Advice on Responding to a Presidential Address

This is the only advice to Republicans that will appear in this blog. I post it here because I can not stand any longer the useless drivel that passes for a response.

If you want to be successful, here's what you must do: Make your response a genuine response, not just a canned recitation of red meat your already committed base wants to hear. The American people don't care about your base. The American people want to hear what you think of the President's initiatives in health care, energy, education? Where do you differ with him on job creation, bailing out automakers, bailing out banks, tax cuts, tax increases?

The stock market has lost half its value, unemployment is soaring, automakers are on the brink of bankruptcy, foreclosures are at record highs -- and you, Governor Jindal, are complaining about a $140 million item to monitor volcanoes? And you, Senator John McCain are complaining about the cost of a Presidential helicopter (which Bush 43 approved)? The house is completely engulfed in flames and you guys want to dash inside to save a couple of salt and pepper shakers!

The minority response has become a non-response, nothing more than a lathered salve to the wounded left in the minority. If you want to become the majority again, you have to create a genuine response. Here's how:

Take at least one good speech writer, put him in front of a computer with a draft -- a substantive draft -- of your proposed response, and while the President speaks, allow the speech writer to re-draft your response with aggressive editing -- adding, subtracting, re-wording -- your material, as appropriate. This is what a debater learns to do in high school. This is what the Presidential candidates are expected to do on the campaign trail. It is not hard to do, and the result will be an engaging response that contributes to the debate on the issues in a substantive and productive way. I guarantee you, it can be done in real time and ready to go in less than 10 minutes after the President concludes his remarks.

You're welcome.
I'll send you a bill in the morning.

Advice to Democrats on Twittering

DON'T! What is this all about? What have we come to that a member of the US Congress feels it necessary to announce he has arrived in Bagdad on a secret mission to all the world via "140 characters or less." You think our enemies won't read your message?! Why does a member of a state legislature announce via Twitter that a member of the other party is about to switch parties, thus dooming even the most remote possibility that he will do so?! Politicians are astoundingly careless in what they say in e-mails sent from their Blackberry's.

Sitting in the middle of the President's address to the Congress, members of both parties had their fingers flying and they weren't commenting on the substance of the speech, at least not in a rational way.

My advice: if you are thinking of twittering...or tweeting...and you have a position of responsibility in government at any level, DON"T. If you have already found yourself guilty of twittering...or tweeting, STOP. Your political future depends on it. You are going to say something inappropriate or self-incriminating or possibly, career ending, in a very short time.

The Best Laid Plans

Political analyst, Greg Sargent, is coming out with a new book, titled, 40 More Years: How Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation.

There will be some re-hashing of the 2008 campaign in it, but I understand the bulk of the book will address electoral trends, and how the rise of the youth vote and the decline of the white vote will favor Democrats.

I’m looking forward to reading it, but to my Democratic friends, I say, “Let’s not get too excited.” I had lunch in the early days of the Reagan Administration with a friend who had recently gone over to the other side. He invited me to join him, because, he said, “The country is turning conservative and if you want to enjoy the ride, you better join us.”

“In fact,” he said, “It is clear from recent trends that the Republicans will dominate American politics and occupy the White House, uninterrupted, for at least another generation.” The year was 1981. The restaurant was The Monocle on Capitol Hill. My friend went on to serve in the Reagan White House, the Bush 41 State Department, and the Bush 43 Defense Department.

In the 27 year period between 1981 and 2008, Republican Presidents controlled the agenda for all but the eight years of the Clinton Administration. Now you know why they hate Clinton so. Not only was he an effective President, he spoiled their plans for total domination of an entire generation. Boy, do they hate Clinton.

But I digress. My point is this: the best laid plans often go astray, especially when the fickle winds of political discourse are blowing across the land. In my view there should be no talk of “how Democrats will rule the next generation.” It is not likely to happen, and certainly not if they follow the Republican example. Obama seems to have learned the lesson of the past 27 years well and is reaching across the aisle with an eagerness to clasp the hand of anyone who wants to work to make America better.

And what has he found? He is finding the loyal opposition dusting off the strategic playbook of Newt Gingrich, written more than two decades ago. Old Newt had three themes: “Unite against Democrats’ economic policy, block and counter health care reform, and tar them with spending scandals." This is indeed what you do if you are a party with no ideas. Remember that day in early 1995 when, after taking control of the House of Representatives, Republicans gathered on the West steps of the Capitol and Newt told them, “This is our Contract with America….and on these provisions we will not compromise.” Those words stuck in my head because they were so wrong. Politics is nothing if not the art of compromise. It is how our country moves forward. It is how both parties governed until the era of Newt.

