My Take

Well.  It has been quite a slog hasn't it?  I've spent more time reading Fact Check than anything else for the past couple of weeks and find neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have been exactly pristine with facts.

What I do know is that we have a tremendously important choice to make.  More important than how much we like a particular candidate, but rather how we view government's role.

If we want less government in our lives, fewer regulations,  more opportunity for the little guy to succeed we lean Republican.

If we want government to regulate everything, even to the extent of corporations not being allowed to have profits a la Elizabeth Warren, then we lean toward the Democrats.

Both parties have huge downsides.  The Republicans are being over run by Christian Conservatives whose focus on social issues sticks in my craw. Too many are personal and no business of a political party. The Democrats are dictatorial and too intent on having everything equal.  That means the more ambitious and better equipped are obligated to share their successes with the lazy or those lesser equipped.  There are no allowances for the reasons that may be contributory.  Lazy of course is self explanatory.  Less well equipped can mean anything from IQ to opportunity.  It is not an equal hand.

Both parties have less than inspirational candidates for the top job.  Mr. Romney is probably  quite capable.  The problem is the Republicans haven't yet been able to articulate, at least to my satisfaction, what they are going to do and why they think it will work.  From the economy to jobs to strengthening the military to regaining our status in the world.  Do their policies now differ enough from previous Republican administrations to be effective?  In theory they should but there is certainly no guarantee.

President Obama was ill equipped for the job when he was elected and seems not to have grown into the job as Bill Clinton did.  To say that he 'Peter Principled' as President is pretty accurate.  That is he has reached his level of incompetence.  If anything, he has left legislation to the far left of his party with no guidance from himself nor any controls.  We have chaos.

Choosing between the two parties to me is a no brainer considering what is at stake - the country and how it is governed.  However, no matter which is your preference, the choice of a leader is bleak.  Both parties had to scramble to avert disaster at their conventions.  The Republicans for the way they treated Ron Paul and his delegates plus the abortion issue in their platform that their candidate will ignor.

The Democrats in their platform too with the leaving out God and further irritating the Jews  by not stating that Jerusalem is the capitol of Israel.  It's a pander to be sure, it's really not our business but it's been done for decades as a nicety more than anything because of our bond with the Jewish state.

The tone of the Democratic convention seemed to waver between uncertainty, lackluster performances and nastiness toward their opponants.  The Republicans was more rah rah but lacking in specifics. Why didn't they spell out their policies and demand the Democrats do the same?

We are left with uncertainty no matter which way we vote.  Will the far left or the far right prevail?  Will the moderates from either side have a voice or will they be forever silenced?

The future is bleak.  There is no sense of enthusiasm about the prospects for the future for our children or for ourselves.  Just resignation that little will probably change and we'll keep slogging along as best we can.  What has happened to my America? It's no longer quite as beautiful as it once was.  If the Democrats want us to share, then let us all share the blame.

Eastwood - Because A Friend Asked

I wasn't going to get into the criticisms of Clint Eastwood's comments at the Republican convention, but since a friend asked I will have my say.

I loved it.  What better metaphor for an empty suit than an empty chair.

True, he stumbled over his delivery and you had to listen but if you did, oh did he say things that needed to be said!  No one has taken Obama to task for unkept promises and plain ineptitude quite like it.

Don't forget he ad libbed it.  How well could the talking heads do without their scripts under the same circumstances.  They were well primed to find fault.

Let's consider content over delivery. Risque?  Poor taste?  Only to the holier than thou types.  Obviously they were in the minority in the live audience.  They appeared to love it.

Call him all the disparaging things you can think of.  Tell him how he's embarrassed himself.  Deny anything he said was true.

Then go out and get a life.  It was fun.  It was a nice break from the rubber stamp speeches that came before and after.  At worst he brought to mind Presidential failings and told us it's perfectly okay to fire the guy.  At best, he made my day.

Morsi Gets It!

I have yet to form a strong opinion on the whole of the Arab spring movement.  We have been witness to civilian uprisings, military crackdowns,  dictatorships falling and governments rising.

We've wanted people to have democratic elections and at times we've tried to influence them to no avail.  Sometimes we've seen our choice elected and disappoint.  We've seen others elected and surprise.

I think newly elected Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is one such.  There was much concern when he battled his own military for control.  There is concern that he is a member of the feared Muslim Brotherhood.  There was concern when it became known he was to attend the conference of non-aligned nations in Tehran.

The conference was of course a ploy by Iran to create an illusion of support against the crippling sanctions imposed because of its nuclear program, its support of Syria and its stand against Israel.

All I can say is Hallelujah, it failed.  In front of 120 countries Mr. Morsi condemned Syria's regime as 'oppresive and devoid of legitimacy'.  That is a pretty strong rebuke.  He went on to condemn all of the countries for their lack of intervention to stop it.

To emphasize what one can hope is a growing realization that things must change by their hand, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon joined in the condemnation of Tehran along with their threats to Israel and penchant for denying historical events - namely the Holocaust.

The Iranian media even went so far as to quit translating Mr. Morsi's comments and branded him as 'immature' and new at diplomacy.

Even though Iran has been elected to head the Movement for the next three years, there have been complaints about the cost considering the strain the sanctions have imposed.  Not that Ahmadinejad cares a whit about what the people think.  His hope was to negotiate oil deals with the delegates to ease their problems but success seems unlikely.

 Can it be that even rogue countries who don't like us any better than the Iranians finally recognize the poison in their midst?  Obviously Mr. Morsi does.

