Right on the Mark

February 26th, 1993

Fifteen years ago we got a glimpse into what would eventually become the horror of 9/11. However, after the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 the majority of the country went on as if nothing happened.

Six people were killed & more than 1000 were injured. Oh, we were collectively shocked as a nation but, like 9/11, our shock quickly wore off as our memories faded. This act of terrorism should have been a wake-up call. But we just hit the snooze button, rolled over & went back to sleep.

I don't advocate sitting around worrying about terror all the time. However, had we not forgotten about this historic day maybe, just maybe we wouldn't have been asleep at the wheel on 9/11. If we had actually been taking this gathering threat more seriously maybe we wouldn't have depleted our military. A great lesson can be learned from the words of Ronald Reagan: "Of the four wars in my lifetime, none came about because the U.S. was too strong."

We remember the Alamo; Pearl Harbor; the days JFK, RFK & MLK were shot & hopefully 9/11. I believe February 26th, 1993 is a day we all should take a moment to remember as well.

Not much else can be said. Except, thank you to our military, law enforcement officers, firefighters & emergency personnel who put themselves at risk to keep us safe & to rescue us when tragedy strikes.

Pride (in the name of politics)

"For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country." Yes, those are the words you heard from Michelle Obama. The video is there to provide some context. Of course this is part of the election campaign & her words will be analyzed & scrutinized just as they would be for any candidate or candidate's spouse. Since her comment people have suggested she's never been proud of her country before. Others have argued that that's not what she meant.

Mrs. Obama turned 18 years old in 1982 & entered her adult life. Since that time she has either never been proud of her country or, has been somewhat proud but just not "really" proud (whatever that means) according to her own words. The subject that seems to be avoided in this situation is race. Is this what her recent pride is about? Is it the fact that we have, for the first time, a viable "black" candidate running for president? Certainly that could be a source of great pride. Maybe she meant I've never been "more" proud of my country. Although, that's not what she said & Barack tells us people need to say what they mean & mean what they say.

For someone to build their entire campaign on change is to insinuate that things have been bad. The Obama campaign is invested in the notion that things have been terrible for a long time & are in need of change --- not just in Washington, but throughout the country. They talk about a common pain & struggle they've witnessed. I suppose it's difficult to find a source of pride in your country if your view of your country seems to be negative. The way this need for change is touted one would think we've all been destitute for the past twenty years. Sorry folks, that's not the country I've been living in all of my adult life (which, by the way, began in 1986).

My belief is that Michelle Obama has been proud of her country before. I believe people make statements like hers for emotion & affect without regard for accuracy. It sounds great to folks who might be struggling at the moment, or to those who have been inspired by her husband's campaign. Clearly this is Pride (in the name of politics).

Light Up Everybody

Fidel Castro, after 49 years of rule in Cuba has stepped down as their leader. It seems that most see this as a good thing. Finally, Cuba may very well be on the way to a democracy. The people may finally get to taste freedom. President Bush pledged to help the citizens of Cuba "realize the blessings of liberty." Even the presidential candidates, democrats & republicans alike, chimed in on the situation.

• Obama: "Fidel Castro's stepping down is an essential first step, but it is sadly insufficient in bringing freedom to Cuba. Cuba's future should be determined by the Cuban people and not by an anti-democratic successor regime."
• Clinton: "The new leadership in Cuba will face a stark choice—continue with the failed policies of the past that have stifled democratic freedoms and stunted economic growth—or take a historic step to bring Cuba into the community of democratic nations."
• McCain: "I think that we should make it very clear that once free elections are held, that the political prisoners are released and human rights organizations are functioning in Cuba, that we would be willing to provide whatever aid and assistance that's necessary."
• Huckabee: "The Cuban people deserve nothing less than free and fair elections which would provide the only hope for a prosperous and democratic Cuba. Until Fidel Castro is dead there can be no significant movement towards reform in Cuba.  Raul Castro has proven that he's as much a tyrant and dictator as his brother Fidel.  Simply providing more power to another dictator does nothing to promote freedom and democracy to the Cuban people."

I've been a little confused about these recent comments coming out. If Cuba's health care system was so grand (as was implied by Michael Moore in Sicko) & Castro was such a fine upstanding leader (with years of support from liberal politicians all over the world) why aren't we all saddened by his departure from public life as the end of a grandioso era in Cuban history?

Cigars for everyone!

Changed The Poll

I've changed the poll question to possible republican running mates for John McCain assuming he'll get the nomination. Post a comment & let us know what you think.

It looks like we want Obama or Clinton with someone else on the democrat side. Definitely not the two of them together. I was actually surprised by that result.

The Running Mate Game

This election certainly has taken some twists & turns. The once inevitable nomination & election of Hillary Clinton is well; not inevitable. Barack Obama has taken the lead in the delegate count after the recent round of primary states. The questions for the democrats really seems to be: Will Clinton & Obama team up as running mates? Who will be the presidential candidate & who will be the V.P. candidate? Would the other accept the other's offer as running mate? Or, would they go to one of the former candidates or a complete unknown?