Obama understands the lessons of the past 27 years and is offering a sincere bipartisan hand to the other side but so far, with few exceptions in the Senate, his hand has been slapped away. Hopefully, that will change. America deserves better.

The View from the OS (Other Side) is Bleak -- and they like it that way.

“On Jan. 21, after the inauguration, Jim Cramer, the mad-cap analyst of financial markets, created the "Obama Accountability Index," a group of six stocks designed to gauge how well the new president was handling the tough economic problems. That index, which started at 100, has now fallen 35% to just 65.”

That’s the report we all saw the other day. My question is this: How can Cramer rationally hold Obama accountable for the fall of stocks since January 21, barely ONE month ago?????????

Come back in six months and let's talk.

Why won't the OS (Other Side) give his stimulus plan a chance to have some impact before they throw Obama overboard? There is a lot in the bill that most of them do not know about and/or do not understand. They prefer to sit on the sidelines, firing potshots at will, hoping they can damage Obama in the process.

Look, this government has committed $7.8 to $8.8 trillion (by my rough count) in loans, investments and guarantees since the beginning of 2008 (when Bush was still in power, by the way).

Your government has been shoring up money market funds, lending to the mortgage markets, lending to the credit markets, and making loans to financial firms. And we have more to do. The FDIC is working hard to prevent bank failures from all but the most insolvent banks. The Treasury is working to prevent the auto industry from a total free fall, putting cash in AIG, lending to credit markets and overseeing the rest of the TARP funds. There are also programs to guarantee the assets of Bank of America and Citigroup. And there is another $1.57 trillion in tax breaks, HOPE for homeowners, state jobs programs, infrastructure programs. I'm sure I've left something out.

I guess there is no way to prevent the OS from complaining (it seems to be what they do best). If they don’t want to help this President – and the rest of their fellow Americans – they should get out of the way and let responsible people bring the economy back.

So far, I believe the WH is handling its critics well. White House Press Secretary Bob Gibbs jumped all over reporter Rick Santelli of CNBC last week when he criticized the WH for setting up a program to bail out homebuyers who applied for home loans when they knew they could not afford them. Gibbs said "Santelli doesn't know what he is talking about." Santelli said the program was designed to reward "bad behavior" and "to bail out losers' mortgages." And that is not true. The plan, Gibbs explained, is to put about $275 billion to work helping about 9 million taxpayers who are NOT behind on their mortgages.

But this is the fight the Obama Administration is in every day. So far, they are countering the misinformation out there pretty well, and I hope they can keep it up. The conservative talk shows on radio and the loud mouths on the financial news TV networks are trying to blow holes in Obama’s program when they ought to be helping to build confidence and explaining the provisions of the program in terms the people can understand and more importantly, put to good use. Misinformation has no place in the national conversation.

Good for a Laugh

Republicans are good for a laugh, if nothing else. I just read a piece in the Georgia newspapers about a proposal the R’s have offered in the General Assembly this year which they say will be the answer to Georgia’s economic recovery. It focuses on helping small businesses and here’s the way it would work:

One of their bills would provide tax credits to businesses that hire unemployed workers and temporarily waive the fee businesses file with the state to register their corporate names.

Q. HOW DOES A BUSINESS HIRE UNEMPLOYED WORKERS IF THE BUSINESS HAS NO DEMAND FOR ITS PRODUCTS OR SERVICES?

Q. AS TO THE SECOND PROVISION, HOW MUCH DOES WAIVING THE FEE FOR CORPORATE NAME REGISTRATION GET YOU? $30 PER BUSINESS? LET’S SEE, IF 90 THOUSAND BUSINESSES ESCAPE PAYING AN ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEE OF $30, THE TOTAL BENEFIT FOR ALL OF THEM IS A WHOPPING $2.7 MILLION. WOW! THAT’LL DO IT, YESSEREE!

The legislation also would gradually phase out Georgia’s corporate income tax, beginning in 2012.

Q. 2012? FOUR YEARS FROM NOW? IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO? UNLESS YOU DO SOMETHING TODAY, OR AT LEAST BEGIN THE BENEFIT THIS YEAR, HOW MANY BUSINESSES DO YOU THINK WILL BE AROUND IN 2012?

