How Many Times Can You Keep Saying the Same Thing?

Not sure what the number is, but I'm pretty certain I've reached it.

[NOTE: This is not a goodbye speech. I'm just letting you know why I'm not posting a dozen things a day any more.]

I'm trying to keep up the good fight and I'm trying to disseminate as much information that either really matters or really entertains, and it looks like the former is just getting redundant.

The health care circus like all circuses just gets on one's nerves after so much time. Are we going to try to get SOME GOP involvement in this? I'm 99.999% certain the answer will always be a resounding "no" - an answer the Republicans have made abundantly clear in their quest to make this Democratic president fail.

Will we actually use our power to make change happen? I'm not so sure. Consensus-building was something BushCheney completely avoided. Obama's giving it the college try, and I commend him for that. He seems so determined to make it happen, but you can't help but wonder if he's even remotely aware of the futility. He must. That's my assessment and I'm sticking to it.

Beyond health care is something which is just killing Americans' financial futures - the credit crisis. There was supposed to be a great reform in the way credit card and loan companies treated their customers.

I just don't see it.

American Express once gave generous credit limits to its revolving charge card "members" (Optima, Costco, JetBlue, etc.). Late last year, much to the shock of cardholders, they threw a wrench into the machine by slamming credit limits down to cardholders' balances. In the process, they destroyed their customers' debt-to-available-credit ratios, leading to plummeting credit scores.

The harsh economy has led families to more credit card spending on the more conventional cards like Visa, MasterCard and Discover. With families' emergency spending on essentials racking up balances on those cards, more debt-to-credit alarms went off, resulting in those companies recently raising APRs to 29.99%.

We know all about this. We tried launching a new business this year. That plan's been tossed on the scrap heap. We've stopped using (or have opted out of) just about all our credit cards - a move which, ironically, also negatively impacts your credit score. But if we can't get decent credit now, what's the point? It's cash only from now on.

The administration proudly proclaimed a victory over credit card companies' abuse in legislation passed last May.

Again...I just don't see it.

I can go on and on with kitchen table issues that should be acted upon, but this treading water is really getting tiresome. It'd be more beneficial to my physical and mental health if I did real treading water at the pool instead of in the political arena.

President Obama is an extremely smart man. I don't think my whining will have much effect on how he conducts his business. The Democrats are always going to be Democrats. The wingnuts will always be wrong. Republicans have a golden opportunity to redefine themselves, but they're too busy being resolute and posing as badasses to do anything new or constructive. I still haven't found the sane third-partier.

In short, I'm really getting irritated trying to make sense in an arena where the whole concept of sense makes none.

I do know I'm thankful I don't depend on the likes of Sarah Palin to guide my conscience. I can recoil at wingnut radio and pump my fist at progressive radio all I want, but at the end of the day, we all still have our convictions and we all are guided by our knowledge - or lack of same.

Truth be known, I want to spend more time with my wife and friends who really need me. I want to get my house and my general health (I'm fine) in order and I want to have a little more fun than I've been being part of this echo chamber lately. I hope in the days and weeks to come, I can have some of that fun on this board. The posts will be sparser. I hope to make them matter more and be more entertaining. And I certainly will not be closing this thing down.

The Bloggregator is where my political animal feasts on its red meat, and I sure hope most of you will continue to use that to feed yours. By the numbers, it seems you've all been doing that anyway, and I thank you for that. The sites we follow over there are all exceptional, and they continue to reach more people than this li'l pothole of cyberspace ever will.

I really have grown fond of the quirks and qualities of every one of those sites. I'll always marvel at how Atrios can post an "Oy" and a link and get 10,000 comments. Josh Marshall always amazes me at how many of his own links link to his seven dozen TPM properties, no matter how many times you click. ThinkProgress never disappoints me with their thoroughness and fastidious research. Same with Greg Sargent's Plum Line and of course Media Matters.

All those guys have the time and resources to do what I can only dream of. Because of time constraints, my job here lately has been merely passing on the best of their good work to you.

Just as our mentor Stranger, we're going to pop on here for some online therapy to prevent ourselves from exploding. We're just not going to do it 24/7. A brain is a terrible thing to burn out.

I'm looking forward to spending what was a bulk of my blogging time with my beautiful bride...what's her name. And to figure out what to do about the happy and sudden popularity of our internet radio station, Great Big Radio.

The work begins anew. The hope rises again. And Hoffmania lives on.

Just a little more quietly.

Comments

[DaveH]

Sounds right to me, Hoff. I've backed off a bit lately (on my reading route); you. Atrios, Digby, B3, a few others... the essentials.
Have some fun and check in when you want.

