Fear, a gift? Think about it. If we listen to our fear, it can keep us from doing some incredibly stupid things.

In 1997, Gavin de Becker wrote a self-help book called "The Gift of Fear." In it he discusses fear and it's role in keeping us safe in the face of violence in a number of circumstances, dating, the workplace, home...

He doesn't mention politics or voting, but I can see the application. Think of it in terms of fight or flight.

Are we going run away and hide from the big scary republicans? Or are we going use our fear of what they are trying to do to this country and fight?

We've heard a lot lately about the enthusiasm gap, and how people are so disappointed in Obama that they are just shutting down, and are prepared to stay home. The republicans are using their fear of the big scary black man who is a socialist, facist, marxist, nazi, Kenyan anti-Christ to motivate people to get to the polls and vote for ignorant, loud-mouthed bigots. Meanwhile many, including a large chuck of the left and indies, sound like they are willing to stick their tails between their legs and either stay home or worse yet actually vote for these cretins.

If you just can't think of one other reason to get off your butt and vote for a dem, any dem, (and I REALLY hope you can, because there are many) do it out of fear.

If they have been able to screw over us so completely as the minority party, just think of what they can do if they (aided and abetted by a handful of gutless wonders with Ds after their names) are the majority party.

It ain't pretty, and it ain't right, but we have 2 choices (as I used to say to my kids when I presented them with 2 options, neither of which they liked.) We can stay home/vote repub/vote 3rd party (all of which equal voting repub)  KNOWING that bad things will happen. OR, we can fight, force ourselves to get enthusiastic and vote for the dems no matter what, and have SOME hope that the bad things won't happen...

I know it is a little dramatic, but work with me on this analogy...

It's like when a bad man tries to drag you into his van...you are better off fighting like hell and taking the chance you might be harmed in the process, but have the chance of escaping, rather than going with him quietly KNOWING bad things, up to and including dying, will happen.

Is letting the repubs back in control akin to a life and death situation? You know what? For some of us, that answer truly is, YES.

I stayed away from the 9/11 coverage today, well, now yesterday. The mosque controversy has left me feeling disgusted, and I just didn't want any part of it. But I did see a few pictures on the front page here a few minutes ago. The hateful people at the rally...the ignorant signs...I just don't feel connected to this America.

I mean it wasn't supposed to be a celebration, so it's not like they spoiled the fun or anything like that. But they spoiled something.

I wanted to remember the day with some sort of sense that we had been viciously attacked that day for no reason. I wanted to feel like an innocent victim. Like my country had been attacked without provocation.

But somehow in the nine years since the attack, our behavior as a country, has diminished my ability to feel like we are on the moral high ground here. Somehow, instead of feeling innocent, I just feel dirty...and I can't really explain why.

Does anyone understand what I'm trying (extremely ineptly) to say? Can someone help me put words to these things I'm feeling?

Well, I'm still here twiddling my thumbs... Still navigating around, and apparently still able to "blog now!"

If I had known Josh was going to allow me to be the last one to post, I would have had prepared remarks, or some jokes or something...

So, anyone still here? Or am closing the place up?

***testing to see if I can add content

I don't know why I feel the need to be here 'till the lights go out...

Just checking to see if they really are gone...

Well, it's now Friday, and I sorta thought the blogs would shut down at the strike of midnight, but they are still here, so I figured I'd slip in one last post.

I took a last spin down Memory Lane as I copied the last of the posts I'd written that were important to me, just in case they ended up in some no man's land in cyber space...

We've had some amazing laughs...I was actually laughing out loud at some of the threads.

And I have changed SO MUCH in past two years!

I thought I would sadder than I am. But I've come to realize that we ARE determined to find a way to stay together, no matter what, so the tears I expected are not coming. I don't know what our new home will look like. It may be under a different roof (although I'm getting the idea Josh has found a way to make it work here.) But no matter what, I'm not losing you guys, so I am able to look forward to what is coming instead of dreading it...

