If there is one thing good that has come out of the disastrous Bush years, is that that man, G.W. Bush and his cronies, politicized EBetty.
She was a quiet, modest, moderate Democrat. Strong feelings about issues, but not wanting to push or peddle, or meddle with other people's views. She always felt that the moderate majority of voters would keep the Yahoos out. But all that changed with Bush.
She had a feeling that if that man were elected, something bad would happen that would mar the greatness of the country she loved. She hoped she was wrong, and tried to hope for the best..."Only 4 years, 8 years tops, he can't do that much damage, can he?" But a series of unfortunate events occurred: September 11th, Anthrax scare, Afghanistan, the run up to Iraq, the invasion to Iraq, no WMD, no mission accomplished, soldiers and civilians slaughtered. Things looked bleak, and in 2004 she hoped that John Kerry would wrest the helm from this seriously wreckless man. There was also a newcomer on the national stage, who riveted her with a speech about a vision of America she had held since she could remember, but had let go of in despair. There was a flicker of hope. But when the voters were swayed by lies and residual post traumatic stress of 9/11, EBetty went into a funk and depression like no other. "What has happened to us? How could so many people be duped by this man?"
But then along came Hurricane Katrina. And the tide began to turn. In 2005 there were mumblings of Al Gore possibly running again. Her thoughts turned toward the next election. More bad news flooded the airwaves: the administration's cover ups, spying on it's own citizens, torture, burgeoning national debt, gross negligence and incompetence. When Barack Obama announced he was going to run, she got on board and hasn't looked back. At first giving money, then canvassing. When John McCain decided to lie and trash Obama, and pass Palin as some sort of energy guru and governmental reform maven, her last taboo of shyness about meddling and peddling broke. Last night she went phonebanking. 20 people showed up to call volunteers. EBetty had to bite back the tears witnessing this grass roots democracy in action. She spoke to supporters, got a few to volunteer, left messages and felt that "fierce urgency of now." When she mentioned to her father what she was doing, her father said she was being nosy, calling people like that. She said, "Well, this is how it is done, Dad. I'm doing it for the little ones, I'm doing it for my niece." EBetty has been politicized. This is her first kos diary. Thank the GOP, if you like her, otherwise go ahead and curse 'em. Ebetty won't take it personally.