Cali Valley
Girl
Blogging from Germany
National Summary had the opportunity to interview
Britt from
Cali Valley Girl to ask her about the web site she runs and
about her insight to politics.
Britt publishes
Cali Valley Girl from
Germany and has a passion for military issues.
Below are her responses to our interview
questions. And National Summary would like to thank Britt for her
time and effort for this interview.
Web Site:
Cali Valley Girl
Q. Please give us a little bit of personal
background about yourself.
27 years old, and finishing
up my masters in history. Originally from Los Angeles, I have
been living in Germany for the past 9 years.
Q. And also give us a
background about your interest in politics and in military
issues.
I think that my parents
are largely responsible for the way I think about things, they
are conservative hippies. No, that is not an oxymoron. I see
government with more of a Libertarian stance than a traditional
conservative stance. However, I agree with conservatives on more
issues than I do with liberals.
My interest in military
issues began with the conflict in Iraq. I communicated with a
few soldiers by email and chat to try and get a more personal
picture of things (this was before milblogs were big). What
initially started as simple curiosity about military life became
more personal when I met my boyfriend, an active duty soldier
stationed in Germany. He has since deployed to Afghanistan.
Q. What inspired you
to create your web site?
The reasoning was
twofold. I like to yak a lot, but don't want to burden my
friends with my babble or bombard their email accounts with my
rants. A blog consolidated that nicely. Plus, I wanted
desperately to be noticed by Sarah of Trying to Grok.com. And I
figured that if I started a blog, she might respond to my
stalking emails. And it worked!
Q. What have been the
biggest challenges to maintaining your web site?
Inspiration comes and
goes. Sometimes I feel bad when I don't post something
substantial for a while, but a commenter once reminded me that
it was my own blog, and I wasn't obligated to constantly
posting. Lately I have been feeling a little brain dead since I
am focusing on my final exams and prepping for those. Hopefully
inspiration will return again soon.
Q. What has been the
greatest satisfaction you have gotten from your web site?
Communicating with other
bloggers or people who read my blog. Very interesting and
supportive people. When a helicopter from my boyfriend's unit
crashed in April, the support I got from people reading my blog
during those days of uncertainty was overwhelming.
Also the response I get
from girlfriends of deployed soldiers. Our status is not
official in the eyes of the military, but we still care for our
significant others just as much as military wives do, while not
always getting the recognition and support that they do. So it's
always nice to find kindred souls online, and I have met a few
through my blog.
Q. The 2004
presidential election has been one of the most polarized
elections in recent memory. Do you think that today people are
more politicized than ever before?
The Iraq War has really
politicized many people. In a way, it's almost “sexed up”
politics. It's impossible not to have an opinion on the
conflict. It's hard to find other issues like that. Abortion
comes close, but the war in Iraq is more powerful: pictures of
it are on the news everyday. Everyone knows someone who is over
there, or knows of someone.
Q. Do you think the
bitterness and divisiveness in politics will recede or are
things just getting ready for something bigger in 2008?
I think it is the
natural ebb and flow of politics. I think there was a certain
bitterness during Clinton's administration with the Lewinsky
Affair and the Starr Report.
Q. The president’s
approval ratings are dismal. In your honest opinion, do you
think that the media has been unfairly biased against the George
W. Bush especially in regards to the Iraqi war?
Yes.
Q. If so (to the
above question), do you think that the Democrats have gotten a
free ride from the press?
No. I think the press
tends to be more liberal, but they will rip anyone to pieces.
They love a good scandal. Scandal-free politics just doesn't
make for good news.
Q. What has been your
overall impression of the Bush administration, especially in the
handling of the war?
For the most part I am
satisfied with the administration. You can't please 100% of the
people 100% of the time. Since I am more a Libertarian than a
Republican, I am of course not 100%. However, I am satisfied. I
certainly don't pull my hair out and think the sky is going to
fall on us.
I am impressed by the
President's team. Especially Rumsfeld and Condi. Can't say I
have a soft-spot for Rove, but he definitely orchestrated the
re-election, so I can't complain.
Mistakes have been made
in Iraq, but mistakes were made in every war. The administration
and the military learn and adapt. Over all, the administration
had done pretty well in Iraq. I appreciate their decisiveness,
and the fact that they stick to their guns even under massive
pressure.
Q. Who do you see as
being the major contenders for the 2008 Republican nomination
for president?
Hopefully, Rudy. I
haven't really thought about anyone else.
Q. Who do you think will be the 2008 Republican nominee?
Ditto to above.
Q. Who do you think
would be the worst 2008 Republican nominee?
Other than Karl Rove and
Dick Cheney? Jeb Bush. New blood needs to come into the
Republican Party, someone with not too many connections to the
Bush family.
Q. Who do you think
are today’s most influential conservative female authors,
columnists, or bloggers?
Obviously the big names
like Anne Coulter and Michelle Malkin, although I have to admit
to not reading them that often.
I like Corie Dauber's
Ranting Profs:
http://rantingprofs.typepad.com/rantingprofs/
and Athena:
http://www.terrorismunveiled.com/
although they aren't
really that well-known.
Q. Is there a female
author or politician that has greatly inspired you?
Wow...I feel bad for
answering 'no' here. I mean, other than Condi having a wicked
sense of fashion...I mean, those black leather boots are killer.
Q. There are so few
women in the blogosphere. What is your opinion on why there are
so few?
Honestly? I think married men have more time to type things up
on the computer than married women do. I know it sounds
pathetically sexist, but I think women are doing more around the
house and taking care of the family, while men are clicking away
at their keyboards.
And I would also venture
to guess that among female bloggers the percentage of unmarrieds,
is higher than among male bloggers. Obviously there are
exceptions to the rule, but I think it follows the same logic as
to why women are underrepresented in a lot of upper-management
positions.
Q. Many segments of
the media have all but declared Hillary Clinton as the
Democratic nominee. What kind of impact do you think she will
have on undecided female voters?
I don't think Hillary appeals much to conservative females. I
think Condi would have an easier time getting undecideds to vote
Republican, than Hillary would have getting them to vote
Democrat. However, if the Republican Party's nomination would
have to be a very strong candidate to win against her. I mean,
if Hillary had ran instead of Kerry last election, we might have
had a different president now. Rudy versus Hillary in 2008 would
be my dream.
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