Retreads

[H2O Man]

You fucking kids today don't understand retread tires. You call yourself fucking environmentalists. I could puke. When I was your age, I knew the value of a retread tire. My family sat around the dinner table, each with a half a potato on our plate, listening to Old Dad telling depressing Depression stories. We listened intently, secure in knowing if we committed to living in the past, we would get the other half a potato for dessert.

And now you kids and your fucking leftist parents want a new set of tires on the Democratic Party. Demanding new leadership that speaks to your values. Bloody christ, what's next? “We want a living wage, free education, and health care?” All the fucking time ignoring retread tires, as if they don't represent the best we have to offer. Let's get a grip on your fucking gripe!

Oh! So you want inspired leadership? This AOC and Jasmine Crockett have you aroused now, do they? Feeling passionate about the quality of your life? Open your fucking eyes. Former president Bill Clinton endorsed Andrew Cuomo for NYC mayor. Anthony fucking Weiner was running for another office. Maybe try listening to Mario Cuomo's “Tale of Two Cities” 1984 DNC speech. Just don't focus on the social justice part of it. Andrew came out of that man's nut sack is all you needed to know.

Yeah, you want some fucking outsider who can relate to the needs of human beings and other so-called “living things.” You need to check the pulse of reality. Like any outsider you support knows the ropes of insider trading in DC. Get fucking real. Just try watching Andrew's brother Chris debating Bill O'Reilly on his show, which can be found in the remote margins of the internet's retread aisle. I heard they are opening for an Elvis impersonator in Vegas this summer. It's exactly what this country needs today.

I'd suggest you shut your fucking mouth and get to church. Think about the miraculous fact that, out of all the various peoples and places around the world, the human co-authors spoke only about stuff near and around them. They even predicted that things would happen. More, they are Angry God Dad's favorite children. Surely, we must continue to base foreign policy on these proven life lesson. I don't want to hear your filthy shit about starving children in Gaza. Safe to say they are at best Dad's illegitimate children.

I could go on and on. But that would run the risk of being stuck in the present going into the future. That seems like its too uncomfortable to even think about. As a party, we can find true security in being sticks in the mud. We have already lost any wholesome influence in the three branches of the federal government by doing things this way. What do we have to lose?

[ret5hd]

1. damn whippersnappers...

that’s all i got to say. life is for the dying, not the growing!

[H2O Man]

2. All of this

tomfoolery about human beings and the environment! My gosh. We need to deport progressive values.

[ret5hd]

7. i believe what we are seeing...

amongst the leftists of our age (i am of the 1958 vintage…i think you are a tad older but essentially the same era)…

thru the 60’s 70’s we were THE generation…the generation that mattered…the generation that was gonna change things…the generation EVERYONE catered to (advertisers, music, cinema, etc). We became used to that, and it blinded us to the fact that it is time for the torch to be passed…regardless of our sense of self importance, the future is THEIRS, not ours.

[erronis]

16. Our torch has wilted. It was once strong but it has passed. A new one is needed powered with fresh spirits.

[tblue37]

45. And they should get off my lawn!

[H2O Man]

50. "Get the fuck off ....."

I had spent hours combing my lawn to look exactly like a plastic ad in a magazine. Then some fucking kid leave a foot print on it.

[Kid Berwyn]

3. More chicken!

More Hammond B3, too!

[H2O Man]

6. The police in Miami

put a stop to young Jim's nonsense when he came out in support of Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign.

I think it's high time we try something new. These young candidates for office have the values that our party used to advocate for.

[Kid Berwyn]

15. It's from being friends with the Chairman of the Bored

I rmember Hendrix was friends with 50-cent and got him and his buddy to stop by the Olde Heade Shoppe in Reseda one fine morning and you'll never guess who was there shopping for bargains? Roger Cohn himself! He paid $400 for one an "authentic" version. No one told him the not-fake but real authentic ones had the carburetor hole in the middle of Dick's forehead.

[erronis]

17. A Nixon butt plug. Perfect for the rat-fucker (goatse).

[malaise]

4. Absofuckinglutely brilliant

What do we have to lose? O thing!

Get out of the way and let the young folks lead the fight against fascism. It is their future not ours.

[H2O Man]

9. Thank you.

It's a new day. If Democrats want to win, that involves having a family reunion, where everyone is invited. That includes our relatives who have left the party, because by its moving to the right, it no longer represents them. We need a table big enough to both seat and serve us all. It is as if the party leaders do not understand that people don't want to chip in their time and money so that they can stand in the background with an empty plate to watch Cuomo feast.

