Put a cork in it

Is there something in the West Warwick water that drives public officials from that community to open their mouths before engaging their brains?

House Speaker Bill Murphy was recently gloating over his win at the polls – and his purported "win" in the House Democratic caucus to continue as speaker (although John DeSimone may beg to differ). Carrying his inflammatory rhetoric outside party lines, Murphy addressed his nemesis, Governor Don "The Don" Carcieri: "We are hoping that with passage of separation of powers two days ago [in the November 2 election] that what the governor will realize that it is his job to govern the state . . . and the executive branch, and allow the General Assembly to do its job and not put his nose in the General Assembly’s business."

Well, there’s a nice conciliatory attitude coming on the heels of the huge public approval given to separation of powers. That should make for another wonderfully non-combative upcoming legislative session.

Then we had Murphy’s defeated rival in West Warwick, Republican Party chairwoman Patricia Morgan, showing her political acumen while discussing Senator Linc Chafee’s declaration that he would remain a Republican after hinting that he might become a Democrat.

"The media forced him to make statements that were contrary to how he actually views his role," said Morgan. "You guys [the media] backed him into a corner, and he wasn’t adept enough at dealing with the media to sidestep the issue."

Well, Patricia, sorry, honey, but Linc Chafee tells the truth when he speaks, rather than sidestepping his honest feelings when asked a simple question. While P&J know that this is anathema to the Bush administration, we appreciate the senator’s candor. And just a tip, Patricia — as state GOP chairwoman, publicly insulting your esteemed Republican US senator in front of members of the press is a far cry from what we would deem being "adept" in dealing with the media.

A FEW QUESTIONS

Now that the election is over and Bush has been re-elected, we have just a few questions about the next four years, especially for those who supported the incumbent:

1) Do you believe that our air and water will be cleaner?

2) Do you think the huge gulf between rich and poor in this country (currently as great as it has been in more than 100 years) will lessen because of Bush’s re-election?

3) Are you confident that our civil liberties will be vigilantly guarded?

4) Do you believe that respect and admiration for the United States in the rest of the world will increase or decrease?

5) Do you think that health insurance for our citizens will become more available and affordable?

6) Do you believe that a living wage for most of our people is more likely to become a reality?

7) Will the massive federal deficit decline or rise?

These are just a few of our concerns. Perhaps those who voted for Bush don’t really consider these questions important.

IN THE PINK

P&J were thrilled see that France has launched its first gay TV channel, Pink TV. The channel uses a photo of late French president Francois Mitterrand and former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, walking hand-in-hand, as its signature image, with the caption, "There’s more to life than sex."

Pink TV features a black-haired transsexual sportscaster and original French shows with gay themes, as well as the likes of the English-language Queer as Folk. Even better, it plans to show "gay icon" programs such as Absolutely Fabulous and Wonder Woman. (Don’tcha love it?) Can The Sons of Hercules series be far behind?

Oops, time to go watch Plus Rapidement, Minou, Mise à Mort de Mise à Mort!

SING IT OUT!

Your superior correspondents are pleased to blatantly and unashamedly promote the award-winning, bittersweet comedy opening on November 11 at the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre in Pawtucket: The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. It is being directed by our favorite lady of the theater, Judith Swift, who recently crafted Julius Caesar, also at the Gamm.

Ms. Swift informs your superior correspondents, "The play has great appeal as comedy with a dark underbelly. Recent national events have only sweetened my taste for this view of the world. The Rise and Fall of Little Voice gives us an unrelenting look at the fragility of love and dreams. Although the play is British, this is the world of blue light specials — in the pre-Wal-Mart days. Too often folks who only have a toe on the bottom rung of the socioeconomic ladder are seen as less intelligent, less motivated, and less worthy (Horatio Alger on the move). This play reminds us of the human capacity to hope in the face of the hopeless, to show resilience when life serves up a knockout blow."

The production runs through December 12 at the Gamm’s space in the Pawtucket Armory annex. For info on and to purchase tickets to Little Voice, call (401) 723-4266 or go to www.gammtheatre.org. As always, be there or be square.

FEELING A DRAFT?

We can believe Democratic partisans are the ones who pushed the rumor about how the draft might be reinstituted if Bush won. This was a byproduct, of course, of the last desperate weeks and days of the campaign, but it was pretty much bullshit from the start.

There are two very big reasons why the Bush administration won’t bring about a return to the draft. First, it would guarantee overnight a massive anti-war movement. Even though the Bushies’ bellicose policies are stretching our military personnel to the max, they would never be willing to risk that kind of popular uprising.

