A Uniter, Not A Divider

Scott Wilson has an article in the Washington Post, wringing his hands that President Obama shouldn't pin our economic crisis on George W. Bush. The premise is that Obama campaigned as someone who wanted to rise above partisanship.

Piffle. Rising above partisanship doesn't mean you ignore the plain truth of the matter. Nor does it mean taking the blame for eight years of failure and mismanagement. That would be a cushy job, huh? You have someone who burns down the house, then you step into the rubble and say, "Look at the house that I destroyed!"

Plus, there's an obvious problem with part of the premise of this paragraph:

Upon entering the White House in 2001, Bush pinned the lackluster economy on his predecessor, using the "Clinton recession" to successfully argue in favor of tax cuts that won some Democratic support. But for Obama, who built his candidacy on a promise to rise above Washington's divisive partisan traditions -- winning over many independent voters and moderate Republicans in the process -- blaming his predecessor holds special risks. [my emphasis]

As I recall the 2000 election, George Bush declared himself "a uniter, not a divider," and he promised to 'reach across the aisle' much as he had done as governor of Texas. He didn't come into office promising to govern as a hyper-partisan. How fast we forget!

Who Knew I Was Ultra Right?

I'm not ultra right, and can barely stand the hotheads, wingnuts, liars, and frauds who are. I don't watch or listen to these goofs, except a minute here, a minute there, or maybe if I'm stuck in a waiting room. Even then I'd rather step outside in the below zero temperatures than to be subjected to it.

So these people like Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, there's nothing to me. I can't say they're dead to me because they were never alive.

But I read something today at Daily Kos -- maybe I heard something about it a few days ago -- that these clowns, who think they speak for average Americans (c'mon, they're elites if anyone is), "surround us," whoever the "us" is supposed to be. Me, I guess. So I clicked on the link at DKos, and guess what? Their "principles" are mostly common sense stuff that almost anyone could find agreement with, at least according to their own standard of "at least seven" out of the nine.

I suppose actual atheists would disagree with the one about God. For me, God is not a problem whatsoever, and it'd be my true opinion that even atheists could interpret that, if they knew about it, in a broader way, like with Paul Tillich, being their "ultimate concern." But set that aside.

Here's the list of principles and a few nudges from me.

The Nine Principles

1. America is good. - Yes, I think America is good. But what is America except "We the People"? And it's clear that the right wingers, like everyone else, don't think all Americans are good. Their political opposition, the people they're against at this very minute, and of course prisoners, murderers. Not everyone is good. As a concept, America is good, but there's no reality without the people and living up to your values. I've never been anywhere but America. I've always believed in the place. That doesn't mean everything is unambiguously "good." But by and large, sure, America's not just good, it's great!

2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life. - If you believe in God, follow the highest values. Don't make excuses, but apply yourself to the highest things and stay on the path.

3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday. - It's good to have the motivation toward self improvement. I would have phrased this "principle" slightly differently. Rather than just centering in on honesty, they have the "12 values" following, I would have concentrated this statement on those values as a whole. Such as "I must always try to live out my values more and more." Honesty is great. I love honesty, tempered with mercy, but honesty in business, dealings, etc., of course. As for this principle I don't want to be saying I wasn't an honest person yesterday, though.

4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government. - The word "sacred" bothers me in terms of the family. It seems like "sacred" is a word that should be used for God more and us less. Maybe "central" would be a better word, but I catch the drift; it's good. As for "My spouse and I," a lot of people don't have a spouse, and we know better than to say generally that we're "the ultimate authority." Because it depends on what it is. We're the ultimate authority on where we're going to live, where we're going to go to school, what our kids are going to read at home, etc., and on lots of other things. But the government obviously has authority over us. We can't park our car in the middle of the street. We can't proclaim ourselves divorced and have it be legal. We can't shoot our neighbors. We can't secede from the union, the United States and my family.

5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it. -- Of course I agree with this. It somewhat contradicts number 4, because you have to assume it's the government who's making you pay the penalty, unless vigilante justice is what they have in mind here.

6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results. - Of course that's true.

