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Posted by on Aug 10, 2014 in Blog | 13 comments

President Obama’s Longest Vacation

 

lbj_regretting_vnw

At least LBJ tried

 

There’s a humongous difference between liberals and conservatives when it comes to views on how government should work, and what’s to be done by those we elect to be in charge.  We, liberals, believe in action and activism.  We want our leaders to lead, and to do so daringly.  Conservatives to the contrary, believe in doing nothing — unless it’s waging a war somewhere.  Conservatives are dismissive of Wall Street running wild and letting people, among them the most disadvantaged, fend for themselves.  Accordingly, they chose to not govern at all.  They abdicate responsibility,  They’re on a perpetual holiday.  The question is — why does President Obama also seem to be on the same long vacation?

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Posted by on May 24, 2014 in Blog, Movie Reviews, Politics | 0 comments

Gore Vidal and the United States of Amnesia

 

gore-vidal

 

Gore Vidal had style.

He once famously wrote, “Style is knowing who you are, what you want to do, and not giving a damn.”

The controversial writer and perpetual protagonist certainly knew who he was.  He knew precisely what he wanted to do.  And there’s little doubt that he didn’t give a damn what others either said or thought.  It matters not where you’re positioned on the political map — one has to admire that feisty spirit.

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Posted by on Mar 27, 2014 in Blog, Politics | 0 comments

The Flight that Never Ends

 

airline-flight

 

What’s the longest flight you’ve ever taken?

Several hours?  Perhaps a day or so?

How did you feel at the end of that flight?  I mean, both physically and mentally.  Were you fresh?  Did you feel alive?

No.  Of course not.

You were totally exhausted.  Completely spent.  When the plane finally landed, all you could think about was getting off that airplane, going outside, moving around a little, and stretching your legs.  Getting home, where you could go on with living, probably became an obsession.

We tolerate being trapped inside what amounts to a small room for several hours at a time because we know the annoyances of modern air travel will eventually end.  We know the discomfort of not being able to move around is only a temporary condition.  We know the lousy food, cramped atmosphere, and unhealthy surroundings will last only a limited time before we’re able to run free and enjoy all that’s out there in the world, meant to be savored.

But what would it be like to take off from an airport and never arrive?  What would it feel like to leave a place and then remain suspended in flight forever?  How would your mind and body react to what amounts to forced eternal captivity?

That’s not all.  Let’s make things even more unbearable.  Let’s take away all forms of entertainment and stimulation.  Let’s remove things you might read.  Let’s remove televisions.  Let’s get rid of smartphones.  Let’s block the Internet.  For the entire duration of this endless flight, you’ll have to sit and stare at the back of another airline seat — forever.

I mean forever, as in for the rest of your life — 24-hours-a-day, 7-days a week, 365-days-a-year — for as long as you live.

Wait, the conditions get worse.  Let’s make the airplane a filthy place.  Let’s leave puddles of urine and piles of excrement all over the floor, adding to the nauseating smell.  Imagine that all around you.

Could you take it?  Would you be able to stand the discomfort?  Could you tolerate these conditions?  Would you finally break down?  Might you become a raging beast?  Would you go insane?  At some point, might you want to kill yourself?

Instead, I ask you to think about these conditions — being stuck on an airplane.  Imagine a flight that never ends.

What would that horrible experience be like?

Here’s an idea:  Perhaps we should ask him:

 

bilebear

 

Or her:

 

animal-abuse

 

Or them:

 

lions-in-cages

 

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Posted by on Jan 28, 2014 in Blog, Politics | 10 comments

Dear Mr. President: My State of the Union Address Advice

 

president-obama-state-of-the-union

 

When you were elected, and then re-elected 15 months ago, so many of us were filled with hope.  You might have been truly a transformational figure in our nation’s history at a critical time, instead of the guy who just so happens to occupy the White House until the next election cycle.  You still have that chance.  But time is running out.  Fast.

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