Women are going to save this country — not because they’re better or stronger but simply because, in the absence of manly men in politics, they have no choice.
Women are going to save this country — not because they’re better or stronger but simply because, in the absence of manly men in politics, they have no choice.
Augustus was sensible that mankind is governed by names; nor was he deceived in his expectation, that the senate and people would submit to slavery, provided they were respectfully assured that they still enjoyed their ancient freedom.
– Gibbon, The Decline and Fall Of the Roman Empire
With thanks to Tom Sutpen . . .
Obama — one of the great political speakers in the history of the republic. I know he’s going to skulk back to the Oval Office, huddle with his Wall Street cronies and national security advisers and continue his program of robbing us of our heritage and future as a free people . . . but isn’t it sweet when he lies to us? He’s like a whore who makes you believe she’s fucking you for love, not money. It’s a lovely idea, but remember to leave the cash on the dresser before you go — I mean, if you know what’s good for you.
In the past, voting has always made me feel cheerful and virtuous. After voting this year I felt ashamed and disgusted. As I walked out of the polling room, which is located in a seniors’ center, I heard some jazzy music and the sound of tap dancing. When I peeked into the room it was coming from I saw a group of elderly ladies taking a tap dancing class. They were really into it, faces alight.
This cheered me up considerably, but on the way home I lapsed back into despair. I stopped and bought some chocolate ice cream and some strawberry ice cream and some potato chips.
I didn’t know what else to do.
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I’ve voted in every Presidential election since I was eligible to vote, starting in 1972. Tomorrow I’m going to vote one more time. For President, I’m going to check the box on the Nevada ballot which says “None Of the Above”. I’m going to go stand in line to vote for nobody. There are a lot of other things I’d rather do tomorrow, especially since my vote won’t mean much, but I’m going to vote, because voting means a lot. Everybody should vote, even if they are as nauseated as I am by the the choices our system has given us this year. It’s one’s duty as a citizen to vote, and doing one’s duty as a citizen is always a fine and honorable thing, even when the republic one loves is destroying itself.
The lyrics Oscar Hammerstein II wrote for Richard Rodgers’s melodies were always clever and professional, though they sometimes verged on the treacly. Still, what an avalanche of beautiful music in their collaborations — we’ll never encounter anything like it again. When the lyrics rise to the level of the music, as they often do, you get examples of musical theater at its very best.
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