That leaves Iran with it's tried and true allies for what they're worth.  Venezuela, if Chavez lives.  Syria, if  al-Assad lives and the untested Kim Jong-un of North Korea. It's not a group I'd want to trust.  I'd expect they'd turn against me in a minute if it suited their purpose.

It will be interesting to watch how this plays out.  It would be the most promising action in decades if Iran's own neighbors brought it to heel.  Peace in the mid-east might then be more than wishful thinking.  If Obama is re-elected it will all be on their shoulders so they are indeed masters of their own fate.

The end of the tunnel may not yet be in sight, but the light from within seems to be coming from Mr. Morsi.  May he be successful in switching on the others.

More Code

Did you know the State Department has a Diversity Officer?  Wow.  I'm not sure why nor do I understand exactly what he does other than remind us we're all victims if we really want to be.  Of course we have to learn the code.

I've learned the 'code' MSNBC talking heads have been reporting on has it's origins in the government, not the political parties!  It would seem  that no matter what we say we are likely offending some one some where.  We already know we aren't to use the word squaw or call a sports team the Braves or Warriors because it's offensive to American Indians.  I had no idea how much farther it goes.

Some where between my growing up years and my present elderly state, slang has practically been outlawed.  Why?  Because those to whom we're speaking may misunderstand our intent.  The State Department tells us so.

On occasion I do wonder where a phrase originated.  Sometimes I actually look it up, find it interesting, or not, and tuck it away.  Such knowledge never made me quit using a phrase. Words and phrases can be obviously mean spirited and insulting but we can also be far too sensitive.

One of the more obscure of the codes was a shoe ultimately recalled by NIKE.  Guess which?  Black and Tan.  It's a mix of brews, right?  Pale ale and Guinness.  Nope.  It refers to a group of khaki uniformed thugs who committed atrocities against Irish citizens.  Who knew?  Who knew enough to raise a fuss sufficient to make NIKE recall a sneaker?  Those folks were really into code.  Sneaker.  Does that mean they were trying to 'sneak' a message out there?

Hold down the fort.  Another insinuation about our Native Americans.  Protecting the fort from attack by the vicious savages.  Who came up with that stereotype?  They're not my words! Of course not.  They're code.

Going Dutch, where each pays his own way, is code that the Dutch are cheap. Does it sit better if you say frugal?

Rule of thumb is code for spousal abuse for the thumb was the measure of the diameter of an appropriate switch with which a man could beat his wife.  If her bruises were no larger than the diameter of the switch the man could not be charged.

The biggest reach, however, is handicapped.  This is code for beggar coming from the time when people begged with cap in hand. Ironic, isn't it, how many beggars you see today that are by definition handicapped?

Is the State Department Diversity Officer paid to research these phrases and terms to determine their potential to offend?  Do people send them in?  I have no idea. I do know though that accusing a presidential candidate of inadvertently killing someone or suggesting they may have committed a felony are every bit as offensive.  Calling one another liars. Accusing every one who is against a policy a racist. Code. Code for incivility.

With that I think I'll head down to the pub and order me a Black and Tan.  In Dogwalk code that means quenching a thirst.  I don't yet have a code for finding some sanity in all of this.  I could use one.  It seems no one understands plain talk any more.  Maybe it's 'Clint Eastwood'!   

Dogwalk's Secret Code - "They're Nuts!"

First Donna Brazile says Mitt Romney's joke about no one having asked him for a birth certificate is code.  Last night Al Sharpton went on about dog whistles - you know, the ones we can't hear but dogs can.  That's how the code is sent.  Then Chris Matthews tells us "Chicago" is code for racism.

This code, you realize, is designed for those of us trying to figure out which undeserving party is going to weasel a vote out of us.  The pitch of the dog whistle is just such that we can hear it and realize it's a plot against the President and we had ought to tune it out.

We're supposed to listen to this crew and take any of their commentary seriously? Seriously?

The birther joke is old news.  It really didn't go anywhere except maybe with Donald Trump.
At my age I have trouble hearing anything, what's more a high pitched dog whistle!  Heck, I'm not sure my old dog Bacchus ever heard one.  He could turn a deaf ear to anything if it suited his purpose.  Especially 'come'.  But then this isn't about dogs.  It's about those vile Republicans and the lengths to which they'll stoop to remind voters the President is (gasp) black!  Next, no doubt, there will be rose colored glasses to alter the perception of the fact.

Then there is Chicago.  That toddlin' town.  It has always been code for the White Sox or the Cubs or da Bears.  If you want to get away from sports code try the arts - fine museums, opera, symphony, a couple of great zoos.

Really though, the Chicago stereotype has do do with Al Capone,  booze, prohibition, gangsters and g-men.  Not to mention deep dish pizza.  Corrupt politicians and the multitudes of dead who vote.  Really, nothing racist there.  Ethnicity, yes.  Race?  No.

I can name two blacks from Chicago other than the family of the President.  Roland Burris who got the Senate seat vacated by the now President and - well, the President.  They have similar claims to fame - monumental egos.  Burris built himself a monument where one day he will be buried.  Obama is building himself one of a different sort.  Neither has to do with race as much as personality.  No secret code there.

MSNBC.  Code? Maybe though it's hardly secret.  It's way too obvious and certainly easy to hear if you can stand to listen. It stands for a collection of idiotic conspiracy theorists who are so vacant this is all they can come up with as commentary at a political convention - and beyond.

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