Hey girls, we’re just sitting around waiting for our hurricane to get here, hatches battened, listening to heavenly MUSICA. The storm’s been downgraded quite a bit and will likely just give the Island some high waves and a little wind. Not to worry. Our house is old and strong, we have our candles, there’s chicken stock on the stove, we can make a fire, we are 
60 feet above sea level, we are the lucky ones. I’m much more worried about the folks down south and our darling friends in Mexico City. Prayers for so many these days.
60 feet above sea level, we are the lucky ones. I’m much more worried about the folks down south and our darling friends in Mexico City. Prayers for so many these days.I have something to share, and because it’s somewhat impure in message, I will purify between each paragraph with my collection of WHITE photos . . . you will like them, they will give you some breathing space of sweetness and light . . . so here goes:
Somewhere around 1990 my life was changed in a totally unimagined and unexpected 
way. Just like Julia Child put sparks in my mind about food and cooking and entertaining, and Joseph Campbell excited me to look to my childhood to find “my bliss,” and Beatrix Potter showed me it was possible to consciously choose the life you want ~ a man named Ross Perot added his voice to my repertoire and changed the way I thought about our government. During the next years, I thought I’d hear about it again . . . but I never did, not in the clear lesson-learning way I heard it that day.
While flipping through TV channels, a speech to the National Press Club given by a little guy with big ears caught my attention, and despite the fact that I’d never heard of him and had zero interest in government or politics, I listened. His down-home Texas accent and common-sense words rang true, and what he had to say was an eye-opener for me, and I have to say, a shock. Even though I was over 40, I barely voted at the time. I couldn’t have told you if I was a Republican or a Democrat because when I did vote, I voted for whoever I thought was the best person. I thought I knew how our government worked, that our President and Congress were taking care of business on our behalf and didn’t need me to help. I was so wrong.
Ross Perot talked about things I never learned in school, but things that every school child should be taught, and certainly every adult should know, and what he said has rung in my ears ever since. I never forgot it. All these years later, I can still hear him.
Jane Austen’s Cupboard
Lately, the little voice that resides in my head has been urging me to tell you what he told me. “Tell them,” it cajoles constantly. “Shut up,” I beg, “they probably already know, it’s not my business.” But the voice won’t shut up. I wake up in the morning with that voice in my head, “Don’t assume everyone knows,” it says. “After all, you didn’t.” Once more, the voice is right. The voice says that due to age and love of cooking, I have teaching credentials. It says we’re all in this together. It says I only have one life. It says you won’t hate me. It better be right. So here I go. Doing my best to put this in a nutshell. After that, you can do whatever you like with it.
Always drink upstream from the herd. Will Rogers
You know I share every heartbeat I have with you, Girlfriends, many of us grew up together. And despite my interrupting our normal tiny vases, quilts on the clothesline, apple crisp in the oven, England, home and family-connections conversations that we love so much (just for today!), this too matters, because it’s everything for home and family. I wouldn’t be a Girlfriend if I didn’t tell you.
First off, breathe easy, I promise this has nothing to do with Republicans or Democrats. It’s about the way our government works, because outside of the three branches we all think we know about, there’s an invisible fourth branch, and in some ways, this one has more clout than all of them. Those in charge would rather we don’t know about it, it’s gone on forever, and lurks behind every decision made in Washington, everything that affects the health and safety and pocketbook of every American family, and covers its tracks with the words Freedom of Speech.
But they really don’t like to talk about it:
“We’ll just go with no comment,” said Stephen Cohen, a Goldman Sachs spokesman.
“We are not going to comment — it’s just not something we comment on,” said Dan Whitten, vice president of strategic communications for America’s Natural Gas Alliance.
“We never comment on any of our lobbying activities or lobbying expenditures,” Joy Sims, senior communications director for the National Cable & Telecommunications Association.
Lobbyists. That’s what they don’t comment on, but what Ross Perot taught me about. You’ve heard of them, every big company in America employs them. Foreign governments 
and corporations hire them. The job of the lobbyist is to talk to their voting-buddies in Congress to get laws made that favor the companies they represent. There are somewhere around 10,000 registered lobbyists working in Washington DC this year. Many of them are lawyers who’ve worked for our government. Half of retiring senators (such as Bob Dole (R), Tom Daschle (D), and Joe Leiberman (I) have become lobbyists. A third of retiring house members become lobbyists ~ not to mention their staffers ~ all insiders who cash in (lobbyist salaries are literally more than a thousand times higher than government salaries). They work for oil companies, the insurance industry, pharmaceutical companies, airline industry, gun manufacturers, food industry, the Chamber of Commerce, communications industries, the movie industry, charities, you name it. These lobbyists and the companies they work for are the real people who make our laws. All in their own favor, even if it hurts us. Lately they’ve been “taking it underground,” trying to stay out of the limelight, to obscure their activities as best they can.
and corporations hire them. The job of the lobbyist is to talk to their voting-buddies in Congress to get laws made that favor the companies they represent. There are somewhere around 10,000 registered lobbyists working in Washington DC this year. Many of them are lawyers who’ve worked for our government. Half of retiring senators (such as Bob Dole (R), Tom Daschle (D), and Joe Leiberman (I) have become lobbyists. A third of retiring house members become lobbyists ~ not to mention their staffers ~ all insiders who cash in (lobbyist salaries are literally more than a thousand times higher than government salaries). They work for oil companies, the insurance industry, pharmaceutical companies, airline industry, gun manufacturers, food industry, the Chamber of Commerce, communications industries, the movie industry, charities, you name it. These lobbyists and the companies they work for are the real people who make our laws. All in their own favor, even if it hurts us. Lately they’ve been “taking it underground,” trying to stay out of the limelight, to obscure their activities as best they can.
Public servants: Persons chosen by the people to distribute the graft. Mark Twain
Lobbyists and their corporations contribute HUGE amounts of money to election campaigns, they organize fund raisers with high stake donors (which are needed because 
part of this terrible game is that the average Senator must bring in $14,000 a day in order to stay in office), and they lobby both R’s and D’s. For example, after all the haranguing and back and forth, if the votes for something the gun lobby is advocating go against them in Congress, they withdraw their support from those who voted against them, and instead, give everything to the campaign of their opponents in the next election, both money and media, positive and negative. And, by doing so, they teach the rest of the congress a big scary lesson. Vote our way, or we will use all our powers against you, you will be out of a job. 
And so, when little children are mowed down in a first grade schoolroom by a lunatic with an AR-15, nothing is done, and life goes on like nothing happened. 💔 And why, despite huge profits during what have been relatively lean years for the rest of us, do oil and gas industries continue to get massive multi-billion dollar taxpayer subsidies? Lobbyists. In their ear, full time, with money and influence, every day, where we cannot be, making laws that affect everything we do, handing out subsidies with our tax money. When we subsidize extremely profitable companies we are using money that could go to schools or infrastructure or healthcare. It’s our money. It should be used for us. We think since we are the ones who elect them, they should work for us. But that’s not how it works.⚡️
part of this terrible game is that the average Senator must bring in $14,000 a day in order to stay in office), and they lobby both R’s and D’s. For example, after all the haranguing and back and forth, if the votes for something the gun lobby is advocating go against them in Congress, they withdraw their support from those who voted against them, and instead, give everything to the campaign of their opponents in the next election, both money and media, positive and negative. And, by doing so, they teach the rest of the congress a big scary lesson. Vote our way, or we will use all our powers against you, you will be out of a job. 
And so, when little children are mowed down in a first grade schoolroom by a lunatic with an AR-15, nothing is done, and life goes on like nothing happened. 💔 And why, despite huge profits during what have been relatively lean years for the rest of us, do oil and gas industries continue to get massive multi-billion dollar taxpayer subsidies? Lobbyists. In their ear, full time, with money and influence, every day, where we cannot be, making laws that affect everything we do, handing out subsidies with our tax money. When we subsidize extremely profitable companies we are using money that could go to schools or infrastructure or healthcare. It’s our money. It should be used for us. We think since we are the ones who elect them, they should work for us. But that’s not how it works.⚡️
Nowadays, lobbyists fix it so Congress people barely have to work. Under direction of the 
corporations they work for, these professional arm twisters often write the talking points for new laws ~ and to make it even easier, they’ll pull together co-sponsors for the bills, and write the bill themselves, word for word. Do the congressmen even know what they are advocating for? Not if they don’t read the bill. And what difference does it make, as long as they get re-elected, which takes money, and the lobbyists are the ones providing it.
corporations they work for, these professional arm twisters often write the talking points for new laws ~ and to make it even easier, they’ll pull together co-sponsors for the bills, and write the bill themselves, word for word. Do the congressmen even know what they are advocating for? Not if they don’t read the bill. And what difference does it make, as long as they get re-elected, which takes money, and the lobbyists are the ones providing it.
Don’t get me wrong, not every politician caves. Some do stick up for us. Some are hard at work year-round, even when not in session (Congress will be in session 133 days this year🤢).There are many good companies and organizations that, in order to keep up and get their piece of the pie, have lobbyists too, such as the American Cancer Society. But, it’s a huge difference when they give technical assistance on a cancer funding bill versus when one of the largest banks in the world writes a bill that will give it access to public deposit insurance to fund it’s exotic financial activities. Especially when that bank has just been bailed out with our money, while they foreclosed on our neighbors. Banks are happy, that’s what matters.😘
But watch, when there is a hero-Mr.-Smith-Goes-to-Washington kind of Senator or Congress person who speaks for us, wants common sense regulations for banks, big business, oil companies, insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, etc, they are punished. Those corporations will use their considerable power, in commercials and other media (which more and more, they own), to vilify this person with false or misleading claims in places as seemingly benign as Facebook or on Twitter, to make them the evil one, so they can continue to do their dirty deeds, perhaps get them unelected, and use our tax money to do it. They know we don’t have time to check every story we hear.
Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.
Adolf Hitler
“Too many government regulations” is the battle cry. Corporations don’t want regulations, regulations cost them money, and that’s all they care about. Regulations that help us, for health care, for safe cars, roads and bridges, for clean air and water, for food that isn’t tainted with drugs, for product safety and fairness in banking and identity protection on the web, for keeping guns out of schools; but instead, regulations are removed, and laws are written to benefit corporations. 
No regulations on credit bureaus means they didn’t need to protect our personal information, leaving the people (me included) to figure out what to do to keep our identities from being stolen. Now I think the government should fix this by issuing all of us new social security numbers and let Equifax pay for it. They won’t. No zoning law regulations in Houston, so the building industry had free reign to pave it over, got very rich doing it, and didn’t care that there was no place for the flood waters to go. Drug lobbyists work incessantly to reduce regulations, and now spend over 4 billion a year on TV ads ~ the average American sees 16 hours of drug ads per year (against our will) and we are now in an opioid crisis. Our prescription drugs are the most expensive in the world, while Medicare is prevented BY LAW from using its huge bargaining power to lower prices (thank you big pharma lobbyists, and chicken faced Congress who let that happen). To hold onto their insane profits, big Pharma will fight tooth and nail against Medicare for all of us. Will our Congress let them? Probably. Who do you think will benefit if they cut healthcare? We can go bankrupt if we get very ill, lose our homes and everything we’ve saved for all our lives. Perfectly legal.
