Bill Nailed It!

"In Tampa, the Republican argument against the President's re-election was pretty simple: we left him a total mess, he hasn't cleaned it up fast enough, so fire him and put us back in."

- Bill Clinton http://huff.to/RMIhV8

 

 

How many of us can agree that going BACK is not our idea of a good thing?

 

The Democrats took God out of their platform? OMG! Why was God IN their platform?

 

Tel Aviv is the capital of Israel, folks.

 

And, oh, didn't my First Lady look and sound like $1,000,000? Class comes from within and she has it by the bucketloads!

 

I hope that the President does a fine job tonight. I will be watching!

It's Constitutional!

What a relief! 5 - 4 the Supreme Court of the United States has upheld the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) to be Constitutional. My Facebook is exploding with anti-Obama comments, some pulling out the so-called 'death panels' and other crap that was proven to be false before the law ever passed. I am starting to rethink some of these people on my friends list.

The individual mandate, which was the crux of the constitutionality question, was declared legal but NOT using the Commerce clause. According to Justice Kennedy (paraphrasing here) Congress has the right to levy taxes and it is under that right that the mandate can be upheld. If a person chooses to purchase health insurance they are given a tax break, but a person choosing to not purchase health insurance will be taxed to pay for their care.

I have been a nervous wreck about this one, especially after the Citizen's United ruling was upheld earlier this week. I am thrilled and overwhelmed that the Supreme Court has upheld this law. It does not affect me personally at this time, thanks to DSD's Navy retirement we are covered under Tricare, but I have been that person. I have had to decide between decent food and prescriptions for my child because we could not afford healthcare with a 3 year old with asthma - IF we could have found someone to cover us.

Today is a wonderful day for our country and for so many people who are able to find coverage with a pre-existing condition or to cover a child with a pre-existing condition.

Tonight I shall raise a glass to those 5 who were smart enough to know that this is the best thing for our country and the people in it.

And On Another Note... Happy and Sad..

Mrs. S passed away Wednesday from lung cancer. Thank you all for sending happy thoughts her way. I am certain it was for the best, because the disease was advanced and there wasn't much hope. But I would never tell her family that. And the world is a darker place without her in it.

Last week's family vacation went fairly well. DSD's daughter dotes on Grandson #1 (GS1) and he is precious. I see issues with the way she doesn't dote on Granddaughter #1 (GD1) or Granddaughter #2 (GD2) and I (as well as my mom and DSD's mom) all remarked on it. They are her stepdaughters, but their mother is gone (car accident in 2007) so she is all they have. And they are delightful girls.

Still, the water park, and snorkeling in the Gulf, and swimming in the pool went well. We ate like Kings and Queens, and we were able to visit more than we have before. I do have pictures.. and videos.. as soon as I figure out how to get them off of my phone.

Hug those you love and let them know it, no one is promised tomorrow.

Sign In - Sign Out.. What is Going On?

Blogger seems to be a pain in my backside and has been for the past week or more. I would like to comment on all of your posts, but if I click on your link I am suddenly signed out. I've never had this happen, and I am working around it, but it is rather a pain!

Step-daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren will be here on Saturday afternoon. I have food in the freezer (stuffed shells, beef enchiladas, chicken pot pie) so we shall eat well. Other than that there is a beach, a pool, and a water park to keep us busy!

Hopefully I will have pictures posted soon!

Happy Independence Day!

This is me standing outside the National Archives last October. No pictures may be taken inside, of course, because the flash is not a good idea for the precious documents stored there. It was a pretty thrilling day for me, seeing the Delcaration of Independence, the Magna Carta, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights... handwritten by those who are long gone, but who did so much for this country, and who have inspired me for years!

It's going to be a quiet day here in the LeftLeaning house since both DSD and BabyBoy have to work. I am going to work on my book review and continue to prepare for the company due in next weekend.

I hope your day is wonderful and blessed with laughter, love, and some great food!

The Finish Line?

I am really close for this particular race anyway.  While this term does not officially end until Sunday the 15th, I am going to take my second exam tonight and be finished! Yay! No more school until the 23rd. My brain feels relief already.

My plans are to garden (who ate fresh green beans on Saturday), read something totally brainless about people and love and lust and murder, spend some time with the Lovely Lola, who turned 3 last week with no post from me, and sleep. Oh, and maybe post once or twice.

