's touting it on The Daily show all week. It's going to be fun! I wish I could be there. It's predicted that tens of thousands will attend.

Okay, my blood pressure is sufficiently elevated so I might get something done around here so I'm going to leave you with the song of the week! I think it's Eric Clapton at his finest!!!! And yes, we can change the world -- get out there and help and VOTE!!!!!!!!




Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!

Kay

Yeah . . . Right . . .

Just in: Obama told it like it is and Michael Steele lies. (Huge surprise -- NOT!!!) Steele's response reminds me of one of the oldest lines in the world: "Yes, I'll respect you in the morning." And that's exactly what the Republican Party has been doing to the citizens of this country. That they have any credibility at all tells me that that critical thinking skills have gone the way of the dinosaurs. I could rant on this at length but I think the video says it all. Besides, I can't do it without cussing and I don't have the energy.



Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!

Kay

Stupidity Is the New Normal

I'm still feeling lousy and it's forced me into Cranky Old Broad mode. The insanity of the media this week isn't making me feel any better. It's nice that the Democrats are trying to play nice but I've come to the conclusion that it's time to play hardball.

This is not the party of Barry Goldwater and Abraham Lincoln -- even Tricky Dick Nixon had more brains than the current crop of candidates from what used to be the Grand Old Party. That alleged humans like Palin, O'Donnell, et al are taken seriously by anyone astounds me and offends my definitions of intelligence, decency and honor greatly and I am going on the record that, while I have always tended to be an independent and I've voted for the candidate rather than the party, I have never voted a straight ticket in my life. 2010 has changed that. I have decided will not vote for a single member of the Republican Party. If they are unopposed, I will write in Micky Mouse or Bozo the Clown.

I want to make a statement that the crazies cannot have my vote. Yes, I know that there are some decent people left in the G.O.P. -- I even know some personally. However, I refuse to give credence to the party of 'NO!' with my vote because they've allowed their party to stoop to such low, shoddy standards. I stopped listening to my local radio station -- I like and know the on-air people -- because the powers that be put Fox News as their national news feed. I urge all of you who agree take a stand, too. I'm tired of anyone giving them an iota of credibility. I'm looking for a list of their sponsors and intend to vote with my feet and notify the advertisers of why I won't buy their products any longer.

Time for some comic relief. I like Bill Maher mostly. I especially like his "New Rules" feature and here's the latest edition that left me laughing so hard that tears were running down my cheeks. It's rather bawdy so if you're a Puritan, don't say I didn't warn you. Frankly, I think a couple of his ideas border on brilliant.



Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!

Kay aka the Cranky Old Broad

It's about Damned Time . . .

It's about damned time somebody said it and God bless Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont for having the cojones to say it!!! Here's a clip from "Face the Nation" that lays it on the line. It's only about three minutes and worth every second.



Amen and Hallelujah!!! When the lust for power overides the needs of this country, it's time to raise some serious hell!!! I urge all of you to write, call or email your representatives and demand, in no uncertain certain terms, that we want the bullsh*t games stopped!!! (Sorry for cussin' but it's the best way to keep my blood pressure from spiking -- and if y'all heard what I really said, the coal miners and sailors among you would be blushing.) And if y'all can manage it, give some time to get rid of the idiots propagating this dirty agenda in the coming mid-term elections. And remember: If you don't vote, you lose your right to complain! Just my take.

And they call themselves patriots . . . sigh.

Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!! I'll be back tomorrow with a post to bring y'all up to speed before I hit the road!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!

Kay

Be Afraid . . . Be Very Afraid

The very wise Frank Paynter of Listics suggested that we Elderbloggers should all re-publish (he said 'steal')The Crabby Old Lady -- Ronni Bennett's alterego's wise post and I am following his lead as I agree that everyone who reads it needs to pass it on. These are troubled times in this great country and I'm afraid -- very afraid for its future and the future of my children and grandchildren. Y'all can say "I'm not political." all you want but everything we hold dear as Americans is at stake. I can't add anything to it as I agree with every single syllable.

Stupid, Venal, Crackpot Politics

[EDITORIAL NOTE: Ronni here. This is Crabby Old Lady's post today, but I want to direct you to a story in EasyReader by Robb Fulcher who interviewed me for it last week. It's titled Fab at 50 and a nice job he did of representing my point of view.]

