election

So Much Winning

Heads

are spinning

from

so much winning.

Will the center

hold

for the old

guard,

now marred

and practically

tarred

and feathered;

barely tethered

to the new?

Or will old

theories

of society’s

ills-

with the 

no frills

pitch

to ditch

the sonofabitch

and MAGA

for a

180 degree

nominee

of the left

wing

bring

much needed

reform?

Universal

health care,

making each 

trillionaire

pay their fair

share

of taxes,

and getting

big money

out of

politics

could fix

a lot,

and now

the socialist

wing

thinks it

can bring

the goods

for good.

But the vehement

establishment

insists

progress

consists

of compromise

with the precedent

of incremental

change.

In this

strange

new political

climate change,

with wild fires

and constant

storms,

reforms

mean

radical

undoing,

(see abortion

and immigration),

despite 

what might

be problematic.

Pragmatic

politics

now means

to nix

what is

to fix

what is

likely

to be 

much more

difficult

to effect.

To protect

what’s been

how to win

an election,

when

the only

selling points

are

Not MAGA

and Not Socialist,

the grist

mills

little

for the little

guy

who is desperate

to try

something

else. 

But can

the Bernie wing

bring

everything

without

examining

and acknowledging

where

such universal

policy

programming

has failed

in the past?

Can so much

winning last?

Swalwell Pulled Out

All’s well

without Swalwell,

unless

you’re his

family

or a victim.

Because of 

him

your life

is now hell.

Thanks,

Former Representative

Swalwell.

And now

Dems must

face

another

race,

this time

in the great

state-

the richest

state-

of Cali.

The tally

of men

who 

got caught

harming

women-

multiple 

women-

still shocks

and appalls,

as it should.

Who would

do this?

Men of

such 

hubris

and much

power.

I’m glad

he pulled

out 

of the race,

though he

was running

apace,

and could

have become

Newsom’s

successor

for governor.

Before Swalwell

fell,

I didn’t

like him,

though

I agreed

with his

legislative

actions.

His ubiquitous

presence

became

distractions,

and he was

overly

ambitious.

There’s

the story

that 

Dems

destroy

themselves,

but Trump

has destroyed

the US.

The biggest

messes

are MAGA

Congress’s,

as they

refuse

to hold

Trump

accountable.

Trump

and his

party

are responsible,

no doubt,

but still,

I’m glad

that Swalwell

pulled out.

No need 

to throw

the baby

out

with the

bathwater.

Just

let him

go

and show

the world

that

we can

recover

with another

Democrat

in charge.

Daylight Savings Time

Who could predict

that the attempt

to redistrict

would be met

with contempt

and interest

in conflict?

Not Trump.

And whodda

thunk

that the shut down

funk

would flunk

the GOP 

in key

races?

Not Trump.

Would Trump’s

once foe,

Andrew Cuomo,

get a bump

from a 

complimentary

Trump?

A resounding NO!

And Zohran Mamdani

may just be

the guy 

in New York City

to respond

to Trump

most creatively

and effectively,

making

Not Trump

a possibility.

Big wins

in Virgin-

ia, and 

California

(for Prop 50),

NYC,

and New Jersey

gave a big

bump

to the 

Not Trump

sentiment

across the continent

and beyond

the pond.

From mourning in

America

to saving 

daylight

on Tuesday 

night,

the right

proved

to be

wrong

(which we’ve

known

all along),

as democracy

won 

too-

this time.

The Reckless will Reckon with the Wrecking Ball(room)

Why have elections,

if gerrymandered

sections

ensure protections 

from voting

rejections?

Abolishing everything

like demolishing

The East Wing

while insisting

upon citizens

paying,

is not really

playing well

with others.

He’s no king,

but a tyrant

who regards

our government

as his

own business,

and everyone

knows just

how that goes-

just look at his

casinos.

The East Wing’s  

now lost

and we’ll bear

the cost-

and not just

the bill

for 300 mill-

but for the 

recklessness

atop Capitol Hill.

We’re all

nervous wrecks

as he goes on

and wrecks

each aspect

of American life.

I think 

he’s having

a ball

with all

his destruction

pretending construction

of some home

improvement.

Our movement

away 

from democracy

each day

will bring

a reckoning,

I’m sure.

If not for 

him,

then for

each supporter

who 

knew better

than to gamble

with what followed

the preamble

and ambled

toward creating

the end.

But it’s not

over yet

so don’t forget

that there’s

more that we 

can all do.

You can help 

flip congress

from this

mess:

https://app.oath.vote/.

And Election Day

is not far away,

with propositions

and positions

of import.

Please support

our democracy

from the crazy

recklessness.

Happiness

and the pursuit

of justice

is not about

retribution.

Each individual

contribution

to building

a more perfect

union

may seem 

inadequate now.

But doing 

democracy 

is the way

that we

will ensure 

its longevity

and the brevity

of the recklessness.

Scrambled (It ain’t over easy!)

