Christian Philosopher Activist

The Obama For America Staff Ball

2009-02-12T00:50:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, January 21, 2009, Jen and I called a taxi to pick us up at our friends’ home. We waited over an hour for the taxi to take us to the Metro station. We wanted to arrive at the Obama for America Staff Ball earlier than we did, but we still managed to arrive before the main festivities began. This Ball was held at the D.C. Armory, and was mercifully close to a Metro station, so we did not have to endure the frigid winter night for long. We passed through an identical security screening as we had the night before, giving us more confidence to our suspicions that President Obama would be attending. When we arrived the whole Armory was full of campaign staffers and their guests.

(Here are a few pictures of the Staff Ball.) The food that was served was really good – much better than even the Western Ball. There was quite a bit of variety – brisket, noodles, stir-fry, cookies, mini cupcakes and much more. Throughout the night more and more food was brought out as well. Drinks were free and plentiful too, though the lines were long. The atmosphere was very festive. After walking around for a while, I eventually met up with people that I had worked with on the campaign in Newark, Ohio and Toledo, Ohio. Many of my former co-workers and fellow fellows were in attendance. With so many people crowded into the building, I was lucky to have met up them at all.
With much excitement, Vice President Biden’s sister introduced her brother. He gave a very warm speech talking about how much he had respected we Obama campaigners, first as an opponent and then as part of the team. Jen and I moved up higher to have a better view after the Vice President spoke. Actor Kal Penn spoke for a few moments, before introducing David Plouffe who had managed the campaign. He then introduced a very happy President Obama. The President was quite relaxed and one did definitely have the sense that he wanted to stay with us. His remarks were very gracious and humbling. For the President and Vice President, the same introductory and exit music that had been played during the campaign was played. We all knew this would be the last time that would happen, so we were quite literally witness to the very last campaign event of the 2008 election.

(Some videos of the speeches at the OFA Staff Ball.)
I was very lucky to stumble upon Jeremy Bird, who had headed the campaign’s efforts in Ohio. I was glad to have the opportunity to thank him for his leadership and tell him what an honor it had been to work with him. Bird is now the Deputy Director of Organizing for America aka Obama 2.0.
After the speeches, Jay-Z began to perform. I felt old.

(Some of Jay-Z’s performance.)
Jen and I had a very nice time and were thrilled that we had the opportunity to attend this amazing gathering. It was truly a moving experience.

(OFA Staff Ball Ticket)

01-20-09 (Part 3) The Western Ball

2009-02-10T02:03:00.001-08:00

Though we had already had spent many hours in the “Purple Tunnel of Doom”, Jen and I still had more to do on 01-20-09. After eating some food and resting for a couple hours, Jen and I donned our formal attire and headed off to the local Metro station.

(Here we are dressed for the occasion.)The Metro was busy but was not nearly as crowded as it had been earlier in the day. We passed by hundreds of others in the Metro stations, most of whom were also dressed in formal attire. An ATF team passed though our train and one of the officers asked Jen and I if we were coming from our wedding. We told him no, that we were in fact going to one of the official Inaugural Balls. He smiled and said that a lot of people were attending balls that night and told us to have a nice evening. Everyone was upbeat and a general feeling of happiness and upbeat optimism pervaded the whole area.

We had read many negative accounts of Inaugural Balls and were prepared for the worst. We were presently surprised by what we found. We were attended the Western States Inaugural Ball – because we live in California. There were different balls for different areas of the country. The Western Ball was held in the Washington Convention Center, a massive complex that was actually holding several official balls. We walked quickly through the cold from the Metro stop and arrived at the entrance to which we had been directed. The many police officers and workers at the Ball were extremely friendly and helpful and around in great numbers. This was in marked contrast to earlier in the day. We went through a through security screening where one guard was really excited to recognize the University of Toledo Rockets - which were on Jen’s gloves. We entered the enormous convention center and there were thousands of people inside. We found our way to the Western Ball entrance. The space for the ball was enormous and we could tell that it was designed to handle thousands of people. We arrived rather early and while hundreds of people were already there, it felt a bit empty with all the space.

(Pictues from Early in the evening.) Contrary to the horror stories I had read about previous Inaugural Balls – where one had to pay exorbitant prices for cheese and crackers, food was provided for free. We had rather large helpings of tortellini, rolls, and stuffed chicken. The quality was really good – not as good as Italy but certainly better than most food we’ve had at catered events. A band was playing on one stage at the back of the hall and another stage was set up at the front of the space. Drinks were available for purchase via tickets. Jen and I lived it up with some Cokes and Sprites. One man offered to take our picture. I gladly accepted and handed him our new digital camera. He asked how it worked and I told him just to point and push the button. Jen and I posed and nothing happened. I went back and checked the camera – everything was ready. We tried it again and again and again. After four attempts – the man kept saying it wasn’t working – I thanked him and told him it was ok. I then proceeded to take several pictures in a row – with no problems.

(See, my pictures of Jen) I suppose he just wasn’t pressing hard enough – but luckily this was probably the biggest annoyance of the evening. Jen and I wandered around for a while. Since this was the ball where people from California would be attending, we knew that we might spot some Hollywood or Silicon Valley notables.

(Sure enough, we spotted Ron Howard being interviewed.) After about an hour, we noticed that more and more people were arriving and heading up near the front stage. We figured that would be where the President and Vice President would be making their entrances. Soon after we arrived, Marc Anthony was announced and began to perform on stage – about 20 feet from where we were standing.

(No, not that Marc Anthony – though that would have been pretty cool too.)

(This Marc Anthony.)

(Here is a short video of the performance.) He and his band sounded great and they played quite a few salsa numbers. I think we has getting a bit upset that very few people were dancing – but in our defense we were getting packed in at that point and we were more interested in seeing the new President. Still it was nice. Near the end of his performance, he called upon his wife, Jennifer Lopez aka J. Lo to perform with him. The crowd went wild and I felt bad for Marc Anthony who was really upstaged by his wife.

(J. Lo and Marc Anthony.)

(Here is a video of their performance.)

Afterwards, we kept standing for a while. We noticed the Vice Presidential flag was in place and a few minutes later, Vice President Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden made their entrance.

(Some pictures of the Vice President and Dr. Biden.) The Vice President said a few kind words and then danced briefly with his wife. It was nice to see them and the thousands of people (mostly behind us) cheered emotionally. I called my mother a few times during the evening and she kept us informed as to where the Obamas where – she was watching TV. It was nice to share the moment with her as well. An hour so passed and more people kept entering and most headed as close to the stage as possible. It was getting very crowded and tight. We heard from others in attendance that some people could not get in – the fire marshal would not let everyone in at the Western and Youth Balls. As we waited, a military band began to set up and a color guard assembled. “Hail to the Chief” was played and that’s when I think it all hit me. Jen and I had worked for this for so long and now- it finally felt real. As President Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama entered to that music, with the military color guard I felt it in my gut – the sense of history in the making and the realization that I had been a part of making this moment possible. I had been working for this since March 2007, and now my candidate was President. It was really that moment that moved me the most of the entire trip.

(Some of our pictures of the President and Mrs. Obama.)

(Here are some videos of the event.) One could tell that President Obama was very tired. (And we knew that he had had at least as long of a day as Jen I and had had.) His remarks were brief but gracious. It was certainly worth seeing and I was grateful for the opportunity. After the Obamas left, many people streamed out hastily. We stayed for a bit longer. We noticed that chips and pretzels had been put out by the staff. We heard a few people complaining but overall people were happy. Really most of the criticisms of the Inaugural Balls that we heard either that night or in reading before made sense – if one arrived really late. If one arrived late, I could see how one would find no food – just some snacks, everyone crammed tight and just standing and waiting in front of the stage for a quick visit by the President. But Jen and I arrived early – so we had good food, and time to walk around and enjoy ourselves. Jen and I headed back to Tim’s via the Metro very happy to have been part of the historical festivities.

(Western Ball ticket)

01-20-09 (Part 2) The Ceremony

2009-02-03T00:38:00.000-08:00

As I have written earlier, Jen and I were unable to see President Obama take the oath of office in person. This is how we experienced the event:

It was still a moving experience and I am glad we were able to share the moment with others. As I have also said, Jen and I also were lucky enough to be able to see the President at two inaugural balls. We are more concerned about the people who were stuck in the "Purple Tunnel of Doom" and other, similar situations. Not all of them had the opportunity to see the new President as Jen and I did.

My friend, Tim, has found some amazing satellite pictures of Washington D.C. on 01-20-09 and has posted them on his blog. They are amazing to see - people really do look like ants. Which gives us food for thought in many ways.

01-20-09 (Part 1) or Matt & Jen and The Purple Tunnel of Doom

2009-01-31T01:44:00.000-08:00

Jen and I woke up very early on Inauguration day, Tuesday January 20, 2009. We were physically exhausted after being in the cold and coming home so late the night before, but it didn’t matter – we were excited. This was the much anticipated 01-20-09 – the last day of George W. Bush’s presidency. People had been selling various items with that date on them since at least 2005 when I first saw them. As the day went on, I kept looking at my watch, counting the hours remaining of our national nightmare. Of course, the end of the W presidency was only an item of secondary contemplation. We were excited that the presidency of Barack Obama would be beginning. We arrived at the metro station just before 6 am and the trains were crowded to a point I’ve never seen in America. We finally arrived at the stop to which we had been directed and exited the crowded station. Immediately, we saw that there were people everywhere, traveling in various directions. A carnival atmosphere prevailed. Many people were selling souvenirs, some were performing music and all around were the smiles of happy people waiting to witness history.

I had been given the opportunity to receive tickets for the inauguration from the campaign. I received two “Purple Section” standing tickets, along with directions and advice.

The doors were supposed to open at 8 or 9 depending on which was read – the email or the ticket itself. The program was to begin at 10:30 and we were told not to arrive any later than 9:30. We arrived in the vicinity of the purple gate just after 6:30am. Lines of people snaked in different directions. No one seemed to know where people were supposed to be going. Jen and took a bit of a short cut – rallying on my knowledge of the local map and we arrived near the gate. For a few minutes we thought we were in line. There were no signs, volunteers or police along the jammed street. We were just in back of dozens of others who were also standing in line, many with purple tickets in hand. Soon we heard second and third hand information that we were not in fact in the official purple line. We moved down half a block and finally saw two police officers. They kept repeating “Purple tickets – line up in the tunnel.” I asked again to verify that this was the case. “Anyone with purple tickets, go ahead,” we were told by the officers as they indicated for us to pass behind a barrier they were guarding. Jen and I proceeded into the tunnel, confident that we found the place where we were supposed to be waiting. At first the line in the tunnel seemed to be long, perhaps a hundred to two hundred people. But as we continued to walk past a bend in the tunnel, we realized that line stretched further than we could see. We walked and walked, seeing thousands of people waiting in line. We kept walking and actually arrived at the end of the line, which extended about 50 feet from the end of the other side of the tunnel. We could see people on the street level above us waiting in line as well. Some called down asking what line we were in. They were looking for the end of the blue section line. The weather was bitterly cold, about 18 degrees Fahrenheit. After an hour, the line had barely moved but it had lengthened, with thousands more people getting in line behind us. When we did get into the tunnel, the air circulation system kept a constant wind blowing, making it painfully cold. Many of the people in line had (like me) worked for the Obama campaign in some capacity. Others had made special trips to get remaining tickets from their members of congress. As we slowing inched forward in the tunnel, we saw no one of authority. There were no signs, volunteers or law enforcement officials at all.

(This is a picture by Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press from the L.A. Times)

Occasionally, a police car, or some other emergency vehicle would come rushing though the tunnel sirens on. Hours passed and we kept very slowly creeping forward. Eventually we heard rumors that the purple gate was closed, but these were third and fourth-hand accounts and we dismissed them, figuring they were opening the gate for small numbers of people and then shutting it, admitting only a certain number at a time. The rumors continued to circulate. As we got close to the end of the tunnel, many people were trying to cut in line and they were booed at by hundreds. Most changed their minds and retreated to the end of the line. We made it out of the tunnel eventually, after 10:00am. People in the buildings above the street waved to us and displayed American flags and Obama rally signs. Many began to chant “Yes we can!”. People were happy to be out of the tunnel and moving forward. The group kept moving forward and then hit another line of people who were headed to the same gate from a perpendicular angle as we reached an intersection just in front of the gate. People were coming back from the gate and the whole intersection was a chaotic mess, with people moving in every direction. The people returning from the gate said that they had been told it was closed and that the section was full. We continued on, despite the news until we made it to the gate. There was only one lone police officer on the other side of the gate. We were going to inquire about what was going on, but he was already talking to several other people. We asked them what he has said. They told us that the gate was in fact closed but we could wait and if there were any openings, a few more people might get in. Many people, (including an older African-American man) were crying. People there were in great despair. From that location, the Capitol was visible, about 200 feet away, but from that angle, no one would be able to see any of the ceremony. There were no monitors or speakers in the area. We also knew that it would be impossible now to make it down to the National Mall to see the swearing-in ceremony. I was very upset and we started heading straight to Union Station, were we could get back on the metro and return to Tim’s house before the 2 million people-plus crowd began to disperse. Many vendors were talking as I and others retuning from the purple gate passed them. “Lots of upset people here. Don’t know why – it’s a happy day,” I heard one of them say to another vendor. This incident quickly became known as the “Purple Tunnel of Doom.” Just before we headed down to the metro station, Jen insisted that we go into the station itself. I really didn’t want to – but I am glad she insisted. Inside were two tiny TVs with barley any audio. A small crowd had gathered in front of them. We could barely see the screen, but there we were able to see Joe Biden and Barack Obama take their oaths of office. It was almost as good as seeing it in person. The excitement and happiness of the crowd was moving. “Been a long time comin’” said an African-American woman, as Obama took his oath. “Thank God” said a white man, “we have a new President.” With that shared moment in Union station, I felt much better. What really mattered was that Barack Obama was now our President and that the Bush era was over. I was happy . Besides, I thought, we can’t really be too upset, we were going to be attending an Inaugural Ball later that evening and we would see the new President then. Jen and I went down and took the Metro back. A few minutes later, we were back at Tim’s and we could hear the Inaugural address. Weary, Jen and laid down a took a nap before heading back to D.C. for the ball.

Read more about the Purple Tunnel of Doom at the L.A. Times, Politico, Huffingon Post and MSNBC.

I have joined the Facebook group "Survivors of the Purple Tunnel of Doom."

An investigation has been launched into this fiasco and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terry Gainer has been holding on-line discussions via the Facebook group and I have to say they have been very sympathetic and and trying to work out some sort of compensation - an event with President Obama etc. I have been very impressed with their attention and concern.

The Day Before the Inauguration

2009-01-30T00:57:00.000-08:00

On Monday, January 19, 2009, the day before the inauguration, Jen and I took the Metro to D.C. and explored the newest museum of the Smithsonian, the Museum of the American Indian. It was very interesting seeing the various cultures and their traditional belief systems and stories.

(The image above was an interesting piece that has the U.S. states listed in the blue field and Native American tribe names in the stripes.) We ate at the cafeteria in the museum which features native foods. It was interesting and delicious. We didn't have time to finish seeing the whole museum and resolved to return before our trip back to San Francisco. As we left the museum, we went by the MSNBC booth which was set up on the national mall. We managed to see Chris Matthews and Jen was in the crowd as the live camera swung by us.

(In the above picture, Matthews' back is to the camera.) The sense of anticipation was palpable as the crowds milled around the mall and vendors hawked Obama-themed items of every sort including thermal underwear!

We traveled to U Street where we met up with Bobbie Sue, another Obama fellow whom I had worked with in Toledo and her husband, Scott who also had been heavily involved with the campaign. They, of course, were in Washington to see the inauguration. We ate at a nice Ethiopian restaurant. The food was good, but we agreed that the Blue Nile in Ann Arbor, Michigan is our favorite Ethiopian restaurant. It was very nice to see them and catch up.

