It's approaching 4:00 pm on Wednesday afternoon in Beijing, but back home the clock has yet to hit 2:00 am on Tuesday. While most of the USA sleeps, I've taken a few minutes available to me after a meeting to turn on CNN in my room and take a look at Dallas area news station websites.
I've learned that Rick Perry was re-elected Governor of Texas, which I consider evidence that the voting citizens of Texas are, by and large, idiots. Democrats have captured a majority of governorships and have, finally, re-captured the House of Representatives, or so it seems. The Senate is still too close to call; CNN and others say it comes down to two races: Virginia and Montana. I'm not feeling optimistic.
The surge of sanity that seems to be sweeping across the land has not reached the beaches of Texas; my home state continues to be blood red, the same color their favorite-son-president has on his hands. I try not to be so judgemental, but the crap I hear from red-state voters is just so utterly out of touch with reality and so juiced, instead, by Republican and reactionary Christian swill that I cannot help myself.
Democrats have an opportunity to prove they are different...that they truly represent a different and better philosophy and that they can execute it better than the Republicans. They have an opportunity to blow it, too. If they are utterly partisan, like their Republican counterparts have been, they will blow it. If they fail to latch onto and loudly promote a theme that truly captures their philosophy, they can blow it. If they allow themselves to hate everything Republican, even the good ideas, they will blow it...at least they will with me.
I'll try to keep up with the news to learn more.
In the interim, here is my interesting news: on Friday evening, I am scheduled to go to dinner with a small group of people in the Great Hall of the People (Parliament Building) in Beijing, which is on or near Tiannamen Square and Mao's mausoleum. I'm told only high-level Communist party elite get to go there, but one of the people here at the meeting has high contacts that enable him to get it set up. I do look forward to that!
1 comment:
My sister and her family live in Troy, Idaho, and she and her spouse work at the U. of Idaho in Moscow. She bemoaned the experience of living in a red state, and despaired of her vote even counting.
I'll say to you what I said to her: You guys are important to counter the evil in those red states. They will perhaps turn purple, one day...Ohio finally woke up.
Post a Comment