Barack you rock
I’m not going to rhyme
That’s the last damn time
I didn’t see you clear
Not at first
For too long
Corporate greed
The system
Eating everything
Our habitat
Imperiled
By our mindless
Industrial
Economic
Machine
Edwards was my guy
The illness that we have struggled with since the election of Ronald Reagan in 1981 has been eliminated. We are like a people who have collectively been afflicted with a slow growing cancer that almost killed us during the Bush presidency. Last night we got the CT scan and lab work back and our doctor told us we are cancer free. The chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, was successful and we are ready to begin our recovery. The disease we have suffered is the notion that we stand separate, that each of us is only an individual, not a part of a whole, but alone, afraid, fighting against each other for a larger part of a meal that has no flavor, or nutritional value, no heart, no soul.
Weakened, but grateful for a new chance at life, we have a new day. Our task will be to rebuild our strength while moving with a new purpose.
| Year | Politics | War – Military Spending | Civil and Women’s Rights, the Environmental Movement | Income tax rate low-top | Race % white-black | Rural v. Urban | Radio-TV-PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | H Hoover R Great Depression begins House; R+106 | 1%-24% | 44%-56% | ||||
| 1933 | F Roosevelt D House; R+2 | 4%-63% | 42%-58% | 65% - 0% | |||
| 1935 | F Roosevelt D House; D+196 Social Security | Birth control information no longer legally classified as obscene | 4%-63% | 41%-59% | 66% - 0% | ||
| 1939 | F Roosevelt D House; D+246 Great Depression ends | Start WWII | 4%-79% | 40%-60% | |||
| 1944 | F Roosevelt D Brenton Woods Agreement | 23%-91% | 38%-62% | 84% - 0% | |||
| 1945 | FDR D, Truman D House; D+51 | Atom bomb 2 Japanese cities End WWII Death toll; Military 25 mil Civilian 47 mil Spending 963 | 23%-91% | 37%-63% | 84% - .5% | ||
| 1950 - 1953 | Truman D House; D+36 | Korean war Spending 437 | 20%-91% | 89%-11% | 33%-67% | 94% - 45% | |
| 1954 | Eisenhower R Senate; R+1 House: R+8 | 402 | SCOTUS in Brown v. Board of Education rule that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional, separate but equal rational shot down | 20%-91% | 89%-11% | 33%-67% | 94%-56% |
| 1955 | Eisenhower R Senate; R+1 House: R+8 | 345 | Emmett Till murdered. Rosa Parks won’t give up her buss seat | 20%-91% | 89%-11% | 33%-67% | 94% - 65% |
| 1956 | Eisenhower R Senate; D+1 House: D+29 | 320 | 20%-91% | 89%-11% | 32%-68% | 94% - 72% | |
| 1957 | Eisenhower R Senate; D+2 House: D+29, D+33 | 322 | SCLC founded by King, Steele, Shuttlesworth Little Rock 9, school integration in Arkansas | 20%-91% | 89%-11% | 32%-68% | 94% - 79% |
| 1958 | Eisenhower R Senate; D+2 House: D+33 | 317 | 20%-91% | 89%-11% | 32%-68% | 94% - 83% | |
| 1959 | Eisenhower R Senate; D+1, D+30 House: D+33, D+130 | 306 | 20%-91% | 89%-11% | 31%-69% | 94% - 86% | |
| 1960 | Eisenhower R Senate; D+30 House: D+130 | Viet Nam War (Military advisers) | Wollworth’s lunch counter sit in SNCC formed Birth control pills approved by the FDA | 20%-91% | 89%-11% | 31%-69% | 94% - 87% |
