New Year Inanity

PERSON OF THE YEAR
In some ways Ronald Reagan is the man of the year for the GOP, each candidate is trying to gain the mantle of the Great Communicator and re-attach themselves to the Reagan Democrats and lunch pail conservatives that led Ronnie to landslides in the early eighties.

The end of the year is always the time for reflection on the year and time annually chooses a person, thing, or group that they feel reflects what the past year had to offer. There have been positive and negative "awardees" including Hitler and Stalin. The intent of course is not the person who did the most for the world, not the guy who pays his taxes, tithes, and gives blood six times a year, or team that won the Little League World Series. Mitt, of course didn't understand this either, calling the choice of Vladimir Putin as "disgusting". Mitt makes a habit of being the most inane candidate on his side of the ledger, some might call him a master of the obvious, captain of the ship Non-Sensical.

No one thought it was the selection was for a babysitter for the twins and certainly it gave Americans an opportunity to learn more about the world's second greatest nuclear power and international energy powerhouse. But, of course, Mitt same guy who for no apparent reason wanted to double the size of Gitmo, unsure about the data on this, but if they need more room, they just need to let someone know.

Not to be left behind, the Angry Middle has made a selection of his men of the year. And actually selected who Williard likely would have preferred, General David Petraeus and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. I'm not sure I selected them for the same reasons that the GOP candidates would have. I selected them mainly as a "way too late" effort by the Bush administration to look at skills, knowledge, effort and quality of leadership over misguided loyalty, arrogance and monolithic thinking. Over the last several years, the administration surrounded itself with sycophants, fueled by post 9/11 anger and fear of the public, to paraphrase Sinclair Lewis bringing their leadership "wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross."

Certainly there have been a multitude of mistakes in the Global War on Terror. A reaction to the attacks was necessary but the policy implementation, particularly the failure of the civilian leadership, has been terrible, with the failure of the administration nearly matched by the failure of Congress to meet it's Constitutional and patriotic duty to provide oversight of the executive branch, on both sides of the aisle.

I can't pretend to be a supporter or cheerleader for the surge, the necessary evil of not being able to withdraw, not being able to leave Pottery Barn without paying for what we broke certainly rips most Americans who never supported the idea of the war in half. So rather than select "Collective Arrogance" as the person of the year, I have chosen those who may be able to make a difference today for both the future of America and Iraq. This choice is made in defiance to those who either refused or rejected counsel in those days leading up to the war in Iraq.

Hunting for Varmints

OK, one more little attack at the former boss, Mitt, a lifelong hunter who likely doesn't know a 12 gauge from a TOW missile. Huckabee in a sign that he means business, took to a well orchestrated and covered pheasant hunt as a sign of his support of the 2nd amendment, hanging out with other dudes in the woods and a general hatred of our feathered enemies.

As someone who lives in the northeast, now in an urban area, I have little understanding of the hunting phenomenon. I've been hunting, I have family members who hunt but I'd rather have a hobby I can have a couple cocktails with, hey I may get a hook in my hand, but I ain't ducking every time I think of buckshot. I like hunters, generally they understand conservation and have a real view of environmentalism that urban liberals could never comprehend.

I have nothing either way about the hunting and a candidacy. If it relaxes you so you make better decisions, or if the Governor needs to feed his family, I got no quarrel. I guess the hunting is a way to show yourself as a regular guy. A regular republican guy, I don't know if Rudy's going to be out there with a .410 trying to get himself some quail for example, so maybe he fails the test.

For Democrats, it doesn't seem like there are many in the field that would be out on a hunt. Hillary, well that would just be the Dukakis in a tank nail in the coffin, I don't see Obama or the Breck Girl out there either, and Kucinich as a vegan, would probably be out there with a Nikon.

Again, I'm not sure how these hobbies, photo-ops and pastimes make you a better President. Is it time that would be better spent learning more about Vlad Putin, education reform, energy policy, the IMF or the foreclosure crisis? Should Hillary, Obama and Edwards participate in a game of scrabble? a spelling or geography bee? pie eating contest? What is the Democratic equivalent of the pheasant hunt.

