We were treated this evening to a 90-minute debate in the dog park called American presidential politics. We had Republican candidate Mitt Romney, a Rotweiller, and we had President Barack Obama, a Greyhound.
Rotweiller came lumbering into the park, a large, slobbering dog that glanced eagerly around because, finally, he was in a debate with the sitting president, a Greyhound, one of the fastest dogs in the world. But before Rotweiller got to the stage, he rolled over a couple of times for a tummy scratch, looking for supporters, friends, licking any dog around him that was open to being licked. Play with me, play with me, Rotweiller’s body language said.
Greyhound, however, strolled into the park with a quiet confidence, muscles rippling, prepared. And Greyhound was smiling. Greyhound didn’t slobber, didn’t pause for distractions – tummy scratches, licks, none of that. Greyhound strolled to the center of the park where the podiums were. And he looked across the park to his wife, another sleek and gorgeous Greyhound, and wished her happy anniversary.
Greyhound ran circles around Rotweiller from the moment the bell rang. Greyhound looked presidential, spoke like the king of the dog park, spoke like a dog who understands what his accomplishments are and how they are radically different from Rotweiller’s. In fact, Rotweiller flipped on everything he has proposed for the last 15 months.
So let’s get specific, something Rotweiller is incapable of doing. On health care:
Romney, gritting his sharp, pretty white teeth, said that individuals who are 54 years of age and older, won’t have any changes in their Medicare coverage. But hey, those of you under that age? Get ready for a voucher system.
The government will send you a voucher for several thousand bucks and, with that, you will go shopping for health care on the private market. But hey, guess what? If you have preexisting conditions, you can be denied under the Romney plan. You will pay a much higher premium, particularly if you’re a dog whose has been torn apart several times by a pitt bull.
Rotweiller lacks specifics about everything. He can’t articulate where the jobs he promises will come from, says he will repeal Obamacare, but can’t define how his program will be different, other than extolling the virtues of the “private market.” Yeah, you know, that private market that has worked so great in the past
Let me tell you about the private market. When our daughter was born 23 years ago, we had health insurance – and discovered that it didn’t cover maternity care. Megan cost us more than $8,000 just to be born. There were no complications in the delivery, I spent just one night in the hospital. Two days after I was released, we cancelled our health insurance and spent the next 23 years without insurance. As self-employed individuals, health insurance would have cost us somewhere around $12,000 a year for each of us by the time we reached out mid-50s.
In June, I became eligible for Medicare, the program that Romney/Rotweiller would turn into a voucher system. I pay $299 for three months of care. My entry into Medicare was effortless, the system is efficient, I have zero complaints. The program works.
Trickle down economics, which Naomi Klein addresses brilliantly in The Shock Doctrine, is what we had under eight years of Bush and we all know where that ended – 2008, a financial meltdown for the U.S and the rest of the world. It’s the same plan under Romney Rotweiller, even though he refuses to admit it, refuses to address specifics. And he refuses to address specifics because he knows that if does, he will lose.
Earlier today, I had my own dog park drama. It’s called a hair salon. The woman who cuts and colors my hair, Lynn, is the sister of the woman who retired after cutting my hair for 20 years. She said something about how confused everyone is about who to vote for.
“I’m not confused,” I say. “I’m voting for Obama. You vote for Romney/Ryan, and women’s rights will revert to the dark ages.”
“Oh, Trish,” she says with a small laugh. “That’ll never happen.”
When I was younger, I used to let remarks like this pass. I don’t do that anymore. “Lynn, Romney/Ryan don’t give a shit about you and me, okay? They DO NOT CARE. You’re looking at abortions with hangars in back alleys. You’re looking at a country where there’s no middle class, where it’s rich , poor, and indentured servitude.”
She doesn’t say anything for a few minutes. Then: “Did you see Obama 2016, Trish?”
She’s referring to the anti-Obama film that is being touted as the right wing equivalent to Michael Moore’s Farenheit 9-11.
“No,” I reply. “I didn’t see it.”
“Well, we’re going to have an Islamic state by 2016.”
Oh, okay. I get it now. This is about the fact that Obama is black and she is not. This is about narrative, about the story, about perjury. So I turn the story around for her. “Lynn, are we a country, a people, who ignore the sick, the poor, the elderly, the vulnerable? We call ourselves a Christian nation, and if that’s true, how can we not take care of the most vulnerable in our society?”
Silence. Then: “Well, yeah, I see what you mean.”
Do you? Really?
“Lynn, have you read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale?”
“No.”
“Well, you should read it before the election. Because that’s what you’re ultimately looking at under Romney/Ryan.”
I have a nephew who despises Obama. He thinks Obamacare will put him out of business because he works in the health industry, But actually, Obamacare will probably increase his business – and therefore his profit- because health insurance by 2014 will be mandatory.
Okay, so back to the dog park. The Rotweiller is trotting out of the park, confident that he has won. En route, he flops to the ground several times, slobbering and submissive to the larger dogs. They sniff, he licks and whimpers and begs to be their friends.
The Greyhound races past all of them, already priming himself for the next debate, the next race, the next round of drama that is American politics. And he’s moving faster that every other dog in the park. Ask any dog owner. What dog can outrun a Greyhound?
Oh, I also want to say I’m very glad Mike Perry’s operation went well and he’s back in action.
