Something Men Don't Know

You have never been, nor will you EVER be, a non-person in the financial world.

In the past several weeks I have endeavored to speak with both our mortgage holder and the bank that holds the note on my new car...the one I drive. Since the loans have my husband's name on them...and not mine...no one will speak to me. Not even the people in the Philippines who were the third department I was directed to while just trying to figure out how to get the new car loan to show up on the internet banking page.

Believe me, I understand the need for internet security. And I also understand that not every husband and wife see eye to eye on things financial, nor share all financial information openly and honestly. And the bank may be caught in the middle. But until you have experienced someone saying "I can't talk to you...you're not on the account..." you cannot understand what it feels like to be a non-entity. As far as these two institutions are concerned, I don't exist.

Decades ago we belonged to a snooty yacht club. One of the snootiest in the country. Again - the membership was in my husband's name. Women were not allowed to "belong" on their own. If something had happened to him, I would have had to remove our boat from it's dock, as I had no rights or privileges there...even if I continued paying dues and fees. Even if there were no waiting list for the dock space. Just because I am a woman.

I am (still) a Roman Catholic. Don't ask me why, as there is no common sense behind the decision to stay. That is the ultimate location of non-person-hood for women.

I have not called myself a feminist in a long time. My personal opinion is that feminism, as it is currently structured, has also betrayed women. And as militant as feminism has been, in simple areas like access to banking information I am still where I would have been when Ozzie and Harriet were the paradigm for family life. If my husband has the time to call these banks, and tell them it's okay, I will be able to more easily continue my role as the "accounts payable" department in the family. But until he does so...nope.

So please...the next time you want to feel superior to fundamental Islamic societies...DONT!!!!!

Because SOME things are more life and death than even the auto industry!

Shuttin' DEtroit Down

Once in my life I allowed myself to faint. It was a hot and humid day. I had been active and outside for hours. Each breath became more difficult. Each twitch of the smallest muscle required more energy than I could muster. So I sat down on the ground and allowed myself to briefly lose consciousness. It must only have been for a few seconds...but it made all the difference in the world.

I woke up today in a Detroit where even the man I voted for as President just doesn't give a damn about us. And my conclusion? Let's voluntarily shut it down.

How long would it take to get noticed? What if GM, Chrysler, and Ford just stopped production? Completely. How long before the cascading effect of that would reach the steel plants, glass plants, rubber manufacturers, chemical industry, electronics, fabric mills...I'm certain there are more, but I can't think of them right now.

Then, with all these businesses idle, how long before the people who cut the workers' hair...sell the shoes on their kids' feet...change the sheets in the budget motel near Disneyworld where the family is taking an Easter vacation...lose their jobs?

Let's just shut it down and see.

Rick Wagoner was fired by the White House. I don't know if he was doing a good job or not. That is no longer my point. Last time I checked, no bank or insurance president had lost his job in this way. Heck - they even got paid bonuses for their inadequacies. This process has never been played on an even playing field (I still don't know how the bank presidents traveled to DC...) and - apparently - it never will be.

So I say - let's take our ball and go home. You guys in DC think you're so smart? YOU figure out how to keep the country afloat without us. Because we are tired - physically, emotionally, and spiritually - and we're sick to death of being the victims of your double standard.

Gonna faint now. See ya!