I just read an interesting article by David Brooks, who by the way is becoming my favorite columnist, that discussed how the conservative party is redefining themselves in England. This is a timely article as Republicans here at home are trying to define the "Republican Brand". I am hopeful that we will follow their example and avoid the decades in the political wilderness they had to endure before realizing it was time to make changes.
They are onto something as they are moving away from focusing on the role of government and instead emphasizing community and quality of life issues. This is a brilliant strategic shift as it helps connect the dots between political theory and real life solutions that people want. Let's face it, most people could care less about the size and scope of government so long as it's competent and their community is thriving. We need to reexamine our policies in light of how well they provide services and how they impact people's quality of life.
For instance, it is not enough to say government should stay out of health care simply because we don't like big government. Instead we have to offer actual solutions that make health care more accessible and affordable. Instead of focusing on hot button social issues like gay rights and gun rights, we need to pay more attention to improving government services like transportation, our schools and the corrections system. Now ,there is a lot of room to debate how to improve these services but these areas should be our priorities.
It's not enough to be against government and for free market anymore. In some cases this approach works but not all the time. As a party we need to offer real solutions to improve the quality of life in our communities. These solutions might come from the free market but they also might include more government to fill in the gaps left behind by the market place. Without taking this approach, we will continue to lose elections and more importantly the public's confidence.
Friday, May 09, 2008
The Republican Brand, part one
It is obvious that this year is going to be a bad year for Republicans up and down the ticket. The overwhelming frustration and fatigue with Bush coupled with the war, a faltering economy and high gas prices has led to the perfect storm against Republicans.
The response to this problem from our party leaders is that we have to be true to the "Republican brand". This message was especially strong last year during the budget debate here in Michigan. This argument believes that the voting public wants a clear choice between the parties and that by allowing moderation in the party we are watering down our brand, making it more difficult for voters to understand what we believe in.
Our party leaders could not be more wrong. The fact is that most voters understand the Republican brand too well and they are resoundingly rejecting it. Anybody who doesn't know what Republicans stand for is either an idiot or not interested in politics. The problem isn't that we are ideological impure and therefore confusing to voters but rather that we are too tied to the same tired dogma of blindly cutting taxes and focusing almost exclusively on being against abortion and gay marriage. If that's the brand the party wants to continue selling, good luck because the people are not buying it. In fact, by pushing out the moderate voices of the party we are shrinking instead of expanding the party.
It's not only happening here in Michigan but in Minnesota as well. A group of 6 Republican legislators voted to override a veto of the gas tax increase. The money raised by that gas tax is going to fix Minnesota's infrastructure including roads and bridges. As you may recall, it was a bridge in Minnesota that collapsed last year killing 13 people. One could make a solid policy argument that raising the gas tax is a good idea. Yet, these lawmakers are now being targeted in Republican primaries by anti-tax candidates and the Republican party is supporting the challengers. To quote one Republican from Minnesota "What's even more dangerous than having Democrats is having Republicans that you can't count on." This type of thinking is going to kill the Republicans in November.
I had hoped that the defeat in 2006 would serve as a lesson to the party that we were headed down the wrong track. But apparently it will take additional losses to wake up our party leaders or better yet get new leaders in place.
The response to this problem from our party leaders is that we have to be true to the "Republican brand". This message was especially strong last year during the budget debate here in Michigan. This argument believes that the voting public wants a clear choice between the parties and that by allowing moderation in the party we are watering down our brand, making it more difficult for voters to understand what we believe in.
Our party leaders could not be more wrong. The fact is that most voters understand the Republican brand too well and they are resoundingly rejecting it. Anybody who doesn't know what Republicans stand for is either an idiot or not interested in politics. The problem isn't that we are ideological impure and therefore confusing to voters but rather that we are too tied to the same tired dogma of blindly cutting taxes and focusing almost exclusively on being against abortion and gay marriage. If that's the brand the party wants to continue selling, good luck because the people are not buying it. In fact, by pushing out the moderate voices of the party we are shrinking instead of expanding the party.
It's not only happening here in Michigan but in Minnesota as well. A group of 6 Republican legislators voted to override a veto of the gas tax increase. The money raised by that gas tax is going to fix Minnesota's infrastructure including roads and bridges. As you may recall, it was a bridge in Minnesota that collapsed last year killing 13 people. One could make a solid policy argument that raising the gas tax is a good idea. Yet, these lawmakers are now being targeted in Republican primaries by anti-tax candidates and the Republican party is supporting the challengers. To quote one Republican from Minnesota "What's even more dangerous than having Democrats is having Republicans that you can't count on." This type of thinking is going to kill the Republicans in November.
I had hoped that the defeat in 2006 would serve as a lesson to the party that we were headed down the wrong track. But apparently it will take additional losses to wake up our party leaders or better yet get new leaders in place.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Audacity of Hopelessness
I don't know about you but I am enjoying watching the Democratic primary continue to unfold. I almost laughed out loud when I read that party insiders are hoping that Clinton will quietly drop out and endorse Obama. These same people must have never met her as they would otherwise realize that she is never going to drop out prematurely. One thing that Republicans learned all too well during the nineties is that the Clintons are anything but quitters. We also learned that they do not care about the greater good of their party but are merely infatuated with their own political agenda. I suspect the Obama people recognize this which is why she will never be the VP nominee.
My guess is that even when all the votes are cast on June 3rd, Clinton will still have a strategy in place to steal the nomination. She will keep changing the bar by which to measure victory until she arrives at some "plausible" scenario that has her winning. She still has Florida and Michigan as a last resort because I don't see how the party cannot seat their delegates without risking alienation in those states. It will be interesting to see just long she can continue before she faces a significant backlash from her own supporters. Only when her supporters and donors say enough is enough will she drop out. And maybe not even then. Regardless, it is fun to watch and I hope it continues all summer long.
My guess is that even when all the votes are cast on June 3rd, Clinton will still have a strategy in place to steal the nomination. She will keep changing the bar by which to measure victory until she arrives at some "plausible" scenario that has her winning. She still has Florida and Michigan as a last resort because I don't see how the party cannot seat their delegates without risking alienation in those states. It will be interesting to see just long she can continue before she faces a significant backlash from her own supporters. Only when her supporters and donors say enough is enough will she drop out. And maybe not even then. Regardless, it is fun to watch and I hope it continues all summer long.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
More Stupidity
Unfortunately the BCS will be with us for a few more embarrassing years. The conference commissioners had an opportunity to bring respectability and common sense to college football's post season but apparently they are more interested in protecting their conferences and their paychecks. There was an offer on the table to create a "plus 1" game after the bowls that would pit the top two teams together for a true national championship. But they rejected this watered down playoff because it would take away from the regular season. So settling the championship on the field of play instead of in the polls take away from the regular season? What about every other sport? Does this mean we should stop playing the final four or even all the football playoffs in Division 1a? Are they admitting that the regular season means nothing in those sports? And what about the league championship games for the SEC, Big 12 and ACC? Don't they take away from the regular season champion? Oh wait, those games make lots of money for the conferences so they justify taking away from the regular season. I am so sick and tired of the sanctimonious jackasses running college football. All other sports resolve their championship on the field of play but for some reason they still believe they know better. Basically by sticking with the BCS they are saying "screw you" to the 95 percent of us fans that support a playoff. Well right back at you!
Do they think we are stupid?
I just read a humorous article on global warming. The only problem is that it was supposed to be serious. According to some scientists, America is set to experience colder temperatures over the next decade due to ocean currents. But they warn us not to let this dissuade us from believing in global warming. Just how stupid do they think the public is? I am not a scientist but I can see through the tired propaganda of the global warming community. Their logic is if it gets warmer it's global warming and if it gets colder it's still global warming. Give me a break. Finally, by admitting that water currents effect temperature they undercut their arguments that so called "climate change" is determined by human activity.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Early morning thoughts on evangelism
I recently spoke with a good friend of mine who shared her thoughts on evangelism. She is a Christian but doesn't like the idea of sharing her faith with others. At first, I was tempted to rebuke her which is usually my fallback position when people disagree with me. As Christians we are called to share the message of God's desire to restore our relationship with him. Instead of being afraid or considering this a burden we should be thrilled to offer this hope to the many people in our lives who are struggling and hopeless. As Barack Obama might say this is hope you can believe in.
But rather than try to convince my friend I decided to examine my own obstacles to evangelism. My biggest roadblock to sharing my faith is my own walk with the LORD. I often have the same fear, anxiety and addictions that non Christians have. This makes me feel almost guilty telling them I supposedly know the truth that can set them free from these very struggles. My first instinct is to try and get my crap together first as a demonstration of Christ's power to transform lives. This is my desperate attempt to prove to others and to myself that Christianity "works". But frankly, what if that never happens? I am never going to be perfect examples to others.
I used to be worried that people would hold my sins against me if I witnessed to them and think I was a hypocrite. However, If I am honest my deeper concern is that my faith doesn't really seem to be the answer to life's problems. I begin to doubt the power of the gospel because it hasn't completely transformed me yet so how can it change the lives of others. Rectifying this attitude is difficult because my nature is to focus on the negative.
My best is answer to this problem is realizing that the true power of the Christ's message is the change that God has already made in my life and not the lack of progress in other areas. When I think of the person I would be without Christ in my life and how he has refined me in so many ways, that's when I realize the true message of hope I have for others. That realization gives me motivation and confidence to share the gospel with others. The fact, that I still mess up daily only reinforces the fact that I am no different that anybody else. It fact it demonstrates that if God's grace can help me, it can help anybody.
God's message of hope and reconciliation is not dependent on us or how we live. We can never prove to people to accept Jesus based on our example no matter how compelling it is. The power to transform lives rests solely on God's shoulders. Our only duty is to tell others the good things he has done in our lives. Remembering those good things is up to us, the rest is up to him.
But rather than try to convince my friend I decided to examine my own obstacles to evangelism. My biggest roadblock to sharing my faith is my own walk with the LORD. I often have the same fear, anxiety and addictions that non Christians have. This makes me feel almost guilty telling them I supposedly know the truth that can set them free from these very struggles. My first instinct is to try and get my crap together first as a demonstration of Christ's power to transform lives. This is my desperate attempt to prove to others and to myself that Christianity "works". But frankly, what if that never happens? I am never going to be perfect examples to others.
I used to be worried that people would hold my sins against me if I witnessed to them and think I was a hypocrite. However, If I am honest my deeper concern is that my faith doesn't really seem to be the answer to life's problems. I begin to doubt the power of the gospel because it hasn't completely transformed me yet so how can it change the lives of others. Rectifying this attitude is difficult because my nature is to focus on the negative.
My best is answer to this problem is realizing that the true power of the Christ's message is the change that God has already made in my life and not the lack of progress in other areas. When I think of the person I would be without Christ in my life and how he has refined me in so many ways, that's when I realize the true message of hope I have for others. That realization gives me motivation and confidence to share the gospel with others. The fact, that I still mess up daily only reinforces the fact that I am no different that anybody else. It fact it demonstrates that if God's grace can help me, it can help anybody.
God's message of hope and reconciliation is not dependent on us or how we live. We can never prove to people to accept Jesus based on our example no matter how compelling it is. The power to transform lives rests solely on God's shoulders. Our only duty is to tell others the good things he has done in our lives. Remembering those good things is up to us, the rest is up to him.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
In the news
The City Pulse has an interesting article on evangelicals and politics. There are some exceptional people quoted in the article. It is well worth the read.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Weekend with Grandpa
I wanted to update you on my weekend in Pittsburgh. While I was certainly nervous beforehand, I thoroughly enjoyed taking care of my Grandpa.
He was scheduled to leave the nursing home Saturday morning but was so bored that he convinced them to let him out early Friday night. My cousin and I arrived late because of traffic and we found him sitting in his chair with his bags packed, ready to go. His transition home went very well. The only problem was his mattress. The doctors want him to sleep on a pulsating air mattress but he says it's like sleeping on a bed of rocks. He has another more comfortable bed that he wanted to sleep on. We made a deal that he would sleep on the bed of rocks at night but could take naps on the comfortable bed during the day. This seemed to work for both of us although he still doesn't sleep well at night.
Grandpa is actually still very independent despite his hip surgery. The first day I went out for maybe an hour to pick up his prescription and check my email. When I returned I found him doing the laundry. I laughed out loud when I saw that. He is stubborn as well. My Aunt fought with the insurance company to make sure he received the top of the line walker for when he came home. But wouldn't you know it, he wouldn't touch the thing, instead relying on the borrowed walker he already had.
