Dems Blame Lack of Progress on Bailout Negotions on McCain's "Political Theater"

Thankfully the Democratic Congressional Representatives are calling out McCain for turning the negotiations into "political theater," as Christoper Dodd (D-Conn.) so eloquently put it. But Obama's campaign spokesperson said it best:

"... Bill Burton was more blunt, accusing McCain of turning 'a national crisis into an occasion to promote his campaign. It's become just another political stunt, aimed more at shoring up the senator's political fortunes than the nation's economy.'"-Washington Post Article, September 26, 2008.

And E.J. Dionne, an Op-ed columnist for the Post had this to add: "But McCain's boisterous intervention -- and particularly his grandstanding on the debate -- was less a presidential act than the tactical ploy of a man worried that his chances of becoming president might be slipping away."

Basically, I just imagine McCain coming into the talks like a bull in a china shop. What an arse!

From Sarah Palin, to Sarah Silverman

Have you seen Sarah Silverman's endorsement of Obama? She is just hilarious. Check it out here.

Sarah Palin, Beauty Queen Extraordinaire

I think I nearly choked on my own tears of laughter (or fright?) when I watched this Katie Couric interview of Scary Sarah Palin.

She looks like a beauty pageant contestant who is clearly in over her head during the Q&A. Sarah comes across as a cheerleader for McCain, skirting Couric's pointed questions about the recent Wall Street meltdown with comments like, "McCain's such a maverick!" Or, "McCain has so much experience." But after five minutes of her gloating over McCain, when Katie Couric asks her to name one thing John McCain has done in the past 25 years, she cannot name ONE thing. "But I'll look it up and get back to you!" she says with a smile. She is SUCH a typical Beauty Queen personality (read: clueless bullshit artist).

But I must admit that after watching this, I sort of felt bad for the position that the Republicans put her in. I mean, she really is this small town mom with a BA in communications (and REALLY scary neo-conservative views) who is waaaaay in over her head with all this gosh darn tootin' talk of Wall Street and foreign policy matters. Communications teaches a person how to smile for the camera and convey messages: it is not a discipline that delves into the specifics of law, policy, finance, economics, and foreign diplomacy. So, when pressed by the reporter, she merely flashes her best smile and gives a knee jerk response, saying almost anything just so she has said something.

Out of curiosity, I looked into Palin's education. I found out it took her almost 6 years to get that BA in Communications, which she did by attending 4 different schools in three different states, starting with Hawaii, then two years at community college in northern Idaho, then back to Alaska for pageantry, then back to Idaho to finish. This is not meant to insult Communications majors or those with a college degree or lesser. I merely want point out that what the Republicans are doing to Palin-- namely, putting an inexperienced and unqualified person a heartbeat away from the presidency-- is absolutely cruel. But I feel much worse for the rest of the country, who, if the McCain-Palin duo get elected, will have to suffer at the hand of incompetence.

McCain's Pullout: This guy says it so well.

I would use this post to write about the fact that McCain's pullout to "focus on the economy" is a calculated, spineless political move... But why re-create the wheel? This Washington Post Article, an Op-ed by Meyerson says it so well.

Why the "Average Hockey Mom" is the Worst and Best For the Job

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and author of "Diplomacy" once wrote:

"A leader who confines his role to his people's experience dooms himself to stagnation; a leader who outstrips his people's experience runs the risk of not being understood."

One can understand how this quote rings true today, applying equally to the campaigns of Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) and John McCain (R-AK)... or rather, campaigns that have now become about the parallel biographical backgrounds of Barack Obama and McCain's VP pick, Sarah Palin. (See WP Post Article). Both are young, dynamic, energizing, and making waves in their respective parties. Both have also been criticized for their lack of experience. But Palin's latest taunt that Obama has "never led anything" shows just how stagnant and inexperienced she is, as per Kissinger's quote. But it also places Obama in that dangerous dilemma of being the severely misunderstood yet overqualified leader.

We know that Sarah Palin is a leader, a resume detail respected by the corporate CEO and blue collar wage earner alike. She had led the town of Wasilla with a population of 5,000. She has led the state of Alaska as Governor. She has also been the leader of her family, raising five children and even sending her eldest off to fight in Iraq on September 11, 2007.

We also know that Sarah has that down-home appeal, a quality that helped President George Bush clinch the White House in two executive presidential elections. Her comment about pitbulls and hockey moms has seemingly made her the darling of the Republican party, and she has energy and a pretty face to boot. But then again, she has no choice but to emphasize her relatability and likability. Because she truly is the "leader" whose experiences are confined to that of the average American.

