Fighting Party Lines

I am currently taking a political science class that is a simulation of the U.S. Senate. My peers and I are each senators from a different state, and in the class we mimic the legislative process. We have written and studied bills, have gone through committees and mark-up, and are now in sessions of the whole, trying to enact legislation, but one thing keeps standing in the way.
It baffles me the way we let titles stand in the way of negotiation and decency. For thousands of years labels have ruined society. Race, gender, religion, and any other basic beliefs have continued to divide humanity for decades, and even the most brilliant men and women elected to be our representatives and leaders in Washington haven't figured it out. Fighting party lines and the war between Democrats and Republicans is eroding our government from the inside out.
Now I realize that our representatives are not the only ones to blame, for it is the entire democratic process that has begun to fester. Voters continually vote for extremists, and moderates who actually work bipartisan lines in congress fail to gain reelection, so there is obviously a reinforcement pattern happening, however, at the same time nothing ever gets done.
I myself would only become a politician to make a change in the world. While politics is a career for many, I also think that it should be a sacrifice, and should not be obtained for selfish reasons. The individuals who run our country should do whatever it takes to make our country the best, even if that means risking their political career for the common good. What good is a government that paralyzes itself?
So now I bring you back to my political science class. I was a committee chair, for the Human Resources committee specifically, and I fought to maintain bipartisan legislation and to come to moderate conclusions. My committee made a very excellent health care bill that could satisfy both parties, and would be a good solution for the American people.
Last week we started sessions of the whole, and each minority leader of each committee is allowed to place a hold on a bill, which basically sends it in to limbo, where it can not be touched and basically dies. Well, lo and behold the ranking minority leader in my committee places her hold, at the command of the Republican party leader, on our health care bill. I am so upset. The only reason they have placed the hold is because they want to upset the Democratic party. I find it asinine!
A. Why can't the minority think for herself? Why are we always listening and obeying authority?
B. Fighting party lines is getting nothing done. I ran an amiable committee who cooperated and we got something accomplished. Now that we have a chance to do something good we are going to bicker over simple party policy?
C. Why do we have to fight? I do not understand. I am a Democrat, yes, but I also realize that the majority of Americans are moderate and that policy that comes from both parties needs to be passed.
The most awful part of this simulation is that it is accurate. This is how the real congress works, and the only way anything ever gets passed is through manipulation and careless spending by pork barreling. How is it that the most brilliant men and women, smart enough to get elected, spend their days in the white house bickering like 5 year olds? It baffles me.
Grow up, share, compromise, and get something done. Please, I am tired of living in a country with so much unachieved potential.
So he is red and you are blue, lets mix it up and add some purple to this country.

My Memory

I had something really good to write on, I swear! My memory is absolutely ridiculous, and I am afraid that I have become a senile old bat 60 years too soon. I don't get it, I do what doctors say to strengthen your memory, like doing crossword puzzles. I do the New York Times crossword twice a week (Monday and Tuesday, because lets face it, after that you have to be an uber word genius!) and I read at least one book a week, if not two, so what gives?
I blame genetics. My mother has a terrible memory. My sisters and I would listen to her tell her friends stories and shake our heads in retort, because she was not giving an accurate account and had mixed up all her details.
To make matters worse, my mom says she blames child birth for her memory loss, saying that for each birth she lost half of her brain cells.
Am I doomed to this existence, is there no way to survive without making countless lists to remind myself of the multiple tasks I have to accomplish during the day?
I say screw memory, who needs it, I don't want to remember what happened yesterday. Who wants to remember their childhood? What idiot would want to be able to remember what someones name was? Forgetting someones name after you have sat by them for four months, thats so trendy right now! Bad memories are in, didn't you get the memo? Wait....maybe I forgot I made that up.

My "thing"

Everyone has their thing. Mine is cutting my hair.
Whenever I feel like I need a new phase in my life, I chop off some hair. It is my way of forgetting the past, it signifies a rebirth in a way, a new phase of me.
Today I cut 8 inches off of my hair. Drastic, yes, but I think it reflects the drastic changes I am making in my life. I need to move on, let my ghosts go, and allow the reinvention to begin. I want to be able to leap into an entirely new experience, but I need to allow myself to change. Giving in to a dramatic haircut takes guts. Once I can work up the courage to trust in a new look, I know that I can sum up the courage to make other, more important, changes.
So, a new look, a new me. It's my thing, it's how I begin to prepare to deal with my many, MANY, issues.
(really cute picture, I know, I am a goof.)