Freaking Out

Well, not exactly freaking out, but this election season is giving me a stomachache.  It is going on far too long and is not good for democracy.  The rhetoric is disturbing and much of it is offensive.  I am a registered democrat.  Life-long.  Even though it may often be against my best interests, I am a democrat.  If you have read any of my political rants, I'm sure it's no surprise.  

When I started out becoming politically aware, at the age of 9, I always picked the loser.  I loved Hubert Humphrey. I didn't know all the ins and outs of the convention woes and riots.  Had no idea.  George McGovern over Nixon.  I did pick Carter over Reagan.  That was my actual first Presidential vote.  On the way to the polling place, I lived in California then, they announced Reagan won. I was pissed and voted anyway.  Voted for Mondale and Dukakis, both underwhelming candidates.  Not until William Jefferson Clinton, did I feel the most confident and hopeful for my Presidential candidate.  We suffered through two terrible elections with George. W. Bush beating Gore and Kerry.  We finally got to the primary between Obama and Hillary Clinton.  

I was for Hillary.  I was both disappointed and thrilled at the outcome.  I deeply appreciate firsts.  The first African-American President, Barack Obama. Big, Huge.  His acceptance speech was so moving.  Thrilling. I had hope for a new world.  A new vision. It didn't really turn out that way.  Blocked at almost every turn by an obstructionist Congress.  President Obama got some sort of health coverage passed.  I am not one of the Americans who feels the advantages, but am happy that many are.  

It's been a very tough eight years, so no one should be surprised at the contentious election season on both sides, but I am.  It makes me sick.  I am still all in with Hillary Clinton.  I get why Bernie Sanders is appealing to many of the young people and McGovern lovers, but I don't think there is anything there.  He hasn't told us how he will do anything.  He has wonderful, noble ideas, but that's where it ends.  They are ideas with zero reality.  I remember being a young idealist, wanting to change the world.  Turn the world upside down and inside out, but that's not how it works.  Sanders wants to change the banks and take them apart.  He wants to make college free for all.  He wants Universal healthcare.  That is all very seductive, but how?  It isn't going to happen.  Our government doesn't work that way.  

I feel the angst of the future disappointment of the young.  I feel the angst for those of us that support Hillary Clinton.  It makes my stomach hurt.  I want it to stop.  I want all the registered voters to get out and vote in the primaries that are so important and remain.  New York's primary is Tuesday, 4/19.  The final primary is California in June.  I keep listening, reading, and hearing that it's going to be Clinton as the nominee, but I take nothing for granted.  If it ends up being Sanders, so be it, but if it's because the Clinton supporters didn't vote, that will make me angry.  I hope that when this is all decided and we are facing ______________

in the general election in November, that the Sanders supporters show up for Clinton or vice-a-versa.  There's too much on the line.

I will keep having stomachaches until November  I can't turn it all off.  

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@DianaPodolsky

Friday Morning Quarterbacking

This week has seen more twists and turns than Space Mountain in the Republican Race for President.  We are down to three:  Donald T***p, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich.  The first two are bat shit crazy, the third talks a great game.  How did they get to this point?  Well, let's go back to the Summer and the debates.  In the lead puppet is Reince Prebus, presumably at the behest of the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson and the like, decided since there were far too many "fantastic" candidates, they would divide up the debates to two per night: the undercard and the main event  (6pm EDT and 8pm EDT).  They would choose by the ever faulty "poll numbers" who would debate whom.  Here's the problem, as you can well imagine, the polls are by name recognition only at that early stage.  The voters don't know anything yet.  

Why Reince and company didn't recognize this early on is beyond me?  Were they so seduced by all the publicity and ratings?  They got tons of support from the bottomline money grubbers at all the stations. T***p gave them big ratings for his outrageous behavior and rhetoric.  What all the pundits were saying after every debate, T***p won't last the Summer, T***p won't last the Fall, and every time he soared.  His unbearable popularity was making the news outlets tons of money because viewership was going through the roof. (Hence this great clip from TDS with Trevor Noah:  http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/daily-show-host-trevor-noah-877273).  

