Saturday. Sofa. Coffee.
Rules and laws are necessary; a source of immediate, useful wisdom of generations that have gone before. The body of rules and laws that grow through the decades, centuries, millenia, are not perfect, but rather a work in progress marked by the timeless pattern of two steps forward, one step back, a rhythm that probably had its beginning when our ancestors decided that walking on their hands to the dinner campfire was making the meat too gritty.
Frustration sets in when we feel like the value of our generation's contribution may be questionable. And it is easy to sit in judgment of a particular moment in the past when our ancestors made horrible mistakes, so easy to see in hindsight. But if one steps way back for some perspective, the direction is generally forward, advancing civilization and humanity in positive ways.
But rules and laws have limitations, at least the way we humans choose to use them. We want to know the minimum daily requirement.
Rules and laws become our standards for how little we can do to get by, or how much we can do and still stay on the good side of the law.
That sounds worse than it is. In fact, that is probably a good definition for rules and laws. The Rule of Law, even imperfectly executed, has been and continues to be a foundation for the advancement of human civilization. Or if not the advancement, then at least it has prevented us from killing each other off until we can come up with something better.
Rules and laws are not enough.
There must be something more that drives us to exceed the minimum daily requirement if things are going to get better.
Take the ten commandments, the tablets God prescribed to cure human ills. Ten rules. Simply and clearly stated. (Perhaps because Moses could not have carried more than two tablets, we'll never know.) But those who were called to follow the Decalogue also felt called to define them. After a few hundred years the Commandments became a way to be good enough, but also an excuse for not "getting better." I haven't murdered, coveted, adulterated, swore falsely, stole, forged graven images or false gods or worshipped any other god, haven't worked on the sabbath, haven't mistreated my parents, and haven't used God's name in vain, so I'm okay. Nothing else is required.
Jesus tried to straighten this out. He often said "It was written . . ." or "It has been said . . ." and then He would say "but now I tell you . . ." Murder became a matter of what is in your heart. Adultery came to include what is in your thoughts. Other gods are all the things that we give a higher priority than we give to God. According to Jesus there is no minimum requirement. If one were able to flawlessly follow the law as He described, there would be no room for improvement. There would be perfection.
The original ten commandments were much more manageable. More black and white. Or terra cotta and black. (I am ignorant of the geology of Mt. Sinai)
And we like black and white. If the written law is our only standard, we have some wiggle room.
If our only standard is to satisfy the law, we can still pollute the air and water. Maybe not as much as we would if environmental laws did not exist, but a certain amount is legal, so that makes it right, doesn't it?
We can still take advantage of employees. Maybe not as much as we would if labor laws did not exist. But some things are still legal, so that makes it okay, doesn't it?
We can still rent out substandard housing. Maybe not as much as we could if housing laws did not exist. But we can still get away with a lot. If it were wrong, we couldn't get away with it, could we?
We can still ignore the cry of the needy. After all, we pay taxes for welfare programs. I've got no choice. The government takes my money to give them. If they're still crying, that's not my problem is it? I follow the law, that's enough isn't it?
Rules and laws serve us well. They are necessary.
But they are not enough.
Take the U. S. Congress for instance.
A majority party with sixty votes doesn't have to listen to what anyone else thinks. A minority party with forty one votes can stop anything that the huge opposing majority is trying to do.
Those are the rules. That is the law.
That makes it okay, doesn't it?
.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Minority Report Card
I am frustrated with politics. A couple of posts back I expressed dismay with the U. S. Supreme Court's opinion in Citizens United vs. FEC which will allow corporations to spend as much money as they want to in any federal election. The decision upset my idealistic notion of how our democratic republic is supposed to work. Big money should not translate into big power in federal government. Naive, I know. But in reflection I've decided it won't be that big a deal.
After Congress's performance the last few months, surely no CEO worth her or his salt would spend more than a few dollars on the whole kit and caboodle. I don't mean that, it's just the frustration talking. I still believe that our Congressmen and women desire to serve the best interest of our nation.
But still, many in Congress are behaving very poorly. It serves no purpose for me to try to address that in my present state. Maybe tomorrow.
I think I have identified a problem.
It is not so much the majority party that lets us down. It is the minority.
I'm not saying that just because the Republicans are the minority party right now.
Let's review.
In 2002 President George W. Bush was determined to act on a long-held desire to attack Iraq. He and his Vice President did so by fraudulently linking Iraq to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City in 2001.
Republicans were the majority party in Congress. One would expect them to generally support the Republican president. And let's face it, in recent history Republicans have tended to favor military actions in the middle east, and the "war on terror." So in supporting the Iraq War, they were acting as expected.
But the Democrats were the minority party in 2002. And let's face it, Democrats generally tend to be more reluctant to go to war. And here is where the Democrats were not a good minority party. They betrayed their character, the reasons they were elected. They were not elected to be like Republicans. They were elected to be Democrats and give voice to those ideas and ideals that Democrats hold, even without enough votes to win the day.
But the Democrats failed to be a valuable minority party. A few voted against the Iraq War resolution, but more voted in favor. And very few questioned the Iraq policies with much fervor. They did what they thought was politically wise.
I don't know whether the Democrats could have helped our government make a better decision about the Iraq War had they insisted on more debate, We'll never know, because the Democrats failed to be a good minority party. That failure may have cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars.
But the Republicans aren't doing any better. They are failing the same way, but differently.
Republicans, at their best, can be trusted to be in favor of fiscal responsibility. They are supposed to be conservative, financially. And so it is a valuable thing to have that voice in Congress, even as the minority, during these times when so much money has been spent because of the financial crisis, and the programs that the Democrats want will require more spending.
But the Republicans failed to be a good minority party. Most Republicans in Congress acknowledge and believe that some health reform is needed. But instead of making an effort to truly assist the process to get the best health reform legislation by keeping pressure on the costs, they simply voted against everything, even things that they themselves had proposed earlier in the process and in years past. They made it clear, this was not about health care. It was about handing President Obama a defeat. Obama's "waterloo" as South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint called it. "It will break him."
The Republicans sold out, just like the Democrats before the Iraq War. Their first priority was their political well-being. The nation's interests came in a distant second. We could have used a dose of fiscal responsibility offered in a spirit of doing what was best for our country. What we got was nothing.
I am not really naive. I know that the minority party is not interested in making a President from the other party look good. I know that members of Congress want to be re-elected.
And I know that sometimes Congressmen are going to truly be so opposed to something upon which they cannot compromise.
The Parties just got it backward.
War should be a matter where compromise comes, if at all, only after much intense deliberation, debate and examination. The Democrats folded up quicker than a cheap lawn chair.
Health care reform is needed. Republicans have said so time after time after time. So this was an issue upon which compromise should have been assumed. Republicans became the Viagra party. Unnaturally stiff. But come to think of it, helpful for what they were trying to do to the President.
Minority parties are important.
To keep some balance.
Congressional Yin Yang if you will.
Another Chinese import. Politically touchy.
Guess we know how that will turn out.
.
After Congress's performance the last few months, surely no CEO worth her or his salt would spend more than a few dollars on the whole kit and caboodle. I don't mean that, it's just the frustration talking. I still believe that our Congressmen and women desire to serve the best interest of our nation.
But still, many in Congress are behaving very poorly. It serves no purpose for me to try to address that in my present state. Maybe tomorrow.
I think I have identified a problem.
It is not so much the majority party that lets us down. It is the minority.
I'm not saying that just because the Republicans are the minority party right now.
Let's review.
In 2002 President George W. Bush was determined to act on a long-held desire to attack Iraq. He and his Vice President did so by fraudulently linking Iraq to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City in 2001.
Republicans were the majority party in Congress. One would expect them to generally support the Republican president. And let's face it, in recent history Republicans have tended to favor military actions in the middle east, and the "war on terror." So in supporting the Iraq War, they were acting as expected.
But the Democrats were the minority party in 2002. And let's face it, Democrats generally tend to be more reluctant to go to war. And here is where the Democrats were not a good minority party. They betrayed their character, the reasons they were elected. They were not elected to be like Republicans. They were elected to be Democrats and give voice to those ideas and ideals that Democrats hold, even without enough votes to win the day.
But the Democrats failed to be a valuable minority party. A few voted against the Iraq War resolution, but more voted in favor. And very few questioned the Iraq policies with much fervor. They did what they thought was politically wise.
I don't know whether the Democrats could have helped our government make a better decision about the Iraq War had they insisted on more debate, We'll never know, because the Democrats failed to be a good minority party. That failure may have cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars.
But the Republicans aren't doing any better. They are failing the same way, but differently.
Republicans, at their best, can be trusted to be in favor of fiscal responsibility. They are supposed to be conservative, financially. And so it is a valuable thing to have that voice in Congress, even as the minority, during these times when so much money has been spent because of the financial crisis, and the programs that the Democrats want will require more spending.
But the Republicans failed to be a good minority party. Most Republicans in Congress acknowledge and believe that some health reform is needed. But instead of making an effort to truly assist the process to get the best health reform legislation by keeping pressure on the costs, they simply voted against everything, even things that they themselves had proposed earlier in the process and in years past. They made it clear, this was not about health care. It was about handing President Obama a defeat. Obama's "waterloo" as South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint called it. "It will break him."