After that, we returned to the Chinatown area to meet up with Tim and Kelly (our hosts). We ended up staying out considerably later than we had planned in the frigid weather, so we didn't get much sleep before the start the very long inauguration day. Thank goodness a local Starbucks was staying open for 24 hours due to the large crowds, so that we had a place to get somewhat warmed up and sit down.

"Obama-stock"

2009-01-27T01:05:00.000-08:00

My wife, Jen and I flew from San Francisco to the greater Washington D.C. area on January 17^th. Our friend, Tim had graciously invited us to stay with him while attending the presidential inauguration and related festivities. While we flew east, we watched Barack Obama’s whistle-stop tour on the plane’s built-in video monitors. Our anticipation grew. We arrived in the Maryland suburbs of D.C. and were happy to see our friend. The next day, Sunday, January 18th we decided to stop by the free concert that was taking place at the Lincoln memorial. Of course, we expected some large crowds, but when we arrived, it was truly amazing to see so many people. I have read estimates that over 500,000 people were in attendance. I can believe it. Perhaps there were more. We could only get just beyond the western side of the Washington monument, between the Washington monument and the World War Two memorial. We could see the speakers and performers as dots against the stark white of the Lincoln memorial. In the intervening space, three sets of “Jumbotron” monitors allowed us to see more detail of what was taking place. The list of performers and speakers was a who’s who of entertainment notables. It was an amazking concert that ran the gamut of genres. Just look at the line-up:

Of course, then President-elect Biden and then President-elect Obama spoke and the crowd roared with thunderous applause. It was great to see them again. But the most impressive part of the whole experience was the attitude of the people. Everyone was so happy, and so friendly. Thousands of people sang along together and cheered. We experienced a feeling of community and shared historical import in a way that I have never known. It was truly amazing. Some have taken to calling this event “Obama-stock”. I have to say that the name is appropriate and will be remembered in its own right, not simply as a prelude to the inauguration.

Click here for an account from the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza.

Here are a few of the pictures I took at "Obama-stock":

The Campaign

2009-01-16T03:04:00.001-08:00

Many people have asked me to write about my experiences with the Obama campaign, so here I will attempt to briefly outline my experiences.

As I have written earlier, I returned to Toledo, Ohio where I volunteered as an Obama Organizing Fellow. I worked long hours and was away from my wife, Jen, for a month. We laid the groundwork for the campaign, recruiting other volunteers and opening an office. I met some wonderful people and forged some great friendships along the way. The difficulty of our task, the long hours we worked, and the like-minded sense of purpose that we shared brought many of us close together. At the end of July, I was offered the paid staff position of Field Organizer in Ohio. While I was happy to be offered the position, I was not sure if I would be able to keep with the long hours and most of all even longer time away from Jen. As those of you who are close to us know, Jen and I do everything together, so such a long time apart would be unthinkable but for the fact that the dire situation our county found itself and for our complete confidence in Barack Obama to address the nation’s ills. So we agreed to continue our sacrifice and do our small part to secure our nation and the world’s better future. After a brief four days back in San Francisco, I returned to Ohio to begin work as a Field Organizer. I was told I would be assigned to Cleveland, but at the last minute, I was sent to Newark, Ohio in Licking County. I was familiar with Newark, having visited back when I was growing up two counties away in Cambridge, Ohio. I began working with another group of dedicated Obama supporters, many of whom had also quit their jobs to help Barack Obama win election in the critically important state. The work was similar to what I had done as a fellow. I was tasked with recruiting, training, and managing volunteers, who would build teams, make phone calls, canvass door-to-door and convince people to vote for Barack Obama. This work was much more difficult in an area that was more conservative and demoralized than Toledo, where the excitement for the election was quite palpable. Slowly but surely, we built neighborhood teams, opened our own office (see the pictures with me in front), and reached in an organized effort the likes of which Licking County had never seen. I was very lucky to have supporters house me, and the use of another’s car for the duration of the campaign. It certainly helped a great deal and I am truly grateful for their contribution.

A typical day for me began at 9:00 am, with meetings and a conference call. The rest of the morning was spent preparing for the volunteers’ arrivals, and it went by very quickly – sometimes we forgot to eat. Early afternoon was often a mix of meetings, returning phone calls, training new volunteers and assisting other volunteers. Late afternoon until 9 pm was our “sacred call time” and we spent the whole time (or very close to it) on the phones, finding new volunteers and rescheduling others. At the end of this, we had a few minutes to scramble to get our call numbers and results together to report first to our region which consisted of Licking, Delaware and Knox counties, and then to a regional conference call which consisted of ¼ of the state. Later, we would also have a statewide call. After all of this, we had to enter data. Luckily, I had some great volunteers, and one in particular who did a massive amount of data entry which probably saved us a couple of hours a night, so we could get home by 11:30 pm or so each night. Although, as we got closer to the election, I was not getting home until after 2:00 am. It was very rough – and working last few days of the campaign was the hardest thing I have ever done. Jen came out to spend the last few days of the election with me in Ohio and even helped canvass on election day. I was so glad to have Jen at my side while we watched the election results and we shared tears of joy as Ohio was announced for Barack Obama. It had been worth all the struggle and sacrifice.

I was happy that I was able to see Obama and Biden once with Jen (she visited for a few days in August).

In addition, during state-wide training for the campaign staff in Ohio, Obama did show up to encourage us. I also was able to see the future Vice President when Joe Biden came to visit Newark.

It was amazing to have been a part of this historic campaign and now I look forward to doing my part to help this incoming administration rebuild America.

We Won! Now, Back Home in SF

2008-11-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

Well I am now back home in San Francisco after working in Ohio for the Obama campaign since June. It's great to be back with my wife, Jen and I am getting a lot of rest after working 16 hour long days.

I was working in Licking County, Ohio and was in charge of much of Newark as well as all of Hebron, Heath, and Hanover.

I'm so happy that Obama won the election. I've never been as motivated as I was working to get him elected President. We need fundamental change and Obama had the vision and the principles to get things done to move this country in the direction we all need.

I was not able to blog during my employment by the campaign, but now I am able to do so and will be writing more in the future.

Working with the Obama Campaign in Toledo (Unite for Change)

2008-06-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

I've been working hard with the Obama presidential campaign as an organizer. Here is a local news article that highlighted one of our first major goals:

Grass roots Obama parties held throughout Toledo area.

The Washington Times even carried an article on the Unite for Change meetings as well:

Obama house parties tap 'persuasion army'

The official campaign web page for the event is here:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/uniteforchange/

It's an amazing experience to be a part of such an energetic movement that is empowering people and re-introducing the long-lost idea of community in Ohio.

I Went Back to Ohio...

2008-06-18T13:00:00.001-07:00

I just returned from 3 days of rather intensive training for Obama Organizing Fellows in Columbus Ohio. It was a great experience, I met some wonderful people and am excited to be helping the campaign organize my home city of Toledo, Ohio. Here is a picture with me (my back turned) with several of my fellow Toledo team members.

Click here for a link with more information on the training that I attended.

Going back to Ohio and seeing the sad contrasts between San Francisco where I now live and Columbus, arguably the current most prosperous major city in Ohio brought the old Pretenders song back to mind:

Sorry Rush, but the ideals you stand for are the ones that contributed to these tragic conditions.

In any case, I am excited to be helping the Obama campaign organize in Toledo!

Al Gore Endorses Barack Obama !

2008-06-18T12:34:00.001-07:00

Al Gore gave a wonderful speech endorsing Barack Obama for President in Michigan. I am very happy to see Gore enthusiastically working to elect Obama. I think Obama and Gore share many of the same ideas and ideals concerning the environment, energy independence and the role that technology can play in addressing many of our current problems.

A Great Response to Fox News Refering to Obama's Fist Pound as a "Terrorist Fist Jab"

2008-06-12T01:20:00.001-07:00

Cenk Uygur, of the Young Turks had a great response to Fox "News" referring to Barack Obama's "Terrorist Fist Jab".

Obama's Victory Speech

2008-06-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to the complete video of Barack Obama's wonderful victory speech on June 3rd in St. Paul Minnesota.

http://my.barackobama.com/june3rd

Obama Wins Democratic Party Nomination for President!

2008-06-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama has secured enough delegates to win the Democratic party's nomination for President of the United States of America . This is truly a historic moment, full of significance for our nation. I have never been so inspired or moved to action as I have been by this incredible candidate and his campaign. I am very happy to report that I have been offered and accepted an internship with the campaign. I will be traveling to my home state and crucial battleground of Ohio. I look forward to assisting the campaign.

Bush Gave Up Golf to Support the Troops?

2008-05-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

Recently, President Bush claimed that he had given up golf in a sign of solidarity with our troops and their families. While I would be the last person to criticize someone from making any sacrifice to keep a devotion to our solders in mind, coming from this President, the gesture seems far too little and it is made worse by the fact that it appears he lied. Not only is his gesture questionable in regard to being a conscious effort on his part, because his aides suggested it to him, but also because of a medical condition that may have forced him to abstain from the sport. It also appears that President Bush lied about his token gesture, by playing golf months after he supposedly gave it up. Keith Olbermann said is best once again in one of his special comments on MSNBC:

This is just the latest in a series of outrageous actions that this administration has either been directly responsible for or has allowed to happen, things that go completely against the spirit and ideals of America. To list a few:

1. Torturing prisoners held in our custody.
2. Starting a preemptive war against a nation that was no direct threat to America.
3. Operating secret prisons in foreign nations out of the reach of international and congressional oversight.
4. Keeping Americans fearful and manipulating elections though the use of a laughable color-coded terrorist warning system.
5. Wiretapping the telephone and email communications of American citizens without a warrant an in violation of the law. (Don't tell me that this wasn't used for political ends either...)
6. Placing people in charge of regulatory agencies from the industries that they are supposed to regulate - such as the EPA, FDA, and Mine Safety)
7. Disclosing the identity of a CIA agent and exposing friendly operatives in other nations to danger just to score a political point.
8. Holding a secret energy meeting with oil executives before the war in Iraq and refusing to disclose what happened.
9. Disastrous incompetence and lack of leadership that left Americans dead, injured and homeless after hurricane Katrina.
10. The deliberate and complete politicization of every action and function of government especially foreign policy.

Any one of these would be worthy of investigation and possibly impeachment. This administration is the worst in American history.

The Audacity of Hope, Not the Audacity of Hate

2008-04-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama just held a press conference where he clarified the differences in his views from those of his former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Read more here. While I am very glad that Senator Obama did so, I am saddened by the necessity of his actions. Unfortunately, Reverend Wright who was forced into the spotlight when a few of his inflammatory statements became widely played, had a unique opportunity and he squandered it. Rev Wright had the opportunity to bring a Christan message of helping those who are oppressed and talk about what needed to be done to help us move forward together. He hurt the causes he believes in whether he realizes it or not. That is most unfortunate, because, these are causes I believe are important - social justice, racial equality, and an end to aggressive and violent foreign policies.
I am saddened by Reverend Wright's choice to make himself the story and suggest that the media are not criticising his fringe views but the African American church. Senator Obama had to distance himself from his friend and former pastor. He really had no choice. This is Reverend Wright's fault for making such inflammatory statements. Remember, Reverend - it is the audacity of hope, not the audacity of hate that brings change and progress. Now let's hope the media can focus on the issues and not be distracted by the Reverend Wright.

ABC's Terrible Debate

2008-04-18T00:47:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, April 16, 2008, the two leading Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama held a debate moderated by ABC's Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos. This was easily the worst debate I have seen in this election cycle. Huffingtonpost called it the "gotcha debate." Read the story here. The first half of the debate was full of petty criticisms of personal misstatements, questions of guilt by association, and other petty "distractions" to quote one of the moderators of the debate. In such an important time in such a crucial election, why were such distractions given so much focus? We are at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, have top officials in the government admitting to have authorized torture, we have a housing, credit and energy crisis, millions without health care, U.S. paid mercenaries who are not subject to any law killing civilians in Iraq, billions of dollars wasted or lost in Iraq, and many many other pressing problems. Instead of concentrating on these vitally important questions, Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos decided to concentrate of the HRC's multiple misstatements regarding snipers in Bosnia and Obama not always wearing a flag pin. Absolutely ridiculous. I hate to be so critical of George Stephanopoulos since I met him, during Bill Clinton's first run for the presidency in 1992 and know him to be very intelligent and personable. But this was a terrible excuse of moderating. As Keith Oblberman pointed out today, some of the questions posed by Stephanopoulos came from Sean Hannity of Fox News infamy. That showed. This terrible excuse for a debate probably will mark the end of the debates between Obama and Clinton. If this is to be the way future debates were to be held - that is certainly a good thing.

Quod Principi Placuit Legis Habet Vigorem

2008-04-14T12:12:00.000-07:00

Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem or "That which pleases the prince has the strength of law" seems to be the maxim of the Bush administration. Recently, it was revealed that top officials at the White House including Vice President Dick Cheney, then national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, and CIA Director George Tenet met and approved the use of torture. Read more here. Even more seriously, President Bush has admitted his knowledge of these meetings and their substance. Read more here. This was clearly against the law, and even then Attorney General John Ashcroft reportedly objected saying "History will not judge this kindly." What we are confronted with is an administration that uses signing statements or flat out ignores the law to get done what it wants. This is an administration that puts far more emphasis on loyalty than on adherence to the constitution or the law. So in effect we are left with an administration that might live up to the Latin maxim above. This is even worse than the Regan administration's "imperial presidency" or Nixon's where he claimed that the law is never broken when the president is doing a given thing. This is the worst administration in U.S. history - the corruption, blatant abuse and disregard for the law and governmental institutions shows that this administration must be stopped. Bush and the top aides should all be impeached - but I know it won't happen due to a lack of political will. I pray that the Democrats will win back the White House in November and then we will see some serious prosecutions. If McCain wins, these criminals who are running our government will not be prosecuted and may very well be pardoned. It is necessary for this Republic to show what happens to officials who live by the misguided maxim "Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem" - those who seek to govern in this manner have no place in a Democracy.

