The wheels on the bus go round and round

Okay. Back to business. Did I finish what I intended to do while I was gone. Well, actually, no. But I had a good time. And it was time to shelve it. So back to blogging. And how are you?

I’m not sure where I was. Or what I was talking about. I’ll get back to whatever it was. But for now I just need to get swinging again.

So. Speaking of swinging. The election. The US voting public swings like a pendulum do. Run this direction! No! No! Back the other way! We’ve worn ourselves into such a rut we can’t even see out the sides any more. I really hope that if somebody ever actually builds a ladder that will get us out of the wagon tread, we’ll all have the sense to climb up it. [I’ve mentioned that I believe that the two-party system will be the death of our country, haven’t I? Yes? Good. Just checking.]

Anyhoodle. The thing this election really did demonstrate is the fundamental temperamental difference between democrats and republicans. Oh, issues. They come and go. But the temperament always stays the same. Democrats will throw each other under the bus. They can’t hang together. They want to represent all groups equally. But my group more than others. Look at feminism. Given that women represent 50% of the population (and feminists skew democrat), you’d think that they’d want to all clump together on as many issues that effect women as possible. But nope. Most of the core feminists believe that if you don’t support abortion, you can’t be a feminist. Period. Regardless of the dozens of other issues that predominantly effect women (violence against women, pay and employment equity, mothering issues, women’s health), and tangentially effect women (social security – remember, we live longer than men, so SSI actually does effect us more) . . . regardless of all that. You get booted out of feminism if you don’t hold to this one tenant. Under the bus. And you’ll see that very tendency in every special interest group that is brawling under the democrat tent. They may win an election. But there’s no way they can hold it together long enough to finish out a term. Let alone get anything done.

On the other hand, republicans won’t throw anyone under the bus. If you call yourself a good republican and talk the party line – you’re in for life. No matter what. You can show up at a Tea Party rally dressed like Himmler. You can be a former practicing witch. You can be a two-timing, closeted coke addict. But as long as you believe in “small government”, “God”, and “family values”, you’re in. And you don’t even have to actually define what any of those things actually means to you. Hey, polygamy is a family value. NOBODY goes under the bus. But of course, that means that eventually they have so many wingnuts in their tent, that every one gets painted with the crazy train brush. They just seem to be able to hold it together long enough to get their legislation passed. Of course, much like in 2008, everyone wakes up with a hangover, looks around and says “Who are all these crazy people? Why am I losing my house? Run back to the democrats!”

Back and forth. Back and forth. Aren’t you guys tired yet?