I’ve been wanting to come and check out your post since the debate and am really glad I did because you made me feel somewhat better about what I saw. It was very difficult to watch because MR kept lying through his teeth and Pres. O didn’t call him out, I hope that changes. I just think he was feeling nauseous from what he was hearing. I like the visuals you drew, they were comforting, but I do like the idea of him coming out as a leader of the pack wolf next time. No more Mr. Nice Guy; as they say, we need to vote like our lady parts depend on it.
He wasn’t on his game, but then again, he’s also running the country. I think he’s going to floor romney at the town hall debate.
I didn’t want to watch the debates because I didn’t want to look at MR. But this morning streamed it on the computer. Unfortunately, Obama kept looking at his notes, apprently having no teleprompter, and he didn’t look at his opponent. This isn’t wise in a debate. He better up his game for the next one.
Obama better pick it up in the next debate. He needs to be better prepped and much more agressive. The Handmaid’s Tale is where we are heading under Romney, no doubt about it. I’ve signed a petition to put some of the questions concerning women into the next debate. It’s time women hear EXACTLY what the GOP thinks of them, and what they have planned if Romney is our next president. Not only do they dismiss 47% of the poplulation, but they dismiss 52% of their voters.
Candy crowley is moderating the next one – and isn’t allowed to ask a single question. So, women are being marginalized in this way, too.
Sorry for the repeats, everybody. My first comments didn’t make it thru, so I condensed it and the second one didn’t go thru, either. Now BOTH are there. OOPS!
I have to say congratulations to Mike that his surgery costs him zero! We have both Medicare and a supplemental insuarnce policy, and my hubby’s kidney cancer surgery also costs us zero, as did both our eye surgeries. His kidney cancer surgery bill totalled close to $250,000 because he had dual surgeries and dual surgeons, and a lengthy hospital stay. We have no deductibles, can choose any physician without a referral. We’re in great shape with our coverage….at this time. I did a bit of research on Greyhounds, Trish, and wouldn’t want to put Obama in that breed. They are renowned for short bursts of high-speed sprints, then want to be “couch potatoes” for the rest of each day. They are low-energy canines, not easily socialized, (even those who never run), and are born predators. They also have the characteristic of being “lazy”, according to several sites, except for those brief bursts of sprinting, after which they love to just sleep away their time. I would probably prefer to compare Obama to one of the working breeds: those who are tireless in their jobs and relentless in their purpose. The other man….I wouldn’t compare him to ANY canine.
I consider him to be a bottom-feeding slug. That 47% of the population he says on his campaign ads that are not his concern, consists ot the middle-class, the poor, the elderly. He writes us off his agenda and right out of Life. And the female thing….AIN’T NO MAN gonna tell me what to do with my body. The only women voters he will have are Catholics and those whose belief systems make them servants and slaves of the males in their lives. Dark Ages, yes. Not in THIS household!!
Interesting post. The UK press mostly seem to be of the opinion, though, that the Rotweiller left the Greyhound standing – but what do we know this side of the Atlantic!
Looking at medical care: I’m grateful that I’m living in the UK, following my recent problem. I never thought I’d ever have anything wrong with me – always had good health – but I obviously got this wrong! But all of my treatment, consultants, operation etc. etc. cost me nothing. Food for thought.
The press here is saying the same thing. It’s too bad O didn’t mention the 47 percent, Bain…
That’s amazing that your operation didn’t cost a thing! Lucky you.
Hhhhmmmmmmm. Your post about the debate is interesting, but I wouldn’t have chosen a Greyhound to represent Obama. This breed has the characterisitic of being built for high-speed SHORT sprints, and then sleep the rest of its day away. They are notorious couch potatoes, extremely lazy as long as they are allowed a very brief daily sprint; not well-socialized, (whether they’ve been run in races or raised as a pet), and don’t get along well with other animals because by their very nature they are predators and are difficult to train. These canine traits of the Greyhound can be verified by browsing any site about specific breeds of dogs. I think I would probably compare Obama to one of the true high-energy, super-intelligent working breeds who like to serve. They are joyful workers and generally well-socialized because it aids in their purpose to be socialized. Several of the sites I read stated that Greyhounds can’t be compared to Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, German or Belgian Shepherds, Australian or Shetland Sheepdogs, etc, because the Greyhound enjoys being “lazy”. Obama isn’t lazy. And we need a president who is good for the long haul, not for “short sprints”. Am not meaning to criticize your choice of canine comparison for him, but in my opinion, it doesn’t fit him well beyond the obvious royal sophistication of the Greyhound. I tend to see him as more of the ORIGINAL canine: a clever, cunning wolf, constantly in motion towards a goal and persistently alert and decisive in action…or at least, in intent. Takes his time; gets the job eventually done no matter how long it takes. Just my view on him as a canine! 🙂 Regarding that other man at the podium, I won’t insult ANY dog by making a comparison. More a bottom-feeding slug. Sorry, Guys. I don’t like MR. Can you tell?? Take away my rights as a woman to do as I wish with my body? Uh-uh. No man is going to do that. You are right, Trish. Taking us back to the Dark Ages where women once again become the property of men? Any female who casts a vote for him hasn’t done her homework, or is a dedicated Catholic! And the middle-class and the poor and the elderly? Just kill ’em off and not worry about that 47% of Americans. They’re not his problem, states MR. Say WHAT???? And he wants to run this country? Time to move to Switzerland if he wins. I’d rather be cold than dead, or worse.
Wonderful post, Trish. I’m looking forward to when you write your book about what happens in the dog park – in so many ways.
🙂