Iraq: Five Years Later

2008-03-20T00:41:00.000-07:00

Five years ago, the United States invaded Iraq. I remember living in Japan and witnessing the beginnings of a war that I knew would be tragic. I prayed that we would not start a preemptive war against a nation that was no direct threat to our own. My prayers were not answered and the bloodshed and destruction began. I watched President George W. Bush and Dick Cheney full of bluster talk about how we would be greeted as liberators. I knew that things would be bad and unfortunately I was right. Of course living overseas, I had the uncomfortable experience of the anti-American backlash in the face of our naked aggression. "Why did the U.S. invade Iraq?" people would ask me. I would feebly explain that the U.S. government believed that they had weapons of mass destruction. Some Japanese would then ask if it wasn't true that we had been keeping Iraq bottled up with strict sanctions and no-fly zones. I would answer that it was true. They asked me if I believed there were weapons of mass destruction. "Maybe", I answered, but I knew there couldn't be many. Inspectors had searched and searched the country and we had destroyed the few remnants after the Gulf War. But the hardest questions came from my students. "Why does America like war so much?" they would ask. My answers to them were unconvincing. "Why does America want to kill all the Muslims?" they would ask. I told them that it wasn’t true but they did not all believe me. A few even voiced some sympathy with Al-Qaeda. It was a difficult position for an American charged with putting a positive face on America, the English-speaking, and in a broader sense, the Western world and its culture. I did what I could and talked about how I disagreed with the actions of my government. But in a democracy, I told them, that is ok. In fact it is a duty to oppose the government when you disagree with its policies. I tried hard to convey this to a simple rural people who like many people everywhere tend to think that all the people in a country support it's government and all its actions.
I knew many people in the U.S. who strongly supported the war and were ready to "Kick Sadam's ass." But I knew enough of the history and culture of the region (which I had studied quite extensively in college and on my own) to know that things were going to become a mess. The British faced a committed insurgency in the 1920s and had to withdraw. The county was a patchwork of Kurd, Shia, and Sunni with some other groups thrown in for even more complication. The Kurds had enjoyed defacto independence - why would they want to be part of an Arab Shia led nation that might only drag them down and steel some of their wealth? What of Kurdish irredentism? There are a lot of Kurds who live in Turkey. Would Turkey get involved to fight against Kurdish terrorists/freedom-fighters (depending on one's view)? As it turned out they did and they probably will again. The Shia are the majority and would naturally gravitate toward friendly relations with Iran (which has happened). The U.S. would not approve and have to fight that. The Sunnis who are a minority in Iraq were favored and ruled the nation through Sadam's brutal regime. They would want to fight to remain in control. Of course the Shia would fight them back. Let's not forge the Shia who rose up against Sadam following the Gulf War with the strong encouragement and promise of support by President George H. W. Bush and were crushed by Sadam's forces. They weren't going to be happy with the U.S. Let us not forget that in the 1980's the Regan administration sold weapons to Iran (who was at war with Iraq) while selling intelligence to Sadam in (what seemed to be) an obvious effort to keep the two nations fighting each other so that Iran would be occupied and Iraq wouldn't attack Israel. Why would anyone in that country trust Americans? Then what did we find out once we invaded - there were no weapons of mass destruction. So the stated purpose of the war was changed. We were there to stop Iraq's connection with Al-Qaeda. A ridiculous claim. A secularist megalomaniac like Sadam had no use for religious extremist terrorists inside his own county, especially when they were regularly making statements denouncing his surprisingly tolerant religious freedom policies. (For example he gave money to some Christian churches.) So the purpose of the war was changed to spreading democracy in the Middle East. That didn’t work so well. Sure elections were held, but is the government functioning? It is divided along ethnic and religious lines and is not working together. So then one of many terrorist groups operating in Iraq decided to become an Al-Qaeda franchise. By pledging loyalty to Osama Bin Ladin. These were not the people who attacked the U.S. on September 11, 2001; these were other Arabs who wanted the immoral support of the top Al Qaeda extremist. The purpose of the war, then stated by the White House to stamp out Al Qaeda in Iraq - an organization that existed only because the U.S. invaded Iraq! Eventually, they were on the run - in the so called "Sunni awakening" in Al Anbar province in western Iraq. Why were the Sunni fighting fellow Sunni, in this case local tribes vs. Al Qaeda in Iraq? Ostensibly because they were tired of all the collateral damage and the U.S. counter attacks. But of course they had been fighting the U.S. too - but money talks and it talked them into opposing Al Qaeda in Iraq. They were happy to take money and weapons from the U.S. government. At the same time we were and are supplying money and weapons to the Shia government in Baghdad. I cannot stress this enough. We have supplied weapons and arms to the local Sunnis in Al Anbar. At the same time we gave money and weapons to their main opposition the Shia dominated central government in Baghdad. You think Iraq is a civil war now - wait until this one plays itself out. Not to mention the Kurds and the Kurdistan Worker's Party which carries out terrorist attacks in Turkey. This war is a mess and there is nothing to do but walk away. There are no good options. The U.S must cut its losses and have "victory with honor" or "Iraqization of the war", "strategic withdrawal" whatever euphuism once wants to use. Whatever we call it, the U.S needs to get out of Iraq. Five bloody, destructive and costly years later, the situation is a mess and I fear there is worse to come no matter what we do. I suggest we get out of the way before we get caught in the middle of a real full-scale civil war and before we become entangled in the spillover into Iran and Turkey.
My wife and I are currently watching "Vietnam: A Television History" the excellent PBS documentary from PBS. I am struck by the parallels to that conflict and the one we are involved in Iraq. That conflict was a mess to start with - we leaned no lessons from the French defeats, tried to impose a domino theory of global communism on a conflict that many there saw as an anti-colonial fight, and were drawn into spill over conflict in Laos and Cambodia. It was a mess, millions died as a result and America's image and potential to do good in the world was diminished. We should see the parallels for what they are and end this current conflict as quickly and carefully as possible.
At the same time, I honor the service of the American soldiers, sailors and marines who have had to endure the very worst in life. They are doing what they see as their patriotic duty and their service is exemplary. It is because of their dedication to America that makes their sacrifice to a vain cause all the more tragic. I wish them all the best and keep them in my thoughts and prayers as I also do with the people of Iraq.

Obama's Speech "A More Perfect Union"

2008-03-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama gave an excellent speech today explaining his experience with race and putting his relationship with Rev. Wright into context. It was an excellent speech that again shows why this man is in a unique position to bring this country together.

Destructive Religious Rhetoric and Politics

2008-03-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

By now everyone has heard the inflammatory statement's that Barack Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright made concerning America's responsibility in events that led up to 9/11 as well as his remarks against a white-dominated government who tried to keep African Americans down. Read more here. The Reverend may have had a case for some of his points, but they were made in a dogmatic and divisive way. But what was his ultimate point? That the U.S. government had made poor foreign policy decisions and that the U.S. had oppressed African Americans for years. Honestly, when rephrased, much of what he said is obviously true. The problem was the in the angry tone and dogmatic nature of the statements that turned a point worthy of discussion into something that sounded angry and destructive.
But let us compare those statements to John McCain's spiritual advisers. Read more here . John Hagee who railed against Catholicism. Rather than referring to it as a branch of Christianity to which he disagreed, he called it "a cult" and "the great whore." Not helpful. More destructive divisive rhetoric. Even more disturbing, was what McCain spiritual advisor Rod Parsley had to say. He has written: "I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications. The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore." Read the story here. Not only is this bigoted, and destructive but it shows a complete disregard for historical accuracy and common sense.

I am tired of religious "leaders" who try to drag us into such hateful thinking and policies. I'm tired of the partisan nature of this country and religious leaders who try to steer us in a direction based upon one or two narrow issues. In my own Catholic church, I have been disappointed by a priest who couldn't stop telling worshipers how much he admired George W. Bush because he is a man who was not afraid to pray and admit it in public. This during the closing months of 2004 when we were getting ready to vote for President. My first thought was that Osama Bin Ladin wasn't afraid to pray publicly either, but it was more about the content of those prayers than the prayers themselves that was either noteworthy or despicable. Attending a friend's wedding at another Catholic church, a time which should be focused on the joy of the union being consecrated and celebrated, we were "treated" to an anti-Protestant tirade. Something I have NEVER experienced before in a Catholic church. It was depressing. I was glad to finally hear a message of inter-religious unity and common cause at the National Shrine of St. Francis here in San Francisco. That gave me hope again that I could find a comfortable place inside organised religion. The other aforementioned examples made me depressed and disappointed.
When I grew up, politics was mentioned as important in the church, but were were told to exercise our own judgement, pray for guidance and remember one's intentions when selecting one's leaders. I certainly wish the Reverends Wright, Hagee, and Parsely would be giving us more of that message than the ones that they did. And what about that part about turning the other cheek, and loving one's enemies? I seem to remember that being of somewhat importance in Christianity.... ...maybe it's time we all remembered that!

Hillary Clinton Must Reject and Denounce Geraldine Ferraro's Extremely Divisive Comments

2008-03-13T00:37:00.000-07:00

Former 1984 Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro who was working for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign has on a number of recent occasions made outrageous comments about Barack Obama suggesting that it is only because of his race that he has been successful thus far. I could write on and on about how terrible these comments are, and how Hillary Clinton has surrounded herself with mean spirited people who seem more intent on winning the next primary than the future of the Democratic party or that of America, but Keith Olbermann has already said it best in his latest special comment:

Obama Wins Mississippi

2008-03-13T00:22:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama defeated Hillary Clinton in the latest Democratic contest in Mississippi. It is harder and harder to imagine a scenario where HRC wins the nomination. The math is definitely in Obama's favor!

Obama Wins in Wyoming

2008-03-09T22:15:00.001-07:00

Barack Obama Won yet another contest - this time in the state of Wyoming. He has won 29 of 43 contests, and is leading in the popular vote as well as in the number of delegates. I think it's obvious that Hillary Clinton has little chance of overtaking him and winning the nomination. She can only attack him and make it harder for the Democrats to win in November. She wants to have it both ways - saying that he's not ready to be President and yet hoping that he will accept a Vice Presidential slot so she can gain his enthusiastic supporters and well organized team. It won't work. He will be the nominee, God willing.

One Charity Helping Americans Without Adequate Health Coverage

2008-03-07T13:08:00.000-08:00

I recently saw a report on 60 minutes about a charitable organization - Remote Area Medical that is providing free health care services for thousands of Americans who either have no insurance or are underinsured. It was stunning to see what the state of health care is in the wealthiest nation on Earth. I strongly encourage everyone to read or watch the report here and then to donate to this wonderful organization here.

This just reminds me of how awful our system of caring for people is in the U.S. We have a for-profit system that leaves people suffering while those on top make millions of dollars. The right perpetuates the myth that any tampering would lower the quality of healthcare. Even if that was true, it doesn't matter how good the care is if very few can ever take advantage of it.

This report also shows how even people who are insured are suffering because of high deductibles. I'm sorry but that is why I like Obama's plan to lower insurance costs over HRC's mandates.

In any case, no matter where you stand politically, I encourage people to learn more about and generously support this very noble endeavor.

Obama Must Win

2008-03-07T12:34:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama narrowly lost to HRC on Tuesday March 4 in Rhode Island, Ohio and the Texas Primary, He won in Vermont and looks like he will have won in the Texas caucus when the votes are finally counted. HRC will end up gaining only a handful of delegates. Obama still leads by over a hundred delegates. HRC needs to win by huge margins all or most of the remaining states, count on Michigan and Florida being seated at the convention in her favor, and then hoping that the super delegates will mostly jump to her side - all of this to give her a narrow victory over Obama. The math is heavily against her.
I am so disgusted by her campaign. I am really upset that I am so upset. I was very happy with the entire field of Democratic candidates last year - and despite my very early support for Obama campaign - not in the way a fellow rival campaign should make me upset but in the way that Bush, Rove and the cheep dirty Republican political machine has run recently. I realized that I was supporting , I liked what I saw in all the other candidates. All wanted our troops out of Iraq, wanted to provide health care to all Americans and would have been a huge improvement over the disastrous Bush administration. But as time went on, I became more and more upset by the HRC campaign. We need Obama not just because he is a visionary and an inspiring leader who works for bipartisanship, but because he wants to end this sort of politics. America has been poisoned and polarized by many years of the politics of hate and fear. Bush's presidency was defined by this approach. But the Clintons and their opponents did more than their share of this sort of dirty dishonest politics during the last years of Bill Clinton's administration. The Clintons were always shifty but they did seem to do thier best to bring out the worst in their opponents. America is tired of a politics that triumphs in the face of defeating their opponents yet does nothing to solve the real myriad of problems that Americans face. HRC would be a continuation of this politics-as-usual. That is why we need Obama. The math is on his side. HRC can only succeed in providing material for John McCain. Her type of politics is a large part of what is wrong with America. That is why OBAMA MUST WIN!

Live from New York - A Shameless Appeal to Vote for a B%#@h, Hillary Clinton

2008-02-24T21:24:00.000-08:00

I have watched Saturday Night Live for my entire life. When I was young I remember eagerly waiting for the next Mr. Bill sketch. I grew up and went to school watching Ed Grimly, Toonces the Driving Cat, Sprockets and Wayne's World. In times of an excellent cast and great writers, I watched the show. In bad times when that wasn't the case, (and there have been far too many years where the cast and/or writing hasn't been very good one must admit) I continued to watch the show. I always enjoyed SNL's unique brand of social satire and political humor.
With this in mind, I watched Saturday Night Live's first show since the writer's strike and the first of 2008. Tina Fey was the host - I was looking forward to seeing the ex-cast member and one of my favorite writers back on SNL. The opening sketch was a parody of the Democratic debates which seemed to give an impression that the media was in love with Barack Obama (something I would dispute.) The sketch was shallow, but physical impressions were done well. Then came the Weekend Update sketch where Tina Fey made an appearance. I have to say, my wife and I were shocked and disgusted. Tina Fey had a tirade that was nothing but a humorless endorsement for Hillary Clinton. She made her argument that "B*%#h was the new black", an obvious assessment that voter's support for Obama was just a fad, and the next fad would be voting for a B*#&h, i.e. Hillary Clinton. She claimed that people were upset at Hillary Clinton, not for her Iraq War vote, or support of NAFTA, but because Bill Clinton would be there to help her. I'm sorry but Bill Clinton's experience would probably be an asset to Hillary Clinton - but for the fact that she is so polarizing that they would block every attempt she would make to do anything. Tina Fey misses the whole point - we are tired of the politics of fierce division and partisanship that marked much of the Bill Clinton and all of the George W. Bush administrations. We are tired of B*%#hes. We want real unity, real hope for tomorrow and real progress - not a B*$&h. I was very upset by Tina Fey's naked appeals to the voters of Ohio and Texas. It was not funny and it had no place on SNL. Contrary to Ms.Fey's argument, B*%#hes don't get things done. They get people upset and that interferes with their ability to get important things done. The paradigm is shifting and it is shifting in Obama's favor not in any B*&%h's favor.

Obama Wins the Democrats Abroad Global Primary

2008-02-21T11:38:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama has won yet another contest. American Democrats living abroad voted for the Democratic nominee all over the world. Read the story here. Obama won about 65% of the vote. He won 79% of the vote in Japan. As someone who lived abroad for 3 years, I know how hard it is to be an American overseas with the very unpopular Bush administration in Washington. Thank you, Democrats Abroad for being involved and for voting for change! Yes we can win back the white house and restore our own and the world's confidence in America.

Obama Wins 10 in a Row !

2008-02-20T05:07:00.000-08:00

Last night, Barack Obama won the Wisconsin Primary and the Hawaii Caucus, extending his winning streak to 10 out of 10 contests. He has won in every contest since Super Tuesday in Washington, Louisiana, Nebraska, The U.S. Virgin Islands, Maine, The District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and now Wisconsin and Hawaii. He is ahead in delegates, number of states won, and in the popular vote. His opponent for the Democratic nomination, HRC is in a difficult position. I hope that she will not go overly negative and give ammunition to the Republicans, but I fear that she will. Already, John McCain, the all-but-certain Republican nominee is giving speeches attacking Obama as if he were the Democratic nominee!

A New Blog to Read

2008-02-11T22:52:00.000-08:00

Tired of the fluff and half-baked emotionalism that passes for thought in cyberspace, my wife, Jen, has started her own blog: In Pursuit of Reason. Please read and comment!

Obama Sweeps February 9th Democratic Contests

2008-02-09T21:50:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama defeated Hillary Clinton in Washington, Nebraska, Louisiana and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Read the story here.

Obama won by a wide margin and I hope this is a sign of his continuing momentum and will bring him closer to securing the Democratic Party nomination for president!

Current Delegate Totals In the 2008 Presidential Races

2008-02-07T00:52:00.001-08:00

I Did My Part

2008-02-06T10:43:00.000-08:00

I think Barack Obama showed very well in yesterday's Super Tuesday elections across America. He had some very large victories and even in most of the states he did not win, he finished a close second. The delegate totals are tight (MSNBC is reporting Obama 838 to HRC 834) and this long nomination process will continue.

I am disappointed that Obama did not do better in California, although he was very far behind in the polls until a little over a week ago. I know I did my part to help him win. I made hundreds of phone calls, talked to many people in person, volunteered and attended many events and even held a small visibility and get-out-the-vote rally in my own precinct on Monday. I convinced 12 first time voters and 1 disenchanted older voter to vote for Obama.

