Once upon a time, songs and poems asked questions, both poignant and whimsical. A poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning both asked and answered a forthright one: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Hell, even Freud mused – with a bewildered lilt to his musing: “What do women want?”
Which led me to remembering a vintage song – “Isn’t it Romantic?” A love song; a melodious love song. Now, the word “romantic” has taken on a brand new hue – a new place in our lexicon – for our president has used it in connection with our invasion and occupation of Iraq. George W. Bush recently opined, as only he can, that war is romantic. That our brave young men and women are engaged in a romantic endeavor, and that he, yes he, envies them.
We have become accustomed to listening to the rantings of a man to whom English is a third language, but this time it takes the – if not the cake – the vacant doughnut hole. Soldiers in a deliberately chosen war, who are dying for no reason, are taking part in a romantic adventure? Seeing residents of a sovereign country slaughtered, and its infrastructure destroyed is romantic? Having our VA hospitals overflowing with the mentally and physically damaged is romantic? Death is romantic?
If we elect John McCain, this romanticism will continue. If we elect Hillary Clinton, whose salivating obsession to return to the White House is paramount, we may well be succumbing to a different kind of nostalgic romanticism. Barack Obama has no notions about combining romance with death, devastation and destruction. His is the kind of reasoned, compassionate intellect which forbids confusing romance with providing excuses for ending life.
This is written not only more in sorrow than anger, but in a full court despair. Yet, with hope still lingering in the corners of my outraged heart and head.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Blog Archive
About Me
- Barbara Rich
- I have been a writer for most of my adult life, and a passionate liberal from the womb. I love words, kids, politics, activism, theater on stage and in life, being verbally outrageous. Justifiable outrage – and if not today, then when? – is just that: justifiable. I am a non-believer who marvels at the devout, “everything in black or white” evangelicals who equate the horror of Katrina with God’s punishment of New Orleans’ lifestyle. No, I do not put my hand on the TV to be cured of ailments, both physical and of the spirit. I’m a Luddite, and a grateful one: a friend has set up this blog for me. I love Barack Obama, and wish Hillary and Bill would find an isolated island where they could decide who would be forced to leave. Used to respect Bill Clinton; Hillary scares the hell out of me. Write to me. Visit me. Question and challenge me. If you'd like to correspond with me, feel free to write me at my snail mail address (since I don't use email): 767 Madison Avenue Charlottesville, VA 22903
8 comments:
Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST 1% HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Don’t fall for any of their ‘humanitarian’ CRAP. ITS A SHAM. THESE PEOPLE ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT. Ask any professor of economics. Money does not grow on trees. The government can’t just print up more on a whim. At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size. So when too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transfered to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars which have been transfered FROM US TO THEM. All over a period of about 27 years. Thats Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socio-economic problems. But the rich will never stop. They just keep getting richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductible crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. Cashing in on the PR and getting even richer the following year. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. Their bogus efforts to make the world a better place can not possibly succeed. Any 'humanitarian' progress made in one area will be lost in another. EVERY SINGLE TIME. IT ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. The current US recession will drag on for years and lead into the worst US depression of all time. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. So don’t fall for any of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductible contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggrivated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGenerous, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. Now, there are commercial ties between nearly every industry and every public figure. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘good will’ BS. ITS A LIE. If you fall for it, then you’re a fool. If you see any real difference between the moral character of a celebrity, politician, attorney, or executive, then you’re a fool. No offense fellow citizens. But we have been mislead by nearly every public figure. WAKE UP PEOPLE. THEIR GOAL IS TO WIN THE GAME. The 1% club will always say or do whatever it takes to get as rich as possible. Without the slightest regard for anything or anyone but themselves. Reaganomics. Their idea. Loans from China. Their idea. NAFTA. Their idea. Outsourcing. Their idea. Sub-prime. Their idea. High energy prices. Their idea. Obscene health care charges. Their idea. The commercial lobbyist. Their idea. The multi-million dollar lawsuit. Their idea. The multi-million dollar endorsement deal. Their idea. $200 cell phone bills. Their idea. $200 basketball shoes. Their idea. $30 late fees. Their idea. $30 NSF fees. Their idea. $20 DVDs. Their idea. Subliminal advertising. Their idea. Brainwash plots on TV. Their idea. Vioxx, and Celebrex. Their idea. The MASSIVE campaign to turn every American into a brainwashed, credit card, pharmaceutical, love-sick, celebrity junkie. Their idea. All of the above shrink the middle class, concentrate the world’s wealth and resources, create a dominoe effect of socio-economic problems, and wreak havok on society. All of which have been CREATED AND ENDORSED by celebrities, athletes, executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys, and politicians. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for any of their ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTIBLE PR CRAP. In many cases, the 'charitable' contribution is almost entirely offset. Not to mention the opportunity to plug their name, image, product, and 'good will' all at once. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. These filthy pigs even have the nerve to throw a fit and spin up a misleading defense with regard to 'federal tax revenue'. ITS A SHAM. THEY SCREWED UP THE EQUATION TO BEGIN WITH. If the middle and lower classes had a greater share of the pie, they could easily cover a greater share of the federal tax revenue. They are held down in many ways because of greed. Wages remain stagnant for millions because the executives, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, and entrepreneurs, are paid millions. They over-sell, over-charge, under-pay, outsource, cut jobs, and benefits to increase their bottom line. As their profits rise, so do the stock values. Which are owned primarily by the richest 5%. As more United States wealth rises to the top, the middle and lower classes inevitably suffer. This reduces the potential tax reveue drawn from those brackets. At the same time, it wreaks havok on middle and lower class communities and increases the need for financial aid. Not to mention the spike in crime because of it. There is a dominoe effect to consider. IT CAN'T WORK THIS WAY. But our leaders refuse to acknowledge this. Instead they come up with one trick after another to milk the system and screw the majority. These decisions are heavily influensed by the 1% club. Every year, billions of federal tax dollars are diverted behind the scenes back to the rich and their respective industries. Loans from China have been necessary to compensate in part, for the red ink and multi-trillion dollar transfer of wealth to the rich. At the same time, the feds have been pushing more financial burden onto the states who push them lower onto the cities. Again, the hardship is felt more by the majority and less by the 1% club. The rich prefer to live in exclusive areas or upper class communities. They get the best of everything. Reliable city services, new schools, freshly paved roads, upscale parks, ect. The middle and lower class communities get little or nothing without a local tax increase. Which, they usually can't afford. So the red ink flows followed by service cuts and lay-offs. All because of the OBSCENE distribution of bottom line wealth in this country. So when people forgive the rich for their incredible greed and then praise them for paying a greater share of the FEDERAL income taxes, its like nails on a chalk board. I can not accept any theory that our economy would suffer in any way with a more reasonable distribution of wealth. Afterall, it was more reasonable 30 years ago. Before Reaganomics came along. Before GREED became such an epidemic. Before we had an army of over-paid executives, bankers, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, investors, entrepreneurs, developers, and sold-out politicians to kiss their asses. As a nation, we were in much better shape. Strong middle class, free and clear assets, lower crime rate, more widespread prosperity, stable job market, lower deficit, ect. Our economy as a whole was much more stable and prosperous for the majority. WITHOUT LOANS FROM CHINA. Now, we have a more obscene distribution of bottom line wealth than ever before. We have a sold-out government, crumbling infrastructure, energy crisis, home forclosure epidemic, 13 figure national deficit, and 12 figure annual shortfall. The cost of living is higher than ever before. Most people can't even afford basic health care. ALL BECAUSE OF GREED. I really don't blame the 2nd -5th percentiles in general. No economy could ever function without some reasonable scale of personal wealth and income. But it can't be allowed to run wild like a mad dog. ALBERT EINSTEIN TRIED TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. UNBRIDLED CAPITALISM ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK. TOP HEAVY ECONOMIES ALWAYS COLLAPSE. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. The American dream will be shattered. and thats just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. Oprah, Angelina, Brad, Bono, and Bill are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE HUMANITARIAN. EXTREME WEALTH MAKES WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. WITHOUT WORLD PROSPERITY, THERE WILL NEVER BE WORLD PEACE OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Of course, the rich will throw a fit and call me a madman.. Of course, they will jump to small minded conclusions about 'jealousy', 'envy', or 'socialism'. Of course, their ignorant fans will do the same. You have to expect that. But I speak the truth. If you don’t believe me, then copy this entry and run it by any professor of economics or socio-economics. Then tell a friend. Call the local radio station. Re-post this entry or put it in your own words. Be one of the first to predict the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time and explain its cause. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.
Romantic? I cringe. I thought Romantic was all about Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats.
Well if you use the definition of romantic as fanciful, impractical or unrealistic, then sure, war is romantic but far be if for me to defend Pres Bush's oratory style. (please use bunny quotes around oratory style).
As for your anonymous commenter, I think it's working fabulously. For at least one percent.
Just dropped by to say "Hi", via Tea Leaves
Yes, hello via Tea Leaves...
I am so angry today...........
4000, plus about 30,000 maimed and injured, plus who knows how many Iraqi citizens.