7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable. - Of course that's true. Obviously government can force you to pay taxes, since there are laws (see number 5). And if you break the law you pay the penalty. But as for normal charity, number 7 is good.

8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion. - People on the left said this for eight long years about the Bush administration. But in those years it was judged unpatriotic to disagree with authority. And sharing one's personal opinion could even get you death threats. I remember an idiotic restaurant that had a sign that said they wouldn't serve anyone who ordered "French fries." It had to be "Freedom fries" or no fries for you. It was Bush who said you're either with him or with the terrorists.

9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me. - I've said this repeatedly over the years. Everyone seems to forget, whether the president is George Bush or whoever, that he is our employee. He is in office to serve us.

I basically have no problem with the principles. They seem to have a "rough draft" quality to them and could have been phrased better, but hey!

The "12 values" are less ambiguous, more definite. They are:

* Honesty
* Reverence
* Hope
* Thrift
* Humility
* Charity
* Sincerity
* Moderation
* Hard Work
* Courage
* Personal Responsibility
* Gratitude

Each one of these is an excellent value.

And I'm not ultra right. So if they're looking for agreement by "surrounding" us, they got it!

American Idol's New Rule

They had the "new rule" announced last night on American Idol. It is that the judges in the course of the season can "save" a person who receives the lowest number of votes that week if they feel he or she should have another shot. Then the next week they would say goodbye to two. And there would be no more saves the next week because the save can only be once in the season, anytime before the final five.

The weird thing is they showed Chris Daughtry and hinted that it would "save" someone like him who perhaps should have gone further in the competition. But he was in the final 4, so in his case it wouldn't have saved him.

Even if it would have saved him, he still might not have won. We all know Chris Daughtry is the greatest thing in the world (basically) now, but not everyone thought that at the time. Or he would've kept going on the show. I remember some criticism of him at the time as sounding the same every week, like he had one style and that was it. Personally I liked him, but I liked Taylor Hicks better.

The ones who were there were Taylor, Katharine McPhee, Elliott Yamin, and Chris. Taylor definitely had fan votes coming in from somewhere, since he was never in the bottom three ... until, of course, there were only three left. Elliott had some good things going on and has done pretty well since, better than I thought he would. Taylor's audience doesn't seem to be a big CD buying group, or downloaders. I've got his new one ordered. It must not be popular enough to be at the store because they didn't have it yesterday. Katharine came in second. As for my taste, she would have gone home in Chris' place, then Elliott, then have the final between Chris and Taylor.

I think it's a good rule to have, the new one. But you knew, since they can only do it once, they weren't going to waste it on Jorge or Jasmine. At this point things have to shake out and you can barely say they didn't have a good shot to show the goods. Only if it had been unbelievable, like Adam Lambert with the lowest number of votes. That would have been a disaster. They would've used it then.

Exciting stuff, huh? Better than politics really. It's superficial enough you can keep track of all the angles and you're not dealing with quite as many dishonest people. I hope.

First Ones Voted Off

I wasn't unhappy with American Idol's results tonight. Everyone has to fall except one, so it's good to start with the bad ones. Or mediocre.

People have big dreams but not everyone's going to make it to the top. I should know. I've labored fruitlessly for years trying to realize my dream. It's been so long I forgot what it was. There was the dream I had when I was five of someday being a fireman. Never happened. But I'm sure that's not the dream I had in mind. Well, maybe it'll come to me.

So tonight we had Jasmine Murray going home first. I guess I didn't know her last night. I must have heard it at some point but when I heard it tonight it wasn't familiar. I thought she was very cute from the start. But... the performances seemed lackluster. Not terrible though.

The other one going home was Jorge Nunez, which has to make all of Puerto Rico mad. He was definitely a guy to be proud of, like Jasmine. A good guy, full of heart. He did a Michael Jackson song, "Never Can Say Goodbye," that was, again, not great. It didn't sound much better tonight. It wasn't jazzed up in any way. So I'm not sorry to see him go.

They have a new rule, that one time in the season the judges can "save" someone who was voted out. They didn't take advantage of the rule tonight, which was to be expected. At this point, just let things shake out as they must.

