I can't figure out which is more frightening--that Arnold is California's governor or that W. was re-elected. I wake up in a cold sweat sometimes by the thought of it; other times I can't stop laughing about it. Despite Arnold's slashing of education budgets, W. takes the cake, I think. I can see how he won in 2000--people were tired of Clinton's pardoning everyone and having sex with everyone, and as a result Gore's inane campaign managers didn't utilize his tremendous record on the economy during Gore's final push. I also wonder how Lieberman may have harmed Gore's chances. And you have to hand it to W., he gives a rousing debate performance that appeals to the average Joe and Joleen. Then, to top it off, the damn ballot scandal in Florida where his brother is governor? Please. The republican power structure that was responsible for halting the recounts? Can you say "we hijacked an election"?
So that all makes sense. But the jaw-dropper to me is that he was re-elected---well after the tragedy of 9/11 and his subsequent assault on UN policy and bumbling inadequacies in Iraq. There were no weapons of mass destruction and Saddam is in prison. What are we doing?
So I'm surfing around the web and come across this cool website of stickers, t-shirts, and mugs with political statements on them, quotes from people like Gandhi, JFK, MLK Jr. My favorite one simply reads "86 43," 86 being the slang term to oust someone and that W. is the 43rd president. How could he have been re-elected? What will the remaining three years of his presidency hold? With O'Connor's retirement and two more rumored to be on the horizon, how will our lives change if he appoints three Supreme Court justices?
It's hard to imagine. When I'm not sickened by his policies, I can't stop trying to figure out how he did it (although George Lakoff sure knows---as he describes in his great book Don't Think of an Elephant). I forgot to mention--sometimes, when I wake up in that cold sweat, I have to run and check the paper to make sure that Potsy from Happy Days or Milli (from Milli Vanilli) haven't won a major election. Stranger things have happened. Can you say Jessie "The Body" Ventura?
Anyway, there are surely better ways (and easier on your car paint) to take action than slapping a bumper sticker on your car, but it's fun nonetheless. Visit the Don't Blame Me I Voted For Kerry site for the 86 43 products and other related cool things.
Getting off the soapbox now. Cheers.
4 comments:
Phong,
When I say I can't figure out how Bush won the re-election I am speaking tongue-in-cheek. I'm well aware of the conservative base here in California. Remember, though, that Kerry won the popular vote.
As for Arnold, I don't think he is the worst governor we could have. But people just want to like him for some reason, as if being anti-Arnold is being anti-American or something (again, a limiting, black and white only mentality of "either you're with us or against us"). For the record, Phong, I never said the man was evil. And I strongly disagree with your claim that California has no money. The wealth of this state is staggering. Problems with allocation and waste account for a lot of our problems.
And yes, I want to bash Bush because he went against the wishes of the U.N. And yes I want to bash Bush for many other reasons, only some of which I wrote in my original post. By the way, I read your blog about Asians being disregarded in the news, which I completely agree with. And you write that you are have a "conservative leaning because you are "a minority." Really?
In what ways does the Bush administration address the minority (as general as that term is) in America?
Phong,
You might want to check out my June 28 post and the link at the bottom about San Jose's Vietnamese American women in office. Also, it was under Gray Davis' administration that Democrat Sarah Reyes passed the Assembly Bill to make it law that grade school incorporate lessons and book content about Hmong contributions in the Secret War.
Even though I favored Bush, because he was more ethical than Kerry. I’m not in favor of the war in Iraq and wish that it would be over soon. I am also a democratic.
What you were stating was well understood and cleared. I could not argue with you on that, but to support your voice. Thanks for standing by minority groups.
Good job!
Mor
phong, some pretty strong statements that you made. i'm still trying to understand the connection with being a minority and having a conservative stance and what your definition of error on the side of liberals really is. sounds to me like you have pulled yourself from your bootstraps and now you feel that others should do the same. you have to remember that there are systems that are so embedded into our society that it takes laws like AB 78 to pass in order for Hmong History to be taught in our schools. that in itself was a fight. it shows that we have a voice. the direction that you take that voice is your own choice.
it's about empowerment. you empower yourself so that you can empower others to help themselves. yes, welfare programs and low income housing were created by the gov. but they have also been great stepping stones for those who wouldn't had have an opportunity. and yes, the gov. often uses the experiences of poor people to keep them in poverty. but if your a poor person, a minority, and you've made it to the other side, but forget where you came from, you need to look at the bigger picture.
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