Is This Real Life?

Yes, apparently it is. A person can share a taco bowl, a misguided attempt to honor a holiday that is not an independence celebration and proclaim to love a certain ethnic group that encompasses more than one country and somehow, somehow people are eating it up with chips and salsa.

Don't get me wrong. Not everyone is. At first some thought it was a joke, a meme, a fake profile screen shot.  Alas, 'tis not!  This is real life America. The presumptive Republican nominee shares a picture full of stereotypical platitudes and you have the very people he's insulting proclaiming their undying support and love for him.

We are better than this.  Wake up. America was great, is great and can still be great without walls, barriers, boarders and vitriol.

'Twas the night before.....

Ah election eve. I still feel a little thrill tonight, although I didn't expect it. I'm over the commercials (we see a lot in the 'Burgh because PA is still considered a swing state), the attacks, the ridiculous Facebook posts and Twitter updates. In short-I'm over people warping their personalities for two candidates who, when it comes down to it, are just that. Two candidates. While the passion for politics and change in America is amazing, the vitriol with which it is proclaimed is not. It's disgusting. And frankly, I'll be happy when the election is over and we can move on-regardless of who wins. And that's the thing. Winning (not said in a a Charlie Sheen voice please note). If your candidate wins, are you a winner? I don't know. I do know this. There are far more losers than winners in elections. And those losers tend to be us, the American citizen. I don't mean that in the sense that we are losers as in something is inherently wrong with us and we have an L on our foreheads. We are losers because those we elect, for the most part, cannot put party and pride aside to do the job we elected them to do. So, bills that should be passed die in the House or Senate. Or, legislators bargain and wheel and deal and bills are passed that do far less than their actual intent. It's frustrating. These legislators (and President of course) are paid well, have decent perks-hey, at least they have health insurance-and get to be part of living history. Even if they're not re-elected, I wouldn't say they've lost so much as they just didn't win.

It's a weird situation-our political climate. For presidential elections, approximately nine states matter. I think it's time all states matter. We all matter. Or, at least, we should. People defend their views so heatedly they won't even listen to another opinion. It's as if we all need to feel one extreme or the other. What happened to just being people? When you get down to it, I think for the most part people are just people. We go to work, raise families, study in school, spend time with those we love and try to enjoy the moment. This political climate has divided us. Ironically, it has taken a storm to unite us. Tell me that's not the greatest metaphor and art imitating life-America is at it's most bitter and divided in a long time-and then we are brought to our knees and reminded again that nothing is certain, life is fragile, and red and blue are just colors, not ways to identify one's state or issues. People and lawmakers reached across party lines to help those in need and are still doing so. So, I have to wonder, will things change that much in the next four years? If we have divided government, probably not. But, maybe we can learn from this experience and work together. We're all we have when you get down to it.  So, I still feel a slight thrill tonight as a national presidential election is exciting. But, I know that tomorrow and the next day life will probably continue normally regardless of who wins. Sure, there will be changes here and there over the next four years. As an optimist, I remain hopeful the best is yet to come and that in four years from now things will be better for more and not just a few.  I just know that when I vote tomorrow, I will be doing something that people years before fought for so that someone like me, a female, would have a voice in shaping my country. I feel not only is it a legal right but it is a privilege. And one I'm proud to exercise.

A Change Is Gonna Come.....Or Is It?

Twelve years ago you wouldn't have found a more idealistic young woman.  Raised by parents who were active in both civic duty and charity groups, I had a sense of community service and involvement from a young age. For some reason I gravitated towards politics and current events. My brother, nine years older than me, was able to vote for the first time when he was in college. I'll never forget calling him that November day to remind him.  I was nine.  He was not thrilled. 

After the fiasco of the 2000 election, in which I volunteered tirelessly, I started to lose that innocence a little. The economy tanked after September 11th, through the fault of no one but the cowards who attacked us.The last ten years or so have been dismal economically for many but not for all. Government gridlock is the one constant in our political lives. And I have to wonder, will it change with this impending election, just mere days away? I hope so. The idealist in me believes it will. But I know too well what divided government will lead to-more gridlock.  The only way out is for some brave lawmakers to cross the aisle, man up, put their own election worries aside and do what they were voted in office to do-unless of course one party has a majority in both the White House and Congress. History shows Americans prefer divided government however. 

This will be one of the only times this blog takes on politics. But, as a woman in her 30s and a citizen of this country it can't be escaped. One thing has changed with age-my idealism. That freshman in college, who told Al Gore it was an honor to vote for him the first time she ever voted, has seen too much to believe like she used to.  But, somewhere deep down, the 30 year old me still gets that thrill during election years and election night and believes, just a little, that things can change for the better. Hopefully you do too.