Us vs. Them politics

I am aware that I exist in a vague, hallucinatory middle-ground of political opinion. I recognize and respect the fundamental difference in the beliefs of the two major American parties. But you get what you inspect, not what you expect. When push comes to shove, both parties value campaign funding and political capital more than anything else. And it is so entrenched as to obliterate the philosophical differences between the two. There is nothing inherently greedy about Republicans. There is nothing unpatriotic in criticisms made by Democrats. My rule of thumb before I jump on a political party...what would I do if the roles were reversed?

Us vs. Them politics has two winners: incumbents and money. It's easier to blame the other party. And even better, more money pours in as you up the invective and innuendo. In short, intelligent debate is bad business. This really got out of hand when Bill Clinton won the White House. The Republicans began their character assassinations almost immediately which grew more and more furious, any real dialogue shut down, and we were left with Rush Limbaugh claiming that America was "under siege". I guess it is the way of the minority party...the system prevents any real voice in government (more now than ever, thanks, neo-cons). All you have left is attacks and criticism.

Us vs. Them politics has lots of losers...primarily the citizens. People get ratcheted up to such a degree...many have a religious fervor to their beliefs, and treat them as such. Believer or non-believer. Moral or immoral. Right or wrong. In such a complex world (growing moreso every second), actual dilemmas are distilled down into easily digestible (and dangerously simplistic) views. I can feel myself start to ramble here, so I'll cut it off.

More political parties would work wonders for the country, but that is one thing the Republicans and Democrats always agree on...two parties, splitting the money (and citizenry) and keeping the opposition to a known quantity of 1. Spirited debate is a fantastic thing. We've lost it to a system that exists to perpetuate itself.

I am in the middle because I believe strongly in some of the things the progressives want, and in some of the things the conservatives want. I am in the middle, because any critical view of the failings of either political party illuminates flaws in the system far more readily than flaws in a political philosophy. Actual reform is off the radar.

Long time no "blog"

Well, I took a week off, surrounded by two sweet lazy weekends. I can see the world ended when I failed to drop in a new thought, so I'll return to my audience, which has no doubt deserted me at this point. I learned a new word today that will serve me well for the rest of my life: ass cancer. How awesome is that?

Pretty awesome.

My wife overheard the following exchange in some crappy mall store:
"Happy Thanksgiving!"
"I am a Native American...I don't celebrate Thanksgiving"

No $#!+. I have a little NA blood myself (but not enough to get casino winnings) which I use to lord over my blue (and thin) blooded eurotrash friends, but I always considered Thanksgiving to be a pro-Native American holiday. Yes, there is the whole aftermath of the whities screwing the Natives, but I doubt such events affected whatever trog complained about Thanksgiving. Guess they celebrate Capitalism at least.

Anyways, I'm back. I'll eat my fiber and try to be regular.

Disasters in History

The Greatest Blog of ALL TIME

...is not contained anywhere near this post. I am enjoying the process, but my pleasure at turns of phrase and hitting the right level of verbose idiocy is not what I anticipated. And there is an easy answer why. I'm much better responding to an existing thought or discussion, popping in with the requisite asshattery. Reactionary, not initiating. But no fear, I'll simply try and get better. Also I've been much too serious.

Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place. - Twain

Well, piss on that. It's better to go down in flames, trailing debris and dignity, than it is to be smug and serious. Now I can be different...like everybody else.

Back in high school, a few friends and I used to try and think of the worst possible thing to say in any situation. We rarely had the stones to say them, but the formulation of such a perfectly rude, crude, and belligerent response was almost an artform. I don't remember any of our results, and I doubt they were that funny - teenage boys have their humor meter stuck at dipshit for a few years. But it's still an art form I pursue, even if usually only in my head. It has served me quite well in the verbally cutthroat world of the educated and bitter. Try being stuck in a tin can for 6 months underwater with some mean-spirited and angry young men. No women to soften the blows or force good behavior. Unlike other military branches, we have all the smart, caustic ones, sharpened to a fine edge. It thickens the skin and quickens the mind.

In other news, I tend to make a farting sound when I am the last person on an elevator, and the doors are just closing between me and the last few riders who exited. It's stupid and juvenile, but I derive a "no harm, no foul" pleasure from it. It's like the honk and wave, taught to me by a good friend. If you honk and wave at a stranger, often you get a puzzled and clueless expression from some maladroit on the street. Then you get a good laugh at their puzzlement. Sometimes they just wave back, and what is meant as cruel sport becomes a friendly passing. No harm, no foul. It's only cruel if you are a tool.

Don't be a tool.