Palin's lack of foreign policy experience is her softest spot. But over the next few days I am sure we will see the GOP transform Palin's image from Average Hockey Mom to The Next Madeleine Albreight. I have no doubt that she will come equipped with some sound-bytes that might make her look slightly more knowledgeable than the average hockey mom.... But how will she stand up in debate against Biden? I doubt her lipstick jokes will help her navigate her way through an argument about North Korea, Iran, or China. Hopefully, Americans will come to understand that the position calls for more than the average pretty-faced mom, who happened to be elected Governor of one of the more remote and least densely populated states in the nation.

Or maybe the GOP will take the low road. Perhaps they will tell Palin to he honest, admit where she is weak. When Biden takes a shot at her, to back off. Admit her ignorance. Because she only has a BA in Communications, and limited domestic experience. Maybe the GOP will play the card that all Americans want is someone to whom we can relate, and understand. Because perhaps that someone is more likely to understand us, right? And what do we Americans know about complex foreign policy issues anyway? But sports, pitbulls, and lipstick... now those things we understand.

And on the other side of this election is the strange paradox of the intelligent, Harvard Law - educated U.S. Senator, balanced by his grass roots activism, plight as a minority, consistent American values, and charm. A man that is willing to shed his partisanship for national unity, his patriotism for international unity. Now that is wisdom beyond the average American. Resumes, education, experience (or lackthereof) aside, this is a leader who truly outstrips his people.

Sadly, Obama may be too far beyond America... too far beyond what we can understand, appreciate, and desire as our leader. And perhaps we don't want to be outstripped by our leader. After all, such a nomination would send half the nation into a spiral, perhaps causing some people to do things. Like question themselves. Or want change... Oh no, we better stick to what we know, and to what is safe... like recycled lipstick jokes, boilerplate speeches, and a failing economy. Give us more stagnation! Give us McCain-Palin!

Inspire Me, Obama!

“I love my President.” Those words sounds so foreign and strange to say. But they are words that I would actually believe if Barack Obama were elected President.

What separates Obama from the Hillary Clintons and John McCains (and Sarah Palins... but really, who knows anything about her anyway?) of the world, is that he is actually lovable. His ability to say what is on his heart in an unfiltered, uncensored manner makes him a unique politician, or perhaps an ironic politician. I do not get the feeling that when Barack speaks, he is pandering to the masses, or telling people what they want to hear. However, his frank, direct, value-laden speeches are exactly what we didn’t know we need to hear: the truth.

For me, Barack’s appeal is his ability to reconcile contradictions. For example, how a multi-racial man born to a single mother can go to Harvard, become a U.S. Senator, and then run for President… and do in 15 years what most people will never dream of doing in a lifetime. Politically, he is wise to address the contradictions that we Americans are so hung up on: like gay marriage or abortions, and sadly, the war. But he is even wiser to acknowledge that these are issues we need to get over, and the real problem is that most Americans are working for sub-par pay and struggling to make ends meet. The real problem is the state of the economy that George Bush has left in the wake of his presidency.

Watching Obama, I feel inspired to be the change I want to see in this country: I want to go volunteer, work at my church, raise money for good causes. I want to forget what I think are my problems, and focus on making the world right again. I also want to feel stress-free and without fear. I do not think that Obama will necessarily make my life better, but his story sure as heck motivates me to be different, and to be better.

Before You Save The World, Clean Your Closet!

If you haven't yet read Thomas Friedman's op-ed "Who Will Tell the People?" in today's NY Times, you should.  It has been a while since an article regarding national affairs has resonated with me on a personal level.  Friedman eloquently weaves together what were once my mere disjointed thoughts.  

Friedman's main argument is that Americans- although long tired of campaigns and a President starting wars and telling Americans to "go shopping" in times of fiscal and national crisis-  do indeed want to partake in nation-building.  However, we want to start our nation-building right here at home, and not in Iraq, Iran, or Afghanistan.  This is because we feel like our nation is falling apart.  Many of his points got me thinking about the extent to which my life is a product of the times, closely intertwined with world events. 

First, reading this article, my head started spinning thinking about all the ways that Americans have made important, long-term, structural changes in their lives.  The first and foremost that comes to mind is the "Green Revolution," promoting hybrid vehicles, walking or biking, and partaking in other fuel-saving activities. These are the kinds of changes that Bush should have employed, and are the types of  take-it-into-your-own-hands, honest, long-term changes that a thoughtful leader like Obama inspires.  I have to admit that I felt proud of my fellow Americans while reading this article at an urban sidewalk cafe, watching passers-by carrying reusable shopping bags, walking rather than driving, and generally making themselves aware of the much needed shift from oil to more viable resources.  We are indeed taking matters into our own hands.  

