Action 6: Celebrate

(Change of plans.  I’ll do the ‘Era of Bush’ another day.)

TODAY I CELEBRATE

Tomorrow I’ll face the facts.

Within hours of the Supreme Court decision to uphold national health care, Mitt Romney received a surge of campaign funding.  (Millions, millions, millions)

That about sums it up:   NOVEMBER!

Recently, my friend and I walked our dogs.  I mentioned, “November."  

She said, “You know, I don’t DO politics!”

I said, “But ….” 

She said, “This time I won’t even VOTE!” 

I sputtered, “BUT …”

She said, “It’s too frustrating! You drive me nuts.  Let’s talk about something else.”

And so we did.

Which was a really stupid thing to do … on my part.

So, now I am going to practice what I’ll say NEXT TIME WE WALK OUR DOGS.

I’ll say, “I love church picnics." 
(She’ll like that.  She worries about my salvation.)  
I’ll say, “I love church picnics, because the sun is hot, the food is good and everyone is really nice to me”.  (Oh well, she won’t like that.)  
I’ll continue, “The only thing I hated as a teenager was the volleyball.  
I always insisted, ‘I don’t DO volleyball!’  Without fail, I was told, 
you eat, you play.  Soon a ball would buzz by my ears, bounce off my forehead, and smack me in the nose.  I stuck to my guns.  
I DID NOT PLAY VOLLEYBALL!  
And yet, by standing there stiff as a board, I was, without question, the biggest influence on the final score. 

End of story.

So, here is my (obvious) point.

If you are a warm body in the USA, over the age of 18, YOU DO POLITICS, regardless of whether you vote, or NOT.  By not voting you have shifted the score.  By not voting you have contributed to what happens to your job, your unemployment, your social security, oil drilling, wind energy, whether your grandkids suffocate on our cazillian dollar national dept AND WHETHER, IF YOU ARE ONE OF THREE WOMEN IN THE USA, WHO WILL HAVE A DIAGNOSES OF CANCER IN YOUR LIFETIME, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE.” 

That’s what I’ll say.

And for good measure, I’ll add,

“You DO politics, regardless of whether you vote or NOT!”

And guess what!?!  I am pretty sure, we’ll still be friends.

Now, I must say, I am a bit curious about what you will say next time you hear, “NOVEMBER.”

Yours truly,  Bena

Have a great weekend and (may I suggest) share Peep with a friend.

Peep and the Parade    by Bena
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Today I Celebrate .......... Join me if you'd like!

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Action 5: The Big Picture

I'm so glad you are here!

In the last blog I listed (my) TOP TEN players.
I believe these TOP TEN players shape American Politics.
In case you missed them, here they are:

(For a recap, go to my last blog.)

Before we get to today's topic, namely THE BIG PICTURE, let me preface it with a few points.

Point 1:

I write (my) TOP TEN, because they fit 'my' point of view.  Yours may differ.   I am fine with that.  The point of the TOP TEN is to reduce the endless noise of daily news and focus on the overall 'sound' of American Politics.  In other words, the TOP TEN helps me see THE BIG PICTURE.

Point 2:

In addition, the TOP TEN helps me understand that American Politics is MUCH bigger than Democrats and Republicans

Point 3:

Finally, the TOP TEN lets me see, that American Politics is shaped MORE by the 300+ million Peeps, than the few politicians who are paid to sit in Congress.  American Politics is shaped by you and me and you and you ….. whether we like it not.

Now to the main point of this blog:  THE BIG PICTURE.

I am going to apply (my) TOP TEN to the hot topic of 'better regulations on big banks'.

Sound 1:           The Elite feel threatened by proposed new REGULATIONS on Big Banks. 

Sound 2:           The Elite contact the Hired-Hands. (yes, yes, promises are made.)

Sound 3:           The Hired-Hands mesh the proposed bank regulations with Pro-Life.

Sound 4:           The Self-Righteous hear Pro-Life and sound their trumpets… TATATATAToooo00000ooooo000

Sound 5:           The Hired-Hands scream:

Class Warfare, Gay Takeover, Socialism! 

Sound 6:           Since, the Self-Righteous and the Hired-Hands are so ear-numbingly LOUD, America believes America has spoken!

(….when in fact, that great BIG ROAR came from two tiny sub-groups, who merely followed their well written script.)

Sound 7:           The Rebels grab EVEN MORE tents.  (by the way, thanks!)

                        The Grumblers whisper their great BIG WISDOM in dark hallways.

                        The Escapists turn on the tube, the web, the phone, the food and the sex.

                        The Advocates shudder in horror and start anew.

