I never thought I'd say this (truly, I didn't) but it appears that I have something in common with Chief Justice John Roberts.
Everyone knows by now how Chief Justice Roberts essentially flubbed administering the Presidential Oath of Office bad enough that President Obama requested a private do-over. But while Roberts may be razzed by others, I actually feel his pain.
I have a tendency to freeze up when I meet someone new or have to speak in front of a number of people. My lady Cathy just loves to tell the story of how I inexplicably introduced her as the name of an ex (who also inexplicably shares the same birthday). And I just "love" when she tells it. (Not.LOL) I can only imagine the pressure that Roberts felt knowing there are not only a couple million people looking at him in the foreground but a billion or more others around the world.
So I guess the moral of this story is that everybody goofs sometimes. You just don't always see it in public. It does make me feel a little better that John Roberts and I have at least that one thing in common.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
As an African-American, I’m going through a lot of emotions regarding the ascendancy of Barack Obama to the Presidency: excitement, shock, anxiety, and pride to name a few.
As a progressive, I am optimistic that President Obama will successfully work with Congress to come up with bipartisan solutions to our most pressing issues while providing a fresh perspective from the previous administration.
As a progressive, I am optimistic that President Obama will successfully work with Congress to come up with bipartisan solutions to our most pressing issues while providing a fresh perspective from the previous administration.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Bush, Part Two
As I said in "Bush, Part One", I feel that there are two underlying reasons that President George W. Bush insisted on going to war with Iraq that, if not officially acknowledged, are an open secret nonetheless.
1. Oil. Certainly a concern to two former oilmen like Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. After all, they've got their post-government careers to think about.
2. Family honor. George W. Bush admitted as much that he did not appreciate his father George H. W. Bush’s life being threatened by Saddam during the first Gulf War.
Even if one doesn’t believe those two “conspiracy theories”, one should admit that the war in Iraq has not brought us closer to peace but instead has left not only our national security vulnerable but our international support and standing as well. A different “axis” of sorts – China, Russia and Venezuela - has been emboldened to criticize and bypass us. (While the current recession has freefall has especially hurt oil-powered Caracas and Moscow, all three countries will continue to be a cause for concern as the world economy recovers.) Billions of dollars that could have been used to stanch our financial crisis – let alone nullify bin Laden and Al Qaeda - is instead being poured into a country whose citizens never attacked us.
“But now that we are in Iraq, we need to finish the job!”
Fair enough; we should stay in Iraq long enough for their government to reach a certain level of stability and security, although what defines those benchmarks is certainly up for debate. But can we at least acknowledge that it was a mistake to be there in the first place?
It’s okay to be a Republican or a conservative in general and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
It’s okay to support Bush’s domestic policies and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
One can be patriotic by supporting the troops accomplishing their missions while conceding that their sacrifice would have held even more resonance if they were in Afghanistan and Pakistan instead of Iraq.
When I originally wrote this a couple months ago, I felt that Bush, would never admit that he made even in his most private moments, let alone publicly, that his motivations for going to Iraq were either different than what he presented to the public or just plain faulty. Shockingly, he did concede to some degree the latter as noted in the press conference referenced above. Time will tell if President-Elect Barack Obama, whom as Senator was one of the relative few who voted against going to Iraq, will diplomatically albeit more directly acknowledge some sort of regret on behalf of the United States after he takes office.
Most conservatives are probably not fond of the catchphrase: “No one died when Clinton lied.” Nonetheless, despite the Gulf War success that the most fervent Bush supporters see, the Iraq War will be as defining a moment of his presidency as Bill Clinton’s ill-advised affair with Monica Lewinsky. Each situation repulsed a significant amount of citizens while somehow galvanizing their respective political bases.
1. Oil. Certainly a concern to two former oilmen like Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. After all, they've got their post-government careers to think about.
2. Family honor. George W. Bush admitted as much that he did not appreciate his father George H. W. Bush’s life being threatened by Saddam during the first Gulf War.
Even if one doesn’t believe those two “conspiracy theories”, one should admit that the war in Iraq has not brought us closer to peace but instead has left not only our national security vulnerable but our international support and standing as well. A different “axis” of sorts – China, Russia and Venezuela - has been emboldened to criticize and bypass us. (While the current recession has freefall has especially hurt oil-powered Caracas and Moscow, all three countries will continue to be a cause for concern as the world economy recovers.) Billions of dollars that could have been used to stanch our financial crisis – let alone nullify bin Laden and Al Qaeda - is instead being poured into a country whose citizens never attacked us.
