PASSIVE AGGRESSION RULED 2022 ELECTION

At last, the phone has stopped ringing at dinner time. The pollsters and politicians have quit dialing random numbers in an effort to influence our vote. But most of them got it wrong. In the spring, they predicted a red wave washing over the country. Then, after The Dobbs decision in August, it seemed Abortion Rights would be a game changer. Looked like there would be a blue wave come November. And yet, a week before the election, Vegas odds, some pollsters, and politicians proclaimed a red tsunami was coming on Nov. 8. Didn’t happen. Here’s what I think did happen. A lot of people who usually vote, didn’t. They did not like their preferred parties’ policies or candidates. And yet they couldn’t bring themselves to vote for the other party. Instead, they just stayed home. Passive Aggression ruled the 2022 Election.

Why do I believe this? Because, over the years, I’ve known activists in both parties. After awhile, I found it best to not express my opinion about politics while in their presence. Some were passionate about either Obama or Trump. They went door to door trying to get out the vote for their president of choice. They blamed every problem in this country on their party of dislike, and attributed any victories to their own party affiliation. . This year, I didn’t hear much at all from these folks. They no longer tried to engage in political discussions at family gatherings and social occasions. And then, on November 8, these same people admitted that they had not voted at all in the mid terms.

As an independent, I was happy to vote in the midterms, and split my vote pretty much down the middle. Local candidates who’ve done a good job got my vote, regardless of their party affiliation. On a state level, there’s a tendency to vote for the party, not the person, if you don’t know much about the candidate. However, the choice was pretty clear, because the Republicans shot themselves in the foot by denying women reproductive rights.

In the state of Indiana, pollsters found that 69% of all voters in either party were pro choice. Physicians were aghast that party hacks with no medical background were able to get involved in an issue that should be determined by a woman and her doctor. And yet, the legislature did not listen to their constituents and decided to outlaw abortion in the State of Indiana. So what would you do if you were a dedicated conservative? Vote for a Democrat? That would stick in the craw. Easier just to stay home and not vote at all.

Ditto for devout Democrats. Do all of them agree with open borders, shutting down pipelines, and increased spending that’s led to inflation? I don’t think so. And yet, they really couldn’t stomach the thought of voting Republican. Once again, it was easier to abstain from voting at all.

In our county, voter turnout this year was 27%, compared to 60% in 2018. That ought to tell you something. Passive aggression ruled the 2022 Election.

November 4, 2022November 3, 2022

FEELING THOSE PRE ELECTION JITTERS

Ever since I voted for the first time–60 some years ago–I’ve had a case of the jitters leading up to November 8. Some years, I’ve been ecstatic when my candidates of choice won. Other years, it felt like the bottom fell out of the world when they lost. And yet, life went on and the United States of America is still standing as a nation. Now, it seems obvious that what I really feared was change. Things are never quite as they were after election day. I can remember when Medicare was a hot issue. Being young at the time, it didn’t influence my vote one way or the other. But now, we’re enjoying the benefits of what was then considered a blow to American conservatives, who called it nothing but socialism. This week, we’re all feeling those pre-election jitters.

The polls build up the tension, and the media is part of the problem. Conservative newspapers and television stations tout their favorite pollsters, who predict a Republican sweep. On the other hand, liberal media gives an entirely opposite report. This morning, as I scrolled through the news feed on my i-phone, , I saw wildly different headlines. “So and So predicts a Republican sweep.” “ Democrats surging in the polls.” Back and forth across all social media. Who to believe?

The US is more divided than ever. We know that the winners will leave 50% of the voters angry. There will be charges of voter fraud, re counts, court cases and delayed results. It may be months before we know who’s really running the country.

How to calm the pre election jitters? First, turn off the television during the daytime. Don’t discuss politics at work. Start an indoor garden by planting some amaryllis bulbs. Perform random acts of kindness. Do something nice for yourself. Listen to music. Take a walk in the park. Read a good book. Meditate.

