Politics/Damages
I'm finding that I randomly have the urge to write about politics recently, like every five seconds. I kind of swore I wouldn't be one of those people, because I've never really enjoyed reading political posts, but this is totally a different time so I'll give it a shot. Also, this is kind of a little bit of a geeky history rant. I've been trying to go without bitching about Reagan for a few months, but it's been long enough. Beware, Reagan bitchfest ahead. Except not beware, because Reagan bitchfests are awesome and you should enjoy it 100%.
On November 5th, I saw the most amazing sunrise in the world on the way to school. There were a bunch of puffy white clouds, but they were sparse enough that the sun soaked into all of them and lit them up. I was driving over a bridge, so the orange and yellow was reflected in the water underneath it. It was the closest thing I've ever been able to equate to a religious experience.
It had set in the night before, the realization that everything was finally going to be okay. Right now I've been thinking of how similar it is to Reagan's morning in America ad (which I think is the most brilliant campaign ad ever made)...it's amazing how history repeats itself. Reagan and Obama had a similar campaign of change, just from a different party platform. Carter and Bush campaigned on similar concepts too. I'm not that familiar with the specifics of Bush's campaign, but I'm sure it had something to do with being a "normal guy" and being better for the average American than the liberal elite who screwed their interns. For Carter it was about being an outsider, because everyone in the government was supposedly corrupted by the evil that caused Watergate. (I wonder how Carter did that without advocating small government?) I would never truly compare Clinton's actions to Nixon's, but it's all about perception, and trust is a big issue for the American public, and I find it amazing that three generations in the opposite sequence of political parties repeated themselves in that pattern.
Anyway, the crazy thing about all of this was that, a year ago, I was comparing Obama to Carter and claiming that his outsidery campaign would alienate Congress and keep him from getting anything done. But he never did that. He pledged to work hard with Congress and so far he's followed through. He's not Carter. He is what Reagan was to Republicans. Except I think he'll be so much better. Reagan had incredible spirit and leadership, but his presidency was tainted by his ridiculous delusions. He envisioned himself as a hero, tied up in his fantasies from years in Hollywood, thinking he could truly be like his unrealistic characters. His experiences with SAG during the Red Scare fueled his ego and he decided that fighting Communists (with words, at least) was his destiny, even though we were probably better off in peaceful negotiations with the USSR at that point. His plan of nuclear arms proliferation as an attempt to economically strain the other side was certainly an interesting approach, and it worked, but was it really better to make our enemy hate us when we were working towards some form of peace? His father's alcoholism caused him to ignore the things he didn't like and act irresponsibly. He thought SDI would work, even though it was absolutely ridiculous. He thought Reaganomics would work, which...no, not so much. As I recall, even Bush Senior thought that was bogus. Although that may have just been a campaign ploy or something. He ignored AIDS when it was becoming a severe issue that needed national attention. How many lives are on his hands? And finally, he completely lost focus after the attempt on his life. He became a religious nutjob for a while, and then there were the 4 years where he just did nothing, occasionally asked a turkey about the Iran-Contra scandal, and completely spaced out during all kinds of fabulously relevant meetings. And Nancy Reagan was running the country for a while there, which is really just the scariest thing ever. Nancy Reagan is nuts, okay? So, in conclusion, I think Reagan was probably the most deluded, crazy moron ever to lead this country, despite his inspiring and powerful leadership of his party, thus being one of the greatest disappointments in idealistic politics ever. Personally I think that was a good thing, because his version of idealism was cutting down on government and just living happy in a civilization filled with tax cuts and guns and social darwinism. (Is there some irony to that? I think of idealism as a show of faith for how people can be good, which to me means that we should be closer together.) For what it was, it was still a big disappointment. Although Carter and Bush were both pretty disappointing too. If Obama works hard and follows through for long enough, his presidency will be a true rebirth of idealism that essentially died with JFK. Or RFK, depending on how you look at it. How will that change us? Will we finally stop repeating? Or is it just too good to be true?
Moral of the story? Blame Jodie Foster for all that is wrong in the world. Obviously. And also the Secret Service a little bit, for not learning from all the previous assassinations and thinking that maybe it wasn't a great idea to have the president riding around in a car without a top. wtg, guys. Just kidding. I love you.
