Kind of like stealing the shirt off your back, but it's even worse to take your winter coat with winter coming on, bills to pay, money tight, business down, a spouse looking for work - you get the picture! In this dream I somehow found myself out in the cold in my old raincoat, the one I keep meaning to get re-water-proofed. I was watching John McCain zip my nice warm down jacket over his dirty old t-shirt.
I said, "that's my winter coat!" and he said "but it's cold out here!" I realized a direct appeal wasn't going to help, so I tried being sneaky, and said, "but it's a ladies' coat - you don't want to wear all those paisleys, do you?" So he looked down and said, "No, you're right, give me the one you're wearing instead."
I wasn't too happy with this, but it seemed better than giving up my best coat, so I started to take off the raincoat. Then I noticed that he had a coat - one of those fancy cashmere power-broker's overcoats - lying in a puddle of slime at his feet. I said "Hey, wear your own coat!" And he said, "you can't make me wear that! It's all messed up, and it's not my fault! I'm entitled to a nice new coat! Give me your coat!" Then I woke up.
Are you having as much fun with this symbolism as I am? I've been thinking about how the Obama campaign, and the grassroots movement behind it, and the Kossacks and other manifestations of progressive groundswell in this country, are changing what I see as possible. I was born in 1959. The Civil Rights movement was the background of my early childhood; my parents supported it from afar. They were college friends of Coretta Scott (later Coretta Scott King). I marched with my parents against the Vietnam War. Turned 18 a few months after Carter was elected and had the chagrin of having the first presidential election I was old enough to vote in go to Ronald Ray-gunz. I was a child and young teen in the great excitement and upheaval of the 60's, but my adulthood has been filled with the disillusion of the Reagan and Bush years, and yes, even the Clinton years, where some things were better, but the Repugs shoved as hard as they could to the right, and the Dems inched over a little, and the Repugs shoved as hard as they could, and the Dems inched over... I could go on with my socio-political history here, but my point is that I have been a life-long progressive, a lefty-liberal as we used to say, feminist, tree-hugger, you name it, living the life of "it will never get better and the bastards will run us into the ground before we can save the world."
I have never before had the opportunity to cast a vote in a presidential election where I felt it would truly make a difference. I have volunteered in several Democratic presidential campaigns (in a small way), but only to try desperately to prevent the greater evil from taking office. It's hard to get used to a politics not based in cynicism and settling. It's hard to get used to letting hope flourish. I can hardly even get my mind around the awesomeness of Barack Obama and his campaign. The brilliance of their counter-attacks against McCain's dirty tricks. The politically, socially, technologically and legally savvy way they are taking on everything that is thrown their way. I am so proud to be a part of this, and so hopeful I really could just about burst.
So what does this all have to do with my winter coat? The Republicans have fouled their own nest - their economic policies have fouled all of our nests. John McCain has fouled his own campaign with his dirty attack tactics - a man who appeared to have principles before this! And in the past the Dems have responded by giving in to them - taking the high ground, calling off the recount for the "good of the country." Whatever letting Bush steal the 2000 election was, it certainly didn't turn out for the good of the country! 20-20 hindsight, I know. But that's what my dream reminds me of. "Oh, John, you've messed up your $3000 cashmere coat? Poor thing! Here, I'm a liberal Democrat and therefore compassionate! You can have my nice warm down jacket! I'll wear this worn out raincoat!" Not!
I pledge that John McCain will not get my winter coat, or yours, if I can help it. I signed up today to help the Obama campaign in the voter protection fight. Winter is coming on and for once I want us all to be warm.