September 29, 2023

Aha. Yes yes

Didn't catch that first time. You are right!

Example from local news. Reporting on Ohio district maps. They said the old map heavily favored "one party". Is it that hard to just SAY it.

They do need to just say it. Republicans cheat.

December 29, 2018

I don't know what we do.

The people of Central and South America are suffering. Children are starving. Out of desperation fathers drag their children through days, weeks, months of walking toward any beacon of hope they can find. Little children, walking for days without food or water in the north Mexican desert. They arrive at a border station already half dead.

These are our neighbors. Instead of mobilizing support to save people in need, we put up a President who calls these fathers rapists, throws hungry frightened children into cages, and treats mothers like they are nothing but whores.

Why in the fucking blue ass hell are Americans of any sort going on about our daily business? What has happened to us? Did this country ever have any decency? Was it my imagination?

I am here watching my husband die by millimeters, trying to enjoy the love of my life for what weeks or months we are fortunate to get. But all around me everything I worked for all my life is going to shit. How do I sit this out? How can I not grab my pitchfork and yell until my voice is gone?

Our neighbors are desperate. It is not just the damn wall. It is the lack of action. The refusal to give aid.


All I can think of is loading up my car with food and water and driving to the border. What would happen if enough of us did?

My husband can't travel. He's on chemo and needs me here. I can't be 2 places at one time. What am I to do?

April 7, 2018

Walmart's Fight Hunger Campaign

Press Release Here




They do this every year and I'm glad they are doing something (which is better than nothing). Various Suppliers and the bank that underwrites Walmart's credit card are kicking in too. This is all better than nothing.

Walmart's Net Profit in 2017 was $13.6 BILLION
Starting wages in it's US operations are around $12 hourly.


Walmart's employees and their families are at the top of the list when it comes to people with food insecurity. Walmart is gigantic. They have incredible potential to change the world. They have ... for the worse.

If the Walton family really gave one single iota about making the world a better place... they can simply start with raising wages and benefits for all employees, all over the world. And demand the same from their suppliers. They would fight for better environmental standards in the countries their goods are made and improved human rights.

They have the power... just use it.

March 8, 2016

I had an abortion at 7 months pregnant in 1978.

It was after extensive consultation with my doctor and my husband. My husband drove me 6 hrs away to find a clinic that did them that late. We paid for a hotel room nearby.

Although I am sometimes sad about never having children I will never regret my decision. I feel grateful often that some medical people somewhere close enough for me to access, was willing to do what needed to be done. That kind of work had to be hard on them. They were compassionate, skilled and probably saved my life.

It was hard enough as it was. A torturous decision. Why..... WHY....... does anyone in government.......... anyone in the whole world...... think they have any right to make it even harder than it has to be. WHY would anyone demand that I be forced to carry until the actual moment of life threatening emergency takes place.... when the odds of me surviving would be so much less having lived in a very rural area? WHY add more expense, invasive ultrasounds and waiting periods to the agony already present in such a decision?

WHY - WHY - would anyone think they have a right to make a medically necessary procedure illegal.

You have no say. It's not your baby. It's not your body. You are not my doctor. The whole lot of you who think the ban is a fair compromise are so far in the wrong it's ridiculous.

I hope to God none of you ever face a decision like that.

March 4, 2016

Leaving the kids out of politics.

I can remember the pundits trashing a President's children (or the candidate) is Amy Carter and the trashers were pretty well put down. But it happened long before that.

Garfield's kids were "holy terrors". Truman threatened to punch a critic of his daughter in the nose. Lincolns boys were accused of running wild and peeing on the floor. When the monkey pic came out of Cruz's kids we had a collective fit. When someone trashed Obama's kids they were forced to resign. We refuse to tolerate either the bullying of the children, or the assumption a child's personality or choices reflects on the candidate.

But the flip side seems to be more acceptable. Admiring a candidate who has beautiful, intelligent and well behaved children. The assumption made the children are a reflection of the parent.

Looking at the adult children of a candidate to speak to the character of the candidate seems to get mixed reviews. When the adult kids campaign for the parent they are fair game IMHO. When they stay out of the fray I think they should be off limits. Good or bad.

And if we are going to decide Obama and Michelle are amazing people partly based on how wonderful their daughters are (ad they are wonderful) then I think it's fair game to wonder about the leadership skills of a candidate who's daughter wants to flick him away (Ted Cruz) or a candidate who's adult children are on the campaign trail and like to unwind at the end of a day by slicing open wildlife (Donald Trump).

Flame away.

February 20, 2016

I honestly don't care what they did 40-50 years ago.

if you guys were judging me based on who I was and what I did in 1960 something you'd probably not be so impressed either. You would hope someone who's been around that long would grow and improve over time but EVERYONE evolves in some way.

In 1960 something I was just as full of narrow minded prejudiced backwards thinking as the rest of my social group. Thank the gods my parents saw fit to bring an exchange student from Hong Kong into our house and into our school. It made a big difference. Once I got out of that town and away from home my true open, accepting and inquisitive nature really blossomed.

I would expect that and much more from someone who's been bumping around in DC for awhile.

February 15, 2016

My dreams of rainbow colored unicorn farts.