Playing the game

It's always fun to start one of these and not know where I plan on finishing. A confluence of disjointed events have led to this particular entry. A dear liberal (and not a moderate) made note of her distaste with McCain for his comments on ID, I read a John Cusack blog entry at Huffington's site, and read through some comments about McCain at another liberal site. As a huge fan of McCain, I decided to go through it for myself. In doing so, I look at the "charges" as objectively as I can. One of the reasons I love Senator McCain is principle. He is willing to fight his party. Or is he? Is this the calculated game he is playing? Is he the guy at the bar trying the "nice guy" schtick to fool the girls? It may be a more gentle schtick, but a schtick nonetheless. Is he really a party man, who cares more for his standing than for his beliefs.

I took someone the other side loves, and looked at their actions through the eyes of McCain's accusers. The major blog concerns with McCain were that he stood by and supported Bush in 2004. He did not stand up, cry corruption, graft, and shenanigans, and scream that the administration was wrong. Cusack did make note that Hagel and McCain were not neo-cons. But McCain was complicit with his "support" in 2004. Other die-hard liberals at message boards simply stated that because he didn't speak out on Bush in 2004, he was a party guy and could not be TRUSTED. To them, his words on courage (his book) meant nothing...they were tainted by his actions. In Cusack's defense (the blog was quite well written, though merely a tired collection of blame on the Dem's, the American people, and the usual attacks on the motives of the neo-cons), he went after the Dems as well, though some of them (who voted the way McCain voted) got a pass.

So I looked at Hillary, who voted for the war and said she would vote the same way again. Do I really believe that? Or is she, savvy and competent, playing the game while maintaining her dignity? Hillary's name used to be mud in the Armed Services. Seen as weak on national security, she has become a bit of a hawk, getting on the SASC (Senate Armed Services Committee), touring installations, and speaking very highly of the military. She's asked for MORE troops. Why is she doing that? She has still been quite critical of this administration, but she has left the histrionics to those who have a ceiling over their political future. Hillary knows what it will take for a woman to win the vote. She is playing the game. Without betraying her core values.

John McCain has stood up to the power brokers in his party more than any other member of the Senate. He doesn't do it on every single issue. To do so would be political suicide...ask Hillary. He would have politically perished by not supporting the Republican candidate in 2004. While popular opinion is swaying a bit (and I'll do a future blog on why hiding the war hurts the soldiers and our national resolve later), McCain does support an unpopular position. So he is either a party guy, or he is saying what he believes for apolitical reasons. McCain spoke well of Kerry, but perhaps he actually believed that this administration was better than the alternative (at least on the foundation issue).

So do I trust a man who was a POW for years when he talks about courage and security and torture? Do I look for ulterior motives in every thing he does? Do I believe he is politically expedient over principle?

I don't. I won't. It does not pass Occam's Razor. He still plays the game, just like everyone else. Just like Rove, just like Kerry, just like Hillary, just like Frist. But when and how he plays are key distinguishers from the rest of Washington. He plays where he can and not violate his principles. He supported Bush in 2004 because he believed in the war (and still does). That's a dealbreaker for many on the left, and rightly so, for their beliefs. But don't pretend it's because he is just currying favor or has no integrity. McCain has weathered things that would crush most politicians and idealogues, on both sides. He is beyond such contempt. He is not a saint. But in his actions, he indicates a willingness to fight for principle. So does Biden. And Lieberman. And Chuck Hagel. There ARE politicians on both sides who don't subscribe to the politics of Us vs. Them. They do care about the country and it's direction. And whether I agree with them or not, they at least make me willing to listen.

Coming soon:

ID (but only a little). I simply don't think it's as pernicious a threat as the left is making it. I think it's a mistake by the right, and I'll fight it locally, but I don't consider it the end of the Dream.

Us vs. Them politics

And a little Harry Potter.

Veteran's Day - 11th Day, 11th Month, 11th Hour

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. - Teddy Roosevelt

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." - Thomas Paine

I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity. - Dwight D. Eisenhower


We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. - Abraham Lincoln

I'll finish with a letter that became famous in 1998, when it was quoted in Saving Private Ryan. Lincoln is a great hero of mine for many, many reasons. Major reasons include his courage, empathy, and resolve, and a minor reason is his mastery over the English language. This letter was in a book I loved in high school: 101 Famous Poems. It is NOT a poem, clearly, but the authors included it to represent one of the finest examples of writing in the language. Here it is:

Executive Mansion,Washington,November 21, 1864.
Mrs. Bixby,Boston, Massachusetts:

DEAR MADAM:

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
Abraham Lincoln

"If Americans would just wake up..."

Most of the 4 people who read this have probably read some spewings of mine in the past. If not, it may have become clear that I am neither fixed on the right or the left. I grew up in a conservative home, went to a more conservative school, and popped out somewhat of a moderate. I learned a nasty lesson right after college about truth in the media, and so I have tried to read the between the lines whenever I hear the grand claims or accusations of either major party in the media.