At first Grandpa was a little uncomfortable having me around. He was so used to being on his own that he didn't know how to respond to having someone else take care of him. Plus, he wants to recover his independence so strongl. Having me around only reinforced the idea that he wasn't quite fully recovered. However, by the end of my visit we had our routine down and he was both proud and appreciative of my help.
One of my favorite moments came Monday morning as we were waiting for the physical therapist. We had spent much our time the previous days either reading or watching the Penguins and Pirates play. Those times were fun but that morning he began to tell about growing up in Friendship and taking the bus across town to visit his cousins. We talked about his memories and our family, many of whom I don't know other than by name. My only connection being Grandpa. I just really enjoyed hearing those stories. Halfway through I began to realize that with his age I can't take these times for granted and so I simply sat and soaked in the moment.
I also realized this weekend that I enjoy serving other people. The feelings I had were similar to when I traveled to Mississippi post Katrina. It's a feeling of contentment and purpose that I very rarely find other times in my life. Having the privilege to take care of my Grandpa after years of receiving his support only added to those feelings. It's an opportunity that I will treasure for a long, long time.
He was scheduled to leave the nursing home Saturday morning but was so bored that he convinced them to let him out early Friday night. My cousin and I arrived late because of traffic and we found him sitting in his chair with his bags packed, ready to go. His transition home went very well. The only problem was his mattress. The doctors want him to sleep on a pulsating air mattress but he says it's like sleeping on a bed of rocks. He has another more comfortable bed that he wanted to sleep on. We made a deal that he would sleep on the bed of rocks at night but could take naps on the comfortable bed during the day. This seemed to work for both of us although he still doesn't sleep well at night.
Grandpa is actually still very independent despite his hip surgery. The first day I went out for maybe an hour to pick up his prescription and check my email. When I returned I found him doing the laundry. I laughed out loud when I saw that. He is stubborn as well. My Aunt fought with the insurance company to make sure he received the top of the line walker for when he came home. But wouldn't you know it, he wouldn't touch the thing, instead relying on the borrowed walker he already had.
At first Grandpa was a little uncomfortable having me around. He was so used to being on his own that he didn't know how to respond to having someone else take care of him. Plus, he wants to recover his independence so strongl. Having me around only reinforced the idea that he wasn't quite fully recovered. However, by the end of my visit we had our routine down and he was both proud and appreciative of my help.
One of my favorite moments came Monday morning as we were waiting for the physical therapist. We had spent much our time the previous days either reading or watching the Penguins and Pirates play. Those times were fun but that morning he began to tell about growing up in Friendship and taking the bus across town to visit his cousins. We talked about his memories and our family, many of whom I don't know other than by name. My only connection being Grandpa. I just really enjoyed hearing those stories. Halfway through I began to realize that with his age I can't take these times for granted and so I simply sat and soaked in the moment.
I also realized this weekend that I enjoy serving other people. The feelings I had were similar to when I traveled to Mississippi post Katrina. It's a feeling of contentment and purpose that I very rarely find other times in my life. Having the privilege to take care of my Grandpa after years of receiving his support only added to those feelings. It's an opportunity that I will treasure for a long, long time.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Women Masters
So I am watching the Masters this weekend thinking about how unsuccessful Martha Burk was in her attempt to force Augusta National to allow women to join their club. If we were to have believed the media women membership was an inevitability yet here we are several years later and it is still an all boys club. Now I think that eventually they will let a woman join but I am just not sure when or who. And that's the bigger question. Who will be the first female to join the hallowed club? Here are a few potential candidates:
1. Oprah Winfrey. She would definitely bring a lot of positive attention plus she meets their standards for success and income.
2. Sandra Day O'Connor. Her resume as first woman supreme court justice is appealing and I hear she is a golfer.
3. Condaleeza Rice. As one of the highest ranking females in government she has the credentials to fit in with the rest of the members.
4. Annika Sorenstam. Considered by many to be the best woman golfer she would be considered an asset to the club that likes to be among the best.
5. Pat Summit. She is a southerner and very well respected for her accomplishments as a basketball coach.
These are just a few suggestions. I would like to hear if you have other famous, successful women that would fit in at Augusta.
1. Oprah Winfrey. She would definitely bring a lot of positive attention plus she meets their standards for success and income.
2. Sandra Day O'Connor. Her resume as first woman supreme court justice is appealing and I hear she is a golfer.
3. Condaleeza Rice. As one of the highest ranking females in government she has the credentials to fit in with the rest of the members.
4. Annika Sorenstam. Considered by many to be the best woman golfer she would be considered an asset to the club that likes to be among the best.
5. Pat Summit. She is a southerner and very well respected for her accomplishments as a basketball coach.
These are just a few suggestions. I would like to hear if you have other famous, successful women that would fit in at Augusta.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Live from Pittsburgh
I have taken the Fetzer File on the road this week. I am in Pittsburgh to help my Grandpa as he recovers from hip surgery. I am a little nervous about helping and my Mom and Aunt gave me a laundry list of things to do.
I just made it to town and he looks great. I expected him to be a little more frail following the surgery but he seems to get around pretty good with his walker but I can tell he gets worn out easily. He still has his sense of humor and doesn't seem nearly as worried or concerned as my Mom or Aunt Nancy. Funny how others worry about us more than ourselves sometimes.
I am writing this post from a coffee shop near my Grandparents old house. It was a place my Grandma took me to over 10 years ago. I love the fact that is still here for me. And that they have wi-fi. Another thing that hasn't changed is the nursing home he is staying at. It is the same one my Great Grandmother lived in and the last time I went there was in 1991 maybe. They still have the same decorations and everything. I even think I saw the same few lonely women perched in the wheel chairs by the elevators to watch all the action.
My trip this morning was exactly what I needed. As I was surfing through the radio channels I came across a religious station and it reminded me to take the time and pray. It's amazing how cleansing it is to spend 45 miles in prayer. It was great to release some stress and to pray for others and well generally I am in a good mood because of it.
Tonight I am meeting up with my cousin to grab dinner. I haven't seen him since Christmas time so it will be nice to catch up. I'll write more later this week.
I just made it to town and he looks great. I expected him to be a little more frail following the surgery but he seems to get around pretty good with his walker but I can tell he gets worn out easily. He still has his sense of humor and doesn't seem nearly as worried or concerned as my Mom or Aunt Nancy. Funny how others worry about us more than ourselves sometimes.
I am writing this post from a coffee shop near my Grandparents old house. It was a place my Grandma took me to over 10 years ago. I love the fact that is still here for me. And that they have wi-fi. Another thing that hasn't changed is the nursing home he is staying at. It is the same one my Great Grandmother lived in and the last time I went there was in 1991 maybe. They still have the same decorations and everything. I even think I saw the same few lonely women perched in the wheel chairs by the elevators to watch all the action.
My trip this morning was exactly what I needed. As I was surfing through the radio channels I came across a religious station and it reminded me to take the time and pray. It's amazing how cleansing it is to spend 45 miles in prayer. It was great to release some stress and to pray for others and well generally I am in a good mood because of it.
Tonight I am meeting up with my cousin to grab dinner. I haven't seen him since Christmas time so it will be nice to catch up. I'll write more later this week.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Tradition
This weekend my nephew David came to Lansing to watch the NCAA basketball games. He and I have made it a tradition to watch the final four each year. A couple years ago we went out to some backwoods bar to watch the games with my buddy Jason Feltz. We all three took turns hitting on our poor waitress. As you might have guessed, none of us got her phone number. Then two years ago I was in Las Vegas with David and my brother's entire family for the final four. We all made wagers on the game and David was the only one to win money. Hopefully next year we can get final four tickets since the games are being played in Detroit.
David is turning into a really fine young man. As we spent the weekend together, I was impressed with how grown up he has become and how well he handles all the drama in his life. I warned him ahead of time that this year I had church on Saturday night but he didn't complain about having to go or missing most of the first game. Because he works at a coffee shop, he was put in charge of making coffee for the service. He also haul chairs and speakers to help set up. After church we went to Trippers and watched the second game. Even though the game was a blowout, I still enjoyed spending time with him. We finished the night by heading home and playing cards.
He and I haven't seen each other as often this past year as I would have liked. By sharing March madness as a tradition it was a good excuse to make seeing each other a priority. When he and his brother were younger, we made it a tradition to get root beer floats at A&W when they would come to visit. I remember when my parents would take Vince and I out for root beer floats and it was a great time and I wanted to pass that along to them. As he's gotten older we now have our new basketball tradition. It's really fun to hear his enthusiasm for college basketball. It gives us something to share and I appreciate that. It's nice to know that we have at least one weekend a year set aside regardless of how the rest of the year is going. I look forward to watching many more games with him in the future.
David is turning into a really fine young man. As we spent the weekend together, I was impressed with how grown up he has become and how well he handles all the drama in his life. I warned him ahead of time that this year I had church on Saturday night but he didn't complain about having to go or missing most of the first game. Because he works at a coffee shop, he was put in charge of making coffee for the service. He also haul chairs and speakers to help set up. After church we went to Trippers and watched the second game. Even though the game was a blowout, I still enjoyed spending time with him. We finished the night by heading home and playing cards.
He and I haven't seen each other as often this past year as I would have liked. By sharing March madness as a tradition it was a good excuse to make seeing each other a priority. When he and his brother were younger, we made it a tradition to get root beer floats at A&W when they would come to visit. I remember when my parents would take Vince and I out for root beer floats and it was a great time and I wanted to pass that along to them. As he's gotten older we now have our new basketball tradition. It's really fun to hear his enthusiasm for college basketball. It gives us something to share and I appreciate that. It's nice to know that we have at least one weekend a year set aside regardless of how the rest of the year is going. I look forward to watching many more games with him in the future.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Culture of Corruption
This week yet another political scandal broke, this time involving Sen. Debbie Stabenow's husband. Apparently, he was involved with a hooker and was discovered as part of a sting operation. I truly feel bad for Sen. Stabenow as she has to listen to this play out among the media. But lately it seems like every week, another Democratic politician is in the news regarding some type of scandal.
First it was Gov. Spitzer from NY and his affair with a prostitute and possible money laundering. Then his Lt. Gov. admitted his own affair, cocaine use and misuse of campaign funds. Next was the dishonorable Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, and his indictment for perjury and obstruction of justice. And unlike Spitzer who at least had the dignity to resign, Kilpatrick seems ready to drag the city through months of bad publicity and an expensive, racially sensitive trial.
These recent events give modern credence to one of my favorite Abraham Lincoln quotes: "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Obviously, many of our current leaders are failing that character test.
What I find frustrating about these scandals is how they have been covered by the mainstream media. Two years ago when the Republicans were rightly being exposed for their wrongdoings, the public got bombarded by the "culture of corruption" line. This message hit home by making all Republicans look crooked and helped pave the way for the Democrats victory in 2006.
Yet here we have several high profile Democrats engaged in scandal after scandal and no one in the media is making that same connection. They want to report each story as their own separate incident without the underlying theme of Democratic corruption. Is the media so myopic that they cannot see a pattern of corruption this year? Or are they just trying to protect the brand image of Democrats in an election year?
I was reading the comments of a Democrat who posted a response to the Stabenow story making the case that these scandals are not a big deal because Democrats are not the party preaching moral values and therefore they are not hypocrites like Republicans. But isn't that argument basically just an admission that unlike Republicans, Democrats have no morals and therefore can't be held accountable?
Maybe we should hold those who espouse moral values to a higher standard, but does that really excuse everybody else from their moral shortcomings? Regardless of parties or their particular views of morality, we should expect more from our leaders. Unfortunately, we live in a society where even obvious scandals become opportunity for partisan politics instead actually holding the person accountable for their actions.
First it was Gov. Spitzer from NY and his affair with a prostitute and possible money laundering. Then his Lt. Gov. admitted his own affair, cocaine use and misuse of campaign funds. Next was the dishonorable Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, and his indictment for perjury and obstruction of justice. And unlike Spitzer who at least had the dignity to resign, Kilpatrick seems ready to drag the city through months of bad publicity and an expensive, racially sensitive trial.
These recent events give modern credence to one of my favorite Abraham Lincoln quotes: "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Obviously, many of our current leaders are failing that character test.
What I find frustrating about these scandals is how they have been covered by the mainstream media. Two years ago when the Republicans were rightly being exposed for their wrongdoings, the public got bombarded by the "culture of corruption" line. This message hit home by making all Republicans look crooked and helped pave the way for the Democrats victory in 2006.
Yet here we have several high profile Democrats engaged in scandal after scandal and no one in the media is making that same connection. They want to report each story as their own separate incident without the underlying theme of Democratic corruption. Is the media so myopic that they cannot see a pattern of corruption this year? Or are they just trying to protect the brand image of Democrats in an election year?