With everything going on in Florida (shhhh, uterus is a dirty word), Washington, and the world, just trying to keep up is exhausting,  but maybe I will be able to form real sentences in a day or so. Maybe!

I hope everyone's Mother's Day was fantastic.

Did you know that all children (even if you did not birth them yourself) developed (originally) in a uterus?

Shhhh, don't tell!

Picture from Saturday April 23!

I am already formulating my plan for next year which includes MORE green bean plants but not right in the middle of the garden. We love green beans and I would like to produce enough to have some in the winter. We will see.

This was taken almost a week ago and everything is growing so fast, it has already changed. We've eaten radishes. And there are green beans, peas, peppers, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, turnips, and carrots in there just trying to ripen! (Ok the tomatoes and peppers are in other pots) This is so much fun!

Happy Birthday!

To me!

Today is the 23rd anniversary of my 21st birthday. Which means that my anniversary is now older than my birthday AND should have a job. :-)

It won't actually be my birthday for another 90 minutes, but my plans for tomorrow include sleeping late, finishing my paper, and working in my little garden. I may have to cook some turnip greens because I accidentally planted extra.

I do have a picture of the garden that I took on Saturday that I will try to get posted soon!

I LOVE this Facebook page! Please join it, if you are on Facebook!

Oh By the Way

My rally/protest was OK. People showed up & not JUST people I had threatened... STRANGERS.
And there was a nice write-up in the paper that made me seem intelligent... until the last line. Still it was nice.

And for some reason, I can't get this Comedy Central video to embed, so be brave and click the link. It's The Daily Show where Jon Stewart explains how stupid most of the new governors are.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-24-2011/gov-hurts?xrs=synd_facebook

And BabyBoy's friend will be fine, although not going to Universal this month.

Obama Administration Drops Defense of DOMA!

Just when I am feeling really down about the fact that Wisconsin and Indiana are attempting to take away workers' right, about the fact that people are still listening to Beck, and Limbaugh is calling my First Lady FAT, just when I realize that may Canada won't be too cold.. something good happens.

It's another baby step, but according to this quick story from the Human Rights Campaign, it is a step in the right direction.. another step toward equality.

We have to appreciate the little steps, since the big ones aren't happening!

Think Happy Thoughts! **UPDATED**

DSD has a job interview in 10 minutes. I really need him to go back to work, even if it is just parttime. He really needs to go back to work also.

I will let you know as soon as I know anything!

**UPDATE**

The interview lasted almost an hour. He and the manager bonded over their Navy experiences, they said they would let him know by the end of the week. We all have our fingers (and toes & eyes) crossed!!!

Let's Face The Facts

I believe that I have posted on my belief that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional before, but I only have a few minutes, so I am not going to hunt it up right now.  There is a long list of reasons that people should be allowed to marry whomever they choose (yea, sorry, even bigamy doesn't freak me out as long as it CONSENSUAL among ADULTS), but I was just reading an article on The Huffington Post and I realized that my reasoning for declaring it unconstitutional is different than that of the author's.

Professor Stone says that DOMA is unconstitutional due to the 14th amendment's Equal Protection Clause which was put into place after the Civil War to try to ensure equality for those who had been slaves.  But I have always felt that Article IV Section 1, aka, the Full Faith and Credit Clause should be called into action first. That article states that each state must give credit to any acts, records, or judicial proceedings of any other state. It is the reason that DSD and I are married everywhere we go. It is also the reason that, if I moved out of Florida, I would still be responsible for paying the mortgage on my house here. Or the mortgage company could come after me. No matter where I live.

So when ONE state made marriage between same sex couples legal, then every other state is LEGALLY bound to recognize that marriage. A same sex couple should be allowed to marry in Hawaii (great place to get married!!) and return home to Montana and set up housekeeping, be covered on each other's health insurance, file taxes, and fight like every other married couple.  They should also be allowed to divorce. In Montana. According to Article IV Section 1.

So between me & Professor Stone, we should have this sorted out in a few hours and we can get back to the issues with the economy.* Sweet.


*Allowing same sex couples to marry would be a HUGE boost to the economy, wouldn't it? One of my friends is getting married in a couple of weeks. Over $22,000. On one day. And I thought the $5,000 we spent was a little over the top!

An Analysis of Jon Stewart's Rally Speech

Speech Analysis of Jon Stewart’s closing speech at “The Rally to Restore Sanity.”