What ever happens, have faith in your fellow Americans. We’re a nation of immigrants. Resilience is in our DNA, We wouldn’t be here if our ancestors hadn’t taken the risk to leave home. . And you know what? On November 9^th, we’ll still be our same old selves. We’ll have our family and friends and life will go on, just as it has for the past 247 years or so. .

November 1, 2022October 31, 2022

WHO IS STASHING ALL THE CASH?

Thanks to Covid, inflation, and the uncertainly in our world, lots of folks are hanging on to cash. They’re not putting it in the bank or spending it on the grandkids. It’s piling up under a mattress or in their underwear drawer. How do we know that? Because 100 dollar bills are disappearing from circulation, and the government has had to print more of them just to keep up. One out of five people are now stashing cash at home. As a middle aged parent with three kids, saving cash would not have been possible for me. Although I avoided credit card debt, we lived very frugally. Some years, even going with out a/c in the summertime. And now, many parents are struggling just to put food on the table. But somewhere out there are people with extra money. The question is, who is stashing all the cash?

It began with the Covid stimulus deal. A lot of middle income people of all ages received money they really didn’t need. Not everyone lost their jobs, and well educated people were often able to work from home. Although many seniors are living on nothing but social security, some aren’t. Those who have pensions, 401ks, and mortgage free homes saw their bank statements grow larger during the pandemic. They were spending less because they weren’t going much of anywhere, buying new clothes, or eating out. And now, those same people, are getting scared about what’s happening in the world.

Putin is threating nuclear war. People don’t feel safe anymore, due to increased crime, political upheaval, climate change. Life isn’t as simple as it used to be. The reality is that nature, itself, can upend our lives with flooding and tornadoes. You could be stuck in a situation where the banks are closed, and there’s nothing much in the freezer. Right now, my cupboards are bulging with canned goods. . At the beginning of the pandemic, I began buying two of everything instead of one. Two cans of tomatoes and green beans. Two packs of rice, maybe three. It wasn’t a conscious effort, instead just something instinctive.

And now, with the midterm elections, people are feeling scared. The war in Ukraine could result in WWIII. Will inflation get worse? Maybe, maybe not. Can they count on a change of political parties to make our lives better? The solution, for some, is cash. It’s solid and unchanging. You can see it, feel it, smell it, and use it to buy things. Conventional wisdom tells us that hoarding cash is a bad idea. Due to inflation, it’s rapidly losing it’s value. It could be stolen, or lost in a fire. Thieves could rob you. And yet, money is still disappearing from circulation. Who is stashing all the cash?

October 22, 2022

WOULD YOU VOTE FOR A YARD SIGN?

Now is the time for a plethora of ugly yard signs dotting the landscape. Candidates seem to favor busy street corners near stoplights. Usually, you’ll see at least twenty signs lined up in a row or jammed in a muddled mess. I suppose if you’re riding shotgun, they give you something to look at. But if you’re driving, they’re mostly a nuisance distraction. I find it hard to believe that signs garner many extra votes, but then maybe they increase familiarity for a certain name. Would you vote for a yard sign if you had no idea of the person behind the name?

Early voting started last week in our county. About 300 people cast their ballots at all the voting centers on the first day. and the media considered that quite a crowd. By the time I voted the following Tuesday, there was only one other person before me. That doesn’t sound like an early voting crowd to me. However, in the State of Georgia, it’s another story. It’s a different population than ours, demographically, and folks have pretty strong feelings one way or the other, depending on which candidate they dislike the most.

Some reporters believe that the number of yard signs for a certain candidate has a predictive value. I didn’t see that with the last presidential election. There were Biden signs all over town, and yet Trump carried our county by a wide margin. I guess the Trumpers were the silent majority.

Personally, I never vote a straight ticket. I’m always amazed that anyone would do that, especially in a small town, where we’re familiar with most of the local candidates. Anyone who watches the news or reads the paper should have formed an intelligent decision about the incumbents. It’s not as easy with the challengers, but there are threads of familiarity in most of them. You knew the family, or they went to your church, or their kids ran around with your kids.

