It's the Coalition...

... I'll refrain from saying "Stupid" because I really do want to end all the hyper-partisan bickering now. But the media is asking over and over this morning "what happened?" And that really is the answer. "It's the coalition..."  United we stand.

No, you can't "have your country back" if that is code for "kick the black guy out of office and put the old, hawkish white men back in charge." Sorry, but America really is a melting pot, as I was taught in grade school (in Iowa, I might add. And, thank you, Iowa, for staying True Blue.) Our strength has always been our diversity. This is not Nazi Germany and we don't want genocide here (the deliberate and systematic destruction of certain ethnic, racial or religious groups.)

It's amazing to me that we applaud and actually help other countries get rid of their oppressive dictators and immoral leaders, yet apparently half of this country wants a regime that would impose the most unthinkable laws against women's rights. Worse than forcing us to wear a burka, Republicans (in Virginia) tried to pass a law requiring transvaginal probes. Not only no, but HELL NO!  That abomination, combined with ridiculous characterizations of rape, "binders of women" and ongoing "femi-nazi" put-downs, was apparently enough to send women running to the polls and kept them and others standing in line for hours so we could continue to move FORWARD. 

Yes, women are in solidarity with African Americans who still fight for equality, and Hispanics who must constantly prove they are "legal."  With Asian Americans and other minorities, and those who are sick of being labeled and embarrassed over their right to chose a partner, or religion. Nearly 80% of Romney supporters were white, heterosexual Christians. That's fine, but where is the Christian compassion and love when it comes to helping your brothers and sisters?  I didn't see much.

Being a Buddhist has shown me how cruel and intolerant Christians can be. Not all, but many would prefer to lump my philosophy with a cult, even though there is considerable evidence that Jesus learned his teachings of love and compassion from early Buddhists (think wise men from the east.) It wasn't the wrathful God of the Old Testament Jews he was preaching. I digress, but my point is about tolerance and we all need more, myself included. 

Can we put an end to all the nonsense about socialism and "Redistribution of Wealth", please! What is wrong with sharing. When Jesus discussed tithing, I don't think it was to accumulate a big war chest to build cathedrals or militia.  It was to help the poor.  How about a quote from a famous dead white guy, Francis Bacon,  "Money is like muck, not good unless it is spread."  So, those of you in the 1%, or even like me with some to spare, let's SHARE!  And, finally, my hat is off to Nate Silver's Political Calculus. Wow, was he spot on with his electoral assessment!

Oh, one more thing. I do feel your pain, repubs. I vividly recall the sadness and despair I felt in the 2000 election when "manifest destiny" was denied to our environmental savior and Millennial Man Al Gore. But, here's your chance to show Christian compassion. Reach out now, instead of trying to trip up the President. Let's truly work to create a United States of America with liberty and justice FOR ALL. 

the bottom line

This is not really how I wanted to spend my day, but I just watched the first Presidential Debate again so I could assess what really happened. For one thing, a candidate and incumbent inherently must act differently. The challenger has nothing to lose and can say anything. The office holder, in this case the President of the United States, is obligated to speak and  act in the MOST responsible way. The POTUS can't just "cut loose" and get scrappy. He must choose every word very carefully, because again, he already IS the President. This explains why Obama seemed feisty, energized and "scrappy" himself four years ago against Hillary. Having been the First Lady, Mrs. Clinton spoke in a measured, cautious way while then-candidate Obama gave a no-holes barred performance. Performance is the best word for these debates. Ronald Reagan, an actor, gave a great performance when he delivered his so-called zingers with zest and zeal. I have a different recollection of his actual presidency, tho, than Repubs who only remember Saint Reagan. I remember a doddering, often out of touch, ceremonial President who focused on photo-ops and gave us supply-side "Reaganomics" that did not trickle down to anyone. Sorry, I'm determined to keep this post as civil as the gentlemen we saw in the debate (they were civil, and that was welcome.)

Watching again today, I can see the proclaimed Romney win is over-rated. Fact checkers will show that contrary to Mitt's "zinger" (you're entitled to your own plane and your own house, but not your own facts) it was really Mitt making up facts. For instance, when he brings up the old saw about cutting waste and abuse, the truth is no President has cut more waste than Obama--over a trillion dollars. Romney could only cite a few programs, including funding to PBS, to get specific about how he would balance the budget with cuts alone. Those few minor programs won't make a dent in the massive debt generated by wars costing billions per day. During his closing remarks, Romney made sure to appeal to the hawks saying he wouldn't "devastate the military." But, c'mon Mitt, tackling the bloated defense budget, which really is a source of waste and abuse, is the only way to truly impact the federal budget and deficit.

Yes, President Obama could have been more concise, given pithy, punchy answers and smarter quips, perhaps, to enhance the theatrics, but he was honest and fact-checking will prove that. I just documented all of Mitt's promises, and none of them bear any resemblance to what he told his wealthy friends when he wrote off 47% of Americans who he basically accused of "mooching" off the system. So, for the next debate I hope we can figure out who is the real Romney; the Centrist who sounded smooth, compassionate and reasonable last night, or the radical right-winger who promised the tea party a slashed lean and mean federal government, or the corporate raider who hides money in the Cayman Islands and owes his soul to the super pac zillionaires. As for the President, let's hope he can call out the lie about the $716 billion cuts to medicaid, and make Mitt answer for past attacks on planned parenthood, women's reproductive rights and support for corporate welfare that he so slyly slipped past on stage. Let's see the next debate before we make any hasty decisions.