[malaise]

12. Yes indeed

Rec

[kentuck]

5. Righteous rant!

Recommend

[H2O Man]

19. Thank you!

I think it is good to have everyone represented. I know that some of my friends think that AOC, for example, is "too extreme," and that she can be used by our opposition to scare voters.

I remember that when Dr. King was being held in jail in Selma, Malcolm X went there too speak to young people. That caused great concerns among Martin's top aides. So they asked Mrs. King to speak to Malcolm. This wasn't simply a case of their being uncomfortable with the idea of engaging Malcolm in discussion. They were aware that Malcolm knew Coretta Scott King was to the left of her husband.

Malcolm assured her that he was not looking to stir up any trouble. He said that when those opposed to Martin needed to understand that he was the alterative. That would encourage them to deal fairly with Dr. King.

I think of this when I watch an AOC or Jasmine Crockett. I view them with the same respect I have for Mrs. King. I will always remember that Coretta supported my late friend Rubin.These young ladies are out there, delivering the word. We know the mentality that fears having to deal with these ladies, because they are articulate, intelligent, and outspoken. It is no coincidence that they are not "white."

No, if people are serious about getting magas to deal in good faith with our elected officials, we need more young people who, as Rubin would say, "dare to dream."

[John1956PA]

8. Ah, the days of the recaps. That is what we called them here in Western Pennsylvania.

There was a company here which would attach the worn-out cord tires to spindles and use steel gouging tools to skin off the remaining tread. Then, belts of new tread would be cut to fit the skinned tires. The cut belt sections would be aligned around the circumferences of the skinned tires, and the mates of tires/treads would be cooked in pressurized chambers to wed the treads to the tires. Thus, recaps were born of those cauldrons.

In those days (the 1960s and 1970s) it would be common to see along the roadways thrown-off belts which resulted from separations of the recaps.

The coming of the steel-belted tire age ended the run of the recaps, which were spawned from worn-out cord tires, only.

Thanks for posting your essay which contains useful analogies to the current political environment.

[H2O Man]

21. Thanks!

I'm in the wilderness of rural, upstate New York. I have relatives from both my maternal and paternal sides living in PA. So I am familiar with the rides on the highways! My daughter ran in the relays in Philly when Usain Bolt was there competing.

I know nothing about the process of recapping a tire. Thus, when I do see parts of them along the interstates, and have been told those are mainly from truckers.

[Ping Tung]

10. Left progressives, no matter what age, are finally focusing on answers and worthy candidates that will fight

against injustice, against war, against the status quo that has become grotesque.

“Liberty becomes a question of morals more than of politics.” Lord Acton

[H2O Man]

24. I agree 100%

This is especially needed when confronted by threats, no matter if they come from the destruction of the natural environment, or the infected environment of the White House.

[W_HAMILTON]

11. What do we have to lose?

How about all the fucking hard-fought progress that those Democrats that everyone is shitting on now actually ACHIEVED for us?

They didn't just fucking fight -- they ACHIEVED.

I was able to afford and attend college because of those Democrats.
I was able to care for my sick mom and not lose my job because of those Democrats.
I have healthcare because of those Democrats.
I can get married because of those Democrats.

[H2O Man]

25. That is good.

A lot of people have had the benefit of policies and programs that are the result of the good works of the Democratic Party. No one, so far as I know, is saying otherwise. Heck, I just got the court update preventing the felon & friends from stopping funding for Job Corp.

Now there is a great program. My son got Big George Foreman to not only give a shout out, but to bring all Job Corp students to see the movie about his life. I've been a supporter of Joe Biden since very early in his career in the Senate.

I also really like AOC and Rep. Crockett. I'm not pleased with the segment of the party that thinks it's best to keep them marginalized at a time when they speak for a heck of a lot more people than, say, Andrew and Anthony combined. We need more people like them in office.

[cksmithy]

13. I remember retread tires as a necessity

and I didn't trust anybody over 30. My 30th birthday was one of the hardest birthdays I had to accept. 40, 50, 60 and 70 was so easy. I protested the Vietnam war (1969 San Francisco, as a highschooler) and am so tired of the lies and bs we are exposed to today by msm.

[H2O Man]

28. I told my

children that turning 30 was the worst birthday ever. At that time, 30 was the goal post, as you noted, for being "old." These days, anyone under 50 is a kid.