I am glad to see that Obama carried San Francisco:

San Francisco

Candidate	Votes	% of votes
Barack Obama	88,886	52%
Hillary Clinton	75,341	44%
John Edwards	3,715	2%
100% of precincts reporting

source: MSNBC.com

I did what I could do. I did my part. Now it's up to you who live in the next states to vote to do yours. You can start here.

My Top 5 Reasons for Supporting Barack Obama for President

2008-02-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

Here are my top 5 reasons for supporting Barack Obama for president of the United States of America.

1. Barack Obama brings a message of hope and optimism to politics that has been long absent in our nation’s recent history. He is inspiring millions of new voters and giving hope to many who had been turned off by negativity, dishonesty and corruption in politics. He has asked his supporters not just for their money, but has given them the opportunity to get involved and be a part of something greater than themselves.

2. Obama is appealing not just to Democrats, but also Independents and Republicans who see the need to work together to solve many of this nation’s problems such as healthcare, education, energy, and the economy. More so than any other candidate, Obama seeks to build a new collation to tackle these large scale problems.

3. After what will have been 8 years of a disastrous Bush Presidency, Obama seeks to bring competent people to fill important government posts. He is not taking any money in his campaign from Washington lobbyists or PACs. The people he appoints will be answerable to the American people and not special interests. In confronting entrenched interests such as the health insurance and pharmaceutical companies, Obama wants to televise these discussions and through transparency, the people will see what is happening.

4. Obama has a comprehensive vision and sees how many of our problems and thus their solutions are tied together. He argues in his book “The Audacity of Hope” how creating “green” jobs to work for energy independence will strengthen our economy, lessen our dependence on foreign oil and create new opportunities for millions of workers in America, while addressing the challenges of global warming and pollution.

5. Obama is the most electable democrat. By appealing to Independents and some Republicans, he will be able to draw votes that other democratic candidates cannot. Here are some polls that show how Obama ranks head to head against John McCain (who seems to be the Republican frontrunner):

(Source: http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08gen.htm)

Cook Political Report/RT Strategies Poll. Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2008. N=855 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.4.

McCain: 45% McCain: 41%

Clinton: 41% Obama: 43%

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2008. N=1,249 adults nationwide. Fieldwork by TNS. Current results based on registered voters.

McCain: 50% McCain: 47%

Clinton: 45% Obama: 48%

If John McCain is the Republican nominee, he will be difficult to beat. Obama has the best chance of doing so, by appealing to people outside the Democratic Party. John McCain has said that troops may remain in Iraq for another 50, 60 or even 100 years. Obama opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning and is committed to bringing our troops home as quickly and as safely as possible.

On February 5, 2008, Stand for Change and vote for Barack Obama!

To learn more visit: www.barackobama.com

Obama: Style with Substance

2008-02-04T11:23:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama is the most inspirational leader in my lifetime. I have been following his career since he first ran for the U.S. Senate. Inspirational leadership has been truly lacking in this country for a very long time. I know Obama will motivate us and awaken us to new possibilities as president. However, many critics claim that he is all style and no substance - that he is some sort of demagogue who says nice things but will do little. They ask where the substance is. If all we had from Obama were his powerful and moving speeches, they might be right. But we have far more than that. He has accomplished much in his lifetime, both inside and outside government. He offers a 64 page summary of his plans in his "Blueprint for Change". With Obama we get both the substance and the style that we are in need of in America today.

Yes We Can Video

2008-02-03T14:58:00.000-08:00

Here is a supporter-created video that puts Barack Obama's speech to music.

Hillary Supporters Push Polling in California

2008-02-03T14:43:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Californians are receiving a Pro-Hillary push poll. This is the kind of politics that we Obama supporters are fighting against. Read the story here.

Olbermann on the Bush Administration Protecting Law-breaking Telecom Companies

2008-02-01T22:35:00.000-08:00

Keith Olbermann had another excellent "Special Comment" regarding the Bush administration’s efforts to give Telecom companies retroactive immunity for their involvement in illegal wiretapping of American citizens. I can't say it any better than he did.

Ted Kennedy in Oakland for Barack Obama

2008-02-01T19:03:00.000-08:00

I returned a short time ago from Oakland where I attended a Barack Obama rally where Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Senator Ted Kennedy spoke. Kennedy spoke passionately for Obama, calling this the most important election in his lifetime. I met some very interesting people, most of whom were quite inspired by Obama's candidacy for president. There were some undecided voters as well, who had the opportunity to see firsthand the excitement and enthusiasm of the Obama movement. The energy was amazing. Many SEIU union members were there. People were chanting "Si Se Pueda, Yes we can, Obama '08, and of course, Fired up, ready to go." Many held signs up and almost every car driving by honked their horn and showed off their own Obama signs in a display of support. It was great to feel a part of this amazing movement.

Here is news coverage of the event.

Sí Se Pueda

2008-01-31T13:56:00.000-08:00

California, Sí Se Pueda

El precandidato por el Partido Demócrata a la presidencia de Estados Unidos, Barack Obama.

Ted Kennedy Endorses Barack Obama

2008-01-28T15:45:00.000-08:00

Ted Kennedy, the long serving senator from Massachusetts,and brother of slain President John F. Kennedy, has endorsed Barack Obama. He writes:

"...Barack inspires me -- it's that simple. In the words of President Kennedy:

"The world is changing. The old ways will not do… It is time for a new generation of leadership."

In Barack, I see that next generation of American leadership: a figure who can transcend the divisions in this country that my family and I have fought so hard to tear down.

We were all moved four years ago as Barack told us a profound truth: We are not red states and blue states, but one United States. Since then, he has matched that rhetoric with action, traveling the country to inspire record turnouts of men and women of all ages, races, parties and faiths. Barack has forged consensus in the Senate on contentious issues such as immigration and pushed through necessary reforms like the most far-reaching ethics reform in its history.

But I'm not only supporting Barack because of what he has done. What counts in our leadership is not the length of years in Washington, but the reach of our vision, the strength of our beliefs, and that rare quality of mind and spirit that can call forth the best in our country and our people.

That's why I'm most excited about the promise of President Obama..."

Read his full remarks here.

Here is video of Senator Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama:

Obama Wins Landslide Victory in South Carolina!

2008-01-27T17:08:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama won by a huge margin in the February 26 Democratic primary in South Carolina. I am so happy by his victory and hope this will help us on February 5th when many more states hold their primaries on Super Tuesday. Barack Obama's message of hope for a better future seems to be catching on and people are rejecting the policies of dirty politics and polarization. Here is Obama's victory speech:

I was also very pleased to learn that Caroline Kennedy has endorsed Barack Obama in the New York Times entitled "A President Like My Father". Powerful words indeed. Read the whole piece here.

In another positive development, the San Francisco Chronicle has endorsed Barack Obama for President as well. Read their endorsement here.

John Kerry Defends Obama and Confronts "Swiftboating" Tactics

2008-01-24T16:14:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama has been defending himself and his record from groundless accusations, misrepresentation and outright lies. John Kerry has come to his fellow senator's defence. In a letter he wrote:

I support Barack Obama because he doesn't seek to perfect the politics of Swiftboating -- he seeks to end it.

This is personal for me, and for a whole lot of Americans who lived through the 2004 election.

As a veteran, it disgusts me that the Swift Boats we loved while we were in uniform on the Mekong Delta have been rendered, in Karl Rove's twisted politics, an ugly verb meaning to lie about someone's character just to win an election. But as someone who cares about winning this election and changing the country I love, I know it's not enough to complain about a past we can't change when our challenge is to win the future -- which is why we must stop the Swiftboating, stop the push-polling, stop the front groups, and stop the email chain smears.

The truth matters, but how you fight the lies matters even more. We must be determined never again to lose any election to a lie.

This year, the attacks are already starting. Some of you may have heard about the disgusting lies about Barack Obama that are being circulated by email. These attacks smear Barack's Christian faith and deep patriotism, and they distort his record of more than two decades of public service. They are nothing short of "Swiftboat" style anonymous attacks.

These are the same tactics the right has used again and again, and as we've learned, these attacks, no matter how bogus, can spread and take root if they go unchecked.

But not this time -- we're fighting back.

And when I say "we," I mean that literally. I know Barack is committed to fighting every smear every time. He'll fight hard and stand up for the truth. But he can't do it alone.

We need you to email the truth to your address books. Print it out and post it at work. Talk to your neighbors. Call your local radio station. Write a letter to the editor. If lies can be spread virally, let's prove to the cynics that the truth can be every bit as persuasive as it is powerful.

The Obama campaign has created a place where you can find the truth you'll need to push back on these smears and a way to spread the truth to all of your address book.

Take action here:

http://my.barackobama.com/factcheckaction

So when your inbox fills up with trash and the emails of smear and fear, find the facts, and help defeat the lies.

Barack Obama is committed to bringing our country together to meet the challenges we face, but he knows that power gives up nothing without a struggle -- and to win the chance to change America, we must first defeat the hateful tactics that have been used to tear us apart for too long.

With your help, we can turn the page on an era of small, divisive politics -- but only if next time you hear these attacks on Barack, you take action immediately:

http://my.barackobama.com/factcheckaction

The fight is just heating up -- we won't let them steal this election with lies and distortions.

Thank you,

John Kerry

A Perversion of Democracy

2008-01-19T15:33:00.001-08:00

The Daily Kos has an article outlining widespread voter suppression in the Democratic Caucuses in Nevada. Read the entire article here. I was so upset that I called the Nevada Obama office to find out if it was true. I was told by a Nevada staffer that he was receiving many reports from all over the state of voter suppression, intimidation and misinformation on the part of the Hillary Clinton campaign. If true, (and I have few doubts given how Hillary's campaign has been run thus far,) this is sickening and a sad day for the Democratic Party and America. These are the kind of sleazy and possibly criminal behavior that we have some to expect from the Bush and Rove. Unfortunately, The Hillary Clinton campaign seems to have learned their lessons from this kind of sleazy Rove-style campaigning. I am disgusted by this perversion of everything that America stands for. I urge everyone to contact their elected officials to investigate this matter and be on the watch for further underhanded campaigning by the Hillary Clinton Campaign.
The Obama campaign worker in Nevada whom I spoke to told me "It's not so upsetting that we lost. It's how we lost that's so upsetting."

P.S. As I am an Obama precinct captain, I must clearly state that the above writing is fully and completely my own. I have had no direction from the Obama campaign and take full responsibility for its content. My opinions expressed above do not necessarily reflect those of Senator Obama or any other member of his campaign staff.

Californians: Vote NO on Props 94,95,96, and 97

2008-01-18T14:39:00.000-08:00

I'll admit I am not a huge fan of gambling. I find it a huge waste of personal and community resources that also contributes to some people's obsessive behaviors. That being said, I am not entirely opposed to legalized gambling. What bothers me about these 4 propositions is that they give 4 tribes in California special treatment. These tribes no not allow their workers to unionize, and while the proposition allows for revenue sharing with other tribes, many tribes oppose this deal as being more for show than substance. The San Francisco Bay Guardian had a very good editorial outlining the reasons to oppose this measure. Read the piece here.
Fellow Californians, we can do better than this. This is a hasty measure that really needs work. Vote NO on Propositions 94, 95, 96, and 97.

The San Francisco Bay Guardian also endorsed Barack Obama for President.

Kerry Endorses Obama

2008-01-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

Senator John Kerry who narrowly lost to Bush in 2004 has announced his support for Barack Obama.

He said: "Some have suggested in this campaign that Barack is guilty of raising 'false hopes.' ... My friends, the only charge that rings false is the one that tells you not to hope for a better tomorrow."

Read the full story here.

Yes We Can !

2008-01-09T19:31:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama still leads his rivals in delegates to the Democratic national convention. He was narrowly overtaken in New Hampshire, but the race is tight. This is very impressive considering that he is going head to head with the Clinton Political Juggernaut. Barack gave a wonderful speech after the New Hampshire primary. Here it is:

And the fight for a better America that transcends our differences and brings us together in common cause continues. Barack Obama received an important endorsement from the very powerful Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Nevada. This may not be an easy road, our cause is just and we are determined. Obama is the most inspirational leader in my lifetime. We need him to be President and he WILL win. YES WE CAN! And we will.

Obama, New Hampshire Debates, The GOP and Ron Paul

2008-01-07T18:03:00.001-08:00

On January 5th, the leading Democrats debated in New Hampshire, two days ahead of the state's primary election. I thought Barack Obama did well, answering questions and staying on point. He is the front runner by far and just had to keep from slipping up. I think he did well. John Edwards made excellent points, naturally, as his aggressive style is well suited to the debate format. Hillary Clinton had an emotional outburst and seemed only negative. But this post is not concerning the Democratic side of the debates.
Before the Democrats debated, the leading Republicans had their debate. Most of the media picked up on the fact that the participants seemed to have it in for Mitt Romney. This was true. But what struck me the most was something that my wife and several co-workers of mine noticed - that was the level of disrespect for Ron Paul. I disagree with Ron Paul on a host of issues mainly steaming from our very fundamental differences in political philosophy. Simply put, I am a progressive liberal and he is a libertarian. But if you watch that debate, Paul makes some excellent points. This is part one of the debate - you can follow links to the next parts:

Rather than disagree with him or answer him, all the other candidates (with the notable exception of Mike Huckabee) were openly laughing at him. They treated him like a joke. He was actually making some good points and their response was to laugh. I thought this was very telling. My point of view is different from theirs. If they were to be elected, they would laugh at me too. It is disgusting. Kudos to Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee for standing up to the hateful condescending voice of the GOP political establishment machine.
But that we really need is Barack Obama as President. I disagree with Obama on some issues (such as Abortion) but I know he has written of the difficulty of these issues and has deep respect for the other side. It is someone with his character and willingness to work with others that we need in this divided and dispirited nation.

Just Back from Oakland Obama HQ

2008-01-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a Obama rally/meeting in Oakland. The energy and enthusiasm again was incredible. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty and many others spoke to a crowd of over 100. Over 600 people had signed up for the event which was originally scheduled for the steps of city hall in San Francisco, but due to the severe storms (for California) the event was moved to Oakland Obama Headquarters. There was a large media presence there as well. It's amazing to be a part of the positive movement for change. Go Obama!

Obama Wins in Iowa!

2008-01-03T21:04:00.001-08:00

My wife and I attended an Iowa caucus party in North Beach, here in San Francisco. The energy and enthusiasm was amazing. Everyone was ecstatic at Obama's large margin of victory. We were even joined by nearly 100 people including Craig Newmark of Craigslist and a state senator. Now, we are fired up and ready to win in New Hampshire!

Here is Barack Obama's victory speech:

A Message of Hope from Barack Obama

2008-01-03T02:52:00.000-08:00

Here is a message of hope from Barack Obama using much of his 2004 Democratic Convention Speech. I have high hopes for a good showing in Iowa later today. It's time to get our country in order. I'm fired up and ready to win in Iowa!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T17:43:00.000-08:00

I would like wish everyone a safe happy and meaningful Christmas holiday. I hope this holiday season will bring the true universal tenets of the core of the Christian message: peace, hope, love and compassion. Today my wife and I attended mass at the National Shrine of Saint Francis. I have a special devotion to the saint - one who learned to work with people of different faiths and who was kind and compassionate to human and animal alike. Take care all of you and God bless. Merry Christmas.

I am an Obama Precinct Captain

2007-12-21T20:45:00.000-08:00

I have been selected by the Obama campaign to be a precinct captain. In this capacity, I will be calling voters and talking to people in my local neighborhood, encouraging them to vote for Barack Obama on Feburary 5, 2008 for California’s Democratic Primary. I am very excited to be involved in such a vital way with the campaign. I encourage everyone to inform themselves and get involved in this very important election.

