Politics' Last Gasp
Nov. 3rd, 2004 12:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
affrecaI promise this is my last political rant for a while. While some of you don't agree with my leftist leanings, please understand my sentiments. They are of a young woman who is realizing that the world does not fit her idealizations, and she's scared. If it pisses you off, don't read it.
I spent last night alternately watching TV, listening to the radio, checking the internet, and wondering why I cared so much. It has been four years, but I find myself in the same place. Back in Lawrence, dating the same guy, unemployed and wondering what I want to do with my life. Job hunting sucks as much as ever.
So, combined with the sudden darkness and chill of winter, it is no wonder I am a little depressed. I feel as my future is being stolen from me. To be honest, the half of the country that voted for Bush would feel the same if Ohio went the other way. I keep hearing "Did the Romans know the Dark Ages were coming?"
To be honest, it isn't just Bush. It is the conservative right that scares me. While I know plenty in that category, I just always figured they were a minority. Even in the military, I figured it was the stereotypical military conservatism. But things have changed in the last four years.
The deficit that was the bane of my childhood had finally been cut and was looking manageable. Now it is bigger than ever, and I am not seeing the benefits of it. The military is no bigger than it was before, just more heavily used. I certainly don't feel any safer from the terrorists. I'm more afraid of my own government limiting my liberties, or the liberties of those moving here. Maybe I'm just a child of the politically correct 80s, but I thought we were strong because of our constant stream of ever changing immigrants. Even the ones like graduate students, who make our universities the place to be, and the cutting edge of science (both hard and social). Applications to KU's geology grad program is down 70%. I'm going to have to compete to get into grad school in Canada.
But at least I was overpaid in the military, thanks to my college degree. I can take my time job hunting. I didn't have to move in with my parents, not that I'd find a job there. Of course, judging from the number of homeless here in Lawrence, finding a job here isn't the easiest. Especially the lower level jobs. But since I have a college degree, I might be qualified to be a receptionist. Got more than one friend doing that now.
Of course, there is the future to think of. And I've already gotten plenty of money from Social Security, so I've always thought it greedy for me to expect money when I retire unless I invest now. Especially since we're limiting immigration to offset the boomers retiring.
At least we're stopping gays from marrying, and ending family as we know it. Might as well end all domestic partnership benefits. I'm sorry, this is a sore point for me. I have never seen how this threatens conventional marriage. There's still people marrying, and divorcing. We've got a whole generation who grew up with a variety of family patterns in common sight. My parents aren't married, I don't plan to, and I have doubts my sister will. This hasn't stopped my parents from being great parents, me from loving Tom, or my sister from sharing her house and son with a devoted man. But I've got a friend of 12 years who's been dating the same woman ever since she broke up with me. They've moved together three times that I know of. This is comparison to another friend of mine who divorced his wife of three months after she cheated on him. Or countless other examples of simple people I've known. Why should it matter? Is it really that important?
Because we are ignoring the environment. Even the mainstream liberals seem to think recycling and hybrid SUVs are all we need. So we have half assed initiatives, but no coherent policy. And a mortal fear of trying to coordinate with the rest of the world. We're big and no one can dictate to us to stop destroying the world, even when they aren't dictating. We shall just keep burning fossil fuels and keeping finding more. I don't agree. This is where my silly college degree comes in handy. Yes, our known reserves (according to OPEC) are greater than they were in the 70s. But the fact is, at some point we will run out. Though first we will get to the point that it isn't economically, or even energetically, viable to extract petroleum. The world is finite! And not that we should be burning them anyway.
The climate is changing, the Arctic is melting. While The Day After Tomorrow was ridiculous beyond belief, shutting down the Gulf Stream isn't. It has happened in recent geologic history. It's called the Younger Dryas. Glaciers re-advanced across Europe in 50 years (or less). And this was during a warming trend. While no one is sure why it happened, the accepted theory is that retreating glaciers in North America opened the St. Lawrence Seaway, allowing the great melt lakes to drain into the Atlantic Ocean (if you doubt me, I can send you papers, I still have them from my paleoclimatelogy class). I am not saying this will happen. Climate is a dynamic system (chaos if you will), and thus dependent on equilibriums. Some are stable, some aren't. And they are changing. It might even be better by the time it's done. But the transition won't be fun (especially for farmers, and those who eat their food). Be afraid, very afraid.
Ignore all the tempting conspiracy theories about Bush and the Saudis, Cheney and Halliburton. Energy policy is not this administration's focus.
Iraq is. I remember joking when Bush was elected four year ago, and I was looking at the military, that we'd finish what Bush Sr. started. And then the slow inevitability of actually doing so. I'm glad I chose the Navy. I'm glad most of my friends are to smart to volunteer, and have found safer jobs. I fear for my friend that is going back for another tour. I don't think we'll have a draft anytime soon. There's to many who believe. I'm not sure what they believe, because I have this strong dislike of invading sovereign nations, even if they are corrupt. I can't accept that they still believe that Iraq had WMD's or ties to Al Queda. While we're tied up in Iraq, lawless parts of Sudan are starving.
So give me today to accept that I'm a hopeless idealist. And to work on my application for grad school in Canada. It's going to have to be good.
