Mr. Lincoln

No way I could resist.  Thanks to George Takei/Facebook.

 

Eager to see this, especially Daniel Day Lewis.  I understand Lincoln, the film,  is outstanding.  Don't tell me how it ends.  

 

UPDATE on November 30, 2012:  I drove up to Murrells Inlet, SC this morning for a 10:30 showing of Lincoln.  I like a matinee, but haven't sat in a movie theater before noon since I was a kid.  The fact I'd had breakfast only an hour earlier didn't keep me from paying a queen's ransom for a small popcorn and a Pepsi.  No way I can sit through even the best of films without a stop at the concession stand.

 

And this WAS one of the best films I've seen in a long time, one of the best ever.  Beautifully done.  The sets, costumes, casting,  actors, writing, lighting, cinematography  . . . .  I don't need to be clairvoyant to see a  truckload of awards for Spielberg's impeccable, spellbinding film.  Daniel Day Lewis was so compelling I'd forget he wasn't! the President.   I can't fault any of the cast.  Tommy Lee Jones was probably my favorite (after Lewis, I suppose) as Thaddeus Stephens, a man I admire and want to learn more about.  I'm a sucker for the legislative process and, when any significant vote is taken, I'm as excited as football fans in the last 5 minutes of a Superbowl when the score is tied.  Yep,  I'm 100%  G e e k and the vote on the 13th Amendment was nirvana.

 

Please get yourself to a theater for  this one.    No matter how big the home screen, I wouldn't have wanted to miss seeing it in the dark, no distractions, with about 20 other people.  Like the film itself, it just felt so right being there. 

I'd love for you to leave a comment about your own Lincoln experience. 

 

 

Smart People Live and Learn

And very often the learning comes from mistakes made.    Our President is a wise man; last time the debt ceiling "negotiations" were happening, he made the mistake of putting the "bottom line" on the negotiating table first.  The Republicans jerked him around in a big way; then it turned out Speaker Boener couldn't get his House caucus to keep the bargain he finally struck with the President.  It was a mess resulting in our credit rating being lowered by at least one of the rating agencies.

 

Well, it's a new day, my friends.

 

The Treasury Secretary went to the Hill yesterday to deliver the Administration's opening proposal.  It was received with a laugh from  Republican Senate Minority Leader McConnell and was ripped apart by Joe Scarborough at MSNBC and others this morning.  I didn't torture myself by checking to see what the Fox crowd had to say.

 

 (Thanks, Pat Dinizio, for this photo posted by The Pragmatic Progressive/FB!)

 

 I was delighted the President's first move allows room for negotiation this time.   Hopefully he has learned another lesson:  Congressional Republicans can't be trusted in this or any other negotiation, period.   Our President just needs to push his agenda hard, taking it to the American people as he is doing now.  The Tea Partiers are still part of the equation, and the majority of the Republican Caucus still is behaving like angry yard dogs whose bone has been stolen by a much smarter dog.  

Yep, America's "# 1 smart dog" is wise enough to know Albert Einstein was right:  He defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  Looks like the Prez's expectations are now in alignment with the political realities of the day.   Forward, Mr. President!  We're with you.

Troubled?

Okay, I've had it with John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and Kelly Ayotte—Republican senators all—and their outrageous posturing over U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice.   It makes me furious that they continue to say she didn't tell the truth about Benghazi.

 

Dr. Rice demonstrated grace and professionalism by going to the Hill to meet with Senators, including these three, responding to their questions about Benghazi.  The interim CIA director came with her and attested that the information provided to her by the agency had turned out not to be accurate.  Their beef should be with the intelligence not the messenger.  

