Wednesday 7th November 2012

At five to six this morning, Mitt Romney the Republican nominee for the 2012 election, admitted defeat. And so ended the battle for the presidency this year. The final result, 303 to 206 in the electoral college was not as close as predicted, but, it is at least all over for another four years.

Romney really wanted to be president; he has spent the all of the past four years campaigning, raising money and support. As is usual, he is an independently wealthy white guy who liked to tell poorer folks (that’s most of America) what was good for them, all the while paying a much lower rate of tax than most despite earning much, much more. He admitted paying 14% tax on his earnings over the past three years. Well, that’s better than Apple or Starbucks, I guess.

The US is still deep in the clag; it is heavily indebted, mostly to China, and despite spending like a socialist country taxes its people like a Republican one. Either taxes need raising or spending needs reducing. Or both. Getting the rich to pay their way rather than tackle the sick of the disabled or the unemployed might be a starting point. Not when your friends are all the rich who would just *love* to pay much less tax.

This sounds very familiar to us living in Britain as those on benefit, live in council houses and have children are being targeted for cuts whilst the MPs are trying to push through a 30% pay increase to cover a reduction in pensions. A conservative MP has agreed to go on a reality TV show for more than a month instead of actually doing her job, as she feels the cause of democracy is better suited by the eating of grubs and licking rats for telephone votes. You really couldn't make this shit up.

I think I have remembered this correctly, in the 20120 election the Conservatives spent something like £27 million on their campaign; whereas the Obama campaign spent something like £750 million. Is democracy best served by a process that takes over two years and so much money? At least here, it is so little and all over in a month or so. Well, it’s their system and most seem happy enough about it, even though the winner of the popular vote (the guy with most votes) sometimes fails to win. Democracy in action, folks!

As for other stuff; it is Wednesday and the downward slope towards the weekend is full underway. *YAY*

I am recovering from my bout of whatever laid me low for the weekend although I do now have a cough that sounds like a large dog barking. And my wheezing keeps me awake into the wee small hours. Each morning I am awake before five, and so head off to work early arriving before dawn. These past two mornings, the waning moon shines wanly down from a dark sky onto the Kentish countryside. I get in the office with the security guard still on duty. Jools is still working from home, but her voice is slowly returning, and she thinks she might return to the office tomorrow. Hopefully we will both be better by the weekend when gran-sitting duties are to begin…..

And like this the days pass slowly.

In the past week we have had Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night with little or no disruption to our lives at home. We had no trick or treaters, and just the occasional bang of fireworks over the weekend.

As it is the end of the 3rd financial period in Denmark, my employer announces its results. Things are going in the right direction, but not quick enough, so another two thousand employees are to be cut. I really am past caring to be honest. At this rate there will be a couple of technicians left in a few years. Where will it all end?