November 2010 archive

So the midterms are over and who gives a rat’s ass?  In the grand scheme of things, politics doesn’t amount to a pisshole in the snow.

Here’s what’s really important –

Watch it.  Then watch it again.

The US economy grew at an annualized rate of 2% in the July-to-September period, acceleration on the previous quarter, official figures have shown. The expansion came despite continuing high unemployment and weakness in the housing market. The 2% figure is an improvement on the upwardly revised 1.7% increase between April and June, but less than the 3.7% growth recorded from January to March. The Federal Reserve suggested last week it would do more to boost the economy. To do this, the Fed – the US central bank – is expected to announce next month that it will resume quantitative easing – injecting fresh money into the economy through the purchase of government bonds. Compared with the preceding quarter, the US economy grew by 0.5% between July and September. The economy is continuing to experience a slow recovery by historical standards, with the unemployment rate at 9.6% and Americans increasingly nervous about the future.

The shows had been dull on the Main Stage the last two years. Predictable. Polite. Passe. Pat. So much so, that the audience, hungry for a not-trite answer, a thrill, any stimulation at all started attending all the little Side-stage productions that popped up. Ah, there it was, all the drama, the blood, the titillating sleazy sexiness that had been missing from the slow, dull plod of the main stage. Meanwhile, those hungry for a more intelligent play, one based on humanity, justice, honor and true love drifted away unsatisfied by either stage. They knew there was nothing for them here anymore.

Something is always better than nothing, when it comes to feeding an audience.

It was inevitable that the hate-porn charlatans would storm the boards of the hallowed hall of the Grand Theater and demand their shows be Top Billing. Goodbye Shakespeare, hello American Gladiators. Goodbye Dickens and Hemingway, hello Gaga.

The Puppet was dismayed, of course.

So far, it looks like nearly half the Blue Dog Dems have been kicked out of office.  That’s a much higher percentage of Dems than the Progressive Caucus lost tonight.  I think it speaks loudly to why the Dems got their butts kicked today.  This wasn’t Americans turning to the Republicans, which polls show Americans hate worse than Dems.  This was Americans turning away from the Blue Dogs.  The ones who sold us out to the corporatists.

This opens up some serious opportunities for progressives if we can capitalize on them two years from now.  Without incumbency to aid them, the Dem Machine – which will be bringing more Blue Dogs to the table to replace the ones they lost – will have to win primaries against progressive alternatives in every Blue Dog seat.

Two years from now, progressives can make huge gains at the cost of the corporatists.  Provided, of course, that we can insure the elections aren’t rigged and we can come up with actual progressives to run fopr those Blue Dog seats.

Then, when we take back Congress, we won’t have the Blue Dogs aiding and abetting Republican obstructionism.  That’s more than just a silver lining in the dark cloud of todays elections.  That’s an opportunity for Progressives to take the Democratic Party back from Wall Street.

1) Take $4 Million dollars and split it down the middle

2) Give one half to Democrats and another to Republicans

3) Tell the candidates you paid in campaign contributions to vote whatever way is beneficial to you and your future profits or else you won’t give them anymore money.

And that’s how a Bill, becomes a law.

For those of you who used your wealth and power for no higher purpose than to plunder and pillage the Earth – the reckoning is coming.

And those of you who used the power of our public airwaves to spread lies and hatred, dividing the people among themselves, to serve no other purpose but that of the greedy and powerful – the reckoning is coming.

And especially for those of you who were chosen by the people, under the sacred principles of democratic self governance, to serve us and, instead, used that power and responsibility bestowed upon you against us – the reckoning is coming.