POST-ELECTION DOLDRUMS

Before I get to the depressing news of the week, he's a sweet photo of my niece, Christina-Marie and her mother, Rossi.  My brother, Doug, 

Between Dancing with the Stars and the elections, my nerves took a helluva beating this week.  Why in the world has Dancing with the Stars allowed Sarah Palin’s ungainly, clumsy daughter to remain in the competition to the point where she is in the final five and presumably because of Palin’s Mama Grizzlies, could end up in the finals??? Florence Henderson, Audrina, and now Rick Fox, all of whom have received superior judge’s scores over Bristol's, are now gone.  For the moment, the fix certainly looks in for Bristol’s success and it is sickening.  I have no axe to grind with the girl other than the fact that she is a supremely untalented dancer in addition to being a total blank on stage.  Dumb that she’s been allowed to advance so far. 

Then we had the elections.  We were led to believe Barney Frank’s congressional seat was in serious jeopardy, only to find out the day after the election that he had trounced his competition, and by a considerable percentage.  Good to see Harry Reid survive the vicious, mean-spirited and insanely fictional campaign Sharron Angle launched to unseat him, only it blew up in her face.  She falsely claimed that the huge Nevada Hispanic population is either a scary bunch of gang thugs, or are getting free health care because they are illegal immigrants. Good thing that pack of lies blew up in her face.  Hope she fades forever.  Then there was Christine O’Donnell, beloved media icon who went down in flames in Delaware.  Good riddance.  The Tea Party lunatic fringe is doing nothing for their constituency by backing embarrassing candidates such as these two. The Fox legal department is working overtime on contracts for these imbeciles.  

Meanwhile, none of the Republicans who ran for office claiming they will lower government spending can tell us how they will lower spending.  Let’s hold their feet to the fire.  Score cards in two years, please.  And then we can send them packing. 

Here in Oregon, Governor Kitzhaber won his third term by a hair.  I’m not all impressed—I mean, what did he do in his first two terms in office?  Not much, is my guess, but he beats his Republican opposition any day of the week.  One thing he could do is insist that local governments stop wasting tax payer dollars by renaming streets, such as in Portland where SE 39^th Ave. has been changed to Cesar Chavez Boulevard.  No disrespect to Mr. Chavez, a hero to farm workers everywhere.  But couldn’t they have renamed a park after him?  All that new signage was expensive and unnecessary.  And couldn’t the city council have been better utilized on more important issues?

And while we're kicking dumb, offensive, stupid, and mendacious politicians, let's not forget the media.  Keith Olbermann donating to Democratic causes was simply wrong.  He's a journalist (or pretends to be) and an important oppositional voice, and now he'll have the jackals at Fox and fatso mouth himself (I cannot bear to name this insanely mendacious radio host) crowing with glee over his stupidity.  Will people never learn--you don't give Repugs any ammo, ever.

So instead of a nervous breakdown, another photo of my adorable niece.