 

After the meeting McCain, Ayotte, and Graham called a press conference to say they were "even more troubled."   Huh?  To those whose lives don't allow for keeping up with this drama, here's the skinny:  The Ambassador appeared on various Sunday morning shows after the 9/11 attack at the U. S. consulate  in Benghazi, Libya.  What she said on those shows came from information directly provided to her by the intelligence community—talking points that didn't include classified information.  Susan Rice repeatedly reminded the various talk show hosts and the viewing public that investigations (plural) were ongoing and this was only preliminary information—with new information likely to come as investigations progressed.   Key:  The CIA confirmed that what she said was exactly the information given her.  So, what the hell is going on with these three senators?

My original theory about the three senators continuing to hammer an invisible nail:   It's a way to bully the president,  another attempt to embarrass him, this time through Susan Rice.  That's a little over the top, but these guys are very comfortable going over the top.  I decided McCain is trying to remain relevant and feeling bitter after a second Obama win.   As for Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte?  Maybe they see themselves as the saviors of a  Republican Party on the skids.  Maybe they're having visions of a Presidential run in 2016; thus, they're manufacturing a "scandal" to get the attention of the electorate.  And Graham probably is antsy about having primary opposition next time, since he's not has hardcore in his "conservative" credentials as some of the hard-right Tea Partiers would like him to be.  So he's using Susan Rice as an easy way to "show 'em" he's one of the serious Righties.  Take your pick among those guesses or leave a comment sharing your own theory, please.

Last night Rachel Maddow presented a theory on her MSNBC show— that  Republicans want Senator John Kerry (D-MA) to be the nominee.  That way  a special election could mean another Senate seat for the GOP,  something they really, really would like.   Rachel's idea seemed plausible last night; this morning it seems likely.   I heard  Senator Charles Barrasso (R-WY) saying he would not vote for Rice and believes Senator John Kerry would be a better nominee.  (Ahhhh.   I'd like to play poker with Senator B!)

Personally I hope Senator Kerry will stay put; we need him in the Senate.  I also believe Susan Rice would be an excellent Secretary of State.  I think it might mean a big, ugly fight with Republican senators—and I think it's a fight worth having.   I'd like to see our President fight the good fight.  I want to see the fire I saw in him it at the press conference where he defended Ambassador Rice. 

 

 I think the votes would be there.  What do you think?

Indeed!

You didn't cause it either!

 

(Posted on the Being Liberal fan page/Facebook)

Good Ole Goldwater

 Ever think you'd long for a return of  Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater?  He strikes a chord here and makes me yearn for more Republicans who engage in critical thinking, respect intelligence and believe in separation of religion and governance!  Be kind to a rational Republican today!  (Thanks to Being Liberal/Facebook.)

Reflections on Thanksgiving

(Being Liberal fan page/FB)

Are we fortunate the Native Americans didn't have a strict immigration policy or what?!

HOW Old is the Earth?

Thanks to Democratic Underground for creating this.

Marriage Equality

LET FREEDOM RING, Y'ALL!

(

(Thanks to Being Liberal/Facebook for this.)

Wide-Awake Women

Look forward to the presence of more awakened women in the U.S. Senate come January!

(posted by Middle Age Woman/Facebook)

About Ambassador Susan Rice

United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice: Valedictorian at the National Cathedral School in D.C., graduated Stanford (Phi Beta Kappa); then, Oxford University and becoming a Rhodes Scholar. That's only hitting the high points. Hers has been a distinguished and honorable career in public service, not to be sullied by bitter men like John McCain. His bitterness is overriding the grace he has been accorded for his long-ago POW status. A shame.  

 

As for South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and his derogatory comments about Ambassador Rice and the President:  I don't need tea leaves to see serious opposition in his future!

The Word

Hallelujah! This is too good not to share.  Thanks to my friend Lyn and Being Liberal for sharing it on Facebook today. 

The Petraeus Resignation

Someone dear to my heart—and high on my "highly respected" list— believes General David Petraeus should not have resigned.   He thinks the President shouldn't have accepted the resignation, based on the General's service record.   The General wouldn't have compromised national security under any circumstances.  I tend to believe that the General was likely a safe bet on that.  It's other elements that complicate the situation.

