WAILING OR WHINING ON WALL STREET??

So, how are you feeling about the "Wall Street Occupiers"??   A little torn, or ambiguous?  It's probably the biggest news out there right now, and perhaps the one with the most potential for important consequences----but nobody seems to know whether to cheer them  on, or wish they'd go away. In fact, it seems un-American to say anything negative about a group of people who are coming up against the behemoth giant of our capitalistic society----like David and Goliath of the Bible. Who doesn't want to root for the little guys, and who doesn't still have a bad taste in their mouth over the behavior of some of Wall Street's finest institutions?  In our hour of desperation, they continued to dole out obscene amounts of money in the form of bonuses, as if we who had bailed them out in their hour of need, wouldn't notice.  And weren't they partly responsible for the current economic meltdown, in the first place?? Yes, some, not all, were complicit and guilty as sin for agreeing to the mandates of the federal govt., namely Fannie and Freddy to supply homes for people who could not afford them, then bundling those unreliable loans, and selling them off to unsuspecting clients. The house of cards came tumbling down when those mortgages could not be met by people who could not afford them in the first place. A well intentioned idea---or a way to line the pockets of those involved in the transactions??

But don't forget the word, complicit---which implies a partnership in wrongdoing or a crime.  A major wrongdoing and huge reason for our economic problems is due to the housing collapse, and was instigated by the government mortgage institutions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, at that time led by Chris Dodd and Bernie Frank, who insisted, in a moment of excessive left wing entitlement ideology, in which almost everyone deserved to own a home, and mandated it so to the banks.  Ironically, these two gentlemen were the same designers of the new regulatory reforms now crippling many of the financial institutions with their over reaching rules and infringement against a free market flow. The housing collapse and ensuing failure of the banks and auto industry was a crime against all of us, the tax payers who would eventually have to pay for all the wrongdoing, in the form of a stimulation that failed as well.  The sin of greed was certainly committed---but not only by some Wall Street folks, but by those involved in the faulty loans.  Interesting that Fannie and Freddie, who also were bailed out by the tax payers, were never slapped with regulatory reforms----and to this day continue operating without much change.

So, let's be clear here.  Wall Street financial institutions, or huge corps. are not angels, they are in business to make a profit--- they are greedy sometimes, even law breakers sometimes, but they are not all devils, nor the ones who concocted our poisonous brew of economic woes.  To be sure, it's no secret , or shouldn't be that Wall Street and the United States government work together all the time via special interest groups, unions, etc., and the financing of all manner of programs. They have a love/hate relationship at times----- they need each other, and they know it. Big government needs big money, and the corporations, love them or hate them, generate that money.  The Democrats, and especially this administration are fond of  referring to them as  enemies of the people, the "fat cats", when in fact many within the Wall Street businesses supported Obama's candidacy and continue to do so, though their numbers are fading as they see their world crumbling around them. According to N.Y.'s comptrolling office, 20,000. Wall Street jobs have been lost and another 10,000 layoffs are expected by the end of this year.

It would seem an odd thing, even a dangerous thing for the president of the United States to take sides and align himself and his party against Wall Street and encourage the demonstrators---but that is what Obama appears to be doing. For a man who promised to be a president for all of us, to rally against devision, he is looking less and less credible, and more and more the common politician.bent on morphing himself into whatever will garner the most votes in 2012 .  How disappointing.  And how refreshing it would be for him to, instead of cheering on the Wall Street people, many of whom are misinformed, to tell it like it is---that the blame for our financial difficulties are not to be pinned on any one culprit. The government and those who ran it prior to President Obama, and now he and the mis-management of both parties, were partly to blame and continue to bear that burden of overspending and not being vigilant enough to see the wave of crushing debt coming towards us, or courageous enough to stop it.  Even all of us are to be held partially to blame for living beyond our means. Our economic house was a bubble bound to burst, but there were many factors leading up to it, not just one.

 Like so many mobs, the mentality gets focused and warped by a sort of group-think---without logic or the desire to look at the whole picture. In this case, it seems a good excuse to go after the popular demon of the left wing, big business----or sometimes just an invitation to party at a park. Burn the evil witch of  corporations, or at least make them the scapegoat----but then what?  Will that create more jobs?  Will it make us all well again?  No, but it could be another step towards the dismantlement of  capitalism.  But what will take its place?? Is this another "Arab Spring", American style? If so, perhaps it should be called, as someone suggested,  "The American Fall"---at least, as we have known her to be. Keep a leery, careful eye on those who scream for "justice" ----is their target a just one, and what do they offer as a better solution?

The state of our union is in deep trouble.  The people are angry and scared, and have a right to be.  They also have a right to object, to try to change things, even to demonstrate against that which they feel are counter to their way of thinking. Large groups of activists can often shine a spotlight on areas needing attention.  But unruly mobs in general, are not the best way to effect good change. They are emotionally charged,  fueled by artificial numbers, sometimes populated by those who do not necessarily have any agenda, save being against whatever.  If we are to change the direction of this country, we must do it in an orderly, wise fashion, as we always have--- or leave ourselves vulnerable to the whims of a noisy few, not the majority, otherwise known as anarchy.

 Some have likened the Wall Street Occupiers to the Tea Party  folks.  There are stark dissimilarities, but they are alike, in that they are both grass roots movements and are exercising a very American right to free speech---but there is one very huge difference. The Tea Party target is big government.  The Wall Street group's target is big business.  Pick your poison.  Big business will always have a few bad apples, but they can be routed out, and they are the cornerstone of our financial system.  Big government can get so big that even the bad apples get to stay in way beyond their welcome, and they live off of the financial success of business and those who work in the private sector.