Ah, things get stupider and stupider. When Huckabee hunting leads the news broadcast, insipidity rules.

My Christmas Endorsements

FELIZ NAVIDAD

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

I love Christmas. I remember the Christmas of my youth, further blessed by Three Kings Day, where we would leave food for the Magi; Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, always saying, "which one was the Black one?" and dog food for the camels, which I guess was the urban equivalent of grass or hay.

As a kid and maybe even a teen and young adult, I always waited, hoping for what I was going to get, only to become an adult and actually enjoy the giving more. I don't really appreciate the blatant consumerism of it, of people spending more then they can afford, to compete; although it is likely the only time of the year that I really splurge and even waste money myself, although I must say the best part is enjoying food and cocktails with my friends and family.

I love days where no one has to work, for us we are always rushing around and finally we stop, to enjoy each other's company, to remember why we rush around, so we can make this time special.

This year I look at Xmas, mixed, blessed with the first birthday of my daughter Elena, two days before Xmas, remembering how they barely let us leave on Christmas Eve last year, at which point I probably would have blown a gasket, with the answer to the statement, "she looks a little yellow", being, "well, just put her near a window." So that's why we would have spent another grand in the hospital, well that explains it. The health care crisis I mean. We are blessed by the safe return of my sister's family as well. At the same time, I am perplexed, befuddled, even questioning my faith on the death of my young stepmother in this holiday season.

The alpha, the omega, the questions. The trials and tribulations of that refugee family on one Christmas thousands of years ago.

Merry Christmas! Enjoy every moment.

ON TO THE ENDORSEMENTS!!!

First, my general caveat or disclaimer, I don't want anyone who is running to be President. Regular readers may also note that the guys that I've selected, yup guys, are also the guys that I think will eventually get the nomination when all is said and done, current noise, polls and nonsense aside.

I would love to see Bloomberg ride in with his deep pockets and buy himself right into the race, selecting a team of folks, a vice president with authentic foreign policy/national defense/military credentials or a reasonable facsimile of a dedicated patriot with the best interest of the country at hand and not just some weird ego trip.

SERIOUSLY, WHY IS THIS EVEN A RACE?
OK, now I kissed the President's ass even after he disgraced me and my family, I piloted the Straight Talk Express, I have authentic conservative credentials, I can work across the aisle, oh yeah and I'm a real, fricking war hero and POW. I was strapped up in the Hanoi Hilton, while the dodgy New Yorker was chasing NYU skirt and motionless Mitt was trying to gain converts along the Seine.

McCain is an American classic. Class clown, athlete, born with epaulets in his mouth, became a hero in a war many in his generation with his connections could have avoided, came back, built himself back up not without some sliding back. Outspoken maverick, occasionally overspeaking and to complete the American male story, married into a huge beer bottling company.

So, I don't get it. I'm not a republican so I don't really understand. He's well liked by many moderates in this country, possibly able to reach out to independents in a country where independents control who go to the White House. It may be because he's too old? Is it his occasional rebuking of Republican orthodoxy? His occasional strange carnards, like "it was the hippies who lost Vietnam?" It's unclear to me.

I do have some fear with McCain, his service to his country, his age, and his cancer bouts would make his choice of a vice president very important and there are times, well, where he seems a little unstable. I think that many in the throes of the Bush presidency are looking for someone thoughtful, more pensive, more stable. A valid move, but also one that can lead to mediocrity. For often it is the bold, but well thought out idea that makes history.

I am endorsing McCain because he appears to me to be the most authentic of the candidates. The one that understand public service as more than public management, saving 3 cents over a length of pipe, but as leadership, a stewardship over America. That understanding that public service and leadership is more important than ego fulfillment. The Presidency is not just another line on a resume, it is an entire stamp on human history.

