Patricia Garry

Time to Stop Men Fighting and Killing for Power

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I started writing this a couple of weeks ago:  Men all over the planet are fighting and killing each other for power. In Yemen, for instance – they are pounding each other for power, with especially the Saudis using American weapons for this killing.  We make a lot of money selling weapons to the Saudis and many others.  Why do we do that?  Does it make any sense at all?  Let them make their own weapons – or let them use rocks and sticks.  Why do we think it is okay to support this behavior?

More to the point – why do we women allow this to go on?  Are we crazy?  Are we so beaten down by our dreary cultures that we don’t have the energy to stand up?

This is so wasteful.  Look at Lebanon – piles of rubble from an explosion caused by leaders not paying attention to a bad situation at their waterfront.  Look at Syria – piles of rubble caused because folks stood up against a dictator – who would rather see his country destroyed than find a way to share power.  As though he is the only person in that country who can be the leader.  Especially in Syria –  destroying big apartment buildings that cost millions of dollars.  Now all the rubble is likely to end up in the landfill, and if re-building ever happens, and if there are ever people who want to live there, the country will have to spend its resources on new materials to do that.

And of course chaos there has spread, so now the Kurds and the Turks and Isis are all working against each other – to gain what, exactly?

All this while we are in the middle of our energy and global warming crises!  What is wrong with us women that we tolerate that behavior?  I know we are smarter than this, more conservative, in the sense that we understand the monetary wastefulness of all this destruction, let alone what it does to our children, to our families, to our lives.  And for what?   Block after block after block of destruction.  People depressed, scared, injured, unable to function.

Our money, our energy, our lives would be so much better spent on books, on playgrounds, on health care, on creating beautiful lives for each other.

Why don’t we just stand up and say STOP?  Why don’t we just quit tolerating this insane behavior.  This wasting of human lives and bodies, wasting of our ability to move forward on saving the planet from its own destruction, and on turning around the wasting and stunting of our children’s lives.

Think about it, women and sane men.  What if we all just stood up and said STOP? And held firm, just quit tolerating this insane behavior.  The world would indeed change.

Look now at Israel and Palestine.  Were women just born to stand around and be devastated, holding the dead bodies of our children?  Is that what we came here for?  Or did we come here to stand and not move an inch further, not allowing one more inch of territory to become chaotic?  Are we ready to stand?

Joe Biden – Our Calm, Deliberate, Clear and Direct President

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President Joseph Robinette Biden, Junior, gave an excellent speech to the Joint Session of Congress last week, didn’t he?  And covered a remarkable amount of political, environmental and transformative territory in a fairly short span of time.

It was great to see Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader of the House, and Kamala Harris, Vice President of these United States of America, sitting behind him – and standing up a lot, applauding.

What I am happiest with, with his new leadership, is that he does not yell, does not tweet to make sure we are awake, and simply tells us calmy and in a friendly fashion, what he is working on, and the direction he thinks we should be taking.  He also gives us the reasons behind what he is doing.  Almost every initiative has at its base the creation of good paying jobs for American citizens, that will also make our country and the world better.

I am super happy that he is expanding broadband across the country.  Expanding electricity across the country and to every nook and cranny of our rural areas, especially the Texas hill country, was one of Lyndon Baines Johnson’s major initiatives.  Both of them wanted to make sure that America’s prosperity reached everywhere.

Everything our President is trying to do gives us multple bangs for each buck – for instance, each infrastructure dollare fixes the roads, puts our workforce to work, and makes it easier and safer to get where we are going.  He is a good strong planner, with many teams and a big vision.

Our famlies are being supported as they never have been before, again with multiple good outcomes:  When the kids can be in an excellent preschool, their moms can get back to work, thus rebuilding our economy.  Each new program is building up our country in similar ways.  We clearly elected the right president at the right time.  Thanks, Joe!