 Memo to the Wall Street Occupiers----careful what you ask for, and that you are not being exploited.  The same people who uphold you now, could also ridicule and possibly shut you down, if your agenda doesn't fit theirs.  Accountability regulations are already in place, perhaps to the extreme.  Less profit and fewer bonuses? Those may be opinions, but not  the peoples' right to govern such things in a free market.  Ah, but wait--- higher taxes would  seem to be a way to soothe the disparities between those who enjoy the haves and the have- nots.  Life just isn't fair, and class warfare is so tempting--- and for some, so much easier to whine, than to work.   It has stirred many a revolution, but--- in reality, our corporations already pay a much higher tax rate, at 35%, second highest in the world.  And the top 1% of top wage earners in this country pay 38% of all federal taxes, while the bottom 50% of wage earners pay only 3% of all federal taxes, and 49% of our population pay no federal taxes at all..  That sounds pretty progressive already. How much is enough,  and why should we punish those who are successful? Don't we all want to be successful?   One young man at the Wall Street gathering said he thought he was entitled to free education health benefits, and even free housing and a car if possible---he knew that probably wasn't going to happen, but he said he could ask for it anyway.  Entitlement gone awry?  Success at the expense of others' hard work?  Here's the fear---that young man may get what he wants, or close to it---a short cut to "success", or at least a free distribution of the perks, but at whose expense, and at what detriment to our democratic soul?  In  the meantime, however, we are losing more and more of our businesses to other countries  with fewer stringent laws and harsh regulations. Business thrives on profit, and a free  country thrives on hard work and a people willing to pull themselves through the hard times, without dragging everyone down to a common denominator.

 Occupy and shame the bogey men of Wall Street, many of whom are hard working employees?  Take over public parks and make the public pay for the mess left behind?  Exercise our right to voice our opinions, even in a disorderly way that prompts police/tax paid action?  You bet'cha----this is America!!  And that's just the way we roll.  Love it, or leave it---just don't kill the golden goose that lays the golden eggs, that fuels the whole engine called-----  capitalism..  Listen to it roar---or is it whimpering the last sighs of a system beseiged by too many who would burn it down, rather than find a way to rebuild it?




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"AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM"--REALLY??

It keeps coming up---"American exceptionalism".  It can even be found in the comment section of this blog site's last entry, finding its way into a dialogue not directly related, but somehow always relevant to many an American mind set, and is often used in the same breath as "the American dream",  It was mentioned this week on "Meet the Press", as the talking heads discussed the current crop of Republican nominees for president and what the American people really want in their president----and whether any of the nominees, or even  President Obama, has that intangible quality that will inspire people to once again believe that the American dream is still possible and react accordingly----because that dream is fading ---we are losing confidence in ourselves and the notion that we are in any way exceptional.  On the contrary, there is a visible shift in our historical and here-to-fore national pride and self image ----we no longer feel like winners, but more like losers here at home and on the world stage. A "Shining city on the hill", as President Reagan called us? Not so much.  That hill has eroded beneath us, as we struggle to shore it up with so called stimulus money we don't have, and which so far has proven to be ineffective. There are conflicting philosophies as to how to regain our economic footing, and more and more speeches and debates. You can hear the despair in our conversations about ourselves, read it in the daily news of unemployment and foreclosure figures, and see it in the resigned, sad eyes of a people, who once proud, now instinctively sense our greatness slipping away.

We are becoming quite unexceptional, and we sense it. China is eating our lunch, owning much of our debt, and we  resent it. We have lost our way and our standing as  the greatest and most respected power, and the whole world  knows it. We endlessly discuss the crux of our problems, which is  our sick economy, but nobody  seems to know how to fix it---or has the courage to do so.  Therein lies the despair--- we are no longer what we were, and the urgency of a needed correction and change couldn't be more evident.  There are even those who think it's too late, that we are  in the throes of a downward spiral from which we will not return very soon, if ever.  And even worse,  that we have lost our exceptionalism, the  key to our identity and the very thing that got us started, always kept us going, and led us away from the cliffs of previous disasters.

So what is or was this exceptionalism??  It may depend on who's doing the talking ,as to whether it is something to which we should still aspire.   Possibly the first person to coin the phrase, "American exceptionalism", was Alexis de Tocqueville, a writer, who in 1831 used it as as theory to explain and describe the mix of characteristics that were inherent in the America's early success---liberty, egalitarianism, individual populism, and "laissez faire"----very different from the England and every other country at that time.  Later, Abraham Lincoln's words in the Gettysburg Address, were permanently remembered for their strong emphasis on individual freedom and that "all men are created equal---".  Much later, New Gingrich, a United States Senator, and currently a Republican presidential hopeful, in both his film, "A Nation Like No Other", and his book, "A City Upon a Hill", echoed those feelings by reminding us that our rights do not come from government, but from God.  In a nutshell, American exceptionalism means that one is not limited by his or her birth circumstances,  but that with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible in terms of financial, career, and social ambitions.

 However, though this theory of individual freedom to excell is still widely accepted as the American dream, it is beginning to appear less and less attainable, and perhaps only an old fashioned relic of the past.   It is no longer a creed in which we wholeheartedly and unanimously ascribe---it is in fact, the basis for great philosophical and political strife currently being waged in this country today.  It may even lie at the core of the main differences between our two political parties, for Conservatives or Republicans still cling to the concept of American Exceptionalism, while Liberals or Democrats tend to underplay and even eschew the strength and effectiveness of individual pursuits, preferring instead to give more power to the government for,  in their minds, the greater good.

