Looking at the roster there are some changes that will be made.
At catcher the Red Sox this year had Jarrod Saltamachia and Jason Varitek. Late in the year Ryan Lavernaway caught several games and showed promise. His numbers in the minors were strong indicating potential power. Late in the season Lavernaway swatted two homeruns in a critical game for the Red Sox. It seems likely that Varitek will not return though this will be a potential problem for pitchers like Josh Beckett who have grown reliant on him.
Adrian Gonzales had a great season. While only hitting 27 homeruns, his average was strong and an OBP of over 400. Still after last nights game Gonzales gave some odd answers blaming, at least partially, the Red Sox demise on ESPN Sunday night games and God not having it in his plan for the Sox to make the playoffs. Myself personally I do not think God determines baseball victors for the most part. Gonzales played wonderfully and he is new to major market baseball so we can give him a pass.
Dustin Pedroia is a star and with twenty five players like him you would excel.
At shortstop Marco Scutaro had a good year batting almost .300 with a strong OBP. Still his range is limited and the Sox have a strong desire to see Julio Igliseas who has a wonder glove become thier shortstop. He has, however, struggled to hit on a consistent level. Still with the Red Sox having an offense as strong as theirs one can think that even batting.250 he could be an asset if his fielding is as advertised. The Sox also have Jed Lowrie who has shown a good bat, especially from the right side but the question of his durability is a valid one. Still it seems likely that Scutaro will not return.
Kevin Youkilis had a rough season. He has been injury prone with foot, hit and now hip injuries. Third base was hard on him and he was clearly not the fielder he used to be. One wonders if perhaps he could move to left field. The Sox do have a great prospect on the way by the name of Will Middlebrooks. If Youk had not been hurt at the end of the season the chance of him being traded was potentially high but now it appears they will have to hold him.
Ellsbury was fantastic and Crawford cannot be this bad again but it is clear that the outfield is a problem. J D Drew will be gone. Could Crawford be traded. One wonders.
Will David Ortiz be back. My gut says yes as offense is at a premium.
Pitching should have been a strong suit. Clay Bucholz should return from his injury but who knows. Dice K is gone, Wake is insurance. Suddenly Lester looks like his mental toughness could be questioned and Josh Beckett will always be a number 2 at best. He who cannot be named John Lackey has to be better but that does not mean he will be good.
Based on the fact that many relievers, especially closers, are availalble it seems that Papelbon might be brought back, if nothing else he is a standup player who does not shirk responsibility. Bard needs a third pitch. It is a symbol of how hard this game is that throwing 98 miles an hour is not enough to bring success.
The Sox have some limitations due to bad contracts but this team needs a shakeup with a few more hard nosed players. Who those will be and who will be running the team we will have to wait and see.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Shades of 78,86, and 2003
Where does the collapse of this Red Sox team fit in the pantheon of not just historic sports collapses but in the too long list of Red Sox collapses.
In truth 2003 hurt more, it was too the Yankees and it was for a trip to the World Series. Aaron Boone visited with the Sox previous to last nights game. Did no one not think that might be bad karma.
1986 was epic and cannot be touched on the hurt meter. In truth 78 and the collapse was the most like this but even that team won their last eight games to get to a playoff game and showed great heart. Still that hurt more because we loved that team.
Lets be honest. While Sox fans always want to win we are not as invested with this team as we once were. As I wrote before much is the fact that you cannot be as hungry to get married after you have been once, you can only lose your virginity once. The Sox fan of today is just not as hungry.
Complicating matters more is that in search of a team that will win and perform well based on Sabermetrics et all the Sox have built a team that is a bit bloodless. Who do we love on this team. Really?
We are told there will be many changes after this the second year without the playoffs. This might well be true.
I do not write a sports blog so will comment on the Sox here and trust that many Maine folks live and die with the Sox so it is not too out of place.
Will Terry Francona be back. I find it hard to believe that he will not be. Was he any worse a manager when the team was 81 and 42 in between its bookends of a terrible start and finish. Still the question could be asked if this team of stars and expectations was managed properly and properly prepared. It is true that Francona has found a level of comfort managing in the fishbowl that others might not. The question remains one of do you think someone will do better. I think Francona is not the problem though to me it is clear that Curt Young, excellent resume or not, will not be back as pitching coach. Why Red Sox pitchers seem to be made of glass is a question that has to be asked.
Should Theo be allowed to move on to the Cubs. This one is tougher. There are a host of strong GM candidates available from Friedman in Tampa to Cashman to Billy Beane. Epstien has not made good decisions with free agents.
John Lackey, it should not have taken a genius to look at his record outside of the AL West and certainly in the AL East to know that a five year deal might not be wise. Worse yet the money spent on Carl Crawford seems to have been more to prevent him from going to the Yankees than to thinking he would fit this team. It is true that Crawford had been killing the Sox for years but it was also evident that he had been making clear that he did not wish to be a runner anymore, he imagined himself as a power hitter, a number 3 hitter. He is not.
The question of will these two ever do well in Boston always has to be asked. I do not blame the Sox management in the Crawford case. They had no reason to think that Crawford would crumble like he did. I do blame them however for not thinking about the fact that when a fast outfielder loses his speed with age ( this contract lasts forever) he better be a power hitter or an OBP machine to justify himself in the lineup. Crawford's OBP has never been strong in relation to his average and despite stealing ten bases against the Red Sox yearly he had been making noises that he no longer was a runner or did not desire to be. What we do not know is did Francona not trust him to run, if there is a philosophy difference going on. Crawford is now the scapegoat right down to the failed catch last night. He will bounce back next year I would imagine but perhaps Theo should go. Clearly at least to some extent the Sox went away from the Sabermetric answers with both of these players.
Keep Terry, Let Theo go. That is my vote.
To be continued....
In truth 2003 hurt more, it was too the Yankees and it was for a trip to the World Series. Aaron Boone visited with the Sox previous to last nights game. Did no one not think that might be bad karma.
1986 was epic and cannot be touched on the hurt meter. In truth 78 and the collapse was the most like this but even that team won their last eight games to get to a playoff game and showed great heart. Still that hurt more because we loved that team.
Lets be honest. While Sox fans always want to win we are not as invested with this team as we once were. As I wrote before much is the fact that you cannot be as hungry to get married after you have been once, you can only lose your virginity once. The Sox fan of today is just not as hungry.
Complicating matters more is that in search of a team that will win and perform well based on Sabermetrics et all the Sox have built a team that is a bit bloodless. Who do we love on this team. Really?
We are told there will be many changes after this the second year without the playoffs. This might well be true.
I do not write a sports blog so will comment on the Sox here and trust that many Maine folks live and die with the Sox so it is not too out of place.
Will Terry Francona be back. I find it hard to believe that he will not be. Was he any worse a manager when the team was 81 and 42 in between its bookends of a terrible start and finish. Still the question could be asked if this team of stars and expectations was managed properly and properly prepared. It is true that Francona has found a level of comfort managing in the fishbowl that others might not. The question remains one of do you think someone will do better. I think Francona is not the problem though to me it is clear that Curt Young, excellent resume or not, will not be back as pitching coach. Why Red Sox pitchers seem to be made of glass is a question that has to be asked.
Should Theo be allowed to move on to the Cubs. This one is tougher. There are a host of strong GM candidates available from Friedman in Tampa to Cashman to Billy Beane. Epstien has not made good decisions with free agents.
John Lackey, it should not have taken a genius to look at his record outside of the AL West and certainly in the AL East to know that a five year deal might not be wise. Worse yet the money spent on Carl Crawford seems to have been more to prevent him from going to the Yankees than to thinking he would fit this team. It is true that Crawford had been killing the Sox for years but it was also evident that he had been making clear that he did not wish to be a runner anymore, he imagined himself as a power hitter, a number 3 hitter. He is not.
The question of will these two ever do well in Boston always has to be asked. I do not blame the Sox management in the Crawford case. They had no reason to think that Crawford would crumble like he did. I do blame them however for not thinking about the fact that when a fast outfielder loses his speed with age ( this contract lasts forever) he better be a power hitter or an OBP machine to justify himself in the lineup. Crawford's OBP has never been strong in relation to his average and despite stealing ten bases against the Red Sox yearly he had been making noises that he no longer was a runner or did not desire to be. What we do not know is did Francona not trust him to run, if there is a philosophy difference going on. Crawford is now the scapegoat right down to the failed catch last night. He will bounce back next year I would imagine but perhaps Theo should go. Clearly at least to some extent the Sox went away from the Sabermetric answers with both of these players.
Keep Terry, Let Theo go. That is my vote.
To be continued....
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Red Sox Fade and We Care So Much Less
When I say we that may well not be the case for all Red Sox fans but for me, with a couple of championships in the recent past it just cannot be as important as it was once.
Life is busy now, my kids are active, my health has made me realize what is important and what is not and of course the ever changing landscape of professional athletics makes it easier to care less. Watch the games, enjoy the games, but have a better grip on the overall importance of the results.
When the Sox won in 2004 it was and probably will remain the biggest moment of my sports fandom. 2007 was nice as well but as we all know the first one was something we all doubted we would experience until we did.
The Celtics have since won which was nice, the Bruins won this year which was frankly remarkable but the Celtics still remain the number one sports team for a majority of New Englanders. That is certainly the case with me.
The collpase this month has been frustrating but if one compares how this would have felt before 2004 with how it feels now it is not even close. The fact is Red Sox fans, unless decades of futility are to begin now, will never feel the same stress that we used to. I think the Sox will hold on but if they do not I will not lose sleep.