No regulations on credit bureaus means they didn’t need to protect our personal information, leaving the people (me included) to figure out what to do to keep our identities from being stolen. Now I think the government should fix this by issuing all of us new social security numbers and let Equifax pay for it. They won’t. No zoning law regulations in Houston, so the building industry had free reign to pave it over, got very rich doing it, and didn’t care that there was no place for the flood waters to go. Drug lobbyists work incessantly to reduce regulations, and now spend over 4 billion a year on TV ads ~ the average American sees 16 hours of drug ads per year (against our will) and we are now in an opioid crisis. Our prescription drugs are the most expensive in the world, while Medicare is prevented BY LAW from using its huge bargaining power to lower prices (thank you big pharma lobbyists, and chicken faced Congress who let that happen). To hold onto their insane profits, big Pharma will fight tooth and nail against Medicare for all of us. Will our Congress let them? Probably. Who do you think will benefit if they cut healthcare? We can go bankrupt if we get very ill, lose our homes and everything we’ve saved for all our lives. Perfectly legal.
While our 22 year olds go into massive debt in order to get an education in the richest country in the world. Now they say, “tax reform,” and you get one guess to see who will benefit on that. While they shout “Freedom!” and “Clean the Swamp” and we believe them, and they go right on, swamping it up on our money. There are thousands of examples of how they put their money making ahead of our safety. They don’t want us to vote (doing everything they can to stop us from doing so) or be educated, because if we don’t vote, if we stay ignorant about all this, they can go on whooping it up on our tax money. They’re so blatant about it these days, it’s shocking. They think they can get away with it and they do. But my darling girlfriends, knowledge is power, and we have knowledge. Tell your friends. Alert your children. Call your representatives and tell them you want money out of politics.📞
benefit on that. While they shout “Freedom!” and “Clean the Swamp” and we believe them, and they go right on, swamping it up on our money. There are thousands of examples of how they put their money making ahead of our safety. They don’t want us to vote (doing everything they can to stop us from doing so) or be educated, because if we don’t vote, if we stay ignorant about all this, they can go on whooping it up on our tax money. They’re so blatant about it these days, it’s shocking. They think they can get away with it and they do. But my darling girlfriends, knowledge is power, and we have knowledge. Tell your friends. Alert your children. Call your representatives and tell them you want money out of politics.📞“When every man in a state has a vote, brutal laws are impossible.” 💖 Mark Twain
They tell us there’s no such thing as global warming, confuse us with argument, try to turn science, something we loved and revered as children, something that ended polio and took us to the moon, into a joke. They turned us against one another so they can go on pouring CO2 into the atmosphere, digging and fracking and tearing this beautiful gift from God, our earth, to shreds so they can add billions to the billions they already have. And the laws they write themselves says it’s all okay.
Only one thing will stop it. It’s not term limits, that’s like putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound. It’s no more money in politics, period. Election campaigns that last six months, an 
equal playing field for all candidates. No contributions over $1,000. No contributions from corporations, no more corporate fundraisers. No lobbyists, both state and federal, (yup, we put them all out of work, too bad, so sad, your dad, get a real job). Government for the people by the people. And no, corporations are not people. People are people. And we the people can MAKE them change the laws to take the money out of politics. We really can. I am the Shirley Temple of positive thinking. I believe anything is possible.
equal playing field for all candidates. No contributions over $1,000. No contributions from corporations, no more corporate fundraisers. No lobbyists, both state and federal, (yup, we put them all out of work, too bad, so sad, your dad, get a real job). Government for the people by the people. And no, corporations are not people. People are people. And we the people can MAKE them change the laws to take the money out of politics. We really can. I am the Shirley Temple of positive thinking. I believe anything is possible.
So that’s it, I wasn’t wild about this information when I first heard it, but I’m still very glad I know. I hope you feel that way too. I don’t want it to turn you against our government, which I truly believe is the last best hope of a kookie, never-perfect world ~ it didn’t do that to me, it just made me take notice and do what I could to change it. But we need help if we’re going to do this, we need everyone to know, we the people need to be our own lobby, we need to be the ones whispering in their ears, we need to be the strongest of them all.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke
If I were running for office, my motto would be “A kitty in every house!” The voice can 
leave me alone now, I did my part. What a relief! And always, always, when you’re looking for the truth in this complicated big-business world we live in, all you have to do is follow the money. And there you will have your answer. Ask yourself, “Who benefits from this?” That’s the question of the day. Here’s your diploma dear Girls, you just graduated, Government 101. Thank you, Ross Perot, you did a good thing.
leave me alone now, I did my part. What a relief! And always, always, when you’re looking for the truth in this complicated big-business world we live in, all you have to do is follow the money. And there you will have your answer. Ask yourself, “Who benefits from this?” That’s the question of the day. Here’s your diploma dear Girls, you just graduated, Government 101. Thank you, Ross Perot, you did a good thing.“No country can be well governed unless its citizens, as a body, keep religiously before their minds that they are the guardians of the law, and that the law officers are only the machinery for its execution, nothing more.” 💕 Mark Twain
🎶 I am a Yankee Doodle Girl. 🎵
And now back to our regularly scheduled programming which is, as always . . . .
Direct from the woods of Martha’s Vineyard.🍂
Besides walking in the woods, saying thank you God every day, I finished the designs for two more cups! And like the first two I showed you, these will also arrive in our Studio in early January. We are going to put them up for presale soon, and thought at the same time I would give you a link for a special card you could print out, like a promissory note, so you’ll be able to give them as gifts or stocking stuffers this year. We’re working on that. This first one is called “Girlfriends Tea” and it’s a big one, the 16 oz size.
Here’s the handle . . .
This is the back, with a quote by our darling Nancy Luce, who could have used a few Girlfriends in her time (but now she has us 💞) . . . and on the bottom it says, “If friends were flowers, I’d choose you.”🌸
And to go with the Autumn cup, here’s Winter (in the smaller, 11 oz size, perfect for hot chocolate!)
The handle . . .
Here’s the back, and on the bottom, it says, “Not fit for man nor beast.” Hope you like them!
Off I go Girlfriends, need to go try and put a freeze on my credit! Hope all is well with you, safe and cozy, making something delicious to share with the people you love. XOXO
Well said Susan! Down with ignorance!
I was so ignorant so late in life, there is a bit of bliss in it (as they say, ignorance is), 😋 but better to know in the long run!
Dear Susan,
Thank you for the words and inspiration we needed to hear. I hope the future and current leaders would come to their senses and do all that you say! I agree with you on short campaigns with no Lobbyists! They are money grubbers to be sure! Thank you again for your blog and your wisdom!
Marlene Hutt
Happy to have you here Marlene!
Thank you Susan. A lot of thought went into this post. Time for a cup of tea and a “re-reading”. Stay safe.
Me too! Tea time! xoxo
Thank you, thank you! Sometimes I feel like that little voice in the bottom of the well and cannot be heard!!! You said that with such heart, loved it💗💗!! I did my part 2 cats,( 2 dogs and 3 parrots)!! Thanks
LOL! Thank you Barbara!
Thank you so very much, for your voice in the wilderness, Susan. I look at myself- only now, within the past few years , having really had my eyes and my heart opened to these deep, dark crevices. “Love your neighbor” – our neighbor is EVERYONE! When will people learn that? And sometimes to love, that means to stand up for those who can’t do it for themselves. Thank you, again.
You know something, I think everyone who comes on this blog knows that, that the world is our neighbor. It’s a lovely thought Wendy. I wish we were the congress. Thank you!
I’ve been thinking about you and yours all week…dang old hurricanes…I’m glad your “hatches are battened” and you have provisions…stay safe…
We are. It’s feeling very wintery around here!
I’m absolutely in love all the mugs you’ve designed. I just wish they were more affordable :(.
I wish so too, but they come from England, and bringing them here means heavy import taxes and shipping charges. We’re just happy they’re a lot less expensive than Emma cups … the same size for Emma was $52. Ours are $39, and if you get three of them together, they come to $35 each. We really tried the best we could. Thank you for the compliment! I’m glad you like them. xoxo
I completely understand! I love everything you paint and am on my fourth reading of Isle of Dreams – it speaks to me in so many ways…mostly about trying to figure out at age 56 what I want to be when I grow up. After marriage, kids, divorce, and being on my own for the last 8 years, I still don’t know…
You know, I can tell you that 56 is such a nice age. Don’t let yourself slow down because of any such nonsense as age, you have a loooong way to go, and have really only now got your feet under you. If it helps, a little step outside your box, a new volunteer job, or a new job, or a class or something that’s just plain different, but in the direction of your interests in life. Sending BIG blessings and lots of hope and faith your way. xoxo
But Susan dear, we don’t want to pay heavy import taxes and extra shipping. Why not make your cups in the good old USA–and proudly claim ‘Made in America’ and call them “Susan” cups and spare everyone the extra expense!
I tried, I don’t like to pay that either … but I couldn’t find any manufacturers in America that do what is called ‘private label’ ~ manufacture cups with my art on them. Hardly any fine china manufacturing takes place in America anymore. There are companies that sell cups here, but most of them are made in China, Korea, India, etc ~ and they’re thick and heavy or thin ceramic and for sale in every Walmart and gas station in the US ~ I never found any actual bone china except in England. Trust me, I would always look here first. But the world has changed. Once Walmart arrived on the scene, people decided they only wanted to pay very low prices, so all our manufacturing had to go overseas in order to compete. So many of the little gift and cooking stores simply went away, and now all we have left is Walmart! To get these done, I’m working pretty much in the 20th century right now, but paying 21st century prices. It’s either that or nothing, and I’m not quite ready for nothing yet. Never think I don’t try and work in the best interest of my customers. You might be surprised to learn my company is Joe, me, Sheri and Kellee, and sometimes Alfredo. We do pretty good I’d say!
Dear Susan,
Thank you for getting us all thinking again! Stay Safe in the coming storm! We’ll say a prayer for you!
Nancy
Thank you Nancy!
Susan,
It sounds like a good night to stay home and cuddle with the one you love ! : )
The calendar says we have a few more days til it is good bye to Summer and hello to Autumn however it seems you are already having some “Blustery Days”.
Love & Prayers,
Linda of So Cal : )
Blustery out there now for sure. Tomorrow will tell the tale. xoxo
i have to laugh because i just told my husband the other night after listening to the news…they should all have to sit thru a complete showing of Mr. Smith goes to washington!! maybe then they would think twice about some of the decisions they make! wishful thinking?? stay safe.
I bet they watched it as children, and gave up when faced with reality. We need to give it back to them as the new reality. I believe anything can happen!
Oh Susan, I’ve been saying and believing for a long time that lobbyists need to be out of our government, not in the future, but NOW! It’s such a complex issue (like so many our society faces), I’m just not sure how we go about getting rid of them all, at least in my lifetime. I hate seeing what’s happening to our beautiful country. Thank you for being brave and voicing your thoughts. At least it verifies there are many members on the same team! P.S. Was in Edinburgh in the Spring and happily found we were right around the corner from Ragamuffin, which is an absolutely fabulous shop. Thanks for mentioning it! You and Joe stay safe and keep Jack close (although I don’t think that’s ever an issue)…
I think they could pass a law, no more money in politics. I really do. But they won’t unless we climb all over them! Ragamuffin. How I would like to go there for a couple of hours tomorrow! 😋
I agree 100%! When something a politician says to you doesn’t sound right, follow the money trail and see who pays him/her. We also have a saying in our house, if you don’t vote, you can’t complain! Not voting implys agreement with the person that wins. I refuse to be part of the silent majority!