President Obama in a 2009 speech perhaps revealed his true compass, and may be the reason for his failure to lead a beleagured, doubting country, when he  punted in regards to the validity of American exceptionalism and said that while he believed in American exceptionalism, it was no different than that of the British or the people of Greece. In other words, he feels we are not so exceptional, after all.  Obama's recent speeches seem to reflect even more so his belief that government, therefore higher taxes, especially from those who are wealthy, are, in large part, the answer to our problems.  His idealogy of wealth distribution is becoming more obvious, and seems to encourage class warfare , as he deliberately pits one class against the other, and dims our chances of pulling together---it is disappointing, destructive to our  already national, polarized mood, and most unpresidential .  But ever the strategic politician, with a laser eye on the 2012 election, Mr. Obama is banking that most of the country will follow his idealogical trumpet call to minority groups and rhetorical fable of the rich, greedy Republicans vs. the Democrats, so-called champions of the poor and middle class. And he may be right---Robin Hood politics sells, and the Republicans need to do more to show that their way is the better way, that real revenue comes not from taking from the rich, but from making it possible for all to materially succeed, thereby creating real, sustainable revenue.  They need to put forth a candidate that re-instills a renewed vigor and faith in our ability to restore ourselves--and clear solutions, not just platitudes.    Do they have such a person?  The media would have us believe  not---but it is still early, and the jury has barely begun to assemble.

We are the jury, and our challenge is to recognize that the biggest turning point in our history may be taking place now---do we want to continue on the same path, or will we have the courage to fire those who do not believe in us, and take back the possibility of the American dream and believe once again that we are exceptional---because once upon  a time, we gave birth to a nation against all odds, fought hard to overcome great difficulties and enemies, tamed our frontiers, fought even among ourselves to sort out our principles, and built a free, strong, capatalistic country the likes of which the world had never seen.  We still take in more immigrants than any other country, based on the American dream theory---we still offer more hope than any other country, but how disappointing it must be for those people to slowly grasp that that dream has seemingly been replaced by a different vision, which stifles and discourages individual success  and pursuits, in the name of social progress, but otherwise known as socialism---not a new idea, nor one that has ever flourished beyond mediocrity.
  
This a crucial time for our country--- the other side of the argument for American exceptionalism is that there are those who feel that it  is a negative concept, in that it smacks of ignorance and breeds arrogance, and that it is time for us to become more world integrated and less "parochial" or self focused---and that we should leave some of our constitutional laws behind, including cancelling the next election, as outrageously suggested by  democrat North Carolina's governor, Beverly Perdue, last week.  Perhaps, the thinking goes, we should think of ourselves, not as disloyal to our original concepts, but as evolving into a better, more enlightened society, where everybody gets a fair share of the pie.  Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek magazine referred to a "post American world", which is not about the decline of America, but the rise of everyone else" , But. that sounds more like an excuse, than a remedy, and more like Utopia, than reality.  Mr. Zakaria is a smart and nice man, but probably not a believer in American exceptionalism.There will always be room for improvement, and ways to bring opportunity and aid to the unfortunate among us, but does not run-away charity lead to not only an over taxed budget, but a creeping subserviency?

The original American spirit does not believe in rising everybody without merit or as welfare dependants of the rich---or in excusing our decline. It believes in everyone having a crack at the American dream , not through a government which takes from everybody and distributes as it sees fit, but through a free people, willing to work hard for their success. It may be too late, but it is time for those who still believe in American exceptionalism to stand up and be counted---or watch as we become quite ordinary, no longer a "shining city on a hill", but dimmed to the point of intellectual and socialistic "enlightenment".    

AN EVENT THAT CHANGED A NATION

"Mom, turn on your TV---we're being attacked!"  That was the voice of my son, calling long distance and waking me from a sound sleep.  It was a literal wake up call to what would become a national tragedy and a deep wound, not only in terms of sadness for all those who perished that day, but to our national psyche and  to our self confidence in our security and well being. How could this have happened?  Terror was indeed what we felt, ---- and yet resisted with everything in our national soul and  pride.  With flags flying from porches, buildings, cars and trucks, we found our united voice and silently we spoke----we will not fall, you will not defeat us, we are stronger than you, and we will  defend ourselves.   But against whom, and how?? Who was this enemy who dared to take on the most powerful country in the world?  And why?  Like my deep sleep, America had been referred to as a "sleeping giant"--she was wide awake now.

There had been rumblings and other attacks for a long time, but no one, including our national leaders paid enough attention.  Even after the World Trade Center had been attacked previously in 1993, we seemed to shrug it off and go on with our lives. Who could imagine that a small band of extreme Islamic jihadists would or could attempt anything again, and on such a grand scale?And surely our intelligence system  would protect us.  Wrong.  They actually had been watching for a long time, and had even received specific warnings regarding the date of 9/11/01---but the messages were among many, not dispersed to all of the dis-jointed agencies at the same time,  and were not taken seriously enough  by the right people at the right time.  We, it seemed, were too big to be the victim of such  massive destruction by such a small army; and as usual, our politicians were busy attending to political matters.  George Bush had just been in office for a short time, after a very contentious election.  It remained to be seen whether he was up to the job as Commander in Chief.  He and we were about to find out.

President Bush , in his Texas twang, spoke publicly the name of the enemy for the first time to the country ---Al who? Al Queda was their name, and their leader was a man by the name of Osama Bin Laden, both names we would hear over and over again as we slowly digested that they hated us, disdained our way of life, and resented our allegiance to Israel. President Bush went on to say that they had our attention now, and that they would be hearing from us very soon.  We were going to war---two of them.