Life is different now for me and of course as a fan with a title I am different. Dan Shawnessey says that neither the Red Sox nor their fans are as hungry as they used to be. That is likely true.
I am not sure in the big picture that is a bad thing.
Life is busy now, my kids are active, my health has made me realize what is important and what is not and of course the ever changing landscape of professional athletics makes it easier to care less. Watch the games, enjoy the games, but have a better grip on the overall importance of the results.
When the Sox won in 2004 it was and probably will remain the biggest moment of my sports fandom. 2007 was nice as well but as we all know the first one was something we all doubted we would experience until we did.
The Celtics have since won which was nice, the Bruins won this year which was frankly remarkable but the Celtics still remain the number one sports team for a majority of New Englanders. That is certainly the case with me.
The collpase this month has been frustrating but if one compares how this would have felt before 2004 with how it feels now it is not even close. The fact is Red Sox fans, unless decades of futility are to begin now, will never feel the same stress that we used to. I think the Sox will hold on but if they do not I will not lose sleep.
Life is different now for me and of course as a fan with a title I am different. Dan Shawnessey says that neither the Red Sox nor their fans are as hungry as they used to be. That is likely true.
I am not sure in the big picture that is a bad thing.
Wonderful Fall Days, Depressing Fall Nights
These last few days have been a bit warmer than usual as the tempertures have approached the eighties. Still soon the days will be a little cooler but still with their amazing blue skies these fall days are as good as it gets.
What is depressing however are the nights. The air is crisp and when I take the dog out at night it is refreshing and crisp. However about 6:45 when I look outside and see that darkness has fallen I am reminded that the days are fast becoming shorter. I always feel better about winter when in February the days lengthen.
I know it is just the way of the natural world but it is so nice to have an evening to sit outside. If I could I think I would live on both sides of the world and move with the sun.
What is depressing however are the nights. The air is crisp and when I take the dog out at night it is refreshing and crisp. However about 6:45 when I look outside and see that darkness has fallen I am reminded that the days are fast becoming shorter. I always feel better about winter when in February the days lengthen.
I know it is just the way of the natural world but it is so nice to have an evening to sit outside. If I could I think I would live on both sides of the world and move with the sun.
Another Republican Debate, Another Mistake
At last weeks debate Fox News anchor Meghan Kelly brought forth a question from a soldier serving in Iraq. The soldier who stated on camera he was gay asked the candidates how they would treat the fact that Don't Ask, Don't Tell had been repealed and that now hundreds of soldiers who have come out would be caught in legal limbo.
Rick Santorum who answered the question made an argument about how gay soldiers compromised our armed forces for a social expirement. He did not address what would happen to these soliders such as the questioners but one can expect that the answer would not be to embrace these soldiers.
The bigger issue in terms of the election, for who really expects Republicans to embrace anything close to gay rights, was that at the end of his question the soldier was audibly booed by members of the debate audience. Even more telling not one of the candidates on stage felt compelled to correct the crowd that this was a soldier putting his life at risk.
The lack of courage to say what is right, to do what is right or perhaps not knowing what is right and decent is appaling. It is hard to see how independent votes can be gained by a party that can be seen as in the last three weeks as cheering executions, wishing uninsured patients to die and now booing gay soldiers.
It is a sad state of affairs that even common decency cannot be part of the forum.
Rick Santorum who answered the question made an argument about how gay soldiers compromised our armed forces for a social expirement. He did not address what would happen to these soliders such as the questioners but one can expect that the answer would not be to embrace these soldiers.
The bigger issue in terms of the election, for who really expects Republicans to embrace anything close to gay rights, was that at the end of his question the soldier was audibly booed by members of the debate audience. Even more telling not one of the candidates on stage felt compelled to correct the crowd that this was a soldier putting his life at risk.
The lack of courage to say what is right, to do what is right or perhaps not knowing what is right and decent is appaling. It is hard to see how independent votes can be gained by a party that can be seen as in the last three weeks as cheering executions, wishing uninsured patients to die and now booing gay soldiers.
It is a sad state of affairs that even common decency cannot be part of the forum.
The Change at Disney
In August of 2009 our family took a trip to Disney. In September of 2009 it became apparent that I had something wrong with me. I was having trouble using my arms, experiencing significant weakness and having much trouble holding my head up.
From October to April I visited doctors, physical therapists, neurologists, and eventually visited hospitals in Boston and has tests performed at Duke Medical Center. In the end they diagnosed me and while not terminal my life was changed forever. I will never be better and the disease is progressive
I often think about that trip in August. I remember right before we left my son and I played a small game of horse in which I to put it nicely destroyed him. When in Florida one night my son and I were at a park by ourselves and when leaving both used our long legs to pass much of the crowd and he enjoyed talking about how fast we were walking by ourselves.
Two days later we were going to a stunt show in the late afternoon. With a large seating that one entered from the bottom my oldest son led the way up the vast staircase. As we were about 10 steps up we came up behind an older man, a little heavyset who appeared to be laboring. Many people were stepping around this man who had been moving so slowly and now had all but stopped. I was concerned and stopped and asked the man if he was ok, if there was anything that we could do for him. He chuckled and said he was fine, just fat and soon found a seat. Still it was concerning to see.
As we kept progressing up the stairs, evidently my son wanted to be all the way to the top, I started feeling strange. I have always had knee pain but this was different. It felt like my knees could not lift. I was having a very hard time, if not failing to raise my leg. I stopped and eventually with considerable thought was able to make my legs move the additional steps. The show lasted about an hour so when we left I had recovered and really thought little of it. It seems clear now however that this was the first symptom of my diesease manifesting itself.
I have often thought that trip up the stairs was significant. A beginning up the stairs showing concern for a stranger to, at the top, finding that I could not go on and experiencing a level of pain that signified a sickness that would change the rest of my life. I think there is some kind of reciprocity in that. I wonder if by being nice in that situation it has enabled me to have the treatment that one would desire when sick and unable to do all that they would like. Moreover how would I have felt if looking back at that first symptom of sickness I realized that minutes earlier I had been rude and unconcerned to another person struggling to walk. I am glad I do not have to deal with that feeling.
I tell my son. Be nice. Remember the golden rule. For it truly the case that " there but for the grace of God go I " I found that out in a ten minute span that forever changed my life. Anyone of us could
From October to April I visited doctors, physical therapists, neurologists, and eventually visited hospitals in Boston and has tests performed at Duke Medical Center. In the end they diagnosed me and while not terminal my life was changed forever. I will never be better and the disease is progressive
I often think about that trip in August. I remember right before we left my son and I played a small game of horse in which I to put it nicely destroyed him. When in Florida one night my son and I were at a park by ourselves and when leaving both used our long legs to pass much of the crowd and he enjoyed talking about how fast we were walking by ourselves.
Two days later we were going to a stunt show in the late afternoon. With a large seating that one entered from the bottom my oldest son led the way up the vast staircase. As we were about 10 steps up we came up behind an older man, a little heavyset who appeared to be laboring. Many people were stepping around this man who had been moving so slowly and now had all but stopped. I was concerned and stopped and asked the man if he was ok, if there was anything that we could do for him. He chuckled and said he was fine, just fat and soon found a seat. Still it was concerning to see.
As we kept progressing up the stairs, evidently my son wanted to be all the way to the top, I started feeling strange. I have always had knee pain but this was different. It felt like my knees could not lift. I was having a very hard time, if not failing to raise my leg. I stopped and eventually with considerable thought was able to make my legs move the additional steps. The show lasted about an hour so when we left I had recovered and really thought little of it. It seems clear now however that this was the first symptom of my diesease manifesting itself.
I have often thought that trip up the stairs was significant. A beginning up the stairs showing concern for a stranger to, at the top, finding that I could not go on and experiencing a level of pain that signified a sickness that would change the rest of my life. I think there is some kind of reciprocity in that. I wonder if by being nice in that situation it has enabled me to have the treatment that one would desire when sick and unable to do all that they would like. Moreover how would I have felt if looking back at that first symptom of sickness I realized that minutes earlier I had been rude and unconcerned to another person struggling to walk. I am glad I do not have to deal with that feeling.
I tell my son. Be nice. Remember the golden rule. For it truly the case that " there but for the grace of God go I " I found that out in a ten minute span that forever changed my life. Anyone of us could
How Great is a Library
I went to the library today. For the last twenty years i must have taken out hundreds of books fromthe library here in Bangor. Occasionally we will read that the BPL has one of the highest circulation rates in the country. I like to think i play a part in that, as much as anyone individual that is.
Today I was there t pick up a book tthat was just published called We the Animals. I am what I call an agressive reader. I am always searching out new books. Using Amazon I usually know that a book I am interested n is being published and so often with the reserve system at the library I can get a new book right away. With the library exchange system it works even better. The book I was looking for was available at only one library in the state but with one click was able to have it sent to our local library.
What a great system. With a little research any book in a library can be yours. We discovered this years ago. My children, both of them, learned to count to ten and well beyond by counting the steps at the library entrance. Indeed thye as they got to be six and seven they too liked requesting new books.
Last week my daughter, now twelve, accompanied me to the library to pi k up a book i had requested. As we went to be desk a nice fellow who has been working at the library for quite sometime greeted me by name and handed me my books. My daughter said " Wow Dad thye know you by name and just hand you your books."
Thinking about it later my wife said " Is there a better place that you would want to be known by name." An accurate statement that says much.
Today I was there t pick up a book tthat was just published called We the Animals. I am what I call an agressive reader. I am always searching out new books. Using Amazon I usually know that a book I am interested n is being published and so often with the reserve system at the library I can get a new book right away. With the library exchange system it works even better. The book I was looking for was available at only one library in the state but with one click was able to have it sent to our local library.