Happy Friday! Here's to us TPMaholics! Clink! See you tonight in chat!

Yeah, yeah...another self-serving, personal post. If that offends you, just stop reading now. I tried to talk myself out of doing it, but I was unsuccessful. You know how stubborn I can be.

I remember my first blog like it was yesterday. I was scared to death to throw my words out there to the wolves, but I figured, why not? I have something to say, and it's not like if I embarrass myself, anyone will know it but me.

I had made a comment on someone else's blog and Demosuar suggested that I make it a stand alone post so it would get more attention. Wow! Someone thought what I said was worth repeating to a larger audience!

So I did it. July 17, 2008. The birth of Stilli.

And who did I run headlong into, but Readytoblowagasket, who figured me for a troll. Hell I didn't even know what a troll was, but I conjured up images of the scary, ugly creatures hiding under bridges and figured it couldn't be a good thing.

Now, remember (just in case you didn't take the time to read that introductory post), back in those days I was a republican. I was pissed at bush, and had decided not to vote in 2008, because there was no way I'd ever vote for a democrat for President. Then I discovered Barack Obama, and stumbled onto TPM.

So, anyway, Blow and I went back and forth for the better part of a day. I never got out of my jammies, and my daughter even took a picture of me sitting in my recliner, laptop on my lap, slamming away on the keys!

About 80+ comments later, I finally convinced Blow I was who I said I was, and had my heart in the right place, and I'd found a place where people actually listened to what I was saying, and were swayed by my words.

Many of you were there that day, and the days that followed, and have read my words as I re-evaluated everything I ever thought I knew. Along the way, I got my butt kicked regularly, by some of the heavy hitters around here, and every time, I came away smarter than I was going in.

In those early days, I used to watch through the windows while you visited after hours at Missy's and finally worked up the courage to join you. We shared a glass of wine, and seldom talked politics. Missy threw out a conversation starter, we listened to some great music, and we got to know each other. What great times those were!

You guys were there to share my frustration when mccain picked palin as his running mate, and celebrated with me when I changed my affiliation to democrat. We all cried the happiest of tears together when Obama won. My life has changed in more ways than I ever could have imagined, and all of you have had a part in that.

Now I am perfectly aware I am not the writer that many of you are. And I don't have a college education, or high-powered career. But, I like to think that what I lack in talent and education, I at least partially make up for with passion, real world experience, an ability to articulate my thoughts without resorting to meanness, and a genuine desire to learn from all of you and grow a little wiser every day.

I think our days here are numbered. Until I saw Al's e-mail, I really thought we might have a shot at getting Josh to change his mind. This place is just too special to throw it away, I thought. How can it mean so much to me, and so little to its creator?

I suppose there is a chance. Is it possible to come this close to the precipice and not fall in?

But, more and more the ability to navigate around is disappearing. I fear I will wake up one day and it will be gone. So, as much as I have tried to stay positive, I feel like I need to say goodbye. Oh, I'll hang out until the end. I've said in a couple of different comments that I'll leave claw marks in the asphalt as they drag me away. But, it just isn't going to be the same. I'm really not here to comment on what paid contributors have to say. I resent the people who throw their words out, then don't stick around to defend them, or interact with us. I can't imagine I would be willing to settle for that. Maybe, I suppose. I may miss you all enough to put up with it. But I know, not everyone will. One way or another, we will be split up, and the cafe, as we knew it, will be gone.

You all came into my life at a time when there weren't many adult, thinking people in my earth-based existence. Some of you have become friends behind the scenes, and those friendships will continue...at least some of them. But there are others that will be gone from my life. And a few will leave holes in my heart, just as surely as Ant and Lux did. I'm tempted to name names, but I'm afraid I would forget someone, and that would break my heart.

So, to all of you, I raise my glass in gratitude, for your support, for holding my feet to the fire, for making me laugh, teaching me things I never thought I needed to learn, sharing your lives and experience with me, and for a dozen other things that escape me at the moment...