First Afghanistan, where it was known that the terrorists primarily lived and planned their attacks.  Then Iraq, where it was feared weapons of mass destruction were being developed and that it was a haven for terrorists. The controversy that developed over this decision still simmers today.  President Bush,  suddenly found himself a war time president, with a country to protect and very difficult decisions to make quickly based on the best intelligence he had at the time.  Some argue that more time should have been taken, more information gathered, confirmed, etc., But whatever else George Bush lacked, he was not weak or indecisive---or confused as to his mission and responsibility. He made his decisions and moved forward with remarkable strength and conviction. "You can run, but you cannot hide", he announced to the terrorists.  If they thought we were too weak to fight back as a nation, the face, tone, and grit of this Texas "cowboy" president had to give them some pause, and a preview of things to come.  Even if our target in Iraq was not the wisest or the most righteous, the world knew--- we were mad as hell.  It  was time to kick ---, and our military did just that.

They took the vicious Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein and his regime down, and helped the people of Iraq stumble towards a sort of democracy.  Ironically, George Bush's presidency went down with it, as there were those who felt he was too aggressive and had made a major tactictal error in going to war against Iraq. They condemned, criticized, and belittled his judjment and capabilities.  But Bush, who in spite of his many flaws, managed with his team of advisors and intelligence to protect the United States from further attacks. This was a monumental task, as there were many attempted and thwarted attacks. Even Bush's worst critics give him great credit for that.  He had risen to the challenge of his most solemn duty---he was up to the job. He had not hestitated, shrunk in fear or intimidation, or based  his decisions on political polls or consequences. He was not perfectly wise, but he did  bring a  frightened country from their knees to an upright, alert, and offensive posture. Even his Texan swagger gave us a measure of strength and attitude. "Don't mess with Texas"---had a ring we could all identify with.

 He overhauled the separate branches of intelligance gathering organizations, making them much more efficient, set up a homeland security headquarters, asked for and got permission to listen in on suspicious phone conversations, and designated a detention camp, Guantanamo , for the arrested terror suspects. Abu Ghraib, a prison, in Iraq was later used for harsh interrogation methods  to gain information from prime suspects. All these things helped answer the question of how we would fight this small, but formidable enemy----these people were deadly serious--- and we had to match their will to destroy us, often with non-conventional or traditional war time methods---without losing our principles of freedom and humane ideals in the process. It was a fine line, at times, and we can and will argue whether all we did was right---but today, we still stand, and the threat of terrorism has been weakened by sheer will and strength of those of us who will not tolerate nor  be cowered by the heinous acts of a few .

But have we changed?  Yes.  In so many ways. Our economy is in tatters, and much of it can be traced to the uncertain days and years following 9/11. Our travel is over- burdened by security measures.  Our national awareness of a constant not so clear and present danger has taken some of the joy away from our lives.  And most importantly, we have lost much treasure and the blood of our fine military men and women who had the courage to fight this battle.  We owe them more than we can ever repay, for most of us sacrificed very little in comparison. Life in the United States continued along, as we willed it to, wished it to, even were instructed to by President Bush, not because he or we were shallow, or not aware of the enemy and the huge drama being played out in our lives, but because by not changing our way of life at least perceptively, it was thought we were defying the terror they hoped to inflict upon us. It would seem, however, we could have done more---for so much more was being given in our name. And we have much work to do to restore our country to healthier times.

When President Obama came into office, he kept most of the programs put in place by President Bush as a result of 9/11.  He had threatened to dismantle many of them, but as he became more informed, and to his credit, he did not.  He also stepped up the drone program, singularly taking out many of the Al Queda leaders.  And last May, he, as Commander in Chief, gave the final order to kill Osama Bin Laden. President Obama, too, had lived up to his most sacred duty--- to protect us from our enemies.  Whatever else occurs on his watch, he accomplishes or not, we owe him deep thanks and appreciation for that one act. The man who decided to wage his war against us and vowed to destroy us was gone---and the relief in this country was a sigh felt across the nation.

Al Queda lives on, as they struggle to recruit more young, naive, and disallusioned young men to their cause. Paradoxically, as these extremists are preaching their warped brand of revolution, the middle east is undergoing its own revolution against those who would oppress and deny the freedoms that they  see other nations enjoy. But religious fanaticism lives on and as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approached, we were told there was good reason to believe that another attack was planned for that weekend. It never happened---but it could, and we remain ever vigilant and aware that  nothing will ever be quite the same. We are not so innocent anymore and unaware of what others may think of us. Perhaps that's a good thing, but what's better is that others now know, for better or worse, mistakes made or not, perfect or flawed, we cherish and guard our freedom, and we will still fight hard for it, as we always have.

As we watched  the footage of 9/11 and once again sat in awe of the bravery of the first responders, and especially the N.Y.C. firemen, one had to love their selflessness of those in such desperate need.  We lost almost 3000 citizens that day, and 343 of them were firemen trying in vain to rescue people trapped in the inferno of those burning buildings. The Pentagon was struck, killing over 125 people.  And worse carnage would have happened what if not for the very oncommon courage of the passengers on flight 93, who when they discovered that their plane had been hi-jacked, decided to die fighting, rather than to bow to their captors. It is worth noting, that even in their last moments, that heart breaking decision was made by voting with each other.

 If the horror of that day, and the terror that entered our hearts was real , so too are the heroic deeds of what so many of our people did for their fellow man---as images of the American flag being hoisted by dirty, exhausted workers on the ruined, devastated site of ground zero flashed across our tv screens, one couldn't help but feel that the proud spirit of this country still lived. And that much of what makes us great is not just the World Trade Center, that tall, magnificent  building of our capitalistic system, or the Pentagon, symbol of our military might.  It is us--- our united belief in freedom, our way of muddling through to decisions based on democracy, not the choices of a powerful few, and our inbred common respect for the lives, dignity, and rights of each other, whether Christian, Jew, Muslim,  atheist, or whatever.  As one fire chief  emotionally expressed last night---"we don't leave people----" Nor, he could have added, do we ask people to give their lives to suicide---we give our lives to rescue others.

