As election day grows nearer, the anger factor is reaching a fever pitch in almost every aspect of life. It’s a shame we can’t channel all this pent up energy into something other than global heating, which only makes the greenies angry and adds to the problem. At least Mama Nature is helping by dropping the temperature a few degrees and making it feel more like fall than the endless summer. Hopefully, we’ll get some precipitation soon as well, before the planet bursts into flames from spontaneous combustion.
Where shall I start? Well, there’s the presidential sweepstakes, the biggest target. Democrats are angry at President Obama for rolling over at the first debate. Sputtering pundits across the land point out that El Prez could have called Gritty Mitt on a number of issues that he has waffled on. Republicans, although ecstatic over finally landing a punch in the contest, are angry that The Flipper sounded more like Nellie Rockefeller than The Gipper. (What did he mean, saying he would work with Democrats?!) The right is also furious about the latest jobs numbers, led by former GE kingpin Jack Welch. Although they gladly accept the Bureau of Labor stats when it works to their advantage, now there are cries of book cooking. (More heat!) The chattering class is mad at debate moderator Jim Lehrer for not keeping the candidates in line, and not defending his fellow PBS commentator, Big Bird, from being thrown into the budget-cutting stew.
Across the boiling sea, anger is a way of life. Pissed off Muslims, egged on by Al Qaeda, are still giving bad reviews to an amateur movie that no one has even seen. Four Americans, including an ambassador, are dead and embassies still smolder from the fires of religious hatred. The State Department is under fire for not heeding the pleas for more guns on the ground, and Darrel Issa’s hatchetmen are gathering kindling to do a Joan of Arc number on Susan Rice and Hillary Clinton. The Syrians are mad at each other, resulting in a vicious civil war that has now angered the Turks. The Israelis are mad at the Americans for not bombing the shit out of the Iranians. The Iranians are mad at their mullah masters for wrecking their economy to make nuclear power that might be be made into bombs.
There are continuing riots in Spain, Greece, and anywhere else where the failure of governments has led to crippling austerity and chronic unemployment. Everyone blames the smart and thrifty Germans for not ponying up more euros to pay for their incompetence. The Germans are mad at having to gut their own economy to prove that they are not Nazi racists. The English are mad at the Italians for printing photos of Duchess Kate’s royal boobs. The French are fondling the wallets of their well-to-do citizenry in an effort to keep their own people from burning Paris, which even the Germans were reluctant to do.
Here in Northern California, you’d think everyone would be happy, at least while both bay area teams are in the playoffs, but no! Oakland fans are furious at management’s refusal to remove the tarps of unsold seats at the Colosseum. (Just when they thought they were there, there still is no there there!)
In Sacramento, progressives and unions are mad at the erratic and pragmatic Governor Jerry for not signing every feelgood budget-sucking socially-just bill that crossed his desk. Voters in our neck of the woods are mad at Assembly-Senate wannabe dimbulb Dan Logue for refusing to show up at debates. (How can you be in two offices at once when you’re nowhere at all? Or maybe Texas.)
And here at home, we seem to finally have an issue to get mad about. There is grumbling over the two sales tax initiatives in GV and NC. Will the money go to needed services, or to pay for more exec salaries and pensions? This has been brought to light on Jeff Pelline’s blog, with some help by former GV mayor Mark Johnson. Such scrutiny is a good thing, and much more of an issue than whether Jan Arbuckle was endorsed by the Republican party. See? Who says I can’t be nice sometimes? There’s only so much anger to go around.
I would participate in Jeff Pelline’s discussions, but he has censored my most recent posts. Crabbman – life is good. Time is short to be mad at everyone. We can have respectful disagreements, but the constant attacking others in the community and nationally is a drag.
I agree, Barry. That’s why I’m spending way more time absorbing the playoffs than trying to read the debate’s goat entrails.
This silly election can’t come soon enough. Things will be much better afterwards, anger-wise anyway.
I agree. I have grown quite tired of the constant arguing and negativity, as it is completely outside my character. I have to admit that I do have one fatal characteristic flaw – I abhor dishonesty, and it is difficult for me not to respond to outright misrepresentations. It took a while, but I finally feel back to normal and can let the lies go. It is just a part of some people’s character – and I have no desire to continue being the honesty police officer.