[Arthur Riddick]

I know it's not really, really over, but I just wanted to say thanks for the ride, Hoff.

You have clearly articulated why I am less interested in politics now than I have been for the last ten years: we finally got the change candidate elected in 2008, but very little change has occurred. Oh the deck chairs have been rearranged, but the ship is still sinking. I don't know if it's because Bush fucked things up for this country so spectacularly that it pulled a sizable amount over the dark side for the foreseeable future, or whether it was my hope that change would come once Obama was elected that was naive.

Maybe it's not too late to stop the descent - but until I see evidence of real change in the political landscape, there are other things that I can do to occupy my time that will make my own life more satisfactory.

Thanks again, Howard. I'll still check in every week or so as I have for the last six months.

[What's her Name]

Excellent post Howard, I really appreciate you!

[Ann]

Although I'll miss you, I certainly understand why you must take a break. I find it difficult some days to even read many of my favorites. I guess we all need a break sometimes. Take care and I hope to read you again soon.

[Skycat]

Less is more!

[cage free brown]

you're a good egg, Hoff.
whatever you do or don't do is okay by me.
thanks for all the fish!

[pfb]

hoffmania is always my first and last stop of political AND life info. Its been my lighthouse in this political crap storm. thanks hoff. get a better head on with time away. millions of sites on this fad of an internet, but only one place for essential reading - hoffmania, baby!

[Jk]

I've always just been a lurker here; but daily. You're bookmarked right there with my email everytime I open up firefox for the last 4 or so years. thanks.and thanks again. I don't live in America, but you have always kept me posted to what's up with America and I love you for that.
JK.

[mm]

It is depressing. I've cut back on my blog reading too. It's like banging your head against the wall.

I think that the President has spent his entire life getting people to like him and he just can't break that habit.

He should be using his bully pulpit to get the voters and the Democrats in Congress behind his campaign promises.

My friends still watch Fox (not FOX -- that drives me crazy -- the name comes from Twentieth Century Fox, the movie studio owned by Murdoch. Fox was a man's name like the Goldwyn and Mayer in MGM's name). I try to explain what is really going on but they don't have the information that I have and don't believe me.

The example I like is that they're watching a pro-Yankees station. Sometimes they have a guest on who lives in Boston, but is a Yankees fan. Or a New Yorker who is living in Boston but is still a Yankee fan. Sometimes they have a New Yorker on who used to live in Boston and was a Red Sox fan when she was a kid, but is now a Yankee Fan. And if they do have a real Red Sox fan on, it is someone who is funny looking or talks with a lisp.

I live in NJ and the governor's race seems to be a tossup between Gov. Corzine and Chris Christie who is ethically challenged. Corzine is locked in. He can't raise taxes because of the noise machine. He has state debt that he has to pay, much of it left over from Republican Governor Whitman's raiding of state funds and heavy borrowing so she could cut taxes. Accordingly state aid to the municipalities is down (as is federal aid to the states) and our property taxes keep going up. Christie is lying about what he will do in office but too many voters are just mad.

I tell my co workers that the problem isn't that our taxes are too high, but that our salary is too low. We rarely get a raise and when we do it doesn't keep up with inflation. And historically our taxes aren't terrible, but we aren't getting the benefits that the really rich people are.

They're all younger than I am and think that what is going on is perfectly normal. Einstein defined common sense as what you knew when you were 16. Well when I was 16 the Democrats had controlled the presidency since 1933 (except for 8 years of Eisenhower -- who would be drummed out of the current party) and controlled the Congress and the Civil Rights bill, Medicare and other Great Society bills were being passed. We had higher taxes and a rip-roaring economy.. That is what I think of as normal.

Thanks for letting me vent.

[Aaaargh]

Thanks for all you do, Hoff. We do appreciate it and you're one of the three blogs on my Must Visit list, along with Atrios and First Draft. Post when you can/feel you need to and don't just tear down the house like some folks do when they have had enough.

[Bonnie]

I'll miss you, Hoff. But, take it easy; you deserve it. I won't stop checking in to see what you are up to, though.

[BKLN]

Hoffmania - I click it daily and have been doing so for years. We loves us some Hoffmania here in Brooklyn and will miss the more frequent posts because you always seem to serve up the cream of the crop, finding all the truly good/funny/relevant/ass-kicking pieces. But like this post, you've also always had a great way of articulating the zeitgeist. Glad to hear you're going to be doing more to enjoy the non-virtual world and we'll be happy to see you when you show up here too.

