politics

Making Ago of It

MAGA

became

a party

to insanity

with no

real

vision,

just 

division.

The sense

of impending

ending

of what 

we treasure

is the measure

by which

we react.

Humanity’s

mortality

(and certainly

Democracy’s)

is what we

tend

to see.

At least

let’s not

go further

but add

some fervor

to be the

preserver

of this

life

now.

The party’s

over

so let’s 

stand

our ground

into the ground

this time

around.

Screw

decorum—

a forum

for repression.

Bring

obsession

and regression

to the fore

and the floor

of our House.

Hats off

to 46,

who wants

to fix

so much

that is broken.

The Center

of Gravity

has normalized

depravity,

self serving

and unnerving.

Calling themselves

Conservative

is interpretive

at best.

Suggesting

Great

while exhibiting

hate

is actually

reflecting

our past.

We’re better

off

and on 

a path

forward,

certainly

since

COVID.

But what

we thought

was outmoded

has a devoted

following.

Wallowing

in grievance

and demanding

allegiance

will not

forward

us.

Looking toward

what was

is blurry,

leaving out

the worst

and worry.

But many

feel 

more confident

in the current

fever dream.

The wish 

of 4 years

ago

is merely 

to hold

on.

Making

America

Great

Again,

as though

it’s something

we only

know

from long

ago,

is oh so

hollow.

Track and Field

I track

my body’s

expenditures–

tallying

steps,

REM,

and deep

sleep.

My  convenient

device

provides

advice

to keep 

me resilient.

Physically,

it’s working;

I’m doing

better 

than expected.

But my

field

of vision

is narrowing,

as the harrowing

crises 

overwhelm these

data points.

In order 

to prevent

sleeplessness

and foster

resilience,

I need 

to care

less.

But I can’t.

We need 

to engage

in ways

that are 

interactive

and creative;

that address

the mess

from fossil

fuels

and plastic.

Truly drastic

measures

require

forgoing

pleasures

to which 

we have

become

accustomed.

Losing

trust,

witnessing

those 

intended

to see a

democracy

upended

is exhausting

to track.

And depressing.

The alienation

in this nation

is in part

caused by

a conflation

of news 

and entertainment

—infotainment—

and cruelty

so that duality,

not plurality,

is insisted

upon.

We are lost,

and the cost

is literally

killing

the country

(and others)

and the planet. 

Helplessness,

more than 

sleeplessness,

is the urgent

and important

crisis to meet.

As we track

our daily

routines,

we are 

far

afield

from living

from what

we’ve been

given.

We have 

retreated

to repeated

tasks

when what

is actually

asked

of us

is to heal

each other

and our

environment.

Liberty Mutual

Liberty

is a statue

commemorating

a virtue

welcoming

into our harbor,

absent

on the southern

border.

Insecure

from escapees

and refugees

seeking

asylum

after 

an insanely

difficult

trek

under stars

and the blazing

sun,

overwhelming

our broken

system,

we no longer

talk of liberty

or freedom

from dangerous

or injurious

conditions

except 

in Gaza

despite 

Hamas.

The explosive,

corrosive,

divisions

pushing

boundaries

at the borders

within several 

democracies,

while atrocities

unrelenting,

remind me

that 

Lady Liberty

is a statue

from long

ago.

Our experiment

in liberty

has always had

an element

of hypocrisy,

sometimes forgetting

responsibility

and accountability

to others

that accompanies

her.

Don’t tread

on me:

it’s my liberty

for me

to be as free

as can be

unless

I’m powerless,

which often

means

without means.

(or a woman,

or person of 

color;

or queer

or any other

minority

denied

liberty

because

it’s been

historically

otherwise

until

recently.)

But history

is being

written

anew 

with old

conventions

and oppressions.

It’s as though

some want

liberty

to be an old

statue.

They will 

demand

what

they please

ignoring pleas

that counter

their own

misperceived

threats

or preferences.

Their defenses

of god 

and liberty

(and possibly 

immunity)

are sculptures

of a culture

long dominant.

But liberty

stands

alone,

prominent,

as a definer

of human

beings.

Despite 

Putin’s

war 

to dominate

Ukraine,

the sane

understand

the demand

that liberty

is not merely

a statue,

but an evolution

itself

of self

and other

reckoning

from the beckoning

of the torch.

The Fetal Position

If you,

like me,

feel like

curling up

into 

the fetal

position

from opposition

to IVF
after feeling

helpless

about Dobbs,

then let’s

explore
The Fetal Position.

Personhood

is understood

as a fetus,

or an anonymous

contributor

(or contributing

entity)

to a PAC,

or a corporation.

Actual 

identifiable

people

are denied

rights

and 

regarded

as wrong

if they belong

to the school

of thought

that suggests

life begins

after birth.