So, now, people are scratching their heads and wondering how the grown up in the room can catch up? John Kasich has a minuscule chance of getting the Presidential nomination, but he could have.  If Reince Prebus would have shaken up the early debates and not had an undercard, this race would look very different.  The voters would have had a much smarter and policy focussed campaign season, but the way Reince did it....BIG FAIL!  He could have limited the number of people running or he could have mixed up all the names and had 5 people on the stage each time.  The voters would have heard the differences and the intelligence (or lack there of) of the candidates.  Instead, we have gotten a nightmarish clown show.  I really do land this all at the feet of the RNC. If John Kasich or George Pataki or Mike Huckabee or Rick Santorum or...got on prime time in the early debates, I heartily believe that this race would look very different.  

They were seduced by the copper penny on the stage.  The bombastic loud bully that had a new unfiltered sound.  The networks loved it, promoted it, and dragged more money to the bank than ever before. The people loved it because there was a level of comfort and humor, at first.  There he was, the man that had starred in his own television show, running for President of the United States. We knew him.  Comfort food always wins out when feeling nervous or uncertain.  T***p was all that.  

Now, several moths later, the laughter has stopped and all that is left is shock and awe.  The RNC is running around with their heads cut off wondering how they f**ked this up.  The convention rules are being combed over to see if there's an out anywhere.  Do they re-write the rules so they can get a nominee they can back?   How would that effect the voters?  Is it all a foregone conclusion that a Democrat will win the White House in November?  Hell, no, but, Reince, you should definitely get fired or save face and resign.  You have done an incredibly poor job of foreseeing anything.  You are supposed to lead the Republicans and have a long view.  You have been living in the moment and have turned what could've been a respectable Presidential campaign into a divisive and hate-mongering race.  You didn't see this coming, did you?  Or, wait, maybe he is really a Democratic operative taking down and shredding the Republican Party....

In any case, you all blew it.  You may have actually had some quality candidates in your stable, but they didn't get any chance to show off their wares to the people.  They went with the shiny penny.

Sidebars:  I am increasingly getting sick and nauseous on the Democratic side.  There is so much growing anger and snarkiness between Clinton and Sanders supporters that I feel the big picture is being lost.  Facebook posts are getting ever more divisive.  We are on the same side, please remember that.  -- American Idol is finally coming to an end next week.  15 Seasons later and hundreds of millions of dollars made, it's going out with a whimper.  It was an incredible platform which launched many young talents into megastars: Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtery, Jennifer Hudson.  Without you, The Voice never would've existed. -- Final Four weekend.  It's finally here, which means baseball season is just around the corner. Can't wait. Already ordered the MLB Extra Innings for the season.  I can watch the San Francisco Giants whenever I want 3000 miles away. I have low expectations for the NYC teams.  We shall see. Pitching seems quite iffy.  Let's see how many homers A-Rod hits this year.  -- V for Villanova, V for Victory. -- Enjoy the weekend everybody.  Off to Missouri to the Truman Library and see my babies.  

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@DianaPodolsky

Do As I Say Not....

I've been ruminating a lot about this election season.  Sometimes, I just have to tune out because it makes me physically sick to hear the rhetoric, fighting, and lies that keep getting spewed with little to no fact checking.  Of course, the truth is in our current internet and 24/7 news cycle, once something is said, it's out there and no one cares to follow up to find out the facts.  It's a dangerous time, clearly.  

I have been thinking in recent weeks, the Republican party and candidates hug the NRA so tightly that whenever there is a mass shooting in our schools, theaters, churches, etc. there is silence or they reply that everyone should be carrying a gun.  Teachers should all carry guns.  Everyone on military bases should be carrying. Preachers should be carrying. Everyone should be carrying.  That's their answer. If everyone had a gun, we could take care of the problem.  So, I find it so curious that at all of these RNC/Drumpf rallies, they go through metal detectors and can't bring their guns to the events.  

