WHERE HAVE YOU GONE JOE DIMAGGIO?

OK, so I'm not Joe DiMaggio, but one whole reader (that is, 10% of all the people who read this blog) wanted to know why I hadn't posted in almost a month.

Mea culpa. But I gotta tell you, I have been 'zausted.

The last time I posted was the approximate date when the Medicare.gov website finally got it's act together (it was supposed to be up and running 10/13.) That meant we had lost at least three weeks when we could have been giving people good solid answers. So those of us in the elder/disabled health care biz are up to our butts in paperwork, trying to calm down anxiety-ridden Medicare "bennies." It ain't a pretty sight.

And frankly, I've been getting so much traditional press in the local rag and the regional NPR station, not to mention those 30 second cable spots that will run (count 'em) 450 times this winter, that I don't have to do so much self-promotion. NOT THAT ANYONE WOULD EVER START A BLOG FOR THE PURPOSES OF SELF-PROMOTION!!!!

So in the meantime T'giving has come and gone (the best one EVER in our family) and I wake up this evening and realize that Tim Murray has finally made it official (or sort of) that he's running for LG and I'm thrilled.

I don't know what to say about the rest of the world. Bob Woodward has me scratching my head. Jack Murtha has become a hero -- who'd a thunk it? And of course, the R's continue to TRASH and CHARACTER ASSASSINATE anyone who disagrees with them. I have a friend whose handle is "Seeing Red in Ohio" and she has good reasons to see red.....she remembers the day when you could be an honorable person and be an Ohio Republican. In fact, in the old days, the Dems were the crooks! Remember PA? The Scrantons were the clean ones....the PHL machine boys were stealing the taxpayers money.

I will continue to be a Democrat but will always point out if a D is a liar or a crook. Well, sometimes. Other times, one may be taking one's life in one's hands to out some of these people. So we speak behind closed doors. But I do believe in the power of the truth to eventually break out.

For now, rather than outing the crooks, I will continue to support the good people with time, money, and a well-placed word on the internet. But a word of caution:

CANDIDATES: If I send you money, PLEASE don't send me a "could you send more" letter by return mail. Or a "gee, you've given the limit....do you have any friends or family you can recruit?" How about a "Thank you Margie for your part in trying to make good government possible in the Commonwealth." How about a "I'm honored that someone who doesn't even live in my district would take the time to research my candidacy and support me." How about "I'm taken with the idea that you would solicit small individual contributions so that you can set an example of how regular old voters can take back the system."

No, I just get requests for more money.

I'll finish out this election cycle and then do an assessment. Is MargePAC working? Did it make a difference? Did anybody care?

Peace.