Crabby Old Lady is appalled, frightened and snarling mad. You should be too.

The United States is on a crazy train to doom and no one with a bigger platform than Crabby will say so. There is only one thing that matters right now. Only one. JOBS. But you wouldn't know that from the news nor from elected officials who are the only people who have the power to effect change on the large scale the country needs.

Instead, they are dealing in stupid, venal, crackpot politics that is harming our country and destroying the lives of the people.

To those same politicians and candidates who want to replace them: stop telling the country that rich people's tax cuts create jobs. It is a lie. They've had those tax cuts for eight years and look where it got us – millions of permanently lost jobs and 10 percent “official” unemployment that is actually much higher.

To rich people and their sycophant politicians: stop attacking Social Security. No cutting benefits. No privatization. No raising the age of eligibility without an exclusion for people who do heavy labor. And Joe Miller in Alaska? Social Security is not unconstitutional. It is a lie to say that.

To politicians, candidates and rich people: stop attacking Medicare. Expand it to everyone in the U.S. which Congress and President Obama should have done the first time around. A smart 11-year-old can see that would make health care affordable for everyone.

Politicians and corporations: stop sending jobs overseas. It started long before the recession and has not stopped. Just yesterday, the Senate GOP shot down a bill that would end tax credits to corporations that outsource jobs to other countries. Huh? Why did they have tax credits for that in the first place?

To rich people and political parties: stop funding sleazy, nutter candidates. The country does not need a man who repeatedly emails pornography. It doesn't need a senator who is ignorant of evolution voting on science-related legislation. It doesn't need anyone at all in office who believes the president is a Muslim or not born in the U.S.

To cable news media: stop filling 90 percent of your air time with fact-free talking heads flapping their gums in total ignorance of everything. Crabby Old Lady has never learned one useful thing from them. Pay some trained reporters, instead, to do some real journalism. A whole lot of them are out of work and they'll do the job for less money than your “star” bloviators.

To the American public, you're not off the hook either: stop wearing tricorn hats; you look like idiots in them. Stop listening to Sarah Palin; she's an opportunistic quitter who can't speak in intelligible sentences. Turn off Glenn Beck; he's an ignorant, raving lunatic.

And to rank-and-file tea partiers: you are batshit crazy to believe you are not being manipulated by the Koch brothers and other rich tyrants who want to steal your Social Security, cancel your Medicare and leave you to eat cat food until you die from lack of medical care.

If Crabby can slow down enough for a moment to take a breath, here is what mystifies her: all the existing and proposed policies of right wingers, their candidates and followers lead inexorably to impoverishment of 95 percent of the population. When fewer and fewer people are employed at subsistence wages, no one will be left to buy the widgets companies make. And if they can't sell their merchandise, their companies will go under and they will become poorer.

Even Henry Ford, hardly a paragon of political virtue, knew that. A hundred years ago, he took a lot of grief from other rich corporatists for paying his auto workers the then-magnificent salary of $5 a day. He did so, he said, because he wanted to sell more Model Ts and to do that, more people had to be able to afford them.

It worked so well, his naysayers followed his lead. What has happened to their sense of self-preservation since then?

Crabby is letting fly because she is deeply frightened for her country. Politicians have always been corrupt, but in the past – even in Crabby's lifetime – many also cared about the well-being of their constituents and their country, were well educated enough to discuss the Constitution and the ideals of liberty with intelligence, and managed to cooperate with one another to get important legislation done to improve the country.

There was a time when most Republicans and Democrats identified with the middle of the political spectrum, left or right a bit from the center point, because they knew that extremism is dangerous. Now, the few existent centrists are all pretty much behind in the polls for this election.

Our country is in serious trouble on all fronts, but nothing will begin to improve until the people can get back to work.

Never in Crabby Old Lady's memory have we needed intelligent leadership more. But what do we have? Candidates who are porn distributors, tax cheats, barely concealed racists, panderers, religious zealots, liars, nihilists and handmaidens to corporations.

No good will come of this.



