....but I just discovered today that I am freakin' Pollyanna compared to some people.
Allow me to explain ...
Today I had lunch with a co-worker whom I do not know very well (she works in a different department, but we share some of the same acquaintances). Our lunch conversation wandered around a bit (she'd actually managed to have a health billing situation resolved in her favor), when it struck on the current political situation. (No, this is not a candidate diary.)
I made a comment about the government giving yet another tax break to the richest while cutting programs like Head Start, school lunch programs, etc.
And. Here's. Where. It. Started.
"Well, Head Start is just a waste. It should be gotten rid of," she said.
I successfully managed to keep my jaw from hitting the table and asked why. Her response:
"They're not allowed to teach the kids things like numbers, colors, their letters, that kind of thing. All they can teach is things like getting along with others, forming community, that kind of thing. What a waste of time," she said.
"Not allowed?" I said.
"Yep," she replied. "The government regulated it so it can't do what it was originally set up to do."
I knew instantly that she and I were going to be on opposite ends of not only the political scale but the social scale. (Yes, she did identify herself as a Republican, and I am a newly registered Democrat after years of being an independent.) But I have a masochistic streak in me, so I did not change the subject to something innocuous like the weather.
The conversation then wandered a bit about schooling in general (poor teacher's pay, lack of funds for the students, etc.) to how kindergarten through 4th grade should be "nothing but readin', writing', and 'rithmetic!" (what no music? no art? no gym?), to the current flap in California where supposedly homeschooling is going to be eliminated as an option because (supposedly) 1 kid on welfare was abused by his guardian, which would have been caught if the kid had been required to attend public school.
"So 160,000 homeschoolers are being punished for 1 case!" she said quite forcefully. I couldn't really say anything because I know nothing about this situation. Does anybody here?
She continued, "It's just so pointless. The government controls everything so why even bother?"
Cautiously, I asked, "So we shouldn't even try to change the system?"
"Nope," she said. "It's a done deal. Nothing will ever change."
Well, with an attitude like that, of course nothing will change! I went back to work early, mostly to escape the possibility of my mouth running away with me.
Is this the attitude that Karl Rove was seeking to create, to ensure that "permanent Republican majority" he wanted? To get people so certain that nothing can be changed that they don't even try?
No wonder the "yes, we can!" message of Obama is being grabbed onto like a lifejacket on the Titanic! No wonder the promise of experience leading to solutions message of Clinton is attracting attention! People are starving for the idea that things CAN CHANGE! For the better, even!
And I thought I was cynical ...