I was reading the comments of a Democrat who posted a response to the Stabenow story making the case that these scandals are not a big deal because Democrats are not the party preaching moral values and therefore they are not hypocrites like Republicans. But isn't that argument basically just an admission that unlike Republicans, Democrats have no morals and therefore can't be held accountable?
Maybe we should hold those who espouse moral values to a higher standard, but does that really excuse everybody else from their moral shortcomings? Regardless of parties or their particular views of morality, we should expect more from our leaders. Unfortunately, we live in a society where even obvious scandals become opportunity for partisan politics instead actually holding the person accountable for their actions.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
A good start
Well baseball season is finally upon us and my beloved Pirates are leading their division. What I liked most about last night's win over the Braves is the number runs and hits they managed. The last several years, their offense has been abysmal. If they continue to show signs of life, we could be headed to a 75 win season which for the Pirates would be remarkable.
But I will not let a good start lure me into making another foolish wager like I did last year. Which reminds me; I still owe Noah a free movie since his Reds finished ahead of the Pirates in the standings last year.
Oh and for all you Tigers fans, don't buy your world series tickets just yet. Losing to the Royals is never a good way to start any season let alone one that has such high expectations.
Finally, I don't want to brag or anything but my Pirates have more wins than the Tigers and Yankees combined. What a great season so far!
But I will not let a good start lure me into making another foolish wager like I did last year. Which reminds me; I still owe Noah a free movie since his Reds finished ahead of the Pirates in the standings last year.
Oh and for all you Tigers fans, don't buy your world series tickets just yet. Losing to the Royals is never a good way to start any season let alone one that has such high expectations.
Finally, I don't want to brag or anything but my Pirates have more wins than the Tigers and Yankees combined. What a great season so far!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Good Friday
Last night I went to a church service at Blacksoil. This is the church that we almost merged with last year and I still try to maintain a strong connection with them. It was a very creative service that was held in separate stations that focused on contemplating the human elements of the cross. I'll be honest, it was difficult for me. I don't usually enjoy attending a service where I have to be so engaged. I prefer safe, less interactive services but I think my lack of comfort was the whole point. My discomfort grew at the last station where we had to paint a picture of what we were feeling. Due to my dislike of art, I really struggled to put what was I feeling on paper. I share all this not to say it was a bad service. In fact, it was exactly what I needed to make me focus on the cross.
At the very end they had a sheet hung up where they showed a slide show followed by the words "It is finished". Then they tore the sheet in half and the lights went out. It was pretty dark at this point and I heard a kid's voice ask nervously "Dad, where are you?". It was a poignant moment as I could hear Jesus' voice on the cross asking the exact same question. Those very words are stuck in my mind this morning as I remember the humanity of Jesus.
At the very end they had a sheet hung up where they showed a slide show followed by the words "It is finished". Then they tore the sheet in half and the lights went out. It was pretty dark at this point and I heard a kid's voice ask nervously "Dad, where are you?". It was a poignant moment as I could hear Jesus' voice on the cross asking the exact same question. Those very words are stuck in my mind this morning as I remember the humanity of Jesus.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Women
Last weekend our pastor preached on the role of women both in marriage but also in the church. It was a risky sermon but he handled it well. Before he started he had us break into groups and share our thoughts on the subject. Surprisingly, I held the most progressive view of women in my group. In fact, the women at my table were the most traditional. I chalk up my view of women to being raised by a strong, single Mom and having several women friends who are in ministry.
The sermon focused on several key points but the one I want to focus on is the role of women within the church. He spoke from Corinthians and Timothy where Paul instructs women to be silent in the church. These passages seem out of place compared to countless other passages in the bible which seem to elevate women's status in society. To help explain this dichotomy my pastor prefaced Paul's instruction with 1 Corinthians 9 19 -23. Here is what that passage says:
"19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its
blessings. "
These verses instruct us to contextualize our message and our actions to fit different cultures in order to share the gospel more effectively. Using that idea to interpret Paul's instruction to women suggests that women were to be silent not because they weren't worthy of being involved but because that was what the culture expected. Paul did not want these churches to alienate their potential converts by having women participate in the church service despite their being nothing inherently improper about their participation.
I am not entirely sure if this was the sole reason Paul wrote what he did but let's assume that is the case. How should we apply this principle today? Should we adapt modern church practices to fit the broader culture? I know many women, both Christian and non-Christian, who are repelled by the way the church has traditionally treated women. Rightly or wrongly, they view church as relegating them to second class citizenship due to lack of leadership opportunities or an emphasis on submitting to male leadership. These practices and attitudes can be a big stumbling block to the message of the gospel. In fact, you could make the case that barring women from real leadership roles in the church is the modern equivalent of having women speak in church in Corinth or Ephesus; both were culturally unacceptable.
If we were to apply Paul's principle today, the church would be at the forefront on gender equality issues setting an example to the rest of society that women are important and equal in God's eyes. This would mean women as senior pastors instead of being pigeonholed in children and women's ministries. It would mean allowing women to chair the board of elders. It would mean viewing single adult women with careers as equally important as married, stay at home mothers.
At this point, several of my more traditional friends are beginning to feel uncomfortable as they read this and will argue why we shouldn't change our views just to appease the culture. But I will say it is at least possible that Paul instructed the early church to do just that. My point is that we should acknowledge that the church's traditional role of women in ministry and leadership is a barrier to many modern women. Saying "if they don't like it tough, it's in the Bible" isn't a legitimate answer for these women. We need to have a more thoughtful and respectful answer for them. And just maybe that answer will lead to changes concerning the role of women in the church.
The sermon focused on several key points but the one I want to focus on is the role of women within the church. He spoke from Corinthians and Timothy where Paul instructs women to be silent in the church. These passages seem out of place compared to countless other passages in the bible which seem to elevate women's status in society. To help explain this dichotomy my pastor prefaced Paul's instruction with 1 Corinthians 9 19 -23. Here is what that passage says:
"19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its
blessings. "
These verses instruct us to contextualize our message and our actions to fit different cultures in order to share the gospel more effectively. Using that idea to interpret Paul's instruction to women suggests that women were to be silent not because they weren't worthy of being involved but because that was what the culture expected. Paul did not want these churches to alienate their potential converts by having women participate in the church service despite their being nothing inherently improper about their participation.
I am not entirely sure if this was the sole reason Paul wrote what he did but let's assume that is the case. How should we apply this principle today? Should we adapt modern church practices to fit the broader culture? I know many women, both Christian and non-Christian, who are repelled by the way the church has traditionally treated women. Rightly or wrongly, they view church as relegating them to second class citizenship due to lack of leadership opportunities or an emphasis on submitting to male leadership. These practices and attitudes can be a big stumbling block to the message of the gospel. In fact, you could make the case that barring women from real leadership roles in the church is the modern equivalent of having women speak in church in Corinth or Ephesus; both were culturally unacceptable.
If we were to apply Paul's principle today, the church would be at the forefront on gender equality issues setting an example to the rest of society that women are important and equal in God's eyes. This would mean women as senior pastors instead of being pigeonholed in children and women's ministries. It would mean allowing women to chair the board of elders. It would mean viewing single adult women with careers as equally important as married, stay at home mothers.
At this point, several of my more traditional friends are beginning to feel uncomfortable as they read this and will argue why we shouldn't change our views just to appease the culture. But I will say it is at least possible that Paul instructed the early church to do just that. My point is that we should acknowledge that the church's traditional role of women in ministry and leadership is a barrier to many modern women. Saying "if they don't like it tough, it's in the Bible" isn't a legitimate answer for these women. We need to have a more thoughtful and respectful answer for them. And just maybe that answer will lead to changes concerning the role of women in the church.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Initial thoughts
This is my favorite time of the year. They just announced the NCAA brackets on CBS and frankly could they draw the announcement out any longer. I wish they would speed things up but I guess they want to build the anticipation. Here are my initial thoughts:
- The committee had no respect for the Big 10. Maybe this is deserved but how is Wisconsin, who won both the regular season and tournament, not at least a 2 seed. MSU surprisingly has the second best draw of the conference as a 5 seed but they have a tough match up with Pitt in round two. But the real injustice was moving Purdue down to a 6 seed and IU to an 8 seed.
- The east coast bias is alive and well as the Big East gets 8 teams despite being ranked as the 5th best conference by the RPI. Villanova did not deserve to be in. I really don't see what the hype is all about and the conference will probably disappoint again.
- Duke gets over seeded again. How many years in a row can they over seed the same team? They didn't win the regular season and didn't even make the tourney finals in a conference with only 4 total bids yet they are still a 2 seed? I realize Coach K has a lot of tourney wins but he owes many of them to the committee who annually give him the easiest schedule to sweet 16.
- The big conferences get richer while the little guys get stiffed again. Of the 34 at-large bids only 6 went to mid majors. You would think that George Mason's run would have opened the eyes of the committee members to the mid majors place in the tournament but apparently not.
- Tennessee got screwed big time. Not only do they lose the 1 seed, they get the 2 seed in N. Carolina's bracket. Then they have potential tough match ups in both rounds two and three. Tennessee deserved much better; like say Duke's draw.
- UCLA appears to have the easiest road of all the 1 seeds while Memphis has probably the toughest bracket. If UCLA doesn't get to the final four I'll be stunned. On the flip side having to play Texas in Texas will be no picnic for Memphis.
- There are no obvious sleepers yet. Usually one mid major stands out above the rest but not this year. A lot of people say Davidson but having Georgetown in the second round keeps them from being a major threat. And no 12 seeds look like winners this year. Which of course means all of them will win. I may pick Temple over MSU just to spite all the Spartan fans.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Big Chocolate
Lately it is easy to become angry at large corporations and industries who are making millions in profits while the general US economy teeters on the brink of depression. But one company deserves credit for being a good corporate citizen as they compete in the global economy. The company is Cadbury Schweppes and they are one of the largest candy makers in the world.
I first learned about their partnership with cocoa farmers in an article that appeared in the Economist. Cadbury has agreed to spend 87 million over the next ten years to help farmers in Ghana increase their cocoa production as well as diversify their farms by planting red peppers, mangoes and coconuts. They are also investing in drinking wells, schools, teachers and libraries that will be used by the entire village.
Now I realize that their gesture is not solely philanthropic as they are reliant upon these farmers for a large majority of their cocoa production. But their commitment to improving the lives of their partners, makes good sense from both a business and humanitarian perspective. Cadbury can now depend on a long term, steady supply of cocoa while the farmers receive new skills, improved health conditions and increased educational opportunities for them and their families.
This partnership should serve as a model for other companies doing business in underdeveloped regions. Cadbury could have walked away from Ghana and decided to find cheaper suppliers but they didn't. Instead they invested in their farming partners. In an age of putting the bottom line before people, I am encouraged by their actions. In fact, I plan to buy a Cadbury egg to show my support.
I first learned about their partnership with cocoa farmers in an article that appeared in the Economist. Cadbury has agreed to spend 87 million over the next ten years to help farmers in Ghana increase their cocoa production as well as diversify their farms by planting red peppers, mangoes and coconuts. They are also investing in drinking wells, schools, teachers and libraries that will be used by the entire village.
Now I realize that their gesture is not solely philanthropic as they are reliant upon these farmers for a large majority of their cocoa production. But their commitment to improving the lives of their partners, makes good sense from both a business and humanitarian perspective. Cadbury can now depend on a long term, steady supply of cocoa while the farmers receive new skills, improved health conditions and increased educational opportunities for them and their families.
This partnership should serve as a model for other companies doing business in underdeveloped regions. Cadbury could have walked away from Ghana and decided to find cheaper suppliers but they didn't. Instead they invested in their farming partners. In an age of putting the bottom line before people, I am encouraged by their actions. In fact, I plan to buy a Cadbury egg to show my support.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The VP
Last week I had the opportunity to help at a fundraiser for Congressman Walberg. A good friend of mine works for Walberg and so I gladly jumped at the chance to help him. An added bonus was finding out Dick Cheney was the special guest for the event. While I realize Cheney's popularity is not soaring, I still admire and appreciate him and was anxious to see him in person.
The morning of the event, I received a call from a number I didn't recognize and let it go to voicemail. The same number called back 10 seconds later and I decided to pick it up and see who it was. I hear a voice ask me if this is Jeff Cobb and I tell him it is, and then he tells me he is from Secret Service and I was to be available to answer their call throughout the rest of the day. It was a little unsettling to have them call but kind of cool to say "when secret service called me this morning". I used that line a lot throughout the day and into the weekend.
The event went very well. They drew a huge crowd and undoubtedly raised a lot of money. They held the fundraiser at a private home in Marshall and it was the biggest house I have ever been to. I don't know if this is true or not but somebody told me the house was 15,000 square feet and it felt every bit that big. In fact, they had a VIP reception in the kitchen which consisted of close to a hundred guests and it didn't even seem crowded.
