politics

I.
during the 2004 presidential campaign,
my buddy jay came up with a new term
for the ruling party in this country.
he calls them "repugnicans."
during their convention in new york city,
he was arrested for protesting outside madison square garden
and held for 36 hours on a grease spot between some sawhorses.
after 24 hours, he got to make a phone call.
he lives in lower manhattan.
on 9/11, i tried for hours to call him.
when i finally got through, he said,
"my wife and i just watched the second tower collapse
from the roof of our building.
we're going to donate blood."
i guess he doesn't feel any safer.

II.
my buddy tim says (and i agree)
that it's worse to work for liberals than for conservatives
because they fuck you just as hard as the other guys do
and you don't expect it.
i've also learned, however,
_never_ to be in a band with republicans.

III.
after the 2000 election,
i had a sign on my office door that said,
"don't blame me, i voted for nader."
when the florida bullshit was over,
i just crossed out the "don't."