Thursday, October 9

Politics that make me want to puke

I'm getting ready to glaze. Everything that has texture on it is stained. I usually use mainly RIO to stain, but this mix has some other stuff in it, and so will probably be a little more on the black side. Could be nice. I have lost three of my platters from cracking. Really frustrating because of the time involved in them. Fortunately two I discovered before bisque, and so can reuse the clay, this one cracked during bisque. I really like the platter, so I am going to glaze it anyway and use it for myself. I refuse to sell items with s-cracks, so it's really disappointing when this happens.

So I'm really pissed and disgusted with the McCain campaign. I try to keep my political opinions to myself to keep my blog pretty neutral, but things are just going too far. You know, I don't think the Republican party in itself is evil. I personally hold a lot of opinions that could be deemed Republican. I'm a huge believer in personal responsibility. This bailout makes me sick. It also really annoys me that homeowners who made very bad financial decisions and are now paying the price for their bad decisions with huge mortgages and foreclosures, might be bailed out by the government (although if you are waiting for that, I wouldn't hold my breath because if the government had any intention of doing so, I feel they would have included it in the bailout bill). We own a home, we are struggling, but because we stayed within our means and so are barely getting by, there will be no bailout for us. I am already considering suing someone if/when I find that the government begins forcing banks to refinance peoples loans at lower interest rates. I don't see why our being responsible and exercising common sense should not entitle us to the same treatment. I'm sick of listening to the irresponsible cry foul.

I usually vote Democratic, but am not opposed to voting Republican. I voted Republican for George Bush's first term. It didn't take long for me to realize I had made a huge mistake and was desperate to get him out before his second term. So, that's all sad, bloody water under the bridge now. I vote Democrat, even though I hate in many ways, the groups and entitlement mentality that this often aligns me with. But I can't stomach the idea of aligning myself with the narrow minded, religious fanatics, corrupt wealthy CEO's and racists.

If you've been paying attention at all to this campaign it should be clear that McCain is sort of disgusted by Obama. I don't know of any personal history that should justify his distaste. It is very clear to me however, by his language, demeanor and behavior toward Obama. One can only guess what that distaste might arrise from. Anyone who refers to someone, a human being, as "that one" has shown a disregard for that person as a human being. It is not very far off from refering to him as "you boy". That? Are you kidding? What does he think he's doing, shopping for a sofa? Yes, I'll take that one.

You all probably know this, but two days ago, at a rally where Palin was using her prowess and wit to excite her political base, someone shouted out, in reference to Obama: to kill him. Imagine that. Kill him! Kill him! Nice huh? At the same rally, one of the nice, God-loving, attendees told a black cameraman to "sit down boy" and called him a racial name. No one is saying the name out loud of course, and since I only know one I'll have to guess that it was nigger. So someone calls a black cameraman a nigger, and tells him to "sit down boy". Maybe he should have said, sit down "that one", and maybe it wouldn't have made such big news (although there is still that n-word hanging out there). You know, it could be argued that these comments were not heard by Palin at the rally, but unless they spent the next 24 hours with their heads crammed into eachothers asses, then they should know about them now, and should have made a public apology for them, making it very clear that they did and do not condone them. I hope we still might see that, my guess is that we will not.

Afternote: I heard the next day that McCain has condemned some negative comments that have been made, but I heard it as third hand news so know no specific details of what he said. Just thought I should update my post with that.

10 comments:

T.Gray said...

DW, I registered Democrat in 1968 and have voted that ticket for the most part ever since. I'd rather give it all away to people in need than give it to people who are gonna take what we have and screw us with it. The last good Republican president was Dwight Eisenhower, who said, "don't allow the industrial/military complex to run this country." Reagan began dismantling all the good things that had been built up, although tricky Dick was downright frightening. I too agree with McCain's possibly being a racist. And Palin - this has got to be some kind of joke on the people of the USA. Someone said we need to start running the presidential race more like the Miss America pageant. At least in that contest there are 50 people to choose from! Obama doesn't have all the answers, and to be honest, I think we need to stop thinking that our government in general does have ANY answers. If we started looking out for JUST the people whose faces we see in our local communities, and they us, we probably wouldn't be so concerned with what all those buttheads in DC are up to, 'cause we wouldn't need 'em. Amen.
Tom

Linda Starr said...

Hi Deborah, I have had problems with my plates and casseroles warping and a few cracks on the rims. I started wadding them for the bisque load and now have more success. I wonder if wadding would help with cracks on the bottoms. If you try wadding just be sure to use enough wads to really support the piece. It's worked for me.

Anonymous said...

Crack is a bad thing...

In response to post below - I have a vintage pea coat myself :) I had to laugh at the blog post you referred to.

I missed Tuesday's debate because I had a meeting to go to, but my husband told me McCain came off as an Ass with a capital "A". The last time I voted Republican was when Reagan was in the running and it was my first election when I was old enough to vote.

