Covid, Covid, Covid

Hell yes. What else is there to talk about?  I am appalled at the stubbornness, ignorance, stupidity of people not wearing masks.  It’s unconscionable. Maybe we need to carry a card that says, “yes, I always wear a mask” or “no, I don’t wear masks.” That way when you get COVID they triage you when you arrive at the hospital by your stance. 

I can’t believe the rage that frontline and medical workers must feel when they work selflessly to save lives and then walk out of work and see people not following CDC guidelines! Can you imagine?  Put yourself in their shoes; the anger and devastation these caregivers must feel. I feel it and I’m not one of them. No, really, can you think of the Other? Put yourself in their shoes? After working untold hours to care for patients, they get in their car and see a bunch of assholes at bars and restaurants not social distancing? Home parties? Sigh. It really blows my mind. 

I heard Sarah Haines from The View compare our “sacrifices” to military families. It’s perfect and so absurd that anything the CDC has recommended has become about liberties and politics. Military families sacrifice every day. They are used to not having their loved ones home for family events.  They may not be happy, but it’s part of the military package list of sacrifices. They don’t get to share family occasions with their loved ones. Everyday they have to worry about the safety of their soldier. So is it so difficult to sacrifice by wearing a mask for your fellow man?  What is the fucking problem? 

Trumpers have got to read and watch another station. Get more information and truth telling. I do. I will turn to FOX and read the NYPost to see what is being said so I can try to understand. I don’t, to be honest. I just don’t.  We are living and dying through a pandemic the likes we have never seen and yet only now, only NOW, are Republican Governors beginning to tell people to wear masks.  Do you know why?  Their States are getting decimated by the COVID virus. Didn’t care before! Decided to standby the Orange one in the White House. How’s that been working out for all of you?  

What we are living through has interrupted all of our lives. Those of us who have listened to the science more than those that didn’t, but now, our Country is being terrorized by a virus that didn’t have to kill over 250,000 so far. Many more to come. I love holidays with family, but for fuck’s sake, if we are lucky there will be many more years of full family holidays. This is just one year. 

Shut up and sacrifice. Stand back and look at the whole picture. It’s not about you. It’s about all of us!! It’s about America!

Please feel free to share.

@DianaPodolsky

                                                              I Want

 I've been thinking about this topic for a very long time.  Fifteen years ago or more, when I was an elementary school parent, we would often drop off the kids at school and then parents would convene for coffee.  One of the parents was a Dad, whom we affectionately called, "Hot Dad."  Even back then, we would debate and converse about politics. It would be lively and cordial. Didn't change any minds but found some common ground.  I used to complain about Gerrymandering and why would Republicans want to win elections by cheating. Wouldn't the wins be that much sweeter...? No answer.

Now all these years later, it's the same question.  With the demise of the Voter's Rights Act, the purging of Voter rolls, suppressing the vote, (all led by Republicans in Congress) cheating is the only way they can win.  I really don't understand it.  Of course I do, but not in my heart.  Over all these years, trying to discourage people from voting is not Patriotic or democratic. 

Maybe we go back to term limits. Again, Republicans will never vote for that. I'm sure many Democrats wouldn't like it either. Citizens United was a terrible decision for our democracy. Elections shouldn't be swayed by dollars. It should be the will of the people of America. We should get rid of the Electoral College and have majority rule. We need minimum requirements to run for office; maybe have to pass the Naturalization test. We need minimum requirements to be nominated for lifetime appointments. 

I won't lie, the confirmation and swearing in of the new Supreme Court Judge brought me to tears. I don't know what happened to the revered Court. Somewhere along the way, it became about Party and ideology, not qualifications. The great Ruth Bader Ginsberg received 97 yays. That was a combination of both Parties.  That's the way it needs to be or changes will have to occur. I know that Harry Reid gets blamed for the original sin, but whether true or not, it can't stand. Lifetime appointments deserve far more scrutiny  and overwhelming numbers to confirm. 

I'm all in on the will of the People. I am not all in on Cheaters. I want every vote and voice counted equally. I want all elections to be determined by majority not the electoral college. I want all Congressional confirmations for lifetime appointment to have to get a minimum of 60 votes, preferably 90. I want politicians to lead by Country not Party. I want Biden and Harris to win handily so there are no questions. I want pro-lifers/birthers to stay out of women's bodies. I want all the children alone in camps at the border to find their parents. I want all men and women to be treated equally under the law of the United States of America.

I want to be able to sleep soundly.

                        2020--The Worst Year I Have Ever Known

2020 has been inarguably the worst year since I was born in 1959.  There have been many years that have rocked our nation, but nothing like this.  When scholars had stated over the years that democracy is fragile, I had no idea that in a few short years one leader, with his asslickers, has shaken all of our institutions one by one.  It's astonishing. 

Here we are. We lost a giant in Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg death.  It's a shit show. Mitch McConnell couldn't even wait until she was buried next to her husband to throw a molotov cocktail into his "thoughts and prayers" comment.  He wants to overthrow the Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare.  Do all of you understand what that means?  

Since my husband joined the lucky ranks of Medicare, I have been floundering to get health insurance. I have been fortunate enough to have friends that have their own businesses and can hire me and cover me.  It's not easy.  I am uncovered for two months now. I called the "marketplace" and was able to get a less than plan for two months that will moderately cover me for some hospitalization. I was turned down by another because of my pre-existing condition, multiple sclerosis.  So for the months of September and October, I have to be overly cautious that nothing terrible happens to me physically and I have to stretch my medication until I am covered again.  My medication out of pocket through GoodRX is $8000.00 a month!!!! 

