The Balloon Trial

Everyone's heard that politicians repeatadly send up "trial balloons" to test public policy or public opinion. But here in Liberalville its the balloons that are on trial. Literally. Our lack-luster planning commission has cited a local businessman with a violation of our city zoning ordinance related to his use of common, plain, everyday balloons to draw attention to the signs for his rental property. Not a single word was printed on said balloons. No daunting message beckoning visitors or promoting the rental of his property. The balloons said NOTHING! Even more outragious the said fine for said wordless balloons was an outragious, whopping $95,000.

I guess the Liberalville signage gestapo thought that nailing the balloon perp was an ideal way to finance some of their other more important endeavors. Not sure what those might be, but I'm sure they'd come up with something. Maybe they were thinking the extra revenue would support their flock of investigators that travel the courthouse square measuring unsuspecting retailers' sidewalk sign boards.

Or maybe they're wanting to recruit extra investigators to measure the homemade bed sheet signage hanging from fraternity and sorority house windows throughout the college school year. I'm pretty sure those signs violate some kind of city signage ordinance. Or why don't they consider hiding behind bushes ready to trounce on graffiti artists and hall them into court. I have an even better idea. How about slapping the IU Alumni Association Homecoming Committee with the same fine. Look at those balloons=>.

Barak Obama in Bloomington

I've been a life-long Republican and an advance person for Presidents Reagan and the first President Bush (when he as vice president). I've been to three Republican National Conventions, and I've been around many charismatic candidates. But yesterday I had an epiphany. During his surprise visit to the Women's Little 500, I pushed my way to the fence line and Barak Obama shook my hand. Dare I say it--I might take the democrat ballot in the Indiana Primary, May 6.

The excitement Mr. Obama generated with the young people was electric. They were screaming and shouting "We Love You" by the thousands. Mr Obama held up the beginning of the race to shake hands and encourage all 32 teams of racers. Not one single boo was heard from the crowd as so often happens when politicians appear at sporting events.

My experience yesterday confirms the truth. The country needs a change--a total change--not eight years of reliving the embarrassment of one family's first eight years in the White House. They can't have and don't deserve"Do Overs." Equally, this nation doesn't need more of the same old Republican leadership with McCain.

Its time to clean house, sweep out the cobwebs and give a new, young guy a chance. That's what happened with John Kennedy and I think the nation's ready for it one more time. (I'm just having trouble coping with the idea of asking for a Democrat ballot. Maybe, just this once, I'll take one for the country.)

Traffic Control: Liberalville Style

Liberalville takes pride in making life miserable for those of us who live inside its borders and traverse its streets in cars. Our city fathers would prefer (and truly believe it's feasable) that we rode camels, horses, bicycles, skateboards or any vehicle not requiring carbon- emitting fuels. If Liberalville was a utopia, that might be feasible. But it is not. People have to drive cars to work, to shop, to school and to the hospital. That is the reality. Driving cars is a necessity--not the luxury it might be perceived.

To combat their "carsaphobia," Liberalville neighborhood groups coerce city engineers to erect barriers, concrete planters, flapping plastic obstacles and any other device they can construct to prevent or encumber a person from driving from the east side to the west side of town. They literally dare anyone --emergency vehicles include-- to drive through their neighborhoods unscathed.

The elected Liberalville city council sit in its ivory tower and rubber stamps any random thoughts, ideas or outrageous concepts regarding traffic control brought before them. It pays little or no regard for public safety or convenience. The city constructs traffic barriers with total disregard for merchants, business owners or anyone else that might be relying on customers arriving in motorized vehicles.

Liberalville's scholarly lords and masters just turn their collective cheeks and choose to simply ignore the oublic safety and economic problems they've created. So we, as their constituent serfs, are forced to navigate our way through traffic purgatory while diligently watching for obstacles in our streets that could harm us, our passengers and our vehicles.

Seeing Blue in Liberalville

If you read my previous post, I revealed to the blogosphere my "red" politics. I really didn't go into much but let's just say I was the female Young Republican of the Year in Indiana sometime at the end of a former decade--oddly enough, my husband at the time was the male counterpart. He went on to be the GOP state chairman in Indiana so suffice to say--I've lived and breathed politics most of my adult life--except for now.

After yesterday's sweeping blue victory here in Liberalville, I'm burrowing my head in a pile of limestone dust and forget I ever knew anything about life in a free-market society...a place where people were encouraged to work, support themselves and their families and spend their own money rather than letting the government do that for them. Life in a community where the people knew that roads, highways and transportation were a necessity rather than a hated and unneeded evil.

So we private enterprise, pro-business folk will forge ever onward--not upward--just onward trying to dodge the obstacles local government throws in our faces for another four years.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, already!

According to the calendar, summer officially left last month. By now our favorite IU sweatshirts and sweatpants with INDIANA across the bum should be the dress of the day. Not when its STILL 90 degrees in Ol' B'town. Central air conditiong bills continue in the mega dollars and Indian summer is just a continuation of Indiana summer.

The heat's also making some people do crazy things--like throwing their support to the Republican candidate for Bloomington's mayor. Eighteen local dems must have had been suffering from heat stroke when they put their names on a mailer saying they're turning their backs on the incumbent and supporting--dare I say it--the REPUBLICAN. That word just sticks in the community's throat like a wad of sour apple bubble gum. And I'm lovin' every minute of it!

Having only voted for one or two donkeys that I can remember, I've always been in the minority around here and have had to swallow hard , grin and bare all the sarcasm and verbal abuse from what I refer to as the "dark side." This is great. Now they're cannibalising themselves--with no help from the right. So if the weather wasn't hot and steamy enough, the election certainly will be.

We can only hope that the temps cool off sooner rather than later and the heat in the kitchen continues to rise.