It is a time of freedom and fear, of Gaia and of borders, of many paths and the widening of
a universal toll road, emptying country and swelling cities, of the public bought into
privacy and the privacy of the public sold into invisible data banks and knowing
algorithms. It is the time of the warrior's peace and the miser's charity, when the
planting of a seed is an act of conscientious objection.
These are the times when maps fade and direction is lost. Forwards is backwards now, so we glance sideways at the strange lands through which we are all passing, knowing for certain only that our destination has disappeared. We are unready to meet these times, but we proceed nonetheless, adapting as we wander, reshaping the Earth with every tread. Behind us we have left the old times, the standard times, the high times. Welcome to the irregular times. It's 2011, and so, the 2012 presidential campaign season has begun. Confused? Don't be. The presidential campaign season starts the year before the year that the presidential campaign actually takes place in. That's so that in January, when the first presidential primaries take place, voters will already know a great deal about the presidential candidate choices in their political parties. This year, the heat is with the Republican Party, because Barack Obama is fairly certain to sit pat as the Democratic presidential nominee. (Some action still with Iowa for Obama) So, we're seeing a lot of efforts already by Republicans to elevate one candidate over another in a great early jostling for initial advantage. Witness the breadth of Republican presidential campaign gear already available - in opposition to rival campaigns: Against Mike Huckabee: Florida Against Huckabee tshirt Idaho Against Mike Huckabee tshirt Texas Against Huckabee tshirt - these shirts are all made in the USA, by the way - Against Mike Pence: New York Against Mike Pence bumper sticker New Jersey Against Pence bumper sticker California Against Mike Pence bumper sticker Also: Iowa Voters Against Romney New Hampshire Against Tim Pawlenty Feel behind already? Never fear. There's much, much more to come! Return to the Irregular Times Main Page Read our Blog Archives |