“But now that we are in Iraq, we need to finish the job!”
Fair enough; we should stay in Iraq long enough for their government to reach a certain level of stability and security, although what defines those benchmarks is certainly up for debate. But can we at least acknowledge that it was a mistake to be there in the first place?
It’s okay to be a Republican or a conservative in general and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
It’s okay to support Bush’s domestic policies and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
One can be patriotic by supporting the troops accomplishing their missions while conceding that their sacrifice would have held even more resonance if they were in Afghanistan and Pakistan instead of Iraq.
When I originally wrote this a couple months ago, I felt that Bush, would never admit that he made even in his most private moments, let alone publicly, that his motivations for going to Iraq were either different than what he presented to the public or just plain faulty. Shockingly, he did concede to some degree the latter as noted in the press conference referenced above. Time will tell if President-Elect Barack Obama, whom as Senator was one of the relative few who voted against going to Iraq, will diplomatically albeit more directly acknowledge some sort of regret on behalf of the United States after he takes office.
Most conservatives are probably not fond of the catchphrase: “No one died when Clinton lied.” Nonetheless, despite the Gulf War success that the most fervent Bush supporters see, the Iraq War will be as defining a moment of his presidency as Bill Clinton’s ill-advised affair with Monica Lewinsky. Each situation repulsed a significant amount of citizens while somehow galvanizing their respective political bases.
Those who have heard what might seem to be constant criticism of conservative policies and Republican politicians that I feel that progressive and liberal views are superior and that Democrats are practically perfect in every way. Well that’s not true.
Okay, progressive views are “superior” LOL but conservative views certainly have their place and can provide a healthy counterbalance. When I came of age in Pennsylvania, I was required to pick a party in order to participate in the primary elections. Naturally (for me) I chose the Democrats. When I arrived in Virginia, I was actually glad to find out that the state allows voters to participate in both major primaries without declaring a party. While I’ve considered volunteering for Democratic campaigns in the past, I would not be interested at this point as I no longer consider myself to be a Democrat but simply a generally progressive/liberal-minded person with an occasional nod or two to the center-righton fiscal issues.
Politicians on both the right and left have had their share of misuse of power and overall scandal. Enough embarrassing situations have happened to individuals in both parties that one could essentially call it a draw.
Growing up in the Philadelphia area, where one-party Democratic control of city government was the rule, I saw how entrenched policies and politicians could stymie potential. I think the City Council would actually benefit from more GOP voices – or at least “Blue Dog” Democrats – to keep things more honest there. For my part, regular readers might recall that I voted for GOP Mayoral candidate Sam Katz when he last ran for the office in 2003.
Even here in Fairfax County, an affluent left-leaning area touted for its seemingly harmonious diversity and international culture, more than a few in the higher-income brackets turn into NIMBYs as they purposely avoid or attempt to restrict those of lower socioeconomic means from living in the same neighborhood and being educated in the same schools.
So I recognize that the Democratic Party is far from perfect. But as my views tend to hew closer to their platform, I’ll continue to support them while learning to respect and find common ground with the Republican Party.
Okay, progressive views are “superior” LOL but conservative views certainly have their place and can provide a healthy counterbalance. When I came of age in Pennsylvania, I was required to pick a party in order to participate in the primary elections. Naturally (for me) I chose the Democrats. When I arrived in Virginia, I was actually glad to find out that the state allows voters to participate in both major primaries without declaring a party. While I’ve considered volunteering for Democratic campaigns in the past, I would not be interested at this point as I no longer consider myself to be a Democrat but simply a generally progressive/liberal-minded person with an occasional nod or two to the center-righton fiscal issues.
Politicians on both the right and left have had their share of misuse of power and overall scandal. Enough embarrassing situations have happened to individuals in both parties that one could essentially call it a draw.