The Fierce Urgency of Now: MLK and Obama

2007-12-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

In a meeting at Riverside Church in New York City on April 4, 1967, Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech that resonates today. Simply change Vietnam to Iraq, China to Iran, and Buddhist leaders to Muslim leaders and this speech could have been given yesterday.

"Even when pressed by the demands of inner truth, men do not easily assume the task of opposing their government's policy, especially in time of war. Nor does the human spirit move without great difficulty against all the apathy of conformist thought within one's own bosom and in the surrounding world. Moreover when the issues at hand seem as perplexed as they often do in the case of this dreadful conflict we are always on the verge of being mesmerized by uncertainty; but we must move on.

Some of us who have already begun to break the silence of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation of agony, but we must speak. We must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but we must speak... ...Perhaps a new spirit is rising among us. If it is, let us trace its movement well and pray that our own inner being may be sensitive to its guidance, for we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us.

Over the past two years, as I have moved to break the betrayal of my own silences and to speak from the burnings of my own heart, as I have called for radical departures from the destruction of Vietnam... ...There is at the outset a very obvious and almost facile connection between the war in Vietnam and the struggle I, and others, have been waging in America. A few years ago there was a shining moment in that struggle. It seemed as if there was a real promise of hope for the poor -- both black and white -- through the poverty program. There were experiments, hopes, new beginnings. Then came the buildup in Vietnam and I watched the program broken and eviscerated as if it were some idle political plaything of a society gone mad on war, and I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. So I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such.

Perhaps the more tragic recognition of reality took place when it became clear to me that the war was doing far more than devastating the hopes of the poor at home. It was sending their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and to die in extraordinarily high proportions relative to the rest of the population... ...for the sake of hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent...

...Now, it should be incandescently clear that no one who has any concern for the integrity and life of America today can ignore the present war. If America's soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read Vietnam. It can never be saved so long as it destroys the deepest hopes of men the world over. So it is that those of us who are yet determined that America will be are led down the path of protest and dissent, working for the health of our land...

...Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours.

This is the message of the great Buddhist leaders of Vietnam. Recently one of them wrote these words:

"Each day the war goes on the hatred increases in the heart of the Vietnamese and in the hearts of those of humanitarian instinct. The Americans are forcing even their friends into becoming their enemies. It is curious that the Americans, who calculate so carefully on the possibilities of military victory, do not realize that in the process they are incurring deep psychological and political defeat. The image of America will never again be the image of revolution, freedom and democracy, but the image of violence and militarism."

If we continue, there will be no doubt in my mind and in the mind of the world that we have no honorable intentions in Vietnam. It will become clear that our minimal expectation is to occupy it as an American colony and men will not refrain from thinking that our maximum hope is to goad China into a war so that we may bomb her nuclear installations. If we do not stop our war against the people of Vietnam immediately the world will be left with no other alternative than to see this as some horribly clumsy and deadly game we have decided to play.

The world now demands a maturity of America that we may not be able to achieve. It demands that we admit that we have been wrong from the beginning of our adventure in Vietnam, that we have been detrimental to the life of the Vietnamese people. The situation is one in which we must be ready to turn sharply from our present ways....

...It is with such activity in mind that the words of the late John F. Kennedy come back to haunt us. Five years ago he said, "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

Increasingly, by choice or by accident, this is the role our nation has taken -- the role of those who make peaceful revolution impossible by refusing to give up the privileges and the pleasures that come from the immense profits of overseas investment.

I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.

A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies. On the one hand we are called to play the good Samaritan on life's roadside; but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth. With righteous indignation, it will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say: "This is not just."... ...A true revolution of values will lay hands on the world order and say of war: "This way of settling differences is not just."...

...America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from reordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war. There is nothing to keep us from molding a recalcitrant status quo with bruised hands until we have fashioned it into a brotherhood....

...These are revolutionary times. All over the globe men are revolting against old systems of exploitation and oppression and out of the wombs of a frail world new systems of justice and equality are being born. The shirtless and barefoot people of the land are rising up as never before. "The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light." We in the West must support these revolutions. It is a sad fact that, because of comfort, complacency, a morbid fear of communism, and our proneness to adjust to injustice, the Western nations that initiated so much of the revolutionary spirit of the modern world have now become the arch anti-revolutionaries. This has driven many to feel that only Marxism has the revolutionary spirit. Therefore, communism is a judgement against our failure to make democracy real and follow through on the revolutions we initiated. Our only hope today lies in our ability to recapture the revolutionary spirit and go out into a sometimes hostile world declaring eternal hostility to poverty, racism, and militarism. With this powerful commitment we shall boldly challenge the status quo and unjust mores and thereby speed the day when "every valley shall be exalted, and every moutain (sic) and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain."...

...We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked and dejected with a lost opportunity. The "tide in the affairs of men" does not remain at the flood; it ebbs. We may cry out deperately (sic) for time to pause in her passage, but time is deaf to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residue of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words: "Too late." There is an invisible book of life that faithfully records our vigilance or our neglect. "The moving finger writes, and having writ moves on..." We still have a choice today...

...We must move past indecision to action."

Click here for the full text of MLK's Speech.

This is a unique time in America's history. We are at a vital crossroad. Will we regain our greatness and make true the vision of the founding fathers, the civil rights activists and our people? Or shall we continue down the road of decay and corruption that many nations have faced before their ultimate demise? Who among the candidates can best lead us in a new direction of hope, justice, and fairness with a positive message and a renewed spirit of optimism? That is clear to me - Barack Obama. The other candidates seek to bandage a deep and potentially fatal wound. They argue only on what type of bandage to use. Obama will give us the medicine we need to recover and then push us back to our task of making this nation once again a beacon of hope and an example to the world.

An Open Letter to Al Gore

2007-11-29T16:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Vice President Gore,

I am an ardent admirer of your work. I applaud your efforts to bring attention to global climate change and other important issues of our time. When Bill Clinton ran for President in 1992, I was a strong supporter - in no small part because I wanted you to be our Vice President (And I hoped next President). It took me a long time to recover from the traumatic results of your 2000 winning run for the Presidency. The nation and the world have suffered as a result. This brings me to my reason for writing to you. The nation and the world are in peril. You know this far more and I. We need a leader who will bring this shattered, demoralized, and abused nation back together in common cause. We need someone who will look to the future with hope and inspire others to change. We do not need a continuation of the Bush administration's quasi-fascist policies, that much is clear. But we also do not need a return to the partisanship and cold calculation that was the dark side of the Clinton administration. (Don't get me wrong - I admire the work done under the Clinton-Gore administration, but there were some aspects that were less than desirable.) That is why I am urging you to endorse Barack Obama for the democratic nomination. He is a strong, smart, and compassionate man with a real eye on the future. I see much of your values and goals in his words and ideas. Please endorse Obama and help put this country back on track. Thank you very much Mr. Vice President.

Best Wishes and Sincerest Thanks,

Matthew R. Klempner

Barack Obama: The Right Kind of Experience

2007-11-26T12:26:00.000-08:00

A lot has been made about the so-called experience issue in the Democratic race for the presidential nomination. Barack Obama doesn't have years of inside the beltway Washington experience as many of the other candidates do. But is that such a bad thing? Not in my opinion. But what would Obama bring to the Presidency? Here is a list of his experience - just read this list and consider whether one would want the President of the United States to have such experience:

1. Experience living overseas.
2. His undergraduate degree is in Political Science, specializing in International Relations.
3. Worked for years as a community organizer in Chicago, helping resolve disputes and assisting the poor living in public housing.
4. Received a Law degree from Harvard.
5. Served as a Constitutional Law Professor and Practiced Civil Rights Law.
6. Served for 8 years as a Illinois State Senator.
7. Served as a U.S. Senator from 2004 and sits on the Committees for Foreign Relations; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Veterans' Affairs.

We need someone who knows about other countries and the cultural differences that exist. We need someone who has first hand knowledge of the conditions of the poor in America. We need someone who has an understanding of our law, our government and our constitutional rights. (Look at the current disaster the Bush administration has made.) Obama has all the right experience for the Presidency!

Obama: Change We Can Believe In

2007-11-16T23:46:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, November 14th, my wife and I served as Volunteer Captains for Barack Obama's appearance in San Francisco. Despite dealing with some headaches caused by the secret service's odd arrangements for seating the crowd, it was an amazing experience. The speech he gave was very similar to the one he delivered in Iowa at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner. This is a wonderful speech that outlines his priorities and demonstrates how he has the best positions on the issues, while highlighting his energy, optimism and genuine sincerity. This speech is a great introduction to the man and the issues he stands for. It was wonderful to have been a small part of this event.

Obama in San Francisco - Part 1

Obama in San Francisco - Part 2

Obama in San Francisco - Part 3

Several excellent speeches were given before Senator Obama entered the auditorium. This was one by Molly Kawahata. (If you look very closely, you can see me for about 1 second, walking from left to right in the foreground as I check up on my volunteers.)

Obama Coming to San Francisco

2007-11-10T23:58:00.000-08:00

I am looking very much forward to seeing Barack Obama in person Wednesday!

Worst President Ever: The Bush Administration's Greatest Hits

2007-11-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

After one of the closest elections in American history, where Al Gore won the popular vote the supreme court decided George W. Bush would be President. A greater man might have reassured the public by having every vote counted to ensure the democratic process would function as intended. Bush fought the recount in court. A better person (once selected as President) might have actually tried to be a uniter and not a divider and governed in a moderate way with an eye toward uniting a divided nation. Bush was not a better person. His policies were divisive and highly partisan. After the tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Bush took advantage of the situation and began a push to make the Presidency vastly more powerful than envisioned by the founding fathers. The level of secrecy turned from the annoying but-understandable-in-a-time-of-crisis to a level perhaps only seen in fascist regimes or centralized communist states. We preemptively invaded Iraq - a nation that was no direct threat to us that had already been crippled by 10 years of sanctions. We as a nation engaged in detainee abuse, torture, and secret imprisonment with the direction or allowance of the Bush administration. The administration has been a horrible pairing of partisanship and incompetence. Perhaps the worst incompetence was seen by the disastrous response to hurricane Katina. Perhaps the worst example of partisanship by the Administration was the outing of Joe Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame Wilson (a undercover CIA agent) to punish Wilson's correction of a White House lie. After the investigation found I. "Scooter" Lewis Libby guilty, Bush pardoned him, showing that politics was more important than finding the truth or upholding the law. After U.S. attorneys were fired for political reasons (failing to prosecute Democrats) then Alberto Gonzales - the Attorney General, conveniently forgot so much it was hard to see if he could recall anything before Congress.
Under the Bush Administration gas prices have reached new highs and the oil companies are making record profits. Bush comes from an oil background as do many of his latest political donors. Coincidence?
win the next election. ( Now with over a year to go with this administration - what other terrible things will this administration inflict on this nation (other than denying an expansion of health coverage for children?) I fear the last act of this administration may be to start a third war with Iran and then leave the job of picking up the pieces to Obama or another candidate most likely a Democrat (Assuming Dibold machines and/or the Supreme Court won't make that not happen). We must be very careful of what this administration may do in it's last days....

Obama Starting to Confront Clinton

2007-10-30T22:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight there was another Democratic presidential candidate debate at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. This time Obama took Hillary Clinton to task on her record and her evasion of questions. While many of the other candidates, such as Edwards and Biden attacked Clinton as well, Obama continued to promote his positive message and made the case for his being more of a uniter than Hillary Clinton could be. I'm glad to have seen Obama handle this well. He is not a negative campaigner and it is obvious that this sort of distinction-drawing with fellow Democrats does not come easily, but he handled himself well, and I firmly expect the polls to reflect a loss for Clinton and a gain for Obama. I think Obama has a real shot at winning the Iowa caucus. I hope Obama has gained the momentum he needs and this will carry him though to the final election as President!

Quintin Mecke for Mayor of San Francisco!

2007-10-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

It seems a forgone conclusion that Gavin Newsom will be reelected mayor in November. I originally supported him when I moved to the City. But I have been increasingly disheartened by his lack of leadership in several areas. But recently, Newsom endorsed the hawkish, chameleon-like Hillary Clinton for President. That was enough. After that, he had definitely lost my vote. So, I started to see if there was anyone running whom I could support. It is difficult because Newsom has had no real opposition in this election cycle. But I did find someone who is starting to get the attention of several groups in the city - Quintin Mecke. I have read up on his stands on various issues and must say his positions are much more in keeping with the spirit of San Francisco. His stands on crime, homelessness, and transportation are better than those of our current mayor. I fully support Mecke for mayor and hope that San Franciscans take the time to learn more about him before they vote.

Rising Fascism in America

2007-10-18T00:28:00.000-07:00

We live in very frightening times. I have been very critical of many changes taking place in America since President Bush's "election" and the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Many things disturbed me, as one would expect - me being a liberal Democrat opposed to the Neo-Conservative George W. Bush. But soon, events and actions taken by the administration and its supporters were beginning to worry me in more than a difference-of-ideology way. Dissent of the president's actions were being framed as "unamerican" or characterized as supporting "the enemy". Things seemed to be getting worse with the invasion of Iraq, abuses of prisoners, secret prisons, warrantless wiretapping, harassment of administration critics, usage of mercenaries, and the flagrant disregard of the law and the Constitution. All these things disturbed me. But after reading Naomi Wolf's The End of America, I see all these events not as the isolated excesses of an abusive and incompetent neo-conservative administration, but as part of a disturbing trend leading to the establishment of a totalitarian even fascist regime in America.
I know that some will think that I am overreacting. But Wolf presents a well-reasoned, thorough comparison of recent events in America with the rise of totalitarian regimes and the destruction of democracy movements in 1920s Italy, 1930s Germany, East Germany in the 1950s, Czechoslovakia in the 1960s, Chile in 1973, and China in the 1980s and 1990s. Wolf argues (quite convincingly) that leaders always take 10 steps when their societies become totalitarian closed and undemocratic. These steps are as follows: 1) Invoke an internal and external threat. (This can be real or imaginary. In our case, the threat of terrorism is certainly real.) 2) Establish secret prisons. (Such as the secret CIA prisons that are being operated by the Bush administration. 3) Develop a paramilitary force. (Such as Blackwater.) 4) Surveil ordinary civilians. (This was being done illegally and it continues.) 5) Infiltrate citizens' groups. 6) Arbitrarily detain and release citizens. 7) Target key individuals. 8) Restrict the press. 9) Cast criticism as espionage and dissent as treason. 10) Subvert the rule of law. ( How many laws are being broken - we may never know thanks to the evocation of executive privilege by current and former Whitehouse officials and the "forgetfulness" of administration officials.
The founding fathers of America worried about the rise of an all-powerful executive. We may dismiss this notion "It can't happen in America... ...we overthrew the rule of a monarch and democracy is so beloved here..." But we should remember the lessons of history. In ancient Rome, the monarchy was overthrown and a republic established. The revulsion of the kings ran strong and deep in roman society until the rise of all-powerful executives came to power and Rome came to be ruled by an emperor. In Germany and Italy, Mussolini and Hitler came to power legally - though the use and abuse of democratic governments. Am I worried that Bush will enter Washington D.C. with an army and proclaim himself dictator-for-life? No, but I do worry that the damage that this administration has done to our republic may have closed the door on our open society in the guise of protecting us from a handful of religious fanatics.

A final thought: Right now, just by reading this, your computer activities may be monitored by government officials. Perhaps the words terrorist and September 11 got their attention. You might be added to a list whereby you might not be able to fly on a commerical airliner. When you try to fly, you could be detained, strip searched and held without being charged. If it is the whim of the President (or perhaps even a minor official) you may be labeled an enemy combatant and flown to a secret prison where you could be drugged, sleep deprived and forced to stand for days without rest and put into solitary confinement. (This is not considered torture by the administration.) Your family, friends and employer may wonder where you are as your detention would be classified as a state secret. You could be tired in a secret military tribunal with secret evidence that you and your consul are not permitted to see. Any contact permitted with your lawyer could be monitored perhaps by the same people prosecuting you. An overzealous contractor might "interrogate" you to death without much fear of punishment. This is a real possibility under current interpretations of the law. Does this sound like anything that could happen in a free society? This is truly frightening. This is NOT the America I learned about in school. This sounds more like what could happen to one under a fascist regime...

