This one is going to be different, even for me. A year and a week ago, I posted my very first column on Politizoom. I was terrified. But as you can see, I did it and I’ve managed to stay on board. I’ve written 863 columns. It doesn’t seem like that many when I look back, but that’s my count because, ha, I checked. It’s been and is still being a thrill for me to write, which I love, to improve my writing, to have people who like to read my writing, and a learning curve that’s still going. I had no idea I would last this long. Even though I stumbled, banging my nose on a poorly written piece, and being able to apologize and be forgiven, it has been worth the work.
I knew practically nothing about politics when I started. I’d stumbled on a Murf column through my Flipboard, then found the site and started to read. I went through the archives and read more. I looked at what Pz was doing and wanted to do the same. I got started because of our very own Denis, because we’d had some great dialogues in comments. I had recently listened to a song by Rush that I had mentioned to him. He suggested I write about it, so I did. Then Ursula gave me the chance for my own byline and to become a part of Pz. And I did!
I was only posting once every few days when I started. Just once. Every few days. Now I have grown and learned enough that I can post 2 to 4 per day. If someone had told me I would have been able to do that, I would have laughed hysterically and said “no way”! I try to make each one different. I choose stories that are a little off the beaten path, yet are still relevant. I dig around in other places, seeing what I can use and bring another perspective.
Good gods, has the world changed since then. We’ll start with the obvious, and that’s Trump. He has destroyed our country, destroyed our reputation in the world, and continues to do so more every day, hell, every minute. He destroyed the Rose Garden and the East Wing. His treatment of Ukraine is APPALLING. That’s going to piss me off for a long, long time. I do what I can to support them, and it may only be a little bit, but it’s something, and there are many more like me. I could go on, but you’ve already heard that from me, so there’s no need to continue on that note.
We lost Queen Elizabeth II very suddenly. I adored her. Now Charles is on the throne, and he’s fighting cancer. Princess Catherine had her own battle with cancer. Whether or not you agree with me on the royals, well, that’s fine, because we are all entitled to our opinions, and I will do my best to listen.
The treatment of former President Biden was something else I found appalling. People were saying things in public that ought not have BEEN public. The insinuations. The gossip. I don’t have enough words. I wrote emails and letters. And now HE is fighting cancer. Trump loves denigrating him, all the sly little comments he sneaks in every now and then. Trump has no room to talk and can’t even admit it to himself. He’s losing it physically and mentally.
The Republicans control Congress and the presidency. Trump controls SCOTUS. They gave him absolute immunity. There are the documents and the insurrection cases that Garland dragged his feet on until it was too late, and Trump became president-elect. Jack Smith said with absolute confidence he WOULD HAVE gotten a conviction. Not might, would. That man is frightening in a good way because people have mostly forgotten the work he did on war crimes.
There are other things. Charlie Kirk. Nick Fuentes. Immigration abuses. Judge Xinis. Judge Boasberg. ICE. Protests, *especially* No Kings. No “riots”. Trump is trying to abuse cities by sending in the Guard. People are pushing back on ICE in their neighborhoods. Trump’s AG “nominations” are worthless and are getting overturned. Legal failures all over the place. Gerrymandering. MTG resigns. Trump loyalists in his cabinet. Ugh, Stephen Miller. And more.
This has been one helluva ride, and it shows no signs of stopping. I’m so glad I’m here, and I don’t intend to stop either. I hope to continue writing interesting columns. I hope you will continue to read. We’ve been through quite a year. It will be something to look back at this in a year and see what has changed since today. Shall we?
Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise, among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula
Happy Anniversary/Birthday!
Well done Susan! And thank you for your prodigious efforts.
I can’t believe it’s been only a year – but what a year!
You certainly picked a good year to start.
Keep up the good work, it’s much appreciated,
Thank you sir! It means a lot coming from you and I appreciate it! (yea, only a year *boggle*)
I’m glad you’re here too, Susan. Have enjoyed your columns and am impressed with how brave you were to jump into an unfamiliar situation.
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Thank you that means a lot! I’m not sure if you could call it bravery or foolhardy, but either one means I did it and I’m still here. So many things have changed and it’s been horrible and frightening to watch. I hope you continue to enjoy my columns. 🙂
Susan, some baptism when you put it all together as you’ve just done. With that experience, is there any chance you could project the events/headlines of the next year and a week? For a friend putting together a new bingo card!
Baptism of fire! Thank you sir! Project headlines? Good gods. I’ve not been at this long enough to make projections. I can make guesses on healthcare blowing up, Trump failing physically and a blue wave to kick (and continue kicking) Republican’s asses. More No Kings protests that will continue to get bigger. I can hope for ICE getting their asses handed to them on a fake gold platter – no silver for them. I can hope that Republicans will realize what they’ve done but it will be too little too late. I can hope the military sees what Trump is doing before it’s too late. And please, can someone get rid of Stephen Miller? Adding in the rest of Trump’s “cabinet” would be a huge bonus, especially Petey Boy Hegseth, but all of them going down would be something major. They’re doing it to themselves. I have no sympathy whatsoever. The names are practically too many to list. They are ignoring ETTD. I’m hoping against hope that our country doesn’t get caught by ETTD but I fear we already are and it’s damn near past the point of no return.
But actual headlines and events? Oooooof, no. It’s not possible for me to do. The country is so volatile these days it’s hard to predict something even 24 hours in advance.
What the fuck happened to us?
Deep thanks for that response, Susan. My initial question was part rhetorical/part humor. But, framing your response as you have, we have to wonder (compare and contrast) at how innocent/naïve we were in our projections a year and a day ago. Let us hope the scales have well dropped from enough eyes to dissuade T and his minions from attempting a la Jan 6 to ignore next November’s tsunami. Let No Kings, satire, inflatable/comical figures, humor and ordinary folks come out and march monthly and then weekly as a rising drumbeat by next Hallowe’en.