Saturday, September 25, 2004

The Bloggy Doldrums

Seems the little band of Bloggers I hang out with and I are suffering from pre-election Blog ennui.
It sort of feels like that lag time between feeling sick and seeing what the doctor is going to diagnose--knowing help might be on the way, but then again, maybe not.
I feel like I'm resting up between playoff games- knowing that in the last few weeks before the election, I owe it to myself and those I care for to Blog concisely and convincingly about why Bush needs to go.
Last night, I had dinner with a Ph.D. psychologist and her husband, a Presbyterian theologian.
Midway through dinner she said, "What are we going to do about Bush? If he gets reelected, we are in trouble."
In Texas, it's more or less a given that Bush will win the state's electoral college votes, but my friend said, "He doesn't have to win San Antonio."
She's right.
I told her I planned to rent Fahrenheit 9/11 and show it to neighbors who are undecided. I'm neighborly, but I have never had the neighbors over, nor have I socialized with them in their homes. This time, however, I think it's important enough to break my penchant for privacy, just so they can see what kind of man Bush really is.

Each day, my e-mail brings me many lists that detail the lies, the incompetence, the arrogance and the criminal behavior of Bush and his administration. The horrible news has gotten to be so widespread and varied, I am lately at a loss as to which to write about.
The Bush people had what seems to be a strategy so ballsy, it's a miracle it's worked as well as it has. They have managed to corrupt, embezzle, force-feed or otherwise lie to the American public about so many things, their collective wrongdoing are so massive, they have diluted the outrage.
• Environmentalists are so mad at Bush's regressive, pro-business, pollution causing policies-that's the only issue they see.
• Balanced budget, healthy economy minded people are so mad about the deficit, that's the only issue they see.
• People who resent the lies Bush told us to get us into war with Iraq are too angry to see past that.
• Human rights activists still think Abu Ghraib detainee torture defines the sadistic nature of the Defense Department, and that's the issue they focus on.
• The unemployed and underemployed seethe at corporations getting tax cuts for outsourcing our jobs, and that's the issue they focus on.
• Globally minded Americans hate that Bush has created isolationist policies that endanger worldwide peace. That's their primary issue of concern.
• Gays, lesbians and tolerant people resent that Bush has created a wedge of fear and loathing against their basic human rights.
• Educators and parents seethe over "no child left behind" because they know it's rubbish.
• The 45 million Americans without health insurance, and the millions of elderly people whose prescription costs have risen resent Bush for saying one thing and doing another.
• Outrageous gas prices and Bush's well-known footsie playing with the Saudis have outraged another large segment of the population. That's their focus.
• Anti terrorists still think finding Osama Bin Laden should have been a priority over knocking out the benign, weaponless Saddam Hussein- and they resent Bush's distracting our troops and resources on the unwinnable Iraqi war and the forced occupation and costly rebuilding of Iraq. They think that issue is Bush's greatest failure, and it alone should be sufficient to oust him.
• First amendment proponents still are furious at Bush for the way he's avoided the press, muzzled dissent and refused to be accountable. That's their main beef.
• People who value fair play are outraged at the filthy lies, the harping on insignificant side matters, the blame game and the outrageous sums of money spent that Bush's race for reelection has displayed.

With so many areas to dislike, it's enough for people like me who resent Bush for all of the above to maintain basic civility toward his supporters.
Writing scathing critiques about a few issues at a time only dilutes the overall outrage.

So, yes, I can see why many Bloggers are in the doldrums.
We are resting up for the Main Event.

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