I know that you will disagree, but I went to high school in Cincinnati , college in Ohio and Kim is from Reds’ country (northern KY), so we will be watching the Reds tonight as you watch the Giants. It should be a great series!
No problem, Barry. We can agree to disagree on Reds v. Giants.
I like Dusty Baker’s take on all things San Francisco:
“This is my home. People know that I’m from here and my wife is from here. I still live here part time. I just like the people here. I like the attitude. I like people doing their own thing, but basically not hurting anybody, and it’s just kind of my crowd of people. I grew up with half of the people around here, and my relatives are from around here.”
Bad start in both Detroit and San Francisco. Ugggh.
Tomorrow is another day…
http://youtu.be/kjxSCAalsBE
If the GV and NC sales taxes go into the cities’ general funds, then of course they will be used to soften the pain of past transgressions, and therefore reduce the strength of feedback that might prevent future transgressions. The politician’s tactic is always ‘I’ll take the spending benefits up front, and be out of office when payment comes due.’ It was ever thus.
Yes, there are a great number of really pissed off people in this country but they apparently not yet angry enough to mount the kind of offensive it will take to get the attention of those entities who are responsible for the decline of this nation and ultimately the rest of the world. But as long as we have the mindless distractions such as NASCAR, American Idol, Tosh Point O, and the mountains of misinformation and misdirection coming from our elected leaders, it will never change. And that’s just the way the ubiquitous “they” want it to be. As long as we allow our attention to be drawn away from the issues that really matter, we will remain a divided population. Aesop supposedly coined the phrase “United we stand, divided we fall.” It has never been more true.
“Theu’re rioting in Africa…” ~Kingston Trio~ circa 1962
Isn’t it ironic that the Kingston Trio classic is still relevant today? It makes me wonder if we as a society are moving forward or are stagnating. In view of the situation with Iran, there’s another great tune written and performed by Tom Lehrer, “Who’s Next” found here: http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_56935/tom-lehrer/tpx_1439042. Some songs have endured through time and the tune that comes to mind with the Iraq/Afghanistan wars is “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” from the Civil War and if failing memory serves, was originally an Irish war song, “Johnny We Hardly Knew Ya”. People have a tendency to enjoy but ignore the truth in political cartoons, satirical lyrics to songs and poems, and the voices of personalities such as Jon Stewart for own, considering them frivolous and silly. To paraphrase an old saying, “We would cry if we couldn’t laugh.” Truth, the REAL truth is everywhere if we just choose to stop, look, and listen…just like at a railroad crossing. No sane person would take the chance of getting T-boned by an oncoming train would they? Why then would we ignore the signals ringing loudly in our ears that something is very wrong in this country. The train is coming.
Indeed it is. It took a week of mom and doing nothing in the house for the three daughters to get the message, on tv this morning.
Or the Austalian equivalent:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPFjToKuZQM
I am still mad at Teddy Roosevelt for taking all the credit at San Juan Hill. Heck, it sounds like he took the hill himself and most of us Rough Riders were just spectators. My kid is still mad at the Kaiser and my great grand kids are still mad at the Russian basketball team for stealing the gold at the 72 Olympics. What chaps my hide the most is I have to still work every day to support all the great great great grand kids and their lazy spouses.
Robert,
Your comment reminds me of an old beat up Bronco I saw yesterday coming off the Ridge. It had 2 bumper stickers. The bumper sticker on the left side said “If You Can’t Feed ‘Em, Don’t Breed ‘Em.” The one on the right was the old classic I hadn’t seen in a while: “Gas, Grass, or Ass–No One Rides For Free.”
Perfect.
Michael A.
A cogent commentary on the dichotomous relationship between what we believe and how we act. I am convinced that much of our political division is cause by our inability to understand either.
Michael, you must have been behind my grand pappy. I don’t mind supporting him and his dad, but I can’t stand it when he bitches about the lousy food serving under Andy Jackson and his brother is still mad about raising the post stamp to 3 cents. Its a real downer.