                        The Self-Righteous give thanks to the Lord for His divine intervention.

Sound 8:           CHECK MATE!  The Elite win. 

The proposed REGULATIONS ON BIG banks fade into the backround……..

MORE BIG BUCKS for the Elite.

.... and that sums up (my) big picture.

Like I said, yours my differ.  Feel free to speak up any time.
In my next blog, I'll use (my) TOP TEN to understand the 'Era of Bush.' 
Should be fun.

Yours truly, Bena
I'll blog again on Friday.

Peep and the Parade    by Bena
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....grumble.... GRUMBLE!....... grrrrrrrrr....

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Action 4: Meet them ALL

Welcome!
Today I am going to take the names out of politics.
For a moment, let's forget Obama, Romney, Reid, Cantor, Bernanke .... and the rest of them.
I am often too caught up in details to see the whole picture.
It's like focusing on a single tree, and forgetting to see the forest, or like listening to a single instrument and not hearing the band.  I forget there are drums and guitars and flutes and banjos. I forget that it takes ALL these parts to create that single amazing sound. 


Today I will look at all the different PARTS that make up American politics.  In the next blog, I will take these PARTS and pull them together into what I consider to be our own amazingly American band.


Please welcome (my) TOP TEN American players.

Since I consider myself a Grumbler, let's begin with him.  
He is on the far right, with his head in the shadows.  


Now try to locate the Escapist. Look for a Peep in her own little rosy world.
Find her?
That's me again!  (Listen, who said I was going to make this easy on myself.)   


OK, now try to find the Rebel.
How about the Hired-Hand?
Now try to find the Elite.
Good Job.
Now I'll give you usable definitions for all (my) TOP TEN.


1. The Rebels  ... thrive on mind-boggling chaos.  Against all odds, they are changing the trajectory of our future. 
2. The Grumblers  ... grumble about the state of our Union, but rarely lift a finger to change a thing. (Yup, that's me.)
 3. The Hopeless ... live in endless distraction of web, text, tube and food, far too busy to stop and scream.  (Me again.) 
 4. The Advocates ... rally in courageous stubbornness against powers much greater then themselves.... often with stunning results.  
5. The Self-Righteous  ... are the martyrs of a singular moral cause.  They live lives superior to all others.
6. The Cruisers  ... live in purposeful oblivion.  After all, they benefit mightily from the windfall of the mega rich.
7. The Hired-Hands  ... are the shields and foot-soldiers of the financial Elite.  They are rewarded with massive donations for their political campaigns and business contracts.

(The next three players are within the One Percent.) 
8. The Elite  ... feel fully entitled to their massive wealth, power and privilege.  Curse on all who challenge their grand mansions, private jets and exclusive toys.
9. The Philanthropists  ... like to give in their own sweet time, on their own sweet terms, to their own sweet causes, preferably with a big plaque in the front lobby. 
10. The Challengers  ... live by the motto 'spread the money around or it'll kill us.' (Which, without doubt, it will.)


"So!" you may say.  "The Peeps are cute and the idea is a bit unique, but how is THAT supposed to help fix the mess?"
Good Question!  
How about ....

Before I move forward, 

I must first look at where I'm AT.

In my next blog I will take (my) Top Ten and pull them together 
into my own amazingly American sound.

Maybe, yours sounds a bit like mine.
What do you think?

Yours truly,  Bena

I’ll blog again on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend and share Peep with a friend.

Peep and the Parade    by Bena
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The Top Ten .................... never a dull moment.

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Action 3: Begin the Cushy Revolution

So Glad you are Here!

In my last blog we asked a very important question:

'How can we engage in change WITHOUT ALL THAT HASSLE?'

If sleeping in tents and holding cardboard signs, or sipping tea at tea-parties, or joining yet another committee, is more than we can bear, THERE IS STILL HOPE!  Yes, there is HOPE, even for Grumblers like you and me …. and all other Peeps curious enough to care.

Let me introduce

The Guide to a Cushy Revolution

Step 1:             Have access to the internet.  (Good so far?  OK, we shall proceed.)

Step 2:             Want to be able to ‘make this earth a better place’ in your own time, in your own terms, in your own special way.  (For example, at home, in your pajamas, sipping espresso, at 3 am, with your guinea pig on your lap.)

Step 3:             Requires no more than 5 minutes MAX!

Step 4:             Is at lease somewhat entertaining.  (OK, I’ll work on that.)

Step 5:             Can call it quits at any time.

That’s it.

If this works for you, this is your parade.

Now you ask, “How is THAT supposed to fix the mess?"

Easy.