Now, believe me. I don't like guns at all.  I don't own a gun and won't own a gun. I understand people that own a rifle for hunting or a pistol for home protection, but I don't and will not understand automatic weapons or having an arsenal.  I can't see reason on this.  So, imagine my surprise that the Party, bought and paid for by the NRA, and the candidates and politicians that fall all over themselves to say nothing negative about guns, won't allow guns into their rallies.

This weekend, a petition signed by over 35,000 people are trying to get the RNC convention in July to allow people to open carry their guns.  I really can't think of anything better.  What are they so afraid of?  According to their stance, the more guns, the more protected you are by crazy people, so what's the problem?  Oh, I see, they only stand up after a mass killing and say people need more guns, but don't get guns near them.  No way.  Don't see the hypocrisy in their public position?  They are only willing to "talk the talk," is that it?  

Believe me, I can project that if guns were allowed into the RNC convention, there would be shootings, but isn't that the point?  Isn't that why we need some gun regulations?  Why can't they see that?  It's staring them right in the face?  They know if they'd allow open carry at the convention in Cleveland, people would get pissed off at each other and tragedy would occur.  It wouldn't be a sucker punch anymore; it would be far more serious.  So why don't they see that for us? Why do we have to be subjected to guns everywhere?  I'd rather live in a gun free society than where we are today.  The NRA is pushing me farther to radically amend the 2nd Amendment.  They have successfully bastardized the intent of our forefathers.  People, can't you see, the RNC and their people are just as scared as the rest of us.  They just won't admit it.

Sidebars:  Tonight's The Voice and Dancing With the Stars.  The Voice announced that Pharrell Williams and Christina Aguilera won't be back next year and replacing them...Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keyes.  Two men and two women judges for the first time.  I have no doubt that Alicia Keyes will be great, but the proof will be in the pudding on Miley Cyrus and her musicianship.  --  The NCAA basketball tournament is down to the Final Four: Oklahoma vs. Villanova and North Carolina vs. Syracuse.  I have Villanova in the final game against N. Carolina with Nova winning it all.  We shall see.  -- If you're in NYC and want to see a gem of a new show, get tickets to Dear Evan Hanson at the Second Stage Theatre.  I don't want to build it up too much, but well worth the time and money.  --  If you're not watching Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, she's on again tonight on TBS.  She's fantastic.  Worth the DVR space.  --  Can't believe how fast March is going. Wow!  Be well everyone.  

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@DianaPodolsky

Drs. Drumpfenstein

I'm thrilled that John Oliver discovered Donald T***p's original family name, Drumpf, so I can now freely write without all the asterisks.  So for the purposes of any ruminations, he will forever be Donald Drumpf.  Anyone here know the story of Frankenstein?  You know that the Doctor is Frankenstein who creates the monster, well that's how the media is in this election season.  

Every time the talking heads post how much money the candidates have spent in each State, Drumpf has spent pennies on the others' dollars.  Anyone wonder why?  It's not rocket science. All the "news" shows give him free rein.  Drumpf can call in and get as much airtime as he wants.  He can say anything he wants.  He can drop in in person and sit down with Joe and Mika on Morning Joe or Matt Lauer on The Today Show.  He gets more free time than anyone in any segment of the population.  It's mind-boggling.  What are the talking heads going to do if he's the Republican nominee and they have to give equal time to the Democratic nominee?  It all just makes me shake my head.  Everyday, Drumpf dominates the "news."  The talking heads on every station give him carte blanche to say anything he wants without much challenge at all.  No matter what crazy ass sh*t he says, they just let it lay there.  The follow-up is nonexistent.  

The news media didn't do their job from the beginning.  Drumpf has more crap in his closets that they have refused to investigate and reveal.  They are taking the celebrity ride.  The talking heads all underestimated Drumpf's appeal and were seduced just like his nutsy followers.  In the eleventh Republican debate, Ted Cruz kept hammering Drumpf on his donations to Democratic politicians.  Drumpf rebutted that he gave to both sides of the aisle over the years.  He's a businessman, he had to do that.  Of course, I get that, but doesn't that just illustrate the political problem?  Can't piss off either side because you may need a favor or a permit sped up for approval.  Why didn't anyone hammer him for that?  That's the issue.  That's the crap his followers hate and he has lived it in his business life.  