Do it Right... please!

I cannot believe nine days have passed since I posted. Time is flying here at Casa Suavita! Working on my creative writing assignments and spending time online "over there" at WD WOW consumed my time. Yeah, ok, the big confession -- and far too much TV. Talk about Kleishas. I've become a total news junkie. Jeeez! My friends think I'm nuts. I know way too much about Tim Geithner, the Stimulous Plan and bank bail-out. Yeah, it's good to be informed, but I'm over the line. I promised some news black out days, and I've got to start. I've justified this excessive viewing due to these historical events -- Obama Inauguration, first press conferences, and all these economic plans. But, the Senate just now passed the Stimulous 61-37 (had to haul Ted Kennedy in on a stretcher, but got it done.) It's a given the two bills will be reconciled and signed into law quickly now. So, it's time to step away from the TV now.

Actually I really want to rant right now, but I'm trying to restrain myself. I certainly hope spending $838 Billion of tax money will improve our national infrastructure, and start our conversion to a greener future with solar and wind power to replace our ungodly oil and fossil fuel dependence. I'm still going to email the Whitehouse and add my voice to the plea for sane spending. It can't just be any wild or wasteful spending. These billions better be for infrastructure and not more bureaucracy. Please, let's do this right and not just make a big financial mess for the future.

I just reached for the remote to turn off the tube, but instead I switched to C-span. I need an intervention now. HELP!

He's In!!

Two things come to mind -- thank God we made it through this critical moment of history; He's in and Alive! (And, Bush is gone! )

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Yes, I began crying around 8:30 am (MST) and didn't really stop until Aretha sang. That was not a shining moment (IMHO.) Over the weekend I recorded Ray Charles singing "America the Beautiful" during the Obama train trip to Washington. I sobbed like a baby. Aretha just made me grit my teeth. And, even tho ultimately the Quartet was lively, it sounded funereal at first (and depressing.) I found several things odd: the poem was odd, even parts of Obama's speech were odd. I guess expectations were SO high...

But, here he comes to the luncheon with the Flourish "Hail to the Chief", being introduced as the President of the United States and that makes me cry again!!

I have my own DVD of the day. I channel-surfed lots of viewpoints and angles. The crowd of millions was so awesome, the sights and spectacle breath-taking. And, there's more to come. The parade, the commentary, the reality of it all. One thing that really struck me during the ceremonies was the idea that racism is far from over in the US. My own cousins continue to send horrible, offensive emails to me. Young black men will continue to be thrown to the ground and shot, just as one was two weeks ago. Bigotry, hate, resentment and fear are not easily dissolved. But, with a multi-racial President holding the highest office, surely tolerance will be more prevalent and discrimination dissipated. Today we have hope! Yes, "hope over fear" -- finally!

Out of the Muck

I've been trying to figure out how to reconcile my mindfulness practice (which is calm and inwardly focused) to my near rage and desire to blast out at the political fear-mongering McCain tactics. Then I realized how these issues are directly related.

In one of the Compassion parables, the story goes that a person leaves the market, arms full of produce and food for their family. Another person roughly bumps into them and both fall down amid broken eggs, running juice and bruised fruits and vegetables. The angry shopper is about to yell out, "Are you blind?" when he realizes the person who bumped him is indeed blind. His anger quickly vanishes, and he helps the blind person up out of the muck.

So, I want to yell out, "Are you stupid?" to the voters who seem so blind to the vicious and abhorrent McCain tactics, but then I realize many of them truly are ignorant -- oblivious to the facts. It's our responsibility to shed light on the facts, not join the name calling and same nasty tactics we despise. McCain, of all politicians, should have compassion recalling the unconscionable tactics Bush used to destroy him in the 2000 republican primary.

Resorting to character assassination by attempting to link Obama to a 1960's radical anti-war activist (when Obama was only a child at that time) is ridiculous. Clear-eyed facts are our only hope of winning this election. Irrational emotional responses will only escalate tensions and divisions.

This is why I must stop ranting here. As much as I want to rant, and ranting is my Number One Klesha, it's the absolute antithesis to converting even one voter to Obama. Compassion, not anger, is the only antidote to fear. And, fear is the issue. People are afraid of terrorists, evil, the economy, loss of jobs, wall street "fat cats", and mostly of losing the America they love. If we, as Democrats, aren't compassionate and assuring, republicans and even independents, will run ever further to the Right (you know, their "guns and religion" - yikes how offensive was that!)

Ranting won't help. Making fun of Palin on SNL, in the media and blogosphere, is a sure fire way to increase opposition to Obama. So is Maher's outrageous commentary and "Religulous" mocking movie. Kay's compassionate messages and taking time to speak one-on-one with people is our only hope. Thank you Kay, and may we all be more mellow and less hostile, in our message of Hope. Let's think before we curse at the blind person. And, even better, let's help them out of the muck.