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The Watercooler ~ Random Thoughts Half-Baked

By: westcoastpatriette (Diary)  |  February 21st, 2013 at 09:04 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Please bear with me as I try to get my rhythm down with these open threads. I’m not used to “writing on demand” so to speak, and I quickly realized that doing one every day was too much. You know, familiarity breeds contempt and drains creativity. I work best when naturally inspired and find it hard to produce on demand. So, I’m playing around with the frequency of posting these.

Moving on, from time to time, I start feeling really bogged down and question whether I should stay involved in the political battle to save our nation. I wonder if I am wasting my time, money, and energy investing in trying to bring about change, and my mood-swings about it all are reflected in my diaries. There is so much disappointment in those we thought we could trust or wanted to trust and I really don’t like playing integrity cop — which is what I feel like we do much of the time.

Normally, I would stay far away from people engaged in such glaring recklessness — where greedy fools and power-hungry egos battle each other with the basest of motives day in and day out — oblivious to the real lives and real people who are suffering as a result of their actions.

When I look at the bigger picture and the apparent hopeless gridlock and game-playing in Washington, it’s beyond the average person’s ability to comprehend the destructive, childish, selfish behavior we see taking place there day after day.

Millions of Americans continue to suffer from the loss of their homes, jobs and futures, while the ruling elites in Washington get raises and Obama — in between mini-golf vacations — pushes for more investment and revenue (more commonly known as higher taxes and more spending) as the answer to all of our problems.

To those of us out here looking in, it is like watching a surreal nightmare of pending doom that we cannot wake up from.

And I really wonder if we have reached the point of no return — where the government has grown so large and the greed has become so entrenched into the system that it cannot be extricated, thus, perpetuating the peril for all of us.

Hopeless as it all seems, when I consider walking away from it all, something compels me to stay involved. Even if I fail to make a difference, I would rather lose fighting than lose doing nothing.

So, the only thing left to battle that’s completely within my control is how to stay a happy warrior in spite of so many losses and disappointments. Thus, my escape into the world of music. Keeps me centered and sane.

The Watercooler is always an open thread.

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  • funwithknives

    You and I have had some semblance of this particular discussion a time or two before.
    I am slowly coming around to ‘hybridizing’ my non-participation [per Bill Whittle] and pick my choices, both political and consumer, more carefully now.
    You can’t be an objective and rational thinker, live in this country, and not want to do constructive things to alliviate what You See as wrong, or counter-productive. You’d be denying [part and parcel] what makes you what you are.
    But the swimming-through-molasses feeling you must be feeling [at least part-time ],
    is a brake on your initiative and urge ‘to do something’.
    In the end, it’s “On Your Feet, or On Your Knees” time, and your last coupla’ lines seem to kinda’ show us you’re seeing/feeling/living that point.
    As for music, try these little ditties, bluesy/but yet not, in origin :
    ** ‘Someone to Love’ by Various, but try to find Paul Butterfield’s version with Geoff Muldaur vocalizing, Butterfield on harp. It’ll stick in your head………
    ** Look up BillMiller.com and just survey the terrain. His seen-live stuff is knock out material. I can shut my eyes and see him, right in front of me……..and did, all-of once.
    ** Just about anything by Sam Cooke, Otis Redding or Jerry [The Iceman] Butler.
    ** “Welcome”, an album by Santana and various guests. It has almost infinite varieties and should be [in my super-humble opinion] at least listened-to once, by music afficianados everywhere.
    I’d list more, but they’re all out in the car and it’s 15 degrees F outside. My bad.
    Keep up threading , and know that it is ‘a service’ that you do. To be ‘of service’ in any form is the highest form of being Human and you’re gettin’ it right……….
    Sincerely :fwk
    ['gekster' used to chime in, right about now. Where did that rascal get to, anyway....?]

    • westcoastpatriette

      fwk, thanks for the encouragement. gekster showed up a week or so ago on one of these open threads. Said she missed everyone but hard times had hit. She was at the library on a computer and let us know she missed us and thought she would be back soon.

  • Wubbies

    Angelo Codevilla has an awesome article up in Forbes dated yesterday Feb 20th. It is titled: “As Country Club Republicans Link Up With The Democratic Ruling Class, Millions Of Voters Are Orphaned” It is an awesome read!

