Here's the result of my recent political anxiety. It's really annoying to read, but that's how that goes...

notsonovel: so what are we going to do about 2008?
Big Joe Nuss III: oh i have plans
notsonovel: im glad someone does
Big Joe Nuss III: haha
Big Joe Nuss III: i dont really
notsonovel: lets fire howard dean
Big Joe Nuss III: yeah as chairman
notsonovel: hire him as assassin
Big Joe Nuss III: haha
Big Joe Nuss III: perhaps
notsonovel: so
notsonovel: oh you dont have plans?
notsonovel: thats disappointing
Big Joe Nuss III: broad general plans
Big Joe Nuss III: no specific ones
notsonovel: those are always good
Big Joe Nuss III: few, anyway
notsonovel: we need ideas
notsonovel: not us two
notsonovel: but the democrats
Big Joe Nuss III: yeah
notsonovel: stuff like: 'hey you american, your life sucks right now (imply its the fault of the republicans without ever mentioning) but we can make it better bc we're america. spin that american nonsense into the need to protect america, foreign policy.'
Big Joe Nuss III: hahaha
notsonovel: domestic ideas, reforms that improve a great america
notsonovel: thats what we're about
notsonovel: domestic reform
Big Joe Nuss III: sounds good
notsonovel: the great society, the new deal
Big Joe Nuss III: reform is great
notsonovel: that is government at its best
notsonovel: its not this massive beast preparing to draft you
notsonovel: well
notsonovel: its ironic that both those reform systems occurred during wartime, but whatever
notsonovel: anyway
Big Joe Nuss III: heheh
Big Joe Nuss III: ncie catch
notsonovel: we need to show people that an active govt in their lives will make their lives better
Big Joe Nuss III: i just really think having capable fucking people in office will change a lot
notsonovel: perscription drug plans that work
notsonovel: real health care
Big Joe Nuss III: like that feingold guy did a nice thing suggesting the censure
Big Joe Nuss III: but he's an idiot!
notsonovel: he is
Big Joe Nuss III: imagine if someone who knew what they were talking about did that
Big Joe Nuss III: absolutely destroyed bush every appearance
Big Joe Nuss III: in an eloquent, cogent way
Big Joe Nuss III: forget about it
Big Joe Nuss III: even hicks would be putty
notsonovel: thats true
notsonovel: but im about ideas
notsonovel: actively improving the lcd of existence
Big Joe Nuss III: haha
Big Joe Nuss III: of course
notsonovel: because govt is not here to improve the lives of corporations
Big Joe Nuss III: but we need people to convey these ideas
notsonovel: sure
notsonovel: i just cant get past the ideas
notsonovel: the city of chicago has a 60% dropout rate
notsonovel: thats fucking unacceptable
notsonovel: meanwhile we hide behind no child left behind
notsonovel: the program is called NO CHilD LEFT BEHIND
Big Joe Nuss III: heheh
notsonovel: are you fucking kidding
notsonovel: meanwhile the news is rife with policy stories
notsonovel: it can be better
notsonovel: we can all be better
notsonovel: we have to be better
Big Joe Nuss III: violent applause
notsonovel: imagine if we could just redirect funds a little bit more wisely
notsonovel: we spend half all the defense dollars in the world
notsonovel: what if we spend 40%
notsonovel: what if we raised taxes on the top 1%, 1%
notsonovel: what if we means tested social security
Big Joe Nuss III: all good ideas
Big Joe Nuss III: all obvious to bright people
notsonovel: great ideas, i just made the united states like a trillion dollars
Big Joe Nuss III: which is why i have such faith
notsonovel: yeah
notsonovel: well you get the dumb people
notsonovel: i cant promise that i can ensure democracy in iraq while improving education, poverty, healthcare and balance the budget
notsonovel: but i can make things better
Big Joe Nuss III: thats all thats necessary
notsonovel: i mean dont you feel like america's been sleeping for some time now
notsonovel: maybe since the tech stock boom
notsonovel: since we were flooded with money
notsonovel: america has to be about passionate reason and involvement, not ignorant apathy
notsonovel: i mean the american dream is a fucking lie for a huge percentage of the country but we all walk around with a dumb smile slowly working to our own little white picket fence
notsonovel: but its not happenning
Big Joe Nuss III: this is quite a bit pent up, isnt it
notsonovel: it is
notsonovel: no us history this quarter
Big Joe Nuss III: heheh
notsonovel: but you know what im saying
notsonovel: we need a country that cares
Big Joe Nuss III: yeah for the most part
Big Joe Nuss III: this is the kind of stuff both of us have internalized as the obvious truth for a while
notsonovel: its educations fault, its the medias fault, its the governments fault, its been the goal of corporate elite
Big Joe Nuss III: im just kind of reading your little spiel and nodding
notsonovel: yeah definitely
notsonovel: its not self-evident to everyone
notsonovel: maybe some of it
notsonovel: bits and pieces
notsonovel: but i dont think people look at their car window when they pass the florence exit on the 405, or drive down mlk parkway in downtown sd and think that this could all be better
notsonovel: it doesnt have to be this way
Big Joe Nuss III: yeah a lot dont
Big Joe Nuss III: you're right
Big Joe Nuss III: which makes it all the more disturbing