Sometimes, I don’t vote at all. As an example, there were 14 candidates for the school board. I only voted for two—one an incumbent and the other with an impressive track record in the community. Yes, I could have picked another name from a yard sign, just to fill in the blanks, but that would be fairly risky. What if the unknown came from out of nowhere, and has no credentials whatsoever?

I feel sorry for the candidates who spent a pile of time and money on yard signs, and lost anyway. You wonder what do they do with the old signs. Store them in hopes of a future run? Must be a pretty sad day when you burn them in a bonfire or take them to the city dump.

Nevertheless, my sympathy has it’s limits. If I had my druthers, there would be no yard signs allowed. But it’s a free country. Would you vote for a yard sign? I wouldn’t.

September 15, 2022

5 REASONS FOLKS FLEE FRUGAL CITY

About a month ago, the Chamber of Commerce announced the results of a survey about the way the locals feel about our town. To their dismay, it turns out we have a negative self image. Even though 59,000 people live here, they don’t think it’s a very great place, and lots of them have moved away in the past several years. We used to have a population of 71,000 in 1960, but it’s been slowly dwindling ever since. What is wrong? College towns are supposed to be attractive. Recently, we’ve built a mega million dollar convention center, and voted in a new casino to attract the gambling crowd. We have a new concert center, great parks, and low cost of living. And the mayor just announced that we’ve balanced the budget. What are the 5 reasons folks flee this frugal city?

5 reason folks flee frugal city. Who wants to stay in a place with poor infrastructure?city — 5 REASONS FOLKS FLEE FRUGAL CITY. Poor infrastructure and lax code enforcement don’t help.

You have to wonder if saving all that money –to the point where we have an excess of tax money—is such a good idea. It’s great that the City Council and the politicians who run things are investing in ways to attract tourists. After all, tourists spend money in restaurants, hotels, and malls. But then they leave. Not many of them are so impressed with what we have that they feel any great desire to relocate.

As a long time resident who’s also lived in other cities from time to time, it’s easy to see what’s wrong.

1. Infrastructure is sadly lacking. Yes, our main streets and highways are paved and well maintained. But if you drive through the inner city, along side streets and alleyways, you will encounter numerous pot holes, crumbling sidewalks, and deteriorating , poorly maintained houses. Quality of water supply is questionable, when black sediment is frequently seen in toilet bowls.

2. Code enforcement is not functional. The inner city is blighted with run down, weed filled yards and properties. When you complain to someone in that office, they claim to be understaffed, to the point where optimal code enforcement is not possible. Other cities impose large fines for homeowners and landlords who don’t maintain their property.. But not this city. Why do we not have enough money for optimal code enforcement? Maybe that would be a place to spend some of that extra money, rather than building more and more running trails for wealthy suburbanites,

3. The city does not have a municipal indoor swimming pool. They gave into pressure when the local YMCA closed their pool, and agreed to partner with them to reopen their aging pool Unfortunately, the YMCA is poorly funded, and managed by the YMCA in an adjoining county, who has no vested interest in improving our community. . The pool is frequently closed due to broken parts and electrical problems—sometimes for months at a time.

4. Poverty level is 26%–twice the national average for a city of this size. The problem is way too complex for me to solve. I suspect poor people stay because of cheap housing in run down areas. They simply can’t afford to move. Unfortunately, many don’t have cars and you see them walking along the streets with bags from the Dollar Store. Homeless people congregate near the library, but unlike many other cities , no social worker is stationed inside to help find them a place to live.

5. Trains running through the city cause traffic jams and delays to everyone going about their business and ambulances headed for hospitals.. There are three overpasses on the outer edges of town, but that doesn’t solve the problem of long waits at numerous inner city rail crossings.

Instead of spending tax dollars to attract tourists, it might be better to find ways of persuading people to stay. Right now, we are earmarked for 34.1 million dollars in American Rescue plan money. However, the politicians who run the city can’t decide how to spend it. How about asking all of the folks who live here?