Would you like to see them team up? Or, would you prefer to see one or the other with a different running mate? Let us know who?

The republican side seems to have settled in on their candidate. John McCain is clearly the front runner with his nomination seemingly more inevitable every day. With that in mind, it seems that the republicans have made a mad dash for the center while democrats seem to have drifted off to the left. How do you think that shapes up for a general election?

With McCain likely to get the republican nomination who do you think will be his running mate? Here's a list I found at the Kansas City Star website:

• Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
• Florida Gov. Charlie Crist
• Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee
• South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford
• Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison
• Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue
• South Dakota Sen. John Thune
• Connecticutt Sen. Joe Lieberman
• Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty
• Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush
• Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn
• North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr
• Former Ohio Rep. Rob Portman
• South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint
• Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal
• Indiana Rep. Mike Pence
• Florida Sen. Mel Martinez
• Former Homeland Security Secretary and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge
• Former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm
• Steve Forbes, Forbes Inc. CEO
• Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson
• Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney

I believe Colin Powell should get some consideration. I'm thinking Mike Huckabee will actually top the list because he helps in the south. Romney makes good sense since McCain has already said that economic policy isn't his area of expertise. No to Thompson. I like Fred but with McCain it would just look like two old white guys; an image the republicans probably need to break. No to Jeb Bush. People are already talking about saying no to Bush/Clinton/Bush/& possibly another Clinton. They certainly would reject another Bush. Condi Rice might make for a well rounded ticket. Although, pulling from a cast of folks too involved with the current Bush administration might end up being an albatross around the neck of a republican candidate. I'd probably stay away with the exception of Colin Powell. I believe he still garners much respect from most of the country.

So what do you think? Who should McCain choose as a running mate?

Toledo/Berkeley: what the...?...

First it was the city council in Berkeley, California who decided that Marine recruiters were not welcome in our city. Republican law makers did fire back with the threat of withholding about $2 million in federal funding. I would have to say I agree with halting all federal funding to any municipality unwilling to allow military recruiters to operate within their city limits. I understand that the Marines weren't actually kicked out in this situation. However, massive disruption has been encouraged.

In Toledo,  Mayor Carty Finkbeiner did indeed kick the Marines out of the city. A training exercise which had been planned several months in advance was canceled at the last minute. Not only had the event been planned in advance, it had become standard practice as the Marine unit in Grand Rapids, Michigan & the unit in Perrysburg have worked together in the past on urban training. Three times during the Ford administration as well as during a Finkbeiner administration. It's not as though this was something new.

Mayor Finkbeiner should be held accountable for the $10,000 that were wasted for the training session he aborted after the Marines had already showed up. The situation could have been avoided had the mayor made contacts prior to the event. Instead he seems more at home grandstanding. Mr. Finkbeiner, I hope you're happy with the national press coverage you've received. Your dying city is now less appealing to newcomers.

With cities hostile to our military & recruiters the federal government should withhold all federal funds from all of them. This should also include universities with the same hostilities. This should also include the deployment of National Guard or Reserve units during a natural disaster that takes place in their communities. If the military & their recruiters are not welcome for training or recruiting then they certainly shouldn't be welcome to help during a crisis. I wish I could ensure my tax dollars didn't go to these places.   

Here We Go Again / The Day After

Here We Go Again:

A double post today. I started it earlier but had to tend to a few things. First, I went to my parents house & set up the sump pump as they had a few inches of water already. Nothing damaging but enough to be of concern. When I left I couldn't leave the way I had come in. My mother had left shortly after I did & had to take yet a different route. Everyone is safe. This is the house my step-dad had to be rescued from during the last flood.

Here at my own house we started to have issues again as well. At first there was just a bit of surface water & we weren't really concerned. I just figured we'd go out & get a couple of drain plugs & all would be fine. We get home & we now have several inches of water in the basement. Put on the boots & plugged the drains. Then we headed out to get another sump pump. Upon our return the water had started to recede. So all is well; at least I hope.

• Oh yeah, side note: We bought a sump pump the last time but it's in my parents basement keeping them dry. I didn't figure we'd need it because I was going to go get those drain plugs. But, of course, I procrastinated.

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The Day After:

I'm sure you've seen the results of Super Tuesday. McCain has jumped out to a pretty good lead for the republicans. Huckabee won a handful of southern states. A lot folks were surprised by this but it made perfect sense to me. Romney is said to have taken some heavy losses but still sits in second place on the delegate count. Hillary is holding onto a narrow lead over Barack Obama in the delegate count for the democrats. The democratic race has clearly tightened up.

The counts are rather sterile. I want to focus on something a little more telling about each of our candidates. No one knows them better than those from their home states. Let's take a look at how they did with their home crowd.

• Barack Obama got 65% of the vote in Illinois
• Mike Huckabee got 60% of the vote in Arkansas
• Hillary Clinton got 57% of the vote in New York
• Mitt Romney got 51% of the vote in Massachusetts
• John McCain got 47% of the vote in Arizona

While each of them won their home states some of them clearly did better with their constituents than others. Poor Ron Paul did reach double digits in the percent of the vote in a few states but hasn't won any of them so far. Two other notable results were Hillary cleaning up (you know, she seems to like that term) with democrats in Arkansas & Mitt managed a great bottom line in Utah with republicans.

