Chasing After Wind

Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

- Ecclestiastics 2:10-11

My Adult Life

So Michelle Obama is getting vilified in the press for saying that "for the first time in her adult life she is proud of America". Of course, she was being honest. Of course, she is free to have her own opinions and is not yet required to be a mouthpiece of the state. Of course, that wasn't the wisest thing to say when the media vultures are circling overhead waiting for an insignificant but juicy sound bite. Folks like O'Reilly will chew on whenever they can find in order to cast doubt. BUT...the point is, why did she say that?

I am the same age as Michelle and Barack and I too, for the first time in my adult life, feel like I live in a semi-functioning democracy. For the first time in my adult life I feel hopeful there can be real change and I am proud of the folks and public officials who are holding the line against corporations that care nothing about civic responsibility or our children's future. The key word here is "adult" life.

The Obamas and I were small children in the 1960s and teens in the 1970s. We weren't adults until the mid 1980s. Reagan was president from 1981 - 1989. While he played a part in the end of the Cold War with his "conquer from within" strategy, he was also responsible for Prop 13 and the eventual loss of arts in the public schools and his laissez-faire economic policies called "supply side economics" allowed big business to gain a stranglehold on our economy. Reagan's presidency was the beginning of the cultural and economically downward spiral we see today. Reagan was such a smooth talker and good guy that the public was lulled into a feeling of false security and just went along for the ride. I remember being very concerned and wondering if Reagan was just an attractive figurehead.

President Bush Sr., President Clinton, and President Bush Jr. followed.

President Bush Sr. (1989 - 1993) owns an oil exploration company. A Nixon supporter, he served as Ambassador to the United Nations and chairman of the Republican National Committee. Bush held this position during the Watergate scandal. Bush defended Nixon steadfastly, but later as Nixon's complicity became clear he focused more on defending the Republican Party while still maintaining loyalty to Nixon. When Ford was elected he appointed Bush to be Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China. In 1976, Ford brought Bush back to Washington to become Director of Central Intelligence. Many political pundits were opposed to Bush's appointment because of his involvement in the Watergate scandal. After a pledge by Bush not to run for either president or vice president in 1976, opposition to his nomination died down. Bush was credited with helping to restore the agency's morale. After a Democratic administration took power in 1977, Bush became chairman of the First International Bank in Houston. He also became a board member of the Committee on the Present Danger. Bush Sr. staffers designed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and made a decision to start the Gulf War. Bush Sr. is a Washington insider and what I call one of the "bad boys." He ran a tight ship with little leakage.

Clinton (1993 - 2001) pushed NAFTA through congress. See Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement. Clinton also initiated some under the table dealings with China that laid the foundation for our current friendly trade relationship with that (gasp) communist country. (Note: it's interesting how non-compliant communist or non-capitalistic countries are painted as "evil" but those let us build U.S. businesses in their countries are our friends). Sadly, Clinton degraded the U.S. presidency in the eyes of the world by facing impeachment over an affair with an office aide.

Bush Jr (2001 - 2009)...do I need to list his "accomplishments"?

Any more questions about why for the first time in my adult life I feel proud we Americans are starting to intelligently research, question, vote and voice their opinions without fear of reprisal or despite efforts to distract or lull us into complacency? It's about time We The People became involved in our own system of government!

Did Obama or Clinton Win Super Tuesday

For the full article check out http://www.slate.com/id/2183819/?GT1=10935

Obama, for his part, can brag about picking up Connecticut, a state in Clinton's own back yard. He also stole more votes from her home state of New York than she took from him in Illinois. And Obama claimed his share of the toss-up states, winning the popular vote in Colorado and Delaware. These wins, plus his victories in Georgia and Alabama, allowed Obama, like Clinton, to claim a geographically diverse set of victories. By several measures, Obama was the victor: He picked up 13 states to Clinton's eight, and he won more pledged delegates. This gives him additional momentum going into some promising-looking primaries over the next couple of weeks. The contests in the next two weeks in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12, followed by Wisconsin and Hawaii on Feb. 19, all favor him. His $32 million fund-raising record in January shows that he will have more money than Clinton to wage a protracted campaign. Obama will also have time to become better known—particularly for the March 4 primaries in Ohio and Texas—than he did in the 22 states in which he competed today.

The exit polls in the 16 primary states in which they were taken showed that the contours of the race as we've come to know them are still in place. Obama did well with African-Americans, men, the wealthy, those with college degrees, and liberal voters. Clinton continues to do well with women, older voters, Latinos, and those with less education and lower incomes. Inside those patterns, some shifts were visible. In recent national polls, Clinton's lead among women was 15 percentage points. Exit polls showed that her margin among women was only seven percentage points (though among white women, her margin was 20 percentage points). Obama also turned in strong performances among white male voters, picking up 40 percent in Georgia and almost 50 percent in California.

Yes We Can

Obama on MySpace T.V. Spot

Interesting. I just watched part of the MySpace sponsored town hall for young people on KCRA. Obama answered questions with his usual authenticity and I was impressed. What was interesting was when his answers in total where pie charted at the end there was an even split between voters who would and would not vote for him. The moderator claimed it appeared "young people" in America were still questioning his experience.

Appearances are deceiving.

First of all who were the "youth" that voted? Myspace has a wide demographic with higher percentage of teens and young adults from middle and lower income homes as well as higher numbers of young people in bluecollar jobs. I wonder what the break down is in terms of political leanings on the site. How informed were these voters?

Secondly, Rubert Murdoch owns MySpace. From all reports Rubert's driving life force is finance and compulsive control. I just read a piece on NewsMax.com in which it was reported Murdoch is tiring of his British media holdings because the parliament is starting to initiate serious investigations into media monopolies. Murdoch apparently loves his new U.S. Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal acquisition and is focusing his attention on developing a handy little media empire in more receptive U.S. mediated waters. One wonders if MySpace could have footed the bill for this MySpace candidate question and answer forum without the guidance and financial support of Murdoch. It is also interesting to try to figure out which way Murdoch is flopping. It's not hard to predict he'll flop where the best eats are...being a carnivores old Empire building shark. I still can't figure out his Post's endorsement of Obama...is it smoke and mirrors or is it, as he states, just based on economic hardball with the Times. Incidentally, I thought Murdoch owned the New York Times but apparently he doesn't.

70% of MoveOns more liberally oriented youth voted for Obama in a virtual election.

I'm taking MySpace polls with a grain of salt.

Harder and Easier

The Christian way is different: harder, and easier. Christ says, "Give me all. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you.... Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked—the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours." Both harder and easier than what we are all trying to do.

- C.S Lewis
Mere Christianity