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In the minivan driving yesterday, and my RW-ish wife was grousing about the debt counseling course we have to take for our bankruptcy filing. I'm deflecting, acknowledging, and not trying to open up any political discussions or minefields. "Yes, dear." "I know it's stupid, dear." "Yes, I lost my job and there are none to be found, we didn't lose our minds, dear."
Etc., etc., etc.
Then she pops off with, "Was this Bush's idea?"
I almost had to stop the van, look around, and see if there were hidden cameras anywhere. My wife? Said that?
I didn't try to seize high ground and advance. Just said something like, "Well, yes, Bush signed it. Orrin Hatch was one of the key people pushing the BARF Act. Mostly Republicans, but also some Democrats were onboard."
There are times when I'm thinking about the Big Three of Bankruptcy: Job Loss, Medical Bills, and Family Breakup. Sometimes one starts, a second one is triggered, then the third one hits.
If I dwell on it too much, I think there's no way our marriage will survive. She'll get to ranting about Obama and the Democrats, I'll point out the sins of the GOP back to Reagan, and anytime I blame Reagan for anything it produces a venomous reaction from her. And with that the fight's on.
I don't even have to say anything, and almost daily she's griping about the outsourcing of jobs. I tell her that I feel like any contact over at the unemployment office is just a placebo the state is throwing people to stave off full scale revolution. She's even talking in terms of what if we had to live in the van or in a tent outdoors somewhere. We would joke about it, but the joke feels like it's faded a bit into acceptance of a possible reality.
At times, talking to my wife, I feel like I'm dancing on a wire suspended between buildings without a net. But, yesterday gives me some hope.
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