Clown Car

The electorate at Chez VHP is not inclined to favor one of the major party candidates for president. Our constituency includes a privileged Pound Puppy (see this week’s photo) and her parents, who would never dream of forcing her to ride on a car roof like second-class cargo. The two-leggeds in the household are of mixed race and were once deemed savage and inferior by America’s founders – happy Native American Month! One major party’s sometimes blatant rhetoric and persistent dog whistles insinuate that the ethnic, proletarian voters here are still outside the tent, in that vast, denigrated 47%.

Non-starters for this domicile: sneering at healing the planet; denying climate change; mocking sea level rise; disparaging clean energy alternatives; impeding reproductive choice; suppressing voters; obstructing civil rights and prohibiting marriage equality.

Throughout the 2012 campaign, the household member with "lady parts" has thought often of a catchy slogan from decades past: "US out of my uterus." The prospect of a radical right wing Supreme Court is appalling. Regardless of one’s position on reproductive choice, should politicians of non-childbearing gender really have inordinate influence on dictating this intensely personal choice? Several ultra-conservative candidates seemed to be vying for office in 1512 instead of 2012 when they uttered toxic soundbites akin to "legitimate rape."

In search of more discussion about global warming, campaign finance reform, income inequality, social justice, and ecological stewardship, Chez VHP tuned in to CSPAN for the third party candidates’ debate. Some of these candidates were remarkably cogent; why can’t we hear from the Green Party and the Justice Party in the regular debates?

Ever conscious of our obligation to advocate for the welfare of the Blubber Bloc and the Finned Ones – whales, seals, salmon, et al – Chez VHP voted accordingly on ballot measures and for candidates who do not scoff at environmental matters. Orcas should enjoy bipartisan support – indeed, they have historically in Washington State – but we suspect their fate would be precarious left to today’s Tea Party disciples.

As the 2012 clown car with the dog strapped to the roof screeches to a halt, or lurches over the cliff of climate change denial in the face of Hurricane Sandy, we seek relief from incessant negative political ads. Now, we voters decide. This article is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but whatever candidates and issues inspire your passion, we hope you voted.

Killer whales have not visited Vashon since the October 19 superpod. So much for the bountiful Chum salmon run. Southern Residents do not inevitably come here simply because Chum are on hand. Prey availability is not the sole motivator for these sophisticated orcas.

Please support the work of the Vashon Hydrophone Project (VHP): REPORT LOCAL WHALE SIGHTINGS ASAP TO 463-9041, as well as sick, injured, or dead marine mammals on Island beaches. Ferry riders, we still need to hear from you! Reporting directly to the VHP sustains an ongoing, accurate dataset of whale sightings for Vashon-Maury and nearby Central Puget Sound waters, initiated more than 30 years ago by researcher Mark Sears. Check for updates at Vashonorcas.org and send photos to Orca Annie at Vashonorcas@aol.com.