[Sarita]

I totally understand. You are one of about 3 blogs that I check daily - but lately I have also been dis-heartened and haven't been reading as much as I use to - you know, back in the day about 18 months ago when Obama was new and we were all hopeful. That said, I also know that things just don't turn over in the blink and that it will takes years of hard work. But I, too, am feeling wrung out and disappointed that there isn't more of a push from Obama. If not now, when?

Then, too, I live outside of the country right now and I have to say (again) that from my window on the world, we look and sound just plain crazy! I mean who can understand people saying they don't want health care? Or they don't want civil rights for gays? I can't - but then I've been on teh bank-wagon for years.

Thanks for your efforts - they are appreciated. And take care of yourself and your family - always the priority!

[Mark Richards]

Hoffmania first, then c&l, then muckraker.

You have and always will be first.

Thanks for being a constant in a nation with none.

[carolt]

Take it easy dude, I will never forget our online chat the night of the election, that was a thrilling night indeed. Glad we got to share it.
Take your time, think a lot, think of all the things you got, we will still be here tommorow ... ya know what I mean, songs just pop into the head sometimes :-)

Take care of you and yours and we will catch ya here and there!

[brap]

what? You have a life? You bastard. What makes you think you can give in to the tyranny of the minority? Jeeezuz people it's not even been a year! Politics is not and end sum game, its a process. We move in increments called public opinion and election cycles. You cant just get burned out and depressed. You think the teabaggers are depressed? They are mobilized and they have nothing. Nothing! Get off your duff America and fight the good fight. Cause the teabaggers are sure as hell fighting, and they are gonna a win if you and all your readers take a "break". Not me, I'm manning up and fighting the good fight and you better too or you'll be looking down the barrell of President Palin.

[Mario]

you are not alone,Hoff... a lot of us feel used and thrown to the curb.

we fought like hell to make things better... much better... and instead we got.... things not getting worse.

not getting worse is not good enough....where are my Vancouver City Guides

Might be time to call it a day for this country.

Hang in there man.

[preznit giv me turkee]

I think it's just a plot to derail the Hoffmania in NY23. it worked, so get back to blogging as soon as you're ready

[Spbmssen]

Thanks Mr. Hoff, I really appreciate the time and effort you've put in up to now. I'm another non-american who chooses Hoffmania as my first stop on the blog-roll every morning. You certainly had a purple patch around the election, and I uunderstand that everything's gone a bit quiet since then. Please consider coming out of your semi-hibernation in time for the next circus, or I may have to try and extract some humour from TPM.

[Carlene]

This is one of just three sites I read daily. I have also posted here many times.
This will be my last visit, my last comment.

With the exception of brap, your statement, and the comments to it, sound more like those from an AA meeting then a site whose party has the biggest majority it may ever see again. I myself wish to keep up the good fight to see that it stays that way.

You have become a negative influence because your heart isn't in it anymore. I appreciate that but why not just close the site down? Is the comment "Might be time to call it a day for this country" doing any of us any good? I don't think so.

Also, I'm sure it was an innocent omission, but I'm sure you meant to thank everyone who has posted comments and joined in the live chats over the years. It was great fun. I'll miss it.

[ardyjay]

Been clicking daily for years now. I know what you mean about the burnout. I feel it just reading my daily scroll. I note a bit of irony that I read of you taking a breather on the same night that Hoffman NY23 got his ass kicked. Hopefully, 6 months from now this will be seen as a turning point- at least for you personally.
I'll keep clicking cause I enjoy your style. Good luck.

[sammy1]

Hey Hoff
Like you, I have been trying to back off a bit from the politics du jour.
It gets tiring and ultimately does little to change anything, especially me.
It's kind of like when I used to read the NYT front to back on a daily basis; at that time I was never better informed but so what, we still ended up electing Reagan...twice!
But as AA was mentioned above, I think I'm still battling my political junkie demon. With you slowing down it will be just one less political bar room left for me to visit. And for that I thank you. But I also want thank you for all the effort you have put into this site. It's been fun.

[Mario]

Carlene,

Not an AA meeting..more like an abused spouse meeting ...weve had enough.

We are totally screwed if Obama is what passes for a Liberal.

[Hoffmania]

And Carlene...I don't think I could have made it more clear that I'm not saying goodbye, and nowhere did I put Obama down. Or did you skip those six paragraphs? :o)

[Nancy]

Hoff - been with you almost from your beginning. Always enjoy the site. Thank you for the time and energy you have put in. We all pretty much seem to be in the same boat again. We were so worn from the Bush years, I hardly watch news anymore either. I have a suggestion. Have a thread that is generic - "Have Your Say" - then folks can post on any subject. It could be a fun thread and give you a break from coming up with something interesting every day.