I love to see the creativity on Halloween. Of course, the nostalgic costumes of yesterday were sweet, with face masks you couldn’t see out of, that kept your face hot and sweaty and the thin elastic strap popped before the end of the night. Now costumes seem to be a lot more interesting, comfortable and fun.
The other day I saw a post of a woman wearing a black robe with a lace collar. A colorful panel was stuck to the front, a gavel in her hand and Darth Vaders helmet on her head. She was Ruth Vadar Ginsberg. A friend sent me pictures of their baby boy, dressed in little trousers, a pair of black glasses, his hair parted to the side and a white shirt opened at the chest with a little Superman crest peeking out. I’ve never seen such an adorable Clark Kent. But my favorite was a father, dressed in a suit and tie, wearing shades and carrying his son who couldn’t have been more than a year old. Also dressed in a little suit, in front of a cardboard podium with the Presidential Seal on the front. The father acted as his bodyguard, his son smiled at the camera.
With all the unrest and division and anger in our country at this time. I just loved seeing this. It made me happy, it made me smile and it made me wonder if this little man would grow up to be one of our future presidents?
We can only hope that everyone grows up and puts a stop to trash talk period, insists that whatever party you support; Democrat, Republican, Independent or LMNOP will actually work together for ALL the people. Can you imagine that once a person is elected to work in Washington DC, as well as local governments, that the label of ‘a party’ is put away and that American’s are represented and worked for without special interest groups and money taken from the rich to push elected officials to cater to them? Is that even possible?
How about the concept that taxes are fair, healthcare is affordable and America can once again stand proud, knowing we set the standard, raise the bar and expect nothing less than our very best.
Maybe, just maybe we could also take an educated look at our education system and stop pouring money into anything thinking it will ‘fix’ the problem. We have brilliant people living here, we should have amazing school systems that do not come with private price tags and the best education should not be for only the ones with the biggest bank account. Whose college loans are forgiven by ‘friends’ in Washington DC. How is that fair or right? And let us look to see just where the money is going in colleges and universities who in my life has gone from an out of state private school tuition in 1980 for $6000 a year to $60,000 a year (in many cases even more) in 2009. How is that possible? And how can banks tack on interest rates designed to keep you in debt as long as a mortgage?
I wish with all my heart, WE can all recognize the importance and strength of empathy. Learn to accept one another (not tolerate but actually have the maturity to accept everyone whether you agree with them or not) and try to walk in someone’s shoes other than your own, which brings greater understanding and much more patience. “Oh, What a wonderful world it could be…” Can be. Should be.
Until then, may you be safe and spooky. May your bags be full of treats not tricks. May we all enjoy the fun and freedom to be silly, dress any way we wish, and still go home to our family and friends when the celebrating comes to an end. Happy Halloween.
Touched By Words 
Quite a wish list you have there. So, you know I ran for County Leg in 2009 and State Assembly in 2010. At times it was a very real experience and at others surreal. I recall a women who lives on Manhattan Avenue coming out of Waldbaums and started to talk to me about how she now lives in the Greenburgh Housing because she couldn’t afford the $14k in taxes every year as her only income was Social Security. She was in tears saying she had to shop early in the day b/c she feared for her safety. She asked why she had to pay such high taxes when she was by herself and required nothing from the Town. I didn’t have a great answer but told her I would see what I could do if elected. She pleaded with me to help her if elected b/c the current politicians don’t care about her (and her kind).
At the same place, I handed a palm card to a middle-aged woman walking with her daughter about 20 or so. My palm card said right on it that I was running on the Republican, Conservative and Independent lines. She stopped in her tracks, threw the card at me and started screaming that she couldn’t vote for me b/c I was Republican. She swore at me until her daughter grabbed her and said you don’t even know this man and you’re being so rude to him. That’s just wrong, you should apologize to this man. Never, he’s a Republican! Wow. At least there was a modicum of hope for the daughter, but I thought how sad this woman would not even seek to hear anything I might have to say.
I had another write me a letter asking what I would do for her since she’s in the district but her street is in White Plains and literally the last house on the street in the district. I went to her home, she said she was stunned b/c I had actually shown up, telling me she gets the literature but never ever sees a candidate. We talked for about half an hour. Then she invited her next door neighbor to join us. She finally told me she was a Democrat and won’t vote for a Republican but would consider voting for me since I had made the effort. Hope.
I’m a libertarian when it comes to personal freedoms. I’m a fiscal conservative but a compassionate conservative as well. We must begin to put the hate rhetoric aside and try to work together with all sides coming to the table and working together. The ToG is all democratic. I’ve been forced to work the other side of the isle all the time. It needs to be reciprocal. But it needs to happen. When we have a mix of ideas and ideas and respect other peoples opinions, we get fresh ideas, better ideas, challenges to our ideas and a combination of the best of ideas. I’m in.