Good girl Pam. Me too!
You are absolutely right. Follow the money for everything. Jobs, climate change, healthcare, etc. It’s all about money and power in Washington.
Makes it so easy, doesn’t it. Who benefits … oh yeah!
Kudos, my friend. SO well put. I feel better about the state of our great country just having taken in your words. You’ve touched on so many of the subjects that have been heavy on my heart & mind for years – thank you…
Thank you back Vicki … kindred spirits. 💞
You make lots of sense. It’s nice to have this problem written down in one place. I know I will read it more than once and pass the information on to others. Glad you are all ready for Jose. Then Maria right on his heels, but hopefully she will go even further out into the Atlantic. Will be watching the weather channel. May everyone be safe.
My prayer also. xoxo
Susan, I very much appreciate you and what you wrote and that you shared it here. Stay cozy and safe–I know you will 🙂
Thank you Jane. xoxo
Thank you, Susan! I appreciate your sharing this information and your perspective. It was thoughtfully written, and I will now go back and re-read every word. Hoping the hurricane is nothing more than a rainstorm by the time it reaches you. xo
They say it’s going to be a nor’easter. And honestly, since I moved here, I’ve never met a nor’easter I didn’t actually like. For the wildness, verging on, but not going over, comfort limitations!
Dear Susan,
My friend and i were just talking last night about following the money, what with the new Ken Burns special about Vietnam, and all this disruption about North Korea… and you know what? It really comes back down to the money. All those lives are/were in peril, whether through these wars, or the mess we are in about health care. I have friends who just won’t know what to do without the ACA, and it’s terrible. You are right, Susan, LOVE is the answer, just like we girlfriends knew all along… and so, perhaps, with phone calls to the people who represent us, there will be some chance… some hope.
In the meantime, please be safe, all of you. Praying for those in harm’s way from the storms and the earthquakes, (we had a tiny one here last night) Keep calm and carry on doesn’t quite apply, but the carrying on part surely does!
Love,
Marsha
Thank you Marsha, carrying on here, sending love. xoxo
Well said – thank you. Be safe, warm, dry and know you are respected and loved by many.
Very sweet Mare, thank you. xoxo
NEVER be afraid to speak your heart!
” A friend will help you move. A real friend will help you move a body.”
LOL, so Downton! xoxo
Thank you for giving us real insight on how our government really works. It always amazes me to see how the candidates we elect in good faith change once they get to Washington. It seems they lose touch completely with the people who elected them. We must not give up, but keep speaking up! I appreciate your willingness to take a stand up for “we the people.”
If we had someone whispering in our ears every day, I’m not sure we’d be able to hold out either. We have to get rid of the whispering so they can hear us. Thank you Betty! I don’t plan to be a political person, we’ll be back to normal next post. But just like when I find a good recipe, if I have information that interests me, I do like to share it.
Thank you for the stirring blog! It is sooo easy to ignore the evil influences and corrupt business that goes on in high places.Are we willing to do whatever it takes to affect change? If each of us would choose one thing that we could do passionately, to make a difference in our sphere of influence, we could move mountains! 💙
I totally agree. Knowledge really is power. xoxo Mom mom to Jack. I’m a mom mom to jack too! Only he’s a kitty!
Susan, I had no idea! When I try to educate myself I hear so many opinions, many of them angry and critical that I shut down to protect myself. This was eye opening and I know the only agenda you have is a world that is kind,fair, and honest. So, thank you for enlightening me and for the respite of white wonderful images so the heart could rest a moment! Be safe in the storm, I am praying for all that will be affected. Love.
I know. It’s all so complicated, but this thing lurking in the shadows has control of almost everything! You make my day, Laurie, I was afraid Girlfriends would be upset with me. I think we’ll be okay from this storm, me too, praying for so many who won’t be as lucky. xoxo
So disgusted with the lobbyist and big business money in our government. Thank you for talking about it. It is so wrong. I agree term limits is not the answer. We have term limits in Michigan. We just need to vote out the bad guys. Unfortunately we lose the good guys too with term limits. It takes awhile to learn all that representatives need to know….we just get them educated and they are gone with term limits. I am also worried about the apparent take over of radio stations by one entity. Scary indeed.
That’s another thing allowed because of lobbyists. Look at the Fairness Doctrine law that was changed in 1988! Oh yeah. We know who they are! xoxo
I worked for a state representative’s campaign for years. She was one of the great ones, very smart with good people values. I always remember what she said about term limits. If you throw everyone out who has developed knowledge and expertise, especially in highly technical subjects, you just give even more power to lobbyists.
So right. Why start over every election. Our government is complicated. We need experienced people there. And you don’t need to throw them out (unless they are not working for us) if you get rid of the money. Then they have no one to answer to but us … would be a dream come true.
BRAVO!!! WELL DONE!!!!
So glad that you wrote this blog and I dearly hope that all the girlfriends will share it with everyone they know. You hit the nail on the head about lobbyist and we need to band together and save this most wonderful of countries that we have the privilege to live in.
Love, love, love the two new cup designs and cannot wait to place my pre-order. Again thank you for speaking from your heart and caring enough to do so!
Thank you SO much Julie!
Love the way this post is presented: lots of “white” in between the dark and dirty! But did you write all of this? Seems like I hear Joe in there somewhere 🙂
I didn’t tell him I was doing it. He would roll his eyes and you know how I love that! xoxo
Bravo! As much as I love all your blogs and Willards about life, love, the seasons, good and old books, etc. One cannot escape the world – even when one lives on an island. Truth to power, Susan!
We are diamonds. Faceted. One facet is family, others are cooking, quilting, art, child and elder care, work, dinner parties, kitties, doggies, travel, knitting… on and on, and one facet is our American home. We are everything. I’m proud that we are.
Thank you so much for saying all that you did. You have reminded me that I knew this, and yet with all of the present craziness, I had chosen not to think about it. This is not helpful and not something I will do again. It reminded me of something: I respected President Obama so much for this grace under pressure (and still do), and yet I wondered why he was not instrumental in making the corporations make amends for ruining people’s lives. (I never expected the Republicans to do anything). When the same thing happened in Iceland..the bank presidents were put in prison! By-the-way, there was one bank (in Iceland) that was not involved with anything wrong–and that one was run exclusively by WOMEN. Need I say more? Hugs, Marcia
I wondered that too. Tells me that it won’t happen unless we all know about it. The banks, 2008, about put me under. I still want them to pay. Maybe that’s wrong, but it hurt so many. Personally, I’d like to see women run the show. Hugs back to you Marcia!
Wonderful read. Thank you, Susan, for being brave and speaking from your heart. I agree with you, and will be contacting my government representatives. If we all did this, it would make the difference we need for change. God bless you, girlfriend!
Yes. We have to speak up more. Because the lobbyists are paid, eight hours a day, to put in their 2 cents for the corporations. We need to do that too, and, there are more of us than there are of them!!! Big important point! Thank you Karen. xoxo
Out with lobbyists entirely! The bad ones ruin it for the good ones.
Susan,
It was very thoughtful of you to let us know in advance we might not enjoy this blog. I definitely don’t want to hear about politics here as I visit to escape real life in the joy of the sweetness of all you do.
Therefore, I was able to skip through, and enjoy what you placed in the white space for us and still feel good at the end.
I appreciate that
It wasn’t politics, honest. But I’m glad you enjoyed it. xo
I agree with all you said Julie.
I’m the True Escape Artist…and HERE is where I go to REST, BREATHE, and LAVISH in the BEAUTY of All that is RIGHT with the World! Total ESCAPE for a few rare moments.
I am informed, connected, and discouraged with Real Life MOST of my Waking Moments. I applaud your thoughts and personal nudgings, Susan…don’t disagree at all….BUT I hate that the ugliness finds a way to seep in even here. Ughhh….
I’m sorry, I truly am, I did everything in my power to keep it from being ugly, read every word over and over about a hundred times. 😜 I just wanted to be informative like a Government teacher in high school. I’m glad you found something redeeming in it . . . white is for purity. Trying for balance!
also, Susan’s encouragement to educate ourselves, I would hope, would be also a breath of fresh air, and something to be thankful for.
Well said Susan! I’m also going to make myself a cup of tea and reread it!
Thank you Candace, I think I will go make an Old Fashioned! 😘
Good on you. People are ignorant, and I think they assume government is looking out for them. However we must be super vigilant. There are rotters everywhere trying to line their own pockets at the expense of ordinary folk just trying to keep their heads above water. Guns laws are shameful. All you have to do is look at all the shootings, young Amish children, the students at Sandy Hook, it’s just shameful.
I like the word rotters! There is such thing as balance. We’ve lost all semblance of that. So we have to get active. xoxo
Thank you, Susan, for this well thought out and very well written post. Snuggle down now and stay safe in any wild weather that you get. Lotsa love to you.
Thank you back Sheila, we are SO Snuggled, lucky that it’s only a storm and not something worse, makes it rather enjoyable.
I agree, Susan, weather with personality, even rage, can be enjoyable. I like it when the ocean slaps the sand hard and trees whine in bending winds. I like clouds that boil up and change from white to black. I like raindrops that try hard to smash the sidewalk! I like it when fall leaves raise their crunchy voices when we walk through them. My sunny coast of CA falls short on seasonal storms to the point of blandness at times!! Poor me. 😊 OH, we did have a 2 1/2 hour thunder and lightening show last week. HEAVEN. SO hoping for another good rainy winter/spring!!
Obviously, my favorite storms quit before damaging homes and lives! Sadly, the islands have been ravaged and lives destroyed…not to mention Houston and parts of FL. I think that Mother Nature is speaking out and she is MAD…just like frustrated citizens who tie themselves up into knots with anguish at the dysfunction and lack of representation to protect us…the people who pay the bills and salaries. Who needs N. Korea or Putin to threaten us? Our own elected officials are destroying the foundations of our country.
Appreciate the white space here. Photos are beautifully chosen…peaceful…artful…heartfelt! LOVE the hydrangea photo. Oh my, absolute perfection…and those dogs…to-die-for cute…furry love on four paws.
Your photo library is so vast and stunning. I would love to see a book of just white photos. I would love to see a series of four books focusing on your seasonal photos. My bookshelves would breathe a sigh of gratefulness!
Well, my twisted sister…twirl out of your knotted soul…you have spoken. Let the snap of burning logs and splat of raindrops on your window panes take you to your center of peace. Let our love replenish you as you replenish us!
Squeezy hugs and a chorus of purrs from my Grayson!💋🐱💟
PS: Jack, thanks for continuing to cuddle and purr love to your mama. You are her best therapy. Vote for Jack for Prez…he will bring love and joy back to our ailing country.