My favorite quote on the subject (which does encompass me - I am an idiot, just like you):

In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination. - Mark Twain

I am not nearly as informed or as well read as I would like to be, but I do try and keep an open mind about new information. I love C-SPAN, though it attracts nuts like flies to a river of honey. Literally, every day, someone on the fringes of their spectrum screams out the title of this particular blog entry. Which is a hugely self-aggrandizing statement. More than anything, I like being an amateur psychologist (with zero formal training). I love to hear how callers phrase things. Inevitably, the caller(s) who use the quote above are smug a-holes. It is inconceivable (!) to them that another point of view (either more limited in information than theirs, but just as often, more INFORMED) could have merit. Small minds are easily filled, I suppose. In many cases, right and left motivated callers alike, I disagree to some extent with the person making such a claim, and have to reconcile that with my professed open mind and education. And even if I agree, I want to kick them in the taint and scoff at their pretentious BS. The inability of the human mind to entertain and analyze a concept that does fit into pre-conceived notions is truly one of our greatest weaknesses.

B-R-E-A-K

I wanted to mention our government's pretense at the oil execs yesterday, but what's the point? They weren't under oath, they flew to their mansions on private jets after the session, and the politicians will take their money in an election year. It's a bit late to shut the cage door after the tiger has gotten out. It was a waste of their time. Posturing at best. In other news, look at the profits made by the oil companies. Understand that the US government made MORE than that on gasoline tax (the percentage of gas price that is pure profit is less than that of taxation). The government needs to get serious about corporate accountability. But that's tough when there is little accountability in government.

Give Life

I do very little in my life that has actual meaning. I play video games, I read books, I watch movies, I go to work (which is something), and I am a husband and a father (which is my responsibility). I give a little money each month to http://www.stjude.org/, but not enough. Every 8 weeks, I get the chance to give blood. It's fairly painless, pretty quick, and I get a free t-shirt. None of that really matters, but I like to give blood. It costs me nothing, and it's actually meaningful. Interested? http://www.redcross.org/

Late last night, a family friend called. Years ago, my wife picked one of my groomsmen for me, a dear friend of hers named Dan Morgan. No objections from me. His wife called last night. Her husband just started his second deployment with the very famous 101st Airborne(http://www.campbell.army.mil/division.htm) in Southwest Baghdad. They lost 9 people in the last week, ranging from a First Sergeant with 19 years who had just put in his retirement papers to a PFC who joined the army in January, in a rush to get to the 101st and serve his country. She is at home, raising two children, 3 and 5, while serving the wives of the 101st. She was so tired. And it's a long time until he comes home again. I love soldiers/marines/sailors/airmen (and airwomen) and their families. Like America, some of them are shit, but most of them are truly special. I doubt my donated blood will make it that far, but there are plenty of people who need it here.

I wish we took better care of each other.

Americans always try to do the right thing- after they've tried everything else. - Winston Churchill

Election Day

But who cares? VA - CA - NJ. Change one letter and you get vacant, which will be the polls this fine day. A lot of recent media attention has been drawn to the excitement of the Democratic Party in getting ready for 2006 and 2008. They, lacking any real policies and unable to put forth some cogent solutions, have relied on the tried and true "let the other party implode". And it has finally worked beautifully, through no actual effort on the left's part. Content to be reactionary, they now have hope for 2006.

But it is a fool's hope to a large extent.

1) It assumes the headlines today will be the headlines in 11 months.

2) It assumes the voters are paying attention and can be counted on to vote their conscience (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!).

3) It assumes the Republicans won't simply air their dirty laundry now, find a few scapegoats, and ride out the storm.

4) It assumes things won't be getting better in October of 2006.

But things might. This administration is a dreadful failure, but major events have gone their way at the right time (election time). They could do so again. The Republicans failed to consolidate the moderate/centrist element of this country in November 2004, through hubris or stupidity. Hilary herself is making a play for that center, while her party stares at her vacuaously. She's a savvy and competent politician. There are a lot of moderate conservatives who are exceedingly displeased with the current Republican agenda. They want fiscal restraint, states rights, and measured foreign policy. They want effective taxes, cheaper gas, and honest politicians (dare to dream). They don't like Tom DeLay, and they don't care that much about the culture of "life". Affirmative action and abortion are not going to get them to the polls. They have a lot in common with what the Democrats want. FIND COMMON GROUND. You don't even have to move your position. See where positions overlap and pound them, treat them with a little respect (something the right hasn't done, unless you are a corporation), and the margin of victory will be yours.