            On a breezy October day in front of a crowd of 215,000 with the Capital Building providing a dramatic backdrop, Jon Stewart explained why we were all there.  With only about fifteen minutes left of an entertaining three hour program that included Ozzy Osborne, R2D2, and The O’Jays, Mr. Stewart turned serious and described what he was trying to accomplish with this rally and that while it was and had been fun, it was important that the people who were there, and those watching at home, remember that we could all work together in the United States to get things done.  That most of us do every single day.

            Jon Stewart was very careful to tell everyone that our country is in crisis.  That our country has far to go to get back to anything resembling normal and that times are difficult. But then he explained times are difficult, but that does not mean that we are staring at the end of the world, or even of life as we know it.  That we can get past this and get through this and we can come out on the far side, stronger for it.

            Mr. Stewart lay into the media with both barrels, lambasting those who are supposed to deliver our news to us as not only unfair and unbalanced, but as over dramatists and reactionaries who are not giving the people of the United States anything resembling true news.  “The press can hold its magnifying glass up to our problems and illuminate problems heretofore unseen, or it can use its magnifying glass to light ants on fire, and then perhaps host a week of shows on the sudden, unexpected dangerous-flaming-ant epidemic,” he said, showing his characteristic humor even while expounding on his theory that as a comedian, he is not a politician.

            My favorite part of Jon Stewart’s speech was when he played a video of cars merging as the road narrowed from three or four lanes into two as the cars entered a tunnel.  Jon made guesses about each driver of each car as they merged, “that’s a school teacher who thinks taxes are too high…there’s a mom with two kids who can’t think about anything else...another car, the lady’s in the NRA. She loves Oprah…An investment banker, gay, also likes Oprah,” and explained that these cars and these drivers at this particular space and time was us. The United States. America. A microcosm of the good and the bad and hateful. Each and every one of us.  Mr. Stewart explained that America is a bunch of really busy people trying to get through each day and that we are and that we will and that while it does not appear to be true, we will all be better off in the end, because we can work together and we can compromise and we can accept and learn from each. No matter where we were born, the color of our skin, where we go to church or who we voted for in the last election. That we will be fine. One compromise at a time.

A Brief Hello!

Back to work, back to school, very lazy about posting during the holidays, that is me in a nutshell. But our Christmas was filled with family (some of which I actually like) and our New Year celebration was filled with alcohol and good friends without a hangover on Saturday.

On top of that, apparently Penn State wanted to lose the Outback Bowl more than the Gators did, so Coach Meyer finished his time with the Gator Nation on a high note!

I am STILL working on the post about DC and the blogger meet-up. It will happen.

But someone (I don't remember who) asked me to post the analysis I did of Jon Stewart's Rally Speech. The analysis was for my speech class and (reading back over it) I think (with a great deal of false modesty) I did a pretty good job.

That will be the next post.

I would like to post about the upcoming end of the world also, but maybe someone already has?

Happy 2011 To Each and Every One of You!

Equal Rights are NEVER Wrong

Getting There and Thankful For It

I am in the last two weeks of this term and ready for it to be completed. I have one last speech to give tomorrow night, which is 99% complete. The Powerpoint is probably only 35% complete, so I have work to do tonight. I am looking forward to it, since it is about college football and (even though I have not blogged about it much this year) I do still love college football AND my Gators... even when they suck!

So, finish the speech and the Powerpoint, write one paper about a speech given by someone else (imagine, I chose Jon Stewart's end of Rally speech) and take two final exams. Hooray! I am ready.

Our Thanksgiving was fun. DSD's oldest boy decided he wasn't coming for dinner if he couldn't bring his dog... who has never met any of us OR Lola. It would have been a nightmare. He wasn't missed. A friend who normally comes brought her mother and her mother's boyfriend. SleepyEd is our nickname for him. They arrived at 2 and he had to be awakened for dinner... at 3. Then he was in the kitchen with BabyBoy demanding dessert before most of us were done with dinner. No offers to help with the cooking or the cleanup. He then proceeded to go BACK to sleep until time to go. WOW!

There was a slight discussion on taxes and how unfair it is to raise taxes on the rich, but it was held outside of my hearing, because they were afraid they weren't going to get dinner if I overheard probably.

Still in a funk, but I am blaming it on hormones and exhaustion (and the exhaustion can be partially blamed on the hormones and the fact that I am not sleeping).

So for the rest of you in a funk. Read this. It is a really beautiful story. It may not help your funk, but it may give you a nice happy tears cry.