| 1961 | J. Kennedy D Senate; D+30, D+28 House: D+130, D+89 | Viet Nam War Bay of Pigs | Commission on the Status of Women documents work place discrimination | 20%-91% | 88%-11% | 31%-69% | 94% - 89% |
| 1962 | J. Kennedy D Senate; D+28 House: D+89 | Viet Nam War Cuban Missile Crisis | James Meredith enrolls at University of Mississippi Silent spring Rachel Carson | 20%-91% | 88%-11% | 30%-70% | 94% - 90% |
| 1963 | J. Kennedy D J. Kennedy assassinated L Johnson D Senate; D+32 House: D+83 | Viet Nam War | Equal Pay Act MLK jailed in Birmingham Bull Connor turns dogs and hoses on civil rights protesters Medgar Evars murdered March on Washington “I have a dream” 16th street Baptist Church bombing kills 4 young black girls | 20%-91% | 88%-11% | 30%-70% | 95%-91% |
| 1964 | L Johnson D Senate; D+32 House: D+83 | Viet Nam War Gulf of Tonken resolution | The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race or gender. EEOC established 24th amendment eliminates poll tax LBJ says “We have lost the South for a generation” | 16%-77% | 88%-11% | 30%-70% | 95%-92% |
| 1965 | L Johnson D Senate; D+36 House: D+155 Medicare and Medicaid begin | Viet Nam War First U.S. troops into Viet Nam to support 23,000 military advisors | March on Montgomery, 50 marchers hospitalized “bloody Sunday” Voting rights Act passed Watts riots in Los Angeles Executive Order 11246, affirmative action in government contracting School integration by bussing in my city, Pasadena SCOTUS rule Griswold v. Connecticut contraceptive use between married couples legal | 14%-70% | 88%-11% | 29%-71% | 99% - 93% |
| 1966 | L Johnson D Senate; D+36 House: D+155 | Viet Nam War | Black Panther Party founded NOW founded | 14%-70% | 88%-11% | 29%-71% | 99% - 93% |
| 1967 | L Johnson D Senate; D+36, D+28 House: D+155, D+60 | Viet Nam War | SCOTUS in Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court rules that prohibiting interracial marriage is unconstitutional. New Jersey riots | 14%-70% | 88%-11% | 29%-71% | 99%-93% |
| 1968 | L Johnson Senate; D+28 House: D+60 Robert F Kennedy assassinated | Viet Nam War | Martin Luther King assassinated Civil Rights Act of 1968, housing discrimination becomes illegal | 14%-75% | 88%-11% | 28%-72% | 99%-95% |
| 1969 | L Johnson D Senate; D+28, D+14 House: D+60, D+51 | Viet Nam War Draft lottery started Vietnamization strategy, Massive DC anti war demonstration | Gaia Hypothesis, Lovelock | 14%-77% | 88%-11% | 28%-72% | 99%-95% |
| 1970 | R. Nixon R Senate; D+14 House: D+51 | Viet Nam War | Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created | 14%-72% | 88%-11% | 28%-72% | 99% - 95% |
| 1971 | R. Nixon R Senate; D+14, D+10 House: D+51, D+75 | Viet Nam War | SCOTUS affirm public school integration via Bussing is constitutional EPA Air Pollution Standards | 14%-70% | 87%-11% | 27%-73% | 99% - 95% |
| 1972 | R. Nixon R Senate; D+10 House: D+75 | Viet Nam War | ERA passed congress & sent to states for ratification SCOTUS in Eisenstadt v. Baird rule that the right to privacy includes an unmarried person's right to use contraceptives. Title IX of the Education Amendments bans sex discrimination in schools. James Hansen’s first paper on global warming | 14%-70% | 87%-11% | 27%-73% | 99% - 95% |
