Run With Scissors

Ann and Jack are together again.

My grandfather, Jack Wolff, passed away this afternoon in Buffalo, he was 83. My family is incredibly close, and this caught us all off guard. It was a sudden, and hopefully peaceful final day. Thursday (Veteran’s Day) I called him to say hello, and we ended up talking for around 15 minutes, with us looking forward to seeing each other next week for the holidays. I would later find out my sister gave him a call that afternoon, and it would be the last time we talked to him. Mom would let us both know how happy he was to hear from us both that night. His death was very unexpected, as he looked and felt healthy always, until he complained of a stomach ache Saturday.

My grandfather was a quiet, proud man, who loved his wife and family more then anything else. Every Christmas he and Grandma would come over early and cook a big breakfast. Whenever they took myself and Katie out, I would always ride shotgun, with the two girls in back, eating as many root beer hard candies as they would allow.

Ever since grandma died in my freshman year, he became even closer to my immediate family. My mother was a saint in keeping him company and cooking for him. One of my favorite memories is stopping over to have dinner with him about 3 years back. It was just the two of us, talking like old friends and watching the hockey playoffs. Anyone in the family could tell you that he always thought he was the richest man in the world for having such a great family. I can only hope to lead a life as rewarding as his.

Don’t be so gloomy…

After all it’s not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. So long Holly.
-The Third Man (1949)

Down but not out. So what does one do when you just got your ass kicked? Get up, dust yourself off, and get back to business. Republicans won on the values issue, which was probably around #5 on the Dem’s list, if it was even on the radar. Repubs didn’t even have to bring it up, they knew where they stood, and so did their supporters. Iraq & Economy? Nope, God, guns and gays were the issues that won.

The next point to make is this, there’s more of their supports then Dem supporters, so the Dems will have to cross over and convince these people that we are the party for their vote. And we can’t just shout Iraq! Jobs! They heard us, they don’t care enough to change. How do we do it? I intend to find out by reading this book, What’s the matter with Kansas? The book basically explores the heartlands shift to the Republican party. Maybe I’ll post chapter by chapter updates (more like 100 page updates the was I read).

Lastly, I’m joining the ACLU this week. Yeah, Ashcroft is apparently stepping down, but with the Patriot act up for renewal soon, stopping that from happening will be my next big battle. It’s only $20 to sign up, if you’re angry and looking for something to do to not give up, it’s a great organization that you should look into. I’ll also looks into what local groups Rochester has to offer, any suggestions?

I think I’m going to throw up

Well there it is, Conservatives win big. And I mean big. Huge voter turnout, and he wins popular vote and electoral, senators pick up about 4 seats, gay marriage bans pass in 11 states. All the Dems hard work, motivation, ground work, and we lost by even more then last time. Amanda has that good quote of Bush’s aide basically telling the coastal states to fuck off, as their outnumbered by rural inhabitants.

And he was right, this was a cultural war, city vs. country, liberal vs. conservative, abortion, etc etc. For all our anger, for all his fuck ups, each side dug in its heals, and they had more (if only by a small margin). What do Dems do for 2008 (when I will be 27, Jesus fuck). Can we get more angry or energized? I really don’t think we can, this was the most motivated vote the country has had in 30 years, and we got our asses kicked. Supreme Court Justices, a stronger Congress grip, I think the Conservative agenda push will only increase.

Where does that leave America? Well, Europe becomes more distant, and I think they start resenting the American people, not “just the leader” anymore. Iran, North Korea, huge question marks. Civil Unions have went from a likely compromise to on life support.

I’m done, leave you’re comments. Bitch, gloat, whatever, I’m done.