AND, I just received an Email from the NewYorkTimes saying that the Senate passed a bill on food safety. 75-25. Huh. Bi-partisan? Must be something wrong.

And Why Not?

I'm glad someone is getting it right. I wish we would!

STRAIGHT COUPLE SEEKS GAY RELATIONSHIP IN THE U.K.

Why didn't I think of that???

The Rally

BabyBoy, my friend, Em, and I left our hotel on Saturday 30 October about 8:30 am.  We quickly made our way to the Foggy-Bottom/GWU metro stop.  There weren't a lot of people milling about on the platform.. but, WOW, that first train was packed. PACKED.  We looked at each other and moved closer to the place where the first car of the next train would be (just a note... in DC, no one seems to want to move all the way to the front, so it is the car that will be the least full) and we waited a little nervously.  A man showed up with an ENORMOUS paper mache' head of his own head with a look of fear on its face. We were a little nervous for him. But the next train was not packed and the first car was almost empty and he and his big head were safe.  As we were. We even managed to sit... which was a good thing.

A few stops later, we emerged at the Smithsonian stop, into the sun, with what appeared to be quite a few others. We meandered. We shopped. We got FREE stuff! We took pictures of signs. And of BabyBoy with QuailMan. We wandered as far up to the stage as we could.  Em wanted to shove our way into the front group, but I am not into shoving if I can help it. So we turned around a found a nice spot close to some port-a-potties and a jumbotron where we could still see the stage.  We spread our free Rally towels out to sit on (I only forgot a couple of things but a large sheet and/or blanket was the one I missed the most!) and made ourselves comfortable. This was about 10:30ish.  We had a beautiful day and a lot of space and a great spot. Em and BabyBoy decided they wanted to walk some more, so I got comfortable, and I visited with many around me. And I waited. And waited. And waited. As the crowd got closer and closer and closer.

I started texting the other 2 members of my group about 11. I wasn't worried yet, but I was concerned that they would not be able to find me by the time they returned, because the demographics had changed. Text. Text. No replies. Then I had to go potty. And I didn't want to leave our STUFF. Text. Text. No replies. Who knew the overwhelming crowd would make Verizon virtually worthless?

They did finally make it back about 11:30, with a pretty warm Diet Pepsi. And wasn't I the hit of the group surrounding us? Guess who remembered the hand sanitizer? It sure came it handy after using the Port - A - Potties!

Then! It was time!

The Rally to Restore Sanity.

The Roots. For 40 minutes. The Roots. And some guy. Wow. Wow. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Really? I got up off the ground, where I was in danger of being trampled, for this? Not my bag, baby. What if this is all there is? Ok music and sore feet?

Wait, ok, it's 12:40 and Look! It's Adam and the.. other.. guy.. from "The Mythbusters." And they want us to.. WHAT??

Ok, the Wave was fun. The rest of the stuff (cry, laugh, jump) was pretty lame.

Finally at approximately 1:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time, with the Capital Building in the background and a crowd of OMG! in the front, Jon Stewart took the stage. And the crowd went wild. It felt right to stand with 200,000 of  my closest friends to sing the National Anthem. And it felt right to yell for Stephen Colbert (stuck 2,000 feet under us in his bunker, because he was afraid no one would show up) to come out and join us.

There was a lot of silliness, which was a lot of fun. BabyBoy is still not sure if his favorite part was seeing Ozzy in person.. or R2D2.

The people around us were great; we shared cough drops and napkins and someone's airplane bottle of vodka. And I'm also certain we all shared at least one contact high. What's a rally without a little pot?

Then the silliness ended and Jon Stewart gave a great speech on how Americans work together every single day to accomplish things that we probably never wanted to do in the first place. It's all over YouTube, but if you can't find it, give me a shout and I will post it here.

It was the best of times and I am so glad that I was able to be there. I wish I had managed to meet up with the other bloggers who were there, but maybe next time.

I will be starting a post soon about the blogger I DID manage to meet on Sunday and the rest of my DC trip. But school must come first.

Email Me!

There are details at my previous post on where I am staying and when I am planning to meet with TrueBlueTexan on Saturday morning. If you can't make that meeting and want to try for another, email me at LeftLeaningLady@gmail.com. I can access that email account from my phone.

I don't think I will be able to do a lot of blogging from D.C., but I am hoping to have a lot to say after I return. I just hope I have the energy to do all of the things I want to do!

Have a great weekend!