Dispatches from DC #04

07 November 2010

Hello there... Rodger French here.

It's been an interesting time here in the self-proclaimed "Capital of the Free World." As you may have heard, America had an election last week and, once again, voters (or at least the ones who bothered to get off their asses) gave the Republican Party a clear mandate, not to be confused with the clear mandate they gave the Democratic Party two years ago, never mind the (classic) Supreme Court one-vote mandate of 2000. Mandates seem to occur like periodic herpes outbreaks in this great land of ours.

But, as a proud, card-carrying Liberal, I thought it best to make a positive contribution to the process; so, in addition to voting, I spent 15 hours with some fellow citizens working the polls at my local precinct. It was a long day, to be sure, but I actually enjoyed assisting folks in the exercise of their franchise and only wish more people had showed up. The percentage of eligible, possibly informed American voters who actually turn out is downright pathetic.

As is the tsunami of post-election analysis now engulfing us at every turn. CW (Convention Wisdom) trumps all in medialand, with results construed, often at the expense of, you know, reality, to fit narratives carefully constructed by millionaire pundits and radio/TV personalities at the behest of their corporate overlords. So, in the interest of brevity, please permit me to offer my own pithy political prognostication for the next two years:

Republicans - Insane

Democrats - Spineless

Outlook - Totally F@#ked

In other news, we are still awaiting the release of our HHE (Household Effects) shipment from South Africa that is currently being held hostage in Baltimore. Ah, but won't that be a rapturous day. Anne continues to successfully settle into the realities of working at the U.S. State Department in the actual U.S., and I've begun taking my spiffy new bike out and about, just in time for the annual winter BFC (Butt Freezing Cold) cycling season. So, life goes on, mandates and all.

[Bonus Signage from "The Rally to Restore Sanity and or Fear" -

"The guy behind me can't see"

"Free Lohan"

"Don't Tread on Snakes"

"What America needs... oh look, a puppy"]

Onward.

Rodger