“Well, my twisted sister…twirl out of your knotted soul… ” And ⬆️ THIS is why we are girlfriends! With love from my best therapy 😻 and me too. xoxoxo
OMG, I so LOVED every part of FayE’s comment!!
Me too Vicki! xoxo
Hooray Susan!! I’ve always felt that these campaign contributions were just a nice way of saying “bribe”. We can’t stop them completely because of the Constitution, yet they can be limited. One thing this current political condition has created is less apathetic people to the running of their government, which sad to say is a good thing. “I was blind but now I see…” I’m with you 100%.
They are bribes. Totally. I think it mostly matters how the laws are framed. I was blind but now I see, so true. Amazing Grace. xoxoxo
Oh Susan, THANK YOU! I live with my parents, both in their mid 70’s, they keep the TV on most of the day on MSNBC. I get so frustrated most days I want to scream. You hit the nail on the head. If only people would open their eyes & minds to the truth it would help but they seem to only want EASY answers and it’s gone on for so long it’s very complicated. But, it’s not impossible, we the people just need to get involved. I’ve spent the majority of today calling & emailing our senators, even from other states, to let them know my opposition to this next assault on our healthcare. Your take is spot on and we need to get these lobbyists out of our process. Again, thank you for this great essay and for taking it on. I’m sure it was not easy.
If we got them out, our votes would matter! I was just afraid, because it’s all so vitriolic these days, we’ve been turned against each other. But this isn’t about politics, it’s about the hidden branch of government that affects both sides. I couldn’t help but say it. I wasn’t sleeping, thinking about it so much. Not that it’s so huge, but that’s the way I am! Thank you Pam.
I know this is late, but THANK YOU, Pam Fairchild, for calling and emailing senators on healthcare! When we finally sit down to “revisit & revise” the ACA, I will raise a glass to you!
Since I know this is a site that favors love over hate, I feel free to write my opinion without getting hate filled remarks back. I have voted in every election since I have been able to vote and there were just two presidents I was happy to vote for. Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump(I can hear the moans now.) I don’t listen to a lot of the news shows whose only job seems to be to bash our president, but I do know there is a whole lot of lying going on. Ross Perot was right about one thing. The trade deal we made with Mexico. It was wrong. I think government has gotten way too big for its britches and needs to be taken down a peg or two and I am praying that President Trump will do so. He is bringing back jobs. Ask yourself why so many people hate him. It’s because they are losing money. He is draining the swamp, but not fast enough for me. I thought Obama was the absolutely worst president we ever had. He did a lot of harm. DACA was one of them. Why should anyone from any country get to come here illegally and stay and reap the benefits of citizenship when their parents who were illegal brought them here? Now we have a president who is trying to set things right and is being harangued for it. I love our country and our people and I pray every day that we will remain a free Republic. We cannot remain so if people who come here refuse to obey our laws and respect our flag. So, Susan, I don’t have any puppies or kittens or bunnies to show, but I wanted to let people know there are differing opinions. And that just because someone disagrees with you does not mean they are ignorant or dumb. I don’t believe in manmade climate change because I learned about climates in school and they change all the time. There is not one thing we can do about it. I believe there is a God and only He can destroy the world, so I am not afraid. I love you and I love your blog and books and everything, but we will just have to agree to disagree on some key issues.
You are talking about politics, which is always tough because people agree or disagree depending on how the question is formed. To me, it doesn’t matter who is President, Obama or Trump, because what runs the show is the lobbyists. But one thing for sure, there is something we can do about climate. Not believing in science is ignorant, which is not the same as dumb, it’s just not knowing. I do it all the time! God gave us this earth to protect. His beautiful gift to the human race. If we err, we should err on the side of the gift.
On the side of the gift… what a beautiful thought. Stay safe in the Vineyard! And cozy!
You just proved my case, calling me ignorant. Ever wonder why Al Gore got millions of dollars for spreading the global warming lie while he rode in huge jets all over the world spewing carbon all over and has a huge house with huge electric bills? It’s because he cast fear in people’s minds. Has the climate gotten any hotter since he started making his millions? I do know the polar bears are not going extinct and there are still glaciers up north because I have been there. In the seventies the alarmists where telling us we were going into another ice age. I don’t see any ice. So please, don’t call people ignorant who studied science in school just as you did and are skeptical of the lies told about our climate. One day you may admit you are wrong.
We’re all ignorant to a certain extent, it’s not a sin. Me too, and then I followed the money, and learned how the system worked. That’s why I did this post. It doesn’t matter what Al Gore did. That’s a smoke screen thrown up by the gas and oil companies so you don’t notice what they are doing. Despite what they say, it’s no longer a matter of opinion, any more than whether polio shots really work. They’re digging up the earth to fill their pockets with gold and it’s gone so far that the earth is rebelling. God’s gift to mankind. If I’m going to err, I choose to err on the side of the gift.
I do not think of myself as ignorant but uninformed. Knowledge is power. I think that climate is affected by both natural cycles and by human intervention. Why can’t it be both? The number of children being born with health issues and the number of people developing cancer is my litmus test that our world is in crisis.
MUCH better word than ignorant, I stand happily corrected. Thank you Barbara. And yes, if we are going to make a mistake in our diagnosis, let’s make it on behalf of the people, not the oil and gas industry. xoxo
Thank you for speaking up, Susan. It’s an act of courage, particularly in these days and times. (I know you’re plenty well aware of that, with your previous brave posting awhile back.) Please keep sharing your voice and common sense insights. You are so respected and adored, your voice of reason reaches many who will in turn share it, and on and on it will go, spreading more and more light and awareness along the way! 🌠
It took me five days after I wrote this to put it up. I hemmed and hawed. I really just want us to get along! I didn’t want to cause anything but thinking. xoxo Thank you so much Kim!
It’s funny (and yet not funny) that after reading your blog I checked my emails. Well, looky there, an email from my husband’s HR department telling us our premiums are going up 40% starting Jan 1st!!!! I am beyond disgusted with the current state of our government. What is so difficult about working for the greater good with OUR money! I am a nurse and have cried with way too many patients who couldn’t afford their medications. I would call and beg Pharmaceutical reps to please bring samples so “Mrs. Jones” could have her diabetes/blood pressure medications. I didn’t care who they were, what color their skin, where they went to church or who they voted for-I just wanted them to be healthy and safe. It’s like these lobbyists have no compassion for mankind!
Thank you for your words and your heart! I know you’ll keep us updated on MV and the weather. I’m excited for the new cups and the picnic in May!
Time for a cuppa, some nice buttered toast and my book! By the way, we are booked in Near Sawrey at an old farm that is now a B & B- “Belle Green”. Beatrix Potter would stay here as she was friends with the owners! How cool is that?!
Oh Sharon, when I hear you’ve cried with patients, it makes me so sad. I worry for all of us … we live truly on the edge and most of us don’t realize it until it’s too late. I believe money is everything in our world today. Not for us, for them. Buttered toast, and Belle Green. How bad could it really be. xoxoxo
Thank you so much for the reminders: Always follow the money; corporations are NOT people; they really don’t want us to know; and so much more! There are so many issues demanding our attention at the moment that it’s hard to figure out where to focus. But you are absolutely right – the money in politics is really at the heart of just about every troubling issue. It’s time to focus on what really matters (while retreating into soothing white for respite every once in a while). Thank you for stepping out and risking!!
Yay for the white space Glyn! xoxoxo
Susan, it’s your blog and your right to express your feelings. When we have campaigns and elections for major offices in our government, I am appalled at the obscene amount of money the candidates spend. I think of all the people that could be helped with the campaign money. I like your idea of $1000 limit.
Praying for safety for everyone in the path of Jose and Maria.
Me too. Money out of politics means they all have the same amount, provided by we the people. It would be so much cheaper than what we have to pay because of the lobbyists! xoxo
Before US Rep. David Jolly was beaten by Charlie Crist-a lovely man, Mr. Jolly said Congressman only spend two hours in their office a day. Sometimes less. Across the street is a building that houses hundreds of cubicles with phones and they spend hours there campaigning for money. I was horrified. Speaking of words echoing back for years, Ross Perot said that if NAFTA went through we would hear a gaint sucking sound of jobs leaving this country. Clinton orchestrated the whole deal…imagine an impeached president not made to leave office…wall street said we were doing too good so leave the man alone. We keep putting the same men back in power, i.e. McCain, etc, etc. So why is this? That’s the ole “wanting a different result doing the same thing” routine. I love watching Utube with Tray Goudy. He should be president. Ok, here’s a new trauma for all of us…on Netflick there is a documentary called “Take Back Your Power”- are maybe Amazon. Now this will really keep you awake at night. It discusses the new electric meters. You don’t want one of these anywhere close to you, your house or animals. Duke Energy is and I quote, “racing” to get these installed on every house as stated in my local newspaper last week. I’m going to have the meter removed from my house and put on a poll in the back yard. I never used to be cynical but age and conditions in this country are giving me a big push. I can only drink so much tea, crosstitch so many items, watch just so many black and white bogart movies and deflect just so much world news before getting the urge to build a tiny house somewhere in the Alaskan outback! Off the grid, I might add, with wind and solar power. Feeling hopeless, but knowing the One who brings hope, I pray for my children and especially grandchildren, that God protects them from the violent man, the wicked man and the evil man and wickedness in high places. When Jesus talked about moving a mountain he was refering to the insurmountable troubles in our life. Well, by faith in the One, we will all make it through everything they throw at us. Well now I’m ready to make another pot of tea, slap in Boggie and start on that next crosstitch project, revived for the moment after reminding myself my Father knows me and every squirrel digging up my new plants out in the front yard…..grrrr!
Pay no attention to the little emotional things they throw out there to separate us and keep us from seeing what’s really going on. You don’t like electric meters, look at the lobbyists, and who is listening to them, and voting their way. They gotta go.
Amen to that! Thanks, for the word of encouragement. I say we need a “We The People” mug for fourth of July!
Yeah baby! I’m writing that down!!! xoxoxoxo
Thank you Susan for your words and your courage.
Thank you for being here, Kathy. xoxo
I love that you speak right from your heart Susan. I appreciate your candidness and desire to share your thoughts and feelings. I have always taken a keen interest in politics and myself did not know the full truth of lobbyists. I loved the “soothing” white pictures in between! Very creative. I believe it’s important to stay positive and believe that there still is good in the world. Your blog with all of its comments is proof. Susan Branch for president!!! 😀
LOL, we women have many sides, we have opinions, but we love beauty, so why not have them all at once! xoxo Thank you Laura!
Well said Susan! Now don’t blow away. Stay safe.
I want you to know that I have coffee each morning in one of YOUR mugs so you are with me at the start of each day. Hugs!!!
Me and you probably just about the same place right now, cup of coffee, cup of tea! Good Morning!
Wow!–Thank you for such a clear view of something we all know, but feel at a loss to know how to correct it all. The Girlfriends are a large body of voters, and we have a strong voice if we stand our ground and push for what’s right for us all, even for those who disagree. We must not be afraid to speak up. I’ve never been a “political” person, and I’ve felt powerless to get changes made, but realizing what power we have as a group–I can see there’s hope.
xoxo Love that Anna. All this time I thought it mattered who wins the vote, but with the system we have, it really doesn’t. We still try for the best person, but then he needs more support than just our vote to do the good he says he wants to do. Money out of politics. There is always something you can do, you can call your senators and congress persons, both national and state, and tell them you are sick of lobbyists running our government. Put them on notice. I do it all the time, and then I give myself a hug! Better than nothing!!!