 

 Under ordinary circumstances, neither the puritanical nor prurient interest in the General's infidelity should have carried significant weight in his decision to resign.  In the context of the anything-but-ordinary CIA culture, the resignation of General Petraeus probably makes sense.  Although he wasn't likely to share classified information in pillow talk or through any form of carelessness, he can't model that it's okay for those under his supervision to take similar risks.  Mainly the blackmail risk.  Even if an agent embraces the General's professional ethics and love of country, the person in the relationship with a CIA agent might not be traveling with the same patriotic compass.

 I've kept my commitment to write about the CIA Director's resignation here, even though I ultimately can't agree with my friend's position.  Since the resignation, much has happened with the Benghazi witch hunt and attempts by Senators McCain and Graham (and others) to demonize U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice— an effort to cook up yet another non-existent scandal involving the President.   Much for the President to deal with in the days ahead, much fodder for all writers/blog-keepers.

 

Forward!

Human Kindness

Words for leaders everywhere to embrace!

(Posted by Nurmi Hussein Husa/Facebook)

Mandate!

Amazing, the disrespect already in evidence for our President.  Already again.  Much of the current lack of respect seems to come from post-election sour grapes.  I'm really weary of hearing that "Barack Obama didn't have a mandate" from the electorate.  Ed Shultz put together this information that graphically begs to differ.  Thank you Ed for this and thanks to Being Liberal for sharing it on FB.

 

I'll leave the sour grapes for disgruntled Republicans to swallow and enjoy my grapes in a sweet toast to our President.  Congrats, Mr. President, on your mandate from the people!

Free Food For Thought

Now that the elections are over, what say we turn our attention to making our country and our world a better place?  These two messages impacted me, a reminder that many of us here in the USA are hungry and even homeless.  Including veterans and their families.  Surely that's within our collective power to change for the better.

 

 Good on all who are working to change these living conditions for our fellow humans.  Maybe we—that would include me—will give some thought to how we, as individuals and communities, can creatively enrich the lives of others, thereby enriching our own.  It's a natural thing, giving and receiving.   There's a nice, healthy rhythm to it—don't you think?

                       (From Being Liberal/Facebook)

                    (From the Pragmatic Progressive/Facebook)

Zappa says . . .

                                          (from Love's Rainbow Universe/FB)

Early Morning Thoughts

There are things money can't buy.  I wonder how much of a shock that was to Sheldon Adelson, the Koch brothers, Carl Rove and their Super Pac donors the night of November 7.  

In this Presidential election and in certain Senate races where billions of dollars were "invested" by super-wealthy men, Democracy won out.  The American people won.  These powerful men must have wondered Wednesday morning how it turned out that they won't own this country, after all.

Our voices were strong.  And they will continue to be strong if we keep speaking up, letting our representatives—including the President—hear our voices in the coming days. E-mails, phone calls, letters to editors will help ensure that proposed policies represent the will of the majority, not just on election day but at every turn.

The People decided this election, not corporate wealth.  No matter what the Supreme Court said, we know corporations are not people. 

 

Woman Power

                        

Our greatest hope for cooperation, compromise, and consensus building on the Senate side.   (Image from Kaye Toal/Facebook)

Rachel: What's NOT Happening

Here's what's NOT happening after the re-election of President Obama.  Excellent video editorial from Rachel Maddow.  Here's a link in case you missed  her show Wednesday night, November 7.  Share this with friends, no matter who got their vote!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show#49736294

The Road Ahead

                                     The road ahead for America.  May we follow the light.
                                       (Image from Marek Czaja- Rumi page/Facebook.) 

Post-Election Thoughts

"All the Dems in Congress are commies" Allen West is out; the Tea Party craziness experienced a sharp decline.  Cooperation and compromise have a chance of coming back to the legislative process.  Extremism lost.  Hate and vitriol lost.   Hopefully we'll see and hear less of both in the days ahead.  Maybe civility will reappear in the the halls of Congress.  Maybe peace is possible.