The  price 

of eggs

begs

the question

of what 

decided

this election—

the price that

women

pay

to bear

the cost

of a lost

pregnancy

or 

scrambling

to pay for

the grocery

bill

that

for many

is still

unbearable.

Scrambling

to get

healthcare

or scrambled

eggs without

welfare.

It’s all

fair game

but not quite

the same

when 

playing

chicken

with eggs.

Economic

pain

trumped

the strain

on women

to attain

self reign

or the right

to obtain

reproductive

care.

In a free

and fair

society

economic 

mobility

and bodily

integrity

are intrinsic

to being

free.

I actually

still

see 

possibility

and will

continue

to pursue

the issue.

We’ve

scrambled,

poached,

feeling hard boiled,

and toiled

for too long.

It ain’t

over easy,

and we’re

prepared 

for the sleazy

plays.

But success

occurs

in different

ways,

and I’m confident

along with

a huge percent

of the electorate

that we can

yet

achieve

what it means

to believe

in freedom.

Lost in the Woulds

Would that the first

First

Gentleman-

Elect

reflect

the scope

of change

and hope

and range

we thought

we ought

to be celebrating

after electing

the first 

Black-Asian-

American

woman

POTUS…..

we would

still

be terrified

about 

a result

denied

and would

be bracing

for 

more

terror.

Would

this moment

become

some

abberation

or recalibration

or decimation?

Would we

continue

as who

we thought

we ought

to be

or would

we flee?

Would

chicken eggs

be worth

more than 

human

eggs

without

Citizens

United

and the Supreme

Court determined

to abort

women’s 

reproductive

healthcare

everywhere?

Now that 

we are getting

a sequel,

we would

have 

insured

a different

prequel.

America

the beautiful

is full

of ugly

Americans

full

of greed

who concede

racism

and misogyny

and who 

need 

to be freed

of their pain.

What seems

insane

and inane

to half

of us

doesn’t

matter

to the rest.

Who would

have thought

we’d fail

the test

of what

we were

taught

to matter?

I am sadder

that we 

are so 

desperately

lost,

than angry,

though

admittedly

somewhat

scared.

I guess

my anxiety

prepared

me

a bit

for what

would

have never

been

imagined

until

recently.

The fantasy

of individuality

and “Don’t

Tread on Me”

will always

be

selective.

It’s the stupid

economy,

I hate to say,

that seems

to sway

the most.

We’ve lost

our way

when 

we would

rather

say anything

and do

anything,

no matter

how harmful,

because 

we are

so broken.

Everyone

is broken.

This would

not be

a revelation

had this

election

gone differently.

But apparently,

breaking

bad

with a mad

man

(and lots of

angry

men

and the women

who support

them)

is where 

we are

no matter

how far

gone

we have

lost

ourselves

in the

woulds.

Swing State

My state of mind,

I find,

swings between

despair 

and hope,

repair 

and NOPE—

I will never

submit

to THAT

which I know

to be

evil

and cynical

and also

cyclical

in the story

of people.

My apology

to history,

the people

who endured

before me,

as I blindly

thought

I was taught

that we are

always advancing.

And yet,

pendula 

swing;

never still,

as people

will

always

want 

change

and security.

In my immaturity,

I believed

I was conceived

in a world

so naive,

and that each 

generation

has more 

sophistication.

Survival

of the fittest

survives

the silliest

interpretation,

as though

those

who perished

in concentration

camps

or gulags

or at the hands

of thugs

anywhere

at anytime

were somehow

not clever

enough

or sufficiently

strong.

I was wrong.

How many

martyrs

have been made

of great

men

and the unknown

women

whose notions

caused commotions

and retreat

from promotions

of freedoms

barely perceptible,

held unacceptable,

untenable,

and therefore,

killed?

My current

state

of anxiety

swings

wildly

from hour

to hour,

fearing our

future,

and lamenting

our past.

History

has given

us everything,

and we are

swinging

at curve balls

and striking 

out.

This one

feels like

we might

swing

and miss.

and kiss

the whole

game 

goodbye. 

But as I

have stated

before,

I can’t ignore

the strategy

of hate

and fear,

for some,

a career,

so easy

to fall 

prey.

Election Day

feels so 

consequential;

even existential,

but life

will not 

suddenly

stop.

We may

enter

a new 

swing state

that may

bring

a slate

of new

legislation.

But like

millions

before

us,

who wouldn’t

ignore 

us,

they too

maintained

ideas

of progression

from which

each digression

when the pendulum

swings back,

feels like history

is pale

by comparison.

Yet the rhymes

or echoes

swinging

back

and forth

bring forth

for me

all of history;

not just

the infamous,

but the anonymous

people

who stood

for goodness

sakes

even when

the stakes

were life

and death.

For all 

the difference

tomorrow

will make,

for the sake

of those

I will never

meet,

I will treat

this state

of swinging

from or 

toward

something

familiar

or untoward

as an imperative

for a  more

creative

and inclusive

way to live.

Barreling Toward….