Susan, I have been reading about the current ‘situation’ we have in our country. We are about to be shocked. After a rocky time we will ultimately come out better as a nation. President Bush 43 and President Obama have been working behind the scenes to save our democracy. They put partisan politics aside to save our country. I am so proud of them. The sources I have been reading on twitter since February 15,2017 are there to prepare our nation for what is about to happen. We must all remember it doesn’t matter if a person has an (R) or (D) or (I) behind their name, it matters if they are decent and honest. We have been deceived as a nation. It is going to be a learning experience for us all. God Bless America🇺🇸
Well, I haven’t heard of it, but I look forward to any new ideas that gets rid of this negativity that does nothing but cloud the issues while they run off with the bank. xoxo
The answers to our political disfunction will come out of the Meuller investigation. The stories I have been reading online are starting to appear on CNN and in the Washington Post. Meuller has sealed indictments.
You’re instincts were correct earlier this year when you discussed the dysfunction on your blog. I know that was a hard decision for you. I knew something was not right last year. But I didn’t realize why till after the inauguration. You are right about one thing…….Money is how we got in this mess! God Bless America and our allies who have our back on this.🇺🇸
Yes, we’ll get something from Meuller, one way or another, it will be good to have that finished. I hope people will believe in the process, that commission is being undermined and lied about by so many lobby organizations now, not to mention the Russians! (Follow the money!) But it still won’t get rid of the real problem, the money that owns every decision made “on our behalf.”
Amen! Thanks, Susan, for listening to your heart and sharing these words. Yes, it is the money that runs this country and it is sad and must stop. Tried to freeze my credit yesterday and they wanted to charge me to do it. Not much, but I still thought that was wrong. I must try again.
I couldn’t even get that far. I have to put an astounding amount of personal information together and SEND it through the mail!! Does that makes sense? I don’t think so. xoxoxo
Dear Susan,
Your bravery in writing this made me a bit weepy. I too came for the solace of your blog – the pretty dishes, adorable Jack, notes about England – for a break from the news about hurricanes, earthquakes, and speeches at the UN. But I am pleased to see this post as well. None of us can afford to be complacent or ignorant in these times and I thank you for this reminder about information that should be more front and center to us all. Thank you for being you.
Thank you so much Jill. I’m so very glad you are here. We’ll never stop trying to figure out how to make things better. It’s the least we can do for all we’ve been given. xoxoxo
Thanks for your bravery in speaking out about a topic that people like to keep hush hush and not step on toes. Love you so much! I know you live this! I know you like to read. I would love for you to read Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson and tell us what you think. Really, it is good and inspiring. Hearts!!
I just ordered it … I match your Zero Waste Home, and raise you one Dark Money. 💞
I feel so sweaty! You actually took my recommendation! I just put Dark Money on hold through my library. It looks like it does not match my sensibilities (Fairy Tale Girl all the way), but I will read it!
LOL! Well, you don’t have to! Now I’m sweaty!
With tears in my eyes, all I can say is “Thank you, dear Susan”.
Be safe, snuggle in, and hunker down during the storm.
I’m so glad we have you.❤
SO snuggled. Have my tea in my Blue Bird cup, have music on (still have electricity), candles at the ready, just in cases. Thank you Mar!
This post is so right about the lobbyists, but do you think they could really be eliminated? It has been so long WITH them, I can’t imagine how they would go away. I have written my political reps in the past, and all I got was a pat reply. They just don’t care about us, I don’t think. This past election almost made me feel like I didn’t belong in this country anymore! Why do people think a man who talks like a brash punk kid will make our country great again? Yes, if he does what you have written, it could happen, but I’d bet he himself has engaged lobbyists. I normally stay silent when someone goes political, but I feel safe here!
Hope you are safe and the winds don’t howl too bad. I pray for everyone affected by the hurricanes and earthquakes.
You are safe here. We are the party of common sense and have nothing to do with all this hate. That’s what “they” have gotten us to do with each other so they can get away with what they get away with. And yes, I think they could go away. I think it’s because so many of us haven’t known about them, haven’t realized, and get sidetracked with the emotional issues they use to manipulate us … so we believe that whoever is President can actually make a difference, we think if we vote, it will matter. They say clean the swamp, but I don’t think they are talking about the lobbyists, and that’s where the murk truly lives. But no matter what side we’re on, we all begin to notice, that nothing ever changes!
My goodness, I had a long-winded reply all typed out and ready to hit “post comment” when POOF it was gone and I was back on my computer home page. I will take that as a hint to retract my ramblings and just say “well said” Susan! Thank you so much for the winter cup–I was wishing for a smaller Winter cup to go with my Autumn one and like magic, it is almost ready!
If that had happened to me when I was writing that post, I think I also would have taken it as a sign!! This little seasonal collection of cups is going to be a sweetheart. Just like you Lynn Marie! xoxo
Sometimes I wonder if our government will ever change for the better. So many hands in the till. It’s grievous. Thanks for trying to educate without dividing. There’s enough division as it is. Man, I miss the old days when life was simple!
I love those newly designed mugs and will be getting them when they come out. I use your mugs every day, Susan. I LOVE them, especially the bigger ones. Thanks for all the beauty you create.
LOL! Sometimes I think it was still complicated, but maybe we just didn’t know, had that bliss thing going on! It was nice while it lasted! Thank you Kimberly! xoxoxo
I think you’re right! lol I’m missing that ignorance a little bit. 😛
But as my girlfriend Elizabeth said, ignorance won’t save the world. It was fun while it lasted! xoxo
Brave words, Susan, and aptly spoken. In our province just now, the big news is a new bill being put forth that will restrict campaign contributions even more than they are already restricted. Here in Canada huge contributions such as those in the USA are not allowed, and I’m thankful. I still think far too much money is spent on campaigning and the money could be better spent to improve the infrastructure, encourage small business, better schools and universities, and a host of other things.
Loved the white spaces between your words. So clever!
I hope that Jose heads right out to sea and fizzles into nothing.
I love Canada! 💞
My beautiful daughter is part of a group called WolfPac that are working very hard to try to get the money out of politics. In the last month she has been to Chicago, Nashville, and spoken to a large group here in our home state of Kentucky. If we would support this groups efforts of reaching Senators and congressmen that will stand up and propose this bill we have a chance. But we need to go to work and work together. Thanks for speaking truth.
Thank you for that information. I’ll go look it up, and tell your daughter I said, You go girl! xoxo
I’ve said for most of my adult life that US elections are a huge waste of money. Limit campaigning to six months with a limit on donations and made only by people, not corporations. To campaign for years ahead of an election is crazy, not to mention annoying! I realize that campaigns are big business, but that’s a problem in and of itself. In my opinion, you are right on with your recommendations, Susan! If only we could find a way to actually make it happen!
Stay safe in your cozy house. I’m glad to know you are on high ground.
Hugs and love from Austin……Sarah
OMG, watching that money go down the drain in every election kills me!!! I think of the places and people that could be helped with it! Also makes me wonder, wow, they sure do fight to be Senators. I wonder why. But then I read the other day, during their time in office, they take donations from whoever, it gets piled up in their “war chests” and when they retire, whatever is left in their war chest? Maybe eleven million or something? They get to take that with them. Tidy little law. 😘 And let’s not even talk about their health care!
Honestly it makes me ill to think about it. Such a waste for humanity!!! I didn’t know about the “war chests”. Now I have another reason to dislike politicians!
I like the “twisted sister” comment above. Excellent! And the one who suggested a mug for the 4th of July – YES, please!
Great comments from our Girlfriends Sarah!
Amen Susan 😘
I love your heart, Susan; and I respect how you don’t just take someone else’s word or opinion or media share about important critical issues but do the work to search for the real facts in order to understand what is true and what is not true; and I admire your courage to share with us the convictions that your heart and mind are urging you not to keep to yourself even though you might be attacked by those who disagree. If everyone did that kind of hard work, most really would be in agreement on the issues you have intelligently discussed, whether or not we agreed on other things. Thank you dear friend. I hope hope hope that we do see the time when there is NO MONEY IN POLITICS. And conversations between friends will help to make that happen. Meanwhile, the Girlfriends cup and the Winter cup are both so luv-lee. Majorly hugs to you. xoxoxo
Thank you, as always Christie, you are such a wonderful support. My Girlfriends make me braver. Has always been true in my life, and now more than ever. It helps I don’t have an axe to grind. Just the facts ma’am. xoxoxoxoxo
Such important information! All I can do is clap and then write and speak up, but you are encouraging us to do that and I so appreciate you! Thank you, Susan!
Luckily we roll beneath the radar, otherwise I think they might not like what we’re writing about!
Hi Susan! Thank you for taking the time to open your heart and let the little voice have it’s say. In case any readers want to reach out to their representatives, they can find contact information through http://www.usa.gov/elected-officials. Imagine the impact we could have if each reader wrote to her (or his) senator or representative! We need to encourage each other… and you’re great at that. 🙂
Hope you and the family stay safe and warm. Blessings to you and to all of us.
I should have put that in the Post . . . think I will go back and do that. Thank you Erica. xoxo
Very interesting…..one Presidential candidate received around 11 million from lobbyist for the campaign…the other not very much. Ah….it is a tangled web. Love your new mug designs. Love all the white pictures. Stay safe during the Jose’ episode.
It pretty much doesn’t matter who’s president anymore. They can do nothing as long as corporations control the media and make the laws. xoxo Thank you Deborah!
Amen Amen Amen!!!!! You are spot on about our government, which is becoming more dishonest by the day! There’s more. Besides the lobbyists there is George Soros and his merry band of globalists! You know the saying about the root of all evil, and it’s ringing true!! I yearn for farms, mom and pop stores, respect and love for your neighbors and not being afraid. My grandchildren go to an elementary school that is literally a bunker. Every parent and family member has to fill out paperwork to make sure we are not a threat, and we live in a very affluent part of Dallas!! I pray for things to change. I pray for the people to speak up just like you did, and I pray for Washington to be brought to their knees and start over!! ❤️
Your prayer is my prayer. xoxoxo
Poor kids and parents. This just keeps getting crazier every year!
Old Soros is sticking his nose and money here in Wisconsin now.
Wonderful post, Susan. I didn’t find out about lobbyists from Perot. I’ve known about them for a long, long time. Partly because my husband was one in the eighties (loved, loved, loved living in DC then). He lobbied for the arts and the handicapped (one client I recall was the National Head Injury Foundation). So, as you said, not all lobbyists are bad guys. But there are lots of bad characters flitting around the halls of congress, that’s for sure. We left DC in the early nineties and moved back to the midwest to raise our children near family. My husband still travels regularly to DC, lobbying and doing business on behalf of the organization he runs which deals with fresh water technology companies, another important thing we couldn’t live without. You’re so right about needing to get money out of lawmaking but I doubt that will ever happen. Our friend (and former neighbor) Russ Feingold tried (with John McCain). They gave it a good shot. But as long as corporations run this country, their money will keep talking louder than the rest of us in Washington, unfortunately.