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Floods & Politics. Pretty much makes mud, doesn't it?

Just Another Tuesday

This is just another Tuesday in Ohio. Some of us will likely catch the results of the massive primary voting going on today & probably hope that nothing is settled so our primary a month from now has some meaning.

Who do you think will come out ahead & is that who you believe will win the nomination for both parties? Will Edwards give an endorsement after he sees a clear winner so as not to pick a loser? Will republicans pick a governor or a senator? What do you think?

With the Super Bowl over & Speed Week just around the corner it looks like the campaign is our best bet for entertainment in the meantime. Vegas started making odds back in 2005 for the 2008 election. You should check some of them out. They're actually kind of funny. Our top two from each party were at:

• Barack Obama 70 - 1
• Mitt Romney 50 - 1
• John McCain 12 - 1
• Hillary Clinton 3 - 1

Maybe a little less money involved would be more appealing to you. I'm not a gambling man but contests can be fun. Political Wrinkles has a contest to predict who will win the nomination for each party & the amount of delegates they'll get. All this fun costs nothing but a little time & has a prize package for the ages. Okay, maybe not for ages but a fine prize nonetheless.

With the Super Bowl having such super results that most didn't believe would happen in a million years who knows what will happen in an election? Odds are: we're having more fun than the candidates.   

Super Sunday

Today the Giants & the Patriots play in the Super Bowl.

I saw on the news this past Friday that Super Bowl spending had already reached $9.5 billion. That should be a help to the economy. Especially in Glendale, Arizona where hotel rooms are going for $3,000 a night. At that price they better tuck you in & sing a lullaby.

Yesterday I added to that spending as I went out got some chili fixings. It's a bit of a tradition that my best friend & I started in 1990. We decided that no matter how busy our lives got that every year on Super Bowl Sunday we would get together & make a big pot of chili & watch the game.

Here's the chili I'll be making today:

SUPER BOWL CHILI

• 3 lbs. of meat (a combination of sausage & ground beef)
• 3 to 5 jalapeno peppers
• 1 each: green, red, orange & yellow peppers
• 1 medium jar of hot salsa
• 1 medium jar of black bean & corn salsa
• 1 can of chili tomatoes
• 1 can of fiesta corn (with chilies & peppers)
• 1 large onion
• 1 package of Carrol Shelby's Texas Chili Kit
• 3 regular sized cans of dark red kidney beans
• 3 regular sized cans of chili beans
• minced garlic
• brown sugar
• sour cream
• shredded cheese

Brown the meat & add the Carrol Shelby's chili spices to meat as you're browning it; including the cayenne pepper. Cut up the onion & peppers (including the jalapenos) & saute them & add some of the chili spice to them as well. Then put the meat & the sauteed peppers/onion in the pot (don't drain any of it) with both jars of salsa & bring it up to a boil then back it off to a simmer.

The spice mix should be all used up in the browning & sauteing. Using the powder during the browning & sauteing instead of putting in the pot of liquid keeps the chili from getting chalky.

Then add the can of corn, the chili tomatoes & some minced garlic (add garlic to your taste --- I use about a table spoon). Let simmer for about a half hour (keep stirring from time to time so as not to scorch the bottom). Bring back to a boil, add the beans & about a handful of brown sugar & stir it all in. Then back it down to a simmer again (don't forget to keep stirring) for about a half hour or so. Keep it covered while simmering. This is a rather thick chili but if you find you don't have enough liquid you could always add some water or maybe some V-8 juice.

Take it off the heat & you're ready to eat. Dish the chili out into your favorite bowl. Add some sour cream & shredded cheese. Stir it up & enjoy.

Go Giants! 

Merrily We Roll Along

Recently former President Bill Clinton suggested that we slow down our economy to combat global warming. Of course he did mention that we couldn't do it alone. But, while other thriving economies might be on board, the developing economies of the world would never agree to the idea. Here's an excerpt of the speech he gave in Denver a few days ago:

• "And maybe America, and Europe, and Japan, and Canada -- the rich countries -- would say, 'OK, we just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions 'cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren.' We could do that.
• "But if we did that, you know as well as I do, China and India and Indonesia and Vietnam and Mexico and Brazil and the Ukraine, and all the other countries will never agree to stay poor to save the planet for our grandchildren.
• ABC News: Political Punch

Some people seem to be making a big deal about this recent comment because they believe it's the last thing we should be doing with the credit crunch, housing decline & the seemingly forever looming recession. I contend that maybe things aren't quite as bad as some folks would have you believe. The idea that slowing our economy is doable coming from Bill Clinton certainly would invalidate any sort of "it's the economy, stupid" campaign slogans.

With Microsoft offering $44.6 billion for Yahoo, the stock market edging upward again & with tax returns on their way it seems our economy is merrily rolling right along.