The Constitution, written by men with some experience of actual government, assumes that the chief executive will work to be king, the Parliament will scheme to sell off the silverware, and the judiciary will consider itself Olympian and do everything it can to much improve (destroy) the work of the other two branches. So the Constitution pits them against each other, in the attempt not to achieve stasis, but rather to allow for the constant corrections necessary to prevent one branch from getting too much power for too long.
Rather brilliant. For, in the abstract, we may envision an Olympian perfection of perfect beings in Washington doing the business of their employers, the people, but any of us who has ever been at a zoning meeting with our property at stake is aware of the urge to cut through all the pernicious bullshit and go straight to firearms.
It turns out I think David Mamet’s Rabbi is awesome. It’s a heckuva challenge to see things as others might see them, and to care about the tone of discourse.
A lot of people out there convinced they are completely powerless in this world and that we’re being sucked into wars with no forethought. It’s a sad commentary on where we are right now as a nation that average citizens are so distrustful of their government, believing that it suppresses intelligence or doctors it, sensing that debates are being squelched or hidden from public view when they shouldn’t be—just a strong sense of betrayal.
As somebody who’s worked all over the national security community over the past 18 years, meeting more people than I can remember, I know there tends to be wings and factions on every issue, and that, under normal conditions, they duke it out in the best interest of the country. Average citizens tend to see too many movies and not read enough material that accurately describes the day-to-day workings of things, so their images of decision-making tend to be very dark and nefarious. Nixon’s administration had created a lot of that bad feeling—that sense of hopelessness. It’s sad to see people feeling this way again. It’s depressing.
I continue to enjoy Barnett. He’s writing a third book. I suppose given how much I think about his ideas, and pass them along, I should read one of his darn books!
I have never donated money to a political campaign in my life, but last month I donated fifteen bucks to Obama. Next time we’re a bit flush I’m going to do it again. It’s time for someone with a different emphasis; it’s time to not elect someone because a family member of theirs has been President before. This is not a family business, it’s the Presidency. Nepotism sucks. Whatever happened to the ideal and goal of meritocracy?
You’re older than you’ve ever been and now you’re even older
And now you’re even older
And now you’re even older
You’re older than you’ve ever been and now you’re even older
And now you’re older still
Go ahead and watch the video:
Seriously though, Leah’s a year older, but still a beacon of awesome.
And also in the vein of awesome, aging, and cool, Professor Sassy Lee “Matt” Sassburton, Esq. and his lovely wife Beth are expecting! I knew Sassy when he was knee high to a pup, or thereabouts, but I’m pleased as punch as I know whatever the sex of the offspring, he or she will be inculcated with a deep knowledge of haberdashery, unit testing, grinding rails, and Simpson’s trivia. Leah and I wish the bun in the oven, as well as the bun’s parents, only the best.
You know, I had planned this to be a short post, but mayhaps it has a need to be longer. Perhaps I shall address some miscellany. What else has been on my mind, you may endeavor to ask?
They say in social situations to avoid discussing politics and religion. So let’s be anti-social and address a bit of both.
Politically, very interesting things are afoot here in these United States. I’m excited to see energy and elevated participation in the Iowa caucuses and in the New Hampshire Primary. Let’s run down my opinion of the candidates, at random off the top of my head. The best part will be at the end when I have to look up whoever I forgot and pretend I have an opinion about them.
1. Barack Obama. I like him. He seems to be a straight shooter with upper management written all over him. I like that I my spidey sense doesn’t tingle with “Plastic Robot!” when I watch him speak. I would like him to be President.
2. Mitt Romney. “Metallic plastic robot!” But seriously, if I were voting for a CEO, I like him, maybe. I did like that the guy was pro-Gay marriage at one time. That’s pretty cool. I nominate him to be manager of my local Fry’s Electronics.
3. Dennis Kucinich. Not a robot, and definitely I could sit down and play some Apples to Apples or Rummy with that guy. I would like him to be my Mayor. He cares about stuff.