I think the McCain/Palin ticket is incredibly off the mark and the prospect of these two winning is frightening. I stirred up the pot last Friday with some friends when I said that I didn't support the bailout at all. While I think the resulting turmoil of not having any kind of recovery would be incredibly difficult and painful, I do believe that it would put our country on a new track. It would force a new type of sustainable government and business model. Even after the bailout package was approved, it doesn't seem to be having quite the confidence restoring effect that the govt. thought it would have.

I also realize this is a global issue, but you can't prop up the economy on bad business practices - truly a house of cards.

I can only hope that Obama/Biden win the election next month - I'm not sure that their policies are totally right on, but I do think that Obama has progressive ideas that will be good for all. I am buoyed by the hope that he's leading in the polls, but the proof will be in the pudding.

Judy Shreve said...

Cracks are so annoying!! But aren't you happy you can re-use your leatherhard clay - now that's progress. And I'm looking forward to seeing your birdhouse glazed.

As for the campaign - I've been a (frustrated) Democrat for a long time. I'm constantly amazed that Bush was re-elected and that McCain is doing as well as he is. Surely the people living in this country can't think Palin would make a good VP -- or heavens - president?!
There's not enough room in this box to type all my thoughts -- good thing. I hadn't heard about the rally comments.

I can only hope that we have an intelligent group of folks voting in November.

Ben Stark said...

Crack is indeed a bad thing :)

To be honest--I don't think I am voting at all. I really don't want either of them to be president, and the longer this campaign goes on, the more disgusted I am with both sides. I consider myself a conservative on many issues, and I hate big government, but I am never going to align myself with either of the two parties we have. I think that most Americans are moderates, and in this election, there is nothing for the middle.

The bailout is the biggest crock of shit I've ever heard of, and I can't believe that this country would allow personal responsibility to take a back seat to government intervention. Rant over.

Deb said...

I think my big problem with the Republican party, is that it is SUPPOSED to stand for small government-but it doesn't. At least not since I've been paying attention. I mean, look at today. The Bush administration is auctioning off slots at the NY airport, Kennedy, or whichever one. Now, this is not legal from what little information I have, but they said they are doing it anyway. Whatever. One small, small drip in an overflowing bucket of government intervention and dismissal of the law from this administration.

It's my opinion that the Republican party stands for one thing, and one thing only: big business and the wealthy executives that buy the republicans seats for them. But guess what? There's not enough wealthy business execs to elect a president-they need more people-enter the rhetoric and idealogy(sp?). Let's tell the people that we also stand for unborn babies, God, guns and an extreme hatred for gays. That sure increases your customer base doesn't it? But they don't really give a shit about all the little peons out there. I truly believe this. My guess is that they are laughing all the way to the bank. The Republican party is so deep into the pockets of the big corporations, like oil for instance, it is frightening. I won't go on anymore.

Anonymous said...

I was raised in a family of Goldwater Republicans, but as an adult, I switched parties. Several friends left the lending business in the last ten years because of loans approved for potential clients who really couldn't afford them. These people were told they qualified; no, they weren't financially savvy. Had they been, they never would have applied for a loan. My friends were ashamed of starting a process that would cause a future bankruptcy. I've seen a mom who had a choice between putting her child in a medical home or taking welfare to stay home caring for him. There are abusers, but usually, it's balanced by those who should use the system but do not. Instead of the Bell Curve, it's called the Hockey Stick. A minority abuse a system, a minority ignore the system, most of the rest fall somewhere in between. As for fair/unfair - I've learned they're only manmade concepts (survive level 4 melanoma only to be hit by a car and life actually is easier). Sorry to go on; I found your blog tonight from another clay blog, and found your musings thoughtful and thought provoking.

Deb said...

Hi Anonymous-thanks for stopping by and also for leaving a comment. I am glad there is a system here, theoretically designed to catch people when they fall. Sadly, I have know too many people who are career abusers of the welfare system. It is often not easy to get the benefits if you really need them, and these people know what lies need to be told. I have sadly witnessed, more than once, people legitimately needed help, rather desparately, and discovered gross and unfair rules that they did not know how to jump around. The career abusers, often raised in a family of career abusers, know these systems well.

A quick example. did you know that in New Hampshire, if your daughter moves in with you temporarily with her young child, and tries to apply for Healthy Kids Insurance and other benefits, that they count the grandparents income, and so the child, who is not your responsibility to financially raise, is deemed unqualified...however, if the daughter was living with the boyfriend, said father of this child, his income is not counted as long as they are not married. Is that screwed up or what? Who would have know in advance to formulate a lie about something so insane, and who wants to have to lie for legitimately needed help. Sorry, ranting. I'm really wound up lately. Thanks for stopping by.

Blaine M. Avery said...

right on Deborah......
Blaine

Deb said...

Hi Blaine and Laura-thanks for reading!