President

His Truth is Marching On

The Golden Age

of guiltless

gilt

is again

the rage

as the pendulum

tilts

away from

moderation.

The pull 

of bull*#@!

and excess

never felt less

tension

in an ongoing

extension,

despite apprehension,

of our historical

monarchical

attraction.

It’s the trappings

and happenings

of power

and endless

stuff

that make 

it so easy

to declare,

“enough

with compromise!

Super size

me!”

More 

is better. 

Greed is 

good.

Look 

what’s

happened

to 

the neighborhood.

Intrinsic

to our politics

and capitalistic

society,

is all consuming

consuming

all

mixed with

hypocritical

piety.

It always

feels worse,

this curse

of ours,

wanting

more

to store

or spend

at the expense

of innocence.

Alongside

the tide

of excessive

pride

and greed

is our 

profound

need

for individual

priority.

And now

notoriety 

is an identity

politics

crisis.

Attempts

at opportunity

for historically

oppressed

minority

communities,

is seen

as threatening

the integrity

of the 

majority

impending minority.

And how

best

to best

the rest

of us?

Outrage

us

with outrageousness

and muss

with the truth

regardless.

Some youth 

know this;

others don’t

access

facts,

much less

analysis.

And as youth

would

have it,

an easy

fix

is to nix

what’s been

and fall

in line

with rebellion.

Anger 

is simple

and made

pure

by

being sure

of owning

the truth.

Maybe

it’s not

youth

so much

as the immature

who wield

such power,

led

by that

towering

inferno.

Battle him!

For the sake

of the republic!

Remaining

democratic

is not automatic.

It requires

an all hands

on deck.

King

The King 

from Queens

is such

a drag

with his

endless

brag

and swag;

even taking

credit

for peace

in the Middle

East,

before taking

office

again,

when

in fact,

tact 

and negotiation

not merely 

inauguration

justify

celebration.

This MLK

Day

is certainly

ironic,

as the iconic

King

of nonviolent

protest

is bested

by the guy

whose cry

to make

America

great

again

will again

be sworn

in

as POTUS.

Not lost

on us

is the oath

taker’s

Oath Keepers

and other

creepers

who violently 

stormed

The Capitol,

now watch

triumphantly

as Trump

ceremoniously

takes the oath

of the presidency

half

heartedly

under a

rotunda

so famously

seen

as the scene

of desecration.

It’s an

inauguration 

I won’t watch

or care

to see

as the frigid

air

envelopes

more than

DC.

Maybe

it’s 

good

that we should

still celebrate

the great

MLK
today,

despite

the awkward

juxtaposition

with 

this inauguration.

This once

upon a time

I bend 

to the real

King

to bring

me inspiration;

not the aspiration

of a wannabe-

get outta jail

free-

king-like

presidency.

We learn

from

this history;

the good,

bad, and

ugly.

Service Road

Walking

to his

inauguration.

Inflation.

Gas lines.

Nightline.

covering

the hostage

crisis

on tv.

Middle East

Peace

treaty.

A brand new

kind

of post

presidency.

Habitat

for Humanity.

Integrity

in elections,

interventions,

new conventions,

Carter

centered

on service.

Solar panels

on the roof

was proof

of 

commitment

to our

environment,

before

any other

president

(and the subsequent

one

removed them

from

The White House).

His mere

4 years,

most say

a disaster,

became

the prelude

to the attitude

of becoming

a master

builder

of a habitat

of humanity

for humanity;

The best 

acknowledgement

of a life

well spent

is to get

(back) on

the service

road

with integrity

and humility

building

a habitat

of and for

humanity.

The service

road

will always be

the access

route

for history.

Insurance Guise

A search 

is on

for 

the one

with a gun

who

in silence

killed

the insurance

head

of United

HealthCare.

A hit job

like the mob

might execute,

on a blue suited

CEO

feels so

unnerving.

But no more

so

than the swerving

headlines

from the front lines

in South Korea

and France,

where 

we look 

askance

at the dance

of power

grabbing

leaders

and the bottom

feeders

who enable.

Is Democracy

stable

or able

to withstand

such demand

as we see

globally?

There is

an odd

sense 

of masculinity

equated 

with brutality

that we see

clearly,

yet feels

unexpectedly

new.

Frustrated

and castrated,

the unsophisticated,

heavy handed,

strong man

brand

is in demand

(with support

of some

women)

and commanding

center stage.

It’s all the rage.

Literally.

This man’s

world

has unfurled

since the war

on terror,

now 

in the west,

where

the test

of autocracy

(and of course

hypocrisy)

in the guise

of democracy

is proving

all that was

projected.

Be wise

to the 

insurance

guise—

the faux

protector,

deflector,

projector,

denying

necessary

procedures.

The teachers

of history

are a mystery:

the anonymous

populous

who never

gave up

on the insistency

of true democracy.