Two Poems

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3 Haiku on Justice, Peace and Joy

Justice, peace and joy                        Justice, peace and joy              Justice, peace and joy

When these are found and present,    The basis for a good life.           Why are they so hard to find?

Breathe in Gratitude.                             Often missing today.                Let’s look in our hearts

 

Issues of Justice and Peace

Issues of justice and peace often get tangled, especially when justice means the Courthouse.

Where is peace and justice for children who have just been evicted?  Their chance for a prosperous and happy future becomes smoke when Mom can’t pay the rent.

Will the needed remedies – fixes to the law, money from the Feds, come quickly enough for those / our children’s futures?

 

A Psychic’s Understanding of January 6 and the Election of President Joe Biden And Future Outcomes Related to That Election

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You can tell from the date I began this that I was distracted by the rampage in DC and did not finish.

What I was going to say – and as I feel it today – January 6 was the bursting of the boil, breaking open so we can all see and experience that personal and social explosion.

The boil bursting did not bring an immediate cessation of poison and pain.  But an easing has begun, and will continue.  So this continuing improvement does not mean the hostility and anger will cease.  But it does mean that some people will become more civil, some hate will seep away, people will begin to peel away from the extremes on the many sides of our national convulsion, and head back toward finding a way to work together.

 

This easing will mean gradual improvements in our governance, and perhaps big improvements in some parts of that governance.  Transportation will manage to expand its lane under Mayor Pete, while infrastructure’s path may stay rocky for a while longer.  HUD, I feel, is going to be two steps forward, one step back – progress and jerkiness at the same time.  I expect big and fast changes at the Centers for Disease Control, and in the Health and Human Services sector in DC, with openness and joy seeping through.

 

Fiscally, Treasury and the Federal Reserve will quietly do quite wall.  The State Department, being more visible and becoming more active around the world, will attract some undue attention from angry folks. But their big worldwide mission may be distracting and harder to target.   Anger about the small stuff may dissipate while trying to find a big audience.

 

Defense looks to be off to an excellent start.  And Joe Biden is proceeding calmly, clearly, with good explanations for his moves.  He is making it all look easy, reasonable, and helpful.  Thank heavens.

 

Homeland Security and Immigration made lots of awful missteps under the previous administration, and have lots of employees not on the same page with their new bosses. A bumpy road there, which will straighten out, and become reasonable and fair over time.   Joe’s new initiatives will go forward, some slowly, some with fights…but they will go forward, pretty steadily.

 

The Environmental Protection Agency, the great American outdoors, the shale fracking, new windmills and solar panels – it will all be confusing for much of the year, but will change directions from the old path and head into the future.

 

The healing of the wounds from the pandemic is on an expanding trajectory – the month of May feels like the time when the country opens back up to something very like normal.  Restaurants, churches, festivals will not be the same, but they will be back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Election / The Polls / My Pendulums

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Hillary has been losing ground and The Donald has been gaining. I think this must mean the entire country is going berserk. My mind cannot understand why this is so otherwise.

The chances, on fivethirtyeight.com, which so accurately called the 2012 election, are still more than 59% that Hillary will win, which is a good thing. And my pendulums, whether at the office or here at home, or in the car, are all enthusiastically saying that Hillary will take it. I just checked with the meterorite pendulum in my desk drawer here at home, and it speeds up in favor of yes, bouncing as it replies in the positive.

So my positivity is suggesting I just relax, and await those good results. I’m going to practice that as I head to the neighborhood meditation, City Silence, in a few minutes. And I’m going to watch the debate on Monday night with those folks, too. All good karma. : >

DNC Scandal Just Before Convention

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I found that I was so disturbed about the Wikileaks hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee – just before the Convention – that I did not sleep well last night. Practically unheard of in my life. Sometime just before dawn, I began to untangle it in my mind.

First off, these are Democrats. As a flaming liberal myself, I hold Democrats to a much higher standard. My experience of Republicans is that they are so inflamed about money – not wanting to spend a penny of their own – that they can look past any amount of human misery and only see dollar signs.

