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 4, 2022October 4, 2022

WILL SEX OR MONEY DECIDE ELECTION?

A couple of months ago, it looked like the Republicans were going to take over the Senate and Congress like a tidal wave. That was before The Dobbs decision, overturning Roe vs. Wade. Now, scads of people have changed their minds , and the Democrats couldn’t be any happier. They’re pretty sure no body is going to vote for some prissy old Republican who says they can’t get an abortion. On the other hand, the Grand Old Party wants to believe that inflation will be blamed on the Democrats, and folks are going to vote their pocketbooks. Both pretty hot button issues. What do you think? Will sex or money decide the outcome of the November election.

Inflation is a no brainer. They say it’s only running at 8 % but all of us know that we’re spending almost twice as much money on everyday expenses as we did a few years ago. . Obviously, the Covid- stimulus money is part of the reason. Then, we have the war in Ukraine, and Lord knows what all. Student loan forgiveness. Labor shortages, Supply chain issues. Republicans are blaming it all on the tax and spend policies of the Democratic party and up until this month, they figured no body in their right mind would vote for a continuation of those policies. Everybody wants inflation to end, especially those who are living paycheck to paycheck. .

Nevertheless, most people of child bearing age would like to enjoy their sex life without having to worry about unwanted pregnancies. None of them can remember a time when abortion wasn’t an option, but I can. In fact, most single girls were virgins before the pill and Roe vs. Wade. because they had a mortal fear of getting pregnant. When an unmarried woman was pregnant, the father was expected to marry her. Whether he liked it or not. And if he didn’t, an illegitimate child would be a disgrace to the mother and her entire family. Some people did get abortions in places like New York City, but that was not an option for women in the rest of the country, unless they were very rich.

If you’ve reached the age where you read the daily obituaries, you see that most people over the age of 80 married at a young age….preferably, by the time they were 21 years old. Contraceptives were available, but they weren’t reliable. If you wanted to live together, you were supposed to get married.

So now, it looks like the younger people will have to make a decision. Shall they vote for a Republican, in the hopes that it will put an end to inflation? Or will they go with the pro-choice policies of the Democrats? I imagine it will depend on your age and how important a carefree sex life means to your overall happiness. What is more important? Love or money? We’ll find out in November.