I had two main jobs during the day, first I was on sign duty which was actually quite fun despite the frozen ground. My friend Ryan and I and a few others put up probably 100 signs or more on the property and along the route where the guests would be arriving. You could see his orange signs a mile away. Very eye catching. Then my next duty was to greet people as they came through security and direct them to the proper locations in the house. This was a great job as I was able to meet and visit with all the guests. Plus it was nice to be inside from the cold.
After all the guests arrived, I should have stayed upstairs as the other volunteers who stayed up there had their picture taken with Cheney. But I have a crush on one of the other volunteers so I went downstairs to chase her down. Despite missing out on the picture, it all ended well because I got to visit with her and also eat while we waited for the VP to arrive. For Cheney's speech, I was able to sneak up to the front of the line just next to the Congressman's family. His speech was filled with mostly boilerplate on the economy and the war on terror but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I will say though, Cheney looks even more serious in person than he does on camera. After Cheney spoke, Congressman Walberg addressed the crowd and he was very good. As a former preacher, he has an impressive way of communicating to his audience.
All in all it was a very fun day and I am glad I was able to see the Vice President and help out Congressman Walberg.
Monday, March 10, 2008
The Politics of Hope?
I just read an article which contains the content of one Dr. Jeremiah Wrights speeches given at Howard University in 2006. For those who don't know who he is, Wright is the pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and also the spiritual mentor of Barack Obama. In fact, Dr. Wright married Barack and his wife Michelle.
The speech in the article illustrates Dr. Wright's disdain for America or more accurately white America. It is filled with hate and wild conspiracies that would almost be comical except that he apparently believes them. For instance here are a couple quotes: (The we he refers to is America)
I have never seen an article or story where Obama explicitly takes Dr. Wright to task for his vile comments. He usually just says blandly that they disagree on some things but he never says specifically what those disagreements are. I don't know any sensible person who attends a church without sharing at least a majority of the opinions of their pastor. In fact, right or wrong, most people I know leave a church as soon as they hear one or two things they disagree with from the pulpit.
I find it difficult to accept that Obama is being honest when says he doesn't agree with Dr. Wright. Their views probably diverge in some areas but are we really to presume that listening to his teachings for 20 years has not influenced Obama's politics? The fact that Obama continues to attend his church and study under his teachings says more to me than some generic comments about their supposed disagreements.
The speech in the article illustrates Dr. Wright's disdain for America or more accurately white America. It is filled with hate and wild conspiracies that would almost be comical except that he apparently believes them. For instance here are a couple quotes: (The we he refers to is America)
- "Racism is alive and well. Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run..... no black woman can ever be considered for anything outside what she can give with her body"
- "We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns, and the training of professional killers"
- "We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God"
- "We started the AIDS virus, and now that it is out of control, we still put more money in the military than in medicine"
I have never seen an article or story where Obama explicitly takes Dr. Wright to task for his vile comments. He usually just says blandly that they disagree on some things but he never says specifically what those disagreements are. I don't know any sensible person who attends a church without sharing at least a majority of the opinions of their pastor. In fact, right or wrong, most people I know leave a church as soon as they hear one or two things they disagree with from the pulpit.
I find it difficult to accept that Obama is being honest when says he doesn't agree with Dr. Wright. Their views probably diverge in some areas but are we really to presume that listening to his teachings for 20 years has not influenced Obama's politics? The fact that Obama continues to attend his church and study under his teachings says more to me than some generic comments about their supposed disagreements.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Michigan Roads
Ok, I have just about enough of the crappy roads here in Michigan. The potholes this year are ridiculous. Downtown Beirut has better roads than we do. I was on my way home this morning along Mt Hope Rd and I seriously felt like I was off roading because the terrain was so bumpy. But unfortunately, I am not sure anybody has the political will to do anything to fix them. The other day driving in the capitol parking lot, I hit a huge hole and figured if the politicians can't even keep their own parking lot smooth, what hope is there for the rest of us. The problem is that for the past decade we have borrowed money as a state to finance new road projects. This works well during election years and helped jump start many needed projects. However, now we are stuck paying the bill. This coupled with a reduction in the amount of gas tax has lead to less repairs and maintenance and ultimately many more potholes. One solution being thrown around is to raise the gas tax since that is the primary means of revenue for the roads. Personally, I am all for it and with the way gas prices fluctuate nobody would know the difference. I mean gas just jumped up 30 cents this week. What would an additional 10 cents in tax matter? But I realize I am in the minority and that passing any tax, especially a gas tax in an election year is not possible. So I guess I will have to put up with the potholes a while longer or until the state comes up with some new money to fix them.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Advice for McCain
By Tuesday, Hilary Clinton will be done and we will finally have our match up in the fall election. McCain versus Obama is a very intriguing race. While the common wisdom is that 2008 will be a Democratic year, I am convinced that McCain has a very real opportunity to win in the fall. Here is how he can do it.
All elections are decided by one of three factors: personality, ideology and competence. Obviously Obama has a big advantage in terms of personality. That is why he is winning the democratic primary. Let's face it, Hillary's cold and sour personality was no match for him. In fact, it's a testament to her grit and determination that she has lasted as long as she has. To counter Obama's charm and personality he needs to focus on his own personal narrative of courage, patriotism and independence as a contrast to Obama. But if the race is predominantly about personality McCain loses.
McCain also needs to avoid the mistake of making this year's race about ideology. It will be tempting to do this because of Obama's extremely liberal record and because he'll see this as a way to make amends with the conservative base. McCain has already demonstrated he can win without appeasing conservatives in the primary so why should he go there in the general election. Besides, Obama comes across as post partisan regardless of his liberal record. Candidates should play to their strengths and McCain's strength is not being a partisan ideologue. The majority of the country is not liberal or conservative but somewhere in the middle which is where McCain is. He should stay there.
What McCain needs to do is make the election about experience and competence. Not just competence in running government but a demonstrated record of accomplishing the bi-partisan change that Obama claims to represent. Unlike Hillary's 35 years of "experience" McCain has a real record of results so I think his argument will work better than hers did in the primary. He can honestly claim success working across the aisle and standing up to members of his own party to do what he considered the right thing. While Obama talks the talk, McCain has walked the walk.
McCain needs to hammer away that Obama has never actually demonstrated any success working with Republicans on major issues or been willing to fight his own party. This approach will help peal away the independents who are yearning for change in Washington. McCain can say he was delivering change while Obama was still making speeches in inner city Chicago. This also allows him to turn his age into a benefit instead of a negative. He can say that he knows how Washington works and has the relationships needed to effect change while Obama doesn't because of his youth and inexperience. McCain's message should be who do you trust to deliver change? If he effectively makes this case, McCain will win easily in November.
All elections are decided by one of three factors: personality, ideology and competence. Obviously Obama has a big advantage in terms of personality. That is why he is winning the democratic primary. Let's face it, Hillary's cold and sour personality was no match for him. In fact, it's a testament to her grit and determination that she has lasted as long as she has. To counter Obama's charm and personality he needs to focus on his own personal narrative of courage, patriotism and independence as a contrast to Obama. But if the race is predominantly about personality McCain loses.
McCain also needs to avoid the mistake of making this year's race about ideology. It will be tempting to do this because of Obama's extremely liberal record and because he'll see this as a way to make amends with the conservative base. McCain has already demonstrated he can win without appeasing conservatives in the primary so why should he go there in the general election. Besides, Obama comes across as post partisan regardless of his liberal record. Candidates should play to their strengths and McCain's strength is not being a partisan ideologue. The majority of the country is not liberal or conservative but somewhere in the middle which is where McCain is. He should stay there.
What McCain needs to do is make the election about experience and competence. Not just competence in running government but a demonstrated record of accomplishing the bi-partisan change that Obama claims to represent. Unlike Hillary's 35 years of "experience" McCain has a real record of results so I think his argument will work better than hers did in the primary. He can honestly claim success working across the aisle and standing up to members of his own party to do what he considered the right thing. While Obama talks the talk, McCain has walked the walk.
McCain needs to hammer away that Obama has never actually demonstrated any success working with Republicans on major issues or been willing to fight his own party. This approach will help peal away the independents who are yearning for change in Washington. McCain can say he was delivering change while Obama was still making speeches in inner city Chicago. This also allows him to turn his age into a benefit instead of a negative. He can say that he knows how Washington works and has the relationships needed to effect change while Obama doesn't because of his youth and inexperience. McCain's message should be who do you trust to deliver change? If he effectively makes this case, McCain will win easily in November.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
People that bug me
I woke up in a grumpy mood this morning and decided to vent. Enjoy my latest rant and be thankful I kept it to only celebrities.
Matt Millen - One wonders how he keeps his job. The man reeks of incompetence and manages the Lions like a 12 year old managing a fantasy football team. And while I am a Steelers fan, I do get stuck having to watch the results of his poor decision making every week thanks to the NFL's outdated regional TV coverage. If Nancy Pelosi and others were truly interested in stopping torture they should consider banning the Lions from TV.
Michael Jordan -Has there ever been a more over hyped and yes overrated player than Michael Jordan. I get nauseous every time I see a story about him being the greatest athlete of all time. He wasn't even the greatest NBA player of all time. Yet thanks to Nike and NBC most people are brainwashed into thinking he was better than he really was. To sum up my dislike for him, I passionately cheer against the Bobcats simply because he is part owner.
Katie Couric - For those of you who still believe that media is fair and unbiased, I present Katie Couric as a living argument against you. I will never understand why CBS turned over their news coverage to her as she has taken what was already a tainted product (thank you Dan Rather) and turned into a joke. She was fine I guess doing morning talk about recipes and hair salons but she is hardly a serious journalist and America knows it. I predict she will be off the air within the year and all I can say is good night and good riddance.
Lou Holtz - I hate Notre Dame football and Lou Holtz is their embodiment. I never thought he was a great coach but ironically, he is actually worse on ESPN. It's almost embarrassing to hear him reveal how little he knows about college football. I especially laughed this year as he would predict Notre Dame to surprise us and win week after week. Good call Lou. Most shocking of all is that people pay money to hear him give a motivational speech. The only thing motivating would be hearing him resign from ESPN.
Barbara Streisand - If there one thing more pretentious than Notre Dame football, it is Barbara. Growing up I never understood what her appeal was. Her movies are boring and her singing is mediocre. She essentially has no fans under age 60 and yet she still feels compelled to act like a prima donna and give us her unsolicited political commentary. Just keep it to yourself.
Hillary Clinton - Watching her lose in the primary is bitter sweet. I am enjoying watching her lose but part of me wanted a Republican to drive the final stake through her heart. She is cold, calculating, corrupt and cynical. I could go on with additional C words but I'll stop while I am ahead. Tuesday can't come soon enough so we can finally get her and her husband off center stage and "move on".
Mike Murdock - Some of you might be saying who. Well he is one of those greedy, blood sucking TV evangelists on Sunday morning. Every week after watching Chris Matthews I come across his show where is asking people to send in $1000 dollars as seeds of faith and promising them a great return on their investment. I guess it works, but only for him as he lives in a mansion while those sending the money never see a dime. I pray that he will drop dead in the middle of his of show and be revealed as the hustler that he really is.
Jesse Jackson - Speaking of hustlers, Jackson is the personification of everything white America dislikes about black people. He tries to guilt and intimidate white people by threatening them with charges of racism. Worse yet he plays to the fears and victim hood of black people by offering them empty promises and countless scapegoats to blame for their problems. How hard must it be for him to see Obama succeed? I thought the only way black people rose to the top in this country was through Jackson's blessings and government intervention. Apparently not. Hopefully Obama's rise will bring in new black leadership.
Dr. Phil - Who knew you could make so much fame and fortune by issuing empty platitudes and fortune cookie wisdom. But I guess there really are enough suckers out there who think he can help solve their problems. People, if you are watching Dr. Phil, that is your problem. His advice is condescending and useless like "don't dream it, do it". Give me a break. He is basically just a better looking reincarnation of Dr. Laura.
Matt Millen - One wonders how he keeps his job. The man reeks of incompetence and manages the Lions like a 12 year old managing a fantasy football team. And while I am a Steelers fan, I do get stuck having to watch the results of his poor decision making every week thanks to the NFL's outdated regional TV coverage. If Nancy Pelosi and others were truly interested in stopping torture they should consider banning the Lions from TV.
Michael Jordan -Has there ever been a more over hyped and yes overrated player than Michael Jordan. I get nauseous every time I see a story about him being the greatest athlete of all time. He wasn't even the greatest NBA player of all time. Yet thanks to Nike and NBC most people are brainwashed into thinking he was better than he really was. To sum up my dislike for him, I passionately cheer against the Bobcats simply because he is part owner.
