The only way I know to vent my frustration about election 2016!

What can I possibly say after an election that results in having elected as my president a man who has constantly lied and used language and techniques that offend me? Certainly I'm tempted to follow the pattern set by Republicans recently when Barack Obama was elected president – to hope that he fails.

But how counterproductive that would be! The past eight years of heroic leadership by Obama has shown how difficult it is to make progress when obstructionism is the major focus of the opposition party.  How bleak it is when one realizes that this new "leadership" will be the face of America for the next four and possibly eight years.  How sad that the progress of the last eight years of more inclusiveness is vulnerable and can be overturned by the union of a conservative party led by an egotistic showman.

But the historic leadership of the United States as a bastion of freedom and opportunity for all has been built on a democratic foundation that enables constructive change to be made. While the results of the election have been extremely disappointing, I find a "path to the future" in the recent Democratic primaries and the pronouncements of the party platform. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING CHANGE IN THE TRULY DEMOCRATIC WAY CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION!
We do not have to put up with four years.  With a "know nothing" preside we do not have to put up with four years (using words that sink to HIS level).  It is in Congress* that the action can (AND SHOULD) take place,  And it calls for ALL OF US who were so energized by the Bernie supporters and all who were so repulsed by the candidacy of Donald (including responsible Republicans) to
BEGIN NOW TO START CHANGING CONGRESS IN TWO YEARS.  It is the nitty gritty work of democracy and something we must all commit to.

To me, the lessons of this election are myriad and begin with the need for all who want true justice and opportunity for all and the progress of the last eight years to ignore petty differences and unite to CHANGE THE MAKEUP OF CONGRESS IN 2020!

Indeed in my almost 91 years I have never seen such a disappointing election.  I'll have much more to say in the next few weeks.  I hope you will stay tuned.

Ron

*See Franklin Foer's article

 http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/11/what_donald_trump_might_do_with_the_powers_of_the_presidency.html

A final look at the election of 2016

90 year oldster considers the three most critical elections of his lifetime!

This is a rant I had planned to send several weeks ago, however I felt that it missed the mark! After a most enjoyable two weeks away from election news while on a cruise of the Mediterranean Sea and reading (most of) the book, The Age of Genius: The Seventeenth Century & The Birth of the Modern Mind, by A.C. Grayling, I've now recalled two other elections which cause me see the election from a different perspective – one VERY pertinent for the current election. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE FOLLOWING BRIEF CHANGE IN MY PERSPECTIVE. And, of course, if you find it interesting and would like more of my thoughts – KEEP going and read the rest!

MONEY, POWER AND (MOSTLY) MEN

1968

I truly regret that in 1968 I was too involved with my family and working in a racially divided and tense school to pay much attention to the election. For those non-historians and/or those too young to remember, it was the election most noted for the contentiousness and hostility between Chicago's Mayor Richard J. Daley's police force and the idealistic young people – and others – opposing the war in Vietnam. Of course the stage was set earlier by the assassination of Dr. King and frustration was already at the boiling point when favored candidate for change Robert Kennedy was murdered in California shortly before the convention. Neither of the other candidates favored by those seeking dramatic change, Eugene McCarthy or George McGovern, had a chance against the establishments preferred candidate Hubert Humphrey.

Result: A lack of enthusiasm in the Democratic Party to unite behind the one candidate (other than the South's George Wallace) who had a chance against Richard M. Nixon, the Republican "law and order" nominee.

LESSON TO BE LEARNED FROM 1968 – How different the world might be today had there been a willingness to get behind the best choice available and THEN CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THE BELIEFS AND PRINCIPLES ONE HOLDS DEAR.

2000

Occasionally one is tempted to become cynical about elections and ask "Does it really matter?" From my perspective I would point to the contest between George W. Bush and Al Gore. There's little doubt in my mind that an administration with people more knowledgeable about the complexity of the problems of the Middle East would have used better judgment before again initiating war against Iraq.

How different our world might be today.

Putting aside all of the questions about emails and judgment in the separation of personal and public positions or gathering money for the benefit of (mostly) humankind, I have little doubt that my 90 years of experience shows this to be – given the choices we have – the most critical election of my lifetime. The choice must be Hillary over Donald!

And if you still want further thoughts:

NINETY YEAR OLDSTER CONSIDERS THE THREE MOST CRITICAL ELECTIONS OF HIS LIFETIME

Since 1925 when "Silent Cal" was president, I have seen 14 men elected since Mr. Coolidge. Without a doubt I consider the present election to be the most critical of my lifetime. But first a brief look at the other two.