4. Hillary Clinton. Oi. TOO. MUCH. BAGGAGE. No offense to the baby boomers, but we need to be rid of their ilk in the Executive. We have a baby boomer in the White House now and it’s been nothing but trouble. Is this ageist? Sure. Tough! I would like Hillary to be my District Attorney. I don’t want her to live in Washington D.C. anymore.
5. Rudy Guiliani. DO NOT WANT. That dude is an opportunistic, xenophobic idiot. Great District Attorney in New York, crappy Mayor. Didn’t screw up things for about a week in September, 2001. Screwed up everything since. The cops and firemen who worked for NYC were screwed. And while sometimes you can tell that somebody’s doing good if their underlings are unhappy, this does not appear to be the case for Rudy. Also, he’s like the Anti-Family man. How many marriages has he screwed up? Who am I to judge, but then, I am not running for President, right? I nominate him for Baseball Commissioner so he can focus on something he can’t screw up too much.
6. Fred Thompson. I nominate him to go back to playing lawyers and Congressmen in TV and Film and please stay the hell away from any government that has any jurisdiction over me.
7. Ron Paul. I like that kid! He or whoever is responsible for his campaign totally get the internet, which is wonderful and terrifying. If It were, say, Ron Paul vs. Hillary Clinton in the general election, I would vote for him. I nominate him as Grand Ombudsman and Constitutional Scholar of the United States. I know the title doesn’t exist—maybe he could work for the Office of Budget Oversight or General Accounting Office. I want this guy checking on the legality of what our crazy stupid government is doing. I also think I’d love to spend an evening drinking beer (or whatever, I’d probably have a shandy so I can keep sharp) with the guy. He’s smart and a little crazy, and I dig that.
8. John Edwards. Kind of plastic, but I like him. He has an emphasis on helping out the little guy that I really like. Unlike everyone else on the planet, I think trial lawyers rock. They’re actually an essential check on idiocy. I wish the court system worked with better speed though. He’s like a character from a Scott Turow—which is apt since he’s a lawyer. I nominate him to represent me personally should I get into legal trouble or become a character in a legal thriller.
Here’s where I’m not sure who I missed. Let’s consult Wikipedia and expose my ignorance to public shame.
9. Mike Gravel. No idea. The fact I’ve not heard of him can’t be good for his campaign though.
10. John McCain. Oh, right, yeah. How could I forget John McCain? I voted for him in the California open primary in what, 2000? I don’t think he’s the President we need. I find his incredible range of views on the current administration, Iraq, and everything else—confusing. I liked him better when he appeared to have principles. I nominate McCain to be my neighbor across the street who tells great stories about Vietnam, Congress, and running for President. I look forward to grilling burgers with the guy.
11. Mike Huckabee. I got a soft spot for this guy. He’s likeable, funny, and makes terribly funny quips on nearly any TV show he appears on. He’s a serious Christian Evangelical, and he’s got a sincere streak of feeling for those who are in need. He doesn’t think the government should be abolished, a switch from most of the rest of the field. If he were running against, oh, Joe Biden, maybe I’d vote for him. But he’s so good on TV. I nominate him to be guest host of the Tonight Show, or perhaps Letterman. I could also see him as School Board Commissioner (but keep him away from the science textbooks!), or, more likely, Governor.
12. Duncan Hunter. Isn’t this guy one of those crook Republicans? Oh, no, I’m thinking of Duke Cunningham. I don’t know anything about Duncan I can’t read on Wikipedia, so I’ll abstain from nominating him for anything.
13. Alan Keyes. I nominate Crazy Alan Keyes to make me giggle at his asinine principled positions. I liked him better when he was harmlessly pundit-ing on political talk shows.
Aaaand… That’s my election wrap up! I get to vote in the February 5th Election here in the State of California. I encourage all twenty of my readers to vote in this election, even if you don’t really think it makes a difference. I think this democracy thing might catch on if more people did it.
This morning I made muffins. This afternoon I had leftover Cobb Salad from Roxy’s Deli. Today’s a pretty good day by food metrics.
Oh, right religion. Nah, not today. Go enjoy your day. More blogging next week.