Another bill would eliminate the tax on business inventories but that would have to be put to a vote of the electorate. Yep, that’ll happen real soon.

They held a press conference to announce their proposal, taking care to draw geat distinctions between their approach and the approach of President Obama. No wonder no one is paying attention to these guys. They give conservatism a bad name. They give government in general a bad name.

Remember these names: Rick Perry, Sonny Perdue, Bobby Jindal, Haley Barbour and Mark Sanford

Those are the names of the five southern governors who have indicated they may not take money from the Obama stimulus package to help their states, particularly if it comes with "strings attached."


In other words, remaining ideologically pure in opposition to "anything Obama" is more important to them than actually meeting the needs of their constituents, serving the people who elected them.



They have 45 days from last Tuesday to certify their states will request and use the funds provided in the new law. That means they have until April 3, 2009 to help their states participate in a national effort to stimulate economic recovery.


So, don't forget those names: Rick Perry is Governor of Texas; Sonny Perdue is Governor of Georgia; Bobby Jindal is Governor of Louisiana; Haley Barbour is Governor of Mississippi and Mark Sanford is Governor of South Carolina.


Meanwhile, South Carolina's chairman of the Board of Economic Advisers is already complaining that the money is moving to slowly to the states. "We're on a trajectory to 14 percent unemployment" in South Carolina, and he pleads, "We need it now!" Are you listening Gov. Sanford?

Are any of you guys listening? It is a new day; the people of your state want none of your political posturing.


By the way, the Center for American Progress says some of the states that voted most heavily against the Obama candidacy will do the best in the stimulus package. Damn, this business of having a President who believes in actually being a President for all of the people is sure inconvenient for maintaining a Republican's narrow self serving ideology, isn't it?

General Motors: A day late and many dollars short

American automobile manufacturers ought to be the best in the world. At one time, they were. The Big Three gave us the first automatic transmissions, the first power brakes, the first power steering...and a long list of technological innovations the rest of the world's manufacturers were quick to copy.

But somewhere along the way, they lost their way.

A column in The Washington Post this morning by a former editor recounts the day when she actually abandoned her 1972 Chevy Vega at a service station, taking only the license plates as she made her escape. The Vega started reluctantly each morning, sometimes not at all, and overheated regularly when it did start.

I worked briefly for Ford Motor Company in the mid-1960s when the Mustang was king of the road. Fresh out of college, I was excited to be there. One day, I mistakenly told an office mate that I aspired to be head of the company...or at the very least, a regional manager. He looked at me in disbelief and said, "Unless you graduated from one of the ivy covered business colleges in the Northeast, forget it." I didn't understand. I loved cars, had an economics degree and a willingness to dedicate my best effort to a career with Ford. Later I learned the business philosophy of all the manufacturers was "make money, first and foremost." Funny, I always thought if you "made cars" the public wanted to buy, you would make money, too. But then, I didn't graduate from Wharton or Harvard or Yale or Brown. Silly me. If I had graduated from one of those schools, I would have known that Ford's Edsel and Pinto, Chevrolet's Vega and Corvair, and AMC's Pacer and Gremlin, to name a few, were beautifully designed cars that would just sell like hotcakes.

Meanwhile Toyota, Mercedes, VW, BMW, even Honda (after a rough start) and other foreign manufacturers were designing cars customers couldn't wait to put in their driveways.

Detroit finally started building cars that would operate reliably, but they did not keep pace with foreign designs or technological innovation. For example, now that Toyota and others are selling hybrid cars like crazy, GM says "We have one, too, AND it will be ready for the showroom in 2010! Sorry we're late, could we tide you over with an SUV or two?"

In recent decades they have been a day late and a dollar short regularly.

Bottom line: Detroit forgot its reason for being in business. When it needed car people in charge, it went out and hired money people. Money people are fine, of course, for what they know but most wouldn't know a Blue Flame Six from a six pack of beer, or an overhead cam from a overhead camera.

Lincoln and Obama: Steady Hands at the Nation's Helm

“It was a period of gloom….when no man could foretell the happening of the morrow, when strong men trembled at the possibility of the destruction of our Government.”

So begins the 1909 tribute to Abraham Lincoln by the elderly Adlai E. Stevenson, Sr. on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the birth of our 16^th President.

While I doubt there are many who believe our Government is at risk of destruction today, hardly anyone doubts we are in a “period of gloom” as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth (tomorrow).

Let's go back to Stevenson's speech of 100 years ago. Stevenson, an Illinois native, who became a congressman, and still later, Vice President, knew Lincoln, and thus, was well suited to the task of paying tribute to the beloved President.

“He came from the common walks of life,” recalled Stevenson. “His early home was one of the humblest, where he was a stranger to the luxuries and to many of the ordinary comforts of life…How inspiring to the youth of high aims every incident of the pathway from the frontier cabin to the Executive Mansion…In no other country than ours could such attainment have been possible for the boy….whose only heritage was brain, integrity, lofty ambition, and indomitable purpose."

Are there any parallels to be drawn with the lanky young lawyer from Illinois now sitting in the Oval Office?

For Barack Obama, born in 1961 to a struggling bi-racial couple, his beginnings were humble indeed. Certainly, it can be said his only heritage was “brain, integrity, lofty ambition, and indomitable purpose.”

As the 1909 tribute continued, Stevenson praised Lincoln’s judgment in handling the question of slavery, an issue, he acknowledged, that “had been the subject of repeated compromise by patriotic statesmen.” This “apple of discord,” as Stevenson described it, had “darkened our national pathway from the beginning. It was well that in such an hour, with such tremendous issues in the balance, a steady hand was at the helm.”

Stevenson concluded his centennial tribute by selecting one particular paragraph from the inaugural address to share with his audience. It was the closing paragraph:

“We are not enemies, but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot’s grave to every heart and hearthstone of the broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when touched as they will be by the better angels of our nature.”

In America’s most recent history, passion and stridency have divided us – on a distant war and on a broad range of social issues at home. Such divisions weaken the Union. In Barack Obama, Americans have discerned a leader who – like Lincoln – believes our Union is stronger when we subscribe to “the better angels of our nature.”

In his memorable Philadelphia speech of March 18, 2008, Obama sounded a lot like Lincoln:

“I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together – unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction – towards a better future for our children and grandchildren.”

President-elect Obama is demonstrating already that he meant it—he really meant it – when he said he would reach across partisan lines, across ideology, across any social issue that would divide us, in order to keep us united and our collective eye steady on the goal of strengthening the republic before we hand it to the next generation.

President Lincoln is surely smiling today as President Barack Obama puts his steady hand at the helm.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln!

What's good looking...

What is six feet tall, has a beautiful complexion, and is always ready to roll?

Hint: You can’t see over it, under it, around it or through it – and it is always thirsty.

Answer: An SUV

PS: They are unsafe at any speed (for the rest of us driving a sedan).

Did you ever try to back out of a parking space with one parked on either side of your “normal” car? Good luck.

Who ever thought SUVs were a good idea?!

Go Ahead, Make His Day

There are some Republicans who can’t stand to call the President by name. “President Obama” are two words they cannot utter. They have not accepted him as their President. So, to show the degree of disrespect they have for him, they call him simply “44.” I guess some are still stinging from the Democrats referral to the Bushes as “Bush 41” and “Bush 43.” (Good grief, that's what they called themselves -- face to face.) I confess that is exactly the way I referred to them many times, but it was because both numbers are odd numbers…and weren’t their presidencies a little “odd,” too. The numbers just seemed to fit them.

So what about this “44” designation for President Obama? Well, he is certainly number 44 in the succession of Presidents we have had. But far from being offended by the Rs calling President Barack Obama, “44,” I like it. It is a powerful number, one that conjures up images of law enforcement officers brought in to clean up the city and restore peace to the neighborhoods.

I think it was a .44 Magnum that Clint Eastwood’s character, “Dirty” Harry Callahan described in the movie as “the most powerful handgun in the world.” You remember it; it’s the one Dirty Harry brandished in the face of the hoodlum and said, “Go ahead, punk, make my day.”

Now, I don’t own a handgun – never will. Enough said there. So I am not condoning the use of guns by ordinary citizens. There is a place for them with law enforcement, however, and with those who provide for the common defense.

I’m truly sorry for members of the loyal opposition who prefer to call him “44” instead of his given name or simply the title of his office, but if it conjures up images of a someone with a strong will, determination, and commitment to defend this nation, so be it. If it brings to mind those who will not tolerate troublemakers, foreign or domestic, so be it. If it reminds one of tough-minded leaders who are willing to “bite the bullet,” “tell it like it is,” and “do the right thing” for America, so be it.