What a great system. With a little research any book in a library can be yours. We discovered this years ago. My children, both of them, learned to count to ten and well beyond by counting the steps at the library entrance. Indeed thye as they got to be six and seven they too liked requesting new books.
Last week my daughter, now twelve, accompanied me to the library to pi k up a book i had requested. As we went to be desk a nice fellow who has been working at the library for quite sometime greeted me by name and handed me my books. My daughter said " Wow Dad thye know you by name and just hand you your books."
Thinking about it later my wife said " Is there a better place that you would want to be known by name." An accurate statement that says much.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Jon Stewart versus Mitch Daniels
Mitch Daniels is the very popular Governor of Indiana. He had been touted as a candidate for President but chose not to run. Much of the reason for this is his marriage has had some rough spots, namely he and his wife split, she remarried and then after divorcing she and Daniels reconciled. While we might admire their reworking their marriage many would find things to criticize in this for a candidate for President.
Daniels is however touting a new book so appeared on Stewart's show mid week. As he proclaims himself as a different kind of Republican Stewart called him out on his tone and word usage about Obama such as fanatically obsessed with redistribution of wealth. Daniels seemed a little taken aback.
Stewart then went through the familiar numbers about the percentage of income for the top 1 percent compared to the years past. These numbers and their changes are dizzying but our Republican friends sleep well at night, do not ask me how.
We were then told by Stewart that an additional way to look at this is that the middle fifty percent of the population control and own 2 percent of the economy. If this is true or close to true this is a repulsive number.
Income equality and its ever increasing disparity can lead to problems in a society that might not be envisioned. At some point those in the tea party and others that are being duped by the Republican rich into voting against there own economic interests might realize what has been done. If those people join with those already disposseed in this economy we could have a radical social shift leading to who knows what.
Would it not be better for the rich to pay four percent more in taxes?
Daniels is however touting a new book so appeared on Stewart's show mid week. As he proclaims himself as a different kind of Republican Stewart called him out on his tone and word usage about Obama such as fanatically obsessed with redistribution of wealth. Daniels seemed a little taken aback.
Stewart then went through the familiar numbers about the percentage of income for the top 1 percent compared to the years past. These numbers and their changes are dizzying but our Republican friends sleep well at night, do not ask me how.
We were then told by Stewart that an additional way to look at this is that the middle fifty percent of the population control and own 2 percent of the economy. If this is true or close to true this is a repulsive number.
Income equality and its ever increasing disparity can lead to problems in a society that might not be envisioned. At some point those in the tea party and others that are being duped by the Republican rich into voting against there own economic interests might realize what has been done. If those people join with those already disposseed in this economy we could have a radical social shift leading to who knows what.
Would it not be better for the rich to pay four percent more in taxes?
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Rick Perry, Willingham and Trial By Fire
As the execution of Troy Davis took place yesterday those against the death penalty brought up the case of Cameron Todd Willingham a man convicted and sent to death in Texas for the arson murder of his three infant girls.
Last evening Barry Scheck of The Innocence Project was speaking on Chris Matthews and mentioned that soon Rick Perry would have to answer questions about how he put to death an innocent man. Perry as Governor refused to stay the execution and there are many that question whether he even reviewed the evidence.
I read a New Yorker article called Trial by Fire which many take to be the best introduction to the case. Willingham emerged from his house stating that his babies were burning. His wife was out of the house and he awoke that morning to his house being on fire.
Fire invesigators later found evidence of acclerants being used and stated that it along with the fact that Willingham left the house barefoot and suffered no burns on his feet.
A study of fire investigators and their methods has shown that it is a very subjective science. In fact when the Supreme Court ruled that all experts must provide evidence based on a scientific method fire investigators stated that they should not be held to that standard as their science is more of a case of hunches. The fact that someone can be put to death based on the hunches of an investigator should make us all nervous.
Later as Willingham neared death he finally had his case reviewed by one of the most reknown experts in the field. Test fires had been done that had shown that the methodology and science used in the investigation was flawed. Without going into the full science of it this gentleman disproved the entire science and methodology used in Texas in this case. Still armed with this information Rick Perry chose to let this man die.
Why is there a rush to exectute a man that science has shown to at least have a reasonable doub. Rick Perry will answer questions over the next year but there is one sad truth that is reflective in all politics today.
For those that are in favor of the death penalty there will be no overriding concern that this man might have been killed. In America today you are either for or against and there is very little in between.
Hopefully he was guilty but the whole process is flawed. Why are we so violent. Whey are we the only Western country that executes like this.
Last evening Barry Scheck of The Innocence Project was speaking on Chris Matthews and mentioned that soon Rick Perry would have to answer questions about how he put to death an innocent man. Perry as Governor refused to stay the execution and there are many that question whether he even reviewed the evidence.
I read a New Yorker article called Trial by Fire which many take to be the best introduction to the case. Willingham emerged from his house stating that his babies were burning. His wife was out of the house and he awoke that morning to his house being on fire.
Fire invesigators later found evidence of acclerants being used and stated that it along with the fact that Willingham left the house barefoot and suffered no burns on his feet.
A study of fire investigators and their methods has shown that it is a very subjective science. In fact when the Supreme Court ruled that all experts must provide evidence based on a scientific method fire investigators stated that they should not be held to that standard as their science is more of a case of hunches. The fact that someone can be put to death based on the hunches of an investigator should make us all nervous.
Later as Willingham neared death he finally had his case reviewed by one of the most reknown experts in the field. Test fires had been done that had shown that the methodology and science used in the investigation was flawed. Without going into the full science of it this gentleman disproved the entire science and methodology used in Texas in this case. Still armed with this information Rick Perry chose to let this man die.
Why is there a rush to exectute a man that science has shown to at least have a reasonable doub. Rick Perry will answer questions over the next year but there is one sad truth that is reflective in all politics today.
For those that are in favor of the death penalty there will be no overriding concern that this man might have been killed. In America today you are either for or against and there is very little in between.
Hopefully he was guilty but the whole process is flawed. Why are we so violent. Whey are we the only Western country that executes like this.
Georgia Executes Troy Davis
The execution of Troy Davis took place last evening. It had been delayed for a few hours as the word on a possible stay by The Supreme Court was awaited. It did not decide to act on the request.
Anyone who knows me know that tend to the Catholic view on all issues life, whether it be abortion or death penalty so my viewpoint on this is pretty standard fair.
I do not believe in the death penalty. The merits of this case seem to be especially egregious. Davis convicted of killing a police officer based primarily on the eyewitness testimony of nine people. Of those people seven have now recanted and the other two are dubious at best.
I do not know if Troy Davis was guilty of that murder. There is no doubt that earlier in the evening he was in a fight, that he had evidently shot a man earlier in the night in a fight. In short he was no angel.
Still cop killers are hated and if folks are thought to be cop killers the blue shield closes around and it is a rare case where a conviction is not gained.
One of the issues in these cases is it is very rare for a poor man with court appointed representation to be able to defend himself well. It seems that in America health care and justice are meted out on a pay to play basis. The more money you have the better chance of success in both areas.
I do not know if Troy Davis is guilty. I do know that there are enough doubts about the evidence and the guilt that a delay in his execution or better yet a commutation to life in prison was called for.
The innocence of youth is remembered. Looking at facebook last night I saw that many of my son's friends were posting about the case and the injustice of it all. I remember when I felt that sure of everything.
I am sure that I am against the death penalty. I am not sure that I know of his innocence. I think we are arrogant as men if we believe that we know who is guilty enough to kill in all cases.
Anyone who knows me know that tend to the Catholic view on all issues life, whether it be abortion or death penalty so my viewpoint on this is pretty standard fair.
I do not believe in the death penalty. The merits of this case seem to be especially egregious. Davis convicted of killing a police officer based primarily on the eyewitness testimony of nine people. Of those people seven have now recanted and the other two are dubious at best.
I do not know if Troy Davis was guilty of that murder. There is no doubt that earlier in the evening he was in a fight, that he had evidently shot a man earlier in the night in a fight. In short he was no angel.
Still cop killers are hated and if folks are thought to be cop killers the blue shield closes around and it is a rare case where a conviction is not gained.
One of the issues in these cases is it is very rare for a poor man with court appointed representation to be able to defend himself well. It seems that in America health care and justice are meted out on a pay to play basis. The more money you have the better chance of success in both areas.
I do not know if Troy Davis is guilty. I do know that there are enough doubts about the evidence and the guilt that a delay in his execution or better yet a commutation to life in prison was called for.
The innocence of youth is remembered. Looking at facebook last night I saw that many of my son's friends were posting about the case and the injustice of it all. I remember when I felt that sure of everything.
I am sure that I am against the death penalty. I am not sure that I know of his innocence. I think we are arrogant as men if we believe that we know who is guilty enough to kill in all cases.
President Clinton is Missed
Everytime I see him on television I say this but watching former President Clinton on Morning Joe this morning one has to be struck by the absolute intelligence of Mr Clinton. There is nothing he is not interested in. He is the quintessential man of letters. He is interested in all topics and moreover he learns about each topic and has something fruitful to add.
Clinton is a marked contrast to Bush and Perry and even Obama. A man that connects with people high and low, who really cares and is perhaps the most intelligent politician of his times.
There is nothing more to say it is a beaten horse but it seems to me we do ourselves a disservice when we disqualify from service the best politician due to the fact he has served.
Is there Democrat who would not take Clinton over Obama but just as importantly any Republicans who would not do the same.
Where have you gone Bill, a nation turns it's lonely eyes to you.
