CONVENTIONAL POLITICS

This morning one of the discussions on the radio was whether people tuned in to the Democratic convention or to the first football game of the season.  One of the on air people said that she didn't watch "infomercials for politicians".  OK, I guess that could be what the conventions have become.  I do miss the old days when there was some degree of suspense.  I loved the roll calls through the states when they offered up their little speech and then pledged their delegates.

I am just enough of a political junkie that I always watch both conventions.  I like to see who will speak and what they have to say - even if it makes me yell at the TV in frustration.  And maybe they have become more cookie cutter - but having the pleasure of watching Bill Clinton speak last night is worth sitting through some canned speeches.  And the dynamism of Michelle Obama compared to the fluffy false notes of Ann Romney underscores the difference between the two families up for election.

Does what happens at the conventions change any minds?  I don't know.  I do know that they get me excited.  The "real people" chosen to speak can have the most enlightening stories. I like seeing the up and coming politicians speaking that I wouldn't otherwise know about - (and on that score the Dems beat the GOP hands down.)

I also know that my 3 children, all of voting age, were not likely to be watching either convention, and that's too bad.  Being tuned into the political process as a whole, not just the ads and soundbites, makes us better informed voters and maybe a little less cynical about politics.

BETTER HOUSING FOR OUR MILITARY FAMILIES

I hope that Michele Obama becomes aware of the military housing issues which Mary Alice is bringing to light on her blog From the Frontlines. In a series of posts she has described the broken cabinets, mold, tiny closets, make-shift bathrooms, rodents, slanted floors, broken appliances, dangerous walkways, etc. which have been ignored or shoddily repaired by the company our US Government hired - a privatized housing company which runs the substandard housing on their base.

In her frustration, Mary Alice has posted a number of times about the problems with the housing, the ridiculous amount of rent the families are charged, the fact that people assume they are not among the taxpaying citizenry contributing to the upkeep of their sub-standard housing and, insult to injury, that the US Mail is not delivered on cold winter days because the sidewalks are too dangerous for the mailman - but apparently not too dangerous for the women and children who live there.

We are a country which prattles on about our pride in our military - yet we refuse to properly fund their housing, medical and family needs.

Making it worse, the base commander asked Mary Alice's husband to tell her to stop talking about the problems. So, as requested by Jen at Juggling Life, we are out to talk about it, blog about it, tweet about it and get s big light shining on this issue. Join in!