Kelly Clarkson did a hot version of her new record, "My Life Would Suck Without You." I just got her new CD today. Haven't had time to listen to it, and now that it's bedtime, I'll have to put off that pleasure till some other time.

I'm pulling for Adam Lambert all the way. He's the one!

Chuck Norris

Search around. There's links on it today. Something about Chuck Norris wanting to be President of Texas and to secede from the union, raising up armed cell groups that are apparently in place.

I haven't read every word on it, not even every other word, but it sounds like this is something people are seriously talking about. Maybe that should be a question. Chuck Norris, he's some kind of famous action hero from TV and the movies. Walker, right? I've never seen it, but I've heard of it. I'm sure the two kids in Taladega Nights were Walker and Texas Ranger. Plus, I think Chuck Norris is known for kickboxing? No? I do know that he was a supporter of Mike Huckabee for president. Because I remember Mike joking around, something about Chuck kicking the crap out of anyone who crossed him.

All that said, isn't it a crime to advocate armed uprisings and secession? I'm not a lawyer, but I thought there was something about that. And the phrase "cell groups," is that anything like "sleeper groups," late from Al Qaeda fame? Wouldn't a "cell group" being prepared for an uprising against the government of the United States at least almost be in that league? Would they be terrorizing the rest of us? Would that make them terrorists? Just wondering.

We do have that phrase in the oath our officials take, something about "enemies foreign and domestic." I think Timothy McVeigh would probably be classified as a domestic kind of enemy, at least when he started plotting and all that. Is this really where Chuck Norris wants to take his career? It doesn't sound like a very well thought out move. And what about Huckabee? Is there any problem with him "pallin' around" with these sorts of people?

Maybe it's all just a joke, snark, ha ha! I hope so.

The Last Days Of Pompeii

This is a movie I watched, "The Last Days of Pompeii," from 1935, starring Preston Foster, Alan Hale, and Basil Rathbone.

It's an oldie and it has its moments. It has a kind of old, stuffy feel to it, though, but it's still pretty good. We follow the career of Marcus (MARCVS on the gladiator showbill), who starts out as a blacksmith, becomes a gladiator, a horse trader, and on up the ladder to bigger and better things. He's always after more money, more power, even though he started out quite happy with what he had. But his wife and child were killed and that changed things.

Through killing another gladiator, he ends up adopting the guy's son. And Marcus is very devoted to his son, Flavius. After hearing a soothsayer saying Flavius will meet the greatest person in Judea, with some help coming his way, they go there, where Marcus's path crosses both Pontius Pilate and Jesus Christ. Jesus heals Flavius, which sticks in his mind years later as influential. Pilate actually becomes a family friend and is seen in scenes toward the end, years later.

There's a conflict between father and son on their values having to do with sending slaves to their death in the Arena. The son sides with the slaves, really because he has that influence from Jesus about "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Marcus sees more value in making money off their death. This is building to Pompeii's eventual destruction by Vesuvius. And from that point what becomes of the characters, which would be a spoiler to say.

The sets are pretty good looking. The special effects are not bad. The movie's in black and white.

Michelle

Michelle, ma belle, these are words that go together well.

Everywhere I look, Michelle. The places I'm looking are the grocery store, and she's the cover girl du jour. Michelle must be spending five or six hours every day getting gussied up for photo shoots. She needs clothes of palinesque quantity to keep up the constant variety.

But there's one place she's not keeping covered -- and more power to her -- her arms. Are people so picky, so easily offended that we shouldn't be looking at someone's arms now? It seems like a fairly public part of the human body, after all. Michelle has a right to bare arms, like all of us. The Second Amendment.

She's a great looker. Very appealing. President Obama has a spring in his step whenever he's around her. Who wouldn't?

Craziness Against Obama

There seems to be an undercurrent of craziness against President Obama, various websites that I see referred to at Daily Kos.

It's not exactly like our opposition to President Bush, but it does recall the countering remarks to any opposition to Bush, which was, "Why do you hate Bush?" The big emphasis there was on "hating" Bush even if it wasn't necessarily hatred. They were saying how irrational it was to not like Bush. In fact, it was downright unpatriotic, because, remember, you're either with Bush or you're with the terrorists.