Clinton is a marked contrast to Bush and Perry and even Obama. A man that connects with people high and low, who really cares and is perhaps the most intelligent politician of his times.
There is nothing more to say it is a beaten horse but it seems to me we do ourselves a disservice when we disqualify from service the best politician due to the fact he has served.
Is there Democrat who would not take Clinton over Obama but just as importantly any Republicans who would not do the same.
Where have you gone Bill, a nation turns it's lonely eyes to you.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
We All Live a Normal Life
Reading a story by Ann Beattie in The New Yorker this week made me think about how as my Dad used to say " put our pants on one leg at a time." In this story we see a fictional account written by Pat Nixon about various incidents in her life with Richard Nixon.
One of the sections centers on a time when The President, now out of office and living in New Jersey has a dog approach him when he is outside. The dog appears lost and Nixon likes dogs. He brings the dog inside and he and Pat have a debate about keeping it, if someone might be looking for it and then make tea. It is the kind of thing we all do, the conversations of short term meaning that we all have with our spouses.
Would we feel differently about our leaders if we knew that they liked the movies we did, the music we did, wore the same bathrobe as we did or enjoyed the same books. Does that make them more human and less of a leader. There was a reason that even those that did not like President Bush the younger as President felt like he was more knowable and likable than Al Gore. Bill Clinton could make everyone feel like they knew him and it worked for him.
Richard Nixon was a good President and a human man with flaws, perhaps greater than other Presidents, perhaps not. In the end however he might well have discussed keeping a stray dog. In the end we saw him breakdown and cry when his wife Pat Nixon died and he soon followed her.
He died like the rest of us will. Alone. He came into the world like the rest of us did. Alone. In between one assumes with charity he did the best he could and even with his mistakes his intent was usually good. He had human frailties and made mistakes. We all do.
We all live and we all die. Thinking about Nixon and a stray dog made me think of my own life and in the end my own mortality. Perhaps that is why I write so much. We all want a legacy. A friend of mine told me about a dream he had as we finished high school. He came back to school the next year to visit. Right before he had left he had written up on the wall Steve was here. When he returned the next year he sought out what he had written. It was there but underneath in bigger letters stood a new phrase. Who Cares.
We all want our lives to mean something. Did Nixon find solace in a dog or a grandchild after the ups and downs of his life. I hope so. We should hope to find solace in our lives when we get old. We all need to do things that will help us have that as we get old.
Rest easy Mr. Nixon. I am sure that stray dogs life was better for your efforts. In the end is that not all any of us can do. To improve somebody, someones life and hope that the ledger is in the positive at the end.
One of the sections centers on a time when The President, now out of office and living in New Jersey has a dog approach him when he is outside. The dog appears lost and Nixon likes dogs. He brings the dog inside and he and Pat have a debate about keeping it, if someone might be looking for it and then make tea. It is the kind of thing we all do, the conversations of short term meaning that we all have with our spouses.
Would we feel differently about our leaders if we knew that they liked the movies we did, the music we did, wore the same bathrobe as we did or enjoyed the same books. Does that make them more human and less of a leader. There was a reason that even those that did not like President Bush the younger as President felt like he was more knowable and likable than Al Gore. Bill Clinton could make everyone feel like they knew him and it worked for him.
Richard Nixon was a good President and a human man with flaws, perhaps greater than other Presidents, perhaps not. In the end however he might well have discussed keeping a stray dog. In the end we saw him breakdown and cry when his wife Pat Nixon died and he soon followed her.
He died like the rest of us will. Alone. He came into the world like the rest of us did. Alone. In between one assumes with charity he did the best he could and even with his mistakes his intent was usually good. He had human frailties and made mistakes. We all do.
We all live and we all die. Thinking about Nixon and a stray dog made me think of my own life and in the end my own mortality. Perhaps that is why I write so much. We all want a legacy. A friend of mine told me about a dream he had as we finished high school. He came back to school the next year to visit. Right before he had left he had written up on the wall Steve was here. When he returned the next year he sought out what he had written. It was there but underneath in bigger letters stood a new phrase. Who Cares.
We all want our lives to mean something. Did Nixon find solace in a dog or a grandchild after the ups and downs of his life. I hope so. We should hope to find solace in our lives when we get old. We all need to do things that will help us have that as we get old.
Rest easy Mr. Nixon. I am sure that stray dogs life was better for your efforts. In the end is that not all any of us can do. To improve somebody, someones life and hope that the ledger is in the positive at the end.
No Parent Can Imagine This
I read an article in The Washington Post about a new problem that has arisen. Every summer 10,20, 30 or more children are dieing after being left in cars by their parents. These are not the kids that are left so Mom or Dad can go into a bar, or into the store and some tragedy that could have been foreseen occurs.
These are incidents where the parent simply forgets that the child is in the car and leaves him there. When one hears of this they usually will say oh my gosh that is terrible, that parent should be strung up, what were they thinking and this is often followed by the righteous indignation and sure response that they could never do this.
It is a horrible phenomenon. When kids car seats got moved to the backseat the problem started as the visual reminder went away. Now most working parents are well familiar that their mornings and afternoons are a rigid list of do this do that before they even can sit down at their desks and offices or less so to arrive home after a day of work.
What seems to occur in these instances is that something goes off with the schedule. Perhaps the husband gets dropped off first, perhaps a different parent has the child. Somehow things are done out of order and the child asleep in the back is not dropped off at daycare. The parent goes into work and usually until the daycare provider reaches out or worse with no warning until they arrive at their car later that day to go home an awful discovery is made.
The reaction is swift how can they not check on their kids all day. The truth is though when this happens the parent is sure the children are at daycare...there would be no reason to check on them. Some prosecutors chalk it as a terrible accident and let the parents deal with their guilt and shame in private, others bring charges such as manslaughter most frequently, rarely to success.
I have commented before about the ignorance of those who comment on stories but a story like this brings out the worst in people. Pyschologists say that some folks have to have thier be a villian and not a terrilbe mistake by a good person. Without a villian the obvious conclusion is that this could happen to anyone, to any child and that is not a safe thought to have as we go to sleep last night.
For those who say it could not happen to them I ask them to look in their memory bank for a time when they have driven someplace and then realized they were so deep in thought that they do not know how they got there, what route they took and other such things. This is common and relates to the brains ability to do the routine on auto pilot and think of other things, such as that days work, or the weekend plans, and have everything come out fine. This is what happens in these awful accidents. I am surprised it does not happen more often. It is tragic.
Anyone who thinks it or something equally diasastrous could not happen to them is fooling themselves. There but for the grace of God go I.
I believe that living through this must be horrible. A persons life can get turned upside down anytime, anyday. Reading these stories makes us feel lucky.
These are incidents where the parent simply forgets that the child is in the car and leaves him there. When one hears of this they usually will say oh my gosh that is terrible, that parent should be strung up, what were they thinking and this is often followed by the righteous indignation and sure response that they could never do this.
It is a horrible phenomenon. When kids car seats got moved to the backseat the problem started as the visual reminder went away. Now most working parents are well familiar that their mornings and afternoons are a rigid list of do this do that before they even can sit down at their desks and offices or less so to arrive home after a day of work.
What seems to occur in these instances is that something goes off with the schedule. Perhaps the husband gets dropped off first, perhaps a different parent has the child. Somehow things are done out of order and the child asleep in the back is not dropped off at daycare. The parent goes into work and usually until the daycare provider reaches out or worse with no warning until they arrive at their car later that day to go home an awful discovery is made.
The reaction is swift how can they not check on their kids all day. The truth is though when this happens the parent is sure the children are at daycare...there would be no reason to check on them. Some prosecutors chalk it as a terrible accident and let the parents deal with their guilt and shame in private, others bring charges such as manslaughter most frequently, rarely to success.
I have commented before about the ignorance of those who comment on stories but a story like this brings out the worst in people. Pyschologists say that some folks have to have thier be a villian and not a terrilbe mistake by a good person. Without a villian the obvious conclusion is that this could happen to anyone, to any child and that is not a safe thought to have as we go to sleep last night.
For those who say it could not happen to them I ask them to look in their memory bank for a time when they have driven someplace and then realized they were so deep in thought that they do not know how they got there, what route they took and other such things. This is common and relates to the brains ability to do the routine on auto pilot and think of other things, such as that days work, or the weekend plans, and have everything come out fine. This is what happens in these awful accidents. I am surprised it does not happen more often. It is tragic.
Anyone who thinks it or something equally diasastrous could not happen to them is fooling themselves. There but for the grace of God go I.
I believe that living through this must be horrible. A persons life can get turned upside down anytime, anyday. Reading these stories makes us feel lucky.
President Obama in Campaign Mode
The President released his promised plan to cut the decicit over the next ten years. It includes cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, a trillion dollars in military cuts, savings from ending our wars in the Middle East and includes the ending of the Bush era tax cuts and additional potential taxes on millionares.
The Republicans response was quick and they all had the same talking points. No mention of the cuts to Medicare or Medicaid, the military cuts were not an initial issue, but ending tax breaks for hedge fund managers, oil companies, corporate jet expenses and of course the Bush tax cuts well...these were fighting words.
I realize that John Boehner is in a hard position. The Tea Party is the elephant in the room for the Republicans and they do not want to get stomped. Still it is disheartening to know that short a national emergency there will be nothing done on the issues at hand over the next year. The jobs bill Obama proposed even though it included mostly items that were proposed by Republians in the past will have no chance of passage and the right will not even consider revenue increases.
One could argue that the Republicans are not doing their jobs by signing pledges about tax increases before they ever know the circumstances they might face. The truth is however is that their constituents are on board with no revenue increases.