The second point is that Bush and Company have a strong preference for operating in secrecy. They do not want the American people to know what they are up to. If the military draft was to return, many young people would be subject to military service against their will. Their families, friends, and loved ones would insist on more scrutiny about what our country is up to. Bush does not want that.

As a result, young people should not fear a military draft. It won’t happen. People of all ages, however, should fear how, thanks to Bush, the USA will continue to be largely despised by much of the rest of the world, even though many foreigners are sophisticated enough to differentiate between our political leadership in the White House and the people.

MALE BAG

Here are just a few excerpts from some of the post-election e-mail received by P&J. We’ve kept all the grammatical inaccuracies for your enjoyment:

Bush won . . . get over it you Hippies . . . Hey if you don’t like Bush, then move to Canda, Spain, or better yet France. And just remember that more than half this country voted for Bush, and he also got the most popular votes in American History, even more than JFK and Bill "I had Osama three times" Clinton.

You liberals are going down, and with the conservatives controlling the Senate, it’s over.

At this writing, the ketchup heir-by-proxy has just delivered his concession speech, at once heartfelt and apparently well-rehearsed. Was the disappoining lack of audience reaction shots an act of mercy by the networks? (We were not watching Fox). As expected, the obstreporous and presumptive Skerry Terry proved to be a drag on the campaign, especially in mid-Atlantics and adjunctive mid-West, where the east coast acumen of the candidate would have been less appreciated than in, say, Chappaqua NY. And where the warm glow of a mid-summer Nantucket garden party was never felt. So put the Pernod and grapefruit on ice girls for the January bumper sticker release party: "Hillary in ’08, America Can’t Wait." Maybe Iran will be a blue state by then.

Your superior correspondents expected nothing less than this merry little vituperative dance response of the sore winners. Compare this to Kerry’s gracious concession speech. Thanks, gang, see ya and love ya.

LAUGH AT MY COATTAILS

Cranston Mayor Steve "Laugh-at-me" Laffey easily won re-election last week, which, for anyone paying attention, should come as no surprise. Despite his theatrical overkill, he has done a fairly good job as top administrator in that city. Cranston was in a deep financial hole after years of mismanagement, and while Laffey (Republican that he is) doesn’t want to broadcast how it was the assortment of tax increases he imposed that have been largely responsible for the city’s rebound, he’s been effective.

However, Laffey is also a big blowhard, and his Muhammad Ali-style "I shook up the world" pronouncements have been way over the top. While he handily won re-election, he needs to pause before claiming some sort of mandate. His Republican "Laffey Team" got creamed in the election. Of seven Republicans running for regular city council seats, only one was elected. In the at-large council seats, two of three went to the Democrats. No mandate there, Bullhorn Boy. If his agenda really resonated with Cranstonians, his "team" would have done much better.

Laffey’s coattails were apparently in close proximity to his head — well ensconced up his buttocks. And, Stevie, as far as your chief cheerleader, Easy (on the brain) Ed Achorn of the Urinal, why don’t you two get a room?

SOME WORDS OF WISDOM

One of the people most admired by P&J is Phil Edmonds, the musician and social activist. He sends us this e-mail, noting (as another fine local activist, Duane Clinker, also suggested to us recently), that real change is not likely to come from the electoral process. Younger folks in particular, check this out. If the scared reactionaries are truly in charge now, a huge counter-cultural response is a necessity. P&J approve this message.

Knowing how misinformed and ignorant many Americans are, I’m not too stunned that Bush has four more years. Though I think the world’s peoples and our planet would suffer just a little less under Kerry, I never put much hope in politics in this country.

From being an activist for decades, I see that as activists we spend most of our time reacting to our government’s policies, and more often than not, we do not get too far in changing these policies. Where we do go a long ways in positive real change is the community we develop as activists.

It’s time to take the initiative.

One suggestion on where do we go from here: to disinvest from the system as much as possible, and more importantly, work with others to do this. Here is what I mean by disinvest: Since money (and the acquisition that goes along with it) is the power in this country, the less we buy, the less we use. The more we get away from money, the more we do not contribute to keeping this system afloat. It will be healthier for this planet and for ourselves. Doing this as a solo act is not enough. We need to talk, work, educate, dance with others to find ways to disinvest. When more and more people catch onto this fad of disinvesting, the more it becomes a way of life.

A mile begins with the first step.

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