Well…short lunch, huh? Hasn’t it been nice to not hear political commercials since the primary is over? But, as you and I both know, it’s just the lull before the storm and we will be inudated before long. That is why I want to make this proposal to both candidates…let’s stop the attack ads and replace them with policy ones that will tell us what you are going to do to get our state moving again, to get more good paying jobs, and to get both sides of the political spectrum talking to one another again instead of shouting at each other. I think it was a good sign when Rick Snyder (a Republican) said he would personally reach across the aisle to the Dems to solve the problems of the state…but Rick, if you start talking tax cuts as your foundation for your economic policy, I will urge everyone to stop listening to you since the Bush tax cuts did not help spur growth, they were actually a drag on the economy and don’t work resulting in 40% of the structural deficit that we now face. And, Ving, I see your attack ads have already started and I am disappointed that you haven’t tried to build on the economic successes of the Dems over the last two years…you have the thriving auto companies, the reform in health care, and re regulation of the financial companies to talk about…let’s hear how you are going to fix our economy; not that Rick sent jobs overseas. Let’s commit ourselves to reasonableness and show the country what adults can do when they act like adults. One last comment…the tea party lost out to the moderates here…is there hope at last?
Monthly Archives: August 2010
August 5th
Well…it’s been a nice morning and there have been enough good things happening to make even me smile a little…very nice people out on the trail made the bike ride more fun than normal and I want to thank my fellow trailers (is that a right use of the word?) for their courtesy when they see the crazy old guy come flying up the trail..especially the woman that walks the Great Dane every day….a dog so big that it could stand with it’s front paws on my shoulders and it’s head would be over mine…she always stops and restrains him and throws in a smile….thank you for making my day just a little better. Did get the grocery shopping in and I’m going to try my hand at pickling this aft…have some cukes, green onions, and peppers that I’m going to try….but, right now, the pizza is in the oven and I can smell it so I’m going to have lunch…I will be back with the earlier topics right after lunch…
have some topics today…
Well…have a couple of things to talk about today! Yay…it’s been a long week and I need to take today off except for grocery shopping and then send out a bunch of resumes…the topics of the day will include Michael Bloomberg and the ruling from judge Vaughn Walker on Prop 8 out in Cali….no outrage but again a glimmer of hope for us reasonables…it is really heartening that some people are pushing back at the haters and acting like adults…more later…
Wings are getting closer…
Well…the hockey season is getting closer and there is some good news to report finally…Mike Modano is going to sign with the Wings…I know he’s 40 but so is Nick Lidstrom and we all know how he can still play the game. Now they just need to get Helm signed and we can feel pretty good about the upcoming season. Even though we didn’t do well in the playoffs last year, I have hopes that the injuries will stay away and we can get back to our potential. Was sorry to see Maltby leave since he has been with the Wings since I’ve been a fanatic…and not being able to say Lebda anymore will take some of the fun out of watching…Go Wings!
August 4th
Well…no aurora last night and I’m a little disappointed…it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a good display…oh, well….it’s going to be three days in a row with today’s run out to Ada and I’m feeling it…may have to take it a little easy and I know I’m taking tomorrow off…just getting too old to keep up this pace…there were some interesting things that happened in yesterday’s election that I’ll comment on later…I’m just glad that Pete Hoekstra didn’t win the repub nomination….but Ving Bonero for the dems? weird….
August 3rd part two…
Well…it was a fun day but no fishes to eat so that is kind of a letdown…but okay…got to see some of the places I haunted as a kid and the old idea is true…it seemed so much smaller than I remembered….lost at pool but it was a short competition so I don’t feel too bad…I usually start slow and then win a lot..no politics in the post today since I am waiting for the results of the primaries from today…sorry that I haven’t been writing enough lately but I felt the need to get out of this place and live some life on the outside..Hope you keep coming back to read a little of this stuff…but you know I’m not too consistent but I am human and I have my failings…hmmm….