The Pearly Gaetz

Clutching pearls,

swirls of shock

over the king

of schlock’s

sick picks

to stick

it to

who

ever

he can,

there’s 

consensus

that he’s 

doing what

he said

when he

ran.

Now we’ve got

Gaetz ,

who ingratiates,

insinuates,

conflates,

debates….

the perfect

sycophant

intransigent

who kept 

Kevin McCarthy

at bay

and had 

his day

and night

in the limelight.

Apparently,

it’s loyalty

that qualifies

one

to be

Attorney

General,

no matter

how incredible

or un-credible

the selection.

An ethics

investigation

for sex trafficking

and obstruction

of justice

is just

so last

administration.

Deposing

The Speaker

showed that

the weaker

are the ones

who run

from

Trump. 

What looks

like cowardice

to me

will now 

lead Justice

as  chief

Attorney,

although

he barely

practiced 

law.

With his

shiny

teeth and hair

and not

a care

for decency,

his lust

for power

or just

luster

as the guy

who will

try

anything,

giving him

the bling

in the Trump

ring,

the gates

are open.

Along with

Tulsi

directing

national intelligence,

the oxi-

morons

pile up.

We’re a part

of the global

warming trend

toward “strong

men”;

a reminder

that artificial

intelligence

demands

astronomical

energy.

The synergy

within

the incoming

administration

is like everything

shocking

but not surprising.

With the stench

of Musk

reeking,

wreaking

pain

with insane

people

who are

his personal

best,

the country

now waits

at 

the pearly

Gaetz’

department

of justice

for the 

ridiculous,

now serious.

Down The Escalator

Going down 

that escalator

path

of wrath

for 

more

than three

races,

he faces

his face

downward

or straight

with hate

and a spate

of lies—

not falsehoods

or inaccuracies—

but strategies

to change

the conversation

from observation

to obfuscation

and creating

doubt. 

He is uninhibited

with his unlimited

attempt

to stir contempt

while we wait

for him

and them

to hit bottom.

Infinity 

is not divinity.

It is endless

mess

that humans

address

throughout

history.

We think

we 

know now

how 

and why

and so

deny

that humans

will always 

try

to win.

Actual success

reveals

progress,

which to me

feels

like liberation.

Freedom from

oppression

and freedom 

to pursue

without 

harm,

a charming

thought

that ought

to be

easy

in a democracy,

but we know

it’s not so.

Of course

definitions

in opposition

make interpretation

a contest.

But why debate

when it’s 

so easy 

to escalate

hate

going 

ever 

lower?

Taking down

The Escalator

means taking

The Elevator

up to

new

heights.

It’s in our

sights,

despite

the polls

and trolls.

The Escalators

are always 

brought down

by taking

The Elevators 

up.

The Elevator

defies

gravity,

and denies

the depravity

that The Escalator

exudes.

Choose 

the Elevator.

The Escalator

must lose

or he’ll

abuse 

what he can

taking us down

with him.

(** I know 

I’ve used

this metaphor

of The Escalator

before,

but now’s

the time

for action.

Elevate 

your conversation,

participation,

and donation

in preparation

for election day.)

The Incredible Journey

That is America.

We saw 

us all

all

week.

“…the incredible journey

that is

America….”

was a 

line

from Kamala

that struck me.

It wasn’t her

historic

representation

of the first woman

also Black

and Indian.

She spoke about

what is

American.

“…the most

extraordinary

story

ever told.”

Her personal

story—

her journey—

put forth,

outlined

not a freak

of nature,

but the unique

nature

of American

life,

with freedom

to pursue

through

hard work

and talent.

While 

the rich malcontent

has us all

spent

as he 

will never

relent,

she defied

and denied

him

the DEI 

label

by turning

the table

and identified

American.

Harris

was all

business—

a north star

not just

an avatar.

And like

Amanda

Gorman

whose

gorgeous

poem

show’d ‘em

and us 

that we 

must

be worthy

of The American

Dream,

Kamala

continued

the theme,

admonishing

us all

to be worthy

of the “privilege

and pride

of being

an American”.

The other 

theme 

of the week,

it seems,

has been 

Mom.

Not just

Momala,

the nickname

for Kamala

(a name

Trump

has difficulty

saying),

but the sage

wisdom

we inherit

from our 

mothers

and of course

the other

glaring

issue

blaring

in silence

at the RNC:

Who shall

be

a mother

and how

is somehow

now

a defining

matter

despite 

being

long past

passed.

“Never 

do anything

half assed”,

Harris said

quoting her

mother,

and “Don’t

be limited

by what

has always

been.”

A wise

woman

was 

Shyamala. 

Kamala’s 

journey

toward

the presidency

seems

incredible

yet perhaps

soon

ordinary

for an extraordinary

position.

So much

has seemed 

incredible

and indelible;

even this 

joy

feels new.

But we’ve

just been

reminded

this is 

who

we are

and need 

to be:

“worthy

of the privilege

and pride

of being

an American”.

We are 

part 

of the incredible

journey

that is

America.