Katie Couric - For those of you who still believe that media is fair and unbiased, I present Katie Couric as a living argument against you. I will never understand why CBS turned over their news coverage to her as she has taken what was already a tainted product (thank you Dan Rather) and turned into a joke. She was fine I guess doing morning talk about recipes and hair salons but she is hardly a serious journalist and America knows it. I predict she will be off the air within the year and all I can say is good night and good riddance.
Lou Holtz - I hate Notre Dame football and Lou Holtz is their embodiment. I never thought he was a great coach but ironically, he is actually worse on ESPN. It's almost embarrassing to hear him reveal how little he knows about college football. I especially laughed this year as he would predict Notre Dame to surprise us and win week after week. Good call Lou. Most shocking of all is that people pay money to hear him give a motivational speech. The only thing motivating would be hearing him resign from ESPN.
Barbara Streisand - If there one thing more pretentious than Notre Dame football, it is Barbara. Growing up I never understood what her appeal was. Her movies are boring and her singing is mediocre. She essentially has no fans under age 60 and yet she still feels compelled to act like a prima donna and give us her unsolicited political commentary. Just keep it to yourself.
Hillary Clinton - Watching her lose in the primary is bitter sweet. I am enjoying watching her lose but part of me wanted a Republican to drive the final stake through her heart. She is cold, calculating, corrupt and cynical. I could go on with additional C words but I'll stop while I am ahead. Tuesday can't come soon enough so we can finally get her and her husband off center stage and "move on".
Mike Murdock - Some of you might be saying who. Well he is one of those greedy, blood sucking TV evangelists on Sunday morning. Every week after watching Chris Matthews I come across his show where is asking people to send in $1000 dollars as seeds of faith and promising them a great return on their investment. I guess it works, but only for him as he lives in a mansion while those sending the money never see a dime. I pray that he will drop dead in the middle of his of show and be revealed as the hustler that he really is.
Jesse Jackson - Speaking of hustlers, Jackson is the personification of everything white America dislikes about black people. He tries to guilt and intimidate white people by threatening them with charges of racism. Worse yet he plays to the fears and victim hood of black people by offering them empty promises and countless scapegoats to blame for their problems. How hard must it be for him to see Obama succeed? I thought the only way black people rose to the top in this country was through Jackson's blessings and government intervention. Apparently not. Hopefully Obama's rise will bring in new black leadership.
Paris Hilton - Does anybody embody what's wrong with America more than Paris. She is a spoiled no talent hack who came to fame via Internet porn. And yet the media and public seems to care about her. Maybe that says more about us than her. Oh and her dumb blond routine is annoying. At least when Jessica Simpson does it she looks good.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Why is Africa different than the Middle East
I just read a fascinating article about George Bush and his recent trip to Africa. It was written by Bob Geldof who is hardly a supporter of the Bush administration, yet he displays a certain amount of admiration for his work in Africa. This article was revealing because it shows just much his success in Africa is blunted by his overall failings in other areas. President Bush's support for Africa is unrivaled by any standard yet he gets very little credit for bringing hope to a very dim continent. Instead, he will always be measured for using military force in the middle east in response to September 11th. It's too bad because Bush deserves more credit for his bold successes in African policy.
In retrospect, one wonders what would have happened if he had applied the same principles he is using in Africa to the middle east. His main goal in Africa is to reduce suffering and bring hope by funding many health care and development projects. For the most part these have been successful ventures and the African people seem to appreciate our help and support. Would we have more support in the middle east if we had taken that same approach instead of going to war?
Now I write this as one of the last few supporters of going to war in Iraq. I thought it was the right thing back then and I still support finishing our work there. But I am beginning to wonder if there isn't a missing component of compassion for this part of the world. Would our money be better spent investing in humanitarian activities instead of militarily? This approach would seem to help buttress America's image and influence in that region but more importantly it would reveal a broader respect for humanity that Bush has already demonstrated in Africa.
Some improvements are already happening in many parts of Iraq such as rebuilding the health care and education systems. I suspect this is one reason we are making political progress over the last couple months But more can be done and I am hopeful President Bush will apply the lessons he is learning in Africa to the conflict in the middle east.
In retrospect, one wonders what would have happened if he had applied the same principles he is using in Africa to the middle east. His main goal in Africa is to reduce suffering and bring hope by funding many health care and development projects. For the most part these have been successful ventures and the African people seem to appreciate our help and support. Would we have more support in the middle east if we had taken that same approach instead of going to war?
Now I write this as one of the last few supporters of going to war in Iraq. I thought it was the right thing back then and I still support finishing our work there. But I am beginning to wonder if there isn't a missing component of compassion for this part of the world. Would our money be better spent investing in humanitarian activities instead of militarily? This approach would seem to help buttress America's image and influence in that region but more importantly it would reveal a broader respect for humanity that Bush has already demonstrated in Africa.
Some improvements are already happening in many parts of Iraq such as rebuilding the health care and education systems. I suspect this is one reason we are making political progress over the last couple months But more can be done and I am hopeful President Bush will apply the lessons he is learning in Africa to the conflict in the middle east.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
it aint fare, I like jim class
I just read a very interesting article about the Albuquerque school system. The school system wants to limit the electives for students who are failing in the major subject areas and instead require them to take remedial classes. As you might imagine, many of these students are upset at this action and so they decided to send letters to the editor in protest. However, it appears their letter writing campaign may have backfired. Apparently, many of the letters were full of spelling and grammatical errors which only highlighted the very real need for remedial classes. If their writing skills and disrespect for the English language weren't so sad the irony would be very amusing.
Unfortunately, this story illustrates a broader problem in many of our schools. We simply have a lot of kids who are failing and ill prepared from lack of smarts, motivation, expectations or some combination thereof. Personally, I applaud the Albuquerque schools for taking a stand and hope they follow through on their requirements. I hope these students appreciate the school's efforts to give them at least one more opportunity to learn the basics. Without that academic baseline, these same kids will be left without a lot of options as they compete for jobs in the real world. A world where nobody cares if they got an A in choir or home economics but instead whether they can read and write.
Unfortunately, this story illustrates a broader problem in many of our schools. We simply have a lot of kids who are failing and ill prepared from lack of smarts, motivation, expectations or some combination thereof. Personally, I applaud the Albuquerque schools for taking a stand and hope they follow through on their requirements. I hope these students appreciate the school's efforts to give them at least one more opportunity to learn the basics. Without that academic baseline, these same kids will be left without a lot of options as they compete for jobs in the real world. A world where nobody cares if they got an A in choir or home economics but instead whether they can read and write.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Givng a Ride
Last summer a friend of mine asked me if I could give her boyfriend Paul a ride to work. He works on Sunday morning and the buses do not start running until later in the morning. When I agreed to do it, I thought it would only be one time but when I realized that he had a need every week I decided to offer him a ride on a weekly basis.
So for the past several months Paul and I spend every Sunday morning together for about 15 minutes as we ride across town to his job. He and I are very different people, he is a huge science fiction fan which I am not. I think I've learned more about alternative universes and supernatural powers than I knew was even possible. Occasionally we even stray into some personal aspect of our lives and those are the times that I enjoy him most. He has a lot of stories to share about himself growing up although I have begun to hear a couple stories being recycled. I get a sense that there are not many other people in his life who will take the time to listen to his stories so I am happy to do it. Underneath our dissimilar interests I have discovered that I enjoy Paul's company and that would have never been possible without spending time with him each week.
I share my experience to highlight how easy it is to invest in other people. In the past, I was always searching for ways to make a difference when opportunities were staring me right in the face. Giving Paul a ride is a simple task despite having to get up early on Sunday morning. Yet it allows him to keep the hours at his job and pay his bills. Lately, I have also been giving rides to other people as they call me. Using my car to help people has really changed my perspective on owning a car. Instead of complaining about how loud it is or what's wrong with it, I now view it as a blessing and responsibility.
So for the past several months Paul and I spend every Sunday morning together for about 15 minutes as we ride across town to his job. He and I are very different people, he is a huge science fiction fan which I am not. I think I've learned more about alternative universes and supernatural powers than I knew was even possible. Occasionally we even stray into some personal aspect of our lives and those are the times that I enjoy him most. He has a lot of stories to share about himself growing up although I have begun to hear a couple stories being recycled. I get a sense that there are not many other people in his life who will take the time to listen to his stories so I am happy to do it. Underneath our dissimilar interests I have discovered that I enjoy Paul's company and that would have never been possible without spending time with him each week.
I share my experience to highlight how easy it is to invest in other people. In the past, I was always searching for ways to make a difference when opportunities were staring me right in the face. Giving Paul a ride is a simple task despite having to get up early on Sunday morning. Yet it allows him to keep the hours at his job and pay his bills. Lately, I have also been giving rides to other people as they call me. Using my car to help people has really changed my perspective on owning a car. Instead of complaining about how loud it is or what's wrong with it, I now view it as a blessing and responsibility.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
So who is Brian McLaren
I have been reading a book called a Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren. It's the second book I have read by him and I am really enjoying it. I first heard of him a couple years ago and at the time I was skeptical because he likes to challenge the established evangelical church's view of the world. In fact, many consider him the moral prophet of the "emerging church" because of his unorthodox views.
Basically his writing is designed to spur on those Christians who are stuck in their faith by challenging their view of what it means to be a Christian. Instead of rules and teachings defining faith, he focuses on what exactly it means to have a relationship with Jesus. It's refreshing if not dangerous to shed Jesus from the confines of what we think we know and reexamine what a relationship with Jesus really looks like. Do I passionately love Jesus above all other things or is it more a relationship of convenience similar to many of my human relationships? Do I follow his example or do I choose the comfortable, acceptable life that is often embraced by the church? Why do I believe so strongly that my view of Jesus is superior to other peoples views? Am I more interested in church or more interested in Jesus?
While I sometimes find myself disagreeing with him or getting frustrated that I have to answer these questions, he offers a fresh view of faith in Jesus and I like that. After reading him, I began to check out what others thought of him and was surprised just how divisive a figure he was. Some people appreciate him like I do, while others are highly critical of his writings. I find the gap between these impressions fascinating if not a little sad. They reveal a growing division within the church between those who are frustrated with the current church and their current faith and those are fearful that he is watering down traditional Christian teaching.
McLaren's writings are not for the weak of faith. I would encourage reading him but be prepared to be challenged. You may be surprised by just how much you agree with him.
Basically his writing is designed to spur on those Christians who are stuck in their faith by challenging their view of what it means to be a Christian. Instead of rules and teachings defining faith, he focuses on what exactly it means to have a relationship with Jesus. It's refreshing if not dangerous to shed Jesus from the confines of what we think we know and reexamine what a relationship with Jesus really looks like. Do I passionately love Jesus above all other things or is it more a relationship of convenience similar to many of my human relationships? Do I follow his example or do I choose the comfortable, acceptable life that is often embraced by the church? Why do I believe so strongly that my view of Jesus is superior to other peoples views? Am I more interested in church or more interested in Jesus?
While I sometimes find myself disagreeing with him or getting frustrated that I have to answer these questions, he offers a fresh view of faith in Jesus and I like that. After reading him, I began to check out what others thought of him and was surprised just how divisive a figure he was. Some people appreciate him like I do, while others are highly critical of his writings. I find the gap between these impressions fascinating if not a little sad. They reveal a growing division within the church between those who are frustrated with the current church and their current faith and those are fearful that he is watering down traditional Christian teaching.
McLaren's writings are not for the weak of faith. I would encourage reading him but be prepared to be challenged. You may be surprised by just how much you agree with him.
Friday, February 08, 2008
The View From My Window
I took this picture the other day from my window at work. I hate the snow but it sure does make the city prettier.Lessons Learned from the Romney Campaign
With Romney's recent departure from the race we learned a few key points about political campaigns.
1. Money matters but not if it comes mostly from the candidate. Romney spent a lot of his money on the race and in fact outspent McCain in numerous states but still did not win. Why? Because despite raising a significant amount of cash a large portion came from his own wealth. It may be jealousy but most people don't like rich people trying to "buy the election". Michigan saw the same thing last year with Dick Devos. But more than jealousy I think it hurts the candidate's ability to relate to the middle class voter who doesn't believe the candidate understands their economic anxiety. For example, what does Mitt Romney know about struggling to pay a mortgage? Self funded campaigns also reveal an inability to get everyday citizens to buy into their campaign via writing a check. The amount of money matters less than the number of actual voters who are willing to commit to the candidate. That commitment is what keeps the campaign momentum going when times get tough not the money.