I also remember there being some solid journalists, as well as watching Watergate hearings. And thinking, "We'll never have anyone this terrible again!" when Nixon resigned.

It is a curious thing, being an elder. Sneaks up on you. I try to pass on the lessons that elders taught me.

[cksmithy]

33. Thanks for responding,

I never thought that our country would be like this. I am worried for my grandchildren and their future.

[Saoirse9]

14. Damn kids don't appreciate our sacrifices . . .

Is that the right theme?

I have to admit I am not paying much attention to the younguns except for AOC & Jasmine. Love them both. David Hogg seems to have pissed off a lot of people and I'm not sure why.

But I need Chuck Schumer, McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Grassley to retire.

I never thought Pelosi would piss me off. Never dreamed. But she personally saw to it that Biden stepped down. And now we have trump. I can't stand her now. I want her to retire, she's much older than Biden and trump, she's starting to lose the plot or has already lost it. She should retire with dignity.

What do you think of the (probable) new Mayor of NYC, Zohran Mamdani?

[H2O Man]

29. I just want

everyone to have a seat and service at the table. And that requires that we have more voices of conscience like AOC and Rep. Crockett in both the House and Senate. They represent a very large number of people in this country. And I'm tired of the lame shit about "yeah, but they aren't popular everywhere."

I'm cranky right now, because I just finished mowing my yard in extreme heat plus humidity. When I was younger -- so much younger than today -- I could mow it all when it was much larger in a couple hours. I can't any more, so I'm not thinking I should get a job mowing lawns. But that's not the point -- the point is that I am cranky.

A while back, on this very DU:GD forum, I posted a link to a solid source of journalism. It included some Democrats and some corporate leaders. They discussed the need for more Democratic candidates to visit gun shows -- giving media proper notice, of course. And to make the party more "corporate friendly." And to marginalize certain voices, including AOC's.

Now, I'm not advocating that everyone read H2O Man. I am advocating that everyone make a sincere effort to know what each and every elected representative is doing in DC. Who is their dinner date? Get in touch with your inner Malcolm X while evaluating what they say and do. This is just my opinion, because I want the party to be "people friendly." So when it comes to any Democrat that attended that meeting, I'd like to see a primary challenge.

And because you are always comparing life to boxing, we need to respect the young contender Cassius Clay before he stepped up to fight the all-time great champion, Archie Moore:

"Archie has been living off the fat of the land. I'm here to deliver his pension plan."

[Maeve]

18. It is really hard to finally admit it's time to retire

To give up the car keys, to let someone else take the wheel, to no longer be in control...It helps if a family member can say "Look, I got this, you don't have to worry" altho that is hard to hear, too. It was just a short time ago we were the young guns, the new kids...wasn't it? Wasn't it?

[H2O Man]

30. Very well said!

Thank you!

It is found in so many areas of life. I'm thinking of one that likely is of no interest. When I was young, I boxed. A lot. And I'd encounter older guys not only saying their generation was better, but that they want to get in shape to teach the young lions a thing or two. Now, unless you are George Foreman, that just isn't possible. We used to call it "old fighters' disease" when I was young.

But the next thing you know, you aren't young. When you start training, people you respect feel sorry for your inability to age gracefully. When I last announced a plan to return to the ring, I showed my girlfriend how mighty tough I was in training. It impressed her some much, she started crying, got in her vehicle, and attempted to drive off. She hit my picnic table on her way out. Suddenly, I recognized I had a case of old fighters' disease.

Now I'm so old that when I see my adult children looking sad as they watch me hobble about, that even threatening a comeback has lost all meaning. My youngest daughter tells me only if I find a promotion with five second rounds.

I think a strong case can be made that we still are young, just inside much older bodies.

[Martin Eden]

44. Old Folks Boogie

And you know that you're over the hill

When your mind makes a promise that your body can't fill

[spanone]

20. ✌🏼

Recommended

[H2O Man]

31. Thank you!

[Sparkly]

22. Hey, Dylan's 84 now.

Robert Garcia is 47.

Stephen Lynch is 70, Kweisi Mfume is 76.

True, Jasmine Crockett is only 44.

Do those 3 years represent an age gap, or is there something else happening here that I missed?

[H2O Man]

34. Thanks.

I think that I am missing your point, unless it is about the relative ages of Garcia and Crockett.