Mainly, though, these emails criticizing Bernie Sanders go against the rules of fair play. The long primary campaign required that the DNC support equally and neutrally both candidates in their races. Lists of voters, lots of data, perhaps graphic design and TV buy help, all should be supplied equally to both. DNC folk are not working for a particular campaign, but are supporting the national effort, the national party.

Young Democrats by the hundreds of thousands were becoming involved in the party. A cause for celebration. Were DNC staffers so afraid of Hillary being beaten that they had to assist in undermining Bernie? I am a Hillary supporter, and will donate, work for and vote for her. And she is going to win. But this basic unfairness, and even downright negativity and nastiness, casts her in a bad light, even though it seems she was not involved.

Full disclosure: I was a strong Barack Obama supporter in 2008 – which amazed all my friends, who assumed as a feminist, Hillary would be my pick. I knew Barack was going to win, and that he was what we needed in that year. Even though I knew it was going to be a very hard 8 years.

Another factor I untangled is that I also hold Jewish people to a higher standard. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, head of the DNC until the end of this week (she has decided to resign after the convention) is Jewish, as is Bernie Sanders. I have not read all the stories, but clearly the leadership did not set the highest standard and tone for the organization this primary season. And was likely actively working to sabotage the Sanders campaign. Amazingly awful.

More full disclosure: I am not amazed when my fellow Irish-Americans become wild-eyed conservatives and even bigots. Plenty of those in the Republican party these days.

Additionally, it is clear that Bernie’s campaign has been very helpful in pushing the agenda to the left, and that we will get single-payer health care, free community college tuition, and better financial regulations much more quickly – years, rather than decades – because of Bernie’s efforts.

All will turn out well, but I hate this particular bump in the road to the White House.

A First Look at Donald vs Hillary – Kluska Workshop

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Cincinnati Astrologer Ed Kluska gave a workshop this afternoon: Trump vs. Hillary ? A First Look

These lines are my interpretation of Ed?s discussion: Given the overall planetary action, there will be plenty of surprises / shifts / confusion in these next few months ? the world will keep evolving and being weird, and not just in politics.

Astrologically, The Donald, a Gemini, is more complex than Hillary. And it is really hard to be more complex than a Scorpio, particularly a double Scorpio. Donald has his sun in Gemini, his moon in Sagittarius, and his rising sign in Leo. (Sun, moon and rising are the big three in astrology.) He knows how to use the media, needs lots of attention, has great verbal skills, connects easily and well with people ? creating and running The Apprentice was the perfect place for him.
He?s creative and curious, an extrovert, not very reflective, as excited as a little kid. He loves his kids, his home, his family. On the other side – he?s impulsive, volcanic in sudden urges, needs to be more careful about honesty, his timing is often off, and, with very little earth in his chart, he has likely not accomplished a lot of what he excitedly planned to do. (I can see such a news story coming up soon.) His mind can wander, he can be foggy.

Hillary is a Scorpio, a double ? her sun is in Scorpio and so is her rising sign. As Ed said, the perfect set up for a politician or a lawyer ? and she is both. Her moon is in Pisces. Both of them have Mars in Leo – gives them lots of strength, motivation, energy. Where Donald is outward, Hillary is inward. Where he is not reflective, does not think about what he does, she is always thinking, planning, seeking understanding. Where he speaks without thinking, she is deliberate, and doesn?t speak out until ready.

She is in many ways Donald?s opposite ? she has willpower, strength, tenacity, devotion, perseverance.

Neither party?s convention will be particularly explosive ? so I?m thinking Bernie will have found a way to make nice. Hillary will be full of confidence, she will like and appreciate the attention and the support, signs are all very good for her there.

And the Republicans are not likely going to suddenly support another candidate, or start a third party. Donald wants power and they will give it to him.