The first one I remember distinctly was in 1936 when first-term president Franklin Delano Roosevelt ran against Alfred M. Landon, the governor of Kansas. Although the pork-pie hat I wore was festooned with sunflowers from the Sunflower State, I quickly learned that my campaigning efforts were in vain. Landon carried but two states, Maine and Vermont. Despite my biases, I've since realized that we not only needed Roosevelt to see us through the depression and WWII, but Roosevelt's “New Deal” set the tone for having the government play a much greater role in making society better for the more of the citizenry.

Fast-forward to 1964 and the campaign pitting Sen. Barry Goldwater against Pres. Lyndon Baines Johnson. What a classic struggle between conservative principles and a liberal president. Although Johnson was fettered by the morass of Vietnam, he both furthered civil rights and raised our consciousness to work toward a "Great Society".

But nothing for me has matched the vitriol and the divisiveness (but yet the promise) of the current campaign. It could have hardly started on a worse note with the personal attacks by fellow Republicans in a party that I was once a member of through the election of Richard Nixon. (Yes, I admit it, I favored Nixon over Kennedy.) And while many in the Republican Party felt proud of having 14 “outstanding” candidates, the debate and events surrounding the nominating process soon became a national embarrassment. Not only did members of the Republican Party express shock at the final selection of the party, but most of the entire world was dismayed by the pronouncements, divisiveness and repudiation of American values and actions of the past by Trump's ranting as a candidate.

Meanwhile the Democrats limited its conflict to just two major contenders. One was a neophyte to the party, had as his major constituency many young people who had never before been actively involved in party politics and had the "dreaded" word to many Americans "socialist" in his pedigree. The other candidate has had so much exposure in the political arena, had taken a number of questionable actions of either poor judgment or legal misfeasance that a majority of Americans seem to have no confidence in her judgment. And, of course, the fact that her spouse had been involved in behavior that caused him to be impeached by Congress was held against her.

Thus the country seems to be faced not with selecting a preferred candidate, but the one least disliked by a majority of the voters. How then can one feel that this is an election with great promise? For me it rests in a personal look at the appeal and foibles of the three most viable candidates.

Trump – there's hardly anything negative I can say about the man than has already stated even more strongly than I might utter by his fellow Republicans. To me he represents everything that can go awry in an egalitarian democratic society from his inherited head start in life to a lifestyle centered on himself and the use of any technique to push his agenda – gaining notoriety and wealth. It has been seen most clearly in the divisive campaign he has run and the staff he has chosen to assist him. I see his candidacy as a total embarrassment to a country I love. Looking for silver linings, however, I can cite 2 benefits from his campaign:

1. He has spotlighted the travail of so many Americans who have been left behind in a country where wage inequality has grown at a furious pace, and
2. he provides an opportunity for the voters to show that they cannot be duped by a Huey Long or Father Coughlin type figure, a fascist, who proclaims he has all the answers and pits one group of citizens against the another.

Sanders - was a populist addition to the campaign who obviously struck a major chord in youth along with their idealism. Knowing something of the powerful organization of political parties, I felt he had little chance as the campaign began. But I underestimated the zeal of youth and the commitment of elders seeking a better opportunity for all Americans. One could feel the shock of his supporters as they reluctantly realized that party elders and lifelong volunteers prevailed by nominating a candidate long associated with what they perceived as the status quo. It is however exciting to think of the possible lasting results from the involvement of the Bernies:

1. That since their enthusiasm almost achieved its desired effect, it is imperative that they learn from their experience and become a continuing strong voice on the American scene, and
2. that since their cries for greater equality and opportunity for all had resonance throughout the country, they can join forces with the establishment and with continuing involvement, they can convert many who too easily fell prey to a fascist type leader.

Clinton – throughout her life she has brought to the national scene the liberal causes espoused by her opponent. What a remarkable story of the American dream has been hers! Coming from a conservative middle-class Midwest home, she followed tradition throughout her youth yet by dint of effort and intelligence, found her own voice for liberal causes from civil rights to advocacy for children and healthcare. Along the way she of course made mistakes from being a zealot for certain causes to errors of judgment shared by virtually all the men who preceded her. History is replete with honored males whose missteps have been forgotten as they made contributions to society – and for themselves. And what other presidential candidate has borne the same prejudice against them because of negative publicity given to their spouse. Just as the presidency of our first African American president has shown the continued racism of society, a large segment of our nation refuses to acknowledge the ability of women.