Therein lies the rub, we are now in a place where Democrats in red state and Republicans in a blue state do not feel like consituents. This did not used to be the case. Politics has changed. America has changed.
One does wonder how many more chances we will get to unite before it is too late. One wonders what might have happened if after 9/11 Bush had asked for a shared sacrifice.
The end result of todays politics. Obama has put forth a plan he knows will not work just to score points politically and set himself up with a campaign platform. Before we wring our hands however lets recall that the Republicans have made clear that they will not work with him on anything unless he capitulates. Something he has done all too often.
By showing some backbone Obama increases his chances for future success, without it he is the man with the weakest in hand of the major players in Washington.
The Republicans response was quick and they all had the same talking points. No mention of the cuts to Medicare or Medicaid, the military cuts were not an initial issue, but ending tax breaks for hedge fund managers, oil companies, corporate jet expenses and of course the Bush tax cuts well...these were fighting words.
I realize that John Boehner is in a hard position. The Tea Party is the elephant in the room for the Republicans and they do not want to get stomped. Still it is disheartening to know that short a national emergency there will be nothing done on the issues at hand over the next year. The jobs bill Obama proposed even though it included mostly items that were proposed by Republians in the past will have no chance of passage and the right will not even consider revenue increases.
One could argue that the Republicans are not doing their jobs by signing pledges about tax increases before they ever know the circumstances they might face. The truth is however is that their constituents are on board with no revenue increases.
Therein lies the rub, we are now in a place where Democrats in red state and Republicans in a blue state do not feel like consituents. This did not used to be the case. Politics has changed. America has changed.
One does wonder how many more chances we will get to unite before it is too late. One wonders what might have happened if after 9/11 Bush had asked for a shared sacrifice.
The end result of todays politics. Obama has put forth a plan he knows will not work just to score points politically and set himself up with a campaign platform. Before we wring our hands however lets recall that the Republicans have made clear that they will not work with him on anything unless he capitulates. Something he has done all too often.
By showing some backbone Obama increases his chances for future success, without it he is the man with the weakest in hand of the major players in Washington.
Do You Want To Feel the Passage of Time
About a month ago I bought one of those daily devotional books at Borders for next to nothing as they were going out of business. This book is not religeous in nature, instead it is one of those books with short essays on a myriad of subjects. This one has a daily entry which ranges on a topics across a broad array of the cultural spectrum. Thus art, pop culture, authors, musicians, and entertainers are given a one page blurb for each day.
Each night I read an entry when I get in bed. Each night I marvel at how it seems like I just did this. Doing the same thing once a day at the same time of day ( in circumstance if not exact time) will make you feel like the days are racing by.
My Dad told me when I was young that when you get to be in your forties and fifties the days fly by. He was right. I read that this was because memories and experiences that we remember slow down time. When you are young each day of summer is a blank slate and hopefully many exciting things happen. Thus time slows. When we get older and go to work and do the same basic things each day it can be hard to differentiate the days.
Reading this book I feel old getting older. Maybe I should read it at different times of the day.
Each night I read an entry when I get in bed. Each night I marvel at how it seems like I just did this. Doing the same thing once a day at the same time of day ( in circumstance if not exact time) will make you feel like the days are racing by.
My Dad told me when I was young that when you get to be in your forties and fifties the days fly by. He was right. I read that this was because memories and experiences that we remember slow down time. When you are young each day of summer is a blank slate and hopefully many exciting things happen. Thus time slows. When we get older and go to work and do the same basic things each day it can be hard to differentiate the days.
Reading this book I feel old getting older. Maybe I should read it at different times of the day.
Too Much For a Teenager
My oldest son has too much on his plate. He is taking six courses all of them honors and AP. This was his doing, not mine, I am not sure it is neccesary. He is playing a sport each season, from soccer through baseball.
Having two to three hours of homework when getting home after 8 after a road game is a tough night for a 16 year old that has been up since 6. Of course any kid that has extra curricular activities will have to deal with that and he handles it well.
As a person who is organized I worry about how he handles it, it seems to me that he really only works one day at a time. He does not forecast what will be due and when anymore than the day he is on. Projects are always last minute affairs.
What is too much for a kid. Imagine if he had a part time job. He would like one, but how he could make that work I am not sure.
Certainly choosing to do extra things outside of school does not mean he should have less classwork but I realize how hard it is for him.
Still at times while he never complains about having all the extra work he does sometime seem to expect that we, as the rest of his world, change our needs for his. Now of course as his parent I want to help him. I also know as I have told him several times that the world does not care if he is tired. In the end with the exception of people who love him no one will care. Even those who like you in a work environment will not cut you slack if your lack of preparedness effects them.
So when he comes home and leaves his laundry in the hall but not in the basement I make him take it all way down to the basement. This is as the house rules state, being tired does not change the rules. In short as much as I would like to I rarely change the house rules to mitigate his stress from his busy life it is not often I do so.
The world will not mitigate his load and most of his stress is due to choices he makes or preperation he fails to make. Therefore I hold firm. I do hope someday he understands.
I admire how hard he works.
Having two to three hours of homework when getting home after 8 after a road game is a tough night for a 16 year old that has been up since 6. Of course any kid that has extra curricular activities will have to deal with that and he handles it well.
As a person who is organized I worry about how he handles it, it seems to me that he really only works one day at a time. He does not forecast what will be due and when anymore than the day he is on. Projects are always last minute affairs.
What is too much for a kid. Imagine if he had a part time job. He would like one, but how he could make that work I am not sure.
Certainly choosing to do extra things outside of school does not mean he should have less classwork but I realize how hard it is for him.
Still at times while he never complains about having all the extra work he does sometime seem to expect that we, as the rest of his world, change our needs for his. Now of course as his parent I want to help him. I also know as I have told him several times that the world does not care if he is tired. In the end with the exception of people who love him no one will care. Even those who like you in a work environment will not cut you slack if your lack of preparedness effects them.
So when he comes home and leaves his laundry in the hall but not in the basement I make him take it all way down to the basement. This is as the house rules state, being tired does not change the rules. In short as much as I would like to I rarely change the house rules to mitigate his stress from his busy life it is not often I do so.
The world will not mitigate his load and most of his stress is due to choices he makes or preperation he fails to make. Therefore I hold firm. I do hope someday he understands.
I admire how hard he works.
Taking Your Drivers Test
My oldest son took his drivers test last week. He did not pass. He was upset. I was ambivalent about it. Of course I never want him to meet with failure but I am also in no hurry for him to be driving. As some of my aforementioned blogs note people are crazy.
My son is sixteen and while he is conservative in many things he also is sixteen and thus knows everything. This made teaching him to drive not as enjoyable as it could have been but about as enjoyable as one might have expected.
He failed due to a lane change issue and not following directions well. I have to confess the latter was not a surprise. This is not a strong suit of his, it is not in most cases is he trying to be defiant and disregarding so much as he has not learned to discern the difference between what is important to hear and what he thinks he will hear and thus assumes he hears.
I tell myself and my children when they listen that dealing with adversity is part of life and that protecting them from all disapointment does not help their future.
Still as a parent when you see your children make mistakes you warned them about, when you realize at middle age that you know just what they are going through and could clear so many hurdles for them if they would just listen....but in the end you cannot. You cannot make them listen and you just have to hope that like the vegtables they supposedly will eat if you put them on their plate enough that the things you tell them over and over might seep in. There are no guarentees however.
If there were my son would have heard and digested me telling him ten minutes before his test that he wanted to be sure to turn around at any and all lane changes and not to use his mirror. He did not. He failed. It is not the end of the world. Hopefully as he grows there will be no larger consequences to him disregarding what we tell him.
That is the parents hope.
My son is sixteen and while he is conservative in many things he also is sixteen and thus knows everything. This made teaching him to drive not as enjoyable as it could have been but about as enjoyable as one might have expected.
He failed due to a lane change issue and not following directions well. I have to confess the latter was not a surprise. This is not a strong suit of his, it is not in most cases is he trying to be defiant and disregarding so much as he has not learned to discern the difference between what is important to hear and what he thinks he will hear and thus assumes he hears.
I tell myself and my children when they listen that dealing with adversity is part of life and that protecting them from all disapointment does not help their future.
Still as a parent when you see your children make mistakes you warned them about, when you realize at middle age that you know just what they are going through and could clear so many hurdles for them if they would just listen....but in the end you cannot. You cannot make them listen and you just have to hope that like the vegtables they supposedly will eat if you put them on their plate enough that the things you tell them over and over might seep in. There are no guarentees however.
If there were my son would have heard and digested me telling him ten minutes before his test that he wanted to be sure to turn around at any and all lane changes and not to use his mirror. He did not. He failed. It is not the end of the world. Hopefully as he grows there will be no larger consequences to him disregarding what we tell him.
That is the parents hope.
Bath Salts in Bangor
I guess I just do not understand the attraction. Are there no other drugs that do not apparently turn you into a stark raving lunatic that one can find to take.
We can have the debate if we want about why people take drugs. What they feel the need to escape from. Why the high of the moment is worth the risk to the success of their daily lives.
People sometimes refer to them as recreational drugs. Is there anything patently enjoyable about a drug that makes you paranoid and crazy as you come down from it. If one watches the local news it appears that the drug is highly addictive. What we do not know however is if there is a high that is so euphoric as to make it all worth it. One would assume there must be.
How does one, the first person decide to try to ingest bath salts. I do not what would posess someone to even try it.
It appears that folks doing this are more likely to be in their twenties and thirties, perhaps our young people in school are smarter. I hope so.
This is scary stuff.
We can have the debate if we want about why people take drugs. What they feel the need to escape from. Why the high of the moment is worth the risk to the success of their daily lives.