Yes, some lobbyists work for the people, thank God for them. Give your husband a kiss from us, it must be hard to see it all in person. Maybe all this political interest, even the vitriol, will make people more curious about how it all really works. I remember Russ Feingold, but I forget what they were trying to do…I knew it was good though. Have to look that up! Google helps too. Thank you Kay. Keep the faith. xoxoxo
Thanks, Susan. A funny story from hubs’ time as a lobbyist: he had a witness come in to testify in front of a congressional committee on behalf of the arts (PBS, in particular). He spent time pre-hearing sitting in the hearing room, coaching his witness. Then, after he got up to go talk to a congressional aide, the aide asked why he was “wasting” his time with a “congressional page.” The witness, my husband explained to the aide, wasn’t a page. He was creator of a documentary airing on PBS at the time about the Civil War and his name was Ken Burns. Ken is still pretty youthful looking 🙂
Ha ha, very cute, yes Ken Burns is so boyish looking, and so talented!
I agree with you on the fresh water. We have issues here in WI. If you want to see something scary go to great lakes.org, and that doesn’t include the ground water issues.
I know McCain was working on campaign reform limiting donations, but when will they vote term limits for themselves?! I don’t know what Russ was trying to do there, but I have never cared for him from long ago. He may be a good neighbor.
A few men just rub me the wrong way and Mr. Feingold is one of them.
I’m afraid that all we’d get with term limits is people with no experience going into the shark tank. Change, despite what we think, is going to have to come from within. The more experienced the legislator, the more chance he will have to bend arms of his friends, slide sneakily around the powers that be, and do something. They have to know what they are doing, they have to know where the bodies are buried. Those are the people who need to be harangued by us.
Margot, it was called the McCain-Feingold Act, a bipartisan effort to get rid of soft money in campaigns and limit hard money contributions. It also placed limits corporations’ contributions of ads and money. Unfortunately, the 2010 Supreme Court “Citizens United” travesty struck down most of McCain-Feingold.
You can read about it HERE . . . 😘
I was just thinking that presidents and governors have term limits, so why should a senator or congressman go in at 30 and stay until 80? I do understand what McCain was trying to do, and it is a shame it didn’t pass especially about the annoying ads. If more folks did their homework and check the voting records, etc. of their states senators and congressmen, not listen to the ads, watch the debates, meet the ones in office or the ones going in we would be better voters. If the ones who stay home come out to vote it may help too. So we would have to get on our experienced legislators. Also, it is a shame that a bill that would do good gets some garbage attached to it and may or may not pass because of that which would be attached.
This is what Susan is saying, educate yourself and give them a piece of your mind, and don’t forget to vote. 😘 Back to you two.
Because we really do need experience and connectivity in our government. Some of those strong relationships between Republican and Democrat legislators have brought us to a better place. We want the good ones on both sides to stay. If we got the money out of government, they would all have to vote on our behalf, not in support of the corporations or big money that work only for themselves. Then we could easily see the good guys and the bad guys, and vote them out. You’re so right, checking voting records would be wonderful, but they don’t make it easy, and then you would have to have a full understanding of everything they are voting on to understand it. In other words, as you said, there can be a perfectly wonderful bill that everyone would automatically assume is totally passable. But if it has, as you say, “garbage” attached, something that taxes us more, makes a big govt giveaway, or even worse, your congressman might vote against it, and from that moment on, his opponent will yell and scream that your congressman didn’t vote for that very good thing. When I see someone I really like vote against a bill that I think sounds wonderful, I check further to see why. But we don’t all have time. We should be able to depend on these folks. Make them work for OUR vote.
I agree with your lovely answer. And you are right about them not making their voting records easy to find!
I knew what you were going to write about as soon as I read “4th branch”–Lobbyists! My husband knows a thing or two about lobbyists having worked in the DC area calling on lawyer firms many of which are lobbyists. He says the lobbying that goes on in state governments is even worse. And did you know that former congresspeople have access to the floor of Congress for life after they leave office? They can walk in and lobby for whatever they want. I asked my husband what can we do about it? He says France has instituted the following (he gleaned this from Deutsche Welle, the equivalent of PBS in Germany:
“France’s electoral code imposes constraints not only on the total costs but also on who donates to the candidates. An individual is permitted to give out a maximum of 7,500 euros a year to a party, and a maximum of 4,600 euros to a presidential campaign.
Corporate firms and other legal entities – with the exception of political parties and movements – are prohibited from financing the candidates. The rule is intended to prevent them from gaining unjust political influence as well as to ensure equality of opportunity.
The contestants first have to submit their finances to the scrutiny of the National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing.
After the election, the French state reimburses the candidates who won at least 5 percent of the votes half of their campaign costs. This allows people to enter the contest without the fear of being saddled with debts in the aftermath.
Elections are held on Sundays. The campaigns end at midnight the Friday before the election; then, on election Sunday, by law, no polls can be published, no electoral publication and broadcasts can be made. The voting stations open at 8 am and close at 6 pm in small towns or at 8 pm in cities, depending on prefectoral decisions. By law, publication of results or estimates is prohibited prior to that time;”
So, you are right to raise the consciousness of people in this country because something CAN be done about our broken democracy.
P.S. Loved your white pictures–especially the Westies! And the Winter cup and Tea Party cup are perfect.
American lobbyists would hate all of that! They want us to vote on Tuesday instead of the weekend because they know it stops working people with children from voting. Even if you take just one teeny bit like that, add it all up, you have your basic governmental nightmare. I love the Westies photo! Found those two on a walk in England. Put a song in my heart despite subject!
Wow, Susan, that’s some heavy stuff! But thank you for writing the words, hard to read, much to digest, but all true. It makes me want to take names and kick a**! In a polite, Steel Magnolia HOW DARE YOU kind of way…
Now, those darling new cups…thrilled to see a Winter to go with my Autumn! Hopefully Spring and Summer will be in our future 🙂 Y’all be safe hope the weather from Jose isn’t too bad
Yes, it does bring out the Steel Magnolia in us doesn’t it!!! LOL, how dare you! xoxo
~Susan~
An elderly man once said to me, he sure is glad he is on the down side of life, what is this country going to be like in the years to come??!! What can we do to make a difference? people have become so much about themselves, and wanting deeper pockets! I pray everyday for the people of this country, we are truly one nation under God ! We need to get back to faith, hope & love. I feel there truly is kindness in so very many people, we just need to let our light shine!
I have been thinking of you and the storms coming, when I was only just there and how beautiful the weather was !!
Love the new mugs !!!
Take care , be Safe !!
oxoxPaula
In
Thank you Paula! xoxoxo
2 words…THANK YOU!
Oh, and what is that gorgeous white cake with the river of white love flowing down on it? 🙂
That’s Hot Milk Cake . . .with Vanilla Sauce …. YUM!
Thank you, again!
Yum, yum! Too lazy to bake this week. Changing over to Autumn comfort meals, baking to follow! 😉
I loved this post, Susan. I have been so down in the dumps since the election and I refuse to acknowledge that he is my president. I’m tired of my 12 year old daughter worrying about nuclear war and North Korea.
Thank goodness for fall coming, afternoon tea, and beautiful flowers. Those are things that make me happy.
About to take my oldest daughter off to her freshman year of college (UC Davis) so she can start a new adventure in her life. I’m excited for her and proud that she is an independent, strong, kind, woman.
-Kathleen Morearty
I know how your 12-year-old feels, many my age do. I had a teacher that told us World War III could start anytime, I was in the fourth grade, and I’ve pretty much not been able to sleep since! 😜 Sometimes I think these people think its some sort of game with our youngest people as fodder. Blessings on you Kathleen, and congratulations on your daughter!!! XOXOXOXO
Well done and well said Susan. Im glad your little voice took over. (Nevertheless it persisted 🙂 )I agree completely, the money must come out. Thank you for speaking up and reminding us what we’ve known for a long time and giving us the impetus to make our own voices heard. Keep cosy! It’s raining here on Cape; I took the patio umbrella down just in time!
Waking up to a fairly quiet morning here so far. Praying for everyone in the path of Maria. xoxo
Don’t let this and far darker levels of it hurt your health(s), it takes a while to “digest” it all put it into perspective. I have found that there isn’t any total understanding of it all.
Savor what you have.
Bliss out.
Its the “small things” in life that make a difference.
I never quite fully understood any of the above till lately. The fresh brewed London Cuppa with honey/Vermont maple syrup granules, sitting on the back steps watching the birds enjoy the bird bath, sunshine splattering rainbows thrown thru cut glass tumblers on the kitchen windowsill, dancing leaf shadows, pink/orange sunsets that smell like high tide salty goodness, the soft low purr of a content kitty with tucked up feet, a husband sleeping blissfully upstairs, the true depth of peace in a snug home.
Meanwhile, remember you and yours are well loved and appreciated!
The small things are what keep us sane! 😘
To thine own self be true… there is enough “cheap knocks offs” in this world- you aint one of them, its your blog. There is a reason YOU have this many followers/successful business/etc’s.
!You go Girl!
besos del gato gordo!
Amen, Susan! I read every single word and truly admired that you could get all of this information down for all of us to read and think about. I opened my email, hit “forward”, and sent information to friends and family so they can read your column. I think people usually think, “I’m just one person and can’t make much difference.”, but just think how many people you have reached today, besides all of us girlfriends, who might start making a difference after reading your article! Thank you so much for caring. – – – I feel like I have spent the last month praying every day for all the people in the islands, Florida, and Houston, plus surrounding states going through the terrible hurricanes and now Mexico with a terrible earthquake today. Some days it’s really hard to keep a positive attitude – – smiling on the outside with tears in my heart. I’m so glad you are prepared for the storm coming through. Lots of prayers tonight for you, Joe, and Jack Stay safe. Ruthie in Minnesota
It is hard. So we go to our kitchens, and make something wonderful, like our mothers and all our mothers that came before, as from the beginning of time, and bring a tiny bit of control back into our lives. Prayers for us all Ruthie, thank you. xoxo
Susan, thank you for always being honest and sharing your true self with us girls. We have to say what we feel and stand up for what we believe. It does the world no good to hold it inside
Hugs
Laura
We are all more than one thing … women have so many facets. Have to feed them all, for creative joy. xoxoxo
My hubby and I were all for Ross Perot back then too. Still have the political button! Don’t even get my husband started on “subsidies”! Our daughter works for doctors office and they get wined and dined at fancie-schmancie restaurants by those pharmaceutical reps big time….sometimes the restaurant tab is in the thousands! They are allotted huge expense accounts. That is another reason medications are so expensive and health insurance is insane! We are just ordinary people, trying to keep a roof over our heads, put food on our tables and have a vehicle to get us from point A to B which is usually to and from work. No extras for us anymore. My husband is 62 and was moved from the job he had for 31 years to a harder more physically demanding job away from all his co-workers at the newly built new location back to the “old” location. He has been an auto mechanic all of his life and this is how he is treated, no pay increase or any perks. So much is wrong with the government in this country, we cannot even begin to imagine!
Thank you Susan for putting this into your words. We all need to be aware!