I can't add anything to this except my unequivocal support and urge y'all to repost it. If it makes one person re-think their vote, it's worth it. And if it helps restore sanity to our country it's, priceless!!!!!

Thanks Crabby!!!! Thanks Frank!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!

Kay

Random Thoughts -- Recent Events and Assorted Nonsense

A lot has happened/is happening and given some comments, I think I should clarify some things.

* There will not be a wedding -- at least not for the foreseeable future. The main reason is that we simply can't do things the way we want to do them. I'm not going to explain -- it's complicated and many might not understand our reasons. And yeah, it's all my fault -- sorta. We are, however, committed to taking our relationship to a different level. So far, it's all good. (gross understatement)

* My posting will be a bit sporadic -- there's a lot to be done and I still have some obligations/commitments to fulfill not to mention adjustments in my/our life which will probably prove interesting to say the least. I wonder if we're too old and too set in our ways for this. LOL

* Jeff and Shaughn are arriving on Saturday. I spent this morning getting the house ready and making calls to let the people who matter know when he'll be back. We're going to be busy once our news gets around.

* My front lawn is sporting a John Boccieri for Congress sign again. Here's a video of the 49th Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game. The Dems beat the GOP 13-5!!!! A former minor league player, John did us proud -- he wore the helmet cam (and scored a homer!) and shared MVP honors with Reps. Joe Baca (D-CA)-- age 63! -- and Brian Baird (D-WA). The game is a charity event that supports the Boys and Girls Clubs of Washington and the Washington Literacy Council. Good stuff!!! Click on the link to see if your congressman played.



* Jeff sent along this video (yes, the old dawg learned a new trick and yes, I'm being compliant -- for a change) and told me to post it because the 'something big' just got bigger -- it only started 40 years ago or so! And yeah, we both like Steve and Eydie!



Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!

Kay

Random Cranky (and Otherwise) Thoughts in Recovery

I decided to take some 'me' time yesterday to get some stuff done here before we head south so I left Jeff to his own time. The upshot of it is that I contracted a bit of food poisoning from an 'on the run' fast food supper. Ugh! I am better today but Jeff has ruled that I rest and we will postpone our departure until Monday so I'm at home catching up on my email and what y'all have been up to in the blogosphere as well as my favorite political sites. God knows, with the hectic schedule that man has set for us, when I have time again!!!!

* I got a bit worried about my beach time because of the oil spill and was delighted when checking a realtor's site that there is no oil within 300 miles of Sanibel Island!!!!! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!! (And I was seriously shocked at the price of real estate there. Jeff says not to worry -- that the prices are actually down -- and that also astounds me.)

* My Media Matters newsletter included this video. The only issue I have with Jon Stewart's analysis is the 'blonde thing'. I started out as a blonde (and some say a brassy one at that) and contend that blondes aren't the only ones who have blonde moments. However, I'm with Jon that Gretchen Carlson's take is what my young friend, Latasha, would call "off the hook" and my reaction was pretty much the same as
Jon's.



* Keith Olbermann weighed in on Sarah's continuing Twitter addiction and her talent for not getting anything right by not checking her facts. BTW, her popularity rating is falling into the the dumper and you can read it here.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

* Please stop by and wish my dear, dear friend Naomi of Here in the Hills tomorrow as she celebrates her 79th Birthday. She is a doll and her blog is a wonderful read!!!

* When I was out on errands yesterday I drove by what was an empty storefront a few blocks from my home. It is now the campaign headquarters for my nice young Congressman, John Boccieri (D-Ohio). I pulled into their parking lot, went into the office and offered my assistance for the November election and met a friendly, enthusiastic group of younguns who welcomed me very kindly!!! This video explains why I'm supporting him along with all the great, much-needed infrastructure projects I saw while travelling last week:



* My dear friends Rain and Hal wrote the best commentary I've read on the McChrystal debacle here and here respectively. Fox news could take a page on "fair and balanced" from both.

Golly gee whiz!!! I have to get moving on other projects -- like packing and other assorted nonsense before Jeff arrives with supper. I'm taking my lil' netbook with me and will try mightily to keep y'all posted. I know y'all are wondering what the future holds for us and I will update you after our sojourn in Sanibel.

Hope y'all are having a great day!!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!!

Kay