First, the blue paragraphs, to be passed over if you do not want to hear another word about America's election.
Have I stopped thinking about/talking about it? Of course not. But I have moved to thinking more about a long trajectory of events, of the recurrence of seemingly weird election results. It goes something like that: capitalism (or, to use a less loaded term -- a market economy) has to produce inequality. No, I'm not saying that other systems are necessarily preferable, and yes it's obvious that there will be gradations, but just stay with me on this basic point: there will be inequality under a free market economy. It's a given.
If that's the case, in democratic elections the governing party can always be trumped (pardon the expression, it's not altogether intentional) by the one sidelined in the previous election, if that sidelined party usurps the argument of inequality and makes it their own, laying blame on the governing leadership for all that's not yours to have. Nothing is required except that they convince those with fewer resources that their situation is dire. Not hard considering that there are plenty who are doing better than you or me.
But the conclusion seems to be that capitalism will (more often than not) unseat even the most competent leadership (I'm not passing judgment on our president here) in favor of a replacement. And so we have to cycle through like this, knocking down even the best systems/programs/structures, because you'll always find those who will be convinced that nothing good will come of staying the course. Because they're suffering (relatively or for real), while others are not.
The demand for an overhaul, for an about face -- it wont be the last one. There will always be another so long as there is inequality. Which, as I said, is a given. I suppose for the Democrats, the consolation is that two can play the game and the pendulum will swing once again. Eventually. Unless we all implode from exacerbated inequalities in the meantime (and from poor governance because of course there's that to worry about), because frankly, our wealth disparities are ridiculous, even though I myself can't see any value in shooting yourself in the foot and wrecking programs that help you, but maybe that's just me. You have to admire the optimism behind a desire to wreck everything just to see what happens next.
Here's a fun fact, related to wealth inequality, but I promise you, having nothing to do with the election: when I was visiting my Urgent Care doc this weekend, as I noted here, we talked about travel. Venice, yes that. But also US travel. I mentioned my theoretical love for National Parks (theoretical because I dont like the fact that they are over-loved and thus extremely crowded in places, and wild and difficult to access in other places -- those where Ed would like to hike and pitch a tent). I told him how I had once, as a little girl, looked up and saw the Grand Tetons and how I was instantly smitten. He laughed at that and said -- do you know that Wyoming (home of the Grand Tetons) is now a favorite destination for the rich and famous? That they have plunked down mansions and ranches there worth millions?
I almost didn't believe him. Wyoming, the Tetons -- aren't these places wild and beautiful? I googled a simple thing: what famous people have homes in Jackson? (Jackson is at the foot of the Tetons, so I would guess that's where everyone likes to go.) And lo! I get this: Sandra Bullock, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, Harrison Ford. Bill Gates. Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Uma Thurman, Bratt Pitt. The list goes on.
Oh. My. Word.
I had no idea. It's the usual: expansive land, away from crowds, low taxes or no taxes. This morning, still under the quilt, with Ed there, I say to him -- do you know that Wyoming is the place to live if you're super rich and famous? He responds -- there are a lot of rich and famous people in this country. They probably live all over. Let's see which of the rich and famous live in Wisconsin. We google it. The list includes no one that either of us has ever heard of.
Outside? Wet from all that rain. Not too cold -- which tells me I should seize the day and do outdoor work because it is about to become really cold and it will stay cold going forward, for several weeks. Maybe the whole winter.
Does that look dreary? Let me throw in some breakfast flowers to brighten your day.
And something that will make you smile: chickens slurping leftover spaghetti!
Ed "joins" me for breakfast, but much later. We talk about the weather because we have a hard time scheduling outdoor work when the forecasts do not give us anything good to work with. Wet and not too cold today, but cold and not too wet tomorrow. And the next day. Oh, and add gusty winds and freezing temperatures that will kill the rest of the annuals and grasses outside next week. You think it's bare out there now? At least we still have spots of color. And even the occasional bloom.
(in the meadow)
It will end in a couple of days. I have my winter jacket on the ready.
By noon, we very much have the feeling that it's now or never. Ed digs out the one big and beautiful artichoke plant (he thinks he can overwinter it in the basement -- ever the gardening optimist!). I get on the tractor-mower to go over the places where leaves have covered the grasses. Mowing in November shreds and mulches everything. Honestly, it's my least favorite project -- the tractor-mower smells, bounces incessantly, and makes noise. But it has to be done and yeah, by kid pick up time I am finished!
The kids are with me this afternoon. Nothing new there. Well, one is more grumpy than the other. I'm not sure why. It could well be that when one is having an especially good week, the other one feels especially vulnerable. (Sort of like in the general population, don't you think?)
Still, they play/read/eat nicely at the farmhouse. The car ride is a bit testy though and I am tempted to insist on a period of classical music listening, except that they both seem to need to talk through their issues in life, and so in the end I let them go at it.
Home. I need to make some soup tonight. It's that kind of a day. Veggie soup, with cannelloni beans, sprinkled with grated parmesan. Mmmmm....
