Midlife rage

I’m turning 40 later this year, and I’ve been thinking about the reality that I’m approaching “halfway” through my statistically projected lifespan. But I’m not having a crisis about my personal life choices… instead I’m having a crisis of generational impotence. I’m tired of waiting for my generation’s turn, which I am less and less convinced will come in time to make a difference, especially since GenZ seems to be going conservative 😑

I finally got letters back from two of my reps:

Senator Murray, 74yo and in office since 1993 when I was in third grade, wants me to know that she “remain[s] committed to continuing to work with [her] colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find ways to make progress on immigration reform.” Thank you for your complacency Senator. I don’t know how immigration progress will be made with isolationist Nazis tbh 🧐 I don’t get why Dems are taking conservative immigration stances when in my mind the problem is we are too strict on immigration, and should let in more people. There, birth rate “crisis” solved too! What I want to know now is, what are the Senator’s plans for retirement?

Representative DelBene’s office thinks I “may be pleased to know that [she] joined [her] Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to President Trump expressing serious concern about Mr. Abrego Garcia’s case and requesting an immediate update on his wellbeing and how the administration plans to ensure his safe return to the United States.” I am, in fact, not pleased. I am the opposite of pleased. Is she fucking with me? Does she not go on the Internet? In what world am I satisfied that she signed a strongly worded letter and called it good?

My resentment towards 80yo politicians who won’t retire and pass their power to the next generation is reaching a rolling boil as the Democrats in charge apparently don’t have an ounce of urgency left in their moldering bodies. I have to think it’s intentional, especially given the way Nancy and co blocked Millennial AOC from a position of power in favor of an old dude with cancer who just died from it (“Gerry’s a young 74, cancer notwithstanding” 🙄🙄🙄); I think Boomer politicians know how badly they’ve fucked over everyone younger than them, and they will literally hold power until they die to prevent facing justice. (Yeah I’m making it generational, they’ve been demonizing Millennials to avoid looking in the mirror for decades.) They booted 25yo David Hogg from DNC leadership as punishment for suggesting the party should not always support incumbents, making a mockery of DEI principles by using gender equality rules to invalidate his election.

A friend and I just looked it up: Nancy Pelosi was first elected in 1987. She has been in power for basically my entire life. And I am turning 40. Her legacy, in my mind? Losing women the right to bodily autonomy, for not taking Republicans seriously and doing anything about it when she could have. OK fine she did get us the ACA. Thanks lady. But it’s time to go home, get some rest, and let someone else have a turn! (Sorry Bernie, I love ya man, but you too!!!)

I think those in charge should have some stakes in the game. If you’re already past the actuarial tables, you shouldn’t get to make decisions for the rest of us who are going to live in the world our politicians make for potentially decades. (I expect the Supreme Court will be ultra conservative for the rest of my life because Dems wouldn’t dare trying to expand it.) Be a mentor, yes, please! But give up the power. Normal retirement age is 67. I don’t think it’s ageist to suggest it might be time for someone two decades past retirement age to pass the torch. 

Give me a party with energy, give me politicians who fight! Oh, for an opposition party 🥺 I don’t have to agree 100% with them, if they’d just have some gumption. Give me AOC energy, Shawn Fain energy, Pete Buttigieg (!) energy, Cory Booker energy, Chris Van Hollen energy, Kat Abughazaleh energy. Not whatever this pathetic excuse for “leadership” is. Walz had the energy and they told him to stuff it. Brilliant strategy guys.

Please, please tell me someone is primarying all my Federal reps next election, because I will vote for anyone who shows some semblance of spine 😡