We Will Survive

By certain standards, this is one depressing day. Alito is now an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court (shudder), and W. is going to dazzle us tonight with his annual State of the Union address. In true "LOOK AT THE MONKEY!" fashion, I hear King George is gearing up to distract us from the horrors of war with some nonsense about consumer-based health care. Apparently Americans are "over-insured." I mean, really, where do they come up with this s***?

But you know what?? I am just not going to go there. Not tonight. I refuse to waste precious hours of my free time getting whipped into a frenzy about the sad, sad state of affairs in this country.

Why be glum when there is fun stuff like the 2005 Oscar nominations to be enjoying? We are having a great time over at the Balcony, so check us out if you get a chance. It's a nice diversion, really.

So for those of you out there who have been feeling the unbearable weight of being a conscious American citizen lately, I say, please don't despair. Right now things look bleak. But soon, Spring will be upon us, the spirit of renewal will be in the air and we will be gearing up for the mid-term elections, which will hopefully represent the first wave in the turning of the tide. (Just don't ask me to work for Bob Casey, Jr.)

HANG IN THERE.

Smile Break

All right, all right!! Enough already! Enough with the gloom and the doom and the "everything is so terrible!"

How about I take just a moment for a couple of my favorite things in life?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh. That's better.

Check (and Balance), Please

So, did the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee really blow it, or is the whole bloody confirmation process just such a travesty of a mockery of a sham that there was never any real hope of blocking this insanely horrifying nomination? Maybe I don't really want to know the answer to that question.

The bottom line is, they are voting today, Alito's ass is going to the full Senate by the end of the week (probably), and there is nary a filibuster in sight. Can someone please tell me why I shouldn't just curl up in a ball, hiberante and stay there until...until WHEN?? Ack. It's just plain scary.

Perhaps the Court is lost, Roe is lost, and we just need to focus our energies on nailing Bush for his assorted high crimes and misdemeanors. Which means it's time to start loading the artillery for the mid-term elections, which are suddenly just around the corner. It really is all about gaining back power in Congresss. What else can we do?

WTF, eh?

Canada has always been a great comfort to those of us who feel that the political situation in the U.S. is just a bit, how shall we say, F***ED UP. Conscientious objectors have streamed across her borders, and people displeased with the '04 election results took comfort in the notion that we had a big-hearted, progressive, national health care-loving neighbor to our north. Just in case we ever needed to take refuge there.

Well, looks like those days are gone, at least for now. Sweet Jesus, what is this world coming to? Was there a Karl Rove clone up there, pulling the strings during this baffling election season? They even had sleazy, U.S.-style TV ads.

I am trying to take the "positive view:" that is, Americans are not the only electorate zombified enough to allow a reactionary government to assume power. I used to think that our country was uniquely dysfunctional in that regard, but now I think maybe not so much.

I have fond memories of childhod vacations to Nova Scotia, Old Quebec City and Montreal. It's just too bad that the political climate is no longer quite so inviting.

Or Maybe She's Just Upset About Her Wardrobe?

I hate to sound insensitive, but what in God's name did Martha Alito think was going to happen when her husband faced questions from a band of frustrated, angry and appropriately skeptical Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee? Is she so oblivious to the political climate in this country and the profound significance of her husband's nomination to the Supreme Court that she could not anticipate that he might have to answer for some of the extremely suspect, ultra-conservative activities in his past?

Yesterday's weep-fest during the confirmation hearings was not entirely her fault, though. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) brought out the heavy heart-string ammo when he was so wildly out of line as to APOLOGIZE DURING THE PROCEEDINGS for the questions that her husband was having to endure. C'mon, Lindsey, I used to think you weren't quite as bad as some of your Republican colleagues, as you had the guts to stand up just a TEENY bit to the Bushies about torture tactics in the war on terror and other related issues. (At least I THOUGHT that was you...) But apparently I was wrong. Instead you resorted to cheap emotional tactics to try and make Alito look like a victim. GIVE ME A BREAK.

The stakes are incredibly high here, and as far as I am concerned, if a nominee or his family doesn't have the wherewithal to endure open discussion about his judicial and personal track record, then I say, STEP ASIDE. And as for Graham, well, there's just no excuse for what he did yesterday.

Do You Swear or Affirm?

The Alito confirmation hearings are underway, and as far as I am concerned, the man should already be tried for perjury for lying under oath during this opening statement. Something about how his personal feelings will not dictate his judicial decisioning-making??? BULLSH***!! Really, the entire notion of an apolitical judiciary is just a MYTH; they try to teach it to you in law school, hell, even in high school civics or whatever, but it simply isn't true. Most people, particuarly political people (and let's not kid ourselves, ALL JUDGES ARE POLITICAL PEOPLE!), view the world through some kind of ideological lens. And if such a person is given the opportunity to sit on a court -ANY court, much less the SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES - he or she will undoubtedly take the opportunity to advance that ideology. Liberals do it, conservatives do it. Birds do it, bees do it. So can we please cut the crap about "activist judges?" THEY'RE ALL ACTIVISTS!! Some of them are just a little more discreet about it than others. And conservatives only belly-ache about judicial activism when the decisions being rendered conflict with their own ideology.

Anyway, I will tune into the rebroadcast hearings on CSPAN tonight. I will be curious to see if Alito bothers to answer a single question. After all, why should he? Roberts didn't, and he's Chief Justice now.

Two Thumbs Up!

OK, we're up and running.

Check us out at http://thebalconyisclosed.blogspot.com.

If you love blabbing about film, we invite your comments!

Coming Soon...To a BLOG Near You...

It does seem like the New Year has begun in a rather creepy fashion. Dead coalminers, Ariel Sharon lying in a coma, new waves of violence in Iraq, the Alito hearings looming next week... Can a girl PLEASE get a break?

Well, if all goes well, sometime next week you will be able to check in with an as-yet-unnamed new blog featuring the cinematic rantings and ravings of myself and my dear old pal, Kate, who is just down 95 in the Nation's capital. So stay tuned, and get ready to join the conversation, as we gear up for award season, and share our thoughts on everything from Masterpiece Theatre to Wallace and Grommit. (WARNING: there is destined to be a heavy slant toward all things Anglo.)

We all need a little escape from reality, especially during these continuing dark times. STAY TUNED!