The only one who has hammered Drumpf on anything of substance is Mitt Romney, but both too little, too late and totally the wrong messenger.  Why aren't the debate moderators demanding answers of substance from him?  Why aren't all the talking heads, that freely take his calls so he can insult and refute anything negatively said about him, follow up with facts.  They did try to use facts and proof in the debate last night, but he still slipped through all the cracks.  

The tenor of the debate was so low and base.  It was embarrassing that that is how demeaning the barbs have become.  The fact that Cruz, Rubio, and Drumpf sound like 3rd grade boys on the playground and no one gets a time out, are terrible lessons to teach.  I heard multiple parents say that they watched the debate with their children and were disgusted and embarrassed at the tone.  Certainly, if you are trying to teach and share the democratic process for the pre-voting age, hard to explain and defend what the hell is going on.  If they spoke like this in a high school debate, they'd be tossed and disqualified, but we have to hear that Drumpf has a "large penis."  We have never ever wanted to hear about his dick or any other candidate's, but that's where we are.  That was the headline out of the eleventh Republican debate.  

The only candidate on the stage that stayed on message, discussed policy, and spoke thoughtfully was John Kasich.  The RNC and Reince Prebus did a huge disservice to their candidates.  They should have demanded four person debates from the beginning.  Should have given everyone a real chance to be heard by the voters.  It's the only way the listener can hear anything. The moderators should get to zap the debaters for going over the time, interrupting anyone, and not answering the questions.  No matter what happens, Drumpf gets the most time every day on the phone, the radio, the debate stage, everywhere.  He has become a monster that can't be stopped and there's no question, the media can take their bow.  They did it.  

Sidebars:  Ok, I am going to keep touting Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on TBS.  Well, worth it.  So is John Oliver on HBO.  Both are once a week, so if that's all the time you can give to political satire and truth telling, it's less than 60 minutes a week.  If you can add in Trevor Noah (which is M-F on Comedy Central), he has hit his stride. And he is so cute to look at, too.  Bill Maher may not be for everyone, but he is wickedly pointed and fearless in his humor.  Sometimes can make me cringe, but often just smart and funny.  -- The Bachelor still has fans shaking their heads.  Ben, the current bachelor, told two women that he loved them.  Wow, seriously?  That's some muck he stepped in and we are wondering how he gets out of that.  He handled himself so dignified and sweet until this past episode, now....Also, don't know why it is becoming so pervasive, particularly on The Bachelor, but using the word "I's" as opposed to tried and true words "mine" or "my" is hard to hear. -- Very few things in sports is making me happier than Stef Curry and the Golden State Warriors.  The anticipation of counting down the days until Opening Day...April 4th, also makes a girl happy. Hear, hear to Brandi Chastain for announcing that she will donate her brain for research of female athlete concussions.  TGIF and the "last blast of Winter."  Hope the meteorologists are right.  Happy Weekend!

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@DianaPodolsky

-- 

Just What a Girl Needed

With all the depressing bickering, petulant, and bigoted rhetoric flying around, I can't lie, it is taking its toll on me.  Those that have read my blog for years now, I've taken a big break because there's little to add to the noise and just complaining seems redundant.  We are all feeling the fear and pain and WTF moments.  So, last night, came in the nick of time.  Actually, something new and meaningless to complain about....

The Oscars!  Chris Rock as the host was f**king incredible.  Edgy, funny, and pointed.  Better than I could've hoped.  He took on the ""all white" Oscars head on and made incredible observations and cutting remarks.  He didn't lower himself to classless humor, but smart and thoughtful.  Not everything he did hit out of the ballpark, but on the whole...an A.  The show is always too long.  The producers tried with their ridiculous thank you crawls underneath the winners' announcement but fell completely flat and useless.  I do commend them for trying, but won't be back I'm sure.  They could cut many of the clips and combine them into one.  Show a clip of the movie, the actor, etc. all at the same time.  The clips they showed for the writers didn't work for me at all. It's difficult to show the writers' contribution in a clip so it just took up too much time.  The opening clip montage was 3 minutes that I couldn't get back and didn't add anything.  We were all waiting for Chris Rock's monologue.  The montage could have been cut, too.  