This 

theocracy-

style

governance

is a supreme

encumbrance

not just

upon 

women,

but upon

families,

communities,

and actually,

our democracy.

Hearts,

bank accounts,

systems,

are broken

for a token

win

that doesn’t

affect

the legislators’

lives;

only the lives

and livelihoods

of those 

deemed

killing

personhoods

for securing

safer living

of actual

human beings.

The tortured

logic

for the gynecologic

obsessions

and supposed

transgressions

are injections

of a particular

(and peculiar)

religious

interpretation.

The anti-science

reliance

on a bible

as the guide

for literal

fetal

legal

accountability

will never

provide

sustainability.

From my

current fetal

position

I can only

suggest 

that The Fetal

Position,

whose

mission

is prohibition,

abolition,

and ammunition

against

the proposition

of complexity

of life

and governance,

is a minority

of a party

whose priority

is superiority,

of course,

but also 

authority

over others—

God fearing,

because

inspiring

fear

is what

they revere.

Fearing

government

and science

as slippery

slopes

promotes

anti-expert

(so-called

elite)

pronouncements.

Their

Fetal Position

is conceived 

from religious

interpretation

now codified

as legislation.

We can’t 

let our fear

keep us

in the

fetal position.

Find ways

to contribute

to uproot

this acute

and chronic

assault

on the embroyonic

and the Fetal

Position.

Hits and Misses

In my life,

political strife

has wrought

assassinations

and “the wife”.

Each was

so capable

in her own

right,

despite

forever 

being linked

to her

husband’s 

distinct

vision.

Killed 

by opposition

to their

position

on issues,

or potential

power,

or who knows

why,

after they

died,

their

wives

carried

their legacies.

Jackie 

modeled

dignity

and continuity

of the presidency

for our democracy

though grieving

profoundly.

Coretta

lead a 

civil rights

movement

through social

justice

when the world

trusted us

to be 

a beacon.

Yoko Ono,

another

forever

widow,

would not 

let Lennon

love

weaken.

And Alexi

Navalny

who

sought

democracy

(really)

had a partner

against

Putin’s crimes.

Yulia Navalnaya,

while mourning

her spouse,

announced

her commitment

to the consistent

work

of freedom.

Her days

are likely 

numbered,

in case 

you wondered

if Tucker’s

portrayal

was helpful.

The Mrs

are hits

among

the public:

stoic,

iconic,

and

patriotic-

all despite

the chaotic.

Their strength

makes

the hit men

look weak.

Because 

they ultimately

are.

Elder Care

Some don’t 

care

about one

candidate’s

age

or

gaffes

or (potential?)

crimes,

because:

demeanor.

The meaner,

the better;

such

a go

getter.

His vim

and vigor

and ability

to trigger

libs

is his

super 

power,

despite

his dour

countenance

and incompetence

at everything

but delaying.

He’s playing

the game

to win

at all 

costs,

which,

as of now,

costs him

about a half

a billion

dollars

plus interest

each day

he doesn’t

pay.

“So what?”,

they say,

“He’s here

to stay”,

because

he’s the

Mr Fixit.

But if

the fix

is in

unless he

wins…

oh there is

no

logic

to the diabolic

hyperbolic

sclerotic

neurotic

chronic

liminal

criminal

chief

cheat,

other than

to serve

himself.

And the slow

moving

Joe

is suffering

from low

approval

ratings

despite 

succesful

governance.

But media

presence

presents

a problem

for the elder

statesman.

Looking

frail

on the campaign

trail

is worse

than the prospect

of going

to jail

in our current

democrazy.

Will stopping

Biden

be easier

than stopping

Trump 

from running?

This could 

be stunning.

Write

to your 

pols

regardless 

of polls

and tell

them how

much

you care.

A democracy

is not 

a one man

capability.

We are much 

more

than this

sore

spot

of old

white

guys

clinging.

Never Mind?

Lemme just say

that one 

should pay

one’s bills.

The latest

threat

to NATO,

though,

we can’t ignore

as a sure

bet

to upset

yet

again 

the anti

MAGA

as the saga

continues.

The irony,

as Andy

Borowitz

reminds us.

is that

the guy

who never

pays 

his bills

somehow 

instills

a sanction:

a sort of

permission

for Putin’s

aggression

and obsession

with expansion.

Trump

is playing

quarterback,

wanting his

own

Super Bowl

back;

treating this

as the halftime

show

Ushering

in 

the third

quarter

after ordering

House

Repubs’

ignoring

the border

deal

that could

have helped

our immigration

situation,

and also

Biden.

And who 

could forget

Hur’s hurling

insult

at the aging-

before –

our-eyes

POTUS,

who 

side steps

stepping aside.