I truly hope I have written this prematurely, and the reader posts will continue. If so, it still will have felt good to tell you how much you all mean to me.

fondly, Stilli

Excellent, excellent, must read article about economic globalization and who the winners and losers are. In case there was any question, the middle class in America DOES NOT fall into the winners category.

The article, published in a blog called "The economic Collapse," starts by informing us that the globalization many think is something that will occur sometime in the future is already here, gives examples, and lists a dozen of the free trade agreements already in force around the world.

Although most of us understand that the top 2% of Americans have seen upwards of 66% of increased wealth in this country in the past few years, one statistic that jumped out at me was that

"according to an analysis by The Hill, the 50 wealthiest members of the U.S. Congress saw their collective fortunes increase 85.1 million dollars to $1.4 billion in 2009."

The article is void of suggestions on how to reverse the damage to the middle class, but ends with this:

But in 2010, most Americans are so busy drinking beer, watching sports, keeping up with Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, and obsessing over the new cast of Dancing With The Stars that they aren't even aware that things are literally falling apart all around them.

It is really sad.

I think I might change the "most" to "many,"  because an increasing number of Americans are living the nightmare, and it is way beyond sad, but aside from that...DUH!

So, if you accept the premise of the article, and you accept that both parties are to blame, and you accept that working outside the 2-party system would take far longer than we have, even if it COULD eventually bring about change (which is arguable), how the hell do we stop/reverse this? Nice doesn't seem to be an option. The "symbolic" pitchforks seem to be offensive to some, and I can't bring myself to suggest an actual armed insurrection. So what can we little people do?

Warning: Don't watch this until you have put all the knives, guns, ropes and prescription meds somewhere safe...

Okay, well, maybe it isn't quite that bad, but I've come across a  very interesting video depiction of the unemployment data by county across the country beginning in January of 2007 through May of 2010. We all know it is bad, but this visual is startling.

"According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are nearly 31 million people currently unemployed -- that's including those involuntarily working parttime and those who want a job, but have given up on trying to find one. In the face of the worst economic upheaval since the Great Depression, millions of Americans are hurting. "The Decline: The Geography of a Recession," as created by labor writer LaToya Egwuekwe, serves as a vivid representation of just how much. Watch the deteriorating transformation of the U.S. economy from January 2007 -- approximately one year before the start of the recession -- to the most recent unemployment data available today."

I have absolutely no idea how to reverse this, but it seems like a no-brainer that if we don't figure out a way to provide jobs in this country, we're in a world of hurt.

I'm not normally a conspiracy theory kinda girl, but a case could be made that "big business" is sitting back waiting for the repubs to take over again before they will start hiring. Or waiting for the government to sweeten the pot. Either shows a blatant disregard for the suffering of real live people.

Any thoughts about what steps the government could be taking to provide real, family-supporting jobs RIGHT NOW, that wouldn't just disappear once the projects were completed, didn't rely on people spending money they don't have on stuff they don't need and would get this country working again?  I'm getting seriously concerned that 10%-15% unemployment or even more may be the new normal, and if that is true, we're in for some really ugly times.













 

 

I was up late last night going back and forth with a few of the night owls around here over the president's address, then after a few fitful hours of sleep woke to comments that made me wonder if I am living in an alternate universe...one that appears on the surface to be the same one many of you are living in, but way different in many respects. I'll get to that alternate universe in a minute.

In my "sorta sleep" the words "of the people, by the people and for the people" kept going through my mind, so, upon waking, I pulled up the Gettysburg Address, reread it, and found myself crying for my country, and for the mess we are making of it.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate--we can not consecrate--we can not hallow--this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

I'm not much of a drama queen. I'm a realist. I like dealing with the way things are, and in my mind, we are perilously close to another civil war. I don't know if it will actually result in a "shooting" war, although I can't see how it all shakes out without shots being fired. 