Big Joe Nuss III: because i look at it as obvious
Big Joe Nuss III: when everyone else is like
Big Joe Nuss III: wtf
Big Joe Nuss III: but ill never lose faith in the power of being right
Big Joe Nuss III: its a million times easier to argue the correct viewpoint
Big Joe Nuss III: well maye nto a million
Big Joe Nuss III: but easier
Big Joe Nuss III: by definition
notsonovel: being right does help
notsonovel: the problem is that every single person alive thinks theyre right
notsonovel: even if they dont think, they think theyre right in not thinking
notsonovel: ive yet to surmount that one
Big Joe Nuss III: its tought
Big Joe Nuss III: tought
Big Joe Nuss III: tough
Big Joe Nuss III: fuck
Big Joe Nuss III: im not saying its easy
Big Joe Nuss III: but its always easier when you actually are right
Big Joe Nuss III: minds can be changed
Big Joe Nuss III: if you cant change them before 2008, change them before 2010
Big Joe Nuss III: ill brb
Big Joe Nuss III: we shall not derail this conversation
notsonovel: yeah
Auto response from Big Joe Nuss III: brb
Big Joe Nuss III: k
Big Joe Nuss III: i dont suppose you've been following the special election for duke's seat
Big Joe Nuss III: virtually every piece of mail and tv ad has to do with immigration
Big Joe Nuss III: forget about the most crooked congressman in decades, lets focus on the beaners
notsonovel: yeah basically
notsonovel: nah i havent though
notsonovel: but thats not suprising
notsonovel: people loathe the immigrants
notsonovel: i cant figure out the republican position
notsonovel: do they support the guest worker program or the fence?
notsonovel: if they fence off mexico they should fence off the inner cities too, its basically the same thing
Big Joe Nuss III: everything ive seen has been some sort of superficial "dont they understand illegal means illegal?" bullshit
Big Joe Nuss III: one guy seemed to rebuke bush's clemency policy
Big Joe Nuss III: i guess he wants to kick out the ones already here
notsonovel: i see
notsonovel: i think their plan is to say ILLEgAL as often as possible and hope to cash in some xenophobe votes
Auto response from Big Joe Nuss III: brb
Big Joe Nuss III: yeah
Big Joe Nuss III: obviously
notsonovel: maybe even get some unlikely turnout voters
notsonovel: bitches
Big Joe Nuss III: busby hasnt been bad
Big Joe Nuss III: (the lone dem)
notsonovel: i love when they mobilize the enfranchized
Big Joe Nuss III: shes the only one talking about duke
notsonovel: its so egalitarian
Big Joe Nuss III: tangentially obviously
Big Joe Nuss III: heh
notsonovel: i see
notsonovel: including the included
notsonovel: a good policy
notsonovel: you know my problem with dems, or would be dems or democratic mobilization
notsonovel: so im sitting in these college classrooms filled with potential liberals
notsonovel: people who can talk the talk
notsonovel: make good cheney hunting jokes
Big Joe Nuss III: heheh
notsonovel: but theyre not really progressives
Big Joe Nuss III: yeah
notsonovel: they dont actually know anything
Big Joe Nuss III: im totally on the "progressive" bandwagon by the way
notsonovel: they dont understand the processes at work
Big Joe Nuss III: good word
Big Joe Nuss III: unassailable
notsonovel: i think so
notsonovel: progress doesnt always mean change in every avenue
notsonovel: that trips people up
notsonovel: its just the constant, radical progression towards a more perfect union
Big Joe Nuss III: yeah
notsonovel: but i digress
notsonovel: there is this huge population of young people who could care
notsonovel: but they dont
notsonovel: i cant figure it out
notsonovel: i mean even if they vote
notsonovel: its not good enough for me
Big Joe Nuss III: our generation is irksome in many ways
notsonovel: because these are the type of people who will go to business/law/med school
notsonovel: graduate and make 200k a year
notsonovel: and became ardent conservatives populating the suburban towns of large cities throughout the lower 48
notsonovel: become*
Big Joe Nuss III: shudder
notsonovel: yeah
notsonovel: so i need these people to know
notsonovel: they need to see the plight of poor people
notsonovel: and realize something can be done
notsonovel: in fact these people are poor because of the same institutions that allow them success
notsonovel: they need to realize that for not until that realization will they really be progressives
notsonovel: but after that realization they are incurable
Big Joe Nuss III: heheh
notsonovel: the power and pain of understanding will pervade their existence
notsonovel: the simultaneous bliss and angst of knowing why we are here and they are there
Big Joe Nuss III: beautifully put
notsonovel: i try
notsonovel: it kinda gets under your skin, the knowledge
Big Joe Nuss III: i love it
notsonovel: yeah well i love it and hate it
notsonovel: but it drives me in some sick way
notsonovel: i think ive lost what drives most people
Big Joe Nuss III: definitely
notsonovel: money, power, success, surburban home with pretty wife, 2.3 kids and a lab, that whole idea of going to hs reunions and flaunting your typical, american-approved professional success that you derrive happiness from
notsonovel: yeah i dont have that
notsonovel: i have that itch to make sure life is better for someone else
Big Joe Nuss III: amen
notsonovel signed off at 12:18:12 AM.