Speaking of Obama, what do you guys think about the stimulus bill and the lack of Republican support? I mean, he met with them and incorporated some of their demands...but there's no way they would just lie about whether they planned to vote for it, would they? So there were adjustments made for Republicans and yet they didn't seem to get any votes from it. Was he just trying to represent everyone? I mean, it'll weaken the bill. Bipartisanship and compromise is great, but if it doesn't work well this is more likely to reflect badly on him and keep us in a recession for longer than necessary. I'm very puzzled about all of this.
YESSSSS DAMAGES.
btw, anyone who does not watch Damages...you should. Because it is amaaaazing, all the time. It will not fail you like other television. At least, not yet.
On November 5th, I saw the most amazing sunrise in the world on the way to school. There were a bunch of puffy white clouds, but they were sparse enough that the sun soaked into all of them and lit them up. I was driving over a bridge, so the orange and yellow was reflected in the water underneath it. It was the closest thing I've ever been able to equate to a religious experience.
It had set in the night before, the realization that everything was finally going to be okay. Right now I've been thinking of how similar it is to Reagan's morning in America ad (which I think is the most brilliant campaign ad ever made)...it's amazing how history repeats itself. Reagan and Obama had a similar campaign of change, just from a different party platform. Carter and Bush campaigned on similar concepts too. I'm not that familiar with the specifics of Bush's campaign, but I'm sure it had something to do with being a "normal guy" and being better for the average American than the liberal elite who screwed their interns. For Carter it was about being an outsider, because everyone in the government was supposedly corrupted by the evil that caused Watergate. (I wonder how Carter did that without advocating small government?) I would never truly compare Clinton's actions to Nixon's, but it's all about perception, and trust is a big issue for the American public, and I find it amazing that three generations in the opposite sequence of political parties repeated themselves in that pattern.
Anyway, the crazy thing about all of this was that, a year ago, I was comparing Obama to Carter and claiming that his outsidery campaign would alienate Congress and keep him from getting anything done. But he never did that. He pledged to work hard with Congress and so far he's followed through. He's not Carter. He is what Reagan was to Republicans. Except I think he'll be so much better. Reagan had incredible spirit and leadership, but his presidency was tainted by his ridiculous delusions. He envisioned himself as a hero, tied up in his fantasies from years in Hollywood, thinking he could truly be like his unrealistic characters. His experiences with SAG during the Red Scare fueled his ego and he decided that fighting Communists (with words, at least) was his destiny, even though we were probably better off in peaceful negotiations with the USSR at that point. His plan of nuclear arms proliferation as an attempt to economically strain the other side was certainly an interesting approach, and it worked, but was it really better to make our enemy hate us when we were working towards some form of peace? His father's alcoholism caused him to ignore the things he didn't like and act irresponsibly. He thought SDI would work, even though it was absolutely ridiculous. He thought Reaganomics would work, which...no, not so much. As I recall, even Bush Senior thought that was bogus. Although that may have just been a campaign ploy or something. He ignored AIDS when it was becoming a severe issue that needed national attention. How many lives are on his hands? And finally, he completely lost focus after the attempt on his life. He became a religious nutjob for a while, and then there were the 4 years where he just did nothing, occasionally asked a turkey about the Iran-Contra scandal, and completely spaced out during all kinds of fabulously relevant meetings. And Nancy Reagan was running the country for a while there, which is really just the scariest thing ever. Nancy Reagan is nuts, okay? So, in conclusion, I think Reagan was probably the most deluded, crazy moron ever to lead this country, despite his inspiring and powerful leadership of his party, thus being one of the greatest disappointments in idealistic politics ever. Personally I think that was a good thing, because his version of idealism was cutting down on government and just living happy in a civilization filled with tax cuts and guns and social darwinism. (Is there some irony to that? I think of idealism as a show of faith for how people can be good, which to me means that we should be closer together.) For what it was, it was still a big disappointment. Although Carter and Bush were both pretty disappointing too. If Obama works hard and follows through for long enough, his presidency will be a true rebirth of idealism that essentially died with JFK. Or RFK, depending on how you look at it. How will that change us? Will we finally stop repeating? Or is it just too good to be true?