People sometimes refer to them as recreational drugs. Is there anything patently enjoyable about a drug that makes you paranoid and crazy as you come down from it. If one watches the local news it appears that the drug is highly addictive. What we do not know however is if there is a high that is so euphoric as to make it all worth it. One would assume there must be.
How does one, the first person decide to try to ingest bath salts. I do not what would posess someone to even try it.
It appears that folks doing this are more likely to be in their twenties and thirties, perhaps our young people in school are smarter. I hope so.
This is scary stuff.
Cowboys and Indians
A couple of weeks ago my wife and I went to see the movie Cowboys and Aliens. It was a pretty good movie, better than you might have expected going in.
I had a thought as I watched the Cowboys and Indians on the great plains decide to join forces to defeat the aliens which threatened to wipe them both out.
My guess is kids do not play Cowboys and Indians anymore. I am not advocating they do so I just know how integral a part of the little boy experience that was for me growing up. We could play outside with elaborate rules or we could play with the little figures you could get. I remember there was an Indian that was always kneeling with his arrow and he had a big headress like a turkey showing his plumage.
We also played with little army men as well. My guess is that that might still go on but of course the whole thing about violence and war toys is much higher. I do not think that kids I grew up with were more violent than kids are now.
When you think about it we watched Bugs Bunny play with guns, we played with toy guns, army figures, cowboys and indians and I am pretty sure we were ok for it.
I do not want this to be a diatribe that we are too safe now as I am one who is all for safety. I, in fact, am told I am too careful sometimes.
I just think that those folks who tell us that we should not let our children play war games might later let their kids listen to cop killer rap music or play video games that are all about killing. My sons play all these combat games. Movies are a cesspool of violence. What is more dangerous movies with violence on the level we see or cartoons where we see Wile Coyote fall off a cliff without dieing.
There are always extreme cases of course but the world is a different place. I did not end up a racist and I played with cowboys and indians. I love Cowboys, I know that the Indians got hosed. Sometimes I think we focus our efforts on the wrong things.
I had a thought as I watched the Cowboys and Indians on the great plains decide to join forces to defeat the aliens which threatened to wipe them both out.
My guess is kids do not play Cowboys and Indians anymore. I am not advocating they do so I just know how integral a part of the little boy experience that was for me growing up. We could play outside with elaborate rules or we could play with the little figures you could get. I remember there was an Indian that was always kneeling with his arrow and he had a big headress like a turkey showing his plumage.
We also played with little army men as well. My guess is that that might still go on but of course the whole thing about violence and war toys is much higher. I do not think that kids I grew up with were more violent than kids are now.
When you think about it we watched Bugs Bunny play with guns, we played with toy guns, army figures, cowboys and indians and I am pretty sure we were ok for it.
I do not want this to be a diatribe that we are too safe now as I am one who is all for safety. I, in fact, am told I am too careful sometimes.
I just think that those folks who tell us that we should not let our children play war games might later let their kids listen to cop killer rap music or play video games that are all about killing. My sons play all these combat games. Movies are a cesspool of violence. What is more dangerous movies with violence on the level we see or cartoons where we see Wile Coyote fall off a cliff without dieing.
There are always extreme cases of course but the world is a different place. I did not end up a racist and I played with cowboys and indians. I love Cowboys, I know that the Indians got hosed. Sometimes I think we focus our efforts on the wrong things.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
How Disconnected is the Stereotypical Liberal
I am a Democrat. I admit it freely and I have appreciation for the days when liberal was not a dirty word. Lost however in that sentence however is the fact that liberal means something different today than it did in years and decades past. Under FDR liberal meant that the government could intervene if necessary to try to make sure we did not have twenty percent unemployment, that government could take on projects like the TVA, and that social security was a program that would be beneficial to most Americans.
Recently we are all seeing and hearing some of the far right candidates for President. They make Romney look good don't they. And as Obama sinks lower in lower in the polls it becomes a legitimate concern that he may not be reelected and that one of these folks will. It seems unlikely that someone like Rick Perry could withstand the scrutiny of a full campaign but then again we did elect George Bush and comparatively Barack Obama. Let's face it Americans do not do a great job in choosing their political candidates.
So with this backdrop let me tell about a lunch my wife and I had with a friend of hers from high school. Her friend lives in Colorado is in her late thirties and has never been married. She is active in liberal politics in the Boulder area and works for a non profit which helps poor folks manage their health and dietary needs among other things. She is a sweet person, a good friend to my wife and a gem of a person. Her boyfriend who accompanied her works as an activist from home setting up targeted campaigns against businesses who do not follow ecologically sound practices. They have no children but do love their dogs.
In an of itself this is not a problem and again they are good folks. The problem is that this is the stereotypical liberal and frankly it is tougher to sell to Middle America and independents than a right wing conservative who believes in extreme law and order and has a problem with the division of church and state.
The lives of these liberals do not relate. The lives of a conservative have many things in common with you and I.
Our lunch partners had a debate at lunch about tuna. He worked for Greenpeace to cut tuna nets which brought up many other fish indiscriminately and thus would not eat tuna she advocated tuna as a food that her young mothers she helped could eat and provide strong amounts of protein for the price.
This is an actual debate they have. Cute isn't it.
She at least had a foot in the real world. He was living out the teenage dream of being an activist. Speaking of working on Greenpeace ships he talked about how they had shut down some various fishing activities and how they had showed them. I did not have the desire or poor enough manners to tell him that it seemed highly likely that all of the activities of he and his Greenpeace friends amounted to a gnat on the hide of an elephant. I do not dispute their passion nor the basic goodness of their motives but to fool yourself that your activities are making a significant difference is to do just that...fool yourself.
An argument could be made that with all the issues to help the country with perhaps these folks need to take a reality check and realize tuna is not anywhere near the center of concern. It does not mean their concern is wrong, it just means that it is far from the center.
I look at it this way I have a Republican friend, my best friend and if I were to meet a conservative friend of his I would most likely mot agree with them perhaps say on gun control issues. I would however understand his dislike of taxes, his concern on crime and his concern for his family and children. These folks were he to meet them would never get past the " weenie" test. They spend time debating the merits of tuna, they do live in reality about how the average family lives day to day and without a doubt considers it all a little beneath them.
This is a small capsule of why the Democratic party has a hard time in national elections. The average person who might agree with them on many issues cannot relate to them as people.
Recently we are all seeing and hearing some of the far right candidates for President. They make Romney look good don't they. And as Obama sinks lower in lower in the polls it becomes a legitimate concern that he may not be reelected and that one of these folks will. It seems unlikely that someone like Rick Perry could withstand the scrutiny of a full campaign but then again we did elect George Bush and comparatively Barack Obama. Let's face it Americans do not do a great job in choosing their political candidates.
So with this backdrop let me tell about a lunch my wife and I had with a friend of hers from high school. Her friend lives in Colorado is in her late thirties and has never been married. She is active in liberal politics in the Boulder area and works for a non profit which helps poor folks manage their health and dietary needs among other things. She is a sweet person, a good friend to my wife and a gem of a person. Her boyfriend who accompanied her works as an activist from home setting up targeted campaigns against businesses who do not follow ecologically sound practices. They have no children but do love their dogs.
In an of itself this is not a problem and again they are good folks. The problem is that this is the stereotypical liberal and frankly it is tougher to sell to Middle America and independents than a right wing conservative who believes in extreme law and order and has a problem with the division of church and state.
The lives of these liberals do not relate. The lives of a conservative have many things in common with you and I.
Our lunch partners had a debate at lunch about tuna. He worked for Greenpeace to cut tuna nets which brought up many other fish indiscriminately and thus would not eat tuna she advocated tuna as a food that her young mothers she helped could eat and provide strong amounts of protein for the price.
This is an actual debate they have. Cute isn't it.
She at least had a foot in the real world. He was living out the teenage dream of being an activist. Speaking of working on Greenpeace ships he talked about how they had shut down some various fishing activities and how they had showed them. I did not have the desire or poor enough manners to tell him that it seemed highly likely that all of the activities of he and his Greenpeace friends amounted to a gnat on the hide of an elephant. I do not dispute their passion nor the basic goodness of their motives but to fool yourself that your activities are making a significant difference is to do just that...fool yourself.
An argument could be made that with all the issues to help the country with perhaps these folks need to take a reality check and realize tuna is not anywhere near the center of concern. It does not mean their concern is wrong, it just means that it is far from the center.
I look at it this way I have a Republican friend, my best friend and if I were to meet a conservative friend of his I would most likely mot agree with them perhaps say on gun control issues. I would however understand his dislike of taxes, his concern on crime and his concern for his family and children. These folks were he to meet them would never get past the " weenie" test. They spend time debating the merits of tuna, they do live in reality about how the average family lives day to day and without a doubt considers it all a little beneath them.
This is a small capsule of why the Democratic party has a hard time in national elections. The average person who might agree with them on many issues cannot relate to them as people.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Tim Wakefield wins his 200th
It took awhile to accomplish but Tim Wakefield got his two hundreth win last night. Wakefield is a class act. He lives in Boston in the off season, he has married a local girl. He does enormous amounts of charity work and last year was awarded the Roberto Clemente award.
Wakefield is 45 years old and should be remembered as a good player who maximized his talents and was always an individual you could admire. We need more.
Wakefield is 45 years old and should be remembered as a good player who maximized his talents and was always an individual you could admire. We need more.
Hot Stuff in Texas
71 Days this summer were over 100 degrees in Dallas. I like heat but that seems like it would get old quick. Just another example of how much the air conditioner changed the demographics of the country. Who would choose to live in Texas with weather like that. With air conditioning Dallas is one of the fastest growing cities in the country.