My thoughts naturally turned inward, as I contemplated how the world events of late have shaped a very important period in my life.  Less than three years ago I started law school, and will graduate into the worst economy during my twenty-sevens years on this earth.  I started my program head strong, self-assured, and planned to continue working in international trade or business.  Latin America was my passion, and I wanted to continue to partake in the economic revolution of our poor neighbor.  But for all the reasons that law school makes one question their confidence and abilities plus the less-than-stellar shape of the country, I began to question myself.  

I no longer felt I wanted to save Latin America or the world.  Instead, I became fixated on my immediate surroundings.  I soon began volunteering as a Sunday school teacher at my local church, teaching thirteen- and fourteen-year-old first-generation Latinos.  I found the work extremely rewarding, and sought ways to continue reaching out to inner city students, eventually teaching legal rights classes to homeless teens, and working with Street law, a non-profit that teaches law, democracy and human rights to students.  I fell in love with my Education Law course, because I learned how think in terms of making structural changes to education systems.  I also stopped paying attention to international headlines, and barely flinched when learning of the latest fatalities in Iraq, or the fact that a former cocalero became President of Bolivia.  

I do however, remember crying when my roommate's bicycle-- which I had borrowed for the day-- was stolen from its locked-up location outside the law firm where I was working that summer.  This was just a few months after my car had been stolen, and only a few days after someone stole my vaccuum cleaner from the vestibule of the house where I was renting a room-- neither for which I had shed a tear.  But I cried and cried about having to replace a borrowed bike, tears spilling down my red face as I sat across from my boyfriend at a local coffee shop.  "What am I going to do?" I asked.  "How am I going to come up with the cash to pay for this bike?" But the problem went much deeper.  The problem, I confessed, was that I had gotten ahead of myself in life. I was working, volunteering for other causes, and taking out tens of thousands of loan dollars for a legal education, was mired in debt-- and I felt that I had absolutely no grounding.  I realized that if something as small as a $200 setback could send me into such a state, I had to be doing something wrong.  I realized that I needed to clean out my proverbial closet.  

So I did.  I spent the next year getting my finances in order, moved to a safer location with less crime and higher security, and trying to gain more legal experiences in order to figure out whether I had chosen the right profession.  This past year, I made yet another move and cut my expenses nearly in half, earned back my good credit score (and the ability to sign for the last of my law school loans), and dramatically improved my grades by focusing solely on law school.  I recently passed my first standardized test for the bar exam-- the professional responsibility portion-- and now I will take my last school exam in two days,  graduate with my class on May 23rd, and sit for the Bar Exam in July.   Just two years ago, these all seemed like utter impossibilities. 

And now, as I head into the world with a law degree- despite not yet having secured a job-I feel confident, happy, and ready to answer whatever may be my call to action.  I am happy I chose the path I did, and think I will love practicing law. I do not see myself saving the world (at least, not yet), but rather, continuing to acquire skills and confidence to put to use whenever I do get that call.  That probably means continuing to focus on myself, working hard, and earning money to buy financial freedom.  The "American Dream"-- the six-figure job, the wedding, picket fence, and 2.5-- all seem secondary, just pieces of a bigger puzzle that will fall into place on their own terms.  For now, there's still a lot of work to do on myself, and then a lot of work to do for my community, city, and one day perhaps, my country.  But I never would have been so open and happy had I not set to the task of internal cleaning. 

One small anecdote seems like a fitting analogy: a good friend recently told me that he felt like he had to dedicate himself to personal and career goals before he was ready to dedicate 100% of himself to a relationship.  He had lost his love over this realization, but is now open and prepared for whatever his future has in store. Because after all, you can't fully dedicate yourself to anyone or anything until you understand the extent of your capabilities and your place in the world. To me, this is what cleaning my closet has been about: working on myself before "saving the world." So why shouldn't America's "nation building" adhere to this same philosophy? We are getting ahead of ourselves as individuals, following suit to a government borrowing more than it can pay back from neighbors like China and Singapore-- just like when I borrowed that bike.  I fear that if this trend continues, we are going to fall apart as a nation, and the clean-up won't be solved with some tears and re-organizing. This is why we need a leader, as Friedman suggests, that is going to be more than what Hillary deems as "tough" enough to stand up to the Republicans.  This is why we need a leader that will inspire us to take matters into our hands and clean the closets here first.