From the the two candidates who have a chance to be elected for president, there is but one who can continue to uphold that office with dignity and respect. There is only one candidate whose life shows a commitment to the causes I believe in. One candidate who works as a team member supported by a party platform that endorses the American values that I believe in. One candidate who feels that American exceptionalism is built upon the values espoused in our political documents and symbolisms of freedom and justice and a welcoming for all who come to our shores. One candidate who continues the equal opportunity for all as evidenced by the election of the current incumbent Barack Obama.

It was a thrill for me to see the election of our first African-American president. I feel he has nobly led us through difficult times. I will be equally thrilled to see a woman elected president in her own right who, if given a chance, will work to unite our nation.

I have too long been silent and basked in the accolades of being a part of the "Greatest Generation". That "greatness" stems primarily from our unity in facing three malignant dictatorial powers as we were joined by an almost unified world. However I find it impossible to accept generalized greatness for a generation that perpetuated bigotry, did little to stem lynchings, failed to open its doors to refugees even as they languished on ships within sight of our shores who were persecuted by demons and we placed our own patriotic citizens in concentration (that is what they were called) camps because of their ethnicity. Yet the sons of many of those patriotic parents died defending the freedom of the rest of us.

We now have a generation who because of their zeal and support of the true American dream can become an even greater generation by continuing to be involved in making better FOR ALL the best governmental system devised by humans.

A frequently asked question among the thousand or so I've had on Reddit's AMA

"You seem to have lived a remarkable life. I'm 20 years old and I'd appreciate any advice you could give me, and others like me, for the future."

It should be obvious that it is from statements like this that I get a great deal of pleasure in conversing with the young people of Reddit. Often there are qualifiers regarding the individual's situation and we often engage in a two-way conversation.

Unfortunately since I am hastily preparing to take leave for three weeks, I'm not able to give an in-depth deeply thought expose. But I did want to share a reaction to a bit of research I've seen recently that verifies a recent concern of mine - a rather mundane topic that I've yearned to talk about with young people.

Last year, the U.S. had the highest one-year percentage increase in traffic deaths in half a century, according to 2015 data released Wednesday by the National Safety Council (NSC). Initial estimates, which may be revised when more information becomes available, indicate that 38,300 people were killed on U.S. roads in 2015, and roughly 4.4 million sustained injuries that resulted in medical consultations. The number of deaths rose 8 percent from 2014, compared with a less than 0.5 percent increase between 2013 and 2014 and a 3 percent drop the previous year.  

While I am well aware that oldsters like me may well often be the culprit, and therer are multiple causes, here's my simple bit of advise:(unsolicited I know) for young people:

WHY BE IN SUCH A HURRY?  A 70 MPH SPEED LIMIT DOESN'T MEAN YOU MUST GO 70! WHEN DRIVING A FEW MILES ON THE HIGHWAY, TAKE IT EASY!  YOU'D SAVE GAS AND NOT LOSE MORE THAN A MINUTE OF TIME.  AND DON'T FOLLOW SO CLOSELY BEHIND THE CAR IN FRONT!

So that's my prejjudice/advise for all whether you asked for it or not.  I primarily wanted to have a final say before being away for 3 weeks.  I've been more than gratified to see the great increase in "hits" on my RANT BLOG.

But even more important, I feel, is making sure as many as possible read the Rant (and listen to the lecture) of two weeks ago.  If you haven't seen it, may I strongly suggest you continue for 20 minutes or so to consider the following quote and the speech it inspired?

Allowables
-Nikki Giovanni

I killed a spider
Not a murderous brown recluse
Nor even a black widow
And if the truth were told this
Was only a small
Sort of papery spider
Who should have run
When I picked up the book
But she didn't
And she scared me
And I smashed her

I don't think
I'm allowed

To kill something

Because I am

Frightened

Giovanni's simple poem served as the focus of a very powerful lecture that gave an implicit, yet veiled, insight into present national and world-wide conditions..

But I'm compelled to be up front and tell you that it was delivered as a sermon in the church I attend and feel very comfortable in although I consider myself to be an agnostic atheist – truly, I guess, a humanist.