Global warming. I do not know if the tempertures and extreme drought conditions in Texas are related to global warming or not but that must be quite something to get used to. Maybe it's Rick Perry's fault
Global warming. I do not know if the tempertures and extreme drought conditions in Texas are related to global warming or not but that must be quite something to get used to. Maybe it's Rick Perry's fault
Senator Jim Webb of Virginia
Senator Webb was elected in 2006 defeating George Allen after George made some off the cuff remarks that he soon regretted in the age of You tube. Webb has found Washington to be worse than he expected in many ways and has decided that one term is enough. To me this would indicate a man of a serious bent who just cannot bring himself to work at the snails pace and cowards attitude that much of Washington does.
Webb has taken on as his cause prison reform. This is a very toxic subject to politicians. Americans scared of crime and tired of the cases that go wrong and are dramatized by the 24 hour new spin and Nancy Grace et all are under the impression crime is worse than it is.
An article on Newsweek. com recently gave some staggering numbers on American crime and American imprisonment. As a result of mandatory minimum sentencing and the Reagan years war on drugs we have too many people in prison for non violent offenses. In the last 30 years our prison population has more than quadrupled to over 2.3 million. Certainly our population has not increased in that manner.
The numbers are staggering. The incarceration rate for England is 153 per 100,000 people. In Germany it is in the 89, Japan 63, and in the United States 743. As five percent of the global population the United States holds 25 percent of the worlds prison population.
What are we to make of this. Are Americans that much more evil, that much more wrongdoing than other citizens of other countries. The answer of course is no.
Drug offenses make up a great percentage of these crimes. This has been a political third rail for politicians. No one wants to be accused of being soft on crime. All it takes is one person out of jail with a record to do something bad and instantly you are too easy on criminals. The facts also point to the cost of prison care. In a time of budget cuts the cost of the prison population is an albatross.
We do not want to let out violent criminals. Still clearly we are doing soemthing wrong, our crime is greater than other industrialized countries. We lock up too many people.
One way to attempt to correct this is to be grown ups and admit we have a problem without holding those that choose to acknowledge it as soft on crime.
Jim Webb is brave to do so, it is a shame he realizes that he could not get reelected after making this his signature issue.
Webb has taken on as his cause prison reform. This is a very toxic subject to politicians. Americans scared of crime and tired of the cases that go wrong and are dramatized by the 24 hour new spin and Nancy Grace et all are under the impression crime is worse than it is.
An article on Newsweek. com recently gave some staggering numbers on American crime and American imprisonment. As a result of mandatory minimum sentencing and the Reagan years war on drugs we have too many people in prison for non violent offenses. In the last 30 years our prison population has more than quadrupled to over 2.3 million. Certainly our population has not increased in that manner.
The numbers are staggering. The incarceration rate for England is 153 per 100,000 people. In Germany it is in the 89, Japan 63, and in the United States 743. As five percent of the global population the United States holds 25 percent of the worlds prison population.
What are we to make of this. Are Americans that much more evil, that much more wrongdoing than other citizens of other countries. The answer of course is no.
Drug offenses make up a great percentage of these crimes. This has been a political third rail for politicians. No one wants to be accused of being soft on crime. All it takes is one person out of jail with a record to do something bad and instantly you are too easy on criminals. The facts also point to the cost of prison care. In a time of budget cuts the cost of the prison population is an albatross.
We do not want to let out violent criminals. Still clearly we are doing soemthing wrong, our crime is greater than other industrialized countries. We lock up too many people.
One way to attempt to correct this is to be grown ups and admit we have a problem without holding those that choose to acknowledge it as soft on crime.
Jim Webb is brave to do so, it is a shame he realizes that he could not get reelected after making this his signature issue.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Bloodthirsty Republicans
My best friend is a Republican. He is a great guy and a caring person. I have many Republican friends. At the last two debates a couple of reactions in the crowd have been, to me, just as meaningful as what has happened on stage.
Last week Rick Perry talked about executions in Texas which usually are greater than the other states combined. Perry offered no apologies and apparently from the reaction of the crowd need not do so. As the question was read and the number of executions named a lusty cheer went up from the crowd.
Last evening Wolf Blitzer was asking Ron Paul about what to do with a healthy twenty something who does not have health insurance but is injured and now lies in a coma where he may be for months. He asked what would Paul do. Paul attempted to skate around the question and talk about charity and personal responsibility but when pressed by Blitzer if Perry would let this person die several people in the crowd yelled yes.
What is wrong with us. Perhaps the Tea Party is more Libertarian than conservative but conservatives who usually proclaim to have Jesus on their side would know have clearly forgotten the number one admonition of Jesus. Love thy neighbor. Wishing an uninsured man dead is not Christian no mater how you slice it, and when the power to help is available but only to those who can pay the response from Jesus I am quite sure would not be good.
Look if you do not want to believe in God that is up to you. But for those who interpret God as being on their side it would be wise to consider some of the chapters of Jesus that they apparently missed.
Maybe we should have a new Bible Class for Republicans Remedial Jesus for Conservatives.
Last week Rick Perry talked about executions in Texas which usually are greater than the other states combined. Perry offered no apologies and apparently from the reaction of the crowd need not do so. As the question was read and the number of executions named a lusty cheer went up from the crowd.
Last evening Wolf Blitzer was asking Ron Paul about what to do with a healthy twenty something who does not have health insurance but is injured and now lies in a coma where he may be for months. He asked what would Paul do. Paul attempted to skate around the question and talk about charity and personal responsibility but when pressed by Blitzer if Perry would let this person die several people in the crowd yelled yes.
What is wrong with us. Perhaps the Tea Party is more Libertarian than conservative but conservatives who usually proclaim to have Jesus on their side would know have clearly forgotten the number one admonition of Jesus. Love thy neighbor. Wishing an uninsured man dead is not Christian no mater how you slice it, and when the power to help is available but only to those who can pay the response from Jesus I am quite sure would not be good.
Look if you do not want to believe in God that is up to you. But for those who interpret God as being on their side it would be wise to consider some of the chapters of Jesus that they apparently missed.
Maybe we should have a new Bible Class for Republicans Remedial Jesus for Conservatives.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Michelle Rhee versus teachers
Michelle Rhee has become famous in her own rite. The former director of all Washington D C Schools who now is considered an education expert has become the leading proponent of education reform.
I think that the call for education reform and social security reform have many similarities. They both do need corrections but the calls for a complete overhaul are overstated and unneccesary.
While some advocating for reform surely have the best at heart I believe that for some this is an opportunity to become a pundit, a seer or worse to use this crisis for their own gain and gratification.
Rhee in an interview recently stated that the policy of LIFO when used in the determination of which educators to layoff in budget cuts is harmful in three ways . In explaining these three ways she finally gave voice to a reason often denied but usually under the surface. Rhee stated that LIFO methods often have younger teachers who are quite successful removed when some older more tenured teachers on independent review are not as effective. She states that poorer school districts suffer more because with their budget constantly in flux they have a higher turnover rate which of course does not aid the students.
Notably however she also stated that in times of budget constraints districts could keep two younger teachers instead of one older tenured educator. Therein lies the rub. In days of constant budget cuts anyone who does not think that older, higher paid teachers would not have a target on their back is living in a dream world.
To prove this look to the world of business. How often have we seen older employees who are still doing a good job let go while younger employees are left safe. The fact is that while there are always some dynamic performers and we are thankful for that we also have a large range of effective employees or teachers in the middle. All things being equal from a business point of view an employer keeps the cheaper employee. Educators have been protected against this, through their union and yet many of the masses proclaim them as standing in the way of progress.
I challenge anyone who has worked ten to fifteen years in their job to feel good about giving up there seniority and being placed on an equal par with a new employee. No one would do this.
The masses or at least the commentators on the BDN website always point to teachers having benefits they should not. Of course their comments are not usually written well so one has to wonder what their belief in education has been. That sounds snobbish and perhaps it is but when educators become looked down upon then what does that mean of our society.
We proclaim teachers as being important and yet we do not support them when it comes to budgets, we do not support them when our children are in their classes, and we denigrate them every chance we get and begrudge them their benefits. Would you go the cheapest doctor you could find. You would not, still we constantly denigrate our teachers for the wages they earn.
Social Security correlates because while we know the program will be in trouble in the thirties, twenty or more years from now that is a lifetime away. Of course it should be corrected and fixed just as Reagan did in the eighties but those crying the loudest now are those that want to kill the program not save it.
Social Security can be fixed easily with small adjustments around the edges but we are mostly hearing from folks who want to make massive changes including privatizing it. Follow the money and trust me it leads to people who do not care about saving Social Security. Follow the money in education and a great deal of those proposing the biggest changes have never sent their children to public school.
I think that the call for education reform and social security reform have many similarities. They both do need corrections but the calls for a complete overhaul are overstated and unneccesary.
While some advocating for reform surely have the best at heart I believe that for some this is an opportunity to become a pundit, a seer or worse to use this crisis for their own gain and gratification.
Rhee in an interview recently stated that the policy of LIFO when used in the determination of which educators to layoff in budget cuts is harmful in three ways . In explaining these three ways she finally gave voice to a reason often denied but usually under the surface. Rhee stated that LIFO methods often have younger teachers who are quite successful removed when some older more tenured teachers on independent review are not as effective. She states that poorer school districts suffer more because with their budget constantly in flux they have a higher turnover rate which of course does not aid the students.
Notably however she also stated that in times of budget constraints districts could keep two younger teachers instead of one older tenured educator. Therein lies the rub. In days of constant budget cuts anyone who does not think that older, higher paid teachers would not have a target on their back is living in a dream world.