Without any doubt or hesitation, Lady Gaga was the high note both emotionally and visually.  Her performance was heart wrenching, singing her Academy Award nominated song, "Til It Happens to You," co-written with Diane Warren.  It is the song from the documentary, The Hunting Ground, which focusses on all the sexual assaults on college campuses.  Vice President Joe Biden introduced the song with a call to action and a very impassioned speech.  Gaga's performance reached a climax when dozens and dozens of survivors of campus sexual assault walked downstage.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house or here at home. Deeply moving and puts so much in perspective  of real problems and issues.  When they went to commercial and off-camera, Brie Larson hugged each and everyone of the survivors as they passed by her.  What a highlight!  What a month Gaga's had her gorgeous Star Spangled Banner, her tribute to David Bowie and now this.  

As Mad Max kept winning for just about every technical award, the show lagged.  Feeling left out, having not seen either Mad Max movie.  Thrilling that there were a couple of huge surprises late in the evening to pick up the excitement and energy of the home viewer.  Stallone the presumptive Supporting Actor winner, lost out to the stupendously talented Mark Rylance for Bridge of Spies.  Thrilled beyond measure on that one. Not against Stallone, just love and appreciate the huge talent that is Mark Rylance.  Not a fan of The Revenant, I started to slump down and feel like the evening was over, then Leonardo DiCaprio made a glorious speech when he won for The Revenant (which I didn't think was his best performance by any means, but a fine actor deserving of praise.  If you never saw one of his earliest movies, What's Eating Gilbert Grape? do yourself a favor).  And then, Best Picture....Again, The Revenant, which hands down deserved Best Cinematographer, was not my favorite movie of the year at all, but had won so many previous awards during the season, I figured I could nod out...but the greatest thing occurred.  Best Picture went to Spotlight!!!  What a great movie!  What an important topic and incredible investigative reporting, which seems to have gone the way of cursive writing.  Well-deserved.  I hope everyone sees it, if they haven't.  

In Memoriam, David Grohl sang beautifully Blackbird over and over and over again while the photos displayed above him.  Notably absent and surprisingly so...Abe Vigoda.  A very long career and so memorable in one of the best films of all time, The Godfather.  I don't really know why someone doesn't just write down a list of names from January 1-Deccember 31, or whatever dates they include, so that people don't get forgotten.  Just shouldn't be that hard, but every year people get missed.

All in all, I give the evening two thumbs up. If they could just streamline the show, it could be the most fantastic celebration for those in the theatre and those at home.  Keep trying next year.  

Sidebars:  Sigh, Super Tuesday tomorrow and that's all I can say.  Well, obviously I could say more, but trying to stay above the fray. -- Saw the current production of Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway.  Not without criticism but if you haven't ever seen it, it's definitely worth the price of admission.  Danny Burstein is wonderful.  He owns his Tevye.  -- Tonight is The Bachelor.  Can't wait.  Fantasy Suite night.  That really helps me forget what is going on in the world.  LOL!  --  The Voice begins its new season tonight, too.  Christina Aguilera is back instead of Gwen Stefani.  -- Sorry to see Melissa Harris-Perry gone from MSNBC.  She brought a different voice than the rest of the talking heads.  MHP, you will be missed by this viewer.  --  That's it for now on this Leap Year Day!  Enjoy the extra day.  It won't be around for four more years.  

