Please do not read this diary if you are looking for a substantial discussion on the health care reform debate... or even if you are looking for another meaningless addition to the cacophony of voices on the topic.

This diary is a rant on that which we consider to be important, and the difference between that, and what should really be important.

Let me start with a personal nugget as a starting point... I am told that all successful politicians who employ good speechwriters use personal nuggets... since I am not a successful politician, and do not have the funds to research other people's personal nuggets, I will just use mine.  

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I've been struggling for a few years now with health issues, it's been ever since I had my daughter in 2003 but I was always a frail girl, lots of allergies as a child, always hated to run, just wasn't tip top.  Damn, if I had been born just a couple of hundreds of years ago, I highly doubt I would have made it out of childhood, but alas, I did.

My struggle with myself is the idea that this thing I'm dealing with may just be all in my head.  I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia but I can't help but think that it might just be some figment of my imagination.  Maybe it's not as bad as it seems, maybe I've just wallowed a bit too long.

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Republican precinct 'targeted' by Obama tax plan
Voters in Orange County's second most GOP precinct complain that Obama tax proposal would spare others by hitting them with increases.

OC Register

This was the headline and lede that caught my attention when this little gem was published on October 22 of this year.  The Republicans in one of the most richest counties in America were playing the victimized rich card.  They are going to be victims of the Obama Presidency.

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Okay.  This not going to be an analysis of the low and lower, or dumb and dumber points of La Palin's performance last night.

We all know that she isn't qualified to be VP, or for that matter, even Gov. of Alaska, or mayor of her town.  

Her "creds" such as they are, are rooted in her "Mommy-ness" and "Fundi-ness". You know - all that right-wingnut focus on the family stuff.

Hockey mom, soccer mom, PTA mom and yes - mother of a Down's syndrome child.  

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"Be outraged, and be loud about it."

That line and the following came from a female friend mine. She is very active in politics and in the community. She also works in a law office as a legal aid. She is smart, she is feminine and she is tough!

Pelosi and Clinton and Palin ...  women currently have a MANDATE to go get aggressive and make sure we're taken seriously as contenders who won't back down from our demands, from our outrage.

Obama can't get out there and swing - he can't be seen as scary.  Biden might do it - but he's pretty courtly...

It's up to women this year.  I strongly believe this.  We are in a cycle right now that might be hard to see, but it must culminate in a change in women's forcefulness and place in politics and ownership of our society.   We don't have the luxury of remaining moderately involved and passively concerned.  Things are screwed up, and you-know-who typically does clean up, right?

Last Saturday at a favorite watering hole, I sat by some nice liberal guy having a moderately heated debate with 3 less-than-liberal guys at the counter.  I tried to stay out of it, I really did.  But as he did his typical logical liberal thing, I watched these 3 guys clearly get more and more aggressive, and less and less interested in his opinion, and more and more condescending.  They'd heard it, and they'd heard it just like this, before.  All he was doing was reinforcing an old argument that they have never had to give up.  Everybody knew their lines.

Because you see, nice Western Washingtonians, most Americans find that sort of communication boring, weak, non-convicted, and unconvincing.  We are a country of chest beaters.

So, when this guy resorted to "America, love it or leave it," I almost leapt across the bar at him.  (Seriously.)  I scolded this guy, loudly.  I didn't let him retort.  I wasn't trying to debate.  I blamed him.  I castigated him.  I didn't tell him I "think" he's an idiot.  I told him in no uncertain terms that he IS an idiot and that he was an embarrassment to human beings and to shut his polluting mouth.  I did what THEY do - offense as defense.  I went for the kill.  It got ugly.  Oh, the humanity.

This guy - after telling ME that this great country can only offer two options to its citizens - was really only left with two options his damn self.  He had to come over and punch me in the face for aggressively and publicly insulting his brain cells, evolution, and lineage - or leave.  They left, and they didn't have anything else to say.   Not that I would have let them get a word in.

Now this watering hole I speak of is not a mecca for progressives or brainiacs.  But I got its equivalent of a standing ovation.  Not because they necessarily like my politics.  But because, in the opinion of the masses, I had WON.

Undignified?  These people speak in tongues and play with snakes and watch Jerry Springer - they're not impressed with dignity. Not pretty? I don't care.  Not playing fair?  I don't care.   Resorting to their playbook?  I don't care.  This is WAR.  Go fight, women - we're finally ready for it, and I frankly think they're expecting us.  And it's about time, too.

Elizabeth - do not be discouraged and do not be scared.  Be outraged, and be loud about it.

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