Growing up in the Philadelphia area, where one-party Democratic control of city government was the rule, I saw how entrenched policies and politicians could stymie potential. I think the City Council would actually benefit from more GOP voices – or at least “Blue Dog” Democrats – to keep things more honest there. For my part, regular readers might recall that I voted for GOP Mayoral candidate Sam Katz when he last ran for the office in 2003.
Even here in Fairfax County, an affluent left-leaning area touted for its seemingly harmonious diversity and international culture, more than a few in the higher-income brackets turn into NIMBYs as they purposely avoid or attempt to restrict those of lower socioeconomic means from living in the same neighborhood and being educated in the same schools.
So I recognize that the Democratic Party is far from perfect. But as my views tend to hew closer to their platform, I’ll continue to support them while learning to respect and find common ground with the Republican Party.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Bush, Part One
I originally started this post not very long after the election. However, I knew that I would need to step away and come back to it. It’s a good thing that I did as the country and the world overall has changed dramatically over the last two months. That is obviously not good news but I was amazed to see one thing that I thought I would never see. What that is, you ask? Read on…
Those who know me would assume correctly that I voted for George W. Bush neither in what I affectionately call The Court Appointment Of 2000 nor when he actually won the popular vote in 2004, albeit not by a landslide. Nonetheless, after September 11th I looked to Bush for leadership like most every other American and trusted that he knew what was best for the country when he chose to go after Saddam Hussein and his regime in Iraq.
Meanwhile, I was certainly not feeling his domestic agenda. Granted, with both Congress and the Supreme Court leaning to the right, one could not blame Bush for attempting to establish a long-lasting legacy of conservative social and fiscal policies. In fact, I would have expected no less. Thankfully he came no closer to instituting a deregulated theocracy than the secular socialist state that some fear President-Elect Obama will foist onto the country with the legislative branch on his side. Politics and jokes about his perceived intelligence aside, I bet I could have a casual, friendly conversation with him about sports and other light topics. That said, as far as his tenure as President goes, I truly, deeply and honestly dislike him for one simple reason.
We should not have gone to Iraq.
It was a grave mistake for which I believe we will be paying, literally and figuratively, long after our lifetimes.
Not only was the connection between Hussein and Al Qaeda found to be tentative at best, but Bush conceded in his last press conference that the “weapons of mass destruction” – the main premise for going to Iraq - did not even exist. The upshot now is that after underestimating - or at least not revealing to the public - how receptive the Iraqi people would be and how entrenched we would become in their country, we’ve lost over perhaps trillions of dollars and more importantly, the lives of over four thousand soldiers.
“But Saddam was an evil, dangerous man!” some may say. Yes, he was a horrible person who even committed genocide on his own citizens. He may have even threatened his neighbors again one day, most notably Israel. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of oppressive governments in the world. Ironically, one of the most oppressive is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Not only is that country the birthplace of the vast majority of September 11st hijackers but the Saudi royal family itself has more than a passing relationship with the Bushes.
If Bush would have had more overwhelming support from our country for ignoring the United Nations, it would have been to focus on getting the people who actually claimed responsibility for attacking us, dead or alive, whether or not we were welcome in the countries where he was suspected of hiding. But if we couldn’t somehow stay focused on rooting Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda henchmen out of the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, then why did we not choose to assist those fighting for their interpretation of freedom in, say, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Somalia, Chechnya or Russian Georgia?
Even with the absence of WMDs, ridding Iraq of Saddam and helping establish it as a beacon of democracy for the Middle East while theoretically intimidating the other Axes sounds like a logical if aggressive foreign policy. Unfortunately, I feel that there are two underlying reasons that, if not officially acknowledged, are an open secret nonetheless.
Those who know me would assume correctly that I voted for George W. Bush neither in what I affectionately call The Court Appointment Of 2000 nor when he actually won the popular vote in 2004, albeit not by a landslide. Nonetheless, after September 11th I looked to Bush for leadership like most every other American and trusted that he knew what was best for the country when he chose to go after Saddam Hussein and his regime in Iraq.
Meanwhile, I was certainly not feeling his domestic agenda. Granted, with both Congress and the Supreme Court leaning to the right, one could not blame Bush for attempting to establish a long-lasting legacy of conservative social and fiscal policies. In fact, I would have expected no less. Thankfully he came no closer to instituting a deregulated theocracy than the secular socialist state that some fear President-Elect Obama will foist onto the country with the legislative branch on his side. Politics and jokes about his perceived intelligence aside, I bet I could have a casual, friendly conversation with him about sports and other light topics. That said, as far as his tenure as President goes, I truly, deeply and honestly dislike him for one simple reason.