Mitt Romney says he “saw” his father “march” with Martin Luther King Jr. Rudolph W. Giuliani claims that he is one of the “five best-known Americans in the world.” According to John McCain, the Constitution established the United States as a “Christian nation.” Ron Paul believes that a “NAFTA superhighway” is being planned to link Mexico with Canada and undermine U.S. sovereignty.
On the other side of the political divide, Sen. Barack Obama says there are more young black males in prison than in college. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton claims she has a “definitive timetable” for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. John Edwards insists that NAFTA —the North American Free Trade Agreement—has cost Americans “millions of jobs.” Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. boasts about his experience negotiating an arms-control treaty with Leonid Brezhnev.
All those claims, made over the past four months as part of the presidential campaign, are demonstrably false.
With just four days until the Iowa caucuses, the art of embellishment and downright fibbing is alive and well in American politics. But the popularity of blogs, YouTube and information databases such as LexisNexis, along with the 24-hour news cycle, has made it easier than ever for the media and rival campaigns to spot the mistakes and exaggerations of presidential candidates.
Retired General McCaffrey’s comments about Iraq after doing an extensive weeklong visit there, including leading with leadership and common people are heartening, particularly the bit about healing the moral stance of the Department of Defense. I really like the terse, matter-of-fact style. It reminds me a bit of the style in which Dave Ramsey gives financial advice.
General McCaffrey Iraq AAR (Small Wars Journal Blog)
The leadership of Secretary Bob Gates in DOD has produced a dramatic transformation of our national security effort which under the Rumsfeld leadership was characterized by: a failing under-resourced counter-insurgency strategy; illegal DOD orders on the abuse of human rights; disrespect for the media and the Congress and the other departments of government; massive self-denial on wartime intelligence; and an internal civilian-imposed integrity problem in the Armed Forces—that punished candor, de-centralized operations, and commanders initiative.
Admiral Mullen as CJCS and Admiral Fallon as CENTCOM Commander bring hard-nosed realism and integrity of decision-making to an open and collaborative process which re-emerged as Mr. Rumsfeld left office. (Mr. Rumsfeld was an American patriot, of great personal talent, energy, experience, bureaucratic cleverness, and charisma—who operated with personal arrogance, intimidation and disrespect for the military, lack of forthright candor, avoidance of personal responsibility, and fundamental bad judgment.)
Secretary Gates has turned the situation around with little drama in a remarkable display of wisdom, integrity, and effective senior leadership of a very complex and powerful organization. General Petraeus now has the complete latitude and trust in his own Departmental senior civilian leadership to have successfully changed the command climate in the combat force in Iraq. His commanders now are empowered to act in concert with strategic guidance. They can frankly level with the media and external visitors. I heard this from many senior leaders—from three star General to Captain Company commanders.
I have mentioned before how much I esteem Thomas P.M. Barnett. In a recent blog post he points out a USA Today story about a new term in American Islam: Sushi
He calls himself “Sushi,” the popular term for a combination of Sunni and Shiite. Once the glib nickname for the children of intermarried couples, it has become shorthand for Muslim who blur sectarian lines.
Here’s TPMB’s comments:
Gotta love “Sushi.” Yet another example of Japan’s successful cultural exports! Seriously. A term people choose for themselves because the word strikes them as cool.
None of this is to suggest that America grows less religious, because just the opposite is true. But don’t confuse rising religiosity (more faith and more practice) with rising religion (the institutions and hierarchies and sectarianism that come with them).
The rule set on religion gets looser in America even as people get more intense about it. It becomes more personalized and direct and about “the book.”
And it becomes non-denominational as a result.
Read Stephen Prothero’s history of faith in America in his Religious Literacy, and you’ll see the argument plain as day.
Yet another reason why I do not worry about losing any “Long War.” The outcome was never in doubt. Just our belief in ourselves.
You're looking at artlung.com, the personal website of Joe Crawford. That's me. I make websites professionally and as a hobby. I'm married to Leah, I'm a stepdad, I blog. I live in Moorpark, California, USA. I work in Los Angeles.
Phone: 805-857-3951. I'm not seeking employment/ I'll be available in August 2008 for new work. Email: joe at artlung dot com.
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