To prove this look to the world of business. How often have we seen older employees who are still doing a good job let go while younger employees are left safe. The fact is that while there are always some dynamic performers and we are thankful for that we also have a large range of effective employees or teachers in the middle. All things being equal from a business point of view an employer keeps the cheaper employee. Educators have been protected against this, through their union and yet many of the masses proclaim them as standing in the way of progress.
I challenge anyone who has worked ten to fifteen years in their job to feel good about giving up there seniority and being placed on an equal par with a new employee. No one would do this.
The masses or at least the commentators on the BDN website always point to teachers having benefits they should not. Of course their comments are not usually written well so one has to wonder what their belief in education has been. That sounds snobbish and perhaps it is but when educators become looked down upon then what does that mean of our society.
We proclaim teachers as being important and yet we do not support them when it comes to budgets, we do not support them when our children are in their classes, and we denigrate them every chance we get and begrudge them their benefits. Would you go the cheapest doctor you could find. You would not, still we constantly denigrate our teachers for the wages they earn.
Social Security correlates because while we know the program will be in trouble in the thirties, twenty or more years from now that is a lifetime away. Of course it should be corrected and fixed just as Reagan did in the eighties but those crying the loudest now are those that want to kill the program not save it.
Social Security can be fixed easily with small adjustments around the edges but we are mostly hearing from folks who want to make massive changes including privatizing it. Follow the money and trust me it leads to people who do not care about saving Social Security. Follow the money in education and a great deal of those proposing the biggest changes have never sent their children to public school.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
What We Done In Texas
Watching the Republican Presidential Debate right now and just heard Rick Perry say " What We Done In Texas " as in I'm proud of what we done in Texas. I asked my daughter did he just say that and we rewound the show and discovered that indeed he did say that.
Why do candidates for President think that by talking down to us they will find success. Why do we allow it to work.
Why do candidates for President think that by talking down to us they will find success. Why do we allow it to work.
Why Are Political Candidates Smarter When They Lose
Watching Tim Pawlenty on Morning Joe this morning and it is like had a lobotomy. In this case this is not a bad thing. While Pawlenty was never a fire breather on the stump he was a Conservative who had seemed to lose some of his Minnesota nice recently.
After finishing third in Iowa, losing to his colleague from Minnesota Michelle Bachman he stepped out of the race. Long seen as a viable, strong, candidate for President Pawlenty never gained traction.
A former two term governor who was clearly a Conservative one wonders why. Watching him on Morning Joe this morning he was a changed man. He was intelligent and clearly still a Conservative. Now, however he was freed from the neccesity of pandering to the far right. He spoke well, he was civil with those that disagreed with him, he was not calling the left and or Obama treasonous. In short he was acting like he should.
Why is it so difficult to disagree without being disagreeable. Pawlenty was more attractive to me today than he ever was as a candidate. He had a sense of humor, he was thoughtful, and he was intelligent.
Why does it have to be this way that candidates have to fit inside a box to be candidates when we all know that our problems will require cooperation and perhaps some out of the box thinking.
After finishing third in Iowa, losing to his colleague from Minnesota Michelle Bachman he stepped out of the race. Long seen as a viable, strong, candidate for President Pawlenty never gained traction.
A former two term governor who was clearly a Conservative one wonders why. Watching him on Morning Joe this morning he was a changed man. He was intelligent and clearly still a Conservative. Now, however he was freed from the neccesity of pandering to the far right. He spoke well, he was civil with those that disagreed with him, he was not calling the left and or Obama treasonous. In short he was acting like he should.
Why is it so difficult to disagree without being disagreeable. Pawlenty was more attractive to me today than he ever was as a candidate. He had a sense of humor, he was thoughtful, and he was intelligent.
Why does it have to be this way that candidates have to fit inside a box to be candidates when we all know that our problems will require cooperation and perhaps some out of the box thinking.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Obama and the Left
On The Huffington Post this weekend a column appeared by the actor Stephen Weber stating that liberals need to get on board with President Obama because really what are the other options. Sitting out the election and watching someone like Rick Perry win the Presidency.
Clearly this would not be an option liberals desire. On this point Weber is correct. However,that said, Obama should not get a free pass from those on the left. The difference between being defeated on promises made and pragmatically not working to even get them passed is significant. Obama has broken more promises and commitments to the left than he can count. His promise to stand with labor has been a non starter, his removal of the EPA's right to regulate smog, his back and forth on gay rights, his promises on Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo, his failure to fight for the public option for the health care bill, his cave in on the budget last year and his even bigger cave this summer on the Debt Ceiling.
It is not so much that Obama keeps losing, or even that he keeps compromising it is that he never seems to want to fight. His desire to be seen as above it all seems almost pathological.
The Presidential election is a series of fifty battles and electorally Obama could be in big trouble. The left dreams of a new candidate, if not Hillary as she is no liberal but someone else with a set of principles and as important a desire to fight for them.
I have read recent articles claiming America is ripe and ready for an Independent ticket, a coalition if you will, whether this is true or not remains to be seen. The problem is as in most of these fights is Republicans are more disciplined in all things and their anger at Obama might not incline them to go for any kind of moderation ticket. Myself a ticket of Kerrey/Hagel even if they are both from Nebraska sounds wonderful but there are millions of reasons why this is not just unlikely but extremely remote as a possibility.
Clearly this would not be an option liberals desire. On this point Weber is correct. However,that said, Obama should not get a free pass from those on the left. The difference between being defeated on promises made and pragmatically not working to even get them passed is significant. Obama has broken more promises and commitments to the left than he can count. His promise to stand with labor has been a non starter, his removal of the EPA's right to regulate smog, his back and forth on gay rights, his promises on Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo, his failure to fight for the public option for the health care bill, his cave in on the budget last year and his even bigger cave this summer on the Debt Ceiling.
It is not so much that Obama keeps losing, or even that he keeps compromising it is that he never seems to want to fight. His desire to be seen as above it all seems almost pathological.
The Presidential election is a series of fifty battles and electorally Obama could be in big trouble. The left dreams of a new candidate, if not Hillary as she is no liberal but someone else with a set of principles and as important a desire to fight for them.
I have read recent articles claiming America is ripe and ready for an Independent ticket, a coalition if you will, whether this is true or not remains to be seen. The problem is as in most of these fights is Republicans are more disciplined in all things and their anger at Obama might not incline them to go for any kind of moderation ticket. Myself a ticket of Kerrey/Hagel even if they are both from Nebraska sounds wonderful but there are millions of reasons why this is not just unlikely but extremely remote as a possibility.
Driving and Praying
I told my wife the other night that I was starting to wonder if I was a bad driver. Now I said not really believing it but when driving in Bangor I have to say that it is getting scary.
In just the last few days I saw a car going on 14th street going at least 55. Saturday evening my wife and I on our way to the Cheap Seats were passed on Odlin Road right on the corner by the beginning of the runways. Returning we were passed on Hammond Street where it passes over I 95. In call cases I am driving the speed limit which here in town is 25. I am not sure what people are thinking.
Five people died in Maine this past weekend in car accidents. Why are we so shortsighted. Why do we not realize that there is no coming back from a car accident that kills someone. If one does the math on what is saved by passing even on the highway they need to measure those 10 minutes they might save in an hour against the risk to life and limb. The measurements in town, with traffic lights and hopefully some sense of carefulness is even less.
I was a young man once. I remember how a car becomes an extension of yourself and how someone driving slow when you feel in a hurry, or you feel exuberant, or you feel upset. In short there are a million reasons to drive foolishly, none of them however are valid in the face of the one reason not to. Death. As I tell my son that is why they are called accidents.
Drive safe.
In just the last few days I saw a car going on 14th street going at least 55. Saturday evening my wife and I on our way to the Cheap Seats were passed on Odlin Road right on the corner by the beginning of the runways. Returning we were passed on Hammond Street where it passes over I 95. In call cases I am driving the speed limit which here in town is 25. I am not sure what people are thinking.
Five people died in Maine this past weekend in car accidents. Why are we so shortsighted. Why do we not realize that there is no coming back from a car accident that kills someone. If one does the math on what is saved by passing even on the highway they need to measure those 10 minutes they might save in an hour against the risk to life and limb. The measurements in town, with traffic lights and hopefully some sense of carefulness is even less.
I was a young man once. I remember how a car becomes an extension of yourself and how someone driving slow when you feel in a hurry, or you feel exuberant, or you feel upset. In short there are a million reasons to drive foolishly, none of them however are valid in the face of the one reason not to. Death. As I tell my son that is why they are called accidents.
Drive safe.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
When Should the President Speak
Yesterday the President sent a formal request to House Speaker John Boehner asking to speak to a joint session of Congress on September 7th. The President would like to deliver a speech about the unemployment crisis and the economy.
This seems like a simple enough request. However these days in Washington nothing is easy. It just so happens that the Republicans have a Presidential debate that evening. The Republicans would not like to not share the spotlight with the President.
Now we have heard in the interim that traditionally these discussions are private and often involve some wrangling and debating back and forth. So the question becomes one of did the administration fail to have a private discussion first with the Speaker. The sides seem to disagree on this. Of course the President might have been trying to upstage the debate. If so it seems odd that he would cave as quickly as he did last evening agreeing to change the speech to September 8th.
Of course September 8th will put the President up against football. Of course the speech is as much about trying to control the debate as it is too actually passing a bill. As was observed on Morning Joe this morning with this much debate about the timing of a speech one can rightly wonder about the eventual success or liklihood of compromiise on the items mentioned in it.
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