August 3rd
Well…a long night with G so, as always, I feel a little crappy today but better since I got up…going fishing with Tom this morning…well at noon since I have to get prepped with bait and a few other supplies..like whiskey and some more hooks because I lost quite a few in the snags on the Grand last time out. Hope to bring a few fish home this time and have them for dinner. Not much else today but I will be back with another post later, maybe on politics but I’m not sure yet…could just be fish stories…who knows?
A party called the Reasonables….
Well…on the eve of the primaries here in Michigan, I thought it might be an idea to start to put down on paper (or on the computer) what I propose should be the manifesto or platform of the the new political party called the Reasonables that I want to start. To begin, anyone can be part of the party; from the right, left, or center…I don’t care…but anyone who joins will be required to follow a few guiding principles whose purpose will be to change the toxic political landscape.
First….there will be no shouting allowed. None of the ranting that passes for political dialog these days.
Second….there will be no attack advertising by any of our candidates…it will be limited to policy statements that show what you are for…and solutions to the problems facing us.
Third…there will be no lying or distortions in our discussions or political interactions….truth will be our motto…
Fourth…you will be required to know what you are talking about…all opinions are not equal and ignorance will not be tolerated…
Fifth…..any candidate of ours will be required to put the country first…not business or his or her re-election…
Sixth….there will no mention of religion, or god, or Jesus by any of our candidates…religion will be a private matter and the separation of church and state will be supported…
Seventh….any candidate will use public financing of the election…there will be no billionaires buying seats in congress…
Eighth….our party will support and champion individual rights over those of the government and business….
That’s about it for now…as time goes on, I’ll be adding what I think is important to this platform and I welcome any comments on what you guys think should be done since we are building this thing from scratch…more later…
August 2nd
Well…started the birthday celebration for the twins yesterday and I am a little worn out today…I think it’s going to continue early this aft so I better get some coffee and a workout in as soon as possible….that will probably be the only thing going on today but who knows? For the first time in a long time my back is killing me today and the pain is down my legs making it really hard to just sit and write this so I’m going to end here…more later….
Maybe a little light in the darkness?
Well…have been thinking about how we can get out of the mess that the hyper-charged politics of the day have put us in and a couple of articles I read today might be the start of this climb. Normally, I like to read conservative columnists to try to understand where they are coming from, since I truly believe that good ideas are good ideas no matter if they come from the right or left…and I don’t want to be one of those people that just automatically dismiss anyone’s ideas. In David Brooks column today (I should add that Brooks is a well known conservative commentator) he walked across the aisle and with an unbiased eye, looked at Obama’s agenda and could admit that some of what has been done was necessary and will be effective in addressing many of the problems that face us today. But what was also refreshing was his making objective, well thought out suggestions on how to do better and improve the legislative agenda. So, to David Brooks I say thank you…can you transplant your brain into the rest of the right?
The second column I read today was by Kathleen Parker in the Washington Post and it was not about politics at all; but about what it is like living in the neighborhood she lived in in DC. Again, Parker is a staunch conservative columnist who I rarely ever agree with but today she made a point that I think needed to be made…that is that the American values of friendship, community, and love are not just embodied in the folks that Palin and her Ilk call the “real Americans”; from small towns and rural areas…but can be found all across America; no matter where you live. One of the things I found so striking about the article was her oh so kind words about the neighbors who were the rocks of the neighborhood; who were such a stabilizing influence…but who also happen to be gay men who have lived in a committed relationship for 25 years. I was pleasantly surprised to find that one of these men is a columnist that I read in USA Today…Craig Wilson. I don’t know Kathleen Parker at all, but for a committed conservative to finally speak out against the bigotry that is an integral part of the Repubs, and in such an elegant way, gives me some hope that the principled people that I know still reside in the conservative movement are getting their voice back and will be heard more often. But, then I read some of the comments to this heartfelt piece of writing and it made me sick…the haters were out in force and my tiny little spark of hope that I have been nurturing was buffeted almost to it’s end. But not all the way…I refuse to let the haters stomp on the flowers that have grown up through the cracks in the hate of the world….so, thank you Kathleen for you wonderful column.