2. You have to be genuine because people can spot a phony. I wrote last summer that Romney should have run as a moderate pragmatic governor instead of a far right diehard. Anybody paying attention could tell he wasn't being genuine during most of the campaign. He may very well be conservative in his private life but his prior campaigns and public experience suggested he wasn't a conservative. What his experience did suggest was that he was smart, competent and accomplished. Unfortunately, these qualities got lost in the nonsense and double speak that plagued his campaign. Whether the issue was abortion or gay rights or even hunting, none of what he said seemed to add up to what he had done before running for President. The irony is that he if he had run as a moderate he would have taken all the winner take all Northeast states on Super Tuesday instead of McCain and would probably have the delegate lead. But by the time those primaries rolled around the people in the Northeast didn't recognize the former Governor from their backyard.
3. If you are going to be a momentum candidate you need to win either Iowa or New Hampshire but not both. Like it or not both these states matter a lot. Just look at the last two standing as they are the winners in these two states. You can't get people excited about coming in second place in both states. However you can tank in one state as long as you win the other one. The results also suggest that smart candidates figure out which state fits best and spend most of their time there. They have incredibly different electorates and a good candidate should be able to appeal to one or the other. For Huckabee it was Iowa and for McCain it was New Hampshire. Romney should have given up Iowa and focused solely on NH. Trying to win both set him up for failure and he never recovered.
4. Religion still plays an important role in Republican politics. One of many reasons Romney lost in Iowa and in the south on super Tuesday was because of his religion. Fundamentalist Christians were never going to support a Mormon candidate no matter how conservative he said he was. And secular voters weren't all that comfortable either. I know firsthand several people whose sole reason for voting against him was his faith. Call it prejudice if you want but to get elected you have to be from a denomination that mainstream Christians feel comfortable with.
5. Talk Radio endorsements are not effective. Rush Limbaugh has a huge audience as does Sean Hannity. Others have smaller but no less committed listenership. Yet when they all endorsed Mitt Romney in a last ditch attempt to derail John McCain, it didn't work. Romney is out of the race less than two weeks after their endorsements. The reason is that the people who listen to talk radio were already voting for Romney without their endorsements. They were essentially preaching to the choir and not attracting new converts. And while the talk radio crowd is big, it is only a small portion of even the conservative Republican electorate. To win the primary Romney needed to expand this narrow base and talk radio endorsements did not help him at all. Unless the person can give you access to a voting segment you can't reach on your own, the endorsement is only as good as the news cycle in which it was announced.
1. Money matters but not if it comes mostly from the candidate. Romney spent a lot of his money on the race and in fact outspent McCain in numerous states but still did not win. Why? Because despite raising a significant amount of cash a large portion came from his own wealth. It may be jealousy but most people don't like rich people trying to "buy the election". Michigan saw the same thing last year with Dick Devos. But more than jealousy I think it hurts the candidate's ability to relate to the middle class voter who doesn't believe the candidate understands their economic anxiety. For example, what does Mitt Romney know about struggling to pay a mortgage? Self funded campaigns also reveal an inability to get everyday citizens to buy into their campaign via writing a check. The amount of money matters less than the number of actual voters who are willing to commit to the candidate. That commitment is what keeps the campaign momentum going when times get tough not the money.
2. You have to be genuine because people can spot a phony. I wrote last summer that Romney should have run as a moderate pragmatic governor instead of a far right diehard. Anybody paying attention could tell he wasn't being genuine during most of the campaign. He may very well be conservative in his private life but his prior campaigns and public experience suggested he wasn't a conservative. What his experience did suggest was that he was smart, competent and accomplished. Unfortunately, these qualities got lost in the nonsense and double speak that plagued his campaign. Whether the issue was abortion or gay rights or even hunting, none of what he said seemed to add up to what he had done before running for President. The irony is that he if he had run as a moderate he would have taken all the winner take all Northeast states on Super Tuesday instead of McCain and would probably have the delegate lead. But by the time those primaries rolled around the people in the Northeast didn't recognize the former Governor from their backyard.
3. If you are going to be a momentum candidate you need to win either Iowa or New Hampshire but not both. Like it or not both these states matter a lot. Just look at the last two standing as they are the winners in these two states. You can't get people excited about coming in second place in both states. However you can tank in one state as long as you win the other one. The results also suggest that smart candidates figure out which state fits best and spend most of their time there. They have incredibly different electorates and a good candidate should be able to appeal to one or the other. For Huckabee it was Iowa and for McCain it was New Hampshire. Romney should have given up Iowa and focused solely on NH. Trying to win both set him up for failure and he never recovered.
4. Religion still plays an important role in Republican politics. One of many reasons Romney lost in Iowa and in the south on super Tuesday was because of his religion. Fundamentalist Christians were never going to support a Mormon candidate no matter how conservative he said he was. And secular voters weren't all that comfortable either. I know firsthand several people whose sole reason for voting against him was his faith. Call it prejudice if you want but to get elected you have to be from a denomination that mainstream Christians feel comfortable with.
5. Talk Radio endorsements are not effective. Rush Limbaugh has a huge audience as does Sean Hannity. Others have smaller but no less committed listenership. Yet when they all endorsed Mitt Romney in a last ditch attempt to derail John McCain, it didn't work. Romney is out of the race less than two weeks after their endorsements. The reason is that the people who listen to talk radio were already voting for Romney without their endorsements. They were essentially preaching to the choir and not attracting new converts. And while the talk radio crowd is big, it is only a small portion of even the conservative Republican electorate. To win the primary Romney needed to expand this narrow base and talk radio endorsements did not help him at all. Unless the person can give you access to a voting segment you can't reach on your own, the endorsement is only as good as the news cycle in which it was announced.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Stay out of it
Recently a host on the golf network suggested jokingly that the only way to stop Tiger Woods from dominating the golf world would be to take him out back and lynch him. These ill fated words led to her public apology and subsequent suspension by the network. Tiger Woods made a brief statement that he accepted her apology and that should have been the end of the story. Unfortunately, there are trouble makers that do not want the story to go away.
Enter Jim Brown, former star football and lacrosse player. In an interview this week he suggested that Tiger should have used this incident to make a "statement" but instead shirked his responsibility. What kind of statement does he want Tiger to make? Have her fired, sue the network? Complain about racism? How would any of that help race relations in this country. Instead, Tiger took the high road and his classy, gracious response was the correct statement. Jim Brown and other instigators want to turn her words into societal debate over race rather that what it was; a matter between two individuals. Tiger understood that. I wish others did as well.
Jim Brown grew up in an era when racism was thriving. But that is a long time ago, especially in the sports world. No longer are black people discriminated against but they are coveted because of their skills abilities and marketing opportunities. My guess is that Jim Brown is jealous of Tiger's success and fame. That's why he feels the need to interject himself into a debate that has nothing to do with him. He should just keep his mouth shut and let Tiger handle his own affairs.
Enter Jim Brown, former star football and lacrosse player. In an interview this week he suggested that Tiger should have used this incident to make a "statement" but instead shirked his responsibility. What kind of statement does he want Tiger to make? Have her fired, sue the network? Complain about racism? How would any of that help race relations in this country. Instead, Tiger took the high road and his classy, gracious response was the correct statement. Jim Brown and other instigators want to turn her words into societal debate over race rather that what it was; a matter between two individuals. Tiger understood that. I wish others did as well.
Jim Brown grew up in an era when racism was thriving. But that is a long time ago, especially in the sports world. No longer are black people discriminated against but they are coveted because of their skills abilities and marketing opportunities. My guess is that Jim Brown is jealous of Tiger's success and fame. That's why he feels the need to interject himself into a debate that has nothing to do with him. He should just keep his mouth shut and let Tiger handle his own affairs.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
An Old Friend and a Blanket
A couple weeks ago my friend Don came to Lansing for a short visit. He lives in NY now with his wife but he is from Michigan and still makes the occasional trek back here to visit family or for work. Don and I go back a long time. I met him 6th grade and we became friends almost immediately. He was much bigger than I was at the time so I would often use him as a body guard when I would get mouthy with others which happened a lot during my Jr. high days.As we became closer friends, I recall my Mom being concerned that he might be a bad influence on me. I'm not sure why but the irony is that over our many years of friendship my Mom became quite fond of Don and welcomed into the family. In fact, a running joke was that she would often meet his girlfriends before I would.
While he was visiting this past time, we had a good time
playing race for the whitehouse, scrabble and even Talking Clue. It was fun to have someone over who appreciates games as much as I do. And like always he allowed me to win for which I am thankful.
But the best moment came as I was getting a blanket for his bed. Don recognized the blanket because I had bought it in high school while he and I were a missions trip to South Dakota. This incident may sound trivial but when he noticed the blanket it dawned on me just how far back our relationship went. Nobody else I know would recognize that blanket but Don did and that said something about our friendship. It revealed a shared history that was unique to us. To others it was just a blanket. To Don it was a reminder of our youth and the experiences we shared together.
As I get older my circle of friends continues to expand and sometimes it would be easy to shirk some old relationships. They often change and take work. But the reality is that you can never replace the depth of friendship that is forged over many years and many memories. Don's visit reminded me just fortunate I am to have such a long and enduring friendship.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The Gilmore Girls
Ok. I admit it. I am addicted to the Gilmore Girls. I started catching the occasional episode a year or two ago after I saw Lauren Graham on celebrity poker. But over Christmas break I began watching the reruns everyday and I am hooked. In fact, I rush home after work to catch the 5 O'clock airing. It reminds me of racing home from elementary school to watch Star Blazers with Ryan Boeskool.
I realize that the show is supposed to appeal to women. I can't help enjoying it. My Step dad thinks I am crazy and told me he couldn't watch it because the over acting irritates him. And while they do overact, that is part of the show's charm. I like the fast paced, witty dialogue and the endearing honesty in their relationships. No other show approaches their level in terms of addressing family dynamics. I especially appreciate Loralai's relationship with her mother. I am sure a lot of women can relate. And lately, I am enjoying Lane and how she balances her rebellious youth while still respecting her repressive mother.
I realize that the show is supposed to appeal to women. I can't help enjoying it. My Step dad thinks I am crazy and told me he couldn't watch it because the over acting irritates him. And while they do overact, that is part of the show's charm. I like the fast paced, witty dialogue and the endearing honesty in their relationships. No other show approaches their level in terms of addressing family dynamics. I especially appreciate Loralai's relationship with her mother. I am sure a lot of women can relate. And lately, I am enjoying Lane and how she balances her rebellious youth while still respecting her repressive mother.
Throw in all the quirky side-characters in town and it adds up to a very fun hour of TV. And unlike all my other re-run favorites, I haven't seen every episode several times. My only regret is that I never really watched it when it was on prime time. But good news; I hear they may make a movie based on the show.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Huck Yeah!
I attended the Mike Huckabee rally in Grand Rapids over the weekend. I took my friend Jen to the event. She had read his website and was intrigued by him because of his support for music education (She is a music teacher). It was a nice size crowd of about 800 people or so. Not bad for a campaign with zero organization in the state. In fact, we got there a little late and had to stand in the balcony with only one spot where you could actually view him speaking. The crowd was mostly homeschoolers, evangelicals, fair tax people and a smattering of environmentalists.
He gave a good speech hitting all the Republican talking points but he was definitely at his best 
when he focused on the working class, blue collar issues. I am not sure exactly what his plan is to help the middle class but he has an ability to connect with that group. I think this is because he comes from the working class and not from wealth like many of the other candidates do. I did have to laugh when he started mentioning his union endorsements. The Republican crowd wasn't really sure if they were supposed to cheer or not and they settled on polite applause. At the end he grabbed the guitar and played with mustang sally with a local band was fun and roused the crowd.
when he focused on the working class, blue collar issues. I am not sure exactly what his plan is to help the middle class but he has an ability to connect with that group. I think this is because he comes from the working class and not from wealth like many of the other candidates do. I did have to laugh when he started mentioning his union endorsements. The Republican crowd wasn't really sure if they were supposed to cheer or not and they settled on polite applause. At the end he grabbed the guitar and played with mustang sally with a local band was fun and roused the crowd.
I would say the enthusiasm level of the crowd overall was about 8. It was good but wasn't quite like the McCain crowds in 2000 when you could feel the enormous energy. Although I don't think even McCain is generating the enthusiasm he had last time around. A lot of people at the Huckabee rally were just curious to see who he was and what he had to say. And I would guess that most people left with their mind made up to vote for him.