Every day

we’re barrel 

bombed

with crude

explosions,

inciting

emotions

and dread.

What used

to be

dead 

on arrival

maintains

survival

as a barrel

of laughs,

disregarding

gaffes,

using

the haves

to potentially staff

his administration.

He administers

sinister

sayings,

saying

he never

said such

things.

SO exhausting!

I saw

“9 Barrels”

for sale

everywhere

for “enhancing” 

your AR.

Closing the race,

Trump,

keeping pace,

with his incessant,

pre-pubescent

hyperbole,

suggested shooting

Liz Cheney.

In the face.

On the face

of it,

it’s sociopathic.

And whatever

magic

he displays

with his cosplays

and legal

delays,

the most

tragic

part of all

is the fall

of the once

party of

Lincoln,

now linked in

to every

shenanigan

because they

can.

To those

who can’t

support

Kamala

because of

Gaza,

please know

that your

position

won’t show.

If you value

democracy

and decency,

then voting

in privacy

AGAINST
MAGA

would allow

a chance

to use your

stance

in the future.

If we truly

value

disagreement

and compromise,

then one

size

will not fit all.

It’s a tall

order.

The willingness

to tolerate

and not be obstinate,

means imperfection.

Perfection

can not be

the enemy

of the good.

But Trump is. 

Garbage Man

Regardless how much

billionaires 

invest in 

The Don,

he’ll wear

the neon

orange 

vest

to attest

to his

(faux) working

classless

appeal.

The Garbage Man

dumps

recyclable

material

from real

20th century

fascists;

a practice

of malice

and 

some sort

of phallus

obsession.

He talks

trash

to amuse

himself

to disabuse

himself

of his fears

and what’s

left of his

years,

but mostly,

for attention.

Each election

there’s always

a mention

that we get

who we 

deserve.

From what 

I observe,

this is 

far from 

true,

as we are

and

can continue

to be 

much more

than

the refuse

of the guy

who refuses

to buy

into 

a society

of decency.

His costume

was lame,

but also

the name

of his 

game;

a fitting

closing

statement

to the argument

for which

he stands,

atop

of the spoiled

and soiled

enjoying

the recoiled

until

he’s foiled.

The rest

of us

are the sanitation

workers,

who will

clean up

long after

the election.

“Hard work

is good work,”

Kamala reminds,

and finds

there is much

good that

we should

and will

in deed

need

to continue

to do 

together.

All the anxiety

in our society

is real

despite

conspiracies.

If democracy’s

our destiny

then it seems

best to me

to seriously

lean in

and actively

participate.

Make your

voice heard

against

the absurd

and dangerous,

venemous,

outrageous 

who seek

to out rage

us.

The Garbage

Man

will do what

he can,

but he will

ultimately

lose

(hopefully Tues.),

even if not

a clean sweep.

Don’t stay

stuck

in all 

the muck;

take some

actions

despite

loud factions

who want

you to

believe

you can’t.

Yes,

we still

can

be better

than 

what’s been,

and dump

MAGA

and Trump

to the dustbin.

I won’t give in

to the love

of hate

and fear

that seems

to appear

everywhere.

American Democracy

is a verb;

an action,

ongoing;

a life

worth choosing-

not abusing-

and cleaning up

along the way.

MSG

In The Garden,

The Paradise

lost,

the cost

of democracy

too great,

hate

was cherished

as the climate

perished; 

slashing

and burning

while feeding

the yearning

for owning

the Libs.

And the actual

owners

of the factual

papers

in DC

and LA

chose not

to say

whom they

endorse-

another coarse

event

in this course

of events:

a course

on what

prevents

democracies

from thriving.

The striving,

conniving,

and disdain

reign

freely,

while the wealthy-

greedy

are the most

needy

in their

reality.

The love

of fear,

hate,

and retribution

was considered

contribution

in The Garden

event.

I’m spent,

yet must

invent

ways 

to circumvent

the craze

over the next

several

days,

and the after-

math,

despite

the math,

of election night.

It’s the fright

in sight,

or that

I can 

envision,

that the division

so heinous

and obvious

that the rest

of us

feel helpless

after 

having voted,

is like 

living

inside

a loaded

gun.

But that’s

what’s 

fun

if you’re

one

of the MAGA

dramarama.

The MSG
was hopefully

too hyper

tensive

and unhealthy

for a majority

of Americans.

The shenanigans

are still

serious,

as those

delirious

pursue

the view

that a new

America

is overdue,

which looks

white

and pregnant.

None of it

is funny

or sunny

in that 

Garden

of evil

that they

say is 

good.

But we 

should not

let their love

of fear

be ours too.

The MSG
additive,

so addictive,

is the loathing

and fear

and simple

smear

that requires

merely

hate.

I will not

satiate

myself

with bottom

shelf

MSG

only

to feel

hungry

for more.

The legacy

you leave

is not

your blame,

but your

love

and care;

and that

you dared

to not 

despair,

but insist

we repair

with love

above

all else.