I say to my Republican friends, go ahead and oppose the President if you want to, disrespect him by calling him “44” if that makes you feel better. Go ahead and make his day!

One of the Great Mysteries of Life

A local newspaper, The DC Examiner claims Republicans are in good spirits these days, despite coming off "a devastating, across-the-board electoral defeat."

The paper gets it right. This is the essence of what I've been telling my Republican friends for a long time:

"Being in opposition, after eight years of a Republican presidency and 12 years of GOP rule in Congress, suits many of them just fine. It's not that they were glad to lose. There are a lot of indignities involved in being the minority, and a pretty small minority at that. But talk to Republican lawmakers and insiders these days, and they speak as if an enormous weight has been lifted from their shoulders. Some of that weight was named George W. Bush, but in a larger sense, Republicans are relieved to be free of the burden of running things."

This is what I've been trying to tell you. Generally, Rs don't like the business of governing. They are not good at it. Most of the ones I have known the past 40 years are far more comfortable sitting on the back bench throwing rotten tomatoes at the Democratic majority. Indeed, that is what they do best. At least, that has been my experience. They just to say "no" all of the time, and return to their back row bench where they pray for the Democratic majority to pass into law the legislation they oppose. I know, it doesn't make sense, but that's their most comfortable modus operandi.

It is really unfortunate that being able to go back home and say "I opposed that one to the end" is more important that actually participating in the legislative process.

I'm not intentionally hard on my R friends, I just report the facts (as I see them). Republicans are indeed relieved to be free of the burden of "running things." Oh Newt, wherefore art thou?

"Not your run-of-the-mill recession"

The President performed last night as well as any American citizen had a right to expect. He was informed, articulate and candid with the American people…something we have not heard from recent Presidents. He was just what the country needed: someone in command of the issues and the office. In short, he did a GREAT job last night.

I thought the questions were disappointingly lame...and reflected a lack of understanding of the nation's economic condition....AND what is needed to get us out of it. And then there was that reporter from the Washington Post who, in the midst of the nation's worst economic crisis since the Depression, asked about the President's reaction to New York Yankees’ A-Rod steroid case. Good grief.

Obama’s performance was impressive and may prove to be the tipping point for achieving his first major legislative victory.

Most interesting to me today is steadfast Republican recalcitrance on the stimulus bill.

They are betting the President will fail, they expect the country to fail, and that they alone will be around to pick up the pieces in 2010 and again in 2012. Think about it. The GOP clings tightly to the belief that tax cuts and smaller government are the only answer. That’s their story and they’re sticking to it. Is there no room for anyone with rational thought on their side of the aisle?

To put it another way: The Rs are betting on a total collapse of the economy. By opposing en mass, they are saying they don’t believe the stimulus bill will work. In other words, the “NO” party has no confidence in America.

"Everything. Depends. On. Electricity."

I like what I hear from President Obama about the need to upgrade and expand our national electric transmission grid, and make it “smarter.”

And you should, too.

Because – ready or not – dramatic change is coming to America. And it starts with our electric grid.

In the USA, there are over 500,000 miles of high voltage transmission lines carrying generated electricity from power plants to substations where local distribution companies take over and deliver the electricity to customers. President Obama wants to add 3,000 miles of new lines, mostly to carry power from renewable energy sources in rural areas to urban areas where it is most needed.

This is a start. Three thousand miles of new lines sounds like a drop in the bucket to me. Nevertheless, we should join President Obama in supporting efforts to bring those lines to reality.

Why? Well, Peggy Noonan hit the nail on the head when she wrote in her recent book, Patriotic Grace:

“Every thing in America runs on electricity. Communications – the phone, the TV, the radio, the Internet. The lights, the heat, the ATM, the bank, the pump, the refrigerator. The machines in the operating room, the lights on the runway. As I type I listen to music that is plugged in, on a machine that is plugged in, under lights that are plugged in. I receive word from people I care about through two machines that are, at the moment, plugged in and being recharged.

“If something bad happens we will get information, instructions, inspiration, and help from things that are plugged in. And we will be largely without information, instruction, data, assistance, and inspiration if the grid goes down.

“Everything. Depends. On. Electricity.”