Obama Needs to Draw Sharp Distinctions With Clinton

2007-10-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

In the latest MSNBC Democratic primary presidential debate, most of the candidates attacked Hillary Clinton to some degree. But Barrack Obama seemed to be content to let the other candidates attack Clinton, while he either stressed more of a more positive message or saved his attacks for the disastrous Bush administration's policies. Normally, I would applaud such an approach, but I fear that he is not showing the public enough of the differences that he has with Clinton. While I dislike negative politics, I think its time to draw that contrast sharply. I do not want Clinton to be the Democratic candidate in 2008. If Clinton were elected, things would be better than under Bush - but that is not saying much. That would be true for just about anyone . I fear that Clinton would be "Bush Lite", thanks to he aggressive hawkishness and willingness to give ground to a GOP unwilling to budge in their convictions. I hope that Obama can show the voters an honest and truthful distinction that can show why he would make an excellent President. The facts are in his favor. His positions are more in tune with the Democratic party as a whole and the American public in general. After what will then unfortunately be 8 years of near hell, the U.S. (and the world) will need Barack Obama. I wish him the best of luck, pledge my support and will do all that I am able to do to convince others that he will make an extraordinary President.

Gonzales and Rove are Out !

2007-08-27T13:19:00.001-07:00

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is resigning! This is truly good news – but our Republic is still threatened. The damage done to our civil rights and the rule of law as well as the dangerous positions asserted by the Bush administration still stand. It is good to see Gonzales (as it was with Karl Rove) resign amidst pressure from both political parties. But Congress and the American people must push on and fight the unprecedented power given to the executive branch.

Impeach Bush and Cheney Now

2007-07-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

I am not a person who endorses tit for tat petty politics. I always advocated following the higher road of common interest rather than the quick, easy and often misleading path of partisan politics. I hated the fact that Bill Clinton was impeached and our nation’s resources and attention were given over to a matter that I (like the majority of Americans) felt was ridiculous. Clinton was (no matter how one frames it, impeached for the high crime of lying about sex.) What he had done was obviously wrong but certainly not a matter that put our nation in peril. With that in mind, I had strongly been opposed to the prospect of impeaching President George W. Bush. Despite the fact that I could not stand his views, his lack of interest in important issues and a condescending attitude of governance, I did not want to see him removed from office for political reasons. I respected the electoral process too much. But things have changed. This administration has consistently showed a dangerous lack of respect for the rule of law. This administration is dangerous. (I will not even mention the preemptive war in

Iraq

in the rest of this piece.) They, in the administration, have taken for themselves the unprecedented power to seize people (foreigners as well as American citizens) anywhere in the world, use “hard interrogation techniques” (a thinly veiled euphemism for torture) either here in America or use rendition to allow a sympathetic but less monitored foreign regime do the torturing. This administration had opened secret prisons. This administration has lied repeatedly and then invoked “executive privilege” to silence and criticisms when caught in a lie. This administration has been ruthless against its opponents, implying that they are not supporting the troops or “hate

America

”. This administration has even gone to the point of publicly outing a CIA agent in reprisal for her husband’s open criticism of George W. Bush’s lies in his state of the union address. This administration is using signing statements to circumvent enforcement of laws passed by congress or to work contrary to their spirit. This administration even claims that the Vice President’s office is not part of the executive branch and therefore does not have to hand over documents as stated in the law. The attorney general Alberto Gonzales is obviously lying about his role in the firing of the

U.S.

attorneys for political reasons. White House Counsel Harriet Myers is refusing to appear before congress despite a subpoena to do so, and other administration officials are refusing to testify because they have taken an oath to defend (not the constitution) but the President. We are in dangerous waters. This is not simply a President and administration with a different interpretation of the law, this is one who seems to have no regard for the law, the constitution or our civil liberties. Last night I watched Bill Moyer’s Journal on PBS. There two scholars, one from the left and one from the right (who had advocated the impeachment of Bill Clinton) and they were both in agreement about the need for impeaching both the President and the Vice President. From the left there was concern for our civil rights and from the right the concern was the flagrant disregard of the Constitution by the administration and the dangerous precedents that eroded the systems of checks and balances. One very important point was made on the program. When the next President is sworn into office in January 2009, they will possess unprecedented power handed over by the Bush administration, and people seldom give up power willingly. This is the slow path to true Empire, giving the executive more and more power until the legislature is sidelined as irrelevant. Impeachment would be the needed check on the current abuses of power and would help ensure that future Presidents could not begin their terms where the current administration left off. Besides, our nation cannot afford to wait the nearly 18 months before Bush and Cheney are scheduled to leave office. We cannot afford to sit out and wait for the storm to pass – who knows what other ills this administration would release upon the nation and the world. We must act now to impeach both the President and the Vice President.

Marin Headlands Trip

2007-06-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

On April 28, 2007, my wife, Jen and I went on a short trip to the Marin Headlands for the first time. We picked up a Mini Cooper convertible from City Car Share and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge for the first time. It was a very fun experience. We drove around the Marin Headlands, admiring the view of the Golden Gate and it's famous bridge. It truly is a beautiful marriage of natural beauty and human construction that compliment each other. We had time to visit the beach and the Marine Mammal Center before we headed back to our home in the City. It was a very nice day.

Our First Obama Event

2007-04-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

On Saturday March 31 my wife Jen, and I attended our first event for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. It was a gathering of 20 people at the office of two supporters who volunteered to host the event. We gathered to watch Obama answer questions in a town-hall type setting in Iowa. The event was webcasted live over the internet. Despite a few lags and a few minor technical delays it was wonderful to hear Obama answer people’s questions and outline his priorities for national government. Even more importantly however, this event provided us with the opportunity to meet and speak to other early Obama supporters. We found them to be very interesting and genuinely concerned people. Many of them were obviously quite wealthy professionals – but none of them put on airs. We found them to be well educated but modest and down to earth. They represented some of the best examples of wealthy liberals – those who are aware of their place of privilege and desire to give back to their communities and improve the lot of those who do not share the same privileges as themselves. For most of those in attendance, this campaign was the first to really get them motivated and involved in politics especially at such an early stage. One of the hosts described himself as a “life-long libertarian” whose faith in politics and government had moved from the cynical to the nihilistic under the Bush administration. Obama he said was the first person who spoke like himself, who seemed to understand how things work and how interconnected the world truly is. He went on say that he recently registered as a Democrat for the first time in order to vote for Obama in the primaries.

Barack Obama is truly a candidate who is inspiring many people and that explains his success in raising money and his broad support so early on in this election cycle. I think that his ability to raise that kind of excitement and enthusiasm should speak loudly to Democrats when they decide to vote in the primaries. For truly I believe that if Obama wins the Democratic nomination, he will be our next president. If Hillary Clinton wins the nomination, I am sure that we will have yet another Republican in the White House. She is just too divisive and polarizing. After 6 years of an extremely polarizing administration, we need a real uniter not another divider.

Please examine Barack Obama and his plans for America (and the world’s) future. He is a great man who would make an excellent President.

Barack Obama for President !

2007-03-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

I am supporting Barack Obama and his bid for the Presidency of the United States in the 2008 elections. I have never been as convinced or passionate about a candidate as I am for Obama. He is a good man who understands the plight of the poor and middle class. His values are strong but he is not an uncompromising ideologue. On the other hand, unlike Hillary Clinton, he will make stands and not give ground on fundamental issues. He was opposed to our preemptive invasion of Iraq and seeks to get our troops out as quickly and as safely as possible. His ideas of economic security, health insurance coverage, and education are sound and well reasoned. His foreign experience is first rate - he has lived abroad and served on the senate foreign relations committee. We desperately need a president who understands that there are real cultural differences in the world (and at home) and can work as a partner with others, not simply as an adversary. I intend to do everything in my power to help Barack Obama win the Democratic primary and the presidency in 2008. I encourage you all to learn more about the man and see why you should support him as well.

Carsharing in San Francisco

2006-12-26T21:07:00.000-08:00

At long last, my wife and I have moved to San Francisco. To assist us in our move from Livermore to San Francisco, we joined a carsharing organization: City Car Share. We have had a wonderful experience with City Car Share. We find the car sharing concept is fully realized through the organization. We pay only $10 a month and then $4/hour and 44 cents per mile driven (less from 10pm-10am). This price includes insurance and gas. Cars can be reserved on-line up to 3 months in advance or up to the minute before they are needed. The system works very well. Since we do not have a car, most of the time we rely on the excellent public transportation system here in San Francisco. However, there are times, such as when we were moving or when we need to buy a lot at the grocery store, when having a car makes things much easier.
There are 2 other car sharing competitors in San Francisco: Zip Car and Flex Car, but we are very happy with the non-profit City Car Share. Car sharing reduces the amount of cars in the city and makes more efficient use of the space and other resources. Just consider how much of the time most people’s cars are sitting parked and undriven, depreciating in value, and taking up room that could be better utilized. I highly recommend the concept of carsharing to anyone who lives in an urban environment.

A Dream Fulfilled - A New Dream Begins...

2006-11-19T03:57:00.000-08:00

My wife Jen and I are finally moving to San Francisco – completing a goal that we have had for over 3 years. It has not been easy – but we are extremely happy to be moving to the City. We fell in love with San Francisco on our first visit back in 2003. When we first visited, we noticed that he people were extremely open, friendly and helpful – especially considering the size of the city. San Francisco was a beautiful city and very multicultural. Jen and I were impressed and found that it had everything we were looking for in a place to live – employment opportunities, and open-minded, accepting and progressive spirit, an interesting history, good public transportation, diversity, and a unique charm and character. It has been our dream since our first visit to live there and I am very happy to write that our dream will be coming true this week. Thank you to all the people who made this possible!
Jen and I really feel that we can truly begin to work to our fullest potential in San Francisco. While things have been better for us in Livermore, California than they were back in Ohio, we still felt stifled for many reasons. Now we feel a great sense of relief, and are full of hope and optimism for the future.

Americans Win

2006-11-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

It appears that the Democrats have won the majority in both the House of Representatives as well as the Senate. I am very happy about this as a Democrat. But I am even more relieved as an American. At last we will have some oversight in our government. I hope that the new Democratic majority will actually listen to minority views – this was something that was not accorded to the Democrats when they were the minority party. Let us hope that we are entering a new era of bipartisan cooperation. Even when President Clinton was facing impeachment, he managed to work with the Republicans in congress to push through a balanced and responsible budget. Bush had a rubber stamp congress that pushed through an ultra-conservative agenda while at the same time passing plenty of pork barrel spending on an unprecedented scale. Let us hope that a new spirit of cooperation will put the nation’s numerous problems ahead of extreme political interests. We need to work on a plan to remove our troops from the fiasco in Iraq, provide healthcare to millions of uninsured and underinsured, fund quality education, and work on a consensus regarding illegal immigration. Now let us hope that the Democrats will lead America to a brighter, more inclusive future!

Oversight - Coming Soon?

2006-11-03T01:43:00.000-08:00

I am hoping and praying that the Democrats gain control of both houses of Congress after the elections on November 7th. After all, the Republicans have had complete control over most of the government for quite some time – and look what it has brought us – a needless preemptive war in Iraq where thousands are being killed, the loss of respect by most of the world, pollution-friendly policies, higher energy prices, torture of detainees in our care, secret prisons, outing of CIA agents, secret energy policy meetings with energy companies, promotion of intolerant polices, no-bid contracts where billions have been squandered and or lost, secret wire tapping of American citizens, cover-ups of pedophile congressmen, large runaway government deficits, and an assault on rational thinking. We are told that we should trust our political leaders and that whatever thy are doing it is for our own good. Can we trust them? Perhaps, but even Ronald Reagan is often cited for his famous phrase “Trust but verify.” So who is watching out for us, making sure that the President isn’t abusing his power? Congress? Who is watching Congress? The President? Its like two used car salesmen who are trying to sell us a lemon by each pointing out the virtues of the other salesman. “Just trust him. He’s a decent guy…” Right. We have all heard that one before.
This brings me to my current thoughts. What am I hoping will be accomplished with a Democratic majority in congress? I believe it is oversight. This GOP dominated congress has rubber stamped just about anything President Bush wanted. Where are the investigations into the botched up situation on Iraq? Where are the investigations to see if our civil rights are being violated? Where are the investigations into the missing $9 Billion in Iraq? So, I hope and pray that there will be some checks and balances though congressional oversight after the elections. So lets hope the Democrats win both the House and the Senate.

Angelides for Governor

2006-10-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

I have voted for Phil Angelides for governor of California. While he may not be the most inspiring candidate, his positions seem fair and reasonable. He had a good record as state treasurer as well. But perhaps the best reason for voting for Angelides is the fact that he is not our current governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger . Schwarzenegger may not be a neo-con and has at times been critical of the Bush administration. I appreciate that fact. However, as my friend Gabe has put it, “He has never met a special interest dollar that he didn’t like.” This seems to be a good characterization. Schwarzenegger has spent an inordinate amount of time devoted to raising money for the corrupt Republican party and the President. His policies toward education in the state have been reprehensible and he has certainly devoted more efforts to protecting big business at the expense of our state’s poor. Again, while Angelides may not be the most inspiring candidate, I truly believe that California would be better off with him in the governor’s mansion rather than Schwarzenegger. I encourage all Californians to vote for Phil Angelides.

My "Personal DNA"

2006-10-13T21:40:00.000-07:00

My very good friend Tim has posted a link on his blog: Traveling Through Life Without a Map (forwarded from a friend of his) to a very interesting personality test.

I came out as an “Advocating Creator”. While I may take exception at some of the labels used, I think it is a rather good indicator of my personality.

Advocating Creator

My Personal Dna Report

Battlestar Galactica: A Mirror

2006-10-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

I have head it said that science fiction can provide a mirror to ourselves and our society. This is certainly the case with the new Battlestar Galactica series on the Sci-Fi channel. Tonight is the second episode of the 3rd season of the TV show. While many people may think of all sci-fi as “hard science fiction” wherein the story is about future technology and its effects, much of modern science fiction (including Battlestar Galactica) takes a different, more human-centered approach. This show is what I can only describe as hyper-realistic. The situations are true to today’s political and moral dilemmas. The storylines are not about the technology – in fact there are only enough technological differences in the series and our own current reality to allow a change of setting. This series takes a hard look at the way we really are and it is often not a pretty sight. The show has dealt with very relevant issues of the day: genocide, the treatment of prisoners, election-rigging, and terrorism. Recently the storyline has dealt with the motivations of people held under a foreign occupation. It puts ideas of terrorism, collateral damage, and morality in a time of war into a new perspective. This is what science fiction can do at its best – hold a mirror to ourselves and our current situation. If this show had been set in a more “realistic” genre we might have missed the insights that are brought out. To stay with the analogy, in a more “realistic” genre, perhaps the mirror is too close to see the whole reflection. Battlestar Galactica provides a mirror at just enough of a distance that we can see ourselves and our society.

GOP: The Party of Morality?