GO GREASED LIGHTNING

The Democratic field is ugly. Not physically ugly, I mean it's not like Nixon has come back from the dead. Just so damn unelectable. Hillary Clinton? Barack Hussein Obama? What five day crack binge did I just wake up from? It's hard to believe that with this opening available for the Democratic party that this is the best we can do. After nearly 8 years of the mad captain with all his rats jumping ship, we come up with this.

Let's be clear about the current front runners. My politics are probably close to Senator Clinton's, Bill Clinton is a political hero of mine who revolutionized politics only to have the DLC demonized so we could go back to the party of McGovern/Mondale/Dukakis, that is the lovable losing of identity politics. Did you see the numbers I got from the lesbian vote in Alabama? Barack Obama, one of the amazing rhetoricians of our generation with stories that can bring you to tears. A great opportunity for a senator that "looks like America"

So when all else fails, run to the good looking, southern white male populist. I think it's great that this millionaire trial lawyer likes poor and working class people. You know as much as everybody likes a tax cut, when you don't make any money in the first place you ain't paying much in taxes. My sister, who is unemployed is tax phobic, I just don't get that.

Anyway, there is something likable about this young man's story, as he will often remind you he is the son of mill workers. Regardless of how you feel about trial lawyers, he made his own money. He has some tragedy in his life, his son passed away in an auto accident and his wife is fighting terminal cancer. He also has young children which can be quite helpful on the campaign trail.

I think that Edwards main selling points well be a. he's not a republican tainted by eight years of a bad presidency b. he's a white guy in a country that is still tainted by racism and sexism c. he's good looking with a nice family that eats at Wendy's and Shoney's just like me and you d. he actually shows concern for working people beyond flag burning and gay marriage and a $300 deficit increasing tax rebate just for being you.

I'm not sold on Edwards, but he's the guy we got. That would be a hell of a campaign sign.

Things Get Interestinger

OH MY DARLING
Hope's Second Son has made a serious run in the polls lately as Romney and Giuliani battle it out for the "sole" of the Republican party, not so heavy Huckabee is aiming for the soul.

Certainly, among Mitt the Mormon and Rudy Cafeteria Catholic, there is room for the Evangelicals to make a little noise with Mike. A honest to goodness Southern Baptist evangelical sporting family values and some compassion for the poor and working class, folks who seem to be ignored by the Massachusetts Millionaire and the Wizard of 9/11. So there's a surge, particularly in Iowa and perhaps more importantly a real state, South Carolina.

On the surface, there is certainly somethings to like about Huckabee and as long as his candidacy was a joke, no one wanted to touch the rock and roll playing weight loss champ with a heart of gold. Now certainly Rudy is looking in his rear view mirror ready to unleash his attack dogs and rush Huckabee off into the Pat Robertson bin of Presidential campaign history. As the pendulum begins to swing towards the middle of the Republican party, his support of creationism and his other fundamentalist views may darken his chances. In addition, the requisite "willie hortoning" of any Governor that has had to make a difficult decision looms towards his ultimate and early defeat.

It's an interesting play for the other front runners in this campaign, hard to run to the right on family values issues, need to knock out the uprising without making the supporters of the uprising stay home in November, willing to sit out when a northeastern candidate "beats up on the bumpkin". Both of the Yankee candidates will be a tough sale in the southern primaries against a military veteran like McCain, an upstart celebrity from Tennessee and a Southern Baptist preacher in the race together splintering the vote.

The Republican establishment is in an uproar. With some pundits comparing him to Howard Dean in his ill-fated surge in 2004 and others saying a Huckabee nomination is political suicide. The National Review, the standard bearer of the somewhat reasonable right has gone as far as to endorse Mitt Romney, in hopes of gathering another CEO/MBA presidential candidate, outside of the more populist campaign of Huckabee, wacky tornado money machine Ron Paul or urban yahoo Rudy Giuliani. Mitt then attacks Huckabee for breaking Ronald Reagan's eleventh commandment, criticizing another Republican. C'mon he was attacking President Bush's Iraq policy, haven't we come to grips with that yet?