 

Thank God for Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown , Tim Kaine, Bernie Sanders, Tammy Baldwin, Tammy Duckworth and the others who will serve in the next Senate.  The Supreme Court is safe.  Environmental regulations won't be scrapped. Sanity rules. Theocracy-creep and denigration of women has been rejected (although we need to be vigilant in seeing that it doesn't creep back in). 

 

Democracy won; obscene amounts of money couldn't buy certain races.  The people claimed their power, found their voice. The Republican Senate candidate in CT spent ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS and lost. A good night for women. A good night for America and the world. All this from someone who doesn't agree with every decision the President makes; he's a moderate Dem, no matter the myth created by opposition forces. Our President is a good man, a smart and reasonable leader who has reached out to those with different views and was constantly accused of never doing that. I'm extremely proud of who he is and proud to be an American Liberal this good morning. God bless the world; America is deeply blessed already!

 

Let's rest today, savor this beautiful win and prepare to move forward!

 

No Joy In Murdochville Today

                               (from Being Liberal/Facebook)

The President's Election Night Speech

Here's the video.  The text can be found at this site, too. 

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50134659n

Sam's Last-Minute Pitch

Didn't see any polls on the doggie vote this election cycle.   Nevertheless, I imagine Sam's not the only one in the Obama column.   He's a smart little guy, and a loyal friend to Bo.    He's also heard about the poor dog who took that long trip on the top of Romney's car—unthinkable.   And he knows Romney would take the American people on a ride that would be a lot longer and far more miserable. Call me when the canine vote comes in!

Election Day

Well, here we are in the middle of this auspicious election day that has seemed a long time in coming.

 

A friend posted on Facebook during her three-hour wait to vote this morning, urging people in the long, long line to stay put.  She suggested that friends visit a long-line precinct, maybe taking coffee, snack foods and a folding chair, perhaps to share with an elderly voter.  There was a moving comment about Rep. John Lewis following her post and the many sacrifices made before passage of the Voting Rights Act—and all these years later, we're faced with efforts to suppress the vote once again. Disheartening, to say the least.  In the school where my friend voted,  a fire alarm blared and no one left the line.  (It would take a firetruck and smoke coming out of the building to have gotten me out, too!)   When she posted We shall not be moved I got chills.

 

                                             * * * * * * *

 

Earlier today, I set the intention of getting myself into a higher state of consciousness, and a poem appeared to help me get closer to that goal.  In this moment, at least.   Maybe you'll find it inspiring, too.  Joan Borysenko posted it on FB today:

 

"John O’Donohue's poem "A Blessing for One Who Holds Power". To me this means not only the politicians who hope to be elected today, but all of us whose votes will determine who ultimately holds the power of the presidency and other elected offices . . . ."

 

May the gift of leadership awaken in you as a vocation,
Keep you mindful of the providence that calls you to serve.
As high over the mountains the eagle spreads its wings,

May your perspective be larger than the view from the foothills.
When the way is flat and dull in times of gray endurance,
May your imagination continue to evoke horizons.
When thirst burns in times of drought,
May you be blessed to find the wells.
May you have the wisdom to read time clearly
And know when the seed of change will flourish.
In your heart may there be a sanctuary
For the stillness where clarity is born.
May your work be infused with passion and creativity
And have the wisdom to balance compassion and challenge.
May your soul find the graciousness
To rise above the fester of small mediocrities.
May your power never become a shell
Wherein your heart would silently atrophy.
May you welcome your own vulnerability
As the ground where healing and truth join.
May integrity of soul be your first ideal.
The source that will guide and bless your work.

 You have blessed us all, my President, even Americans who don't recognize the blessings of your leadership,  even those who despise you.

  May you prevail today, Barack Obama.  Namaste, sir.  Namaste.

 

 

 

Fill It Up!

Don't Miss This Piece from NY Magazine!

 

The Case for Obama: Why He Is a Great President. Yes, Great.

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/10/bar...

The case for reelection.

This is a thoughtful, well-presented case for  a second Obama term.