I know the left has good ideas. Air them. Solutions work better than veiled accusations. Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Don't expect the neo-con Republican administration to do your job at election time for you. It's one year to go and the belief that things are "progressing" for the Dems is a red herring. Mary recommended some new faces, and she is right. Ted Kennedy and Dick Durbin...that's a sucker bet. Obama, Clinton (the female), and Lieberman (but not Gore). They are popular with the avergae citizen. They are smart and speak well. Hilary carries a lot of baggage, but she's twice as smart as most of these clowns. Barack is the great left hope. Attractive, honest, moral, smart, and warm. He should be the face of the party.

The neo-cons excel at elections. You don't dance with the champ...you knock him out.

90-9

That was the vote in the Senate. Why is Cheney fighting it? The American people are disgraced by the actions of an untrained few, so why fight it? Because you don't understand the public sentiment.

I have unpopular opinions of prisoner mistreatment. I'm a pragmatist. I believe in human rights. Like porn, torture is not so well-defined. I have a looser (though I'd argue, more honest and realistic) opinion of what constitutes torture. However, the downside of public disgust and shame at ANY possibility of the crime outweighs the potential gains of doing it. The easy tack is to say "Don't do it at all, ever, period!"

But I don't. My answer is "Leave interrogation to the professionals." Why on earth would you allow basic soldiers and reservists to be responsible for such a critical and sensitive duty? Truly skilled and trained experts (who know the law and the chinks) to address the problem. There are lines. And they should very rarely be crossed, and never by amateurs. Almost every rule is made to be broken, but let's not leave that judgement in the hands of kids out to impress some fat retired intel guys in cammies. Leave it to the unsentimental, professional, dispassionate hardasses. That won't be a popular opinion. I recognize and accept that. Torture should never be acceptable, but high stress situations should be applied to certain individuals in the interests of our troops, our allies, and innocent lives. It's not a clear line at all...that's why you need qualified interrogators. In the immortal words of Bob Sugar: It's not show friends...it's show business.

But in our own government, there should be no ambiguity. International law (and UCMJ) is clear. It is demeaning work for soldiers, it is demeaning to our country and citizens, and insulting to boot. 90-9, you jackass. The people have spoken.

You monkeyed up the investigations at Abu Ghraib, you've monkeyed up handling the aftermath, and now you are monkeying up the proper course corrections.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

So What's It All About Then

Whatever I want it to be, I suppose. If the news gets me riled up, then the news. If it's something funny I read, I'll share it. If in doubt, I'll drop back to movies, a longtime passion.

I had a discussion with my friends about different films. I psotulated there were three types: revenge, boy meets girl, and giant monkey. I have amended that to FOUR types: comedy, revenge, boy meets girl, and giant monkey. They whined and whined, but that's it. And when in doubt...revenge works.

Without further adieu, http://movies.apple.com/movies/universal/king_kong/king_kong-tlr_h640w.mov

Right clicking will allow you to enjoy the file at your leisure. Tenacious D, Naomi Watts, the only guy with energy at any recent Oscars telecast, and the aforementioned giant monkey. If you enjoy movies, it's tough to not be excited about KING KONG. Even if you are the Yentl/English Patient kind of film lover.

No major motivations today, so you get pablum. My apologies. I did sit through Access Hollywood last night to see this trailer, and it was among the worst 20 minutes of my TV viewing life.

Naomi Watts is hotter than Nicole Kidman ever was...

A Little Background

Don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash. - Winston Churchill

Now that I am well on the road to fame and fortune (the dream of all start-up bloggers, for their voice to MATTER...and to get rich doing nothing), I think a little background is in order. In truth, about 10 people will read this thing ever, and about 4 of them regularly, so I need to keep my audience in mind. You are here for one reason, for me to entertain you. I am here for several reasons (the aforementioned fame and fortune which is awaiting me when this is picked up Mad Magazine): to release the stress of daily life, to collect some cogent thoughts in one place, to learn how to actually write, to elicit some feedback from open-minded a-holes, and of course, to entertain the unwashed masses that sit at my feet.

I will endeavor to keep this clean, but I will fail at times. I will endeavor to keep this regular, but some days are busier than others. I will endeavor to make you laugh, but some of you are bitter husks. And I'll try and change it up. As my mood takes me, so this blog will take you.

I have good news and bad news. And they are both the same. As this is a "welcome" post, it doesn't count for today. So some random thoughts will float down later, once I get my noodle in gear.

By the by, I will be presumptuous and say that this is a brother blog to my female friends at:

http://everythingcounts.blogs.com

and

http://fascinatingmary.blogspot.com/

Both are nutty liberal women, so you take your manhood in your hands when you visit.

As usual.

Quotes

I love quotes. The title of my newly established Blog comes from one of my favorite quotes. I will, of course, provide a more complete picture of the point of this Blog on Friday. But it has been a long time coming.

The quote in full: It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. - Mark Twain

These musings will exist to prove that principle. Shall we...?