Do all of you understand what's going on in this Country?  Do you understand that most people over a certain age have pre-existing conditions?  If you have survived COVID-19, you may also be considered, for your future healthcare, to have a pre-existing condition.  Are you listening and watching what's being said from the White House podiums?  Listening? Reading?

The Country is at a crossroads. I don't understand anyone voting again for the current President. I don't even understand sitting this out. Can you not see how dire things are to save our democracy?  If you're a Republican through and through, it's time to look deep in your souls, close your eyes, and imagine the world you want.  I want a world where we can trust our institutions, that people act dignified, that lead the entire Country not just some.  We have had to live through a world where children are ripped away from their Mamas, steep rises in anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and a complete lack of clarity and leadership when we needed it most, a pandemic the likes of which we have not seen.  

I posted a query to try to understand why one would vote for Drumpf again.  I got one private response. Where are the rest of you to defend your position. I really am trying to understand.  At this point, I'm out. I've tried to understand. I've tried to see the other side.  The economy sucks unless you're in the stock market. Jobs are harder than ever to come by. So it's not the economy.  Americans can't pay rent or bills. It's bleak. Once upon a time we were looked to for guidance and leadership, now our former allies look to each other, not to us. This President loves all the dictators in the world. He has bent over for Putin, Kim Jong Un, Erdogan, and the rest of the non-democratic rulers.  We have lost Canada. Canada! The shit he's said about our military?? I can't believe that's not a deal breaker for everyone. He likes soldiers that don't die??!! Who doesn't? They are all heroes. They fought valiantly for our beliefs and our Country. Disrespecting the military? Really?? That didn't do it for you? One thing he may have done was assist in an agreement between the UAE and Bahrain with Israel, though I'm sure that he's getting something out of it.  Time will tell. He is a fucking shit stirrer with no regard to consequences. He proves it everyday. Over 204,000 people have died from Covid-19. Crickets. Nothing, Rien, Nada. 

Hey listen up, if a vaccine comes through, let's make the White House go first, then Republican members of Congress, then the rest of us after we see how that goes.

Since 1973, Republicans have not been able to get out of women's uteruses. Every election. It's terribly difficult to bear. Now they may get it. They may be able to overturn Roe V. Wade, but they can't stop back alley abortions and needless deaths of women who make the painstaking decision to terminate a pregnancy.  There are a million reasons why and they're none of our business.  As a great woman once said, they're not pro-life, they're pro-birth. They're done after that. Done. Good luck.

Though I've disagreed with much of the Republican platform over the years, I never once doubted Republicans' love of Country. Now I do. I'm nervous and scared for my children's future and their children's future.  

Tonight is the first debate (9pm EDT) between the President and Vice President Joe Biden.  Decided or not, everyone needs to watch. Hear the words that come out of each of their mouths without edits. I do feel that the future is on the line. Take this seriously. Register to vote. Plan how you're going to get your vote done. This is far more important than any vote in the past 60 years. A non-voter is a vote for things to remain the same. Don't let that happen. Choose Country over Party just this once, I implore you.

Please feel free to share or forward.

@DianaPodolsky

Spewing

 August 7, 2020

                                               Spewing

                                                                  

I have been quiet here pretty much since the current President won, but I haven't been quiet interpersonally.  I am dipping a toe back for a few reasons. I can't take it and must throw up in words some of my thoughts. They may be repetitive but I'll try to have a different perspective.  I am going to throw out stream of consciousness of what's really bugging me today, in this moment. So here it goes:

1. MLB - I am so thrilled baseball is back but, will not throw my whole heart into it because there are so many egregious Covid 19 rules being broken.  I can't imagine they'll make the scheduled season.  There's a lot of spitting, high fiving, few masks, zero social distancing.  Rob Manfred get a handle on it immediately, please!

2. If I'm sending my child to college for upwards of $50,000.00 or for that matter any amount of tuition, and it's online only, I am appalled that colleges are only discounting 10%. Seriously?  HARVARD??? have you looked at your endowment?  $300 billion or so, right?  Help out the students. We are in a state of emergency.  

3. The Census. Just do it.  www.2020Census.gov.  It's a breeze to do online or even in the mailed version. It's extremely important for the future of all of our communities. If you don't get counted, that's dollars that won't get funneled to your community or how congressional districts get re-assessed.  Please just do it!

4. The most important of all.  Believe it or not, I do know a few Republicans.  I know former Republicans, Independents, Democrats, etc. This General Election is like none other. Every election people say that, but this November is serious. We are voting for our Country's Constitutional future.  This is between good and evil, right and wrong, live or die. This isn't the time to sit it out. Republicans that don't like T***p, don't sit it out. You must check off Biden. We have to get our Country back onto a righteous path and reassert ethics in out Government. It's never been more important than now. This isn't a time to sit back. Republicans you can go back and vote the Party line in 2024, not now. It's time to look deep in your hearts and souls.  I can't believe where we are.  We have a President that is the most corrupt in America's history. He is responsible for zero leadership steering the Coronavirus pandemic. We can lay the deaths at his feet. We can lay them at many of the Republican leaders that made masks political. We can lay the economic crisis of the People at the feet of the GOP. Do I think the Democrats are perfect?  Nope, Never. But in this current political climate, we must all stand up, be counted, and VOTE!!!

I thank you for reading. If you want to discuss, feel free.  I've had almost 4 years to think about all of this. Stay safe, wear a mask, and social distancing!