I keep hearing through the grapevine, that he is having big turnouts in other parts of the state as well. That's a very good sign. Tuesday could be a big day for Huckabee and if he wins Michigan it will definitely be because of the grass roots.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
10 year anniversary
Today marks 10 years since my Dad passed away. Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of my Grandma's death. I will never forget that time in my life. It is hard to believe it has been 10 years already. Some days it feels like just yesterday. Other times, it seems like a completely different lifetime. But even today, the first weeks of January still haunt me and cast a dark shadow over each new year as I remember 1998.
It started just before Christmas when I got a call from my Mom that Grandma was in the hospital. I wasn't worried until I arrived in Pittsburgh a few days later and saw that she was already in bad shape. When I left to head back to Michigan, I recall the uneasy thought that I wasn't going to see her again. The day I got back, I called my Dad to let him know I was in town for Christmas. His phone rang and rang and I remember finding it odd that the answering machine did not pick up. That night I received a call from the hospital and learning that Dad was in a house fire and was in the burn unit. It was quite a shock. My Step dad took me to hospital and I had no idea at the time just how bad he was. Although my body must have known deep down as I threw up in the parking lot on my way to see him. By the time I arrived, he was already unconscious. I like to think he knew I was there but I'll never know.
Both Dad and Grandma were both remarkable fighters and both held out as long as possible. My Mom spent time in Pittsburgh along with my Aunts and Grandpa. Meanwhile my brother and I along with Dad's side of the family stayed in Michigan. I have vivid memory of their last days as my Mom called Friday evening to tell me that Grandma had passed away and then less than 12 hours later Dad finally gave up. It was a remarkable shaking to lose two people I loved within hours of each other.
I do miss both of them. I thought of my Grandma quite a bit during my cousin Brie's wedding this past fall. She would have loved the wedding because Grandma had a great appreciation for the beach. Brie was also her favorite as she was the only granddaughter. I am thankful that my last memory with Grandma before she got sick was sitting by the pool in Margate NJ. She was vacationing there as she did most years and I made a weekend trip up from DC to visit. We had a really good talk about her time living in Washington and I enjoyed hearing her stories. It was a good way to end my time with her.
I don't have quite the same happy ending with Dad. I never got to say goodbye and my last phone call a few months prior was filled with mostly superficial small talk and I remember thinking afterwards that he didn't really get me. I had hoped to talk more to him when I got up to Michigan for Christmas but I never got the chance. I still think of him often. I cannot watch a Maryland game or hear about Robert Kennedy (his political hero) without feeling like he's somehow with me in spirit. I usually cry when I hear the Neal Young song that Uncle Brian played at his funeral.
Over the past 10 years, I am realizing just how much of my life both Dad and Grandma have already missed. They'll never know that I moved back to Michigan or ran a winning political campaign or any of my girlfriends or that I am finally a home owner. Most days this doesn't matter but today I really wish I could share these past experiences with them. I hope to use this feeling to ensure that I share my present and future experiences with my family and friends who are still with me.
It started just before Christmas when I got a call from my Mom that Grandma was in the hospital. I wasn't worried until I arrived in Pittsburgh a few days later and saw that she was already in bad shape. When I left to head back to Michigan, I recall the uneasy thought that I wasn't going to see her again. The day I got back, I called my Dad to let him know I was in town for Christmas. His phone rang and rang and I remember finding it odd that the answering machine did not pick up. That night I received a call from the hospital and learning that Dad was in a house fire and was in the burn unit. It was quite a shock. My Step dad took me to hospital and I had no idea at the time just how bad he was. Although my body must have known deep down as I threw up in the parking lot on my way to see him. By the time I arrived, he was already unconscious. I like to think he knew I was there but I'll never know.
Both Dad and Grandma were both remarkable fighters and both held out as long as possible. My Mom spent time in Pittsburgh along with my Aunts and Grandpa. Meanwhile my brother and I along with Dad's side of the family stayed in Michigan. I have vivid memory of their last days as my Mom called Friday evening to tell me that Grandma had passed away and then less than 12 hours later Dad finally gave up. It was a remarkable shaking to lose two people I loved within hours of each other.
I do miss both of them. I thought of my Grandma quite a bit during my cousin Brie's wedding this past fall. She would have loved the wedding because Grandma had a great appreciation for the beach. Brie was also her favorite as she was the only granddaughter. I am thankful that my last memory with Grandma before she got sick was sitting by the pool in Margate NJ. She was vacationing there as she did most years and I made a weekend trip up from DC to visit. We had a really good talk about her time living in Washington and I enjoyed hearing her stories. It was a good way to end my time with her.
I don't have quite the same happy ending with Dad. I never got to say goodbye and my last phone call a few months prior was filled with mostly superficial small talk and I remember thinking afterwards that he didn't really get me. I had hoped to talk more to him when I got up to Michigan for Christmas but I never got the chance. I still think of him often. I cannot watch a Maryland game or hear about Robert Kennedy (his political hero) without feeling like he's somehow with me in spirit. I usually cry when I hear the Neal Young song that Uncle Brian played at his funeral.
Over the past 10 years, I am realizing just how much of my life both Dad and Grandma have already missed. They'll never know that I moved back to Michigan or ran a winning political campaign or any of my girlfriends or that I am finally a home owner. Most days this doesn't matter but today I really wish I could share these past experiences with them. I hope to use this feeling to ensure that I share my present and future experiences with my family and friends who are still with me.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Last Night
The debates were finally interesting. Getting rid of the also rans and letting the candidates actually speak for more than 30 seconds helped. Since Romney is fond of the olympics, he must have felt like Nancy Kerrigan being taken out at the knees by Tonia Harding. It was obvious that all the candidates took personal pleasure from attacking Romney. It makes me wonder why he is so disliked? Regardless, it doesn't really matter because no way does he survive the attacks last night. McCain is looking better and better and even Thompson had a good night.
On the Democratic side, Clinton showed her ugly side after getting ripped by both Obama and Edwards. Watching her I thought she was going to have an aneurysm. So much for her likability. Obama came across very confident and level headed. The only questions left are the margin of victory for Obama and will Edwards beat her for second.
Meanwhile my Steelers disappointed me again. Their offensive line was awful and Ben played his worst half of the season. But as always, they teased me by taking the lead late only to give away the game. Coach Tomlin definitely coached like a rookie. He should have never gone for 2 especially after the 10 yard penalty. He also was way too conservative when they got the ball back with the lead. Oh well, they were only going to lose to the Patriots next week anyway.
On the Democratic side, Clinton showed her ugly side after getting ripped by both Obama and Edwards. Watching her I thought she was going to have an aneurysm. So much for her likability. Obama came across very confident and level headed. The only questions left are the margin of victory for Obama and will Edwards beat her for second.
Meanwhile my Steelers disappointed me again. Their offensive line was awful and Ben played his worst half of the season. But as always, they teased me by taking the lead late only to give away the game. Coach Tomlin definitely coached like a rookie. He should have never gone for 2 especially after the 10 yard penalty. He also was way too conservative when they got the ball back with the lead. Oh well, they were only going to lose to the Patriots next week anyway.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Big wins for Obama and Huckabee
Well my predictions were not too far off except I underestimated my man Huckabee or more likely overestimated Romney's vaunted organization. I guess it goes to show you that even the best campaign strategy and execution can't overcompensate a weak candidate. It is surprising though how well Huckabee did without a lot of paid staffers on the ground in Iowa and with the barage of negative ads run against him. Chalk it up to the power of personality.
Romney is finished. He may hang around for a while but McCain will win New Hamsphire and probably Michigan and Huckabee will win South Carolina. I am surprised Thompson hasn't dropped out already but he will shortly and most likely throw his support behind McCain. The wildcard is Giuliani. He needs to keep relevant and hold on until Florida and then pull off the upset over Huckabee. That would set him up for Feb 5th but I don't think he can do it. I suspect the race is down to Huckabee and McCain and that the establishment that fled McCain this summer will rally around him to stop Huckabee.
Obama's win is even bigger than Huckabee's. Does anybody else find it odd that a black man won in Iowa where there are like maybe a dozen black voters? I still think he'll face racism along the campaign trail but last night should help alleviate at least some of those fears. Edwards is finished and would do best if he quickly dropped out and then cut a deal with Obama to be VP again. I don't think he'll do it but he has no shot at winning. Hillary could still make a comeback but to do so is going to be very ugly. Obama is going to feel the full force of the Clinton hit machine over the next couple weeks. There is still a lot we don't know about Obama but we will most certainly find out soon.
Romney is finished. He may hang around for a while but McCain will win New Hamsphire and probably Michigan and Huckabee will win South Carolina. I am surprised Thompson hasn't dropped out already but he will shortly and most likely throw his support behind McCain. The wildcard is Giuliani. He needs to keep relevant and hold on until Florida and then pull off the upset over Huckabee. That would set him up for Feb 5th but I don't think he can do it. I suspect the race is down to Huckabee and McCain and that the establishment that fled McCain this summer will rally around him to stop Huckabee.
Obama's win is even bigger than Huckabee's. Does anybody else find it odd that a black man won in Iowa where there are like maybe a dozen black voters? I still think he'll face racism along the campaign trail but last night should help alleviate at least some of those fears. Edwards is finished and would do best if he quickly dropped out and then cut a deal with Obama to be VP again. I don't think he'll do it but he has no shot at winning. Hillary could still make a comeback but to do so is going to be very ugly. Obama is going to feel the full force of the Clinton hit machine over the next couple weeks. There is still a lot we don't know about Obama but we will most certainly find out soon.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Today is the day
For all us political junkies, the real action has finally arrived. Today is the Iowa Caucuses. And for the first time I can remember, neither party has any idea who is going to win Iowa yet alone the nomination. This uncertainty makes for great entertainment. I heard this morning that they are expecting record high turnouts for the Democrats and record low turnouts for the Republican. This tracks with the same level of enthusiasm that has appeared at campaign events and fundraisers. Needless to say this is not a good sign for Republicans.
Let's start with the Republican side. The race is very very close. I suspect Romney has a slight lead going into tonight. Probably about 1 percent. When you consider they expect about 90,000 voters that amounts to only about 900 voters. The interesting thing about Romney is that he should be running away with the race. He has business and government experience, is a good speaker, has tons of money and has run a very smart, traditional campaign. Contrast this with Huckabee who is flying by the seat of his pants, has virtually no money and no staff on the ground and you wonder how he is keeping up with Romney. So why are they so close? Mostly, because Romney has a hard time relating and connecting to the average voter. He does and says all the right things but people either don't believe him or don't like him. That's a bad combination. He brought most of this on himself by trying to remake himself into a down the line conservative when he is most likely a northeast moderate. Most people can see through that phoniness.
Huckabee on the other hand is nowhere near as polished or disciplined as Romney but his pastoral skills help him connect with the average voter. And while much is being made of his evangelical base, I believe his blue collar, working class message is what separates him from the rest of the field. Plus his humor and guitar playing supplement his politics making him the "fun" candidate. I mean would you rather listen to Romney's powerpoint or Huckabee's guitar rift? But some people are beginning to question if the fun candidate will make a competent president and that is a troubling question for Huckabee. It appears more and more that the safe choice is Romney and then maybe McCain.
Here is what I expect tonight. Due to Romney's stronger campaign structure, he should out perform the polls and win by a couple percentage points over Huckabee. Huckabee will come in a close second but not close enough to give him the national momentum he needs. Thompson is going to cut into his evangelical base and that will push him into third place just ahead of McCain. Paul will be a respectable 5th place and Giuliani will be lucky to break 5 percent. The stories of the night will be Romney surviving and Thompson coming in third and both getting a bounce out of the evening.
On the Democrat side all three top candidates are in a statistical dead heat. Having said that, I think a large turnout helps Obama. I also think the way the Democrats do things by eliminating all candidate below 15 percent helps him as well because it consolidates the anti-Hillary vote. If turnout ends up being lower than expected then Edwards has a chance to pull the upset. This is secretly what Hillary wants because she now knows she has no chance of winning and she'd rather see Edwards with momentum than Obama because Edwards doesn't have the money and structure to take on Hillary in all fifty states. Hillary is already downplaying the results and trying to lower expectations. My prediction is Obama narrowly over Edwards and Hillary a distant third.
Republicans
Romney 30
Huckabee 27
Thompson 15
McCain 13
Paul 10
Giuliani 4
Hunter 1
Democrats
Obama 34
Edwards 32
Clinton 24
Richardson 5
Biden 4
Dodd 1
Let's start with the Republican side. The race is very very close. I suspect Romney has a slight lead going into tonight. Probably about 1 percent. When you consider they expect about 90,000 voters that amounts to only about 900 voters. The interesting thing about Romney is that he should be running away with the race. He has business and government experience, is a good speaker, has tons of money and has run a very smart, traditional campaign. Contrast this with Huckabee who is flying by the seat of his pants, has virtually no money and no staff on the ground and you wonder how he is keeping up with Romney. So why are they so close? Mostly, because Romney has a hard time relating and connecting to the average voter. He does and says all the right things but people either don't believe him or don't like him. That's a bad combination. He brought most of this on himself by trying to remake himself into a down the line conservative when he is most likely a northeast moderate. Most people can see through that phoniness.
