Sweating The Small Stuff

It’s election night.
I’ve waited eight years for this.
Will Obama win?

Fire up the laptop
To check exit poll status.
Wait—no Internet!

Panic floods through me
Our new computer is broke
I feel sick inside.

And in the meantime
Obama makes history.
Someone please slap me.

I should feel glad but
Frustration curbs elation
Would yoga help me?


Read more haikus here.

Polarized

The other day, I struck up a conversation with a father of a son in Ethan’s autism therapy program. We talked about some things our sons struggle with due to their disability, such as playing team sports. It felt good to talk with another parent whom totally gets what my husband and I deal with on a daily basis.
Then the conversation moved onto our sons’ individual education programs at their public schools. “I was so happy to hear that Sarah Palin is going to mandate more clearly written IEPs,” he said. At the mention of her name, my smile froze. I left the building feeling a little shaky, and couldn’t get the image of him mentioning Palin’s name out of my head.
This conversation made me realize how polarized politics has made me. No matter how much I have in common with another person, if he or she mentions their support of the Republican party, I immediately feel a disconnect.
I didn’t used to be this way. When Bush won in 2000, I was disappointed—I’m a life-long Democrat. In those days, however, I was open to voting Republican if the candidate appealed to issues I cared about. I knew neither party was perfect—both suck up to special interests, which never help the average American.
In 2002, when Bush made the case for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, I believed him, and supported the invasion of a sovereign country. Then the day came when I felt betrayed by my president. It was July 2003. I was half-listening to NPR while making dinner and playing with Ethan. An NPR reporter stated that after searching the entire country, no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq. Anger bubbled over in me—I was duped.
Five years later, no one even mentions weapons of mass destruction as the reason we occupy Iraq. Since then, I’ve been counting the days for Bush and entourage to leave office. And, unfortunately, I don’t see much difference between McCain and Bush on issues I care about. The last thing I want is another four years of the same.
I bet my reasoning wouldn’t have much impact on this McCain/Palin supporting dad, no matter how much we have in common in day-to-day life. He’d probably have the same reaction to reading my blog as I did to hearing him say Palin’s name.
It saddens me that politics have so divided our country.

Upping the Ante

We talk politics.
We desperately want change.
But change may not come.

Turn on the TV
Watch mud distort the issues
And stall the campaign.

I need to act so
Sickening fear goes away.
I won’t be sidelined.

First I give money.
Then I read her story and
I need to do more.

I have been toying with the idea of volunteering for Barak Obama’s campaign for a while now, but the thought of giving up free time to talk to potential voters was less than appealing. Then I read A Mommy’s Story post about her husband’s unemployment and her family’s struggle to make ends meet in a shaky economy with poor job prospects and rising prices. I was more than impressed with her attitude and resilience in such a daunting situation. When she mentioned that she may volunteer for Obama’s campaign because “we all need to look beyond the hype and the superficial issues of this year's campaign and investigate the issues fully,” I knew I had to get off my domestic goddess arse and volunteer.

Click here to read more haikus.

What The DNC Did For Me

Four autumns ago

I got numb to politics.

I froze my anger.

Eight years of being

lied to left me cynical

beyond the cold pale.

The infighting and

scandals among Democrats

made me doubt their strength.

But Democrats got

it together in time

to fight for real "change."

I feel my anger

melting to make room for hope

and love of country.

Happy Labor Day weekend! Click here to read more haikus.

******

These photos depict how the DNC overtook Denver while it was in town. I've never seen this many people before on the 16th St. Mall. Photos provided by The Clothesline's Denver correspondent (i.e., my husband Terry on his lunch break.)

Let's Dare to Hope

By Tony Deligio


To truly hope, to feel that tomorrow will be better than today, and the next day perhaps more so, is rare, especially with regards to our politics. But this week, with Barack Obama mathematically clinching the nomination and heading to the general election versus John McCain—barring superdelegate obstruction—the feeling I have is distinctly hopeful.

Cynical, depressed, enraged, or shocked would have more aptly described my attitude toward our political leaders over the last eight years, with the prevailing attitude more recently being apathetic. But as Bush’s term wound down, those feelings coalesced into a determination to do something. I’ve never volunteered for any political campaign, but when Barack Obama pledged many months ago to forego lobbyist money, I was intrigued. Even so, when a local Obama office e-mailed plans for an organizational meeting, I was ready with any number of excuses. At the top of the message, however, a quote from the Illinois Senator stirred me:

“I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington…I’m asking you to believe in yours.”

I was sold, and when I arrived at the meeting, the Obama office was standing-room only with local organizers giving their spiel twice to cycle everyone through. I stayed in touch, and when Colorado’s caucus came, I attended as an observer since my independent registration meant I couldn’t participate. In years past, the caucus for my district had drawn tens, but that night, it was hundreds, with an entire cafeteria filled. Obama’s victory in my home district mirrored the roughly 60:40 win he garnered statewide against Hillary Clinton, and as I drove home, the radio reported similar victories throughout the country. From my bed I turned on the TV and caught the end of the senator’s victory speech, with one line in particular sticking with me:

“We are the change we have been waiting for.”

Indeed we are. The gross incompetence of the last eight years ultimately rests with the American electorate for being disengaged at best and outright apathetic at worst. A president who had his first term delivered to him by the Supreme Court, with the second coming with a 51% “majority” had rendered sweeping, destructive change on a country as if he had carried all 50 states, and all the while, many (including myself), simply tuned out.

My cynical side still mutters from time to time, “Washington is beyond hope…Obama’s words are uplifting, but race and class will keep America divided…” and on, and on, but this past Tuesday from Iowa, Barack Obama said…

“We are ready to believe again”

…and I’m hoping he is right.

Bumper Stickers

By Gertie Culpepper

Why do people feel the need to advertise their political/religious/etc. views on their vehicles? I distinctly remember back in the fall of '05 driving my husband's grandmother's Cadillac with the "Bush Cheney '04" bumper sticker on it from Ft. Worth to Austin. Every time a car would pass, I would instinctively put my hand up to cover my face and avert my gaze, so as not to make eye contact. There was no way I was going to let total strangers equate my face with Dubya's. NO WAY.
So, now it appears that Barack Obama has wrapped up the nomination. Unless, as John Harwood on Meet the Press said, "There was a secret poker game when Tony Rezko was paying Barack Obama to write Jeremiah Wright's sermons and to organize Muslim English professors for a new Weather Underground chapter, maybe Obama could be stopped." I then felt the inexplicable need to purchase my "Obama '08" bumper sticker. There are several styles to choose from on the various websites. The most popular one from the Barack Obama website is $3 each or 2 for $5. Before I made my purchase, I asked myself why I need a Barack Obama bumper sticker on my car. Why do I need random people to know my political or other views? Back in Indiana, I proudly had my John Kerry bumper sticker on my car (It kept falling off....fortuitous maybe?).

But, that was a different place and a different time. In Colorado, a largely Republican state, driving around a Kerry bumper sticker is a big "F#$@ YOU," especially after his downfall in 2004. Besides, I doubt if someone on the fence would look at my bumper sticker, look at me, my two beautiful children and my fancy-schmancy 1999 Saturn SL1 and say, "WOW! If SHE supports Obama, then I should too." So, I think I will keep my $3 this time, and hope people make the right choice, with or without my obvious support.