Today I burst into tears on the phone. I was speaking to Susan Collins staff person in Maine. I asked for Collins' position on Alito and she said that she would support him.
I just couldn't take it anymore. I'm gone. I'm not strong enough for this kind of thing. I guess being politically involved is easy for the Abramoffs of the world whose only investment is financial, not personal.
I had called McCain who is purportedly my senator although he in no way represents my views. The staffer was not polite, and was eager to get me off the phone.
Then I tried Sen Byrd's office. I have been a contributor to his campaign, and also encouraged family members to contribute to him. I asked how The Senator could have changed his mind to vote for Alito. The staffer bristled "Who said he changed his mind? He comes from a very conservative, religious state" and then hung up on me when I tried to respond.
I tried Sen Salazar's office. (I have extended family in CO). The staffer said that Salazar would not support the filibuster.
Then, as I am writing this letter, I am interrupted by a phone call from The DCCC I say in tears to the person on the other side of the line. "Why are you wasting your time at this critical moment asking me for money? Call me when you have busted your butt getting the Dems in line on a filibuster of Alito. Until then, I have had it with the Democrats!
Oh I also called Menendez' office, and the staffer said he would be "making an announcement" soon.
I live in a state which, though the Kerry/Bush split was around 45/54 still has two very Republican senators and therefore ipso facto they don't represent me. Ever. So who will? Not my own senators. And not the senators from any other state.
And this is what I don't get. Maine went about the same percentage the other way for Kerry. How is it that Maine's so called moderate Republican senators can support Alito, and can disregard their liberal and moderate base completely to toe party line, but somehow Byrd and Salazar can't disregard their conservative elements to do the same? Why do we have to have 49 senators to get 41 of them in line on something as essential as preventing an extremist like Alito onto the court?
(as and aside at least we can say that Byrd engages in no quid-pro-quo. Move on was his largest individual contributor- with 88k in the last cycle and he feels no need to give those of us who care about an imperial presidency even the time of day.)
This is it. I officially can't take it anymore. See I have spent far too much of my so-called leisure time reading the proceedings of the Federalist society, reading about their "unitary executive" or "big king" idea.
And I don't think I can live in this country anymore.
Someone here described the process of the right-wingers taking over our country as a slow motion train wreck. I can't just sit here and count casualties anymore, and feel helpless to do a thing, no matter how hard I try because I have no representation.
I am not sure how as a single parent I could move to another country. I have a close-knit extended family. If I leave, that means leaving grandparents, cousins uncles, aunts, my long-term boyfriend and even my child's father behind. Sometimes I think I know how my ancestors who immigrated here for a better life feel. I want to leave for a better life. But its hard to imagine really doing it.
Should I leave or stay? Survival suggestions if I stay? And don't tell me stiff upper lip, keep up the fight. I say let the wingers screw up the country the rest of the way. All the fun is out of it for me .
Here's what I really feel:
I just want to live somewhere where people are nice and tolerant.
Where caring about the land and the water and the air is normal not deviant.
Where those who believe in God think of ways to protect this precious giver of life, the Earth, not destroy it.
Where people care about real live kids more than a 3 week old blastocyst.
I want to live in a country where killing people is considered disgusting, not glamorous.
Where no one seriously discusses methods of torture and which types of torture they approve of.
Where no one shoots a Japanese foreign exchange student dressed like John Travolta for Halloween cause he looks "threatening."
Is there still a country which resemmbles my imaginary Hobbitville left anywhere on this earth?
A place for people like me who just want to raise their kids in peace. To work, laugh and garden by day and to dance and make merry by night?
Does such a place exist?
