Monday, December 4, 2017

A word or two about slogging on


Perhaps the real methodologists among us will throw up hands and leave at the end of the next paragraph--or not.

I have resigned myself to seeing no more spectacular results until this time next year. But, fifty six weeks down, forty eight to midterm elections is a sterling hall mark; a continuing rally cry for the way forward. This business of inching forward, carrying on, moving up seems relentlessly slow.

In spite of our gains in the November ballot, the GOP mowing machine moves on. Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryon did stick with Trump’s coat tails just to get the tax bill passed, and it was done. The bill will be reconciled and effected, and no matter the small concessions to humanity, the huge scope of the bill is not for decency, but strangulation of the middle class on down, to their last penny.

It will be another year before we can go back to the polls and regain our ability to begin a decade of cleaning up. But, the year will send even more to the polls who find they must repeal Trump’s tax cuts and use the revenue to expand Medicare, strengthen Social Security and revitalize the social security net. Those last words are straight from Slate magazine, together with the notion the Republicans have delivered, and now will pay their piper.

No question I am sending up the same flag, singing the old song. But I do want to add a personal note to why I know we can finish this.

In the last seven years I suffered two major, potentially life ending brain injuries. Life ending. Final curtain. Hasta la vista. And I’m still typing today. The reason: medical intervention, medical treatment, and, finally, dogged determination, complete resolution to reach a reasonable outcome.

I know it is possible to regain speech, thought, physical coordination, balance, mobility. It doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, it is an inch by inch by inch, never ending struggle. In fact, it never ends. In fact, I still struggle for words and look up synonyms for a word I hope is close, until I find a good one. If this were twenty years ago, believe me, I would be looking in Webster’s, not on line. But, I would be looking.

The day after the day after the last presidential election, I quoted Woody Guthrie and Joe Hill. “I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, alive as he could be. ‘But Joe,’ said I, ‘you’re ten years dead!’ ‘I never died,’ said he.” Organize!

Keep up our good work of calling, writing, protesting, supporting our elected representatives. Just don’t quit. Some of us may not get to the finish line of this long recovery, but most of us will. Don’t quit. Carry On.


29 comments:

  1. I admit to feeling like what's the point plus a flood has kept my attention close to home. but I will get back to raising my voice and making those phone calls even though those phone calls fall on deaf ears. I'm not a quitter. you are right...it's not a sprint it's marathon.

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  2. This slog, and your own, are definitely worth the effort. Take days out by all means, but carry on.
    And hugs.

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  3. EC is right. Take a rest sometimes, but never give up!

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  4. You are right, Joanne. It's easy to get frustrated by all the things we can't change and to just move on with life and try not to think about it. I'm guilty of it. Thanks for the reminder.

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  5. I'm so old and tired, but I'll never give up. There's a special circle in hell for people like Donald Trump.

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  6. I have given up on very few things in my life, and I don’t intend to start now. As a woman, I am tired of fighting for everything and was very inspired by the younger generation stepping up in the smaller elections in November. I fear, though, that with the way things are escalating so fast now, change has to come sooner than next November.

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  7. I will never give up, though one does get tired. But never give up....I am remembering a Jewish quote about not being obliged to complete the work, but never being allowed to abandon it...In such a disheartening situation, your words help.

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  8. I haven't kept up with the news, so I don't know what Trump has done.
    "..expand medicare, strengthen social security, revitalize the social security net.." those are all good things it seems to me.

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  9. if they hadn't of borrowed from the social security and spent it all it would be solvent, same with medicare; when the robots take all the jobs not sure who will be paying into the fund; time will tell if the tax bill is good or not; after Coolidge, Kennedy, Reagan tax cuts the economy was booming. I think the economy is not as predictable as it used to be; with the digital age things are less like the past and more uncertain; just about everything we learn about the federal government is disheartening; using tax dollars to pay sex harassment claims, unbelievable; this is part of what I think Trump wants to clean up - the swamp of the politicians; I think we'd be better off with folks who are not politicians in office and term limits for senate and house just like the president, only two terms and no retirement, they should get jobs in the private sector; that for every elected official no matter city county state or federal.

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  10. We have to remain steadfast. This generation of world leaders won't last for ever.
    Meanwhile , on a local level we can concentrate on looking after health care , education , welfare and libraries. Keeping things afloat ... just like always , really .

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  11. No way will I give up. Thank you for the encouragement.

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    1. And thank you for reminding me of that Joe Hill song.

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  12. From your lips to the apathetic voters' ears, I hope.
    It's so hard to not just throw in the towel when we see time after time, politics winning over decency.

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  13. Yes. Joe Hill. Organize. Everything you say is true. Powerful post.

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  14. You are one brave and strong lady Joanne.

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  15. yes, carry on.
    We've got a right old mess here too.
    Live in hope xx

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  16. I have been carrying on. Still sending messages to my senators (the bastards) and praying for the best!

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  17. You are a glimmer of hope in the wasteland. It gets worse in Washington each day.

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  18. Organize - I agree. You are an excellent example of not giving up and why medical needs and social safety nets are so important.

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  19. Thank goodness you were able to get proper care for your brain injuries, Joanne. That is so scary. You’d think I’d be numb by now about everything Trump and Republicans are doing, but it still turns my stomach.

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  20. Dear Joanne, I am standing 100% with you on what you've said in this posting. You have endured through work and patience and a graceful taking of what life is and finding some good in it.

    Right now it is hard for me to see the good in this administration or in the Republican Congress. But perhaps all this lack of integrity and this non-compassion will lead many of us to stand up in a new way for what we believe. Maybe we all are realizing that we've taken for granted many aspects of our constitution and our way of life. Perhaps this is the clarion call to consider what we want our country to be, to stand for, and to represent to us and to the rest of the world.

    We can make change happen. Thank you for reminding me of this. Peace.

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  21. Keep fighting the good fight, eh? There's not much that I can do from this side of the border, but hope.

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