7 posts tagged “politics”
Today Bill Clinton stumped for Hillary in my town. I arrived three hours early to ensure a good spot, and he was (predictably) about an hour late, so my poor aching back and my poor aching feet, oy vey.
But it was worth it. Bill gave a good speech. It wasn't bombast and cheerleading, it was very policy-wonkish and Clintonesque, and a good way to remind me why I'm for Hillary - it's the policy, not the charisma, that I favor.
The audience was heavily female, and I suppose the press would spin that negatively, but why? why? Why shouldn't women unite and vote for someone who will uphold their interests?
(Oh, and I shook Bill's hand! Squee!)
I'm voting for Hillary because of the breadth and depth of her experience, because her health care plan is the best one out there, and yes, because she's a woman. I wouldn't vote for her just because she's a woman, but my goodness, doesn't it help?
I trucked down to Washington DC on Saturday for the massive antiwar march. We were half a million strong, say the organizers, or "tens of thousands," say the media, or "easily over a 100,000" said some cops privately. Anyway, it was tremendously inspiring being with all these like-minded people, and knowing how many of our friends, families and co-workers supported our actions, even though they aren't the sort to attend a march.
I was annoyed with the media focus on the celebrity speakers. I know the news media is increasingly lazy and shallow, but it really hits home when you see how they report an event you've witnessed yourself first hand. Nobody in the crowd cared a rat's ass about the celebrities. We heard Jane Fonda speak and didn't even know it was her until we got home and read the wire stories. I suppose organizers book celebrity speakers for the precise reason of getting press coverage, but it's a damn shame everything becomes so Entertainment Weeklyish.
A special thank you to the National Museum for the American Indian for letting all the protesters use their bathrooms.
Last week my library had a public showing of An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore's documentary about global warming. The discussion after the film was basically hope versus despair. Do we have a future? What can one person do? How can we fight the power? The next morning, a patron called and me and suggested the library do a workshop on exactly what one person can do, not just on global warming but on social change in general.
This is exactly what libraries should be doing - providing a forum for people to connect with their community and become civically engaged. I have a little committee formed - I'm tempted to call it a cell -- to plan our program and change the world, one alderman at a time if necessary. I AM SO JAZZED. I love my library and I love my patrons.
Senator "Macaca" Allen conceded at 3:00 p.m. today, ensuring that the next Senate, as well as the House, will be controlled by the Democrats. I'm at work, so I must appear non-partisan, but I really wanted to do a happy dance right in the middle of the reference area. Finally, a chance to try to undo some of the damage done by Bush, Cheney and their evil cohorts.
Please, please, please, Dems, don't screw it up.
It's the morning after, and the Democrats have definitely won the House and probably the Senate as well. According to pollsters, opposition to Bush and particularly to his course in Iraq was the prime motivator this time around. The "values" crowd is perhaps discovering that peace is a value, too. It was particularly sweet watching Rick Santorum concede.
Sometime early in the year, Howard Dean was on The Daily Show predicting a Democratic win in November; Jon Stewart was skeptical. Seems only fair to make Mr. Stewart eat his words:
Old news already, but I was really impressed by Keith Olbermann's commentary on the death of habeas corpus. KO can be too mannered in his Edward R. Murrow impression, but in this clip he gets it right:
