Resist and Persist
The View from the Middle
Hillary Clinton recently went on TV and suggested that the Democrat Party should engage in “resistance and persistence”. That may be a cute slogan. It does rhyme, and it may even be a strategy to insure that Donald Trump fails (and America with him) but it is hardly a platform. The Democrat Party seems to be hoping desperately for a disaster and doing everything they can to deliver one. Doesn’t that just make you want to vote for them?
They are also manically employing the “sticks and stones” strategy that they used during the general election. They miss no opportunity to call President Trump and anyone who dared vote for him misogynists, xenophobes, racists, bigots, homophobes and Islamophobes. Remember Hillary’s basket of deplorables? Now they have added an accusation of anti Semitism to their diatribe despite the fact that it is difficult to be anti Semitic and an Islamophobe at the same time. But the beauty of their insults is that they don’t depend on any proof or any connection to the truth to make them.
I guess calling half of America a basket of deplorable bigots just doesn’t cut it anymore, however. It is clear to me that the DNC is offering bonuses to any lame stream media commentator who can connect Donald Trump to the most heinous people in world history. I heard liberal talking head Bernard Whitman do a particularly good job of this the other day as he compared Trump to Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong in the same sentence.
Don’t get hung up on the fact that these three sociopaths killed between 75 and 100 MILLION people. And if they can’t make any ridiculous personal comparisons, they just exaggerate events. The other day, I heard General Flynn’s conversation with the Russian Ambassador compared to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor. Now those are comparisons that only the most loyal liberal fanatics can embrace.
My point is, what’s lacking in the Democrat Party right now is an actual platform. What do they actually stand for? Are they for open borders? Make your case. Are you for amnesty and citizenship for law abiding illegals? (Wow, is that an oxymoron or what) Are you for legalization, which is a very different proposal? Make your case. Do you want more regulations and higher taxes? Make your case.
Despite how much the American people may not like Donald Trump’s behavior, if his platform starts to deliver positive results, the Democrat Party may be in for a series of long hot summers. I still think, however, they would be better off to share and explain their platform than being the party of “If you don’t think like me, you disgust me” or “I’m really hoping for a disaster for American so I can get my power back”.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Monday, February 13, 2017
Gorsuch, A Glimmer of Hope
Gorsuch, A Glimmer of Hope
The View from the Middle
Well, it’s official. We have an entirely dysfunctional government. Let’s start at the top. We have a president whose policies I support, but whose behavior I don’t. I do want border security and tax reform. I want school choice and regulatory reform. I’m for the rule of law and for creating good paying American jobs, etc. I’m not for ridiculing the opposition just for thinking differently than I do. That’s a Saul Alinsky strategy to create division, anger and even hatred. It’s a tactic that may work in the short term to move power from one place to another, but in the long term it will destroy what is great about America. I would encourage our President to pursue his agenda, that’s what he was elected to do, but to do it with respect for his opponents.
Then we have the Democrat Party who is redefining the role of the loyal opposition. Its tactics of suppressing free speech and encouraging violence by not denouncing it are repulsive. They have even created a literal playbook on how to block Donald Trump at every turn. And their goal is not simply to hinder Trump, but it is to make him unsuccessful. What they don’t realize is that the real loser of that type of strategy is the American people. The Democrats are crossing the line between reasonable argument and treachery. The good news is that I have noticed a few Democrats suggesting that this strategy is unwise. They may yet save the Democrat party from devolving into the party of hatred, prejudice and chaos.
And while all this partisan brinkmanship has been playing out in Washington, the press has perverted its intended role as watchdog to being an attack-dog on Trump and a lapdog for the DNC. Trump deserves some of the negative coverage he has received, and many would argue that he is his own worst enemy for making some of his comments. But shouldn’t there be some balance. He HAS been extremely active. He has met with big business, unions, black leaders and today he is meeting to explore how to encourage women entrepreneurs. Is it no wonder that the approval of the Press is even lower than Trump’s?
And just when you think the courts could play their intended role and bring some sanity to the situation, they stooped to the same political hackery that Washington is famous for. I thought the justices were just supposed to interpret the law, but in every story about Trump’s travel delay executive order, all the talking heads could discuss was the political ideology of each judge. And the decisions came down just as expected based on those beliefs. The first judge never even made a legal argument for his decision and the three-judge panel from the 9th circuit never even sited the law that gives the President broad powers to control immigration. And don’t take my word for it. Just ask Alan Dershowitz or Jonathon Turley, two (hardly conservative) constitutional experts.
What virtually every American wants to see is civility in Washington, truth being reported by the media and politicians working together to make things better for the country. Maybe they should all take a hint from Dwight Eisenhower, who may have been our least partisan President who also delivered possibly the most peaceful, productive and successful eight years in office.
There is one glimmer of hope on the horizon, which could speak well of the President, Congress and the Courts at the same time, and that glimmer is spelled - NEIL GORSUCH. By almost all thoughtful opinions on both sides of the aisle, he is eminently qualified to be the Supreme Court Justice to replace the legendary Antonin Scalia. His nomination speaks very positively of Donald Trump’s judgment. IF the Senate can confirm him with more than 60 votes (avoiding the nuclear option) it would suggest that some of the partisan politics have been tamped down and some progress could be made in the future. And of course, Neil Gorsuch would be a great addition to the Supreme Court. Neil Gorsuch would be a big win for everyone, including the American people.
Now, someone needs to throw some cold water on the press!
The View from the Middle
Well, it’s official. We have an entirely dysfunctional government. Let’s start at the top. We have a president whose policies I support, but whose behavior I don’t. I do want border security and tax reform. I want school choice and regulatory reform. I’m for the rule of law and for creating good paying American jobs, etc. I’m not for ridiculing the opposition just for thinking differently than I do. That’s a Saul Alinsky strategy to create division, anger and even hatred. It’s a tactic that may work in the short term to move power from one place to another, but in the long term it will destroy what is great about America. I would encourage our President to pursue his agenda, that’s what he was elected to do, but to do it with respect for his opponents.
Then we have the Democrat Party who is redefining the role of the loyal opposition. Its tactics of suppressing free speech and encouraging violence by not denouncing it are repulsive. They have even created a literal playbook on how to block Donald Trump at every turn. And their goal is not simply to hinder Trump, but it is to make him unsuccessful. What they don’t realize is that the real loser of that type of strategy is the American people. The Democrats are crossing the line between reasonable argument and treachery. The good news is that I have noticed a few Democrats suggesting that this strategy is unwise. They may yet save the Democrat party from devolving into the party of hatred, prejudice and chaos.
And while all this partisan brinkmanship has been playing out in Washington, the press has perverted its intended role as watchdog to being an attack-dog on Trump and a lapdog for the DNC. Trump deserves some of the negative coverage he has received, and many would argue that he is his own worst enemy for making some of his comments. But shouldn’t there be some balance. He HAS been extremely active. He has met with big business, unions, black leaders and today he is meeting to explore how to encourage women entrepreneurs. Is it no wonder that the approval of the Press is even lower than Trump’s?
And just when you think the courts could play their intended role and bring some sanity to the situation, they stooped to the same political hackery that Washington is famous for. I thought the justices were just supposed to interpret the law, but in every story about Trump’s travel delay executive order, all the talking heads could discuss was the political ideology of each judge. And the decisions came down just as expected based on those beliefs. The first judge never even made a legal argument for his decision and the three-judge panel from the 9th circuit never even sited the law that gives the President broad powers to control immigration. And don’t take my word for it. Just ask Alan Dershowitz or Jonathon Turley, two (hardly conservative) constitutional experts.
What virtually every American wants to see is civility in Washington, truth being reported by the media and politicians working together to make things better for the country. Maybe they should all take a hint from Dwight Eisenhower, who may have been our least partisan President who also delivered possibly the most peaceful, productive and successful eight years in office.
There is one glimmer of hope on the horizon, which could speak well of the President, Congress and the Courts at the same time, and that glimmer is spelled - NEIL GORSUCH. By almost all thoughtful opinions on both sides of the aisle, he is eminently qualified to be the Supreme Court Justice to replace the legendary Antonin Scalia. His nomination speaks very positively of Donald Trump’s judgment. IF the Senate can confirm him with more than 60 votes (avoiding the nuclear option) it would suggest that some of the partisan politics have been tamped down and some progress could be made in the future. And of course, Neil Gorsuch would be a great addition to the Supreme Court. Neil Gorsuch would be a big win for everyone, including the American people.
Now, someone needs to throw some cold water on the press!
Thursday, February 2, 2017
A Prayerful President
A Prayerful President
The View from the Middle
As is appropriate, I think, this morning I was praying for President Trump as he prepared to deliver his remarks at the prayer breakfast. I wasn’t praying for a delivery like John Kennedy or Ronald Reagan or even a Barack Obama. I think I know Trump’s strengths and weaknesses well enough to accept that he is not as articulate as those great communicators. I was praying for wise and uniting words, and my prayers were answered.
He was actually humorous and gracious. He started by saying how wonderful this tradition is and was looking forward to coming back for seven more years, which brought laughter from the crowd. And for you “never Trumpers”, come on. If that had come from Obama, you would be falling all over yourselves with praise. Then he patted VP, Pence on the back by rating him a 12 on a scale of 1-10. He said that whenever people question him, they always look at his choice of Mike Pence and say, “He (Trump) must know what he’s doing.”
He showed his passion and respect for the military. He compared our soldiers to Christ when he quoted John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Powerful! He said the American soldier has no party or specific creed or ideology, but only embraces the bond of loyalty that links us all together as a nation of believers.
He defended religious freedom for all faiths that accept our values of liberty and equal opportunity for all. And probably his greatest line came as he talked about our great country’s connection and reliance on God. Specifically, he said, “As long as we have God, we are never alone. Whether it’s the soldier on the night watch, or the single parent on the night shift, God will always give us solace and strength and comfort.” Sorry to the atheists out there, but this is utterly appropriate for the prayer breakfast.
It was exactly what I had hoped for. It was positive. It was uniting and it was appropriate. Yet, at one point he slipped off the path for a few seconds as he took a little shot at Arnold Schwarzenegger and his ratings on The Apprentice. It was just a few seconds and may have been an inside joke with Arnold (Trump did say that we should pray for his ratings), but what was the headlines from CNN et al? “Trump takes shot at Arnold Schwarzenegger”. If these reports had been around in 1863 and heard Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, their headline would have been, “Lincoln doesn’t have much to say at Gettysburg”.
I didn’t like the “Lyin’ Ted” comments back during the campaign, and I didn’t like the “Cryin’ Chuck” comment the other day, but when Trump does something well, I will continue to point it out.
The View from the Middle
As is appropriate, I think, this morning I was praying for President Trump as he prepared to deliver his remarks at the prayer breakfast. I wasn’t praying for a delivery like John Kennedy or Ronald Reagan or even a Barack Obama. I think I know Trump’s strengths and weaknesses well enough to accept that he is not as articulate as those great communicators. I was praying for wise and uniting words, and my prayers were answered.
He was actually humorous and gracious. He started by saying how wonderful this tradition is and was looking forward to coming back for seven more years, which brought laughter from the crowd. And for you “never Trumpers”, come on. If that had come from Obama, you would be falling all over yourselves with praise. Then he patted VP, Pence on the back by rating him a 12 on a scale of 1-10. He said that whenever people question him, they always look at his choice of Mike Pence and say, “He (Trump) must know what he’s doing.”
He showed his passion and respect for the military. He compared our soldiers to Christ when he quoted John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Powerful! He said the American soldier has no party or specific creed or ideology, but only embraces the bond of loyalty that links us all together as a nation of believers.
He defended religious freedom for all faiths that accept our values of liberty and equal opportunity for all. And probably his greatest line came as he talked about our great country’s connection and reliance on God. Specifically, he said, “As long as we have God, we are never alone. Whether it’s the soldier on the night watch, or the single parent on the night shift, God will always give us solace and strength and comfort.” Sorry to the atheists out there, but this is utterly appropriate for the prayer breakfast.
It was exactly what I had hoped for. It was positive. It was uniting and it was appropriate. Yet, at one point he slipped off the path for a few seconds as he took a little shot at Arnold Schwarzenegger and his ratings on The Apprentice. It was just a few seconds and may have been an inside joke with Arnold (Trump did say that we should pray for his ratings), but what was the headlines from CNN et al? “Trump takes shot at Arnold Schwarzenegger”. If these reports had been around in 1863 and heard Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, their headline would have been, “Lincoln doesn’t have much to say at Gettysburg”.
I didn’t like the “Lyin’ Ted” comments back during the campaign, and I didn’t like the “Cryin’ Chuck” comment the other day, but when Trump does something well, I will continue to point it out.
Monday, January 30, 2017
The Trump Travel Ban
Trump’s Travel Ban
The View from the Middle
I was just watching The Five on Fox News and heard one of the great comments yet on the media’s reaction to Trump’s travel ban. Dana Perino compared the coverage of the Trump travel ban to the coverage of hurricane Katrina back in 2005. Her point was that the coverage was devastating and that the pictures of protesters and weeping passengers were so very compelling. The entire group just nodded their heads in agreement. But they all missed the point. Unfortunately, even Dana missed the real perspective she was bringing to this story.
In the Trump ban, 115 or so people were inconvenienced. I’m not suggesting that I don’t feel for those people. I’ve been stranded in airports, and I was not being questioned as a potential terrorist. I’m sure it was not fun. I was, however in Israel once and was vetted pretty aggressively. I made no complaints.
So, 115 people inconvenienced. Let me give you some of the statistics of the fallout from Katrina.
-1,833 deaths
-One Million people displaced
-108 Billion dollars in property damages
I could go on with the statistics, but please get the point. The media covered a minor inconvenience for 115 people, who, as of today, have been released and are on their merry way in America (oops, 2 people were sent back) with the same passion, volume and criticism as they did Katrina. Enough said. Just think about that.
The View from the Middle
I was just watching The Five on Fox News and heard one of the great comments yet on the media’s reaction to Trump’s travel ban. Dana Perino compared the coverage of the Trump travel ban to the coverage of hurricane Katrina back in 2005. Her point was that the coverage was devastating and that the pictures of protesters and weeping passengers were so very compelling. The entire group just nodded their heads in agreement. But they all missed the point. Unfortunately, even Dana missed the real perspective she was bringing to this story.
In the Trump ban, 115 or so people were inconvenienced. I’m not suggesting that I don’t feel for those people. I’ve been stranded in airports, and I was not being questioned as a potential terrorist. I’m sure it was not fun. I was, however in Israel once and was vetted pretty aggressively. I made no complaints.
So, 115 people inconvenienced. Let me give you some of the statistics of the fallout from Katrina.
-1,833 deaths
-One Million people displaced
-108 Billion dollars in property damages
I could go on with the statistics, but please get the point. The media covered a minor inconvenience for 115 people, who, as of today, have been released and are on their merry way in America (oops, 2 people were sent back) with the same passion, volume and criticism as they did Katrina. Enough said. Just think about that.
Saturday, January 21, 2017
The Trump Inaugural - One for the Ages?
Trump’s Inaugural – One for the Ages?
The View from the Middle
The measure of every inaugural address rests in a combination of the words articulated but also the delivery of their messages. I can still remember seeing John Kennedy’s breath in that cold morning in 1961 as he implored us to “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. I can also recall the great communicator, Ronald Reagan, as he suggested that “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government IS the problem…”
While Donald Trump adequately delivered his speech today, I don’t think he delivered it with the same affect of Kennedy or Reagan. To insure, however, that I captured the essence of his speech, I printed the transcript and read his words, which I think may elevate this speech to a more memorable level.
Personally, I was looking for a message of unity, and I was disturbed when some commentators insinuated that he didn’t deliver it. After reviewing the transcript, I found at least nine accounts on unity. In fact, I concluded that unity was the major theme. So, what else had the talking heads missed?
President Trump had some great one-liners, all under the theme of unity. The first one that stuck out to me was short but inclusive and positive as he said that, “We (all) share one heart, one home and one glorious destiny.” We are all together in this struggle called life, and while we have different approaches to resolving issues, we must remember that we share the same goals. We all want smart kids, less violent crime and less poverty and misery. It is these goals the bind us together.
He next opened the door to healthy debate as he said that, “We must speak out minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.” This is an open door to Democrats and event the “never Trump” Republicans to have a dialogue in pursuit of progress and solutions. We all must admit that Donald Trump has already demonstrated this ability as we have watched his cabinet nominees differ from his positions with his encouragement. We have also watched the eclectic collection of people he has met at Trump Tower including Kanye West, Al Gore, Steve Harvey, Andrew Cuomo and Martin Luther King III.
And possibly my favorite line of the speech was, “whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the wind-swept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they will their hearts with the same dreams and they are infused with the breath of life by the same Almighty Creator.” Is there a race or gender or faith that wishes for poverty and government dependency? No! We are all born with the same aspirations for success and righteousness and freedom to pursue our own beliefs and goals. And who didn’t like the line that stated, “When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.”
Even his condemnations were non-partisan, and unbiased. He criticized Democrats and Republicans and the mainstream media alike as he said, “For too long, a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government while ‘the people’ have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians (Democrat and Republican) prospered, but the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.”
At a time when 81% of Americans don’t trust our government, this is not only the prevailing sentiment of the citizenry, but this statement actually captures the truth. And, THIS is what Americans are sick of and what swept Donald Trump into the White House.
He started slow and a little dark, but ended strong and aspirational with the vision of those two kids in urban Detroit and the wind-swept plains of Nebraska. Some have called this the “Forgotten Man” speech, although those words were only used once in the speech. I will call this the “Unity” speech because of its dominant theme.
If you have not read this speech, I would encourage you to do so with an open mind. The words may go down in history as the right message for the right time for the American people.
The View from the Middle
The measure of every inaugural address rests in a combination of the words articulated but also the delivery of their messages. I can still remember seeing John Kennedy’s breath in that cold morning in 1961 as he implored us to “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. I can also recall the great communicator, Ronald Reagan, as he suggested that “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government IS the problem…”
While Donald Trump adequately delivered his speech today, I don’t think he delivered it with the same affect of Kennedy or Reagan. To insure, however, that I captured the essence of his speech, I printed the transcript and read his words, which I think may elevate this speech to a more memorable level.
Personally, I was looking for a message of unity, and I was disturbed when some commentators insinuated that he didn’t deliver it. After reviewing the transcript, I found at least nine accounts on unity. In fact, I concluded that unity was the major theme. So, what else had the talking heads missed?
President Trump had some great one-liners, all under the theme of unity. The first one that stuck out to me was short but inclusive and positive as he said that, “We (all) share one heart, one home and one glorious destiny.” We are all together in this struggle called life, and while we have different approaches to resolving issues, we must remember that we share the same goals. We all want smart kids, less violent crime and less poverty and misery. It is these goals the bind us together.
He next opened the door to healthy debate as he said that, “We must speak out minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.” This is an open door to Democrats and event the “never Trump” Republicans to have a dialogue in pursuit of progress and solutions. We all must admit that Donald Trump has already demonstrated this ability as we have watched his cabinet nominees differ from his positions with his encouragement. We have also watched the eclectic collection of people he has met at Trump Tower including Kanye West, Al Gore, Steve Harvey, Andrew Cuomo and Martin Luther King III.
And possibly my favorite line of the speech was, “whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the wind-swept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they will their hearts with the same dreams and they are infused with the breath of life by the same Almighty Creator.” Is there a race or gender or faith that wishes for poverty and government dependency? No! We are all born with the same aspirations for success and righteousness and freedom to pursue our own beliefs and goals. And who didn’t like the line that stated, “When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.”
Even his condemnations were non-partisan, and unbiased. He criticized Democrats and Republicans and the mainstream media alike as he said, “For too long, a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government while ‘the people’ have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians (Democrat and Republican) prospered, but the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.”
At a time when 81% of Americans don’t trust our government, this is not only the prevailing sentiment of the citizenry, but this statement actually captures the truth. And, THIS is what Americans are sick of and what swept Donald Trump into the White House.
He started slow and a little dark, but ended strong and aspirational with the vision of those two kids in urban Detroit and the wind-swept plains of Nebraska. Some have called this the “Forgotten Man” speech, although those words were only used once in the speech. I will call this the “Unity” speech because of its dominant theme.
If you have not read this speech, I would encourage you to do so with an open mind. The words may go down in history as the right message for the right time for the American people.
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Obama's Farewell Address
Obama’s Farewell
The View from the Middle
If you have read my articles, you must know that I am a small government guy. I totally agree with Carly Fiorina’s assessment that our government is too large, too expensive, too corrupt, too inept, too wasteful and it is stifling the aspirations of our citizens. And since most Americans agree with most if not all of that appraisal, why would we want to make government bigger?
Yet, Barack Obama is a big government guy. If we have a problem, government is the solution. Have a problem with healthcare? Let’s put it under government control. Our kids’ math and science scores continue to fall behind other developed countries? Let’s throw gobs of money at our failing public school system. I don’t hate Barack Obama, but I do fundamentally disagree with most of his policies.
But when he says something good, I will be glad to report it and support it. With that in mind, I must confess that I actually agree with almost everything he said in his farewell address, and I hope ALL Americans were listening and willing to implement his suggestions. Let me layout a few of the themes I identified.
I thought his major overall message was one of unity, which I have written about often. He said, “We have to start with the premise that every American loves this country as much as we do.” Absolutely! He suggested that we must embrace new American citizens and allow them to participate in the promise of freedom that brought them here. But he also added that THEY must accept the American creed and assimilate into our society. I certainly can support both sides of that challenge.
He laid out a theme of civility, which I believe is sorely needed in our country today. He said, “ we must reject the bitter rancor in politics today”, and I do. Whether it is the grade school insults like “crooked Hillary”, or “lyin’ Ted” or the multi-syllabic, pseud-intellectual epithets like misogynist, or xenophobe or homophobe or bigot, he was denouncing them all. While the crowd cheered wildly at that comment, I hope they understand that there have been mountains of offenses from both sides of the political equation in this area.
He even proposed that Democrats and Republicans should listen and pay attention to “the middle-age white guy”. This was particularly gratifying to me for a couple of reasons. First, I am one of those guys, maybe at the high end of “middle-age”, but I’m in there. Secondly, it seems that it is still politically correct to denigrate, malign and even discriminate against that group. Now, he may have done this for political expediency, since this is the group that kept Hillary out of the White House, but it’s still nice to have the President stand up for me and my peeps.
Finally, he stated that we must have a peaceful transition of power from his administration to the new Trump administration. He also gave credit to George W. Bush for the handoff he gave to him. I am proud of George Bush for his transition, and I would hope that every President would see the benefit of such coordination. It is clear, however, that his fellow Democrats do NOT agree with the President on this subject as they try their best to distract, obstruct and delegitimize our next President. There is still time, however, and I hope Democrats, the media and even some “never Trump” Republicans will see the wisdom of President Obama’s words and stand down.
In my opinion, this farewell address rivaled his famous “there is no Black America and White America” speech of 2004. It was well constructed and well delivered (there was a bit of an echo problem, but you can’t blame Obama for that). But it was just words. Even according to President Obama, he did not deliver the unity that famous speech vowed.
Over the next few months and years, we, the American people, should continue to remind Mr. Obama and his supporters of the words he spoke in this farewell address. We need to hold them accountable and point out when they are being hypocritical of these promises. If they actually deliver on this pledge of unity and civility, I will be surprised, but pleased.
The View from the Middle
If you have read my articles, you must know that I am a small government guy. I totally agree with Carly Fiorina’s assessment that our government is too large, too expensive, too corrupt, too inept, too wasteful and it is stifling the aspirations of our citizens. And since most Americans agree with most if not all of that appraisal, why would we want to make government bigger?
Yet, Barack Obama is a big government guy. If we have a problem, government is the solution. Have a problem with healthcare? Let’s put it under government control. Our kids’ math and science scores continue to fall behind other developed countries? Let’s throw gobs of money at our failing public school system. I don’t hate Barack Obama, but I do fundamentally disagree with most of his policies.
But when he says something good, I will be glad to report it and support it. With that in mind, I must confess that I actually agree with almost everything he said in his farewell address, and I hope ALL Americans were listening and willing to implement his suggestions. Let me layout a few of the themes I identified.
I thought his major overall message was one of unity, which I have written about often. He said, “We have to start with the premise that every American loves this country as much as we do.” Absolutely! He suggested that we must embrace new American citizens and allow them to participate in the promise of freedom that brought them here. But he also added that THEY must accept the American creed and assimilate into our society. I certainly can support both sides of that challenge.
He laid out a theme of civility, which I believe is sorely needed in our country today. He said, “ we must reject the bitter rancor in politics today”, and I do. Whether it is the grade school insults like “crooked Hillary”, or “lyin’ Ted” or the multi-syllabic, pseud-intellectual epithets like misogynist, or xenophobe or homophobe or bigot, he was denouncing them all. While the crowd cheered wildly at that comment, I hope they understand that there have been mountains of offenses from both sides of the political equation in this area.
He even proposed that Democrats and Republicans should listen and pay attention to “the middle-age white guy”. This was particularly gratifying to me for a couple of reasons. First, I am one of those guys, maybe at the high end of “middle-age”, but I’m in there. Secondly, it seems that it is still politically correct to denigrate, malign and even discriminate against that group. Now, he may have done this for political expediency, since this is the group that kept Hillary out of the White House, but it’s still nice to have the President stand up for me and my peeps.
Finally, he stated that we must have a peaceful transition of power from his administration to the new Trump administration. He also gave credit to George W. Bush for the handoff he gave to him. I am proud of George Bush for his transition, and I would hope that every President would see the benefit of such coordination. It is clear, however, that his fellow Democrats do NOT agree with the President on this subject as they try their best to distract, obstruct and delegitimize our next President. There is still time, however, and I hope Democrats, the media and even some “never Trump” Republicans will see the wisdom of President Obama’s words and stand down.
In my opinion, this farewell address rivaled his famous “there is no Black America and White America” speech of 2004. It was well constructed and well delivered (there was a bit of an echo problem, but you can’t blame Obama for that). But it was just words. Even according to President Obama, he did not deliver the unity that famous speech vowed.
Over the next few months and years, we, the American people, should continue to remind Mr. Obama and his supporters of the words he spoke in this farewell address. We need to hold them accountable and point out when they are being hypocritical of these promises. If they actually deliver on this pledge of unity and civility, I will be surprised, but pleased.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Putin's Big Mistake
Putin’s Big Mistake
The View from the Middle
While we are never going to find an e-mail signed by Vladimir Putin authorizing the hacking of the DNC, let’s assume that the Russians did it. Is anyone out there shocked? Is it totally unreasonable to suggest that Putin might even have authorized such a hacking? The answer to both of these questions is, “No”. But the more important questions are, what was the impact of this hacking and what was the intent.
Did the slow-drip release of these e-mails impact the outcome of the election? I would say, no. Hillary was a flawed candidate who had e-mail problems of her own making. She also made some strategically poor decisions trying to win states like Texas and Arizona while ignoring her “assumed” blue wall of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
And it’s not like Donald Trump had smooth sailing throughout the general election. First there was the daily onslaught by the mainstream media. Then there was the devastating Billy Bush video and finally there was Hillary’s suggestion that the hacked e-mails were tantamount to an endorsement of Trump by Putin. Many would argue that the people most hurt by the hacking of the DNC were Debbie Wasserman Schultz, John Podesta, Donald Trump, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, in that order.
All of this mud slinging in the final days of the campaign just served to strengthen the resolve of each base, and at best confuse the middle. Let’s face it, everyone (Hillary, Obama, the mainstream media, Putin, and yes even I) expected Hillary Clinton to win the Presidency on November 8th. President Obama even performed a “mic dropping moment” in late October suggesting that Trump would never be President. He obviously thought the election was in the bag. They all believed that the e-mails were not having an impact and were literally planning fire works for election night.
That brings us to the $64,000 question. What was Putin’s intent? Now that the intelligence community has released their final report, it is being suggested that it was not Putin’s intent to change the outcome of the election. Even Vladimir Putin believed that Hillary Clinton was going to be the next President of The United States. His intent, they surmise, was to weaken our next President and our country and thus improve his position in the world. BTW – I suggested this in my 12/17 blog entitled “Of Electors and Putin”.
After a few minutes of celebration in Moscow, Putin must have experienced an “Oops” moment. He had devoted significant resources and took a tremendous risk to collect dirt on our next President, and now Hillary was out. The President of the United States was going to be Donald Trump who favors a strong military, energy independence for the US and improved nuclear capabilities, among other things that are all bad for Russia. Damn!
Could this be why Putin has been so magnanimous in his response to Obama’s sanctions? Let’s just hope that Trump can see Putin for who he is, a ruthless killer and no friend to the US. If he can play Putin like he played Hillary and the US press, this could be a very good thing for America in next four years
The View from the Middle
While we are never going to find an e-mail signed by Vladimir Putin authorizing the hacking of the DNC, let’s assume that the Russians did it. Is anyone out there shocked? Is it totally unreasonable to suggest that Putin might even have authorized such a hacking? The answer to both of these questions is, “No”. But the more important questions are, what was the impact of this hacking and what was the intent.
Did the slow-drip release of these e-mails impact the outcome of the election? I would say, no. Hillary was a flawed candidate who had e-mail problems of her own making. She also made some strategically poor decisions trying to win states like Texas and Arizona while ignoring her “assumed” blue wall of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
And it’s not like Donald Trump had smooth sailing throughout the general election. First there was the daily onslaught by the mainstream media. Then there was the devastating Billy Bush video and finally there was Hillary’s suggestion that the hacked e-mails were tantamount to an endorsement of Trump by Putin. Many would argue that the people most hurt by the hacking of the DNC were Debbie Wasserman Schultz, John Podesta, Donald Trump, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, in that order.
All of this mud slinging in the final days of the campaign just served to strengthen the resolve of each base, and at best confuse the middle. Let’s face it, everyone (Hillary, Obama, the mainstream media, Putin, and yes even I) expected Hillary Clinton to win the Presidency on November 8th. President Obama even performed a “mic dropping moment” in late October suggesting that Trump would never be President. He obviously thought the election was in the bag. They all believed that the e-mails were not having an impact and were literally planning fire works for election night.
That brings us to the $64,000 question. What was Putin’s intent? Now that the intelligence community has released their final report, it is being suggested that it was not Putin’s intent to change the outcome of the election. Even Vladimir Putin believed that Hillary Clinton was going to be the next President of The United States. His intent, they surmise, was to weaken our next President and our country and thus improve his position in the world. BTW – I suggested this in my 12/17 blog entitled “Of Electors and Putin”.
After a few minutes of celebration in Moscow, Putin must have experienced an “Oops” moment. He had devoted significant resources and took a tremendous risk to collect dirt on our next President, and now Hillary was out. The President of the United States was going to be Donald Trump who favors a strong military, energy independence for the US and improved nuclear capabilities, among other things that are all bad for Russia. Damn!
Could this be why Putin has been so magnanimous in his response to Obama’s sanctions? Let’s just hope that Trump can see Putin for who he is, a ruthless killer and no friend to the US. If he can play Putin like he played Hillary and the US press, this could be a very good thing for America in next four years
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