Huckabee on the other hand is nowhere near as polished or disciplined as Romney but his pastoral skills help him connect with the average voter. And while much is being made of his evangelical base, I believe his blue collar, working class message is what separates him from the rest of the field. Plus his humor and guitar playing supplement his politics making him the "fun" candidate. I mean would you rather listen to Romney's powerpoint or Huckabee's guitar rift? But some people are beginning to question if the fun candidate will make a competent president and that is a troubling question for Huckabee. It appears more and more that the safe choice is Romney and then maybe McCain.
Here is what I expect tonight. Due to Romney's stronger campaign structure, he should out perform the polls and win by a couple percentage points over Huckabee. Huckabee will come in a close second but not close enough to give him the national momentum he needs. Thompson is going to cut into his evangelical base and that will push him into third place just ahead of McCain. Paul will be a respectable 5th place and Giuliani will be lucky to break 5 percent. The stories of the night will be Romney surviving and Thompson coming in third and both getting a bounce out of the evening.
On the Democrat side all three top candidates are in a statistical dead heat. Having said that, I think a large turnout helps Obama. I also think the way the Democrats do things by eliminating all candidate below 15 percent helps him as well because it consolidates the anti-Hillary vote. If turnout ends up being lower than expected then Edwards has a chance to pull the upset. This is secretly what Hillary wants because she now knows she has no chance of winning and she'd rather see Edwards with momentum than Obama because Edwards doesn't have the money and structure to take on Hillary in all fifty states. Hillary is already downplaying the results and trying to lower expectations. My prediction is Obama narrowly over Edwards and Hillary a distant third.
Republicans
Romney 30
Huckabee 27
Thompson 15
McCain 13
Paul 10
Giuliani 4
Hunter 1
Democrats
Obama 34
Edwards 32
Clinton 24
Richardson 5
Biden 4
Dodd 1
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
What's up with Drudge?
Every day on the Drudge Report, there is a new "article" blasting away at Mike Huckabee. It's as if they are doing the dirty work for Romney. It's bad enough that Hugh Hewitt practically begs Romney to french kiss him every time he writes a column but I like Drudge and expect more from him. After all, I view his site everyday but I don't need to read any more Romney press releases. Enough already. It just reveals how truly desperate Romney is and I suspect his internal polling is worse than the public polls. Romney is in trouble with a capitol T; and not just in River City but all across Iowa.
One thing that I am beginning to notice is that Romney and Thompson are both going after Huckabee for being too liberal on crime, immigration, taxes and spending. Ironically, Huckabee's "liberal" side is what draws me too him and what separates him from the rest of the field. Me personally, I am a social conservative and there of plenty of candidates to choose from. But I am also an economic moderate and Huckabee is the only candidate who comes close to my political philosophy. I won't support someone who blames illegal aliens for all our ills, offers nothing but tax cuts and "the free market" to help the middle class and thinks health care and the environment are democratic issues that will take care of themselves. If that's your candidate (Fred Thompson) more power to you but that's not for me.
I am sure the political establishment will continue their attacks on Huckabee but I don't think they will work. In fact, I foresee him increasing his lead going into Christmas and winning big in Iowa and South Carolina.
One thing that I am beginning to notice is that Romney and Thompson are both going after Huckabee for being too liberal on crime, immigration, taxes and spending. Ironically, Huckabee's "liberal" side is what draws me too him and what separates him from the rest of the field. Me personally, I am a social conservative and there of plenty of candidates to choose from. But I am also an economic moderate and Huckabee is the only candidate who comes close to my political philosophy. I won't support someone who blames illegal aliens for all our ills, offers nothing but tax cuts and "the free market" to help the middle class and thinks health care and the environment are democratic issues that will take care of themselves. If that's your candidate (Fred Thompson) more power to you but that's not for me.
I am sure the political establishment will continue their attacks on Huckabee but I don't think they will work. In fact, I foresee him increasing his lead going into Christmas and winning big in Iowa and South Carolina.
Monday, December 10, 2007
michigan coaching search
The past week has been rough for Michigan fans. First word leaked out that we were interested in Kirk Ferentz but apparently he wasn't interested in Michigan. Then the athletic director, Bill Martin, screwed up with Les Miles by not contacting him with any reassurance that he was the school's first choice despite an ESPN report that he had already accepted the job. This forced Miles to state publicly that he was staying at LSU. Late last week Greg Schiano withdrew his name from consideration to stay at Rutgers. Fricken Rutgers, a school that is roughly on par with Indiana in the big ten. It's like getting turned down on prom so the gal could go with the math club president. Then my personal choice, Paul Johnson, took the job at Georgia Tech and I fully expect them to be a national power within 3 years. Now I hear Brady Hoke's name mentioned which is startling since he has a losing record at Ball State. Apparently his only qualification is that he was an assistant at Michigan under Carr. Oh and both are crappy assistant coaches interviewed as well.
The basic problem is that Martin sucks as an athletic director. He is a bean counter with no real expertise in athletics. Unfortunately this means he is relying way to heavily on Lloyd Carr in this process. That's a big problem because Lloyd got us in this mess in the first place and is probably responsible for not hiring Miles right away. Apparently, Carr doesn't like him. So what? Carr's leaving should be a wake up call to the program but hiring someone just because Lloyd likes them would be the equivalent of hitting the snooze button. And if that's what Martin wants to do so be it; but that is not what fans and boosters want. We don't want a Lloyd Carr clone. In fact, we want just the opposite.
Our best hope is that Jeff Tepford from Cal expresses some interest. He is a good offensive coach who could recruit out west. The other option is Brian Kelly but for some reason he seems to be out of the mix. I have a bad feeling that Michigan is in big trouble.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Ramblings on the Trinity
I am taking a class on the Trinity taught by a professor at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. It's interesting to participate in a thoughtful academic discussion and reminds me of my time in college. One thing that was mentioned last night was that creative theology is most likely in error if it strays from the traditional orthodox teaching of the church.
I agree, but then we got into a tangential discussion as to which traditional teachings are sacrosanct and which ones have more room for discussion and interpretation. Obviously, since the class is on the Trinity, it makes sense that understanding and accepting this teaching is essential to being a Christian. But my experience growing up in the church makes me question if we as the church really believe this. Most Christians will say they believe in the trinity but ask many of them to explain it or defend this belief and they have few good answers. (Evangelicals included) So if the trinity is truly an essential part of our faith, why is there such a dearth of understanding it.
I know that I have been taught the doctrine of the Trinity since I was in junior high, but I have many questions such as why we refer to two thirds of the trinity in masculine human terms but the third is spiritual. Also, if all three are equal why choose to explain their relationship in terms of father and son which suggests a hierarchy. And doesn't a father exist before a son yet we are taught that they both always existed.
These questions don't even begin to address the historical development of the doctrine which didn't formally exist until three hundred years after Jesus death. Why do we trust that the church leaders who determined this doctrine are in fact correct? Many protestants will reject other historical teachings of the church but they accept this one. Why? For instance we reject the idea that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ during Communion and yet this was an essential teaching of the church for over a thousand years and still practiced today by catholics.
Finally what about the application and treatment of each part of the trinity within the church today? For instance, the holy spirit is all but ignored in many churches as we focus on our relationship with Jesus. Other churches focus almost exclusively on being baptized in the holy spirit and question others faith if they haven't been. If the doctrine of the trinity is essential to our faith how come we don't exercise its practice consistently? And what would that consistent practice and teaching look like?
I realize that you could probably apply this same question to other "essentials" of the Christian faith. But since I am taking this class on the trinity, I figured I would focus on that doctrine. And before I get deluged with comments, I want to state that I do believe in the Trinity and will defend it to the best of my ability. But these are legitimate questions that I have, and if I have them, then my guess is that many others share the same questions.
I agree, but then we got into a tangential discussion as to which traditional teachings are sacrosanct and which ones have more room for discussion and interpretation. Obviously, since the class is on the Trinity, it makes sense that understanding and accepting this teaching is essential to being a Christian. But my experience growing up in the church makes me question if we as the church really believe this. Most Christians will say they believe in the trinity but ask many of them to explain it or defend this belief and they have few good answers. (Evangelicals included) So if the trinity is truly an essential part of our faith, why is there such a dearth of understanding it.
I know that I have been taught the doctrine of the Trinity since I was in junior high, but I have many questions such as why we refer to two thirds of the trinity in masculine human terms but the third is spiritual. Also, if all three are equal why choose to explain their relationship in terms of father and son which suggests a hierarchy. And doesn't a father exist before a son yet we are taught that they both always existed.
These questions don't even begin to address the historical development of the doctrine which didn't formally exist until three hundred years after Jesus death. Why do we trust that the church leaders who determined this doctrine are in fact correct? Many protestants will reject other historical teachings of the church but they accept this one. Why? For instance we reject the idea that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ during Communion and yet this was an essential teaching of the church for over a thousand years and still practiced today by catholics.
Finally what about the application and treatment of each part of the trinity within the church today? For instance, the holy spirit is all but ignored in many churches as we focus on our relationship with Jesus. Other churches focus almost exclusively on being baptized in the holy spirit and question others faith if they haven't been. If the doctrine of the trinity is essential to our faith how come we don't exercise its practice consistently? And what would that consistent practice and teaching look like?
I realize that you could probably apply this same question to other "essentials" of the Christian faith. But since I am taking this class on the trinity, I figured I would focus on that doctrine. And before I get deluged with comments, I want to state that I do believe in the Trinity and will defend it to the best of my ability. But these are legitimate questions that I have, and if I have them, then my guess is that many others share the same questions.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Handicapping the Race
Today I was speaking with my co-worker and we realized that everybody in our office was supporting a different Republican candidate for President. Each of us represents one vote for each of the five leading candidates. Ironically, the most conservative person in our office is backing Rudy and the most liberal is backing Huckabee but that' s a different post for a different time.
Our office is microcosm of just how wide open the Republican race truly is this year. There is a candidate for every type of Republican but not one who can rally all the factions behind him. If I had to guess right now I would say that Rudy is leading but just barely, Romney is a close second, Huckabee is third but with momentum and McCain is still a possible dark horse candidate if everyone else falters. It' s getting harder and harder to see just how Thompson wins the nomination.
One can only hope that as the field whittles down that our party can unite around one strong candidate regardless of who wins the nomination. But as I listen to the rhetoric it may prove difficult to mend fences. Hopefully, we have Hillary as the opponent and as the driving force to reunite. Unfortunately, she is looking more and more desperate herself and Obama seems to be on his game recently. I have been worried about him from the beginning hoping that the Clinton machine will take him out for us. But her clumsy attacks so far only seem to be driving women voters away from her. She could be in real trouble. I was hoping that she would wait until the general election to implode and show her true colors but she appears to be starting early.
To quote Hillary, we are finally getting down to the fun time.
Our office is microcosm of just how wide open the Republican race truly is this year. There is a candidate for every type of Republican but not one who can rally all the factions behind him. If I had to guess right now I would say that Rudy is leading but just barely, Romney is a close second, Huckabee is third but with momentum and McCain is still a possible dark horse candidate if everyone else falters. It' s getting harder and harder to see just how Thompson wins the nomination.
One can only hope that as the field whittles down that our party can unite around one strong candidate regardless of who wins the nomination. But as I listen to the rhetoric it may prove difficult to mend fences. Hopefully, we have Hillary as the opponent and as the driving force to reunite. Unfortunately, she is looking more and more desperate herself and Obama seems to be on his game recently. I have been worried about him from the beginning hoping that the Clinton machine will take him out for us. But her clumsy attacks so far only seem to be driving women voters away from her. She could be in real trouble. I was hoping that she would wait until the general election to implode and show her true colors but she appears to be starting early.
To quote Hillary, we are finally getting down to the fun time.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Christmas Time
This weekend I put up my Christmas Decorations. My Grandpa gave me his Christmas decorations a couple years ago in a spirit of Bah Humbug but this is my first time putting them out. My f
riends Erin and Tameshia came over to help give it a woman's touch. Thankfully, they let me hang my Steelers Stocking and Michigan football ornament so it still looks like a bachelor's tree. It took us a while to assemble the tree but after an hour or so we figured it out. and it looks really nice. After we finished, we baked cookies that turned out very well. I had a really fun time and enjoyed their company. It definitely put me in the Christmas spirit. Well that and the eggnog with rum.
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