Change

[beachmom]

I think that it is time for me to move on from blogging.

I feel like I am fighting here and elsewhere all the time. Things are changing, and it will never be like it was before. I don't have that much faith in John Kerry to help anyone but the constituents in his state. Good for Mass., bad for the rest of us. All I know is that in 2007, when he was faced with the choice between tax fairness or helping his wealthy hedge fund manager friends, he went with the latter. Inc. magazine later said he did this because he felt it would hurt small businesses, who would not receive as much venture capital money had the hedge fund managers had to pay higher taxes. There is a name for that: trickle down economics. It doesn't work, and it is particularly shameful that Kerry used that argument to allow the wealthy power elite to pay only 15% in tax. I let his office know how I felt, but it was clear that the netroots are not as important to him as other more prominent people he gets advice from.

The Nation (I think it was them) argued at the time that Kerry made this decision out of some kind of quid pro quo for a lousy $15,000 in campaign donations. I don't buy that for a second. I think the truth is harder to take. He actually believed in them having a lower tax rate. Those rich people were his friends who also believed in global climate change and that a green revolution needed to happen in America. He felt comfortable with them -- maybe some of them went to the same schools as he did. But he ignored us, The People, and instead listened to his elite friends. A lot of lefties have warned us about this side of him, but I wouldn't believe them ... until the carried interest tax issue came up, and it became clear.

I think John Kerry was given a bad rap after the 2004 election, and I have no regrets sticking up for him for 4 years when both the Left and the Right threw him under the bus time and time again. I still think he is overall a "good Dem", but I simply am no longer naive about him. He is a politician, and will do what is necessary to stay in the job. Everyone should watch The Wire HBO series to understand that those who have career ambitions have to make compromises that most of us would not make. Kerry also can be tone deaf when he chooses to shut out the people's voice. The Iraq War Resolution was a moment when he did not listen; the Kerry/Feingold amendment was a moment when he did. I don't think he is listening to us now, sadly. He IS doing the job he has been asked to do: represent the people of Mass. The pork is vast that he has brought into his state, but it makes me as an outsider from another state very, very angry. I am represented by a bunch of buffoons who do not know how to take care of their state. Now this part of my anger against Kerry is not his fault -- but the anger I feel is real. A classic red state versus blue state anger I never thought I would feel, but do.

After Kerry got passed up for the Secretary of State gig, I felt myself drifting from wanting to do this anymore. I took some time off, and then plowed back in, but I just feel like I have changed too much and I can no longer do what I used to do. I also find myself more economically moderate than others here, and feel this is causing some heat that I simply cannot deal with. There are new stresses at home -- the economic downturn is hitting my household, too (as I know it has hit others in an unprecedented way) and I just feel like blogging is more of a vanity project that I need to give up. Instead, I need to do more to take care of my family.

I have stayed longer than I should because of you guys. You were the friends I so needed during these last four years, and I hope people stay in touch, maybe more personally than always talking about politics. We survived the second term of Bush together. That represented a dark time, yet a special time I will always cherish. But change has come, and I can't pretend like it has not happened. I don't feel like being an opposition to the new POTUS, nor be a chief defender of it either. I just want to be a well informed and engaged citizen and leave the pundit job behind.

It goes without saying that all of you are the best, and I love you all.

Beachmom.