Moral of the story? Blame Jodie Foster for all that is wrong in the world. Obviously. And also the Secret Service a little bit, for not learning from all the previous assassinations and thinking that maybe it wasn't a great idea to have the president riding around in a car without a top. wtg, guys. Just kidding. I love you.
Speaking of Obama, what do you guys think about the stimulus bill and the lack of Republican support? I mean, he met with them and incorporated some of their demands...but there's no way they would just lie about whether they planned to vote for it, would they? So there were adjustments made for Republicans and yet they didn't seem to get any votes from it. Was he just trying to represent everyone? I mean, it'll weaken the bill. Bipartisanship and compromise is great, but if it doesn't work well this is more likely to reflect badly on him and keep us in a recession for longer than necessary. I'm very puzzled about all of this.
YESSSSS DAMAGES.
- God, Patty, you are such a bitch. Um, Ellen will not nod her head and get it done. She agreed to come back to work out of kindness to you. Well, okay, secretly she did it to put you in prison. But you don't know that yet.
- Tom/Ellen road trip! L.O.V.E.R.S. I enjoy the witty banter about bluegrass. Not that much. But I love Tom so it's all good.
- I don't understand why Patty suddenly has this completely new guy doing all her dirty work. Whyyyy, Patty? Whyyyy?
- I love that the blond guy's name is Kevin. Um, it reminds me of this time Gilda did the cold opening of SNL and she answered a bunch of fake audience questions, and every one of them was from a guy named Kevin. I know that sounds totally stupid, but the way she did it (Gilda cuteness, etc) made it kind of hilarious.
- I don't understand why Glenn Close is so sexy and badass on this show and yet she's kind of awkward and occasionally does really unnecessary things in real life. Like, how does that work? Is she really *that* good at acting? I don't even know if that's possible, man.
- I think I love this detective guy a little bit. I dunno, he's a little weird and awkward, and I definitely enjoy that. It's been in short supply since Ray left.
- The custody issue, hoooooly crap. Patty is so badass when she wants something; how could he even do that and imagine a scenario in which he didn't get his balls cut off?
- LMAO IS THAT FUCKING DARRELL HAMMOND? NO WAY. NO. WAY. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT. lmfao oh my god, I hope he has a recurring role. Please be in my life every week, okay?
- lmfao. Darrell Hammond being cryptic and putting on chapstick. That just made my life a little bit, I'm not gonna lie.
- Okay, Patty? Do not fucking have a parental discussion with your kid when he has college applications due. Are you a moron? You must have gone to college. But you're old, so I guess they just used the Sorting Hat back in your day.
- But I do enjoy seeing the mothery side of her. It fascinates me that such a manipulative bitch can have maternal feelings.
- I wonder if she's just trying to set him up with Michael for manipulative purposes. She would.
- WILLIAM HURT, WTF. YOU WHORE. SHE WILL CUT YOUR BALLS OFF, MOST LIKELY WITH HER FINGERNAILS, AND YOU WILL BE WHINING ABOUT IT LIKE YOU DID IN THE BIG CHILL. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT GLARE MEANS.
- Oh my god, duuuuuude! This is UTTER MADNESS. So what, he was in on it from the start? Jesussssss. William Hurt, I will slap you in the face. NO LIE. Also, now I'm kind of convinced that the first four episodes were totally pointless, although I'm sure Patty will find a way back. They were also not pointless in that they were amazing and epic and a little bit sexy. The Patty/Daniel shipper in me is still alive.
- Wait, so what was the point of Daniel keeping in touch with the reporter if he planned to sell them out? Did he just send him out there befoer all that happened?
- Um, next week looks amaaazing and scary and epic. I can't waitttt. Naturally I am assuming the worst because, hey, it's Patty. I'm happy to assume the worst. She'll probably surprise me with something worse anyway. She can't help it! IT'S HER WAY.
btw, anyone who does not watch Damages...you should. Because it is amaaaazing, all the time. It will not fail you like other television. At least, not yet.