Sell sell sell, even if we don’t need it. When you think of the trillion dollars that come in from our tax money every year, you can see how many of them think they should have some of it. One sees one do it, then he wants to do it too, and pretty soon there’s a line around the block of people with their hands out for stolen money. Thank you for your story Candice. xoxo
So true Susan! My husband says the auto companies pay unsuspecting people and companies like JD Power, because Chevrolet has received all these supposed “awards” for best quality blah, blah, blah. I am sure you have seen these commercials. It makes my husband so angry, because he repairs these so called American made quality vehicles, what a joke! He calls them all pieces of crap. The reason is because all the parts come from china, all of the companies that make the parts for these so called American cars have out-sourced the jobs to China, Japan and Mexico. Cheap labor, cheap product! We see this everyday, nothing lasts anymore, everything is disposable and replaceable and we all know that the American people are paying the price!
It is all comes down to greed and the top dog’s are lining their pockets because we are sure not lining our own!
huffingtonpost.com/entry/chevy-commercial-real-people_us_5924785ee4b094cdba58376a
Stay safe and cozy on MV! Will be thinking of you! xoxo
Remember this quote? “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”.
Yes, they want us to keep buying, throw it out and buy again. That’s why they never talk about population explosion any more. They want new customers!!! Its just crazy out there! Think about that swirling pile of trash out in the Pacific the size of Connecticut. Lordy. Remember how hard the auto industry fought seatbelts in cars? Good things DO happen, but it takes a village.
I’ve been thinking about you, Joe and Jack, and your lovely garden and house and checking your Twitter everyday. I was concerned that you might be ill since you had been so quiet, now I know you were wrestling with that voice in your head. I believe that the state of things in our society are making me a little ill, not sick and tired ill, but feeling unease and not as able to appreciate the beauty and love of the world. So, I appreciate that you wrestled and finally came to the conclusion that to speak was the best thing to do to protect the very thing we all love about your books and blog: the joy of beauty and making a connection with it. Thank you for being courageous and speaking out, even if a few are against ‘politics’ how can anyone be against love and beauty? If you are, you are against yourself, I believe. You have turned over your soul to someone else to make money with your very existence.
We’ve been getting robo calls telling us to call the IRS immediately, that if we don’t appear at a Grand Jury and call this number to confirm it we will be prosecuted. Now I know that these are scams that prey on those over 65, but I really think we should not have to pay for them on our phones, we should be protected by the companies who we pay money to for the service. We have disconnected our answering machine for the time being, but should we have to? Who is watching out for us? Not the corporation that is providing the service.
Dear Susan keep up the good work and the pursuit of happiness and let us come along.
You are so intuitive, Jeanne, it was a true wrestling match, for several days. Then I asked my girlfriend Elizabeth what she thought and she said, “Playing it safe won’t change the world.” And that sort of did it for me. Maybe hard to see, but that post was all about hope. Robo calls, and now all our information stolen from unregulated Equifax. I have called for days, can get no one to help me. Called my bank for advice. She said, don’t give up, and that they (my bank) have put in extra protections. But we citizens never gave out our private information, it was the system that takes it, does anything it wants with it, and we have no control. I read the other day that Congress was just about to pass a law protecting credit bureaus even further … by capping how much they would have to pay out if they did something wrong, and that the congress people who wrote that law had accepted money from Equifax. It really has to stop. Quietly, from within.
Susan, I have known this for a long time and I thank you for getting it out there to so many more people! Your “girlfriends” can do amazing things, given the knowledge and the chance.
Now, let’s go get ’em!!!!!!!!
Yup, let’s go!
Dearest Susan,
I’m sorry this is completely off subject, but I need your help. I am trying to find a passage from Fairy Tale Girl, or Isle of Dreams. It’s when you talk about not just a relationship ending, but having to say goodbye to your dreams of the future. For the life of me I can’t find it.
I wish I could remember it better, but if you recognize what I am trying to describe or remember what part of what book it is in, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you so much.
Is the one you’re thinking of the passage on page 99 of Isle of Dreams?
Oh Susan, I ADORE you & all the joy & peace you bring into our home & the world, & this is icing on the cake. Thank you for sharing from your heart. I am a former Hospice Consultant, now incredibly blessed to stay home & raise my child & practice the domestic arts 🙂 The changes I saw the last years of my career were heartbreaking & our healthcare system will only continue to worse unless those lining their own pockets are stopped. It is the absolute, terrible truth. Continuing to pray for our country & leadership, & also praying for you & yours as well as all those enduring these hurricanes!
I love how you said, “incredibly blessed to stay home and raise your child and practice the domestic arts.” You are a lucky girl, that is a blessing not only for you but for your family, most creative job in the world.
Amen……just Amen!!!
THANK YOU for writing this straightforward essay on American politics and our government and the premise of a 4th branch is very true. I admire your courage and intellect for stating the issues clearly so all can understand what is at stake. WE the people really are the gate keepers and yet we keep being treated as the underlings. Not that important to this monster that is our government. I hope we can effect changes sooner than later. Take care from Iowa
Hello to Iowa . . . was just talking about my mom and grandma being born there and how lucky I feel to have known them with their strong courageous and quiet hearts. What a gift. Yes, we the people are the gatekeepers. xoxo
Hooray for women who speak up!
xoxo Mimi!
Dear Susan,
I used to enjoy relaxing and reading your blog with all your great decorating, gardening, cooking and baking ideas but not so much anymore. You have become too political for me even though you claim you are not. There is so much bad news surrounding us you used to be like a ray of sunshine with all your cheery news.. I miss that.
Your mugs are beautiful but I wonder why you aren’t able to manufacture them in the USA.
FYI I live in central Florida and made it through Hurricane Irma and never want to experience that again!! Hope you stay clear of Hurricane Jose’s path of destruction.
Signed, Another Susan
I tried to get mugs made here first, but no one makes them … even the American companies that are still in business have their things made in the Czech Republic, or China, or Korea or somewhere, but not here ~ and those are thick or cheap ceramic. I’m so sorry you don’t feel the ray of sunshine that I feel in my heart no matter what the subject. But we’ll be back to “normal” on the next post . . . our hurricane seems to have petered out, fairly quiet right now at 5 am, this has been a bad year. I’m waiting for 6 am news to find out how Puerto Rico is fairing. Prayers for them, and for Mexico City.
I was looking for a post from you to see how you are weathering the storm. So many thoughts are flipping through my head as I read your words of truth.I will have to reread…but I have always believed anything we do is undermined by what goes on in the back rooms of Washington, DC. Namely, the lobbyists of whom you speak, who are in control. But what to me is even more maddening is the media who have such spin techniques to give us misinformation on a daily basis. Here we have the most caring forms of human nature in the people who rescued and helped in every way, the people of Houston and Florida…who jumped in without any hesitation showing compassion and caring and love. I believe those people are all over our country and they are the true Americans while the leaders of our nation…unreal the lack of scruples. Well, okay…haven’t solved a thing but am glad you have brought this up in an intelligent and informative way. I trust you and your information and ideas. That is a big DEAL! Have a safe and secure next couple of days.
The citizens of this country are wonderful, me too, watching the heroes jump in and make a difference put tears in my eyes. That long line of cars with boats on the back, driving to Houston! Amazing. But that’s how we are!
Love and agree with this post 💕💕these are tough times!
But on another topic, have you ever considered designing a ceramic to-go cup?? Five days a week I have my coffee on the go and would love to take you with me 😍
If I found a company where I could get them made affordably, and preferably in America, I’d love to! xoxo
Dear Susan,
SO GLAD YOU SPOKE UP! My husband and I talk about this a LOT! I LOVE to VOTE, love it,….just like you love kitties, maybe more…I would give my life to vote. YES, money out of politics..it seems so obvious when you first hear it. KEEP SPEAKING UP! UP! UP!….it brings comfort into my home and my heart to know someone else now has the bug in their ear.
Us too. We wear the little “I voted” sticker on our coats until they curl up and fall up! I have several in my diaries. But we keep voting for good people, forgetting that they are directed by a system we DON’T vote for. I do not understand how they managed to take over our government, but they have. Love to you and yours Dixie. xoxo
I voted for Ross Perot. People thought I was a nut but I knew he spoke truth. Still fighting for it, still waiting…
They demonized him, he scared them so much. They do that to anyone who speaks the truth. And in those days it was much harder to fight back. Jimmy Kimmel is speaking the truth right now, but no one can demonize him! (Although I have no doubt they will try!)
Bravo!!
Oh, Susan, this was my favorite post of yours ever! I have been blessed with a forty year marriage, six children, and thirteen grandchildren. I have a couple of acres in the country with a dog, cat, rabbit and thirteen chickens. For a long time I was able to ignore what else was going on in our world that I felt I had no control over. I experienced the pros and cons of socialized medicine during our years living abroad in Tuscany and Greece. And then one day my eyes were opened. Our sixth child, a son who joined our family through the miracle of adoption, experienced mental health struggles. Depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts. I learned about big pharmaceutical companies which won’t spend the money on drug research on adolescent males. My husband and I have now sat with him twice, for two days, on a gurney in the hospital hallway because there was not one available bed for an adolescent male in the entire state of Alabama. Where is the outcry? We just paid a large sum of money for an experimental treatment which was nothing short of a miracle, and yet it was not covered by insurance, because it is generic, and the drug companies would not recoup their money for the required long term testing. I don’t have all the answers, but I do know, the lobbying must stop. Money can not be the bottom line. People, and our love for them, need to matter more than anything else. Praying blessings for you and Joe as you hold down the fort, and prayers for our nation that young boys, and sweet elderly folk, and scared singles struggling to make a living can one day find themselves living in a world that cares for their needs, which will allow them then, to care for others. It could be a beautiful reality.
Thank you for your story Kimberly. One by one, they simply can’t hear us. But together, we can make a change. I’m not trying to start a movement or anything, only hoping with all my heart that as we know better, we can do better. I have a vision of a country where there is enough for everyone. I see the abundance of this earth and I know it can be true.
Susan, I agree with every word you said. But how and what can we the people do to get rid of the lobbyists and/or limit their power? They literally seem to buy the power in government in my view. It has been going on for so long and gotten so big how can it be stopped? The drug companies and their tricks really sicken me. They have the drugs to help so many people. But the ones who really need them can’t get them because of price. How can they live with themselves? What on earth can be done to turn this situation around? It is truly an ethical,and moral dilemma . Thank you for having the courage to bring this into the light. Also thank you for the beauty and light you put into this post too. To me that signals hope for us also.
Mary Jane
I think that if we pressure our senators and congress people, if we make a big enough deal out of it, they will have to vote money out. We the people will have to pay for elections, but it will be a drop in the bucket compared to all of these subsidies (and who knows what else) we are paying out now. But first off, people have to know how it works. I don’t think most do. You so rarely hear the long explanation in the media. I think they think we already know, but how could we? Who teaches it? I had no idea! That phrase I hear all the time, “It’s just business” sets my hair on fire. It’s indecent. xoxo
Thank you for writing this. I remember Ross Perot, and I voted for him despite the strong political stance that the rest of my family had.