The Republicans sold out, just like the Democrats before the Iraq War. Their first priority was their political well-being. The nation's interests came in a distant second. We could have used a dose of fiscal responsibility offered in a spirit of doing what was best for our country. What we got was nothing.
I am not really naive. I know that the minority party is not interested in making a President from the other party look good. I know that members of Congress want to be re-elected.
And I know that sometimes Congressmen are going to truly be so opposed to something upon which they cannot compromise.
The Parties just got it backward.
War should be a matter where compromise comes, if at all, only after much intense deliberation, debate and examination. The Democrats folded up quicker than a cheap lawn chair.
Health care reform is needed. Republicans have said so time after time after time. So this was an issue upon which compromise should have been assumed. Republicans became the Viagra party. Unnaturally stiff. But come to think of it, helpful for what they were trying to do to the President.
Minority parties are important.
To keep some balance.
Congressional Yin Yang if you will.
Another Chinese import. Politically touchy.
Guess we know how that will turn out.
.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Read Badge of Courage, just not when I was supposed to . . .
Saturday. Sofa. Coffee.
It is Saturday morning after all. On Saturday mornings I prefer not to get all het up, but just listening to the news has set my kindling to smolderin'. When the dulcet tones of NPR get me fired up, it is time to hit the lotus position and meditate.
Or maybe just hit something.
By the way, I am heartened that one can google the phrase "all het up" and find definitions. Even origins. The main reference in literature is in "The Red Badge of Courage," Stephen Crane's novel which endeared itself to millions of junior high boys for its subject of war and deception, and its brevity for book report purposes.
I always loved to read. The problem was, I did not enjoy reading on demand. Even when Mrs. Lybrand allowed us to choose among thirty or forty perfectly wonderful books, something in my adolescent psyche rebelled. I put off reading the book until the last minute . . .literally the last minute a time or two.
Don't judge me.
With the minute that I had I reviewed the information I had gleaned. The title of the book. The author, who I probably remembered something about from class or from another of the author's books that I read voluntarily. The artwork (paperbacks gave a significant advantage here). The comments on the back cover and jacket (hardbacks definitely the better choice here). Mental notes of any mentions of the book in class or elsewhere.
With the 45 seconds I had left I would review the first page or two (which I had usually read earlier in a good faith effort to change my ways), the titles and sub-titles of the chapters (writers who just numbered their chapters were inexcusably lazy) and the last couple of pages.
I got by. At least for the oral report in class that day. At the time I thought I fooled my teacher. Now I wonder if she just gave me massive credit for gall and creativity.
I learned something important from those oral book reports.
A lot of folks can tell you about a book, but no one can read it for you.
.
It is Saturday morning after all. On Saturday mornings I prefer not to get all het up, but just listening to the news has set my kindling to smolderin'. When the dulcet tones of NPR get me fired up, it is time to hit the lotus position and meditate.
Or maybe just hit something.
By the way, I am heartened that one can google the phrase "all het up" and find definitions. Even origins. The main reference in literature is in "The Red Badge of Courage," Stephen Crane's novel which endeared itself to millions of junior high boys for its subject of war and deception, and its brevity for book report purposes.
I always loved to read. The problem was, I did not enjoy reading on demand. Even when Mrs. Lybrand allowed us to choose among thirty or forty perfectly wonderful books, something in my adolescent psyche rebelled. I put off reading the book until the last minute . . .literally the last minute a time or two.
Don't judge me.
With the minute that I had I reviewed the information I had gleaned. The title of the book. The author, who I probably remembered something about from class or from another of the author's books that I read voluntarily. The artwork (paperbacks gave a significant advantage here). The comments on the back cover and jacket (hardbacks definitely the better choice here). Mental notes of any mentions of the book in class or elsewhere.
With the 45 seconds I had left I would review the first page or two (which I had usually read earlier in a good faith effort to change my ways), the titles and sub-titles of the chapters (writers who just numbered their chapters were inexcusably lazy) and the last couple of pages.
I got by. At least for the oral report in class that day. At the time I thought I fooled my teacher. Now I wonder if she just gave me massive credit for gall and creativity.
I learned something important from those oral book reports.
A lot of folks can tell you about a book, but no one can read it for you.
.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Quick, hand me the judicial ridalin . . .
Let's face it, when we are drawing our last breaths it won't be the things, the stuff in life that we remember, that we long to be with us in these final moments. No it won't be the artificial, the superficial, the plastic that we recognize as precious.
It will be those persons that have shared this terrestrial journey with us.