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@DianaPodolsky

She's Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

Election season is always difficult, but this one has really taken on a whole new level of bickering, stress, and lows.  I am a registered Democrat and always will be.  Can't wrap my head around the Republicans and it's just getting worse.  So I sit and watch Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.  Both are intelligent candidates.  Both have much to offer, but as in 2008,  I am always surprised how women aren't lining up behind Secretary Clinton.  It happened with Obama, too.  Both were imperfect candidates, but many women seemed to feel more comfortable standing with Obama.  I knew many of those women.  And, again, today,  Senator Sanders won the women's vote.  SMH.  What are women waiting for?  Will there ever be a good enough female candidate to stand by?  I have written and pondered before why Clinton gets the ire of many and especially women.  Many people thinks she's a liar, but seriously?  Who isn't?  Every candidate and Presidential candidate winner has always lied.  It's part of the system.  It's part of the way it works.  "Say what you have to say to win votes."  Obviously, not all liars are created equal, but why women don't stand next to and behind Hillary Clinton, how they did with Barack Obama, is a mystery to me.  

I know that women are our own worst enemies.  I keep hoping that we evolve to back each other, not blindly, but embrace the greatness and the flaws.  We are still not there yet.  Do I like Bernie Sanders?  Sure.  I have admired him for many years for his vision and stances, but seriously he can't do what he wants.  As noble and great as his visions are, it can't happen. Remember, the great Bill Clinton promised that he'd allow gays in the military?  Yeah, that didn't happen.  When he got to the White House, he found that wasn't possible yet, so he compromised to "don't ask, don't tell."  Not a resounding success, but he didn't realize the pushback or the obstacles.  He thought he'd come in and it would be a simple fix.  Obama came into the White House and started the Affordable Care Act, but before he actually started the legislation, he made a deal with the pharmaceutical companies.  In that very moment, I knew that the ACA was compromised.  Obama blew it.  The great hope of the future, that got young and old so excited, proved quickly, once again, that your vision may be what many want, but that's not how things work.  

Even more important in this Country, a reasonable, moderate legislative body.  The divide is far too great.  That's where the laws of the land are created.  Not in the White House.  More important than the Congress?  The Supreme Court!  There could be 4 Supreme Court Justice openings in the next administration.  That is crucial that we protect our Supreme Court from the crazies.  The crazies don't even want to follow the laws already in existence.  What chance do the people have if the crazies take over more?  

So, I got off topic a bit.  Ladies and Gentlemen,  note the difference between how Hillary Clinton gets treated. Sexism rules still.  She has weathered more scrutiny than anyone and has handled herself with aplomb.  Bernie Sanders hasn't been scrutinized thoroughly yet.  The Jewish/atheist thing hasn't even been scratched.  If the reverse were true, Hillary would've been hit with the interrogation lamp.  Look, I don't care about anyone's religion, as long as it doesn't effect me or my government, but much of America does.  There are multiple examples of uneven terrain in this race.  T***p hasn't had to talk about his personal indiscretions, two immigrant wives, friendships with questionable folk, nothing.  He's a shiny new penny.  Sanders is new to many people and that's probably his appeal, too.  

Hillary Clinton has been around a long while.  She's been skewered for decades and still kicking.  She's withstood more barbs and investigations than anyone in my lifetime and come out the other side.  Listen, do I think she is perfect?  Far from it, but I do think that she's learned from her mistakes, life experience, and  blazed a trail for others.  None of those things can be discounted.  She is without question the most qualified person running on either side to become President.  Who else running can say that?  On this day, Groundhog's Day, I am standing by Secretary Clinton, but let me be extremely clear, and this will not change, I will support whomever is the Democratic Presidential nominee.  I can only hope that's true for all Sanders supporters.  I never thought I'd be alive for the first African American President.  I have great hope that I will be alive for the first woman President of the United States of America.  It is time.

Sidebars:  Okay, so February television sweeps are starting off with a bang.  Tonight, the first episode of The People vs. OJ Simpson on FX.  Hopefully, it will be 10 glorious weeks!  Wednesday and Thursday nights, Richard Dreyfuss as Bernie Madoff.  I can only hope it's as good as expected. -- It's Super Bowl week.  Too much air time for all the talking heads to break down every portion and piece of the match-up between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos.  They will talk it to death and regardless of what they say, the game will be what it will be.  That's the continued problem of a 24/7 cycle.  Have to fill all those minutes of every day.  I am just hoping for a very exciting, non-injury, and close game.  May the best team on that day win.  I just hope the halftime rumors prove to be true and Bruno Mars shows up.  Otherwise, it will be Coldplay and Beyonce. -- Didn't see all of Grease Live, but will get to it.  Heard it got big kudos.  I do send out both huge applause and condolences to Vanessa Hudgens who lost her father that day from cancer.  Proving once again that "the show must go on."  From what I saw she soared. -- SAG Awards were enjoyable.  I'm sure you can catch them on TNT on demand or online.  How many self congratulatory Awards shows are there before the Oscars? -- A big plug, not that she needs it, for my husband's friend, Maureen Sherry.  Her book, Closing Belle, released today, has gotten so much praise and press.  Hoping it makes the NY Times bestselling list.  Getting my copy today.  -- Here's to gorgeous February weather in NYC.  Enjoy wherever you are!