Peggy Noonan gets it. Barack Obama gets it. He put about $11 billion in the current stimulus bill dedicated to the national electric grid. Now it is time for the rest of us to get on board.

Some electricity utilities get it, they understand increased demand for their product will not abate, but they are afraid of the risk involved. After all, we are talking about a lot of financial unknowns here. I understand their trepidation and their fear of the risk involved. But we have no choice. Change is not just on the way, it’s here!

Consider this one fact: Google, Inc., the Internet’s most widely accepted search engine, is investing a minimum of $10 million in the development of the Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). That’s $10 million from a company that is only 11 years old, by the way. Ya’ think they know something?

Well, Google certainly knows something about change, and Google sees significant change in the air for those who use electricity in multiple ways. Imagine the impact on the grid if consumers switch en mass to PHEVs. If 10 million cars are plugged in all night, what impact will it have on the national grid?

And I have not even mentioned the impact of nanotechnology on electricity generation, transmission and distribution. Or its impact on the electronic products we use.

I don’t know about you, but I hope the utilities start using some of those stimulus funds to string wire…and right now.

But don’t take just my word for it. You’ve heard T. Boone Pickens say, “We are in a deep hole…we don’t have a 21^st century grid in the United States.” David Ratcliffe, CEO of Southern Company, says up to $3 trillion needs to be invested in energy by 2030” and I’m sure he includes the national electric grid in that sum.

As you listen to the debate this week and next, think of all the many ways the funds may be used to help us stabilize the economy, perhaps even grow it a bit, but also keep in mind that America desperately needs the dedicated best effort of all our resources to upgrade and expand one essential component in our “national infrastructure” – the national electric grid.

Sense of Entitlement Erodes Public Trust

Earlier this week, as the tax problems of President Obama’s cabinet picks were the buzz in Washington, I exchanged e-mail with a friend in Georgia who expressed a view shared, I'm sure, by a great many Americans:

“I have held a very cynical view of DC politicians for years. Democrat or Republican, I think the process and the bubble of DC makes it, over time, a game to be played. The sense of entitlement becomes pervasive (why pay taxes, that’s what regular people do). With very few exceptions I think that is true.”

I responded that, yes, I’m sure there are those who come to DC wearing an ermine mantle of entitlement. I have known some. However, there are exceptions, and I worked with one: Sam Nunn.

In early 1973, a Gulf Oil lobbyist by the name of Claude Wild claimed in court, during his trial for making illegal campaign contributions, that he had made a cash contribution of $5,000 to each of several candidates in 1972, including US Senate candidate, Sam Nunn. Nunn's campaign had no record of it, nor could anyone associated with the campaign recall the name of the supposed donor. Although there was no record of a contribution from Claude Wild, Sam Nunn incurred $30,000 in legal fees to have a team of lawyers go over every last nickel of campaign contributions in an attempt to find the so-called contribution. It didn't exist, of course, but Nunn was going to make sure it didn't exist...and that the record would show he was willing to take every step to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. He did that, not because he had to, but because it was the right thing to do.

And that’s what public service demands. In order to enjoy the trust of your constituents, one must take every step, even those unpleasant or costly, to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

I thought “DC politicians” were all like Sam Nunn, but they were not..........and are not today.

Nobody's Safe! (according to Dick Cheney...again)

Dick Cheney is at it again. He now warns Americans that if President Obama should dismantle policies designed by Bush/Cheney, the nation is likely to be attacked by terrorists employing biological and nuclear weapons.

What an outrageous comment...and an even more outrageous political set up!

If we are attacked, he will say something like, “So? You won’t question me again, will you?. My advice is: elect only Republicans if you want to be safe in the future.”

If we are not attacked, Cheney, of course, will disavow his Cassandra alert.

What does it take to get this guy off the stage…completely, utterly and forever!!!

Reflections on a Gray Day

Gray is No Color

The sky today is the color of gray.

No, not the color of gray, just…gray.

“Color” is an honor gray will never know.

Gray is the brother of black, the sister of coal,

Gray is the cold blade of frigid despair.

Gray is no color, at best, it’s a thief,

Stealing the spark from one’s very soul.

With every breath this day, gray makes itself known,

A sinister presence, a constricting embrace.

Gray snuffs out the light, leaving only one thing,

A slice of darkness in its joyless wake.

For gray is no color.

And there is no escape from it, save spring!