And regardless of what your view of "church/mosque/synagogue" going might be, I hope you'll follow the leads below, take 20 minutes to give the talk a listen.  It's the sermon for Sunday, October 2.

I'm sorry it does not include the very moving and nontraditional "songs".

Pete Seeger's, "If I Had A Hammer" 
Elvis Costello's "(What's So Funny ''Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding"
"Bright Morning Star" with Cantor and choir and

The traditional Afro-American spiritual, "There Is More Love Somewhere"

Here's the link ;

http://www.all-souls.org/past-sermons

I'll welcome any thoughts and reactions.

See you in a month.

Ron

Transcription of a very moving lecture I attended this week.

Allowables
-Nikki Giovanni

I killed a spider
Not a murderous brown recluse
Nor even a black widow
And if the truth were told this
Was only a small
Sort of papery spider
Who should have run
When I picked up the book
But she didn't
And she scared me
And I smashed her

I don't think
I'm allowed

To kill something

Because I am

Frightened

Giovanni's simple poem served as the focus of a very powerful lecture that gave an implicit, yet veiled, insight into present national and world-wide conditions..

But I'm compelled to be right up front and tell you that it was delivered as a sermon in the church I attend and feel very comfortable in although I consider myself to be an agnostic atheist – truly I guess a humanist.

And regardless of what your view of "church/mosque/synagogue" going might be, I hope you'll follow the leads below, take 20 minutes to give the talk a listen.  It's the sermon for Sunday, October 2.

I'm sorry it does not include the very moving and nontraditional "songs".

Pete Seeger's, "If I Had A Hammer" 
Elvis Costello's "(What's So Funny ''Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding"
"Bright Morning Star" with Cantor and choir and

The traditional Afro-American spiritual, "There Is More Love Somewhere"

Here's the link ;


http://www.all-souls.org/past-sermons

Uber and the free enterprise system

Last Saturday when there was a light, misty rain we needed transportation from Cleveland Park to Washington's National Airport. Turning first to Uber, we were dismayed to learn that the cost would be $42. Thus we turned to our "old-fashioned" but government regulated taxi system, and were quoted a $21 charge.

Thus I'm forced to continuing to assess the merits of free enterprise vis-à-vis carefully considered governmental regulations. And it further confirms for me an innate hostility toward systems that tend to encourage wage earners to seek added employment to support family needs in contrast with a living wage for all workers.

A "needed" break in takling about the election.

Here is a question and my answer to a question posed me two months ago on my Ask Me Anything (AMA) Reddit dialogue system.  I thought it was time to take a break in looking at the election - (I get more and more depressed as I see Trump's numbers rising!)

I've truly been impressed by the thoughtful questions posed me.  I just wish I had more time to answer them more quickly and give more time to giving thoughtful answers - I merely dictate thoughts that come into my head.  

Here's a question that came to me and the answer I gave. I thought others might be interested.

The question: 

Honestly, I've got a thousand questions I'd love to ask you. But, since I'm sure you've got a flood, I'll pick the three I'd love for you to answer. I'm a biology major intending to go into aging research to discover why we age, how we age, and ultimately how we can control the aging process. So, my first question is fairly predictable. If you could live another 90 years (in, say, the health of a 50-year-old), would you? Another 900?

Second, you were an adult in a time when prejudice regarding race, sexuality, and religion were incredibly blatant and really were systemic oppression, fully encoded into US law. A great many older folks (I live in the American South, so my sample size may be skewed) still hold ideologies of decades gone by. Would you say your perceptions of race, sexuality, and religion have changed over the years? You seem very progressive in such areas, so I'd love to hear about how you were back when you were 20-30.

Third, what do you most want to live long enough to see? If there was anything you wanted to happen in your lifetime that you would die happy if you could see, what would it be? Has it already happened, or is it yet to come?

And so my answer:

[–]dcretiree [S] 1 point just now 

First of all I must say that it's the opportunity to relate to young people that is one of the major factors in my allegedly youthful demeanor and condition. Your questions are quite fascinating and so I'll just ruminate – and probably make mistakes – on my Dragon dictation machine.