    A short excerpt:

    “For generations, the Republican Party had presented itself as the
    political vehicle for Americans whose opposition to ever-bigger
    government financed by ever-higher taxes makes them a “country class.”
    Yet modern Republican leaders, with the exception of the Reagan
    Administration, have been partners in the expansion of government,
    indeed in the growth of a government-based “ruling class.” They have
    relished that role despite their voters. Thus these leaders gradually
    solidified their choice to no longer represent what had been their
    constituency, but to openly adopt the identity of junior partners in
    that ruling class.”

    Read the entire article at Forbes here:

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/02/20/as-country-club-republicans-link-up-with-the-democratic-ruling-class-millions-of-voters-are-orphaned/

    • bobmark

      That was very interesting and worthwhile, thanks for sharing.

    • westcoastpatriette

      Thanks for that read, Wubbies. One of the reasons I open up like I do in some of my diaries is because I know I can trust the right people to help me out when I need it. That article reflects what is going on and why we feel the way we do.

  • bobmark

    Hi wcp,

    I know what you mean about wanting to do something but not being sure of how or what that something should be, and will it really make a difference. You’re not alone. I’d bet that there are a whooooole lot of folks trying to get a handle on that. Me, I read and listen to talk radio, and (almost) everytime I hear a dem talking point come out of somone’s mouth I try to casually plant the conservative antidote, if only to make that person think and maybe sow a little doubt about the MSM message.

    If I may, maybe rather than trying to come up with a mini-diary you could just think of something that interests you that you’d like to know more about, or something you feel is important that people aren’t talking about, and just solicit comments.

    I found a couple articles by Jeffery Lord on The American Spectator that use the S.E. Cupp brouhaha to make some points about the conservative vs. moderate ideological battle that everybody should take the time to read.

    Obviously noone is going to write a diary saying, “Go read this guys work on another website”, but still we should be aware of the points he makes. My two cents for the day:

    http://spectator.org/archives/2013/02/19/twittering-dinosaurs

    http://spectator.org/archives/2013/02/21/se-cupp-and-the-freezing-of-th

    • cbartlett

      bob: That second spectator.org article is excellent! The historical perspective of the Rove/Romney philosophy compared to the success of the Reagan/Atwater is very interesting. There is hope out there?? Thanks for posting.

    • westcoastpatriette

      I concur with cbartlett. These were excellent reads. Thanks so much.

  • cbartlett

    wcp:
    I share your alternating hope vs hopelessness. Some days I look around and see the stupid decisions people make and think they deserve what they get – just let them have it. Then I remember that my kids and their families will suffer along with them and I remember why we need to continue to fight. My husband and I have decided that we have limited influence on DC politics and our focus has become to work within our local area as much as possible so that, if/when things fall apart, we will have a strong, independent community that can survive hard times. I posted this on Erick’s post about Governor Brown:

    The illusion of “free money” is very attractive and deceiving for many folks. My husband recently began working for our city in a decision-making position – after working in the private sector for more than 30 years. He has been able to educate long-time city employees who are, for the most part conservative individuals, about the strings that are attached to both state and federal grants. These people have spent entire careers chasing what they call “free money”. After reading the fine print and pointing out some of the consequences to accepting these grants, they have decided to NOT chase the funds and strengthen our city for the long-term. We are in a fairly small college town (TX) – population about 40 thousand. I can’t imagine how much worse all of this is on the state and federal levels for people like Governor Scott. They are surrounded by an enormous number of career government employees that just don’t understand how protecting their stupid job is hurting their communities, states and our country. Or – I guess it’s possible that they just don’t care……

    We are also involved with our church and several other community organizations where we have the ability to educate and mentor young people that will someday become leaders and decision makers. Hope is a little easier to come by when you start small. :-) Keep up the good columns!

  • WmCraig

    Share the load

  • lineholder

    Evidence being gathered by Civitas proves Obama campaign complicit in 2012 voter fraud in NC
    http://www.nccivitas.org/2013/elections-bureaucrats-ran-amok/

    • Jack_Savage

      I guarantee this runs straight through Durham.

