Need Prozac in Denver
Sat Nov 04, 2006 at 08:46:53 AM PDT
I've been crying all week. Last week too, for that matter.
The cumulative effect of what has happened to my country is really starting to sink in.
A couple of weeks ago, I listened to my husband explain to our teenagers that they had lost their habeas corpus. He spoke softly, using the same tone and inflection that one uses to break the news of a sudden death of a beloved family member, and, of course, the tears welled up in my eyes again.
I live in Colorado CD-7 where
Ed Perlmutter is expected to beat
Rick O'Donnell. If you believe
Colorado Pols that is. I'm nervous.
Bob Beauprez took this district in 2000 by fewer than 130 votes.
Our absentee ballots finally arrived, and I spent the morning completing mine. I voted, stuffed and signed the envelope and set it on the counter.
The little green envelope looks so pitiful sitting there. It is mocking me, saying, "With all of the lobbyists, dirty politicians, inside deals and voter fraud, do you really think this one little vote matters?""Is this all you can really do?"
Truthfully, I haven't done much. I gave a few bucks to the DCCC, several Colorado candidates and Move On. I have a Perlmutter yard sign.
I'm hedged in by neighbors on three sides with O'Donnell signs. Rat Bastards!
I emailed two of my friends who live in the district and told them to be sure they were registered and to Vote for Ed.
When one of my friends didn't get around to changing her registration to this county, I completed the change of reg and an absentee ballot request for her, drove to her work to get her signature, and filed the forms with the Clerk's office.
I thought I should do something to GOTV so I signed to host a Move On Calling Party, but no one signed up as a guest. WTF? I'm brand new at this. Too many parties? Lack on interest? Bad invitation?
And, sadly, except for voting, it is exactly 100% more than I have ever done in any election in my life, and I'm thinking it's about 2% of what is required of me this year.
I voted for Kerry in 2004 and although I grieved the obligatory 2 weeks when he lost, I didn't get off my butt in that campaign or give a dime.
I consoled myself that no action was really required of me because it's hopeless living in a Red state.
But things don't look completely hopeless anymore. Colorado added a democratic Senator in 2004 and is about to elect a democratic Governor. If Perlmutter and Ritter win, my 2004 representation could go from:
2 R senators,
1 R congressman
1 R governor
to:
1 R senator
1 D senator
1 D congressman
1 D governor
3 out of 4 is definitely better than 0 out of 4. And getting rid of Beauprez is well, just, I don't know... priceless!
And then there is this: My neighbor across the street had the full set of Republican yard signs all lined up in a row. I mean, he had like 8 signs. A drunk driver caused an accident right in front of our house, and one of the cars in the accident was forced off of the road and went right through my neighbor's front yard and wiped out all of his yard signs. It was fucking beautiful. Divine intervention? I say yes.
Still, that is small consolation when I realize that on November 8, I could still live in the State of Musgrave and Tancredo.
Oh God, I feel those tears coming on again...
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