Thank you to all who came through that day----and to all we've lost in the two wars.  May we move on to be worthy of your sacrifice. And may the terrorists who still seek to harm us and others, finally realize that their cause is hard to understand, much less justify, when it gives birth to what can only be described as evil acts, and leaves behind such death  and destruction. Because 9/11, in spite of its terror, was a lesson to all of us, that the human spirit is at its core loving, resilient, and strong--- and that hope, love, and life can arise from the ashes of hate.



    

"THE END DAYS"?

 The national conversation this week was all about Hurricane Irene--and whispered within the talk, a tantalizing question, which we will get to later.  As we anxiously awaited Irene's visit and her  wrath  as she blasted her way across the eastern seaboard, we are reminded once again of our fragility and utter helplessness in the face of natural disasters. Preparations were made,  evacuations were done, agencies did what they could do, flights were cancelled, and ----then she hit, Irene came to call, but nobody answered the door.  New York looked like a ghost town, as the storm poured gallons of rain and blew its fury across the state. Irene left her calling cards with uprooted trees, flooded streets, submerged cars and massive power outages.  It wasn't as bad as feared, but the city and others across the east coast, stood firm---with the exception, so far, of 37deaths in 11 states. It wasn't another Katrina, but could have been, and there wouldn't have been much we could do about it.  Global warming theories not withstanding, we are but passengers on our space ship, and are no match for the violence and unpredictablity of  storms, to say nothing of earthquakes,  and tsunamis, which leave us trembling at our helplessness and  lack of ability to accurately foresee and prepare adequately for days of  natural disasters.   Days---they tumble generously out of the sky, one after the other, giving us a brand new beginning with each sunrise. None of us really knows where or how it all got started----we just don't want it to end.

 So the question for this week's conversation is:  Are these just capricious weather cycles, or climate change, or---signs of Biblical warnings?  'There shall be earthquakes and famine and  drought and---' to warn of the end of the world. There are those who claim this is it----the " end days", and we must get our spiritual selves in order---or be left behind, as written in the book of Revelations?  But haven't people been predicting the end endlessly since the beginning of time? And hasn't the earth been known to convulse and change dramatically over the eons ? Still, one can wonder at the world we live in and the seemingly over whelming problems---has the human race run its course and is headed towards the finish line? If there is a God, is He weary of us, and our ungodly ways---disappointed in His human experiment?  Will He repeat his impatient anger, as He did with Sodom and Gomorra, those Biblical cities who refused to turn away from their sins of greed, corruption, and worship of golden idols, now known as money? Well, that's pretty heavy duty stuff---way too religious and hokey-dokey for many to subscribe, much less re-order their spirituality---or their priorities.  Most of us are way too busy living to worry about such imaginary and apocalyptic  predictions.  No man has the ability to prophesy, and some have been dangerous, cult-ish, and wrong. Even  Al Gore and his cadre of scientists have been proven to be less than accurate, after all, with their dire weather facts.

But as we watch the evening news and observe the global crises, it isn't such a stretch to believe that we could well be on a path to major upheaval, if not destruction of our own making---so perhaps we don't need a God to provide the end. We are doing it all alone to ourselves by our inability to solve our problems, understand our neighbors, and strive for peace, rather than power---let alone the likes of "Irene" and "Katrina".Then again, perhaps, this is the dawning of a new  age, --- led not by Aquarius, but the "Arab Spring".  These countries may produce their own peaceful democracies, free from despotic and oppressive rule. They may cease to be a threat to us,  terrorism will finally be snuffed out, wars will end, and there will be treasure and compassion to end starvation in Africa, Asia and elsewhere. Tribal and ethnic differences will also end, as those in power will gain the wisdom to lead away from such cruel and senseless behavior. No religion will rule, but all may worship as they please, as long as they do not infringe upon another's right to do the same. A global economy will bring incredible co-operation and wealth to all, as we work together and share our resources. Utopia??  Why not?  It could happen---but probably will not.  We are humans, not gods, with limited wisdom--- and our instinct is to survive, to protect our own, and defend against those who would trespass against us. No, we would need divine intervention for such as the above to happen---which brings us to Biblical lore again---there is another story called "The rapture", a heavenly taking of some and leaving of others, which will precede many years of peace on earth----much too religious and complicated to discuss in mixed, secular company, which this is.

Of course, the Bible and it's stories  could all be a grand fairy tale, and this isn't an attempt to evangelize ---it's simply a reflection of the current conversational buzz, a possibility, a religious belief to many, and a nice alternative to the evening gloom and doom news.  End days?  Who knows? If you are any kind of  Biblical scholar , you surely know the words of Jesus so often quoted in response to those who would predict such things as endings---"I shall come as a thief in the night".In other words live well the present, and don't try to guess the end game--- not ours to know. It would be like cheating on an exam by peeking at the answers before hand---with life being the  real deal test.

But wait---- this blog is supposed to provide conversational fodder----yet isn't this all rather taboo, in that the "end of days" is usually spoken of in connection with religion, not terrorism, wars, nuclear bombs or even climate change disasters, which are much more politically correct.  Certainly,  do not call "Irene" and "Katrina"  "acts of God", perpetrated perhaps by an angry God,, a la Sodom and Gomorra, as Michelle Bachmann recently and half jolkingly implied .She got burned big time by the media for that one---who considered  her remarks politically inappropriate, unsophisticated, and terribly offensive.  No, no no, they ba-a-a , ba-a-ad---natural disasters  are simply freak accidents of Mother Nature ----as we may also be, and no telling when or where the end will come.

