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I wish my family debated politics with a song and a dance! But, regardless of how we debate it, "You can vote however you like!"

How I Spent My Weekend

I, an "Eastern elitist" from the "fake America (thank you Jon Stewart)" part of America, traveled back to my place of birth, Ohio, to do a little campaigning for Barack Obama. Now, I have lived in NYC for over seven years and I am struck by how much I have changed when I go home. I don't fit there anymore. Yes, my family welcomes me "home" with open arms and I love the autumn in Ohio, but I really am a city girl fake American through and through. Lucky for me I may have a driver's license from my fake state but I have a passport issued by the real America so traveling to this other country was a snap! Now, I'm not sure how it happened, but while I knocked on doors with my sister and two nephews (fake Americans misplaced in real America), the majority of people we canvassed from small town Brimfield/Suffield said they were leaning Obama or voting for him. There were a few still undecided voters whose reasons ranged from "voting for the lessor of two evils" (which I can completely understand considering politicians' pandering and then not doing anything they say when they get into office) to "personal reasons." We had a few polite "we're voting for McCain" people and then we had the door slams and my personal favorite "We're voting for the other, I mean the good guy!" promptly followed by a door closing in our faces. I wasn't aware until then that we were playing cops and robbers!

Sorry to my friends- I didn't get my flight until Wednesday and I was campaigning all day Saturday and Sunday so I didn't have any time for visits.

Nice! If I do say so myself!

Well, here's my postcard! I designed it myself- even down to the stick figures which I drew! I realize that I'm patting myself on the back, but I didn't know how to use Photoshop at all before I started this. I will be getting these in the mail next week to agents and casting directors and to all the fabulous people I hope will be able to come and celebrate my birthday with me!

This is the front:

This is the back:

Rednecks for Obama!!!!

I started to read about the "Bradley effect," my mom told me about some people that she had spoken to in Ohio who she thought were probably prejudiced, and all the racist and xenophobic stuff coming from the other side and I was getting scared. This video clip featuring Rednecks for Obama made me happy and feel positive about the campaign and about the rural areas of America. Yes, we know there are racist people out there, but there are also people who are trying to make a difference! When you think you have encountered someone who might not vote for Obama because he's not like them, direct them to these guys!

Ten Days

I haven't posted for ten days. And my, how the world has changed (or maybe it hasn't changed, but a spotlight is shining down on the worst in human nature). I am outraged at the conduct of the McCain- Palin campaign and the ignorance of some of their supporters. So much so that I can barely even talk about it. Blatant racism, xenophobia, guilt by association, and the list continues to grow daily. I decided to write McCain's daughter Meghan. I don't know that she'll actually read it, but I figured if someone could knock some sense into the campaign maybe it would be a former Democrat who changed parties to be able to vote for her dad in the primaries. I have waited on Meghan and John McCain when he would visit her when she was attending Columbia in NYC. They were both always exceptionally nice and good tippers. And as a side note- I thought that John McCain was a pretty cool dude back then and was almost as excited to wait on him as I was Cher! I tried to focus my attention in the letter to the fact that both McCain and Palin have not publicly reproached their attendees when they say unacceptable things. I watched a video where a person called out "Terrorist!" when John McCain asked the loaded question, "Who is the real Barack Obama?" He looks visibly uncomfortable for a moment and then he continues with the baiting which is dishonest and dishonorable. I said to Meghan that regardless of the outcome of this election her father deserves a better legacy than one that includes such low balling in the final days of a campaign. I believe he is an honorable man that has lost his way and she has an opportunity to bring him back. He deserves that legacy. And all Americans, Republican and Democrat, deserve better.

My Solution

Thank God the bailout failed. Yes, I believe they need to come up with something, but buying all the bad mortgage backed securities from the banks only transfers the problem from one entity- the banks, to another- the government. All the $700 billion would do is guarantee that we have to continue poring money into an inexhaustible situation. The extremely tricky question is, where in this situation is the most help needed? I would love to say that we could help homeowners out, but we can't. The reason that won't work is the crumbling mortgage market is beginning to negatively effect all homeowners. If you decide to bail out individuals who can't pay their mortgages, where do you draw the line? Do you help all homeowners who have lost money on their initial investment? And more importantly, as responsible homeowners see the government help those who defaulted on their loans, what stops them from stopping their own mortgage payments so that they receive government aid too? Anyone with a mortgage has the potential to owe more money than the property is worth. Do we help them too?
So, we come back to Wall Street and our only choice is to let the crap securities stay where they are and open a line of credit to the banks. If it's credit they need to get business done (business which includes lending money to companies so that they can write our payroll checks and conduct their daily business), then We the People can lend. Lending implies a return. It is not a bailout if we make money available to borrow. Consider it a giant student loan. Most of these guys probably didn't have student loans so it would be mandatory for them to attend a class where the gravity of borrowing someone else's money is fully explained to them. Also explained in this class is how important repaying your loan is and that if you fail to pay the government back, your wages can and will be garnished (thank God they all make far more money than your average graduate paying back loans). We get them on a payment plan and we'll have the money returned with interest. We could even throw in some hidden fees, over-limit fees, cash advance fees, late payment fees, and your basic "We Gotcha Cornered- Umbrella Fee" for anything the agreement didn't previously cover, but that we thought up after the fact!
I love Karma!

Laugh your a$% off, I did!

Boy, do we need to laugh these days and this one helped! In case you missed Governor Sarah Palin's interview with Katie Couric, what this instead!!