Spiritual Growth Through Politics
[ Comments Off ]Posted on May 20, 2010 by admin in Politics
Thursday, May 20th, 2010Maybe change DOES come from within. It certainly doesn’t seem to come from Washington. But I wouldn’t mind if Obama still ACTED like it does.
 Maybe Small Change Is Good Too |
As one of the early supporters of Mr Hope and Change, I have to confess that the last two years have been a real exercise in personal and spiritual growth for me, often inspired by politics. I’ve learned to accept that people can be even greedier and more irrational than I imagined, and that change doesn’t happen overnight. I’m usually cynical enough to read between the lines of the kind of talk the president served up on the campaign trail, but was still moved by his words and the upswell of hope that he inspired across America and around the world. Now, not so much. Mostly because he doesn’t come across as the same person I voted for in 2008. Strangely, all I really want from the president right now is for him to talk like he’s campaigning! I don’t expect that after the recently approved finance reform legislation takes the beating policy always takes moving through congress that it will fare any better than the health care bill did; Washington is just far too awash in the self-interest of the affluent elite that live and work there. So stop being so damned modulated and reasonable, will you Mr President? I don’t think we’re getting anywhere, and now Teabaggers are co-opting your brand. I have a friend who – when a street person asks him for change – actually uses the old line “change comes from within, brother“. I’m now learning a new truth in that. It’s certainly not likely to come out of Washington in a hurry. Maybe I need to learn that small change is a good thing too.
We Don’t Need No Education
[ Comments Off ]Posted on September 5, 2009 by admin in Politics
Saturday, September 5th, 2009But we’ll have another serving of that delicious thought control, thank you very much.
But we’ll have another serving of that delicious thought control, thank you very much! In the past decade or so, the political landscape, the media’s portrayal of it, and the irrational, polarized public sentiment aroused by the combination of the two have nearly driven me back to a position I held in my twenties, which is that the only rational response to politics is to become apolitical. I’m not quite there yet, so I’d like to share a few thoughts, and get your feedback if you have the time and interest. For the record, I have to confess that the recent ranting about whether or not President Obama’s speech next week should be viewed in the public schools was sort of a last straw for me; I dropped out of high school in the tenth grade in the seventies, a time when I feel safe in saying public education was in better shape than it is now. Education is a hot-button topic for me. And frankly, even Republicans like Colin Powell are concerned about the alarmingly high dropout rate in America. The idea that a local public school system would decide to censor a presidential speech directed at school kids – rather than viewing it and having intelligent classroom discourse about it – is mind boggling to me. In my view, it’s a perfect example of the negative impact of politically driven, media-fueled, irrational public sentiment. So, listed below are a few things I think are at the core of many of America’s problems right now. Please save me from my own political apathy; if I know there are others out there with similar thoughts, I might stay engaged and even pursue action. Otherwise, I’m likely to end up as one of the first proud citizens of the impending Idiocracy. Read the rest of this entry »
Colin Powell Endorses, Gives John A “Gotcha”
[ Comments Off ]Posted on October 19, 2008 by admin in Comics
Sunday, October 19th, 2008
Capitol Hilton
[ 1 Comment ]Posted on August 6, 2008 by admin in Politics
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008The video speaks for itself, if a bit woodenly.
Proving that political campaigns have truly devolved to the level of entertainment, Paris Hilton responds to the McCain campaign’s use of her likeness by announcing she’s running for president. No big deal, I’m running for president too. This got me thinking though, about that rarely-mentioned monster, the Military-Entertainment Complex, which then (curse you, Internet!) led me to spend an hour or so perusing TomDispatch.com, which further led me to impulsively order two books: The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule
Change You Can Be Bereaving
[ Comments Off ]Posted on July 16, 2008 by admin in Politics
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008Feeling a little “voter remorse” because of Barack Obama’s recent FISA stance? Create your own Obama “Change” poster.
Remember back in the ’04 elections, when those pesky liberals turned the create-your-own-poster gizmo on the Bush-Cheney web site against itself? Well, in the interest of equal time, have at it, all you No-We-Can’ters. Just type your own phrase in the little box below Obama’s picture, and voila, your own campaign poster. This site doesn’t appear to belong to the official Obama campaign, so maybe it’ll be around for a while. Have yourself some fun, whoever your candidate may be.