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@DianaPodolsky

Universal Nothing!

Just a few thoughts for a Friday.  I keep seeing that Bernie Sanders is getting a lot of support.  I don't get it.  I have always liked him, but does anyone want to scratch the surface on his ideas?  Healthcare, Universal Healthcare.  Who wouldn't want that, but how can it happen?  Seriously?  Isn't that the problem with the system?  We are a capitalistic economy and country.  If we create Universal Healthcare, what happens to all the insurance companies?  All those jobs are lost forever, so what happens then?  Why isn't anyone asking that question?  I have thought about it forever.  We are too late.  If you can tell me how Sanders can pull it off, without catastrophic unemployment, by all means let me know.  

I can see why Bernie Sanders is appealing, but what is the reality that he could do any of the things he wants and supports?  Have you not realized that it doesn't matter what is promised during campaigns?  Newly elected Presidents can't get things done.  There are too many moving parts that cause delays, hiccups, and postponements.  It's BS if you think any candidate gets into the Oval office and can do what they said they were going to do, and Sanders' radical proposals will never get through Congress ever.  Don't you see that?  Haven't we been living through seven tempestuous and mostly unproductive years with Congress?  How will he get anything done?  Seriously, stand back, people, take a breath, and re-assess.  I am not an anti-Sanders person, but he can't do what he promises.  He can't.  It would mean dismantling much of our economy.  I've thought a lot about how we could all be covered, and so far haven't been able to come to a resolution.  The insurance companies are huge.  They are a large part of our economy and, whether we like it or not, provides hundreds of thousands of jobs for people all over the country.

Please, I am open to hear how he can actually proceed on any of his policy plans.  I don't see it.  His heart is in the right place.  He's been saying the same ideas for decades, but we, the United States of America, are made up of a vast array of mechanisms that are all intricately intertwined.  Nothing is easy. Yes, I know, the saying nothing worth it, is ever easy, but we can't just sit back and cheer and support someone with beautiful dreams and ideas.  It's not realistic.

If you haven't been watching a television show on CBS called Madam Secretary, I think that it illustrates fully how complicated running this country is.  It's worth taking the time.  I actually have been thinking that all the GOP candidates should binge watch it.  They always make things sound so easy.  They're going to bomb here or invade there without any forethought of any knowledge or consequence.  It's all sound bites.  It's all to feed a 24/7 news cycle and twitter sphere.  I highly recommend taking the time.  Not all episodes are equal, but you will definitely see how incredibly difficult it is to keep putting out fires all over the world.  Some will succeed, others won't.  Even that's a simplification.  

Sidebars:  What a terrible week for deaths.  David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Rene Angelil, Dan Haggerty (Grizzly Adams), Elizabeth Swados (hardly mentioned, but one of the very few female composer/directors in theatre),  Brian Bedford, Monte Irvin, and many more.  Tough week. -- Anyway, trying to catch up on the nominated movies, next up The Revenant, if I can stand it.  --  Martin Luther King's Birthday weekend. Another 3 day weekend where most people don't even know why we have a day off.  Sad.  Better to stay in school and learn about him and his importance than another ski weekend....

Okay, that's it for now.  It's a new year.  My brain is still shifting all over the place, so my blogs may too.  Enjoy your family and friends wherever you may be.  Happy Weekend!  Happy 2016!!

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@DianaPodolsky