And today I know I can rest a bit easier, if not in peace, that millions of those "persons" have finally been released from oppression. Free at last. Whole persons. The foot of the man has been removed from the throat, the political vocal cords of . . .
Exxon. Blackwater. Microsoft. Wal-Mart. General Electric Lockheed and millions of poor wretched corporations across the country. Their long nightmare has ended. Power to the people, or at least quasi-people.
Sacrificing their self-proclaimed status as non-activist judges, five U. S. Supreme Court Justices could not resist the tugging on their hearts, (they are only human after all) and indulged in hyperactivity from the bench, ignoring decades of established precedence. Justices Roberts, Scalia, Alito, and Thomas agreed with Justice Kennedy, the author of the opinion in Citizens United vs. the Federal Election Committee. Corporations have been recognized as persons for years. Now corporations have been given the same constitutional rights that you and I enjoy, particularly first amendment rights. For all practical purposes, corporations are now people, according to the U. S. Supreme Court. Except that corporations have a lot more money, have no morality other than making a profit, and many are owned in part by citizens of other countries.
To put it simply, as of today, Exxon or Haliburton, the AFL-CIO or Move On. org can put as much money into any federal campaign it wishes. With no limitations, the mega-corporations, many of which have major foreign stockholders, can spend billions, if they choose, on one U. S. Senate or Congressional race, or on all of them. And our votes will be sold to the highest bidder.
What will happen? Oil, gas and coal companies will buy enough Congressmen and Senators to open wilderness and off-shore drilling and gut environmental regulations. Financial Institutions will buy enough Congressmen and Senators to deregulate banks and eliminate consumer protections. GE and Lockheed will buy enough Senators and Congressmen to keep the military industrial complex healthy. Corporate taxes, and taxes on higher income individuals will be cut. Programs for lower income folks will be cut. The free press will be in jeopardy as media is deregulated even further and controlled by mega business. And I am not going down the paranoid road of what happens when a very wealthy Iranian ends up buying a Senator or Congressman through a broker (launderer) corporation, I mean U. S. citizen.
But of course it is fair because you and I have the same right. Our money is also recognized as free speech when it comes to political communications. So no problem. I'll look under the sofa cushions, you get the change out of the console of the car. Let's see how many Senators or Congressmen you and I can buy.
What's good for business is good for America.
Great ad slogan.
Terrible law.
.
It will be those persons that have shared this terrestrial journey with us.
And today I know I can rest a bit easier, if not in peace, that millions of those "persons" have finally been released from oppression. Free at last. Whole persons. The foot of the man has been removed from the throat, the political vocal cords of . . .
Exxon. Blackwater. Microsoft. Wal-Mart. General Electric Lockheed and millions of poor wretched corporations across the country. Their long nightmare has ended. Power to the people, or at least quasi-people.
Sacrificing their self-proclaimed status as non-activist judges, five U. S. Supreme Court Justices could not resist the tugging on their hearts, (they are only human after all) and indulged in hyperactivity from the bench, ignoring decades of established precedence. Justices Roberts, Scalia, Alito, and Thomas agreed with Justice Kennedy, the author of the opinion in Citizens United vs. the Federal Election Committee. Corporations have been recognized as persons for years. Now corporations have been given the same constitutional rights that you and I enjoy, particularly first amendment rights. For all practical purposes, corporations are now people, according to the U. S. Supreme Court. Except that corporations have a lot more money, have no morality other than making a profit, and many are owned in part by citizens of other countries.
To put it simply, as of today, Exxon or Haliburton, the AFL-CIO or Move On. org can put as much money into any federal campaign it wishes. With no limitations, the mega-corporations, many of which have major foreign stockholders, can spend billions, if they choose, on one U. S. Senate or Congressional race, or on all of them. And our votes will be sold to the highest bidder.
What will happen? Oil, gas and coal companies will buy enough Congressmen and Senators to open wilderness and off-shore drilling and gut environmental regulations. Financial Institutions will buy enough Congressmen and Senators to deregulate banks and eliminate consumer protections. GE and Lockheed will buy enough Senators and Congressmen to keep the military industrial complex healthy. Corporate taxes, and taxes on higher income individuals will be cut. Programs for lower income folks will be cut. The free press will be in jeopardy as media is deregulated even further and controlled by mega business. And I am not going down the paranoid road of what happens when a very wealthy Iranian ends up buying a Senator or Congressman through a broker (launderer) corporation, I mean U. S. citizen.
But of course it is fair because you and I have the same right. Our money is also recognized as free speech when it comes to political communications. So no problem. I'll look under the sofa cushions, you get the change out of the console of the car. Let's see how many Senators or Congressmen you and I can buy.
What's good for business is good for America.
Great ad slogan.
Terrible law.
.
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