Hope For Change?

Can 2009 really be as good as it sounds? Here's the buzz: Bruce and the E Streeters doing a finale tour. I'm not quite sure what I think of the Magic tour, other than the excitement of the "what he's going to pull out of rear end tonight?" thoughts, though I would say it seems a much more loose tour than the Rising tour. Both seemed fun; I think this last one was simply a time-filler until next year. We keep hearing that he's got another album in the can, that it may see the light of day in the Spring, that Bruce's waiting for the election and that the group's going to blow the doors off of next summer.

Let's piggy-back this with the election. Am I such a worry-wort that the GOP will win? Am I correct? People, please tell me I'm wrong. John McCain's speech and the entire GOP Convention was a smarmy smugfest with no one but affluent, older white people in attendance. While I thought McCain's speech fine, I did think that Sarah Palin's speech was in the attack-dog mode that, in typical fashion, draw the attention away from the deficiencies of the candidate and towards straw man arguments against their opponents. Rudy Giuliani speaking about the cleaning up of corruption? Bernie Kerik, anyone? Here's what I know about McCain, from the RNC: he's a vet; he was shot down; he's a POW; he's a good dad and father; he's a "maverick" (whatever that is); he's going to change the way things have been run in Washington. Everything is fine and dandy, except for the fact that we need a candidate with policies, not personality. Lastly, will anyone else notice that the whole group that's McCain's so pissed off about seems to be George W. Bush, the far right and the Republican Party itself? You don't change the system by picking someone within the system, you choose outside the system. Call me a California-raised-intellectual-pluralistic-free-thinking-left-coaster-church-attending-conservative-parent-teacher-tax-payer-home-owning-pink-o-commie-liberal, but should we be electing Sarah Palin for president? The polls are in Barack's favor; the mood in the nation is showing change; the youth is jazzed for Obama; where am I going wrong? I really do think McCain will win, simply because we elect stupid people based on fear, bigotry and anti-intellectualist principles. Maybe I'm fearful because I see such hope in Obama as well as the actual chance for winning. I dunno. I need someone else to chime in here.

I'm really proud of my old man. Running for re-election as well as the first four-year mayor in the city's history. He's received the endorsements of practically every volting bloc in the city. Should my dad win? I believe so. Will he win? Probably? Has Robert "Bob" Taylor been a successful mayor for Brentwood? Just look at the growth, managed budget, crime statistics; he serves on state-wide committees; he's being endorsed by mayors from other cities; he's worked hand-in-hand with our member of the House of Representatives, Jerry McNerney. Dad's a Republican; Jerry's a Democrat. They have their own constituents and goals for their constituencies; they've connected so well that they can call each other on speed-dial on their cell phones. Dad, you ROCK!!! I'm so proud of my dad as mayor. Will he win? I sure hope so. Should he win? Let his record speak for itself.

Speaking of Jerry McNerney, I've been so impressed with my Representative that I'll be walking precincts in two weeks for the first time in my life (other than the old man, but that's a different story). Actually, I'll be doing double-duty, passing out flyers for Jerry and Bob (man, it sounds like a Grateful Dead reunion!) and with pride. Weird that I want a liberal activist member for the national seat of government but a fiscal conservative for my local executive. God bless democracy, right?

Off to bed; here's to a bump for Barack in the polls and for a sixty-day wild ride. Maybe I'll get the chance to see Obama speak here in California (doubt that; he's up by fifteen points)!!!!!