I was raised in the eastern hills of Kentucky on a 200 acre generational family farm near a dinky little town not even most Kentucky people ever heard of. We just got a stop sign last year.

I have a LOT of wing nutz in my family. Some even believe Obama killed Scalia and plans to start up a war on our soil so he'll never have to leave office. Otherwise sane, functional human beings. Obama the big black boggieman will live on in infamy with some of the racist jerks in my family. Nothing said or done will convince them. Alex Jones is a prophet.

But - nearly all of them are disgusted with the Republican party. A good many now agree Bush lied us into war. They agree the corporations and wall street is a menace. They are sick of DC politics that reward investors and speculators and punish actual work. It's their biggest issue this time out. Not guns, not gays, not abortions. Even racism is secondary. It is all about the economics. Even the healthcare debate is all about the economics.

They mostly like Trump but some of them, astonishingly, are listening to Bernie. Undecided, but listening. Most are in the anyone but Hillary camp, but they don't seem to mind Bernie "the commie socialist" to quote my sister in law.

And so we get to my fantasies of rainbow colored unicorn farts. Where we actually end up with a Trump vs Bernie general election. Turnout shoots up to 80% of registered voters and the lines of cars waiting to find a parking spot at the polling place go for miles. No matter how you slice it, it puts DC on notice the American people are pissed as all get out. Bernie wins. America wins.

You may now laugh or flame as is your pleasure.

February 7, 2016

Dear Hillary, you are wrong about the ACA.

In the last debate you said

With respect - you are wrong. Aside from the fact no one is talking about tearing it up and having nothing...... NOW is the time to have this contentious debate. People are suffering under the weight of sheer greed all along the line in providing medical care. '

People are suffering under the weight of the sheer greed at the top - period.

For the last 30+ years I've watched administration after administration sell out the workers of this country. Your husband was one of the Presidents who participated in the "race to the bottom". The intent may have been to benefit workers but the opposite has happened. Investors have done fine. Workers have suffered. Worldwide.

I understand you want us all to just behave and take whatever the elite decide to give us. NO I WILL NOT. I will yell and scream and bitch and moan and fight with my last breath if that is what it takes to get a government that represents "We the People." ,

February 6, 2016

I don't fucking care how much they paid her.

You can bet if I had the star power to get paid $157 Million a year to talk for 15 - 20 minutes every couple months then I'd do it in a heartbeat and not apologize for it. She shouldn't be asked to.

Here's my problem with this.

1. "I'm not establishment."

Yes you the fuck are. Own it. Market it. You are claiming you have the inside track to get shit done where Bernie can't. Ya, well, that means you are establishment. You've got people paying you a shitload to talk. Just market the fact you have a close relationship with big money guys and plan to use that for the common good. Quit your bullshit over this.

2. "I'll look into it."

Really? You plan to function as Commander in Chief with that lack of decisiveness? Bull effing shit. YOU are the kind of person not afraid to tell a Secret Service agent to fuck off when they've earned it. I have no doubt whatsoever you could practically rip the gonads off Vladimir. You are as tough a woman as I've ever heard of and I respect that about you. So stop with the crap.

Yes I understand part of the deal with politician is the BS. THEY need to understand that we are sick of it. Yes we do need someone capable of triangulating and outmaneuvering the bad actors in the world but you can't go around bullshitting the people you want to work for. Not on this kind of stuff. If you do, we won't believe we can trust you to do what you say you'll do.

And that is my problem with Hillary. For all her talents and potentials... and she has MANY.... I just don't trust her to come through for me and mine. I'll vote for her in the general if I have to because I think she'll hurt me less than the Republicans.

Not exactly the best endorsement.

January 21, 2016

How to buy my vote. (Rant warning)

My vote is indeed for sale but my vote is not cheap or easy. The rules apply whether you are running for a position that is local, state or federal.

All you have to do in convince me of 4 things.

* That you will keep your fingers off things in my life that are not government business.
* That your ideas are the ones that will solve problems at my kitchen table that can only be solved by government.
* That you are capable of getting those ideas implemented or at least move us considerably closer to achieving them.
* That you will actually get it done instead of bait as switch.


This isn't rocket science and should not even need to be said. Unfortunately every election cycle it seems every candidate and their assorted minions think it necessary to beat me over the head with death panels, scary brown people, how other candidates had a pimple on their butt in 1974 or how THEY are the only candidate that can save me from a killer asteroid that is right now barreling down on my house at 4 zillion miles an hour.

Instead why don't you spend you time on telling me what's in my food and water and how you'll keep it safe for me to eat and drink? (Flint MI anyone) Why don't you tell me the truth about the last financial crisis and the truth about the next one coming up and how you are going to keep the predators from screwing us all over again. Why don't you tell me how you are going to get the blood sucking vermin out of the health care industry. Why don't you tell me how you are going to convince the economic predators to lighten up and send a little of that wealth back to the bottom and middle for their own good and ours. Why don't you tell me how you'll keep the rapists and drug dealers out of the local park so I can go over there for an evening stroll without worrying about beating off shitheads. And while you are at it, tell me how you plan to make sure the local police don't shoot everything in a hoodie that moves.

Close rant.