And another thing about Bush was that as president that meant he couldn't be wrong. Whatever he said went. Whether it was lawful or against the law. He equaled the state. There was no daylight between the idea that the president thought it, said it, pronounced it and it being right. Am I the only one who remembers this?

But now we have a different president, and it would appear that the rule pertaining to presidents being right, being good, etc., has changed. Now there's every level of scurrilous thing against him. From Limbaugh and every Republican wanting Obama to "fail" to the idea that he's not a true American to the idea that it's OK to make threats against him. It's ridiculous. I saw one today referred to where the guy said he wanted to meet Obama and that Obama was "hiding behind" the Secret Service! Good grief, have they sunk that low?

In A Hazy Rush

I went to the movie Slumdog Millionaire. I sat in the front row. If you've seen it you know that it's pretty intense as far as screen movement, crowd scenes, excitement, everything being a rush.

Early on I was regretting being in the front row, but I think it looks stupid for people to always be moving about in the theater, so I settled in and let the film rush over me. That's an intense experience in and of itself.

I loved the movie, but my eyes and brain still haven't caught up to normal life. I'm sure my dreams tonight will be fanciful. I'll be in bed within 20 minutes.

When I came out everything had changed about the weather. It was colder and it was very very foggy. It was clear a while ago. And I still had to go to the grocery store and get milk. I was thinking while driving along that I might run over someone, it's so foggy. Hope not of course.

At the grocery store I'm noticing every strange detail. It's like one of those times when you're in a haze. Someone might grab me from behind and pull me into a field. I'm thinking of the movie. There's a big guy with baggy pants in front of me. There's a guy with a cartful of groceries but he's not exactly in line. Candy bars are smaller than they used to be but more expensive. There's a lady with a bottle of liquor asking if "You all have Red Bull?" The checkout girl looks scared and says, "I don't know what that is." No smile, no helpfulness. Outside I got a chill and thought about someone jumping me. But I unlocked the car and got going, and pulled on my seatbelt as I went through the foggy parking lot. I don't want to run over someone and forever associate seeing this movie with someone's death in the fog. It doesn't happen.

Haunted By Slipping Away

My thoughts are haunted by the football players stranded off the Florida coast. I keep thinking of the guy sitting on the flipped over boat and this idea that the others gave up and slipped away in the dark. Or thought they saw a light and swam for it.

If they literally gave up, that's such a shame. I think of people hanging on for years and years against overwhelming odds. I think I could make it two or three days, but I'm not in a position to know. I know I was dangling off a boat one time in conditions nowhere near what these guys faced. And it was tough, but not impossible.

The idea of giving up and slipping away -- I'm not judging it, by the way -- is such a final and ultimate sounding thing. Like not being hooked up to lifesaving equipment in the hospital but worse. Because they're in really good health, and they have to think through the things of life and death, of their family, all that, then finally let go. I would be thinking about it about an inch away from the last grasping of the boat. Either great acceptance or great regret. I would guess there'd be some prayer or meditation, then letting go if letting go was best; it doesn't seem like it would be. Or in place of meditation, maybe there'd be a kind of numbness, forgetfulness, like your daily consciousness shutting down as far as fear and even understanding goes. Then what, maybe the consciousness of light, big gates, the stuff of near death experiences. Some brain chemical stored up just for this occasion.

Thinking you see a light and trying to swim for it could be that exact thing.

It's a haunting idea. Just to think of being there day and night is enough to make you sick. But it'd be slick and cold. No place to stay sane for long.

Within You Without You

I've been away from the computer most of the day. Then I come home and notice there's been a full day of news, happening with or without me.

It's like Rip Van Winkle. He falls asleep and the world goes on. Or every corpse in town. They're dead and a'moldering and the world goes ahead full steam. You may have an opinion to add to the din, but if you don't ... no one cares.

How could you care? You don't keep track of every sleeping soul and whether he's alert enough to pay attention to the news. There's nothing I know about it. That's a fact.

So what has happened? Michael Steele did something else. He's again threatening the senators who don't toe the line. That's weird. The NFL guy who was found on the boat said the others just gave up and drifted away. That's very fast to just give up. The other guy thought he saw a light and swam for it, without his life jacket. They said he might not know what he's talking about because of the cold he suffered. I'm sure it was a nightmare. Rush Limbaugh wants to debate President Obama. This guy is a total clown. Guess which one I'm talking about.

