What a Difference a Year Makes

Two days ago I returned from a trip to visit my mother in Connecticut. As it happens, my last trip was almost exactly one year ago and it seems to me, as a non-resident, that there have been a lot of changes in that time.

Shortly after returning home last year – about a month later – I became aware of The Daily Kos and as a result there have also been big changes in my own awareness of how things stand in the US. But it is also true that my affiliation with DK has made me see things from a perspective that isn’t entirely reflective of how things appeared to me when I was actually there on this most recent trip.

The 2006 mid-term election seems to have brought the media up short and coverage now seems to be much more balanced and honest than it was on my last visit. In my own Congressional District (CT-5) a talented “youngster”, Chris Murphy, trounced the “unbeatable” Nancy Johnson. Murphy ran an excellent campaign and won despite the scepticism of many local Democratic Committees. Thank you Howard Dean and your grass-roots legacy – you have proved that the Democratic Party is still electable.

Back to the media – suddenly Wolf Blitzer sounds even-handed and not the pawn of a Republican media baron. He sounded absolutely companionable with Jack McCafferty. Even Chris Matthews seemed a tad thoughtful! Charles Gibson, disappointingly seems to be upholding the more Republican view – but in ever such a nice Charles Gibson kind of way! However, almost everybody seems to be biding time and fervently hoping that somehow the President can be stopped in his tracks and that Congress will do what it has to get the troops home. Some in the media are held hostage by the dilemma of the US having caused the debacle in Iraq, we have an obligation to stay until it’s sorted out – but I have the sense that most people see it as a never-ending quagmire that we will never be able to solve and so better to cut our losses and get out now. It’s really important that Congress steps up to the mark and the sooner the better. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid seem to be maintaining their popularity to the consternation of the Republican mafia – one just hopes the rest of Congress has the balls to see this thing through and do what they’ve been elected to do. They will be out next time if they don’t. Unless one is particularly interested in politics most Americans would rather ignore the Presidential Hopefuls – except for Barack Obama who attracts enthusiastic crowds wherever he goes.

I also noticed a big change in attitudes toward Green Issues. Possibly this is due to the violent and unpredictable weather the US has been suffering. But most likely this is due to the work Al Gore has done and his film An Inconvenient Truth. Even so, it doesn’t seem to have dented the American enthusiasm for the SUV – loads of those still creeping up behind me! I was surprised that the price of gas was so high – but why should I be – no election this year. Still one ‘helluva’ lot cheaper than Europe – half the price.

The country is holding its collective breath and seems to want some real change. Its good to see ads on TV promoting single-payer health care. There is a lot of momentum building in the political arena, but I hope that by the time its time to vote again that the masses aren’t so numbed by boredom with it all that it will be impossible for them to become politically engaged.

I missed the debate between the Democratic hopefuls, but saw the Republican efforts. All the political pundits I saw seemed to think that both debates were similar in terms of effectiveness. No one really blew it. Rudy Guilliani, John McCain, and Mitt Romney came out on top. Of them all I agree most with the former mayor of New York, but I also liked the Governor of Wisconsin, whose name I can’t recall. He’s the only candidate of both parties who has actually outlined a plan for getting us out of Iraq – and no one I read or heard commented on that let alone discussed it. So much for someone who offers more than sound bites. And so it will go on, I’m sure.

About Jade Goody: My Two Cents

I don't watch Big Brother. I think it's stupid and I think it's a lie. It's called 'reality tv', but it's anything but 'reality'. At least the situation the contestents are in, is anything but real. But since they are in a 24/7 situation what is unreal becomes real for them and eventually their behaviour adapts to this bizarre reality and anything can and does happen. The contestants privacy becomes debased. Our Century's version of the Arena, the Colleseum. The name of the game is to see how badly events can be construed so as to observe whose behaviour becomes the most outrageous and ridiculous. And then the 'blame fun' can begin, because as everybody knows each of us is ultimately responsible for our own behaviour.

Jade's behaviour was terrible. She behaved as an agressive racist bully. The media salivated -- every newspaper and all the main channels carried the story. The public complained. Ratings soared.

In the aftermath, Jade was abashed, embarrassed, and ashamed of her behaviour -- at least I believe her. The media and Big Brother made her a star because they were charmed by her 'salt-of-the-earth' 'honest' personality. As a result she has made some good money and until now been very popular. It is possible all of that is now lost. I hope not, for her sake, as I think she is someone who can do a lot to help us all realize the impact our behaviour has on not only the world around us but the world at large.

Racism is broader than the color of someone's skin or one's religious belief. It's bigger than gender. Racism is everyday abuse, too. Whenever we call someone a Frog, or a Kraut, or a Chink, or Wog, or tell an Irish joke -- whenever we denigrate anyone, this is racism. And as often as not, this racism is born out of anger. Deep-rooted, unholy anger that hurts not only our victims but ourselves and those we love as well.

It seems to me that to condemn Jade Goody does not help. I've seen headlines referring to 'uneducated' girls -- well isn't this another denigration, another separation another kind of racism? I think that Jade is going to come out of this a far better and more insightful person that she was before she went into that outrageous house/hell-hole. We should all welcome that and not bully her.

No Blues Election Musings

Three cheers for the people! Finally some sense. And -- Happy Birthday Howard Dean. The old party officianados are trying to reassert their old authority -- but we are having NONE of it. The Democratic Leadership Council can go suck a lemon. They still can't/won't admit they were wrong, wrong, WRONG. You can't have a party of the people and then not be there for them. James Carville, shame on you.

The media has not come out at all well. The Fourth Estate has failed us and is still failing for the most part. Election night I watched Keith Olberman and Chris Matthews. Don't think much of the latter, but I'm in love with Keith Olberman -- completely KO'd!! For those who don't know him he has picked up the mantle of Edward R. Murrow and you can find him on MSNBC. (CNBC -- at least for election night coverage as broadcast in the UK.)

Been reading a lot about Nancy Pelosi. The things the media will say about a woman they would never say about a man! Segolene Royale in France is another instance of female-phobia. Anyway, good luck to you Nancy Pelosi. Gosh, if we could rid ourselves of our current executive branch she could become President!! What would that do to Hillary and all her careful planning. Rest assured, I'm sure there will be no due process to put that spanner in the works!

Most of all I am so relieved that the election happened, that there wasn't a diabolical coup d'etat. Another reason for having a healthy political landscape throughout 50 states -- much harder to rig an election without swing states.

Christmas next month. (Scream, Scream, Scream)