Thick Political Atmosphere Attributable to Impending Iowa Caucuses

Sometimes, it’s hard to know which hat to wear. A leather cowboy or Hawaiian straw. A green beret or corduroy newsboy. A political analyst or celebrity sleaze. Let the brouhaha begin.

Every day, we straddle the thin line between politics and celebrities because it is there. We dare to go where nary another blog has ventured before. Some have tried, but most have thrown their hands up in humiliating defeat. Their failure will be our triumph. We’re focused on the brass ring, the holy grail of niches. We’re determined to bring it home.

Hope you enjoyed that slaphappy soliloquy because it’s an earnest attempt at humor. In my humble opinion, even bad humor is better than no humor at all.

We know most of our visitors drop by for the latest celebrity smut. Our problem is we sometimes like to be taken seriously, so we post semi-intellectual musings about matters of practical concern. When we pen about politics, we probably alienate the bulk of our visitors, and vice-versa, when we post a column about celebrities, our politically minded readers probably take a hike. It’s the price we pay for trying to combine the two, but that’s who we are. It’s also who we hope our readers will eventually come to love and embrace.

I just had to get that off my chest before attacking today’s topic, however, I am now so nauseated by my own attempt at wittiness, I must forage ahead.

If you haven’t already guessed, I'm feeling consumed by politics. Had could I not? The political postulating is so thick you could spread it on a bagel. It’s Iowa caucuses time, baby. Can you say "Eyes of America"?

I love how this election finally shaped up to be a horse race. Today, the average woman/man on the street isn’t quite certain how his/her vote will be cast. All eyes are on Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

I look back fondly to November when the conventional wisdom of fellow BlogWorld participants resignedly reaffirmed a Clinton coronation. Hardly anyone agreed Mrs. Clinton is presidential material, mind you, they simply bowed to the collective conjecture of the talking heads. In fact, some who attended BlogWorld are the talking heads. Talking heads "you’d like to engage in amiable conversation but are too busy to be bothered because they think you’re a nobody" talking heads.

How I'd relish looking them in the eye right this very moment. I'd chuckle, saying, “Told you so. Told you so. Nah nah nah nah boo boo.” Immature, certainly, but highly gratifying.

Collective wisdom is a precarious commodity. It can change on a dime. If enough people say something long enough, loud enough, and strong enough, they have a shot at making it so. Through the power of the Internet, I took my shot. I’d like to think I played a bit part in knocking Hillary off her high perch, although, one never knows, does one? Only time will tell.

Yes, I dislike Hillary as a person and for her politics. I live in a state that’s the model for Hillary’s America, the model for most if not all of the Democratic candidates, really. It’s the model for my own choice in the primaries, Chris Dodd, which I suppose makes me look like a hypocrite, but the alternatives are just as bad or worse. I rationalize by saying he comes packaged with some enviable foreign policy and economic expertise. Hillary, on the other hand, would be a complete and utter disaster. My hope is, if nominated, Dodd will gravitate to the center as most savvy presidential candidates do. If so, I believe he will be a formidable contender in the general election.

Democrats have been fooled before. Governor Martin O’Malley is in the process of turning Maryland into a welfare state. Business and industry are on the decline, the population is leaving in droves, and the middle class is about to be taxed out of existence. Soon, there won’t be enough of a tax base to fund Martin's grandiose welfare plans. Schools are suffering. Crime has gotten worse. Do I sound fatalistic? Remember, I’m only the messenger.

What? Too sobering?

(cut to commercial)



(back to my Maryland lament)

A Johnny-come-lately Republican challenge to the biggest tax increase in state history is now wending its way through the courts. These antics are a futile waste of time. Those pansies had their chance to stop the madness during Martin’s special session. A pox on them and the entrenched Democratic leadership. The whole lot of them should be thrown out of the General Assembly on their ears.

I don't want America to suffer the same fate as Maryland. Increased taxes, pork projects, government funded assistance, and big government are the harbingers of demise. Tax and spend does not work in a capitalist society. Never has. Never will.

Capitalism thrives when people have the incentive, motivation, and dedication to become the best. With sweat equity, ingenuity, and ability, anyone can become an American success story. That’s the promise, the dream, and the reason America is the envy and disgust of the free world. Yes, they hate us. Is anyone surprised?

Strip those ingredients away, tax the middle class until they become the nouveau poor, increase government handouts, and what you’ll have left is a recipe for socialism. Slowly, slowly, life as Americans live now will crumble away. The wealthy will park their money elsewhere, maybe visit from time to time, but they will slowly fade away. Knowing more than half their income will fund government, future generations will have little incentive to produce wealth. All that will be left is the mediocre and barely palatable. That may be good enough for some, but not for me.

Besides, if certain Americans want to live in socialist republics, why not move to England or France? I hear the citizenry is quite happy with their regimes. In return, their regimes are quite happy to change diapers, no questions asked.

Having a Pity Party with Rosie O'Donnell

It's New Year's Day and this blogger is supposed to be at a party. For a very close friend. Why she is here blogging her little heart out is anyone's guess. Devotion to faithful readers? Misguided feelings of self worth? Unable to look away from the Internet? Work ethic?

Perhaps a little of all of the above?

I happened upon a Rosie O'Donnell video this morning and decided it would make a good short. Unfortunately, this will be very short because I am in fact very late for my friend's party. If my friend ever reads this --- and she probably won't (hardly any of my community friends read this blog) --- I am so sorry. Truly. But with all your other gobs of friends, I'm sure you haven't even noticed I'm missing. Love you, lady!

Back to Rosie. Sweetheart, darling, get over it. You're annoying. So what? Lots of people are annoying. I, myself am annoying. My kids tell me that all the time. There's no shame in being annoying. Embrace your "annoyingness." Become one with the obnoxious. Revel in it. Because it is who you are, Rosie. And if it's not who you want to be, make concerted efforts to change. You can change, Rosie. It is within your power if that's truly what you want to do.

Besides, being annoying is not Rosie O'Donnell's real problem. People who are fans of Rosie expect her to be annoying, obnoxious, over-bearing, and outspoken. It's what they love about her. No, Rosie has another more serious problem. If she ever wants to land back on top, this is the problem she needs to overcome.

First, a disclaimer. I'm not Dr. Phil, nor do I claim to have psychic powers or real insight into what makes Rosie tick. Pshaw. I loved her in that baseball movie, you know, the one with Tom Hanks and Madonna, but I haven't been able to stomach her since. No, actually, I did catch her cruise special on HBO. Seeing all those alternative lifestyle families joining together on that big cruise ship gave me a lift of some sort. I can't really describe it, but I did enjoy it.

I'm rambling and need to get to the point quickly to go shower. Rosie O'Donnell is not my cup of tea. She doesn't have to be. Rosie doesn't need me to be her fan. She already has tons of fans, people who religiously read her blog, people who will support her projects no matter what. If the celebrity crowd and their devotees reject her, that will not be the end for Rosie.

Rosie O'Donnell needs to get over her need to be universally loved. She will never be univerally loved. And let's face it. No one is universally loved. Not even Oprah, rich and influential as she may be. Everyone has their critics and detractors. There's always someone who wants to take you down a notch. That's just the way life is.

Poor sad pathetic Rosie. I wish I could reach out to her in cyberspace and slap a big squooshy hug around those big broad shoulders. But that would be overkill, wouldn't it? And I'm very late for my party.