I Repent With Ashes

I woke up today feeling very guilty. Ouch. Like Michael Steele, I have sinned. Not just once, which still would be bad enough, but repeatedly. In such things -- the main thing, really -- as speaking against Rush Limbaugh. This ought not be done!

So, after a restless night, tossing and turning, sweating through my nightclothes, and giving it a lot of thought and prayer -- tortured prayer -- my only option this morning, my sincere choice, is to apologize publicly to Rush, who really is a great American, the voice of all of us.

Rush-- Let me say this. Please, don't wave me off. I will feel much better just getting it out. Sir, I just got done thinking about the things I just got done saying. And the conclusion I've come to is one of regret, sorrow. I don't even recognize myself, it's so bad. I'm a shell. I try to look in the mirror and what I see isn't me.

I opened my mouth -- what I thought was my mouth. I spoke what I thought I was thinking -- but what I was thinking wasn't right. It came out a mish mash of what my deeper, more inward thought was. The words flowed forth easily enough, but hearing them, then examining them later, they weren't right. It's like I was possessed by something -- an alien force. Weird feeling.

Now, sir, I know that just saying 'I'm sorry' is not enough. Anyone could say that, but what this calls for is reflection and restitution, if possible. I will reflect, strenuously, on what could have possessed me -- I seriously don't know at this point. Are there alien forces that can possess? Demons? Ideological bacteria I might have picked up somewhere? This is something for me to mull over. With reflection will come an effort to make it right, to smooth your feathers and those of your loyal audience that have been so terribly ruffled.

In the future, my liege, I hope you will be satisfied with the things I have to say. For it is my sole intention that they reflect your views and most worthy desires.

I Love It

Check around the internet today for the reports on Rush Limbaugh and Michael Steele at each other's throats. It's great. I love it.

With an ego as massive as Rush's and the desire of the Republicans not to sink further so massive, this could be a real civil war. May both sides lose.

Steele called Limbaugh an entertainer, his schtick incendiary and ugly. It's hard to disagree with that. For once a Republican telling the truth. But naturally this doesn't sit well with Rush and his moronic fans. Rush tells Steele that if he (Rush) were head of the Republicans he'd quit, given the state of things with them. And other crap along those lines.

This is better than I hoped for. But of course I hope for more, more, more. Keep it up. Keep losing. Go down. Don't get back up.

UPDATE - Oh, crazy! Michael Steele must not have a spine of steele. Instead he must be spineless. The full report is out on his apology to Rush and now his praise for Rush. He didn't mean anything by it. He said words without thinking. He found himself saying things that he didn't actually think. This is crazy. And this plays right into the Democratic storyline these days, that Rush is the actual head of the Republican party.

Another Month Gone

Another month of everyone's life is gone. February is now in the history books, in a manner of speaking. We press on with March, hoping to make something of it, so that when we get to the end of it, we can look back and say, "Hey, we did it."

For February, I can look back and say, "Hey, I did it." More or less. It was a good month, as months go. Every day is another day. I get up, do my various oblations and duties, then go to bed at the end of it. I believe I can say I pressed on, put up a good fight, struggled against the forces of darkness, yielded only seldomly, and now can be satisfied. All this happens with or without you anyway so you may as well do your best.

It's a sad thing to start off the day with Paul Harvey dying. I was never a listener of his in any intentional way. I just generally don't listen to the radio, period, so how could I be? I listen once in a while to XM, one of the music channels, never to the talk shows or news shows. But I've heard him, like when I'm at stores I'll hear him doing his trademark delivery. The AP called it a "staccato style." He definitely had a distinctive tone. It was a mixture of news, oddball stuff, and opinion, and advertising. I don't know what he advertised, but I'm thinking it was medical stuff and gadgets. Salve or something.

Paul Harvey was 90 years old.

Someday when I'm 90 (let's say it happens), I will have retired long before that. But Mr. Harvey must have loved doing his show and pleasing his fans. Seemed like a nice guy.