Longtime readers may recall the Aunt of the Right and the Aunt of the Left (sisters of Venerable Mom) and of My Aunt The Winemaker (married to VM’s brother Uncle Farmer). The Aunt of the Right, a retired businesswoman, continues to believe in St. Ronald Reagan. By contrast the Aunt of the Left is so cheerfullly open-minded that she uses as her Thanksgiving prayers extracts from Arabic religious works. I think she also celebrates Kwanzaa. And My Aunt The Winemaker put in years of service as a Republican precinct worker and pollwatcher, removing only last year to a neighborhood where everyone is already a Republican and doesn’t need to be persuaded to vote red. At an average age of 81, VM and the three Aunts are a statistically insignificant but nevertheless very interesting sample of the body politic. Two are Democrats and two are Republicans.
They’ve been talking politics since the Iowa caucuses. None of the Republicans have so far caught the mind of the Aunt of the Right, and she won’t be caught (for now) admitting to liking a Democrat. (She’s politically pure enough that I’m not sure she knows who’s running for the Democratic nomination.) My Aunt The Winemaker, however, came out this week for Senator Obama, the first time she’s been excited about a Democratic candidate. (To put this in perspective, she first voted for a president in 1944.) The Aunt of the Left is so far silent, but her husband is solidly for Senator Clinton — Senator Obama, he says, just doesn’t have enough experience to be president.
Her husband is black, and was never, as far as I can tell, a supporter of Senator Obama, though he was all in favor of Jesse Jackson years ago when the Rev. Mr. Jackson ran for the office.
Curiouser and curiouser. If I had more uncles, I’d ask them too.
Comments
7 responses
In listening to, it’s the economy, stupid! I wonder where was Congress when these sub-prime mortgage shenanigans were going on. I can’t believe that no one saw this coming, when it was somewhat like the big dotcom hysteria, everyone was buying and remortgaging like they bought dotcom stocks in the 90’s! My personal opinion is that if they hadn’t found a way to get more people to buy houses, to re-mortgage homes, then the recession would have reared it’s ugly head a lot sooner. Isn’t it the governments job to keep it’s eyes open to potential scams and fraudulent behavior, to keep greed in line? If not, what is their job? I think it’s very dis-ingenious for them to be talking about bailouts now, after they watched the free for all and did nothing about it. When I myself am not surprised at the outcome, when I who am not educated on the various loan options, could see this coming, why couldn’t they? I know someone who played the mortgage game, lived off the mortgage game and never had a legitimate job, she now is in bankruptsy court, but I don’t feel sorry for her, I’m sure there are many more out there just like her, played buying houses as if it was a Vegas gambling game. So my question is, who spoke out, who said, wait a minute, is this good in the long run?
Well, no one spoke out, at least not to warn the public. And the public wouldn’t have listened. When we’re enjoying the bread and circuses, we tune out the nagging voice that reminds us that we have to pay the miller and the mime.
My question was with all these various committees, finance etc.. who if any one in Congress questioned the practice, who provided oversite, which lenders obviously were not providing. Conservatives say we need less government, less regulations, but when that happens, it turns into a free for all. We as a society haven’t grown responsible enough to provide oversite for ourselves, we’re like children who want what they want, when they want it.
I spoke to the Venerable Mother the other day and she would like to buy a laptop and learn how to get on your site so she too can comment, maybe the demi Isaac could help her with her computer skills. The Aunt of the Right called the Aunt of the Left last night and told her she might vote for Obama, after listening to him give his acceptance speech. The times they are a changing.
I am shocked that the aunt of the right has changed to the left for this election only, she says. The other aunt of the left, that would be me, will vote for Obama if given the chance, if he can go the distance. Those arabic readings that I share at Thanksgiving are Bahai prayers, but it would be wonderful if we said prayers from other religions too, such as, Jewish, Moslim, Buddist, Christian and Hindu to satisfy everyone. Peace.
like the Venerable Mother, I have my issues with the computer, but I’m learning and if we at our ages can make changes, so can the rest of the world. Just thought you’d like to hear from the aunt of the left. Peace!
Aunt of the Left, I’m delighted to hear from you, in any language. The Aunts of all directions have been important parts of my life, and I’m pleased that you and the Daughters of the Left are part of the Laquedemitasse’s as well.
Whether I can teach Venerable Mom to use her computer is another question. She’s not so adaptable as My Aunt The Winemaker; the last time she asked me for computer advice her first question was to show her how exactly to turn the power on. I’m happy to show her again, and maybe even to push her into spending the extra $ to upgrade to broadband.
I think Hillary is back in first place, and they will maake a good team. President an VicePesident,I will live to see my dream come true. The USA will be number ONE againHealth care for all and good schools for all children by for now. Aunt from the Left.