So be  careful with whom you discuss "the end days", unless you run into Michelle Bachmann.  Those words smack of Biblical references and faith---and well, that's just not very popular or intellectual sounding anymore---separation of church and state, don't you know. We are becoming  increasingly secular and proud of it.  In God we trust??  Are you kidding me?  That was our founders' idea, not necessarily ours---and we are a changing, fluid mix of people, less and less needful of any God in our government. But then, in whom do we trust? What do we stand for, and whose principles do we follow? We appear to no longer care so much----

 Unless you happen to be  John Polkinghorne, a world class physicist , author, and reknowned scientist who dares to speak of the relationship between science and religion.  He admits to not knowing for sure that there is a God, bows to uncertainties in both religion and science, but is a believer in spite of his doubts ---just as he believes in other scientific theories, such things as "light", or "quarks", or "gluons".  But he says there is enough evidence of God all around us for him to "bet my life on it----I'm not certain. Sometimes I'm wrong". I don't know what Mr. Polkinghorne would think about the "end days" and all the supposed signs we're seeing, but I'll bet he's not betting against it.

I like a gambling man who will bet his life on what he doesn't know for sure---and is willing  to take a leap of faith.  Takes guts to go publicly against the flow and many of your own peers----and an intelligence, which concedes to the possibility of a higher intelligence, presumably based on some pretty hard evidence---a life sustaining planet, a universe of infinite mystery, order, and design, and a race of people who know not from where they came---but, who in spite of their many flaws, have great capacity to love, laugh, and weep----and who cherish the thought of yet another day to get it all right.       

THE RIGHT STUFF----

The race is on-----for who will be the next Republican presidential nominee It's a little early yet to bet the farm, but right now, it's looking like the front runners are Mitt Romney, the Mass. Governor; Michelle Bachmann, congresswoman from Minnesota; and the latest entry, Rick Perry, the Texan Governnor---cowboy boots,and shades of Bush, et al. There are others, but so far, they are not resonating in the polls or the media. Does that matter? Yes---we are, for better or worse, a country influenced by media, image, and popularity, reflected by the polls. If we were not, Ron Paul, the eternal candidate, congressman, and devoted libertarian; Newt Gingrich, still in the running and probably the smartest kid in the class; and Sara Palin the most passionate, would be in the current crop of likely winners---any one of them, however could still rise up and join the latter laps of the race. Sara hasn't officially declared her presidential aspirations, but is predicted to do so later---personally, I doubt it, but stranger things have happened. Anything could happen at this stage, including a new, not yet known face---think Obama. News has it that Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee Chairman, who crafted the controversial budget ammendment, is being encouraged to run---he's young, good looking enough, and very bright---but does he have the right stuff? More to the question , what "stuff" sells to the American public? We can be a fickle bunch, sometimes just voting for anybody other than whom we don't like. And other times, we vote our hearts, rather than our minds---or our hopes, rather than reality.

 There are those who say that Obama will be easy to beat. His approval ratings for a sitting president are at an historically low 37%, his accomplishments are few, unemployment is awful, housing not much better, and our debt crisis still in peril. But, this prez has moxie and he intends to take it to the people, as evidenced by his recent bus( million dollar limousine manufactured in Canada) tour. His main message is that the mess we're in is not his fault, and that his opponents must rise above politics, and "put country before party"---read, vote his way, and raise taxes to cover all his spending. The cries for non-partisanship sound disingenuous at best, and like hypocritical gamesmanship at worst---who does he think he's kidding? This is the man who would not even listen to anyone opposing his health care plan, and waved off any serious cuts to the budget,leaving it finally to a committee of twelve, not to mention that his vice president, Biden, has referred to the Tea Party as "terrorists". Non-partisanship? After you, Mr. President. The bus tour is now over, having attracted thin crowds and not the hoped for enthusiasm. Now,he has taken off for Martha's Vineyard for a family vacation,giving his critics even more ammunition. Does he even care what people think? Has he not heard of "stay-cations"? Oh, the slings and arrows of public servants-----can't really blame the guy for needing to get away from what has turned out to be a pressure cooker presidency. But one has to wonder about his timing and whether he's really into a second term. Maybe he sees the handwriting on the wall---or in the election booths, and has decided if he's going to lose, he's going down big---with million dollar limousines, make that buses, and rich man's vacations.

 But don't count Obama out yet--- he's not done yet, and Americans, as a rule, don't like to admit they've made a mistake ----they tend to give second chances, and some still unbeliebably believe in the magic of Obama. They are convinced that his perceived weaknesses are just that---an incorrect perception. And in fact , that he is actually " too cool for school", way too intelligent for most people to grasp, and that eventually his low key global approach will pay off in our diplomatic relationships, his healthcare victory will prove to be the right thing, his stimulus and over reaching regulation programs will prove to have been better than the alternatives, and that his spread the wealth philosophy is the new American/European way. Whether he can hold on to his true believers, while courting the middle with words of " compromise" and "common sense", remains to be seen. Obama's brilliance was and is his oratorical prowess, his ability to connect with "the folks"---but his hands-on job experience was always the worry---and who and what he really believed was even more troublesome. We now see a man whose political and ideologies are driving him, but apparently not leading the country. Is there still time for him to transcend his own limitations and surprise us with a conversion to greatness, and in his own words, "put country before party"?

 Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Republicans are scratching their heads and searching for "the one". Who will it be? The media has convinced us that he/she doesn't exist. Don't believe them---one will rise to the occasion in time. The Dems are scared silly, as they watch their president losing favor every day. The country is floundering, with the stock market, our financial bell weather, rocking and rolling ---and the people are looking for leadership. There is great unrest and discontent---a sense of loss, and a profound desire to re--calculate our way. Perhaps this is our pinnacle moment in history to decide which kind of country we will be---an entitlement state, or a return to our roots of a capitalistic society. But first we must figure out a way to survive our economic crisis, and much rides on the next election. Look the candidates over carefully, including the current president---and place your bets for whom you think has the right stuff. And what is that? At this in point in time, it seems like it is an amalgamation, just like us---of someone who understands that, who will have the ability to lead and inspire all of us. Of course, he or she must have intelligence, leadership qualities, charisma, a bit of shrewdness, acceptable appearance, an optimism and a sense of the inivisible ties that bind us, and, most of all--- an innate perception of who we really are ----a unique ,great mix of people, talents, and energy, with a fierce love of freedom; that we still treasure our historic independence from big government, and have no wish for extreme change; that while we must care for those who need help, we don't wish to become slaves to a welfare state, and that we still believe in ourselves.

 The race is on for the next Presidential election----it's a big one, and we can only hope that through the grueling, only in the USA, electoral kind of process, the right one with the right stuff will emerge---be it a wiser, more experienced Obama, or a Republican replacement---what we really need is someone to steer us through these dark times---someone with a big light, lots of heart, and the wisdom of Solomon---now accepting resumes. Party affiliation is important, but not the total stuff----Reagan had it, Kennedy had it, Clinton had it---- unbridled love of country.

HOUSTON----WE HAVE A REALLY BIG PROBLEM---

So----we have lift-off, Houston.  The debt crisis debate is over---or is it?  We lifted, temporarily at least, the threat of economic disaster by raising the debt limit at the very last possible moment---and with a grand display of  "give a little, get a little" Washington politics.  Problem is, most people would agree nobody got very much out of this deal, considering the magnitude of the problem. After all the smoke cleared, and the congressman stopped congratulating each other, we now have a 14.3 trillion dollar debt. The debt ceiling has been  raised by 2.4 trillion predicated upon promised spending cuts of 917 billion over ten years, with another 1.5 trillion in cuts proposed before the end of the year.  To ensure all this works as planned, there will a panel of 12, now being tagged  the "Super committee" or "The Dirty Dozen", bi-partisan ( is there such an animal?) members of congress to oversee this two stage plan and instigate the cuts.  If they cannot accomplish enough cuts , a "trigger" will automatically kick in --- especially targeted will be domestic entitlement programs, --- and the military budget. Either way, the debt ceiling will increase, and at this point in time, without a balanced budget amendment.

So, who won this  very contentious battle of spending vs. cuts vs. taxes?  Some say the Democrats, but many of them are not happy with the present agreement not to at least tax the rich; others say the Republicans won, but there are plenty of them who fear they will lose when President Obama goes after taxes if nobody can agree on where the cuts are going to come from---and do we really believe that won't happen?  And then there is the Tea Party, who the media tried to portray as winners,insisting that the Republicans stand  staunchly against taxes---but they are not happy either, still feeling that the debt increase was way too much for far too little, and the spectre of future tax hikes haunts them, as the choices for cuts narrow down to the military and possibly medicare.  It appears the final solution was far from final---and only the beginning of another battle, come fall when the Super 12 must decide for the country what's best in terms of cuts.  For now, we can breathe a little easier, having averted a government shut-down---but it's only a reprieve, with much more bickering to come.

If the stock market is any indication, our staggering economy and the public were not comforted or encouraged by the latent and compromised vote on the debt crisis. The market plummeted one day this week by 500 points, and though not the worst in history, it wasn't a good sign.  It knows, as do most folks, instinctively,  that something doesn't smell right, doesn't feel right, and probably isn't alright---more likely the vote last Tuesday was pathetically only a political manuever, designed to pacify, appease, and procrastinate, with much of it driven by election concerns. Like a  bad cold, which we treat with aspirin to ease the discomfort, the  national debt has not gone away, and the economy continues to show very little recovery.  There is much uncertainty as we look away from the cliff we were supposedly about to tumble over, and into the eyes of the elephant still in the room.

Where and to whom do we look for comfort and guidance---certainly not to Europe, who seems to be screaming at us to learn from their mistakes? President Obama?  Many think the honeymoon  is over for this man, who while he managed to stay above the congressional "sausage making" , did little to guide or offer alternative ideas. He came off looking like "Johnny one note"--tax, tax, tax the rich. However, he may have won more than it appears---it looks at first glance that he caved on this issue, but look again--- he knows he holds the final cards when and if the approved cuts do not do enough to trim the budget or encompass the type of cuts he approves.  Furthermore, his costly health care plan miraculously escaped so far, unscathed, even though it is going to contribute heavily to the budget expense, as it attempts to provide insurance for all.   He seems unable to raise our spirits, having cast his lot time and again with his political agendas and ambitions, leaving the rest of us, without much reason for hope or optimism. "Things will get better", he said this week---but his words ring hollow, as though he himself doesn't believe it.  "Hope and change"? What we need is stability. At a recent 50th birthday celebration for the president this week, Obama claimed that he had not promised over night change----and that he was only half way through with the changes he hopes to make for this country----bold statements coming from a president who seems out of touch with a country who is on its knees as the result of too much change, seemingly over night.