We will engage in a Cultural Paradigm Shift based on Revolutionary Science.

OK, ok .... I said that to make you think I am really smart.  Actually, I am a bit fuzzy about this Paradigm Shift stuff, but what I intend to do, is introduce new perceptions to old beliefs or events, thereby make past actions obsolete and out of necessity prompt cultural behavioral change.

Let’s try that again. 

Let’s say you and I live in 300 B.C.  The word is flat.  Yes, at this point the world is flat as a pancake!  So, we make sure to never, EVER go far out into the ocean, because we WILL absolutely fall off!  

Then this crazy guy shows up.

He says the world is round, there is no edge, our pancake is one big hoax and worst of all WE ARE NOT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.

So, we kill the crazy guy.  (Terrible, but true.)

Then we hear that same crazy stuff again, and again, and again ….

We sneak out in the middle of the night - when no one is watching - and take our little boat WAAAAAAAY out into the ocean and don’t fall off!

Then others go WAAAAAAAAY out into the ocean and discover brand new lands.

Then others go WAAAAAAAAY out and prove that we are not the center of the universe, which leads to space travel and satellites and  -  you’re going to like this -  internet and i-phones and all those other gadgets we must have and adore.

So, back to The Guide to a Cushy Revolution and Cultural Paradigm Shifts.  This is how it works, I introduce new ideas on how to look at the same old stuff and you will simply sit at your computer with your guinea pig and refrain from killing me.

Deal?


Oh, and in the mists of all of this, you will pick up a paddle and go WAAAAAAAAAY out there and discover whole new lands.


Yours truly, Bena
We'll start with the first 'crazy' idea on Thursday .... and yes, if we get the numbers we WILL help fix the great big mess.


Peep and the Parade    by Bena
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WAAAAY out there ..................... 

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Action 2: Start to Rock

Welcome!

I am so glad you are here!
In my last blog I confessed that when it comes to politics I am a Grumbler. Only recently did I realize with mounting horror that, I, Peep 312,780,966 of the American population, should maybe, possibly, oh please don't let it be true.... pitch in and help out just a bit.
That's the OLD news.
Now comes the NEW stuff.
I look around and realize I AM NOT ALONE!

There are a TON of Grumblers out there, just like me.

I must say, there is such relief in numbers!

Not that this solves ANYTHING.

In fact, it makes this whole situation even more precarious.

BUT

for all of you Grumblers,
rest assured, you are NOT alone,

and for what it’s worth,

that may feel good.

In case you have come to the realization, that you too should maybe, possibly, oh please don't let it be true.... pitch in and help out just a bit,  “What do we DO?”

What if sleeping in tents and holding cardboard signs, just isn’t our thing?

What if sipping tea at tea-parties, just doesn’t quite cut it?

What if sitting on a political action committees is more than we can bear?

In sum, how can we engage in change WITHOUT ALL THAT HASSEL?

I would hereby like to suggest:

The Guide to a Cushy Revolution

We’ll get started in the next blog.

Until then, dear Grumblers of America, UNITE!

Yours truly,  Bena

I'll blog again on Monday.
(Oh, by the way, if you happen to be one of those people with friends, especially grumbly friends, send out an invitation.)
  

Peep and the Parade    by Bena
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Alone we peep ............... Together we ROCK!
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Action 1: Meet a Peep

I will begin with a confession.
I am a Grumbler and an Escapist.
I keep up with world politics (sort of), cast my vote every few years, grumble about the insanity of politicians, then escape into yet another great novel - preferably with a box of chocolates at my side.  This little routine worked perfectly fine for many years.

Then things changed.

I realized with utter surprise that the man I voted for President of the United States, regardless of his incredible skills and amazing vision, can't possibly fix it all alone.  I realized it takes more than a single man to change a nation. In utter dismay, I had to face the fact, that it takes a nation to change a nation.

That means you and me and 312,780,966+ people more ... mostly peeps.

'So!', I said.  "Where do I begin?"
The first sixteen times I asked this question, I ran for my novel ... and, yes, of course the chocolates. The seventeenths time I took a looooong, deep breath and began to think and write and write some more.  I stuck all my peep ideas under my bed.  In the meantime, I have half a city of peeps screaming their little heads off wanting to be heard.
I need my sleep.
It is time to give them a voice.

I hereby welcome you to ....

… Join Peep and the Parade

to drown out the ROAR of money.

Yours truly, Bena
I'll blog again on Thursday.
By the way, tell your friends there is a new parade in town.  They may want to check it out.

Peep and the Parade    by Bena
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All Peeps welcome ….......... no skills necessary.
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