Don't Ask, Don't Tell...Don't Get Me Started and other political musings

The Tea Party
How to make tea: steep for five minutes, then discard; or, if you are able, compost. Unfortunately, you can't compost the shit the Tea Party is coming out with. So they can have their five minutes and come November, let's discard them. Everyone is all atwitter about them changing the GOP, but I have to agree with Ed Shultz on this issue and believe they will go away. It will go one of two ways in November either: a) they get eaten by Democrats (they don't get in) or b) they get eaten by their own (once they get to the Senate they are going to have to play by the GOP's rules because that's where the money is). Hopefully, it goes the way of the former rather than the latter, because the idea of a Republican majority is repugnant. However, the fact that this reactionary movement is getting national attention and winning primaries still worries me. Fear mongering, implicative rhetoric, and bigotry are ill disguised within the party's platform of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets. Sarah Palin is on constant tirade about "taking back the Country." Really? Who has it now? Christine O'Donnell bandies about the phrase "We the people" in her rallies, oh- I'm sorry, I'll just go back to France.  Actually, the whole concept of Christine O'Donnell really mystifies me. If she wasn't running to become a United States Senator, I might feel sorry for her. There are a lot of stories about witch craft, snubbing Fox News (tee hee), anti-masturbation, crazy, crazy, etc surrounding her right now; but what has stuck with me was her statement that President Obama is not in step with the majority of the people. Wait...didn't he get elected President? Well, Christine, we didn't all go bat shit crazy.
Don't get mad - get Glad (ForceFlex®)!

Don't Ask, Don't Tell
This policy is archaic and people's civil liberties are being delayed because WHAMP, WHAMP -ELECTION TIME IS COMING!!! They were talking about the Senate's failure to overturn this policy all morning on Stephanie Miller (girlie crush #1). This is progressive talk radio - Hal Sparks and Margaret Cho were features today - and yet quite a few callers had things to say like "Gay America should know that this is a nation founded on Christian values" or "...showering with gay men is an issue" blah, blah, blah. I'm breathing deeply and sticking to the facts on this one. Fact # one through a babillion: you should know there is separation of Church and State here in America (including but not limited to "Gay America" and "Straight America"). Another fact, being gay is just like being straight (oh no she didn't!), sometimes it's about sex but mostly it is about relationships. Gawd forbid we humanize the people committing their lives to uphold our Country's values. The idea of a Soldier living in a foreign, possibly hostile country and not being able to openly talk about the person they love most gives me pancreatic angst... the Government should pay for my health care (socialist).

Democrats
Maybe we are all busy shaking our heads in horror at the antics to the Right of us, but it is time to move. Apathy has always been a problem with Dems; blame what you will - our bookish tendencies, bone quaking hilarity, or stunning good looks - but we can't afford apathy this November. We came in to vote in record numbers in 08 riding on hope. In the nearly two years since that hope has diminished, but it is not lost. We may not get all of our legislation through, but we cannot go backwards. If we keep working towards a better future, I'm confident that we'll get there.
See you at the polls.