               

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What was the first thing that came to mind? The war in Iraq? Tax cuts for the wealthy? Dismantling regulations?

All good choices, but the worst thing they ever did, the one that I will NEVER, even if I live to be 110, forgive them for, was giving Sarah Palin a national platform for destroying whatever was left of responsible, intelligent discourse in this country.

I hate that I am even wasting another breath on her, but she is everywhere! I can't do much, other than go to the bathroom, without seeing her, hearing her or hearing about her every time I turn around, 24/freakin'/7. This is no longer the United States of America...it is the Queendom of Palin. An all-Palin, all-the-time reality show.

I don't get it. Yeah, she's pretty, in a "Catholic school girl" porn video sorta way...I'm sure there are lots of guys who wanna "do" her, but when did that get to be a reason for listening to every stupid thing that comes out of her mouth? Surely there are prettier, sexier, SMARTER women to listen to, aren't there? Ones who don't make you want to cover your ears at the sound of her voice? Please tell me there are!

Grrrrr...

As if it is not bad enough that they knowingly, and with malice of fore thought tried to put her a 72 year old heartbeat away from the Presidency, they have now made her a permanent fixture in our collective conscientiousness for possibly EVER.

And for that I will NEVER forgive them. NOT. EVER.

Uggghhhhh. But then there's that pesky Christian thing where you HAVE to forgive, as you want to be forgiven. Okay, so...I'll forgive them tomorrow. Today, I just want to be pissed. 

I don't normally like to make posts that direct you to an article without taking the time to put together a synopsis and my analysis, but I'm in a hurry this morning, and want to make sure y'all see this discussion of what the author calls "The Great Misfortune."

It's a quick read on what's happening on Wall St. - pure snark - but with a whole lot of truth buried in it. Be sure to read it in a place where you won't cause any damage when the top of your head blows off...

I'll check in as time allows to discuss, if anyone is interested!

Bwak and Lis were having a conversation a few days ago about the screwed up dashboards and commenting, and at that time mine was functioning just fine. (she thought smugly.)

Today, I finally got the disease (or whatever it is.)

My dashboard only shows my comments, and comments people have made in response to my comments.

To make my dashboard work properly, I have to go into "blog now" and sign onto movable type, then the dash works fine, but I lose the ability to comment without having to re log in to TPM. So, I would save my comment, re log in, and then paste the comment back in. This doesn't work with a long comment, as I can't save more than a screen's worth. So I figured out a bit of a time saver (if you can call it that.)

1. Go to "Blog now" and log onto movable type, use your dash and go where you want.

2. Read, then go down to comment and log out.

3. Re-log in, go back to the comment you want to respond to, hit reply, comment, hit submit.

4. Go to "Blog now" rinse, lather repeat...

I don't know if this is a loyalty test, or a last ditch effort to get rid of us once and for all, or what, but it is a pain in the butt.

The initial problem seems to be "rolling" that is, didn't hit everyone at the same time. Has anyone gone through the screwed up dash/comment and returned to normal functioning?

Please feel free to add any ideas, share frustrations, etc.

Just in case y'all are running out of things to blame Obama for, I've come up with some additional ideas for you:

Jupiter is missing one of its stripes. I'm pretty sure he took it.

Sonny and Carly had sex. I had hoped to get you just the little clip, but if you want to see it, you'll have to watch the whole episode. I'm sure there was a campaign promise about this, but I can't find it in my archives.

Surely he could contain this guy if he wanted to! Sanctions maybe?

Well, they're CALLING it a natural disaster, but it was really a failure in American foreign policy.

You get my drift... The cafe is becoming the "Blame Obama 24/frickin'/7 Blog"

And if you defend him?  Don't even think about it!

Who needs Faux News to destroy our party's morale? We're gonna do it all by ourselves. But then again, at least we don't claim to be fair and balanced.