| 1973 | R. Nixon R Senate; D+10, D+14 House: D+75, D+50 | Viet Nam War Last draft for Viet Nam, my draft number 350 | SCOTUS in Roe v Wade establish a woman's right to safe and legal abortion EPA lead gas phase out | 14%-70% | 87%-11% | 27%-73% | 99% - 96% |
| 1974 | R. Nixon R, G Ford R Watergate Hearings and Nixon impeachment articles (Nixon resigns) Senate; D+14 House: D+50 | Viet Nam War | The Equal Credit Opportunity Act | 14%-70% | 87%-11% | 26%-74% | 99% - 97% |
| 1975 | G Ford R Senate; D+14, D+22 House: D+50, D+147 | Viet Nam War | 14%-70% | 87%-11% | 26%-74% | 99% - 97% | |
| 1976 | G Ford R Senate; D+22 House: D+147 | 14%-70% | 87%-12% | 26%-74% | 99% - 97% | ||
| 1977 | G Ford R, J Carter D Senate; D+22, D+23 House: D+147, D+149 | EPA safe drinking water standards Clean Water Act passed | 14%-70% | 87%-12% | 25%-75% | 99% - 97% | |
| 1978 | J Carter D Senate; D+23 House: D+149 | Pregnancy Discrimination Act bans employment discrimination against pregnant women. | 14%-70% | 86%-12% | 25%-75% | 99% - 98% | |
| 1979 | J Carter D Senate; D+23, D+17 House: D+149, D+119 | 14%-70% | 86%-12% | 25%-75% | 99% - 98% | ||
| 1980 | J Carter D Senate; D+17 House: D+119 | EPA 3 mile island cleanup Superfund established | 14%-70% | 86%-12% | 24%-75% | 99% - 98% | |
| 1981 | J Carter D, R Regan R Senate; D+17, D+7 House: D+119, D+50 | 14%-70% | 86%-12% | 24%-75% | 99% - 98% | ||
| 1982 | R Regan R Senate; D+7 House: D+50 Tom Bradley Ran for Gov, lost though was ahead in polls | 12%-50% | 86%-12% | 24%-75% | 99% - 98% | ||
| 1983 | R Regan R Senate; D+7, R+8 House: D+50, D+103 | Grenada War | 12%-50% | 86%-12% | 23%-75% | 99% - 98% | |
| 1984 | R Regan R Senate; R+8 House: D+103 | 12%-50% | 86%-12% | 23%-75% | 99% - 98% | ||
| 1985 | R Regan R Senate; R+8, R+6 House: D+103, D+71 | 12%-50% | 86%-12% | 23%-75% | 99% - 98% | ||
| 1986 | R Regan R Senate; R+6 House: D+71 | SCOTUS in Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, find that sexual harassment is a form of illegal job discrimination. | 12%-50% | 86%-12% | 23%-75% | 99% - 98% | |
| 1987 | R Regan R Senate; R+10 House: D+71, D+81 | 11%-39% | 86%-12% | 23%-75% | 99% - 98% | ||
| 1988 | R Regan R Senate; R+10 House: D+81 | Civil Rights Restoration Act passed over Regan veto IPCC 1988 formed | 15%-33% | 84%-12% | 22%-78% | 99% - 98% | |
| 1989 | R Regan R, G HW Bush R Senate; R+10 House: D+81, D+85 | Panama War | 15%-33% | 84%-12% | 22%-78% | 99% - 98% | |
| 1990 | G HW Bush R Senate; R+10 House: D+85 | Persian Gulf War | IPCC first report | 15%-33% | 84%-12% | 22%-78% | 99% - 98% |
| 1991 | G HW Bush R Senate; R+10, R+12 House: D+85, D+100 | Persian Gulf War | Civil Rights Act of 1991 passed over Bush I veto | 15%-31% | 84%-12% | 21%-79% | 99% - 98% |
| 1992 | G HW Bush R Senate; R+12 House: D+100 | SCOTUS in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, reaffirm the validity of a woman's right to abortion under Roe v. Wade. EPA new drinking water standards | 15%-31% | 83%-12% | 21%-78% | 99% - 98% | |
| 1993 | G HW Bush R, B Clinton D Senate; R+12, D+14 House: D+100, D+82 | EPA finds passive smoke a carcinogen | 15%-40% | 83%-12% | 21%-79% | 99% - 98% | |