The die is cast. This is one strange rodeo.
SANCTUARY MANSION
I have just become morbidly interested in politics. It's like watching a car wreck or bar fight, you just can help it even if it's embarrassing to be that voyeuristic. As a student of history, I venerate the great American leaders such as Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, and Lincoln. Great users of language like Paine, FDR, King, and Sorenson have helped to fuel the energy of leadership in our land and create the country we have to day. This list is certainly not comprehensive but we certainly have an embarrassing poverty of leadership and language today, restricted to the bumper sticker, slogan, and soundbite of the 24 hour news cycle.

Occasionally, a very witty phrase will come out, the "great right wing conspiracy' is certainly an example and recently what I feel is a powerful attack, Mayor Giuliani asserted that the work done on Governor Romney's home by undocumented workers made it a "sanctuary mansion." In two words, Rudy managed to play the class card and the race card simultaneously, creating an image of dozens of brown skinned employees scaling the fence of a multi-millionaire's mansion with the owner of the manse showing little concern for his own security. Certainly how could the security of the nation be entrusted to a man who hires a company that hires Guatemalan immigrants to rake and leaf blow his property?

The mansion piece is a bit more interesting, especially coming from someone who lives in a multimillion dollar apartment in Manhattan himself, certainly the hard working voters who rake their own lawns and paint their own homes wince at the well groomed CEO who can afford to pay low wages at the expense of jobs for legal residents. The class card deftly played by Ridiculous Rudy.

It a brilliant piece of political theater, these mediocre leaders biting at each other over trivial issues, creating personal attacks that seem to manifest themselves as metaphor for future greater evil. The mental picture of the White House becoming the final scene of Scarface, with a slobbering, freaked out Mitt Romney firing automatic weapons, OK that's just silly.

GRUMPIER OLD MEN
Wow, so the lefty netroots really had to go and piss Lieberman off. Today, in a Joementum building extravaganza, Lieberman endorsed John McCain for President of the United States. Wait, 2000 Democratic VP candidate endorses a Republican, OK not so weird. Let me say this, I don't agree with Joe alot but I respect him. He is not beholden to anyone and will drive right off the reservation to prove it.

McCain quickly picked up the endorsement, stating, "wow, compared to this guy I look like Bruce Jenner!" (okay he didn't but that would have been awesome). McCain also picked up the Des Moines Register and Boston Globe endorsements, so those reading Republicans supporting the maverick senator suddenly got a blast of good news.

Now, I like McCain and Lieberman, both a little conservative for my blood, but at least they have conviction unlike many of the stay and sway members of both parties. Lieberman for all his saber rattling around the Global War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom, is generally fairly liberal around guns and gays, two issues that would make him a liberal freak in many of the Red States.

Endorsements like this make the Angry Middle a little giddy, for a lifelong Democrat who wishes that both parties would crumble into ash, allowing real leadership to rise from the ashes.

NEXT WEEK: In No Real Surprise, the Angry Middle endorses a Republican and Democratic Candidate!

December Mourning

DECEMBER MOURNING

More Erica’s Less Dick Cheney’s

I usually don’t write about the personal but this is different. Erica never got to see the end of the error.

Today, my stepmother died, she died very young, fifty years old from the combination of a brain tumor and a stroke, complicated by Multiple Sclerosis. It’s difficult to lose anyone especially someone so young, so full of life, and with so much to live for.

I saw her alive for the last time last night, unconscious, aided by oxygen, prayed with her and said my goodbyes. She had been generally non-communicative for a couple of weeks as she moved to her eternal rest. She did have a chance to tell her sister her words of advice for all of her kids and grandkids. Three things that all of us should think about.

“Graduate from High School”
Erica and one of my sisters both dropped out of high school for a while and ended up going back for a diploma. This initial step is an amount part of any life journey.

“Feed the Birds”
Erica was notorious for her birdfeeders, it was part of her daily routine, and birds would return the favor with their visual beauty and song.

“Have a Garden”
Flowers, vegetables, herbs, the dirty work, the patience, the maintenance and the reward, all parts of life. Whenever I see a tulip, I’ll think of Erica.

More Erica’s, less Cheney’s. America would be a better place.