September 11, 2022

OLD MENUS CAUSE STICKER SHOCK

On Labor Day, we ordered out from our favorite Asian restaurant. The printed menu warned that unless you order $15 worth of food, they couldn’t make a delivery. Seemed fair enough, and no problem, because your mouth waters as you scroll through the list of delicious goodies like Crab Rangoon, Seafood Soup, and Chicken with Almonds. Besides being the best Asian food in town (IMO), the prices have always seemed incredibly reasonable. However, we were in for a surprise when they totaled the bill. Warning! Old menus cause sticker shock.

The last time we ordered from that same restaurant was back in June. At that time, the prices hadn’t changed at all. This time, we didn’t have to worry about their predicament. It was obvious they’d had to do something to make enough to stay in business.

Here’s the comparison of the price of a few menu items between June and September:

June: September:

Egg Drop Soup: 4.50 5.00

Seafood soup: 6.00 8.00

Egg Rolls 2.00 2.50

Crab Rangoon 4.00 5.40

Total: $17.50 $20.90

This amounts to a 13 % increase. Wowza! I thought inflation was supposed to have capped out at 9%.

In addition to the food costs, a delivery charge of $3.00 was added to the bill. Since we only live 1.2 miles from the restaurant, this means that they’re probably netting around $1.50 for the short trip to our house. Obviously, gas and labor prices have escalated within the past year or so.

I asked my husband if we should tip the delivery person, since we’re already paying a delivery fee. He said, “of course.” To verify his response, I googled the answer. They said we should, so I threw in a few extra dollars. Then, of course, the 8% sales tax was added on.

I’m not complaining about any of these price increases, because it’s a lot more expensive to run a restaurant than it was a few years ago, due to costs of food and labor. Consequently, the consumer should be prepared for higher restaurant prices.

But what if the inflation rate begins to fall—to something like 3%–and food costs come down? Will prices come down at your favorite restaurant? I think you know the answer.

Warning! Throw away those old menus and get some new ones. Otherwise, you’re in for a sticker shock when you pay the bill.

August 4, 2022August 4, 2022

POLITICIANS WHO DON’T LISTEN

Does anyone think that all Democrats are pro- choice and all Republicans are pro-life? It sounds batshit crazy, but that’s what the politicians would have us believe. What’s discouraging is that our legislators are not voting their hearts, but what they see as politically expedient. As the saying goes, it’s all about the optics. And as voters, I think we’re getting fed up with politicians who don’t listen to what we want in the state of Indiana.

According to a poll recently published by the Indiana Capital Chronicle: “Hoosiers don’t want a near-virtual ban on abortion. Instead, they support exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. And many are supportive of allowing abortion up to 15 weeks of gestation.” 63% of Hoosiers support abortion rights.

politicians who won't listen learned a lesson when voters in Kansas refused to ban most abortions. — POLITICIANS WHO DON’T LISTEN to pro-choice advocates in Indiana may learn a lesson from Kansas.

If you think those numbers are bogus, just look at what happened in Kansas. In a rare show of common sense, the politicians decided to put the abortion issue up for a vote. Smart move. That way, no one is going to lose votes over this highly controversial issue. Probably, since it’s a heavily red state, they presumed that people would vote down the current abortion laws. Instead, a surprise at the polls resulted in abortion remaining legal in the Kansas. It looks like 69% of the population in that state supports women’s abortion rights. If only our Indiana members of the Congress and Senate would do the same, and leave it up to the taxpayers to decide.

It’s a conundrum. Why would Republicans wish that unwanted children be born? Everyone knows that those most affected will be low income women. Consequently, forcing them to have more children will obviously result in more poverty, more welfare, and more money spent on Medicaid. Why do Republicans want to go against their own core values of lower taxes, hard work, and less dependence on government handouts?

If the Indiana legislature chooses to commit kamikaze over abortion rights, it’s enough to turn a Republican into a Democrat. Come November, politicians who don’t listen to their constituents may find out they don’t have many.