We should not have gone to Iraq.
It was a grave mistake for which I believe we will be paying, literally and figuratively, long after our lifetimes.
Not only was the connection between Hussein and Al Qaeda found to be tentative at best, but Bush conceded in his last press conference that the “weapons of mass destruction” – the main premise for going to Iraq - did not even exist. The upshot now is that after underestimating - or at least not revealing to the public - how receptive the Iraqi people would be and how entrenched we would become in their country, we’ve lost over perhaps trillions of dollars and more importantly, the lives of over four thousand soldiers.
“But Saddam was an evil, dangerous man!” some may say. Yes, he was a horrible person who even committed genocide on his own citizens. He may have even threatened his neighbors again one day, most notably Israel. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of oppressive governments in the world. Ironically, one of the most oppressive is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Not only is that country the birthplace of the vast majority of September 11st hijackers but the Saudi royal family itself has more than a passing relationship with the Bushes.
If Bush would have had more overwhelming support from our country for ignoring the United Nations, it would have been to focus on getting the people who actually claimed responsibility for attacking us, dead or alive, whether or not we were welcome in the countries where he was suspected of hiding. But if we couldn’t somehow stay focused on rooting Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda henchmen out of the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, then why did we not choose to assist those fighting for their interpretation of freedom in, say, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Somalia, Chechnya or Russian Georgia?
Even with the absence of WMDs, ridding Iraq of Saddam and helping establish it as a beacon of democracy for the Middle East while theoretically intimidating the other Axes sounds like a logical if aggressive foreign policy. Unfortunately, I feel that there are two underlying reasons that, if not officially acknowledged, are an open secret nonetheless.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The National Black Holiday Weekend
Happy National Black Holiday Weekend Everyone!
(OK, so the people most likely to read this aren't black... but don't you wish your Jewish friends Happy Hannukah? :) )
The next six days are historic not only for African-Americans but for all Americans.
Of course, today is the birthday of Martin Luther King who encouraged equal opportunity for all by dismantling much of the last vestiges of institutionalized racial discrimination. While some of his personal faults - real and imagined - were uncovered after his death, one can not deny the impact that he had on our nation, let alone wonder how much further we would be along if he had lived a full life.
Tomorrow marks the nationwide release of the movie Notorious, a biography of the life of Christopher Wallace better known as rap artist Biggie Smalls or the Notorious B.I.G. It may seem somewhat facetious to include a hip-hop musician next to MLK, especially if one is not a fan of hip-hop music. And to many "conscious rap" fans, he did not exactly reinvent the wheel on the "gangsta rags to blinged-out riches" formula. Nonetheless, his poetic skills and delivery was appreciated by many in Generation X and Y.
Monday will be the national observation of Martin Luther King's birthday. I'll never forget stumbling across The O'Reilly Factor on that night a few years ago when Bill O'Reilly acknowledged the occasion by reminding viewers of King's alleged ties to the Communist Party. Then Bill went straight to a discussion about Stop Snitchin', an underground documentary featuring would-be Baltimore drug dealers and their efforts to go about their business plans uninterrupted. Way to honor the day, Bill....
The magnitude of the King national holiday on Monday occcuring side-by-side with the inauguration of Barack Obama as our next President on Tuesday can not be understated. In fact, it's hard for me to articulate the significance and irony of it all. Whether or not you voted for Mr. Obama, let's hope that he is able to follow through on finding common ground on solutions for our country so that there will continue to be more diverse choices (including women and minorities) in future elections.
(OK, so the people most likely to read this aren't black... but don't you wish your Jewish friends Happy Hannukah? :) )
The next six days are historic not only for African-Americans but for all Americans.
Of course, today is the birthday of Martin Luther King who encouraged equal opportunity for all by dismantling much of the last vestiges of institutionalized racial discrimination. While some of his personal faults - real and imagined - were uncovered after his death, one can not deny the impact that he had on our nation, let alone wonder how much further we would be along if he had lived a full life.
