Why we don’t ask the same questions?

From Crooks and Liars today:

Isn’t it interesting? Because I never hear them talk quite the same about costs when it comes to war. For example: “We really want to stabilize Afghanistan – but it has to be revenue-neutral” or “Yes, we know we said it was important to stabilize Iraq, but we simply can’t afford this anymore.”

No, the place where they decide to draw the line is… our health. War is seen as the absolute necessity and health care is seen as optional. That’s just crazy.

Be Bold

While the masquerade of the Republican party continues to play the fool, the Democrats appear to be leaderless. Don’t know about you, but I voted for bold progressive action last November. So far the wing nuts who have absconded with the the GOP have all the talking points and the MSM just keeps on repeating them. The country appears to be confused over what has to be a very simple concept: the health of its citizens ought to be about health care and not about profit. The human graffiti that showed at town halls is angry that we have a Black president, trapped by small minds and unencumbered by the thought process.

I’m looking for a change of strategy on this. Time to call their bluff and pass health care reform with a public option. Bill Moyers writes a letter to President Obama that says it well.

Story

I thought the words below were worth reading a second time. I find the concept of story an interesting one. We all have two: the one we tell ourselves about ourselves in order to hold the world together and the one other people tell about us. Neither is objective but that’s not the point. But how similar are they? Is there some congruence? Can we articulate our story? Does either story allow us to do more than merely grow, but to transform?

“It is all a question of story.
We are in trouble just now because we do not have a good story.
We are in between stories.
The old story, the account of how the world came to be and how we fit into it, is no longer effective.
Yet we have not yet learned the new story.
Our traditional story of the Universe sustained us for a long period of time.
It shaped our emotional attitudes, provided us with life purpose and energized action.
It consecrated suffering and integrated knowledge.
We awoke in the morning and knew where we were.
We could answer the questions of our children.
We could identify crime, punish transgressors. Everything was taken care of because the story was there. It did not necessarily make people good, nor did it take away the pains and stupidities of life or make for unfailing warmth in human associations.
It did provide a context in which life could function in a meaningful manner.” -Thomas Berry

I thought about this yesterday when I heard the news that Walter Chronkite had made his transition. An icon for more than one generation, he told the story of America with authority. Now the all we hear is chatter. Not just more or faster, but just loud noise, reminding me of Macbeth:

“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

Being able to tell our story is important. Do we take the time to explore it, to learn where its elements have come from, to learn how to tell it to others? Can we learn from it?

Come on Up for the Rising

Today we celebrated the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and tomorrow the Dream comes true. I stopped flying the flag in 2001 after it was clear in the response to 9/11 that we had an incompetent man for a leader. After November 4, 2008 I went out a bought a new one and built a new bracket holder. The purchase in itself was difficult, I couldn’t find a flag here in town and instead found one at WalMart, made in the USA.

I feel a new sense of hope. and pride. I means something positive again to be an American. The level of incompetency in government during the last eight years created a crisis. We are a nation of creative energy. We will stand up and do more than shop at the mall.

After the presidential election in 2004 we tried to frame events as necessary to achieve a better outcome in the future. That future is now and, as Barack Obama has said, we are the ones we have been waiting for.

Our time has come

I spoke up twice this week as a Liberal. The first was a friend who does not really participate in the process, when he said something about the “hysteria” the past two weeks. I told him that one person’s hysteria is another persons joy. This afternoon we met s friend on the river trail and she had her uncle with her. I remarked in the conversation that I had just bought a new flag after not flying one for the past eight. She whispered that her uncle was a Republican. So what? I am proud of being a Liberal. Yes We Can!

It’s a new day

The chattering class is already at it not one week after the election. Palin in 2012? Is Obama worried about his meeting with Bush? What about Iran?

They really don’t understand that it is A New Day. All the old ways of looking at the world are being replaced with hope and solutions that involve us all. Will.i.am has a new video that sets the tone. It is not business as usual.

It’s time to expect the best in all of us. And for all of us.

Tears of joy

Nothing was more touching than the tears on the face of Jesse Jackson last night. You might not agree with everyhtng that man has done in his life, but this isthe moment and we are the people we’ve been waiting for. Barack’s message last night, like all of his campaign, was about the work ahead. We are one nation. We have reached the mountaintop, the Civil War has ended at long last.

I also thought John McCain’s speech was especially gracious, and the reaction of his crowd as he spoke told me all I need to know about today’s Republican party. I hope something other than hate and meanness can rise from its ashes, as we need dialogue from all sides.

I echo Michelle Obama’s words: I can be proud of my country again. I got your email last night, sign me up, Barack!

And even NPR?

Only a couple of days left until the election and the press still plays the same old tune that every issue must have equal time. Even NPR the other day. I though that their job was to bring us the truth rather present the lies and distortions. Silly me. Some issues have one side, others have a thousand, but why continue to give credence to a failed party with failed candidates?

A Palin rally in Florida shows no McBush signs and Dick Cheney endorses the McBush-Palin ticket. Can it get any crazier?

Not the same game anymore

We watched Barack speak for 30 minutes Wednesday and I noticed the difference. He was metaphysically creating the change he talks about rather than allowing any doubt by mentioning McBush. I think the pundits are stuck in the past with their analysis. This is a transformational election, a huge reckoning for the past eight years. The vote will not be close. Donna Britt said it well from this morning’s Washington Post

Some wonderful speech and music from the campaign:

Taking Back the Campaign

We Are the Ones

Yes We Can

Richmond Speech

Hope realised

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, mostly out of laziness. The campaign has been far too long. We have Hope versus Fear, policy versus politics as usual and the future versus the past. John Dean’s strategy to make this a 50 state ballgame is to be congratulated.

Fall is under way, my favorite time of year. We’ve been walking the dogs almost exclusively on a trail system within owners association property. There are some full-sized maples and we all love the crunch beneath our feet. We usually walk around four in the afternoon, so the shadows are long as we make our way down the bluff and back. The girls love to run free, and we take a tennis ball or two as Nimmie will fetch until she drops.

Life is good.