Per Dylan, he is great. Like the Rolling Stones, he made some outstanding music in the 1960s and up to around 1977. It's great that they are playing their hits to this day. Same with Paul McCartney and Ringo Star.

Age is a factor in life. Efforts to deny aging are sad and pathetic. I say this despite the horror I feel when I see my mug in the mirror. Yet, some old people still have that spark that reminds of us when they were attractive. I think I first met Bernie in 1983, when he was elected mayor. My late brother used to say all politicians were the same, so I took him to hang out with Bernie for a few hours. That resulted in my brother registering to vote, although Bernie was from another state. Bernie convinced him that positive changes could be made, that they were and are one option we have.

I'm not against old people. In a healthy society, elders play an important role. That role is found in segments of the American population, though not in many others.

[Sparkly]

39. "Yet, some old people still have that spark that reminds of us when they were attractive."

"Yet, some old people still have that spark that reminds of us when they were attractive."

I am definitely missing your point.

[Clouds Passing]

23. It truly IS the dawning of the age of Aquarius. Radical electrified humanitarian change for all. We are all equal.

[H2O Man]

35. Interesting.

Having children and neices and nephews, I get to talk with them -- and their friends -- about social-political-economic issues. I find them to be well informed, intelligent, and caring. They are, obviously, from a different time when growing up, and their experiences aren't the same. They see things differently. I like that!

[Clouds Passing]

52. They are the Aquarian generation. I have hopes that these kids will equalize the world.

They may not have a choice but to create radical change. Authoritarian, Paternalistic ways of being in this world need to be eradicated one thought, one expression, one being at a time in synchronicity. This is beginning to happen now. The old ways are crumbling, they are a farce, their sandy bases are eroding, they cannot stand forever.

Those who divide, fight and harm have limited time and power. There are many more people who live in the desire for true happiness, peace, compassion and equality. We will survive, thrive and live the power of radical peace.

[dweller]

26. Now you gone and done dunnit

Chuck Schumer is all hot and bothered , and when he cools down
He’s going to write another sternly worded letter
To somebody

😐



✌🏻

[True Dough]

27. What about

the price of avacados???

[H2O Man]

37. I heard it

was about the PPV price of Paul vs Chavez, Jr., this weekend. That is, in a way, indirectly connected to the price of avacados. That's the wide view.

[True Dough]

40. Well, I heard

that Jake Paul is more into aged tomato cans than he is avacados.

[H2O Man]

46. I wish Paul

would fight my son, rather than another old man.

[True Dough]

53. I would

pay to see that!

[H2O Man]

36. I can respect

a lot of Schumer's career. He's never lost an election, if I remember correctly. But I'd understand if he faces a primary challenge. Win or lose, though, I do not think he is the correct person for Senate leadership at this time. I think he is out of touch with the average citizen.

[Quiet Em]

32. I enjoy your writing style.

Always a pleasure to read.

[H2O Man]

38. Thank you.

Much appreciated.

[retread]

41. "retread" Hey watch it!

[H2O Man]

47. Ha!!!!!

I'll be more careful in the future -- assuming there is one!

[Nixie]

42. Bernie Sanders is 83. He needs to hear this also,

As long as we’re fingering people about age.

[H2O Man]

48. Well,

a lot of the anti-Bernie folks like to point out that he is "not a real Democrat." But, of course, he speaks for a heck of a lot of Democrats, and is working with AOC to spread the Truth. Nice try, though! You can quote Randle Patrick McMurphy: "At least I tried!"

[Nixie]

51. Actually,

it was just math. It’s always like this, though. Age isn’t really the issue.

[Martin Eden]

43. We're all going to die anyway, so why bother?

Last edited Thu Jun 26, 2025, 12:45 PM - Edit history (1)

Turn a blind eye to inconvenient truth. It is too upsetting. And ugly.

Better to stuff ourselves with more bread and circus. Let the ringmasters do their thing.

What's that you say -- the bread will stop coming and the circus will turn increasingly hideous?

I choose to live in the present, so go away you damn Cassandra!

We're all going to die anyway. Sooner or later doesn't matter. Life is for indulging the moment, with minimal effort.


To avoid being misunderstood:

[H2O Man]

49. In 1969,

my friend wrote in my brother's year book: "Always remember: no matter what you do in life, you'll always end up dead." The friend ended up teaching philosophy at Berkley for years, before getting into the medical field. He and I are good friends, able to bridge the gap between us (weather underground and yippie!).