In Valor There Is Hope

Tacitius, ca. 56 – 117

And in hope, valor.   ◊   11/04/2008

Ode on Keatsian truths, with apologies to Mr. Keats.  Tacitus never wrote the second part.

Obama Picks Up Another Electoral Vote

Nebraska is one of the two states (along with Maine) that awards one electoral vote for each congressional district carried plus two for the statewide winner. It now appears that Obama won NE-2 (Omaha) and picks up another electoral vote. This is the first time in history that either state has split its EVs. The mapping software wasn’t set up to color in Omaha separately, so the state will be marked in purple to indicate the red+blue split.

Nebraska Republicans have reacted to this development with dismay and intend to introduce legislation in 2009 to go to a winner-take-all system like 48 other states.

My Aim Is True

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Is that what you’ve been waiting to hear from me? Because I’m so happy to be able to finally say it and mean it.

First, we haven’t spoken in so long and I need to clear the air. Hear me out and don’t get angry. You turned your back on me and it hurt. It can only help us if I’m honest about how angry  I’ve been feeling. Then, I’ll  leave it on the floor. You were f*cking arrogant for so damn long - conceited in every way. It’s like you’ve expected adoration since birth, unconditional love for no real reason, simply because you exist. Of course that put me off. I’m your type remember? I’m Independent; I speak my mind, which was fine as long as I didn’t rip you. You can’t have it both ways. Yeah, you’re great looking, hot actually, but a pretty face and a nice crib only go so far. You did a lot of stupid sh*t and messed up a lot of people who looked up to you. You used to be all, like, “I’m so exceptional, that’s why I get blamed for everything. . .”  COME ON! Exceptional for sure, in your voracious consumption. Your substance abuse, massive debt, shady friends, insatiable greed, aversion to personal maintenance,  filthy habits, ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude made you a pariah, not just to me, but to my entire family and all my friends. I was ready to leave, go shack up with Bangkok and lick my wounds. Okay, I’m done venting.  

And, almost overnight there was the huge shift.  This morning I pinched myself and the reality holds. I honestly didn’t expect such a profound change  - I didn’t think it was possible. I’m astonished. I didn’t think you could do it. I didn’t believe, and I am deeply sorry for that.

You’re turning the ship around, and I’m ready to be there for you. You’re finally taking responsibility for your actions and not blaming everyone else. Courage is fessing up, and you really seem to understand that now. You struggled, you grew, you reached out for help - you changed. You’ve worked so hard to transform yourself and you seem so much happier now, and happy to be generous with the little you have. Kindness suits you and it’s sexy too. Wanna move in together and, uh… well possibly, maybe get married?

Pause.

What? Say what? You’re a woman? How could I not have…?  Well, um, I love you anyway so let’s, um, go for it.  I can deal. I’m game. It’s love, it’s right. And it’s right, and a joy, to commit to the one you love in the eyes of the world. Nothing unnatural about it.  

Pause.  Quick, sharp breath intake.

But - hell! Oh wait. Sheesh.  Could it get any worse, any more ironic? The same day I uh, committed my heart to you, they, you, I don’t know  -  passed a Constitutional Amendment banning same sex marriage. It’s a cruel world America and, so typical, so arghhh!  We usually bring on our own troubles. YES WE DID. Has anything really changed then?

I love you and I hope one day I can legally commit to you. I want that right. I think of the ‘Loving v. Virginia’ case, 1967. You remember, even though you were young then. The Supreme Court ruled love could not be restricted by law. The brave Mrs. Loving alone, ONE Voice again, changed everything. This will not stand my love.

But I think I love that corny, flat, mild, home of Letterman and Larry Bird. And Louis Armstrong’s ‘Indiana’ is well, swell.

Indiana voters gave me hope during the primaries when they refused to fall for the great gas-tax holiday hyped by McClueless and HRC.  Senator Clinton won by less than 2% and, no matter what she said about being out-advertised, that state was Clinton-country to the bone, with a side of Evan Bayh. BTW, was she saying that you can buy the equivalent of 15 years of relentless familiarity w/just 5 months of advertising? That’s an insult to voters.

I am proud of my reddish brethren and curious enough to consider putting them on my Great Lakes Tour route. When, late on November 4 The Husband came tearing into my election night revery yelling, “Indiana Barb!”, I thought he was joking.  My retort was, “can Montana be far behind?”.  This was too unanticipated to appreciate on top of all the swing states going the right way too. It’s like your born-again ex-best friend finally realizing that banishing you to hell is really NOT what Jesus would do.  Do you know what I mean? Indiana is sort of a tweener- really familiar and really, really far away.  I didn’t think she was swinging, but when Ohio went early (6:18 PDT), I should have paid attention to her neighbor to the west, wedged up against Obama-vibe -emitter Illinois on the other side. As for my most cranky ancestral home-state of Ohio, her push-over status sealed the deal & we no longer needed the iffy Nevada or Colorado, just the more likely Iowa and New Mexico. Of course, none were iffy at all - big kiss to Nevada. I love a mystery and Indiana is that (and flat).

Data Doesn’t Go To The Polls. You Do

Every Number Starts With One. One Action Can Change Everything. Please Be One.

I am One. The margins of victory in Virginia and South Carolina were enormous because I called voters there. The margins in Pennsylvania and Nevada are narrower because I canvassed there. They are narrower now because One woman living in Virginia put aside One opportunity to visit her 6-week old granddaughter in Boston, to instead canvass for Barack Obama in Western PA. The campaign’s coffers are full because I donated small amounts regularly. The campaign is able to afford its extraordinary media offensive because I have volunteered more months, days and hours than I can count. I know that Barack won the nomination because I am One of every One of the millions of volunteers dedicated to the Obama Campaign. I am not a party activist nor will I ever be - my involvement now is solely for this candidate who could only slip in at this critical time. It is, most powerfully, the structure of a peculiarly American bargain that Obama spreads before us, and keeps his end of, a campaign and then a life of self-reliance and community, individual and country, that I am honored to work my ass off for. That is why I chose to be One.

Ye Olde Addage: Polling data is a quantified compilation of stated intentions. Supposedly the mythical ‘Road to Hell’ is paved with excellent intentions.

Please vote and vote early so you can spend your time urging everyone you know to vote. We need huge margins to keep the clamor down. They will fight every declared race that is within 2 points.

Carry on comrades (yes, comrades).