I’m starting to think I need to make alternate plans in case Obama doesn’t win in 2012. Not that I’m assuming he will lose, but I also think it’s dangerous to get too confident. Whatever the outcome of the election, it will be sure to be a nail-biter, with lots of slander and dirty tricks. And we all know that if Obama does lose, there will be a mood of general despair, and much gnashing of teeth and wailing will be heard in the land. So it would be wise to prepare a Plan B for that possibility—if nothing else, to keep me from sinking into depression during the dark, post-apocalyptic election aftermath.
In my case, the plan is to get involved locally. Thank God, no matter what else happens, Portland will remain a den of liberal iniquity. So even if President Romney comes to pass—shudder—and starts repealing every good idea President Obama ever came up with, we can still work on building a progressive city right here. I need to start looking at worthy local candidates and causes for 2012, get off my duff and get to work.
Tell me, am I completely off my rocker to be worried about the election? Are all of you pretty much optimistic that Barack will win it in a landslide? (Please say yes!) And are any of you making preparations for what you will do in a case of a loss? Such as leaving for a foreign country, or guiding your blue home state towards secession? Let me know what you think. I already have a prime spot underneath a local bridge picked out for my golden years in case Social Security gets privatized, so you can’t accuse me of not being ready for everything.
eurobrat 
03/23/2012 at 1:37 pm
“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”
03/25/2012 at 7:07 pm
So as I’ve said before….I’m planning to become more active in local politics…that’s not a betrayal of anything.
03/23/2012 at 2:33 pm
Sure Obama will win!!
Unless the economy crashes – but that is not very likely. It’ll probably keep recovering at the current pace or a bit faster.
And the contestants? The etch-a-skethcer?
One thing we’ve learned the last months – is the limits of money in elections. Romney beats Santo 7-1 in negatives, and barely wins some states.
Folks just don’t want him – neither in primaries or a general.
2016 however, is a different story….
03/25/2012 at 7:10 pm
Thanks, mac. As you can tell from the above blog, I *really* needed to hear that.
Maybe I’ll stop preparing for Armageddon for now.
I’ll worry about 2016 later 🙂
03/27/2012 at 6:14 am
I just have to add one thing – that rightwing pundits seems to fail to recognize.. Republican VOTERS are speaking very clearly these months, that they.want.romney. They don’t want this “real conservative” stuff.
Talk about not “getting the message” from their own voters!
03/24/2012 at 9:45 pm
Generally speaking, from my point of view, Plan B is worth planning NOW. With all due respect, once the Republicans get in – and it’s only a matter of time – they’ll steamroll the last damn bit of us, the Constitution and as seems to be their happy pattern start a whole fuckload of wars. Reagan and his secret wars, George Bush, Sr and his secret wars + Iraq Part 1 then George Bush, Jr and Afghanistan + Iraq Part 2. Democrats, by their nature, are builders and generally prefer to leave people alone unless they’re downtrodden in which case they try, again generally speaking, to lift them up. Republicans, at least during our adult life, pretty much set fire to everything then blame the Democrats for whatever the fuck just happened.
The question is whether any of us have the stomach to want to endure this horseshit any longer. I don’t. I’m actually planning to leave the country. I’m totally fed up and no longer see a damn good reason for watching these complete right-wing assholes kill and/or enslave as many of us as they can throttle. I’m also just tired of the fight whether it’s economic, cultural or in my case as I get older physical.
So I’m looking as TESL certification. France or the Netherlands is my preferred destinations, but since they speak fluent English in the Netherlands I’ve got France on the radar. Nothing else, in my small world, quite frankly seems any better.
03/25/2012 at 7:26 pm
So after mac briefly made me feel comforted, here comes your comment 🙂 we will get steamrolled sooner or later. There’s definitely some truth to this, in that I see American politics as moving in cycles…even if Obama wins re-election, conservatives and conservative ideas will be back one of these days.
I can understand where you’re coming from with your Plan B. Obviously, I would strongly recommend the Netherlands. That is one cool place and very liberal. As for me, though, all I can say is that after all these years America, with all its warts and flaws, has become my home. I have many wonderful people here that I care about, I have a life here, and I just cannot see myself leaving.
So, worst case scenario, if everything goes wrong, I will stick to my island of blue here in Portland and work on making things better in this area.
03/25/2012 at 10:01 pm
You can always visit me! I can’t leave for years, but like everything even Plan B takes outrageous effort. I have no idea if I can make it happen, but I’m exploring the possibility. Fixing finances. Getting a TESL certification. Hopefully going abroad this summer to see what’s eventually viable. It’s worth knowing, I’ll say that at least.
If I stay, most likely, then there’s no leaving Portland. I’ve done the 48 states and none are warmer than PDX.
Euro, I’m just not optimistic. I have forever been terrified of nuclear missiles and I’ve never fully understood anyone who wasn’t. It seems closer than ever, again like the future Republican gutting of America. There comes a point when it’s time to smell the roses, to see things I’ve never seen before, and at age 46 – while I still can – I think it’s time to just stop the cycle, look around and for once follow what’s in my heart. Nothing I do now beside making art has any meaning whatsoever. I’d just as soon as put on my boots and keep walking till death took me. That’s not a bad life, not at all, and I aim to make it happen. It’s not for everyone, I know that, but if it was then it’d be a different world, eh?
03/26/2012 at 8:25 pm
I’ve always been terrified of nuclear missiles, too…keep in mind that you will have reasons to be terrified of them no matter where you live. I grew up being scared of them in Europe.
That said, there’s no reason not to follow what’s in your heart. Yes, there’s inherent risk, but there’s risk in just being alive and life is brief, anyway.
03/29/2012 at 8:17 pm
venue…
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