I feel ya, Mr. President. You try to teach them better, but they keep screwing up, there's thousands of things in this country that need fixin' and in spite of the fact that we haven't had an oil disaster in many, many, many  years, you should have known that should have been  THEE top priority and had it and all the other things that are wrong been taken care of 15 minutes after you took office, we wouldn't be in this mess, and IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, you lying, dishonest, untrustworthy, hypocritical, disappointing, waste of oxygen!

Anyway, feel free to add all the other things we should be blaming him for but haven't gotten around to, yet...

Oh, yeah, they're out of toilet paper in the ladies restroom...can you take care of that, too?

(And yeah, I know, you can't equate running outta toilet paper with an oil spill disaster, I'm just pissed and it felt good to type it! Much like twisting things into pretzels to make them all his fault make some of you feel good!)

 

This is something that doesn't happen every day, so read and either talk me down, or gloat...

I love my Prez. I won't go into all the reasons. You either know already (I haven't been shy on the subject) or you can look back in my archives.

BUT, and this is a huge but, I'm getting frustrated with him. And Mr. President, if you would, respectfully, listen up...if I (make that 72 font, bold, italicized, and underlined!) am frustrated with you, you'd better pay attention, because it doesn't happen often, and if you are even in the beginning stages of losing me, you are in super big, mega huge trouble!

As labels go, if I had my druthers this would be a "liberal" country. We would be a hybrid of the best of capitalism, combined with a healthy dose of compassionate socialism. But I am pragmatic. I realize I don't get to decide for everyone. Neither does our President. He has to govern us all, and I have to live by whatever compromise can be worked out between all the people who care enough to vote, through the leaders that they care to elect.

I am predisposed to being willing to give him a chance to do his job. I understand the unique situation he inherited, and understood from the get go this mess would not be cleaned up overnight. So I have been patient. Much more patient than the majority around here seem to be. But my patience is wearing very, very thin.

Decision after decision make no sense to me. They appear to pander to the right or keep in place bush policies that I would have thought would be gone by now.

I'm willing to follow the President. I know he has more information than I do, and I am willing to go by faith, but only so far. After that, I need explanations. And I have arrived at that point.

If he wants me to continue to follow, he has some 'splainin' to do (to quote Ricky Ricardo!)

It is time for him to start getting out ahead of all these decisions that just don't sit well with the left. I don't want to hear about it from the spinmeisters on either side. I want to hear it from him.

I want him to explain to me why exemptions for anything having to do with off-shore drilling are being given, even if it is for things that don't directly impact on actual drilling. If ever there was a time for following the rules, you would think this would be it. He wants us to join him in adding regulations (which I do) but if we aren't enforcing the regulations we already have, what good will more do?

I want him to explain why his nomination to the SCOTUS is  a woman who sounds like she is all for expanding the powers of the executive branch when we have just lived through 8 years of egregious abuses of the powers it already has. He has plenty of time. To appoint anyone other than a card carrying liberal when we are losing a liberal and increasingly shifting the SCOTUS right, is beyond me. If he wants my support, he needs to explain it to me.

There are many other issues, these are just the two latest, but my point is, there have already been many instances, and there will be many more, when it appears that he doesn't give a fig what we on the left think. I think it is HIS  responsibility to preemptively tell us what he is going to do and why. Many, if not most of us, will stay on board if he can convince us of the virtue of his decision. He has the unique ability to rally the troops, but he fails time after time to get out and do it. Certainly he understands by now that Congress will not do much on its own.

So, if I may speak directly to you, Mr. President, If you want our support, you need to talk to us. You need to explain your decisions. We have gone on faith long enough. Make your case, and we'll continue to follow you. Ignore us, and you WILL be a one term President (as much as the thought of that makes me ill) and worse yet, you will have fed  all of us to the republican wolves. We expect and deserve better.

As much as I despise "Obama is bad" from both right and left 24/frickin'/7, sometimes he brings this on himself, and it is wearing me out.