Thank you,

Kamala.

The Political is Personal

“The personal

is political”

was the critical

theory

of my youth

that guided me

as the truth

and a mandate

to activate

as a feminist,

humanist

first.

Identity

as strategy,

not tragedy,

suggests

and tests

structures

of power

and relations

often leading

to realizations

that individuals

are not alone.

The slogan

became

a way

to frame

individual

presentation

as illustration

of political

situation;

each person

a politcal

representation.

Fast forward

toward

this 2024

election,

and the selection

of speakers

at the DNC

convention

last night,

was notable

for the historical.

Two political

icons,

symbols

of aspiration,

determination,

competency,

and champions

of democracy-

particularly

around the world

and in opposition

to Trump-

gave a last

blast

before

the torch

is passed

forward

to the next

generation.

Hilary

and Joe

similarly

know

success

and political

heartbreak.

Their individual

stories,

different

trajectories,

still

filled

eyes 

with tears

for their

years and years

and years

of service,

and what 

could be lost

or gained.

So ingrained

with democratic

norms

their forms

of politics

seemed

typical.

But their

individual

contests

against

Trump

suggests

that the best

of humans

is an incredible

test

not as easy

or normal

as we assumed.

I can’t imagine

how hard

last night

must have

been

for Biden

and Hilary.

Their personal

emotional

lives

set aside

to raise

the tide

for Walz

and Harris

to defeat

the nefarious

and carry

us 

forward.

Last night,

the political

was personal

as was

also clear

from the victims

of Dobbs—

the decision

that robs

American

women.

The political

is personal,

whether

you are 

a victim

this time

or next.

Has Been

It has been 

a while

since 

a smile

was so 

contagious

it countered

the outrageous

ones

hell bent

on enraging

us.

Meeting 

the moment

to counter

the foment

has taken

nearly

a decade.

We’re not

done yet,

but there’s

a reset

that feels

like a

Hallelujah!

At first,

her laugh

felt 

like

a gaffe—

somehow 

wrong,

like

it didn’t

belong.

Some thought

she was

not ready

for prime

time.

And then

just when

all seemed

so bleak,

and fear

mixed

with grief,

she provided

relief

and a new 

belief

that she’s

grown

and shown

she could 

own him.

She 

has been

building

enthusiasm

while he

has been

in

emotional

spasm,

watching

the momentum

shift.

His grift

is his

gift

that keeps

on giving

him

desperation.

He needs

the election

stolen

for him,

in order

to win

freedom 

from the 

prospect

of prison.

She has

been

a prosecutor,

a state

AG,

a US senator,

and VP.

And somehow

he

has been 

a POTUS.

As she 

brings

intelligence

and joy,

he brings

belligerence

and loves

to annoy

and destroy—

a ploy

which 

has been

effective

with invective

and the incentive

of promises

from grievances.

Abuse

is his muse.

Denying/

lying

has been

his

chorus.

It’s beginning

to bore

us.

His playbook

to win

is rather

thin.

He’s a

has been

who belongs

in prison.

But 

has beens

remain

until forced

to go,

so

be unrelenting

in preventing

The Has Been

a future

free

of accountability.

Do more

than ever

to sever

what

has been

a forever

threat

that must 

be met

now and

in the

coming weeks

as 

The Has Been

seeks

a zombie

presidency,

keeping

him free

while ending

democracy.

Cat Fight

Bring it,

JD!

More 

Cat Lady

snark!

As if

your riff

had any

bark

or bite.

He might

not want

to double

down

and clown

around

when his

delivery-

so cringe

worthy-

brings 

new found

hope

for change.

This strange

yet now

exciting

race

has race

and gender

front

and center;

diversions

from 

the other

perversions

of the MAGA

agenda.

But Harris

I think 

is ready

with a steady

and smart

demeanor.

Meaner

and rough,

Vance

and Trump

will stump

with hate

to excite.

The fight

from the right

is joyless

and sour,

about boy-ness

and girl-ness

and executive

power.

As we await

Harris’

running mate

choice,

her voice

is strong

and up lifting.

She’s got

quite 

a selection

for this

election,

eager

to reach

as many

American

citizens

beyond 

the base

of this

existential

race.

MAGA
has cat

fights

while

withdrawing

rights

of voters

and women

and immigrants

and LGBTQ+

all for a POTUS

who cares

nothing

for us,

or the climate

crisis

or anything

else 

except

avoiding prison.

Listen,

the next

100 days

we need

to raise

money

and momentum.

In this 

brat summer

moment,

the intelligent

and confident

Kamala

for a new

era,

hardly

a sad,

childless

cat lady,

makes

the Trump

Vance

team

seem

even 

more 

unacceptable

and bizarre

and far

from where

we want

to be

as a 

democracy.

Let’s make

history

for our freedom

and future,

more secure.

I’m sure 

we can win it

if you’re all

in it.

The catastrophe

could be

behind us

if you’re

behind Harris.

That would

be

so much

winning.