Now What?

/ ludlumdrive / Leave a comment

Now that you are done
watching the primaries and the debates,
nominating your candidate and its posse,
attending a rally, the convention and invention,
chitchatting and pestering the candidates;

Now that you are done
listening to the talking points, demagogy, and the pundits,
political experts, cable news channels and talk radio,
browsing the Internet, reading one more political story, and
visiting one more blog;

Now what?

Now that you are done
being or sympathizing with the 18 million cracks in the ceiling,
one hundred fifty thousand dollars and J. Crew wardrobe,
700 billion bailout,
lipstick on a pig, pigstick, pukingstick,
moose burgers, fried burgers,
Sara who?,
Joe the plummer, Joe the blabber,
“The View” and review,
seeing Russia from Alaska,
patriotism and anti-American,
he is Arab that one, no madam,
yes we can,
who is he?;

Now that you are done
watching one more “I have the best plan” speech,
straight talk, country first,
health care reform and mortgage,
tax cuts and raising cuts,
promises and broken promises,
mavericky and change we can believe in,
fundamentally sound and spreading the wealth,
being erratic and palling around with terrorists,
economic plan and I voted with him 90% of the time,
socialism and dream,
hope;

Now that you are done
watching good adds, bad adds, despicable adds, youtube,
mumbling the words dangerous, infuriating, disgusting,
oh yah right on,
watching the SNL skits, the late night comedians,
listening to one more political song,
Rush Limbaugh, Wolf Blizter, Oprah Winfrey,
Bristol Palin,
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Keith Olbermann,
Jeremiah Wright,
Obama Girl and Megan McCain’s blog,
Huffingtonpost and Drudgereport,
Politico and Alaska Daily News,
si se puede,
ole!;

Now what?

Now that you are done
being swindled and amused by the trickery,
stock market and undecided voters,
unnerved and anxious,
flaunting your window and bumper stickers,
showcasing your lawn signs,
snubbing at your neighbors,
honking at the poll worker;

Now that you are done
clicking the mouse,
being a caterpillar, obsessed and a slave,
giving money (good church donation),
being giddy and silly,
exercising your right and choosing a President
Now that the world has watched….

Twenty months and many moons later, … hoof!
Now what?

Welcome to your pitiful pathetic life.
The movie has just begun and
Detox awaits you!

The Party Has Just Begun

/ ludlumdrive / Leave a comment

The weight is over. The mood is festive, it feels like Christmas.  The lines are long still here in Miami but the weather is kind of funky – not hot thank God but very cloudy; fitting for those standing in line.

The pools have been opened for two weeks and the lines were always a mile long or more, and curvy.  On Sunday, the last day of early voting, it opened at 1:00PM but people were already in line – at 7:00AM. There were lawn chairs, books, snacks…. It poured but there were umbrellas everywhere and it did not deter people from doing their job. I went by there at 6:00PM, the voting location is only 5 minutes from my home, it was supposed to close at 4 but people were still at it.  It must have closed late. Some people were back in line at 3:00AM this morning in some places.

I have gone through seven presidential elections in this country, this is my eighth and I must confess I have never seen it like this. There is a sense of “defiance”. The turn out is huge as thousands are expressing themselves. People are enthusiastic and energized in both sides. It is impressive and amazing.

Most of the syndicated morning talk radio shows are broadcasting all day and so are TV stations as expected, broadcasting live all night long, and they will be at it today. Passion is at all time high.

People in this country have been accused of complacency and apathy but it seems it will dissipate this time around. Lessons learned. If you want to have your voice heard…. The 2000 election was decided by 500 plus votes.

And then you have this little town of 115 residents, Dixville Notch in New Hampshire that has tradition of casting the first Election Day ballots. It has not voted Democrat since 1960’s but it went for Obama 15 to 6. The elections were tallied live. It was interesting to see the 21 persons depositing their paper ballots in a box and then waiting for them to be counted. The results were announced soon after and it was interesting to see, very moving, this little town, all white mind you, voting for a black man.

Let’s not count our cigars yet but the fact this is happening, it speaks volume even if you agree or not with the candidate. Regardless, this country has something to be proud of whether a black man becomes President or a woman Vice-President. History in the making indeed.  C’mon Floridians let’s not screw up this one.