I spent last night alternately watching TV, listening to the radio, checking the internet, and wondering why I cared so much. It has been four years, but I find myself in the same place. Back in Lawrence, dating the same guy, unemployed and wondering what I want to do with my life. Job hunting sucks as much as ever.
So, combined with the sudden darkness and chill of winter, it is no wonder I am a little depressed. I feel as my future is being stolen from me. To be honest, the half of the country that voted for Bush would feel the same if Ohio went the other way. I keep hearing "Did the Romans know the Dark Ages were coming?"
To be honest, it isn't just Bush. It is the conservative right that scares me. While I know plenty in that category, I just always figured they were a minority. Even in the military, I figured it was the stereotypical military conservatism. But things have changed in the last four years.
The deficit that was the bane of my childhood had finally been cut and was looking manageable. Now it is bigger than ever, and I am not seeing the benefits of it. The military is no bigger than it was before, just more heavily used. I certainly don't feel any safer from the terrorists. I'm more afraid of my own government limiting my liberties, or the liberties of those moving here. Maybe I'm just a child of the politically correct 80s, but I thought we were strong because of our constant stream of ever changing immigrants. Even the ones like graduate students, who make our universities the place to be, and the cutting edge of science (both hard and social). Applications to KU's geology grad program is down 70%. I'm going to have to compete to get into grad school in Canada.
But at least I was overpaid in the military, thanks to my college degree. I can take my time job hunting. I didn't have to move in with my parents, not that I'd find a job there. Of course, judging from the number of homeless here in Lawrence, finding a job here isn't the easiest. Especially the lower level jobs. But since I have a college degree, I might be qualified to be a receptionist. Got more than one friend doing that now.
Of course, there is the future to think of. And I've already gotten plenty of money from Social Security, so I've always thought it greedy for me to expect money when I retire unless I invest now. Especially since we're limiting immigration to offset the boomers retiring.
At least we're stopping gays from marrying, and ending family as we know it. Might as well end all domestic partnership benefits. I'm sorry, this is a sore point for me. I have never seen how this threatens conventional marriage. There's still people marrying, and divorcing. We've got a whole generation who grew up with a variety of family patterns in common sight. My parents aren't married, I don't plan to, and I have doubts my sister will. This hasn't stopped my parents from being great parents, me from loving Tom, or my sister from sharing her house and son with a devoted man. But I've got a friend of 12 years who's been dating the same woman ever since she broke up with me. They've moved together three times that I know of. This is comparison to another friend of mine who divorced his wife of three months after she cheated on him. Or countless other examples of simple people I've known. Why should it matter? Is it really that important?
Because we are ignoring the environment. Even the mainstream liberals seem to think recycling and hybrid SUVs are all we need. So we have half assed initiatives, but no coherent policy. And a mortal fear of trying to coordinate with the rest of the world. We're big and no one can dictate to us to stop destroying the world, even when they aren't dictating. We shall just keep burning fossil fuels and keeping finding more. I don't agree. This is where my silly college degree comes in handy. Yes, our known reserves (according to OPEC) are greater than they were in the 70s. But the fact is, at some point we will run out. Though first we will get to the point that it isn't economically, or even energetically, viable to extract petroleum. The world is finite! And not that we should be burning them anyway.
The climate is changing, the Arctic is melting. While The Day After Tomorrow was ridiculous beyond belief, shutting down the Gulf Stream isn't. It has happened in recent geologic history. It's called the Younger Dryas. Glaciers re-advanced across Europe in 50 years (or less). And this was during a warming trend. While no one is sure why it happened, the accepted theory is that retreating glaciers in North America opened the St. Lawrence Seaway, allowing the great melt lakes to drain into the Atlantic Ocean (if you doubt me, I can send you papers, I still have them from my paleoclimatelogy class). I am not saying this will happen. Climate is a dynamic system (chaos if you will), and thus dependent on equilibriums. Some are stable, some aren't. And they are changing. It might even be better by the time it's done. But the transition won't be fun (especially for farmers, and those who eat their food). Be afraid, very afraid.
Ignore all the tempting conspiracy theories about Bush and the Saudis, Cheney and Halliburton. Energy policy is not this administration's focus.
Iraq is. I remember joking when Bush was elected four year ago, and I was looking at the military, that we'd finish what Bush Sr. started. And then the slow inevitability of actually doing so. I'm glad I chose the Navy. I'm glad most of my friends are to smart to volunteer, and have found safer jobs. I fear for my friend that is going back for another tour. I don't think we'll have a draft anytime soon. There's to many who believe. I'm not sure what they believe, because I have this strong dislike of invading sovereign nations, even if they are corrupt. I can't accept that they still believe that Iraq had WMD's or ties to Al Queda. While we're tied up in Iraq, lawless parts of Sudan are starving.
So give me today to accept that I'm a hopeless idealist. And to work on my application for grad school in Canada. It's going to have to be good.
the past is the future
Date: 2004-11-03 06:06 pm (UTC)the telling will be in a few years, if our average, everyday lives are significantly affected by yesterday's outcome. i decided that the thing that bothered me most about Mr. Bush, besides the potentially freedom-damaging legislation his administration continues to push through, is his anti-science stance, or lack of understanding of the scientific method. how strange, in this age of technology, but not really: the religious right is essentially a millenial movement.
http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/uselection/
no subject
Date: 2004-11-03 08:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-03 10:25 pm (UTC)biscuit