Summarily, one could conclude "there is little joy in mudville"  this week as we worry and wonder what's next.  And how about the vulnerability of our military budget which is up for at least one half of the proposed cuts?  Are we willing to risk our security? Will medicare eventually be affected? Are higher taxes for all only a matter of time? These questions have not disappeared and will be dealt with again and again---until we manage to do something besides print more money. But at least, for now, we're still here, and regardless that Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of Russia, dares to call us "parasites", living off other countries, we're not down yet.  There may have been a bit of truth in that statement, but the contempt and disrespect was palpable, personal, and a slap in the face to a country that has been known to help so many others in their hour of need, including Russia.  It is time to get our house in order. The debt crisis ended this week, but perhaps it has just begun and has served to awaken the people of this country--- because, if nothing else, we now know, "Houston, we have a problem"----pray that we'll stay alert and keep chipping away at it, until we get it right.

As these last lines are being written, word comes that for the first time in history, the United States credit rating has been down graded.  Uh---Houston, are you there? SOS!! Wait----haven't we shut down the space program? OMG---make that, literally, OMG----

TICK TOCK----

If you're not feelin' it, the pressure from the debt crisis countdown to Aug 2, you must be living in a cave.  It's everywhere, the talking heads on tv, the radio talk shows, the newspapers, the internet---will the sky really fall, is it really that serious, or will we somehow find a way out of this more than scary situation before we need to find out?  For all the drama, there's still no ending.  Our congress seem unable to solve the riddle of the debt crisis as we move ever closer to the deadline  One plan after the other has been offered up as way out, or at least a way to keep going for awhile, and each one has been scuttled, as too weak on taxes, or too strong on cuts.

 President Obama so far, while long on words and scolding speeches, has been woefully short on any resolution or plan of his own design. He has given several press conferences, the latest this morning, imploring bi-partisanship. Perhaps if he could have been more of an example---he could have rallied all the troops, instead of pitting one against the other. Instead, he continued to blame Bush for past deeds, and the Republicans for holding the nation hostage and for, offering only unsatisfactory plans,which seems to be anything at all that includes serious spending cuts and doesn't include increasing taxes. In other words, it's my way  or the highway, fellas---get it?  John Boehner, House majority leader, gets it alright, and virtually threw up his hands last Friday, saying he could not negotialte with the president any longer, as they are just too far apart in their thinking and the president keeps changing his mind.  Nothing short of a "clean bill", Obama's past April term for a proposal to increase the debt without any cuts, giving him full reign to keep spending, seems to be what this president really wants, though he reluctantly now agrees to some light weight cuts---unbelievably, he keeps blaming the Republicans for their stubborn unwillingness to compromise, and even turning down Senator Harry Reid's plan, which raises the debt limit, but omits the holy grail of a tax increase.

One is reminded of the old story, "The Emperor Who Wore No Clothes"---the transparency is so there, but the bully pulpit of Obama allows him to think he can run nakededly through the controversy wearing his  only real solution---to raise taxes in order to keep paying for his over spending. The problem, Mr. Obama---is DEBT OVERLOAD---  we are spending more than we're taking in---raising taxes will just prolong and cover up the symptoms of a disease called "living outside our means".  Nor is it fair, many feel, to continuously berate the rich (those making over 250,000.00,  for "not giving their fair share"). What's fair about asking for more and more, while you continue to spend more and more, already having racked up more debt than any other president in history?  Of course, there is the other side of the argument, which claims it's unfair for the rich to not share their wealth when the country is in such trouble, but that is a philosophical debate, not pragmatic, nor practical at this very crucial time---we simply can't afford to rock the boat with higher taxes on those who in many ways supply the jobs.  Even the Democrats have come around to recognizing that, as seen with the one plan they have presented, via Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader.

There are now two plans being considered:  The John Boehner plan, which raises the debt by 1.2 trillion and requests in  return, 900 billion in cuts, but another review in 6 months with possible further increases; and the Harry Reid plan, which offers 2.2 trillion debt raise, no review until 2012 (after the election) and cuts dependent on the wind down of  our two wars, assumable and not considered negotiable cuts by the Republicans.  Both are probably dead on arrival.  The Boehner plan, as of last night, had awkwardly stalled, the Republicans not even able to agree among themselves on whether to include a balanced budget amendment to the bill, which the more conservative members of the party were insisting upon. The Reid plan won't fly either, as the president has said he will veto it, due to the exclusion of no new taxes. Is this brinkmanship or incompetency? Both parties are suffering from inside fracturing and election-itis. They desperately need a president who can lead them to higher ground.

 But  NEWS FLASH!! As this is being written, the Boehner bill has passed the House---with the balanced budget amendment boldy included and requiring passage by an outside committee before an additional 1.6 trillion could potentially be added later. Progress?  Not so fast---Nancy Pelosi has already declared this latest move by the Republicans as "going nowhere" " and a waste of time". Hope floats, but politics torpedoes  --once again.

President Obama, meanwhile, is definitely feeling it, as he gave yet another speech this morning, sounding frustrated , more conciliatory, and urging more compromise and decision, but as the CBO cautioned him, our credit ratings are not improved by speeches.  Ooh, that had to sting a little----a Rodney Dangerfield moment for sure, as the president appears to be losing ground and respect. Perhaps, with this latest development, and as Obama begins to feel the pressure on his shoulders, there's still hope that he will begin to lead and bend enough to bow to circumstances and the reality of an economically  broken country. That would be true leadership, which sometimes comes late in the form of humility and grace. It is time for both---may he find it, for all of our sakes. Now is his chance----the ball is of this evening, in the Dems' court.  The clock is running out----tick, tock, and no more time-outs.



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