Between now and the election there are very few bumps in Hillary?s way ? some problems in February, not now. Donald, on the other hand, has a chart with challenges in it now through mid-September. And again right after the election.

Ed is not ready to look at the actual election until vice presidential choices are made and that data is gathered. Plus there are other details he wants to look at more closely.

I, on the other hand, called it months ago, and will say it again. Hillary is walking away with this one. And she will, now or later, get the love and support she needs. In return, she will give us all her energy and devotion ? and be an excellent Democratic president, caring for us, the people of her beloved country.

Brian Got the Most Bang for the Campaign Buck

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So the primary election for the Ohio District 31 seat – and all the other seats, but that was the only one that mattered : > – was held last Tuesday the 15th – today is March 21. Brigid Kelly, another fine young Irish American, who had worked hard for over two years, won with 1/3 of the vote. The guy who came in second spent about $125,000 – and beat Brian, who spent a lot less than that, by not very much. So Brian did a great job in getting the most bank for the buck.

He also had a great team, shared the campaign office with the local Bernie Sanders campaign, had great literature – and was very impressive in not winning.

He was also great in staying reality based. Right after the polls closed, a group of us went to Mazunte’s for dinner (nothing like Mexican comfort food after a long day). Several of us were very hopeful – but Brian calmly analyzed the race, described what the outcome would be, talked about what he had done well and what needed to be done better, and stayed comfortable throughout the evening – as events turned out just as he had predicted.

I was very impressed with my smart and hardworking son for a great campaign – and even prouder about his understanding and analysis of the race. And most of all, proud of his values and beliefs, which led him into the race in the first place.

Brian Garry’s Campaign for the State Legislature

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Brian has been working hard for the last year, and now the campaign is drawing to a close. Because District 31 has been drawn so tightly, to include as many Democrats as possible (and to create many more safe Republican districts), whichever Democratic candidate wins this primary on March 15, will definitely win in November. So this is the de facto election.

So it’s all hands on deck until the last votes are cast at 7:30 p m on Tuesday, March 15. And be sure YOU don’t forget to vote!

Me? I voted by mail two weeks ago.

Watching A Republican Debate

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I had not watched any of the debates – not Republican or Democratic. The Democratic debates, given the character of the participants, were always going to be more discussion and less screaming, more about fairly minor differences, with details and directions not too separate from one another. It has been fun, though, to watch those kids feeling The Bern, having nearly as much fun as we had in the 60s and 70s, and again in 2008 with Barack.

Hillary has clearly been learning and adapting with each debate, indeed each campaign appearance. I prefer Hillary (last time it was Barack all the way for me), but will definitely and happily vote for Bernie if he is the nominee.

But the lack of truthiness, the low quality insults, the noise and chaos of the Republican debates did not appeal. What was the point? To be bored by overwrought white guys for 2+ hours? Plus the quietness and calm of Dr. Carson, who seldom seems to have a point of view that is understandable. (I saw him years ago at an Uptown Consortium event – very hard to understand what he believed, but he seemed to be blaming the victim.)

Then one Saturday night – I wanted to watch a debate, and a friend invited me over. So I went. It was the day Justice Scalia died. (He was one of the main reasons that I no longer trust the entire American justice system – so clearly political, so clearly negative and narrow. An Italian Puritan.)

It was fun to watch Jeb finally stand up and take on The Donald. But most of the evening was watching Marco and Ted Cruz screaming at DJT and at each other. And occasionally John Kasich making sure we knew he was the grownup in the room. (Living in Kasich’s state, I can tell you that he is nearly – not quite – as negative and totally right winged as any of them. Don’t trust him.) It was good to be watching with a room full of liberals, thank heaven.

Then, when it was over, the network went back to eulogizing Scalia, who was totally destructive in my book, and I found that I simply could not stay and watch. So I left within 5 minutes of the debate being over. And that is all the Republican side of the aisle I intend to watch. Period. Bang. End of story.