      • lineholder

        Not a word coming out locally in my area, Jack. Any in your area of the state?

        Oh, seen this yet?
        http://townhall.com/columnists/mikeadams/2013/02/21/brown-shirts-at-ecu-n1516565

  • WmCraig

    Are you hopeless because you don’t think you can achieve results, which given our success over the last few elections could be justified. Or is it possible that you believe there are things we need to do, but can’t quite get a handle around them.

    I see a situation from my position in a blue state, dominated by a big blue city that the best logic, the most vocal advocate isn’t going to change. And worse, those of us here who want to fight it, can’t. It is not a question of self reliance. Where I am the various elements work together. Jobs are controlled for the most part by people with an liberal agenda. Even “private sector” jobs, where they can be found. High crime contributes to the ease of which government can create patronage. Much can be lost in high crime situations. Poor business climate creates an opportunity for collusion, bordering on corruption, and government unions provide additional cover for government collusive actions. In short, an individual attempting to fight the prevailing political wind can be subject to criminal intimidation or action (mugged or robbed); to investigation by poltically motivated police in the name of “protection”. They can be economical threatened through “downsizing”, through threats to their church and other civic associations. Organizations that are easily threatened because most of their membership just wants to be left in peace and doesn’t need a trouble maker in their midst. And of course there is the laws, as it was in the Soviet Union there are so many laws that it is impossible for the police not to find something to harass anyone they choose to make an example of through prosecution. And of course, what ends up on the front page of the news is not decided in a vacuum.

    So what we have here, and maybe this is what you are feeling WCP, is a system that the Democrats know how to manipulate. They have the ground team in place to move small parts of the puzzle effectively. Which means that even if we inspire someone with out proposals that person has two choices. Leave the region and move somewhere “Red” or hide their beliefs. The one thing they can’t do is fight city hall alone, when city hall and “Tammany Hall” work together and both have regional, state and federal support for their activities, no matter how nefarious.

    • westcoastpatriette

      I think it’s a combination of a lot of factors but living in a conservative county of a state that has turned dark blue is definitely part of feeling hopeless and overwhelmed at times. I don’t feel personally threatened just not sure what I can do to change things. But, just seeing what the left has done to California in the last twenty years is sickening. I’ll get my bearings and carry on applying what I have learned wherever I can as many of us are doing.

      • WmCraig

        I can understand. I live a part of New Jersey that is confused, with local and state races a toss up. My township is red right now, but most of the state is not. But even when we get Republicans like our locals they are not conservatives as you would describe them. And of course there is Gov. Christie, what can I say.

        No matter what happens at the national level if Conservatives aren’t willing to build a pipeline of support into the big blue cities and blue states allowing us the resources and support to break the Democrat political machine at the local level, any changes they make nationally will not change our condition.

        BTW You do this cooler thing well. They should give you a tab

        • westcoastpatriette

          Thank you. I’m enjoying it.

  • lineholder

    I don’t think it is hopeless, WCP. It feels that way sometimes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is that way. The Obama admin wants to establish a pervasive sense of hopelessness and helplessness in the general public, because it will make it that much easier to succeed in their “fundamental transformation”.

    But we have people all across this nation of ours who are making efforts to stem that particular tide in one way or another. Think of it in terms of reaping what we sow and being able to choose what we will sow. We can’t follow a predetermined path of failure. If we do, the self-fulfilling prophecy principle holds true and we will fail. That isn’t what we would genuinely choose, right?

  • lineholder

    Really great resource explaining Obama’s roadmap on education.

    http://truthinamericaneducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/RoadmapNCLB_Flier.pdf

  • ww2nd95

    You can only do what you can do. I know what you mean about hopelessness. It’s difficult seeing politicians I don’t agree with on the screen saying “Well the American people want.. blah blah”. And then I want to say, you don’t speak for me. Then some rich supporter or special interest person gets on TV and says something in support of the Pol I disagree with, and it’s like, “I want a microphone too!”. But alas, I’m not a politician and I don’t have millions of dollars, so therefore the only microphone people like us will get is the politicians we support or from the grassroots efforts we put together with a large number of people.