1. Live another 90 years? Not if Trump is elected! I do have trouble with hypotheticals, but I almost feel that nature – plus reasonable medical assistance – has provided an ideal life span – for me at least. Human intelligence has not created proper vehicles – yet at least – for meaningful existence of so many more people to live on this planet.
2. I to was brought up in the South until I went into the military at age 17 for three years. And while I did not participate in furthering civil rights, "something innate within me" kept me from the blatant racism that was present in San Antonio in the 30s and 40s. I attributed to two things – a. Parents, although they only had a fifth and an eighth grade education, never showed any racial hostility, and b. A liberal mainline church that gave emphasis to the TEACHINGS of Jesus. The one area in which I have changed the most is in the field of gay and lesbian acceptance. As a child my only concept of gay men was that they were predators of boys – and with three aunts who never married but had scores of female friends, I never even knew the term lesbian. Fortunately my life experiences have  changed my attitude completely.
3. I would die tomorrow with a smile on my face if the nations of the world would support a United Nations organization that would be strong enough to stop war and solve all disputes through arbitration.

Thanks for asking.

PS – for this rant: In rereading this I note that I give short shrift to religion other than emphasizing the importance of the teachings of Jesus. I do not want to minimize how dramatically my perception of religion has changed. While religion is still central in my life, I approach it as an agnostic atheist. I do not believe in the God that was projected to me throughout my formative years, but feel there is some mysterious "force" that attracts ALL peoples to the good. Personally I appreciate and support the good work of "all enlightened religious institutions" but feel that all religions – at least those based on love and peace – have much to offer in the way of instilling constructive life values.

Thus you see the enjoyment I have in sharing thoughts with the thousand or so young people through Reddit.

Lessons from the conservative side of Bobby Kennedy!

Some hurried thoughts from a new biography of the life of Robert F. Kennedy

One of the most thrilling things about hearing authors talk about their books is the great insight, knowledge and above all, enthusiasm they bring to their topic. Larry Tye more than exceeded that as he spoke about his book, "Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon".   The elderly audience was, of course, aware of Bobby's enthusiastic support for Joseph McCarthy, one of the all-time most sinister and reviled figures by liberals,  Bobby was not only on his staff in his "shameless " hearings, but he went against his older brother's wishes and attended McCarthy's funeral in 1957 as the only Democrat in attendance.

I was mesmerized by the talk and found some interesting parallels with our present election and the one that Bobby was prevented from entering because of his assassination by Sirhan Sirhan. And while I'm working to soon share my deeply held feelings about the election, I felt a compunction to immediately share some thoughts.

1. Both the present election and that of 1968 were noteworthy for charismatic figures attractive to varied segments of the population: Eugene McCarthy and Bobby and Donald Trump and Bernie.  
2. The country was extremely divided and young people were aroused as never before by causes they firmly believed. Certainly this is true again for two groups of the population, the "underclass" that Trump is appealing to and youthful voters who rally to the many causes that are espoused by Bernie.
3. Humphrey's defeat of McCarthy and the death of Bobby Kennedy silenced many young voters and caused them to be disenchanted with the system.  While protests continued, there was no effort to join with the establishment to counter the reactionary forces that maintained control.
4. How dramatically Bobby changed from the searing lessons that life thrust upon him. From a father who supported right wing causes and bigotry and McCarthy supporter, he became a champion for racial justice and all important liberal causes. In my personal experience in responding to youth in a series of AMAs, I was appalled more than once to see that my present views were unacceptable because I had once voted (in my innocence) for Richard Nixon. How important it is in looking at candidates or anyone, that we understand the full scope of their life, not just single events or skills.

In many ways I see the election of 1968 as one of the three previous critical elections of my lifetime.  TO ME, HOWEVER, NONE OF THEM EQUALS OUR PRESENT DIVISIVE CONTEST!

As a former history teacher, I truly believe,that we MUST learn from the past.  Tye's book  provides us with that opportunity.

1.  I sincerely hope that young people will continue their activism and become involved in ALL aspects of the political system and not give up on the democratic system, and
2. that voters will look beyond flamboyance, fascist calls for law and order and divisive appeals and look at the total trajectory of candidates lives.    I trust they will see the many difficulties Mrs. Clinton has faced (and overcome) in working to make an inclusive village out of our richly diverse American society.

Next week I'll truly try to express my strongest feelings. That one of the most vitriolic undercurrent themes of the Trump campaign is SEXISM!

But recalling Bobby Kennedy and the McCarthy hearings I remembered one of  the most searing statements I have ever heard, the turning point in a divided countries response to McCarthyism, when Army legal counsel, Joe Welch asked of the Senator, "At long last,have you left no sense of decency?"

After some of the statements and position of Donald Trump, I felt like asking the same question.