| 1994 | B Clinton D Senate; D+14 House: D+82 | The Violence Against Women Act tightens federal penalties for sex offenders, funds services for victims of rape and domestic violence. | 15%-40% | 83%-13% | 21%-79% | 99% - 98% | |
| 1995 | B Clinton D Senate; D+14, R+4 House: D+82, R+26 | Bosnia War | IPCC second report | 15%-40% | 83%-13% | 20%-80% | 99% - 98%-12% |
| 1996 | B Clinton D Senate; R+4 House: R+26 | Bosnia War | SCOTUS in United States v. Virginia, rule that the all-male Virginia Military School has to admit women in order to continue to receive public funding. | 15%-40% | 83%-13% | 20%-80% | 99%-98%-21% |
| 1997 | B Clinton D Senate; R+4, R+10 House: R+26, R+22 | 15%-40% | 83%-13% | 20%-80% | 99%-98%-25% | ||
| 1998 | B Clinton D Senate; R+10 House: R+22 Clinton Impeachment (failed) | 15%-40% | 83%-13% | 20%-80% | 99%-98%-33% | ||
| 1999 | B Clinton D Senate; R+10 House: R+22, R+12 | 15%-40% | 82%-13% | 20%-80% | 99%-98%-38% | ||
| 2000 | B Clinton D Senate; R+10 House: R+12 | 15%-40% | 81%-13% | 20%-80% | 99%-98%-51% | ||
| 2001 | B Clinton D, GW Bush R Senate; D=R House: R+12, R+9 | Afghanistan War | IPCC third report | 15%-40% | 81%-13% | 20%-80% | 99%-98%-65% |
| 2002 | GW Bush R Senate; D=R House: R+9 | Afghanistan War | 10%-39% | 81%-13% | 20%-80% | 99%-98%-? | |
| 2003 | GW Bush R Senate; D=R, R+3 House: R+9, R+25 | Afghanistan War Iraq War | SCOTUS In Nevada Department of Human Resources v. Hibbs, rule that states can be sued in federal court for violations of the Family Leave Medical Act. | 10%-35% | 81%-13% | ? | 99%-98%-? |
| 2004 | GW Bush R Senate; R+3 House: R+25 | Afghanistan War Iraq War | 10%-35% | 80%-13% | ? | 99%-98%-? | |
| 2005 | GW Bush R Senate; R+3, R+11 House: R+25, R+30 | Afghanistan War Iraq War | SCOTUS in Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education, rule that Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, also inherently prohibits disciplining someone for complaining about sex-based discrimination. | 10%-35% | 80%-13% | ? | 99%-98%-? |
| 2006 | Afghanistan War Iraq War | 10%-35% | 80%-13% | ? | 99%-98%-? | ||
| 2007 | GW Bush R Senate; R+11, D=R House: R+30, D+31 | Afghanistan War Iraq War | IPCC fourth report | 10%-35% | ? | ? | 99%-98%-? |
| 2008 | GW Bush R Senate; D=R House: D+31 | Afghanistan War Iraq War | 10%-35% | ? | 99%-98%-? | ||
| 2009 | Obama D, Senate D+9, House D+67, The Respect Revolution begins | ||||||
| 2010 |
No longer searching
For the parts
I have found them
The little boy
Lost and found
Part of me
That had to stop
Crying
Had to make
A new self
New life
Has finally gotten
What he needed
Read the rest of this entry »
Our DNA flows
In the river of time
Branching new streams
Off older ones
Each individual
Part of two others
Who were themselves
A combination
Of many
Stretching back
Up the river of time
Following fertile soils
Across the world
Back to Africa
When a small tribe
Of humans
Chance and choice
Foot and hand
Imagination
and invention
Lead to our great
Collective journey
Read the rest of this entry »
I hope writing
Survives
Reading too
I hope children
Find a place
To grow
Plants too
I hope water
Survives
For the living
Ebb and Flow
Through
Cell walls
I hope we
Stop
Eating time
Faster
Than it lives us