Tomorrow marks the nationwide release of the movie Notorious, a biography of the life of Christopher Wallace better known as rap artist Biggie Smalls or the Notorious B.I.G. It may seem somewhat facetious to include a hip-hop musician next to MLK, especially if one is not a fan of hip-hop music. And to many "conscious rap" fans, he did not exactly reinvent the wheel on the "gangsta rags to blinged-out riches" formula. Nonetheless, his poetic skills and delivery was appreciated by many in Generation X and Y.
Monday will be the national observation of Martin Luther King's birthday. I'll never forget stumbling across The O'Reilly Factor on that night a few years ago when Bill O'Reilly acknowledged the occasion by reminding viewers of King's alleged ties to the Communist Party. Then Bill went straight to a discussion about Stop Snitchin', an underground documentary featuring would-be Baltimore drug dealers and their efforts to go about their business plans uninterrupted. Way to honor the day, Bill....
The magnitude of the King national holiday on Monday occcuring side-by-side with the inauguration of Barack Obama as our next President on Tuesday can not be understated. In fact, it's hard for me to articulate the significance and irony of it all. Whether or not you voted for Mr. Obama, let's hope that he is able to follow through on finding common ground on solutions for our country so that there will continue to be more diverse choices (including women and minorities) in future elections.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
This Weather Sucks!!!
I don't care if this is typical winter weather... and I feel sorry for people in Minneapolis and Fargo with their negative degree temperature... but this weather still sucks!!!
Bring on the Spring! :)
Bring on the Spring! :)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
With Resolve
Happy New Year! Of course, this is the time of year that people make resolutions; many people allegedly drop said resolutions to the wayside by the end of the month. One promise I kept to myself in 2008 was to kick-start a career change by "firing" my previous employer and exploring different occupations. My 2009 resolutions are essentially continuations from 2008, all of which I've had moderate success overall.
* It's Mostly 'Bout the Benjamins. I don't expect to find my "dream" career this year. It would be nice to get my foot in the door in the library. In a way, it would be almost better to fall back on my accounting skills to temp through at least the spring. It would allow me to fulfill the vacation goals that Cathy and I set out for this summer.
* Voulez-vous parler avec moi ce soir? My return to French has been successful. I hope to restart Spanish this year. Eventually I would like to learn Portuguese and Italian as well.
* Tickling the ivories. I've been hitting and pushing through a lot of plateaus in my piano playing these past few months. Regrettably I haven't been able to focus enough to sit down and compose music as I had planned.
* Pumping Iron. At the ripe old age of <ahem>, I realize that it's more important to be healthy than to train for Mr. Olympia. But despite my regular workouts, I've reached the point where my middle isn't whittling like it used to. Of course, Cathy points out the older males in my family with their paunchy stomachs being my apparent destiny. It would probably help if I weren't so "allergic" to most fruits and vegetables and "addicted" to baked goods and PB&J... but at least I'm eating (chocolate-flavored) yogurt now.
* My Other Half. Regular readers are already all too aware of the challenges that my lady Cathy faces as she continues to recover from her illness. While I attempted to be helpful by assuming the domestic engineer title during my sabbatical, getting involved in other pursuits probably helped to take my eye off the ball regarding spending quality time together. I intend to find more things that we can enjoy and bond over in 2009.
* It's Mostly 'Bout the Benjamins. I don't expect to find my "dream" career this year. It would be nice to get my foot in the door in the library. In a way, it would be almost better to fall back on my accounting skills to temp through at least the spring. It would allow me to fulfill the vacation goals that Cathy and I set out for this summer.
* Voulez-vous parler avec moi ce soir? My return to French has been successful. I hope to restart Spanish this year. Eventually I would like to learn Portuguese and Italian as well.
* Tickling the ivories. I've been hitting and pushing through a lot of plateaus in my piano playing these past few months. Regrettably I haven't been able to focus enough to sit down and compose music as I had planned.
* Pumping Iron. At the ripe old age of <ahem>
* My Other Half. Regular readers are already all too aware of the challenges that my lady Cathy faces as she continues to recover from her illness. While I attempted to be helpful by assuming the domestic engineer title during my sabbatical, getting involved in other pursuits probably helped to take my eye off the ball regarding spending quality time together. I intend to find more things that we can enjoy and bond over in 2009.
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