Sickening, I hope this country wakes up before it's too late. I thought that surely during the last election there was NO way any reasonable person would re-elect that POS of a POTUS. They did.
Bill and Hill are so power hungry that it's sickening. It has finally, (too late for Ohio) come to light regarding all of the meeting that she had in support of NAFTA. Support. Also her fabricated scary Bosnia tarmac run, proved to be a hoax. Integrity? I don't think so. Yet the fear of brown skin is so pervasive in this country as to make people stupid beyond my imagination.
I still have hope.
Thank you for the thoughtful words. I am unsure of Obama but I am really sure I don't want Hillary or McCain. I guess it's hard to have faith and hope after so many years of just the opposite. 4,000 dead is just too awful to contemplate. Cole Porter is romantic, 4,000 dead american children is just sad. And if George W. envies the youngsters their war, he can go fight it himself.
I doubt any of you out there playing a weak game of class envy can even define the word "recession". Take ECON 101 - people of means create wealth - it is not a zero-sum game. They do not take it from someone else. Anyone can succeed in America. If people like anonymous March 20 spent the amount of time he spent writing that blathering screed at honest work he'd have much more than he does. Please see America for what it is - a great land of opportunity that people all over the world want to come to. Liberal hand wringers are gutless and lazy - they are the real drag on the economy. Free markets are what made this country. If you want to help the poor of the world get off your fat American butt and join the Peace Corp. As a veteran paratrooper I've traveled quite a lot and seen how the 3rd world lives. All you cry-babies ought to thank God that you were born here.
I doubt any of you out there playing a weak game of class envy can even define the word "recession". Take ECON 101 - people of means create wealth - it is not a zero-sum game. They do not take it from someone else. Anyone can succeed in America if they work hard and keep their eyes open for opportunity. If people like anonymous March 20 spent the amount of time he spent writing that blathering screed at honest work he'd have much more than he does. Please see America for what it is - a great land of opportunity that people all over the world want to come to. Liberal, big-government hand wringers are gutless and lazy - they are the real drag on the economy. Also, 2/3s of our national debt is from the days when the Dems. held the Congress for 40 years, spending almost 6 trillion dollars just on anti-poverty handouts that created a permanent underclass dependent on the Gov't. After all that spending the poverty rate is even slightly higher than it was in '65. Income redistribution is socialism, and class warfare is poisonous and divisive. Man up! Free markets are what made this country. If you want to help the poor of the world get off your fat American butt and join the Peace Corp or volunteer at a hospital. As a veteran paratrooper - 82D Airborne Div. - I've traveled overseas quite a bit and I've seen how the 3rd world lives. Anyone with geopolitical savvy realizes that we have interests that can only be handled by our outstanding armed forces. Remember that the tree of liberty requires periodic watering with the blood of patriotic men and women. All you anti-American cry-babies ought to thank God that you were born here and quit complaining because you can't afford every little material thing you see on TV. Love it or leave it. Happiness and fulfillment start inside us and are not a function of how much money we have. Read Thos. Jefferson, Thos. Paine, and John Locke - some truths are eternal.
I doubt any of you out there playing a weak game of class envy can even define the word "recession". Take ECON 101 - people of means create wealth - it is not a zero-sum game. They do not take it from someone else. Anyone can succeed in America if they work hard and keep their eyes open for opportunity. If people like anonymous March 20 spent the amount of time he spent writing that blathering screed at honest work he'd have much more than he does. Please see America for what it is - a great land of opportunity that people all over the world want to come to. Liberal, big-government hand wringers are gutless and lazy - they are the real drag on the economy. Also, 2/3s of our national debt is from the days when the Dems. held the Congress for 40 years, spending almost 6 trillion dollars just on anti-poverty handouts that created a permanent underclass dependent on the Gov't. After all that spending the poverty rate is even slightly higher than it was in '65. Income redistribution is socialism, and class warfare is poisonous and divisive. Man up! Free markets are what made this country. If you want to help the poor of the world get off your fat American butt and join the Peace Corp or volunteer at a hospital. As a veteran paratrooper - 82D Airborne Div. - I've traveled overseas quite a bit and I've seen how the 3rd world lives. Anyone with geopolitical savvy realizes that we have interests that can only be handled by our outstanding armed forces. Remember that the tree of liberty requires periodic watering with the blood of patriotic men and women. All you anti-American cry-babies ought to thank God that you were born here and quit complaining because you can't afford every little material thing you see on TV. Love it or leave it. Happiness and fulfillment start inside us and are not a function of how much money we have. Read Thos. Jefferson, Thos. Paine, and John Locke - some truths are eternal.
Post a Comment