Although I might differ with you about term limits (I think it would be a bigger step for good than just a bandaid), I agree that the money that exchanges hands between corporations and Congress has to stop. Overturning “Citizens United” would go a long way in accomplishing this. Citizens United grants corporations the same rights of entity as a person has, enabling companies to make large cash “grants” (some might call it investments). If you have time and interest, please look it up.
I so agree. But Citizens United is fairly new, adding bad on top of bad, but before that, it was still bad. That whole system needs to go.
dear Susan,
Thank you beyond beyond for the topic of your blog~I share your feelings and I, too, am concerned about our current government. What keeps running through my mind is ‘oh what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive,’ and deception is exactly what we Americans are faced with. That being said, the truth will prevail and all of us who believe in light overcoming darkness speak loudly and clearly; my mantra has been persist, resist, speak out and be strong. I applaud your courage to present this blog to the world. You are brave, you are smart and you care. Be safe in your fortress filled with candles, yummy food, wood, matches, Joe and that sweet kitty. Hugs.
You know, there’s been such an angry backlash to politics lately, turning so many of us off. But, it’s also done a good thing, people who’ve never spoken up are doing so lately, softly, connecting in a different way, trying to find answers. That’s what government should be, problem solving, working together for the best country, world, we can be. Thank you so much Lynn. It’s a little after 5 am, all we have so far is a bit of shutter rattling. It’s cool outside . . . not light yet. I’ll keep in touch!
Yep……follow the money. Sadly, that’s how decisions on our future are made. I love how politicians claim they cant be “bought”, Ha! Anyway, be safe, we just had our own close call on the east coast of Fl. with Irma. Looks like we’ll dodge another bullet with Maria.
Yes, as if when a candidate pays for his own election, that means he’s independent. Just does not work that way! Every vote he makes is tainted or influenced by the powers that be, corporations and money. We’re hearing that Jose (fairly benign) will be the thing that turns Maria away from our shores. Odd, one hurricane is good and saves us from a really bad one!
Thank you , Susan, for courage to speak truth! Such a breath of fresh, rejuvenating air!
😘
AMEN!
Jimmy Carter and his organization The Carter Center has been invited to oversee elections world wide. Their one rule guiding where they will go is if ALL candidates have equal access to the mass media so all are on equal footing. Sadly, for far too long, money has bought our elections, whether in the horrid term “war chests”, through back room manipulations, through lobbyists, or whatever. It is a shame and our great grandparents wouldn’t have put up with this and The Carter Center won’t oversee our elections.
Bring back civics in ALL schools so people will know how their government is supposed to work, checks and balances, and all that shoule keep greed in check. Oh, and those regulations, too, many of which were put in place after the Crash of 1929, to keep that from happening again. Why? Unchecked, greed abounds.
Just today I read in a wonderful book titled Simple Abundance, that greed is ambition that’s gone over to the Dark Side. Remember Granny Wendy’s words in the Peter Pan movie with Robin Williams? “Oh, Peter! You’ve become a pirate.” The greedy won’t willingly end their gravy train.
Vote!!!! We have the power to stop this if we VOTE – each and every single one of us in every single election.
Meanwhile, I’m a quilter, bringing peace and beauty into the world with fabrics, time, and imagination.
That’s so good Barbara Anne, we do our part to add beauty and support to our world and don’t put our heads in a hole no matter how they frustrate us, that would make them SOOOOO happy. Not going to do it! xoxo
Bravo and amen, Susan! Thank you for listening to that voice and for shining a light on the biggest problem in our politics. Each new campaign seems to last longer and cost more than the last, and half the time we don’t even know who the donors really are. Thank you, too, for always standing up for science. I loved your comment above that the planet is our gift to protect. It must be confusing and frustrating to climate scientists when people in power try to silence them or dispute what they know to be fact. Once again, I guess it’s follow the money. BTW, both new cups are just darling, and as I keep saying, I am in love with that little Courage vase. Eek! So much to love!
When you see all the money being thrown around in a party-like and wasteful way, it’s very hard to watch a bridge fall down or budgets cut for health care. Still working on the courage vase, I heard from them yesterday, they are working on better color on these things. Want it to be good! xoxo
Oh yes, we can always count on your creations to be excellent quality! I am willing to wait, especially since you give us previews, and in that way something wonderful to look forward to! The anticipation is delicious! Have you heard of the book Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat Zinn? The gist of it is that we need to fully live every moment of life in all its aspects (meditation comes in here), and I think that’s what you are doing with your posts. It is not political to state facts, and we need to pay attention because We the People are the ones who always pay the price!❤️
We are! That is the bottom line! I have to look for that book, Rosanne, lately, just from the title, I think the whole earth might be living it!
Truth to power – you go girl. Loved all you had to say with breaks for something lovely. Wish our “leaders” would practice something similar, especially the truth part. Thankfully you are free to publish your thoughts via the blog. There are those who wish you couldn’t, I’m sure 🙁
I’ve been quite down in the dumps the past few days being riveted to the Ken
Burns new Viet Nam documentary. So your blog is much appreciated. My youngest child was born in 1965 at the height of that ugliness. I was born in 1934 when Herr Hitler was starting to spout off. I’m pretty sure the situation one is born into seeps into the consciousness from the get go. I WORRY
so much about what toddlers now are making of what they see and hear . . . So much to ponder when you get older.
I’m going to light up my Virgin of Guadalupe candle por los Mexicanos. Maldito terremoto . I’m not religious in any kind of formal way, I just need some kind of ritual to perform. We finally are having some decent rain here in Seattle after a summer to remember with months of sun and “heat”. Love you Susan.
Love you back Sylvia. Ken Burns is a bit of a miracle isn’t he. We need what he does. But it hurts sometimes. So happy to hear about your rain! xoxoxo
Sylvia and Susan! Yes! Rain in Seattle….clears the air, we can breath again….and we can focus on sending our love and help to our fellow brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico and Mexico….and actually, everywhere….
Regina from Seattle
My prayers join yours Regina!
Hi Regina 🙂
Good morning from England Susan 🙂
Can you hear our hands clapping and the cheering coming from hill and dale? a large crowd has gathered and a fella just threw his flat cap in the air as a lady at the back shouted ‘Spoken like a true Yorkshire woman!!’ you may be wondering what’s going on? well this happens every time a Yorkshire woman uses her ‘Yorkshire Grit’ …… it’s name comes from a Pennine sandstone that we used for centuries to grind our corn. our towns and villages were raised up and built in sunshine and rain using gritstone, homes and roads and viaducts that carry trains as they whistle and choo choo! through the English countryside. Yorkshire Grit is the hardness and strength of Yorkshire folk who won’t be ground down like their corn, they speak up and stand together when employers are hard or against injustice. your ancestors were calling you, speak up! speak up! you can take the girl out of Yorkshire but you can’t take Yorkshire out of the girl 😉 .
Now ‘Grit’ is like a trusty old kitchen knife, it needs to be taken out of the drawer and sharpened now and again to keep things running smooth in the kitchen….. now yours is sharp keep chopping! girlfriends can feed the world with love!
sending prayer and holding good thoughts that all will be well, have a lovely day xxx
You make me so proud! Buttons popping on this Yorkshire woman! xoxo
I loved this post from Yorkshire!
Krissie is a bit of a faery if I may say so . . . or leprechaun, or Yorkshire elf? xoxo She knows better, what are you Krissie?
Indeed I am a bit of a Yorkshire Folklore Faery, far too tall for a leprechaun or an elf although both are friendly and often come for tea 😉 xxx
LOL, you are wonderful. I can’t wait to meet you next year!
Me, too!
Thank you Vicki, wishing you a lovely day x
Thank you Rosemary, wishing you a lovely day from Yorkshire x
Little brass buttons just like Peter Rabbits x
Thank you for this very thoughtful blog! I am a nurse who is fighting to tell the public that if we vote out ACA we are in trouble. My belief is we need Medicare for all. Until we get big business oot of healthcare we will continue to end up #11 in the world when compared to countries who are as rich as the USA. The sad part is that, not only are we #11 our outcomes for healthcare are poor.
We pay a lot of money so that doctors and nurses spend time chasing down insurance companies to see if they will pay for ( blood test,scans etc..) a waste of time for medical professionals who want to spend time taking care of your loved ones!
Sorry I will get off of my soap box now!!
Thank you for a great blog !
I completely understand. A huge healthcare bill for this country, the highest in the world, and someone is getting all that money, but I don’t think it’s our nurses and I don’t think it’s us! Thank you Anita!
A reply to you Anita and Susan…my daughter works for JohnHopkins All Children’s Hospital. She is on a Specialist Team and just had her evaluation getting top scores and made a suggestion her Director said she will see to have implemented hospital-wide it was so good. They gave her a thank you and a 24 cent an hour raise. And they work her on twelve hour shifts permanently. Really. 24 cents. These medical personnel are working with critical children and your on your feet for hours. Sometimes she can’t find time to eat. The hospital across the street just implemented badges that can tell how much time you spend with each patient, where you go and for how long. If they think you spent too much time with a patient, they caution you. Nurses are leaving in droves. A tiny house in the Alaskan outback with a dog sled and trapping skills is looking pretty good these days…that’s all I’m saying. 💁😍
They took away care for the people, they took away the money for decent salaries for our hero doctors and nurses and redistributed it to the insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies (so they can charge $8,000 for a pill). Our friend is a doctor, he works long long hours and gets paid about the same as a telephone install person, after something like 12 years in school. I totally get it. I don’t think our government quite realizes how completely squeezed out of the system the middle class has become . . . and it’s even worse for the poor. I think money out of the system is the only fast-track way to fix this terrible unbalanced mess of a government we have now.
Such a good post, thank you Susan. I don’t have much time to write at the moment but just wanted to say you are in my prayers for safety, as well as anyone and everyone in the path of these storms….and the fires out west….so much going on :'(
Love the new cups!!
Thank you !!!
I am against all the changes to Medicare as well……my youngest has special needs and it’s scary to think of the cuts that some people insist on making. As if things are not hard enough already~! And the prices set by big pharma….Ugh I will stop now.
Cuts for who. Always, who benefits. Insurance companies, pharmaceuticals. They are wearing us out. Stay strong Amylisa. xoxo
Thank you Susan for this post ❤ Stay safe 🐱
WOW…hot topic…put’s my now exhausted political nerves on end. The current atmosphere in our country is sad at the very least. Our children are learning that it’s ok to be disrespectful, rude, pushy, unkind…and it is ok. When you are the strongest in the world, you don’t need to saber rattle and scare the pageebies out of everyone, near and far.
I love the Bette Midler song “From a Distance” and wish we all (the world) could just wake up each morning, start our day with that song, and keep our perspective of what is important….A drop of kindness can fill an ocean.
As for you, dear lady…from your earlyest books and paper Willard’s, you have always printed addresses and phone numbers for Washington contacts, so we could have a voice. You may not know it, but THAT small gesture was empowering way back, from the start…be at peace.
That is the sweetest thing you could say. I started doing calendars and including those phone numbers in 1993, right after I found out about the Lobbyists. But my grandma and mom taught me that sex, religion and politics are three things to keep to myself. It has taken me years to say something out loud. 💕 From a Distance, what a beautiful song, God is Watching Us. Could it be more simple? xoxox