    So as I said, you can only do what you can do. Once you do what you alone can do for your cause, then there is nothing to feel hopeless about. You did your part and you’re going to keep doing your part, but it’s up to other people to do theirs.

  • mcrow44

    Could someone here answer a question for me? I need to edit a factual and a grammatical error out of a current post. Is there any way to edit without reposting to the top of the list. I don’t want to irritate anyone but I unintentionally did this once before. Thank you.

    • westcoastpatriette

      I’m assuming you’re referencing a diary post as opposed to a comment to a diary. Are you saying that when you edit a diary, it gets moved to the top of the “All” column of diaries? If so, that must be a glitch of Disqus. I edit my diaries all the time and they are not moved to the top of the list. Go ahead and edit it and see what happens. You’ll see the edit button at the top of your diary post.

      • WmCraig

        I noticed today that it did as well.
        No big deal, your diary belongs at the top. And for what it is worth anyone that takes the time to correct, update or expand their diary, especially when it is an open thread or maybe an expanding story should go to the top. I think the Editors want active posters. On the other hand I am sure that if it gets done a lot just for the jolt they will deal with it.

        Usually I find right after I post I missed something, I had a spelling error, that kind of thing, So if that is why you edit you might not have noticed the jump. It happens usually before anyone else is in place. But today I expanded my beat with a part two. That is when I noticed it. Of course, it did add a part 2 making it someone closer to a new post then a gramatical change. But I believe mcrow44 is correct.

        It might not hurt to post your work in stages for that reason. Since it is the watercooler

        • westcoastpatriette

          Maybe you guys are right and I was way off base. I have noticed my diaries popping back up to the top but I thought it was happening based on how many comments a diary gets, not on when it gets edited. I don’t think it always happens every time you edit, though.

          • PowerToThePeople

            It is the comments, not the edit. Just coincidence that it seems you make the edit and you pop up to the top. Your diary remains one of the most active plus Disqus loves to be delayed in listing or promoting.

            Love the open thread daily, keep up the great work.

  • californiasquish

    Apropos of being an open thread, I think this piece from Governor Huntsman is right on, and I encourage everyone to read it.

    http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/marriage-equality-is-a-conservative-cause485/

    “The party of Lincoln should stand with our best tradition of equality and support full civil marriage for all Americans.” – Governor Jon Huntsman

    • WmCraig

      Marriage is a partnership contract between two people, and the government. People enter into enforceable partnership agreements for all kind of things without getting government involved everyday. And the legal system can effectively adjudicate the end of those agreements without prior knowledge when the partnership dissolves. All partnerships end with the loss of one partner, with the addition of additional partners or when on partner decides to end it. With one exception, from a purely technical point of view a marriage partnership is the only agreement that has in it a provision for protection for an unknown quantity of unrepresented minor interested third parties who have a right to benefits of the partnership that survives the termination of that contract. It is for these interested third parties that we even consider letting the government become involved prior to the formation, rather then after the termination of the marriage contract. These interested third parties with those special rights that survive the end of the partnership are called offspring. They differ from children in general because they are specifically created without the involvement of third parties through the normal activities of an intimate partnership between a man and a women, and come into existence with a claim against both partners. The government has already established that any relationship, however brief or intransigent that produces offspring binds both parties to the claims by the offspring on the partnership. It is not a new legal concept.

      No other relationship, no other contract, no other arrangement has this unique attribute, and for that reason alone the legal term “marriage” should not be changed but should be used to describe specifically those contracts from which offspring can result.

      • californiasquish

        I have no interest in changing anyone’s mind on this issue, and I appreciate a sincere reply, but I don’t see where your argument holds logically.

        If the definition of marriage is ‘these two people are biologically capable of producing offspring,’ then barren heterosexual couples can’t get married, either. In addition, 1 in 1500 babies are born with indeterminate gender. They can’t get married? Or can they get married twice? And what about adoptions? Legally, they hold the same weight is biologic births, should we change that to something lesser?

        I have not heard a single constitutionally defensible position that says the government even has the right to deny gay couples the ability to grant their spouses the same rights I enjoy. And as conservatives, I don’t get why we don’t all see this as a government intrusion.