2006-10-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

Another Republican has resigned, this time over a scandal involving inappropriate sexually explicit messages being sent to underage congressional pages. Of course this is unacceptable and likely criminal behavior and should be prosecuted as such. Making this doubly outrageous is the fact that the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives was briefed on the matter, perhaps years ago. The aspects of this particular scandal are being well covered in the media.
However, this is yet another example of the Republicans' culture of secrecy and abuse of power. Not only were the personal actions of Mark Foley, the Congressman who recently resigned, inappropriate, but also involved an element of abuse of power and authority. A congressman must be very intimating to a teenage page. It seems that the congressman abused his authority and pressured the pages into illegal actions.
But this abuse of power, and impulse to cover-up if not outright lie seem to be standard operating procedure for the Republican party. It is obvious now that we did not go to war in Iraq over WMD, not simply for the benefit of the Iraqi people, nor to defend ourselves from a clear and present threat to our security. There were no links between Al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein, despite what Vice President Dick Cheney says. We are told that the preemptive war in Iraq is going well. There are billion of dollars that have disappeared in Iraq - funds that were supposed to be rebuilding the country after we invaded it. The government is bent on wiretapping American citizens without warrants, and bypassing a court set up for that purpose. Republicans (and yes, a few Democrats too) have been implicated in charges of illegal and legal bribery - voting for policies based upon unethical campaign contributions. The economy currently is doing well - with the rich benefiting from government policies that are killing the poor and middle class. Plus, we still don't know what the Vice President and oil executives decided behind closed doors. But we do know that until recently gas was over $3.00 a gallon in most parts of the U.S. The worst hypocrisy is that the Republicans in their self-righteousness have branded themselves the party of "personal responsibility" and morality. Perhaps people are beginning to see the current Republican party and for what it truly stands: Freedom (for the rich from taxes), Liberty (for congressmen to abuse their staff), Justice (for those that can bribe elected officals), and Democracy (One person, one vote - of course it will be counted on a Republican-funding Diebold company voting machine,) and Personal Responsibility (for self-professed Christians until they are caught taking bribes, or abusing minors. The GOP has strayed far from being the party of Lincoln.

A Bad Day for Monotheism

2006-09-16T23:54:00.000-07:00

     In a speech earlier this week, Pope Benedict XVI quoted a speech from a 14th century Byzantine Emperor, “Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”  This quotation, not surprisingly, filled much of the Muslim world with anger.
     The irony here is that the point of the Pope’s speech was about the incompatibility between violence and true religious belief.  In the same speech he later said, "Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul.”  This was a very true point and the message was one that we should expect from the Holy Father, leader of over 1 Billion Catholic Christians.
     I am very upset with this incident.  For one, the Pope’s message of peace and understanding was misconstrued and taken out of its full context.  In fact, several churches in the Middle East were attacked after the media reported on the Pope’s speech. This can not help the poor image of Islam held in the west. Rather unfairly, I might add, as once again the actions of a few extremists make a bad name for the majority of peaceful Muslims.  So the Pope was horribly misinterpreted.  At the same time, I am not happy at all with the Bishop of Rome.  Why in the world did he choose to quote from such a text?  Why did he not then pronounce such words as misguided?  It seems to me as if he was actually taunting the Muslim world. “Prove that you have a religion of peace!” He seemed to say while goading them with the words of a long-dead Byzantine Emperor.  Why this approach?  Some say that he is more “hawkish” than his predecessor, Pope John Paul II.  I thought that the symbol of the Holy Spirit was a dove. (As is the symbol of peace.)  I humbly suggest that the Holy See use a bit more tact and think about the future impact of “hawkish” language in the future.

September 11th

2006-09-11T02:57:00.000-07:00

Today is the 5th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Most of you probably remember where you were and what you were doing when you first received news of the tragedy. My wife and I had been living in Japan for just over two months on September 11, 2001. After teaching English for the day, I had returned home and eaten a good dinner with my wife. It was later in the evening as we were watching a rather rare English language move on Japanese TV. The movie, “Needful Things” was nearly over when we received a phone call from my mother telling us what had happened. We changed channels to see the news unfolding. Shortly after we received the news, the second tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. I received several other calls in quick succession from other expat friends living in Japan as well as calls from the US. I had a horrible feeling then, as if I was looking at the opening of a terrible new chapter in history – and I feared as much for what the American response would be as for the horrific tragedy still unfolding. Perhaps part of that silly movie stuck with me in the back of my mind, reminding me how people could be manipulated into causing other people harm. My fears were certainly realized as we went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq and began undermining civil liberties at home.
People might blame the atrocities on militant Islam. But to call such actions Islamic is truly absurd. These acts are terrorism through and through. On the other hand, American killing of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq is labeled collateral damage. But one should not call this Christian aggression for such actions are truly contrary to the spirit of Christianity as well. Neither of these things are virtuous nor Islamic nor Christian acts. Terrorism is terrorism. The way to fight terrorism is first not to become a terrorist. There is truly wisdom in treating others the way one wishes to be treated. We should be spreading that message rather than the current message of “might makes right,” - regardless of what good ends for which we claim to be fighting.

On this September 11th, my thoughts and prayers shall be with the victims and their families. I shall also pray for any and all potential future terrorists – that they be dissuaded from militancy and see the true path of justice and holiness lies with treating one another with dignity, respect, and compassion.

Have You Stopped Torturing People, President Bush? Yes or No?

2006-09-07T02:55:00.000-07:00

The terms “secret prisons” and torture at first seem best suited for a discussion on the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany or Communist China. Sadly, these terms can now also be used in a positive sentence concerning the United States of America. We’ve traded our old ideal of being the ideal for the world for an expanded notion of “Don’t mess with Texas.”
Now, the Bush Administration is changing its policies of holding prisoners in secret CIA prisons and using hard techniques that sound like torture - but aren’t supposed to be - to policies which conform to the law. Some may say this is progress, which it certainly is, but it is long overdue. This is not even mentioning the fact that this should never have been done in the first place. Now, with even a highly conservative Supreme Court ruling against the Bush Administration’s handling of prisoners, and the Republicans’ prospects in the upcoming mid-term elections in jeopardy, the Bush administration is changing its approach – dare we call it a flip-flop? Well, it is too little too late. We can see this move for what it is – a pragmatic and reluctant move by an administration that would rather “do its own thing” than follow the law.

Progressive Values - Who Shall Speak For Us?

2006-09-01T02:05:00.000-07:00

Who shall speak for us, we Americans who hold progressive values? Certainly not the Republican party, broken and schizophrenic as it is. The Republican party is divided on the issue of whether America should be a Theocracy or a Plutocracy. The GOP is also divided on whether or not to support an unpopular President in his attempts to gloss over a costly mistake of a war in Iraq.
So then, in our two-party tradition, the Democrats are the obvious choice. They must speak for we progressives, is that not so? Unfortunately, they have not been very outspoken in their opposition to the Republican efforts to undermine our freedoms, deceive the public, and squander our lives and resources. What kind of an opposition have they been? They have been an almost nonexistent opposition, I must admit. Further, they have offered few, if any good ideas of their own in the past few years.
So what are our progressive ideals? We stand for equal opportunity, a chance for everyone in society to flourish and contribute to the best of our ability. We count our people as having the highest value, not their money. Thus we want to see that no person’s life goes to waste, for their own as well as our own sake. We want to see everyone PROGRESS in their lives, and we look for means to allow everyone to have that opportunity. Every time a child goes hungry, we suffer as a community. Every time a prospective student can’t afford to go to school, we all suffer. Every time a homeless person becomes ill, we all suffer. Every time a person is denied employment based on their race, gender, or orientation we all suffer. Every time making money takes precedence over people’s welfare, we all suffer. Every time an election is contested and the truth is not sought, we all suffer. Suffering may be an inevitable part of life, but allowing needless and fruitless suffering is outrageous. We progressives stand in favor of eliminating needless suffering. This is true in our own communities and nation as well as around the globe. So, we would rather work with others, not dictate to them, for the mutual benefit all. Most of us progressives have deep philosophical and spiritual values that inform our opinions. We would rather build a more happy, prosperous and healthy earth, rather than waste all our resources in hope that the rapture will take us away before things get really bad. In fact, most progressive ideals ARE Christian ideas! I don’t recall Christ’s sermons on the need for preemptive military action, the need to lobby Caesar for lower taxes, or his advice on how to judge and force people to conform to one’s own conception of morality. But I do seem to recall a good deal about forgiving one’s enemies (Matthew 4:14-15), not judging other people (Luke 7:37), and loving one’s neighbor. (Matthew 19:19 )
It does not seem that the Democrats have been doing much to promote our values, and the Republicans have been working against them.
So will stand for these values? I wonder…

On Heraclitus

2006-08-05T02:28:00.000-07:00

I have been reading Frederick Copleston’s History of Philosophy.  Volume one of the nine volume work deals with Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy.  This is undoubtedly the philosophy with which I am the most familiar. But there was something that struck me when I read Copleston’s interpretation of Heraclitus. Most people (if they know of Heraclitus at all) seem to remember him for his saying that “All things are in a state of flux.” (Something he never actually said.)  Many books and many of my professors in college have rather agreed with the Hegelian interpretation.  That is they paint Heraclitus as claiming that all things are in a state of chaos and are many.  They go on to contrast the position of Heraclitus with that of Parmenides who claimed that all things are one and unchanging, and that change and motion are an illusion.  Then Hegel (and many others) point to Plato as the great synthesizer, who crafts a position whereby there are unchanging universal forms and a realm of becoming consisting of the ever-changing objects of sensation.
     As much as I like to give credit to Plato for creating a truly well-reasoned philosophical system, I think in this case most have simplified the position of Heraclitus to fit a nice Hegelian synthesis with the position of Parmenides.
     While it is certainly true that Heraclitus did say, “You could not step twice in the same rivers; for other and yet other waters are ever flowing on.”1  He also wrote “In the same rivers we step and we do not step. We are and are not.”2  If we are to take just these two passages, we might have strong evidence to support the common characterization of Heraclitus as simply the philosopher of chaos or flux. But Heraclitus seems to also make the case for a natural tension in the world, held between opposing states or forces. He writes, “The harmony of the world is of tensions, like that of the bow and the lyre.”3 Heraclitus also writes, “Men do not understand how what is divided is consistent with itself; it is a harmony of tension like that of the bow and the lyre.”4 Looking at Heraclitus in this light, he seems to be arguing in way more consistent with the systems of Eastern thinkers such as 老子 Lao Tsu (Laozi) who write of the world consisting of the道 Tao which is a harmony of tensions. Heraclitus does explicitly write of the unity of the opposing tensions, “It is wise, listening not to me but to the Law, to acknowledge that all things are one.”5
     I have to agree with Copleston’s understanding of Heraclitus. “What are we to say of the doctrine of Heraclitus, the notion of unity in difference?  That there is a many, a plurality, is clear enough.  But at the same time the intellect strives to conceive a unity, a system, to obtain a comprehensive view to link things up; and this goal of though corresponds to a real unity in things: things are interdependent.”6
     I am glad that Copleston has pointed this out. Reading his thoughts on Heraclitus encouraged me to go back and look at Heraclitus’ surviving work with a mind to compare what he had written with the common interpretation of his work.  Sure enough, many people it seems, are content to turn Heraclitus into a caricature, a kind of anti-Parmenides. While much of Heraclitus' writing is obscure and mystical, enough can be discerned to show us that this is not true.
     This serves as a reminder to go back and look at the primary sources and not take a commentator at their word.  I have been frustrated in the past by overly simplistic and (at least to my mind) wrong interpretations of Plato, so I am already weary of secondary sources and their bias. This incident will serve as a reminder for me not to abandon my slow progress through the original writings of philosophers, a process which I began back in 1997.

1 Heraclitus as quoted in Nahm, M.C. (1964), Selections from Early Greek Philosophy, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall p.70 (Fragment 41)

2 Heraclitus as quoted in Nahm (1964), p.73 (Fragment 81)

3 Ibid. p.71 (Fragment 56)

4 Ibid. p.71 (Fragment 45)

5 Ibid. p.67 (Fragment 1)

6 Copleston, F., (1946), A History of Philosophy:  Volume 1 Greece and Rome, Mahwah, N.J., Paulist Press p.45

33

2006-07-29T00:08:00.000-07:00

On July 27th, I turned 33 years old.  As a Christian, the age of 33 has a special significance.  After all, that is the age of Jesus when he died.  To think that He accomplished all of His work on earth by the age of 33 is truly remarkable.  Few can claim to have affected the world as much as Jesus. So, I am reflecting on my life and accomplishments as I turn 33.  I find that while I have accomplished many important goals, I still have not nearly reached my potential yet.
     I am very glad that I am very happily married, have lived for three years in Japan, made a few wonderful friends, finished college, graduate school, traveled in Europe and Asia, am working rewarding and meaningful jobs, and am living in California, close to where I want to be.  But I still feel that I have so much more to accomplish and much more work do to better this world.
     Jesus is an example of someone who accomplished a great deal in a short lifetime.  There are others.  I only hope that I am able to accomplish what I can in the years to come.  I hope and pray that I am able to make more of a positive impact in the world.  That is my ultimate goal.  As I turn 33 I am glad to say, upon reflection, I am on the path to achieving my goals, but it seems I have a long way to go.

Life Begins to Look Up

2006-07-08T02:40:00.000-07:00

After losing my full-time job, I was quite depressed for some time. My sales job certainly wasn’t doing much for me – I really didn’t like working in sales but the people were nice and it was (almost) paying the bills. After losing that job, I was left in a bad situation. We have no car. Local places didn’t want to hire me because of that fact. Further away in San Francisco or Oakland, they didn’t care that I didn’t have a car – but they thought that I lived too far away. It was a difficult position. Slowly, however things began to look up in my life. I was hired by another teaching/tutoring center and was able to get a few more hours working at my other tutoring center. I really enjoy teaching children and it is very satisfying and meaningful work. Now, I am in much better spirits. Although I am only working part time, my hourly rate is quite good. Even better, I get to teach kids Science and we are reading the Hobbit (Tolkien is my favorite author of fiction.) Once I started working again, the writing bug finally hit me again. The urge to write hit me with a vengeance. I haven’t been so motivated to write anything in about 8 or 9 years. So now, I tutor in the morning, then take the bus to the local Peet’s coffee house where I spend several hours writing. I am working on a science fiction novel. I am expanding upon a short story that I wrote back in 2001 for my Philosophy class: The Self in Science Fiction and Science Fact. I am excited about this work and am putting a lot of myself and my philosophical ideas into it.
In many ways, for me, it is like being back in 1997-1998 when I was working part time, and spending the rest of the day at the coffee house reading philosophy and doing some writing. Only this time, it is better. I have meaningful jobs, and best of all, this time I am happily married. Things are certainly looking up for us. Now if we can only move to the city…

Out of Work (Again)

2006-05-10T00:22:00.000-07:00

I’m out of work again. (Well, that’s not entirely true – I still am tutoring 2 hours a week.) The company I was working for decided not to hire me on after my 3 month trial period ended.  That’s unfortunate because I really liked the company I was working for and the people that worked there. It was a very small operation and they made me feel welcomed for the most part. Unfortunately, they didn’t think I had the drive needed for sales. Perhaps that’s true. I never really wanted to be in sales, but I like to be able to pay my bills too. The odd thing is that they praised my customer service skills and offered to write letters of recommendation and serve as good references for me.
     So, now I’m searching for a job. (Hopefully a meaningful one). Hopefully one that will take my wife and I closer to San Francisco, to where we are dying to move. I’m glad I live in the Bay Area, where job prospects are much better than Ohio and my chances of finding meaningful work are greater.
     We are not asking for a great deal, I don’t think. But we need to be able to sustain ourselves so that we can better be in a position to help others. That is truly our goal. I pray this time of uncertainty will lead us a step closer toward the realization of that goal.