Designed

to undermine

Biden’s

candidacy,

Hur’s report

tends

to distort

his role.

Now 

what’s on

everyone’s

mind:

Who’s

mind

is more

demented?

The tormented

one 

who foments

aggression

and hate

with a spate

of indictments

and trial dates?

Or the decidedly

decent,

accomplished

statesman

whose

lack

of alacrity

walking to

pressers

has had no

bearing

on his

ability

to engage

in serious

matters

at home

and abroad

with some

of the greatest

successes

despite

what impresses

the minds

of voters

most.

It used

to be

“It’s the economy,

Stupid!”

Now,

it’s just 

stupid.

And we can’t

never

mind.

Immune from Immunity

Phew!

What we knew

we knew—

(iykyk)—

that we need

immunity

from

POTUS
immunity

as decided

unambiguously,

unanimously

by a panel

of 3

bipartisan

judges.

Now the matter

shifts

to the supremes.

Will they

or won’t they

take the case

that sets

the pace

for the race

against

time

for trials

and a trying

election

season?

There is no

immuno-

compromise;

only immuno-

suppression .

And our immuno-

deficiency

is the inefficiency

of our system

of democracy

where time

and norms

seem easily

distorted

and contorted

through sordid

actions

and throwing

spaghetti

with ketchup

at the walls

of justice.

Now I worry

about some

justices

who curry

favor

with the uber

wealthy

and stealthily

conceal

their

deal

making.

Our system

is not immune

to the opportunistic,

parasitic,

narcissistic

one(s)

who herd

the weak

as they seek

power

with immunity.

But for now,

this inoculation

immunizing

us from

presidential

immunity

is welcome.

Next,

we brace

for the case

of Colorado

and the 14th

Amendment

in the POTUS

race.

At least

there’s

the Super

Bowl

to distract,

and the debate

will shift

to Taylor

Swift—

silly stuff

when we’ve

heard enough

about immunity

for now.

So Much Winning

The big surprise

was not 

the primary

prize.

Although

a disappointment

for her

and now less

of a contest,

the best

is not

necessarily

who gets

voted in.

What does

BE BEST
really mean

anyway?

But I digress,

as the mess

of us

is made

by the few.

Even in

The Academy

where Barbie

revived

the biz,

The Ms (es)

who delivered

something

new and

bright,

light 

and true,

were ignored.

The women

who created

a phenomenon

and actually

united

diverging views

emerging

over decades,

dividing

us,

somehow

found

the sweet spot

and got

snubbed.

Is Barbie

really

us?

When is it

Kenough ?

The competent

women

are still

driven

but can’t

win.

I actually

read

a comment

today

in the NYT

complaining

about

Nikki Haley’s

teeth.

Her actual

dental

appearance

was too

grating

for this person.

I won’t 

lower

the conversation

to her

rival’s

looks,

even if

it’s one

for the books.

Back 

to The Academy

which now reflects

the tragedy

of us…

Like Dobbs,

this too,

will soon

not be 

news,

and we’ll

proceed

as we bleed,

(too female

for you?)

in desperate

need

of the

Gerwigs

and Robbies

and even

Haleys,

Cheyneys,

Hillarys,

and Pelosis,

and so many

of the smart,

bold,

talented,

and yes, 

flawed,

but not 

frauds.

Among 

the many men

(Ken!)

who deserve

rewarding,

the easy

ignoring

of the women

who actually

require

much more

to compete,

is a defeat

of understanding

or simply

a retreat

to the familiar.

Is this winning?

American Idle

The story 

of 

“The Golden Calf”

is a warning

against idolatry.

But only

recently

did it occur

to me

to consider

why

a calf?

Ancient cultures

and cults

and myths

regarded

bulls as sacred.

Among

the cattle

prominent,

the bull’s

dominent

stature

was a godlike

feature

in the ancient

world.

So why 

a calf

on behalf

of the Israelites

awaiting

Moses’ return?

Perhaps

the calf

is merely 

half

of the force

of the all

powerful.

And now

the maga,

at least

in Iowa,

have their

bull

ever ready

for the next

bullfight.

How perfect

that bull

means the opposite

of real

much like

the appeal

of the bs 

king

who says

it like

it is(n’t).

The bullfight

has officially

begun

although

this bull

has been

bullying

and running

forever.

He’s been 

stabbed

and tested,

but he has

bested

the best

efforts

to contain 

him.

He worships

idolatry

especially

of himself.

It would be

laughable

or a parable

if it weren’t

so horrible.

He’s the

American Idol

of the maga

nation—

a minority

whose sacred

cow

may be

a criminal—

and is 

no longer 

liminal.

America,

we can’t 

remain

idle.