Well, it was a hot one last night. Tough on the dogs, as we don’t have the a/c going, and they seem unwilling to get into the water (except for our poor, dried-up ponds, which they would be happy to get in, but right now wouldn’t even get them muddy). Not quite as hot here today, but not exactly cool. I feel bad for them.

I also feel bad for the rest of us (those who aren’t loaded with money), because it seems that the fake debt limit crisis is about to lead to very real cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and fake tax increases maybe sorta kinda some day in the future (but probably not), and President – once again – appears to be leading the charge in favor of appeasing the right wing of the Republican party in order to get a deal – any deal – no matter who it screws over. And by “who,” I mean “me” (and you, too, I reckon, but mostly me).

Bernie Sanders is talking tough (I love me some Bernie), as are the members of the House Progressive Caucus. I promise not to be disappointed when that does no good what-so-fucking-ever. The President has aligned himself with the Republicans, who will turn around and shit on at the first possible opportunity. Wait. They’ve never actually stopped shitting on him, which is pretty astounding, given that he’s the best thing that’s happened to them since Ronald Reagan.

This is a darn shame, and bad timing as I’m calculating just when, if ever, I can retire. I’m shooting for 14 years from now, with an outside chance at 12, and an only in my dreams 5 (when I can retire with a pension that would barely cover the mortgage payments – I should probably start negotiating with the Town, utility company, grocery and pet food stores, etc., to vaguely agree to pay them down the road some day sorta maybe, probably after I’m dead. I only wish I could have Obama negotiate on their behalf).

So, I guess I’ll just go with my backup plan, and retire for two days at a time.

At this point, I’m starting to wonder whether or not four (or eight) years of Romney will really be all that bad a thing. Certainly, I’d have to grudgingly hope for (if not actually support) a second Obama term if the alternative is, say, Bachmann or Palin, but beyond that, I’m not so sure Obama is actually a better alternative. It all depends on if the idiot Democrats decide that Obama was somehow not Republican enough, which is apparently the conclusion that Obama and/or his advisers have come to. Frankly, I think it’s the opposite, and if losing the White House get us somebody with the spine and conviction to turn things around and give the country back – at least in some small part – to the people, then I’m all for it.

I’ve kind of decided that my thinking, “well, he’s not as bad as <insert name here>” has been incorrect. In fact, I think he’s done just enough triangulation to appease enough of the “base” to keep the next RFK from running a primary campaign against him, while screwing working people, the middle class, old people….

Even the “gains” (crappy healthcare reform, for example) have been vague and largely overstated.

Good thing it’s Friday.