The Illegal Immigration Debate

2006-04-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

Illegal immigration has been at the forefront of news lately. Tomorrow on May 1st, millions are expected to walk off their jobs in a sign of solidarity with immigrant workers.
This is a complex issue with more than 2 sides in opposition. First, there are businesses who claim that there are many jobs that Americans won’t do, and these must be filled by immigrants legal or otherwise. Then there are the immigrants themselves who come from severe poverty and are willing to risk their lives in a effort to better the lives of themselves and their families. Then there are the people caught in between the illegal immigrants and their employers. People who have to live with altered communities and less prospects for higher wages as illegal immigrants drive wages lower. Then there are those who benefit from the additional goods and services that are bought by having more people come to an area. It is indeed a complex issue with many sides.
I try (as I often do) to think what I would do if I were placed in each side’s position. What if I were a poor unemployed or underemployed person living in Mexico with a family to support. What would I do? I would try to immigrate legally, of course to America where opportunities are more plentiful. (In fact that is not so dissimilar than my moving to California from Ohio.) However, it is not so easy to get into America and that seems on the face of it absurd for a country that has always been a destination for people from other places. Every study I’ve seen shows that immigrants (legal and illegal) actually contribute more to the economy than they take. It seems to be that by allowing more people to enter legally, we’d reduce the amount of illegals coming in. We can’t fault people for wanting to better themselves – that would be… …un-American.
So what of the people caught in the middle? The people who’s communities are altered by strange faces and languages being spoken? Well, in my opinion, any time in America’s history was a time that people had to deal with this. There was opposition to immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Poland, etc. By allowing more people from various places in, one culture won’t dominate and thus, we will all have to work toward common goals. As far as taxes and services are concerned, having legal immigrants around helps. So it would be in the best interests of most communities to allow more legal immigration. It is not as if there is no room here in one of the largest pieces of real estate on the planet. I don’t mind people from other places living near me – I welcome it –I think that is one of America’s strengths. Certainly the statistics will back this up – look at the work of Richard Florida. Openness to immigrants is one factor that tends to predict an area that will be economically strong.
So now we turn to the employers. These are the people who provide the jobs that bring the illegal immigrants here. They say that there are jobs that Americans won’t do. I doubt that. The real statement should be that there are jobs that Americans won’t do for such low wages and lack of job security or protection of the law. These workers, while making more than they would in their native lands, put up with turn-of-the-last-century lack of protection. They have no heath care (like many of us native citizens) but also have no real recourse to protections that many of us take for granted. Some of these contractors may not be able to find workers, but there are many I’m sure that would be the first to show up at the slave market if it were open. It’s disgusting, but it is homeowners who are the largest employer of illegals. This dilemma is one that “average” Americans have created for themselves. I would never hire some for whom I couldn’t be responsible, simply requiring them to do my bidding then throwing them away. Thus I lay most of the blame on homeowners who’d rather save money by hiring an illegal worker to do menial work, just so they can save up more quickly for filling up that Hummer for a trip down to Disneyworld.
If we want a better America, we can’t keep hiring people that must live a separate life, cut-off from the dominant society for fear of discovery by the authorities. Such a situation breeds gang violence, drug trafficking, and a collapse of community.
I certainly hope that for all the attention that this issue is getting, that something is done to punish those who ignore our labor laws. I hope that something positive will result from his debate. But I’m sure nothing will happen. A few window dressings may change, but the cheap-labor shop will remain open for business. After all, the kids need a new toy for Christmas, why hire someone who wants to buy their own children a toy for Christmas, let’s just grab a throw-a-way person from Home Depot to fix up our house.

I'm not a Heretic

2006-01-18T00:37:00.000-08:00

So, I did not score as a heretic. That’s good. I know it is important for Christians to have some basic commonality of belief, so that communication and cooperation is better facilitated, but once we agree on these (and perhaps a few other points), it should be enough to turn our attention to living as true Christians by emulating Christ.
In Islam, Muslims are called to follow the Sunna of Mohammad. This means emulating him in every respect possible. We as Christians should do the same by emulating Christ. Christ did not spend his days condemning people, but rather helping them and teaching them a better path by words and deeds. His actions are the perfect example for us to follow.

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.

Chalcedon compliant

92%

Modalism

67%

Pelagianism

67%

Nestorianism

50%

Monophysitism

33%

Monarchianism

33%

Socinianism

17%

Arianism

Adoptionist

Apollanarian

Donatism

Albigensianism

Gnosticism

Docetism

Are you a heretic?
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My Theological Worldview

2006-01-04T01:51:00.000-08:00

I took this test concerning religious views a few months ago – but I thought I would post it to generate more discussion and help explain from where I am coming. As I mentioned in my profile, I am a Catholic Christian. I’m not exactly happy with the state of the church (Roman Catholic) or the Christian Church as a whole. I think we need to get back to the central roots of the message of Christianity – to love and serve God and each other. Rather than condemning people based on their behaviors, Christians should be setting an example for others to follow. We should lead by example. They should know we are Christians by our love, not our intolerance or close-mindedness. We should work together with others of faith to demonstrate that there are things greater than ourselves. Science is not the enemy – it deals with the “hows” and “whats” rather than the most important questions which ask “why.” Christianity has an answer for that – and it doesn’t, (in fact can’t) conflict with science, because both religion and science (along with philosophy) seek truth.

You scored as Roman Catholic. You are Roman Catholic. Church tradition and ecclesial authority are hugely important, and the most important part of worship for you is mass. As the Mother of God, Mary is important in your theology, and as the communion of saints includes the living and the dead, you can also ask the saints to intercede for you.

Roman Catholic

96%

Emergent/Postmodern

64%

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

64%

Classical Liberal

61%

Neo orthodox

57%

Modern Liberal

50%

Charismatic/Pentecostal

39%

Reformed Evangelical

11%

Fundamentalist

What's your theological worldview?
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Who am I?

2006-01-03T02:17:00.000-08:00

Sorry it’s been so long since my last posting. I will try to keep my blog more up to date in the future.

I thought I would begin 2006 by posting a few “tests” that may shed some light on who I am and from where I am coming. I’ll start with the “What is your world view?” test.
This was an interesting little test. I was quite happy to hear that I correspond exactly with the Cultural Creative model. I did wonder though about what I and Fundamentalists share in common. Without knowing the specific workings of this test, I have a few educated guesses. I answered that we must look to the past in order to progress. That may be something with which many fundamentalists would agree. But I answered in this fashion because I feel that one does need to look back to see where one has come from to ensure one does not move in a circle back to the past and repeat mistakes. Seeing where one has come from provides an invaluable benchmark to determine where one may be in the future. Other than that, I’d be hard pressed to figure out why I scored so high on the fundamentalist category.

You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational.

Cultural Creative

100%

Existentialist

75%

Postmodernist

63%

Idealist

50%

Modernist

38%

Fundamentalist

31%

Romanticist

31%

Materialist

13%

What is Your World View? (updated)
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Why San Francisco?

2005-11-07T00:39:00.000-08:00

As of October 10, 2005, my wife and I have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area of California for one year. We are both originally from Ohio. What made us decide to move close to San Francisco?
     My wife and I never really felt like we fit in to life in Ohio. After traveling in Europe, Asia, and other parts of North America, we felt even more strongly about how we were not suited to life in the land where we were raised.
     My good friend, Tim, has posted an excellent piece on his blog, Traveling Through Life Without a Map. In “Back to the Foundry” Tim talks about the differences in attitude and outlook on life between the industrial “Foundry” Region and the post-industrial “Ecotopia”. The names refer to the distinct regional “nations” that Joel Garreau noticed in his journeys across North America as a reporter and wrote about in his Nine Nations of North America.  I think that Alvin Toffler’s work, The Third Wave also can shed some light on these differences. The Industrial Foundry is an area in decline but still clings to a mindset and a way of life that is quickly vanishing. It is a region that prides itself on hierarchical organization, mass production, and consequently promotes a strict obedience to one’s superiors. This mentality is suitable for a region where factories and mass production dominate. But this is no longer the case, as globalization and slavish devotion to the bottom line by soulless mega corporations move the factories to the south, and later, the third world. All that is left are the low paying service jobs. The mentality of the factory still persists and as such, creativity, innovation and self expression are stifled. The good paying jobs and quality of life that accompanies them are to be found with less and less frequency in the foundry.
     On the other hand, the Ecotopia region (Which includes Northern California) is booming (in relation to other parts of the North America). Why? The “Creative Class” so identified by Richard Florida in his Rise of the Creative Class are motivated to move to regions that have three vital properties, Technology, Talent, and Tolerance. It is this last “T” that the Foundry is lacking with it’s deeply entrenched Social Conservatism. The Third Wave jobs of the information, idea, and creative sectors riley upon such openness to novel approaches and influences.
     It is because of the this sense of Tolerance that tipped the scales in favor for my wife and I to move to the San Francisco Bay Area. So what made us decide to live there?
     The mild weather certainly had its appeal, but that was simply icing on the cake.
     First, There had to be opportunities for us to work. My wife has a Master’s Degree in Public Health. So, a region more committed to improving the quality of life of its citizens would be better than an area not so inclined. That pretty much limited it to the upper great lakes, and the east and west coasts.
Next we desired to live in a place with character. The last thing we wanted was to live in a soulless “anywhere USA” city or town. Unfortunately, in the Midwest, the foundry, and much of the rest of the USA, that is all there is. We knew that there were cities with distinctive local character. That left us with places like Washington D.C., New York, Boston, or San Francisco. Florida writes in Rise of the Creative Class, that “Places are valued for their authenticity and uniqueness, as I heard many times in my studies.” He continues later by saying, “People in my interviews and focus groups often define “authenticity” as the opposite of generic. They equate authentic with being “real” as in a place that has real buildings, real people, real history. An authentic place offers unique and original experiences.”  My wife and I vastly prefer small, unique specialty shops to the soulless big box and chain stores that dominate much of the country.
Next, we wanted to live in a place that was pedestrian-friendly and that also possessed good public transportation. We visited many cities around the world that possessed these aspects. Being able to walk through a city from location to location gives one more of sense of a city, its character, and its people. Driving from destination to destination in a car leaves one with little sense of a city or its people, and contributes greatly to the “Anywhere USA” feeling.
We also wanted to live in a city that possessed a good deal of cultural attractions, not only of the large scale (such as museums and concert halls) but also of a more informal nature, such as coffee houses. Unfortunately in much of America, entertainment options are confined to either expensive tuxedo and limousine opera house variety or the massive beer-fueled sporting event and concert variety.
But perhaps, most importantly, we wanted to live somewhere where we would be able to fit in and make a contribution to our communities. As I mentioned we never felt like we fit in back in Ohio. We were different from most around us – which didn’t bother us. But we were often ridiculed or dismissed for our dreams, desires and ambitions – which did bother us. The fact that we desired a life different than those around us came as a surprise to many in Ohio. They really haven’t thought about the fact that life can be different than what they know. Those who have given it a thought are apt to dismiss such notions as mere fantasy.
     Here, in the heart of Liberal America, I can tell people that I have lived in Japan, study Philosophy, and like to cook; and people accept that. It’s not seen as strange. Everyone is different after all, they say. They are right.
     It’s that openness to the different that is so appealing about San Francisco (and to a somewhat lesser extent the Bay Area, in general.) Here there are people from all corners of the United States and the Earth. There are people with various backgrounds, lifestyles, and ideas. Everyone has something to offer and we can all learn from each other. Combine this Tolerance with the Technology being developed (and already existing here) with the Talent that is drawn here for the open and accepting atmosphere, and you have a model for success that ranks highest (in nearly every category) in Florida’s Rise of the Creative Class. By this mean more than the monetary success (which can be great). I mean success in quality of life as well. Here is a place that understands the fundamental changes of Toffler’s Third Wave. Creativity is encouraged and people are accepting of new ideas and different people.
     Here is place where I can pursue my dreams and make a contribution to society that may be welcomed. Here is finally a place that feels more comfortable - like a home.

Vote "NO" on California Proposition 77

2005-10-08T00:12:00.000-07:00

Of all the ballot initiatives being put forward by Governor Schwarzenegger, I was the most uncertain about Proposition 77. (Read the Text of Prop. 77 Here) While the other initiatives seemed to take obvious aim at the governor’s political opposition, Prop. 77 seemed to be remarkably fair. In short, it takes the responsibility of drawing up new congressional and representative districts out of the hands of partisan politicians and gives it to a panel of three retired judges. That sounds quite fair on the face of the matter. But in reading the text carefully and thinking about the matter, I have decided that this is not a good idea. Three is an awfully small number, especially when you consider that none of these judges would be elected by the people nor would be directly answerable to the public. While the panel would be required to have hearings open to lawmakers and the public, they would not be required to follow their recommendations. This initiative would also make it easier for districts to be drawn in such a way as to ignore physical geography, thus allowing gerrymandered districts that divide traditional communities and combine others illogically. Even worse is the fact that the redistricting plan (if Proposition 77 passes) would actually go into effect before voters would have the opportunity to approve it.
I agree that it is probably a good idea to take the power to draw up electoral districts away from the politicians who stand to benefit the most through their manipulation. However, this plan is not good for California or Democracy in general. I strongly urge all Californians to vote no on Proposition 77.

Why I am a Progressive

2005-10-01T00:14:00.000-07:00

Why I am a Progressive

I am a Progressive. Why? First of all, I believe that the ideal society is one in which all of its members have the opportunity to flourish and express themselves to the best of their desires and abilities. I'm sure many, if not most, conservatives would agree with such ideas. However, I believe that we, as a society, have a responsibility to help those less fortunate then ourselves. This is in our own interests, but it is not solely for these reasons that I advocate helping the disadvantaged better themselves. It is simply the right thing to do. To that end, I believe that communities acting through their elected representatives have a unique duty and ability to carry out this task. Some people may disagree and derisively call such notions “social engineering” and prefer to leave the fate of the poor and disadvantaged up to a hodgepodge of charities and the whim of wealthier people’s spare change and table scraps. Don’t misunderstand me, charities are wonderful institutions who try to fill the needs of society. But charitable contributions are subject to the whim of people's income and attention. When a new disaster arises, other, especially constant problem areas are often neglected. I prefer a system that is more stable, consistent and that has more resources at its disposal. In short, I believe that the government has a role to play here. After all, in a democracy, if it is the will of the people to help those in need, why should not our representatives carry out our will? In fact, it is the government’s obligation to carry out our will and to act in our interest as a whole society.
I am a Progressive because I see the problems in society today.. This does not exclude me from wishing our country to be strong, prosperous and an example for the rest of the world to follow. I simply see America today, and because I love my country I want it to flourish and be the best that it can possibly be. I, like most Progressives am an optimist, I believe there is much that we can do to help our country become a better place. Conservatives, on the other hand, are such pessimists, they would rather CONSERVE the present, freeze society with all of it’s problems rather than “risk” changing it for the better. At worst, Conservatives pine for the “good old days” when things may have provided their narrow group with more money, power and prestige, even if the majority’s days were not-so-good.
I am a Progressive because I know that society’s current structure is flawed and many are deigned a chance to better themselves despite working hard and having a strong desire to do so. Some naively believe that if you work hard, you’ll automatically be rewarded. I wish that were true, but I know of too many people who have struggled to find work, have worked themselves ragged with two or even three jobs and still not be able to make ends meet. Treated like cogs in a machine, they are cast aside as soon as there is a minor economic fluctuation, or even when they become ill. I do not trust big business. Why should anyone delude themselves into thinking big business cares about them, as a human being? They are interested in a person only so long as they can buy their products, and only insofar as they can buy their products or services. That's not necessarily wrong, but that means we should be wary of businesses. After all, they exist to make money, not to be insitutions for the common good.
I am a Progressive because I believe in not only tolerating those who are different then myself, but accepting people who are different. I believe that all people and all cultures, sub-cultures, faiths, philosophies, and world experiences have something to share with the rest of the world. Not only does this sense of tolerance foster a climate that is more open and fair, it also is much more conducive to innovation and self-expression in all areas of human endeavors.
Simply put, I am a Progressive because I see the ways in which society can be improved. I yearn for a fairer, more just, and healthier society, and I believe that our government has the ability and duty to assist in this effort.