A Few Questions For Monday Morning

I have a few questions... simple questions but ones that perplex me.

I am proud of the kind of food critics my children have become. Over the years, Jeanine and I have encouraged them to think about the food they are eating. It has it's drawbacks, though. Do other people's children ask for a specific style of sandwich cut? Zachary insists on triangles. Jake likes rectangles. Who can keep this straight at 7:30AM?

Does anyone else get up in the morning and look with joy for the newspaper on the front step? For eight years, I dreaded what would be on the headlines. Now, I find myself eager to see the news. Very strange.

I noticed yesterday that Ben's mustache is coming in. I also noticed mine is, too. As he edges into manhood, I'm edging into menopause. I'm wondering... will we start shaving at the same time?

The Republicans don't like the stimulus plan being presented by the Obama administration. Why is anyone surprised? A bunch of pork crazed maniacs when in power, suddenly the GOP is claiming purity. Please. Like a two year old caught with donut sugar on his face saying someone else ate the last one, do they really think anyone believes them?

You know you've been married a long time, perhaps too long, when you can anticipate being blamed senselessly for years to come. Jeanine insists I moved a cable of hers- you have no idea who many cables there are in this house due to her studio- and I know that for the next thirty years I will be blamed for it's disappearance. Does she think I went out back, dug a hole and buried it? And to what end?

With Gitmo soon to be shut down, does anyone else wonder if war crime indictments might be forthcoming? We as a country are quick to put to trial other leaders- will we have the courage to put our own leaders on the witness stand?

What do you think?

Another Wait

Today we will wait for another vote on the (gift package) bailout of Wall Street. Yesterday, Warren Buffett called it an "economic Pearl Harbor." Today, the French Prime Minister said the world is "on edge of abyss."

You have to love the French. Always more beautiful in their language.

I don't see the far left or the far right, an odd team in this debate, thinking a few tax cut perks are enough to vote for this. God knows what kind of pork spending is being bandied about in those halls to twist arms. I think I fear more those promises than the actual bill.

We shall see.

Fasten Your Seatbelts

Lehman Brothers fails and Merrill Lynch becomes part of Bank of America, which soon will be called, The Only Bank IN America, and the Federal Reserve "loosens" guidelines on loans to banks clearly not having learned any lessons through the subprime crisis, I have to wonder: How are we different than China?

I sincerely believe in fifty years, people will look back at the rise of the middle Class in China and the demise of it in America and see parallels so simple it'll be taught in elementary schools.

Are our working standards oh so much better than China's? I would argue, considering the level of wealth in this country, no. While very serious human rights abuses happen in China, especially in rural areas, I look to our own middle class and see people working 50, 60 hours a week at jobs once touted as "9 to 5."

We have one bank. "Private" corporations get to do whatever they want as long as they pay the government it's piece of the action, also known as lobbyists. People in positions of power do well. People blocked from access to that power remain stuck in the previous century's economic opportunities.

We'll look so ridiculous in the history books, banging out Patriot Act chests saying "But we have FREEDOM."

We aren't free. Our electoral system is a joke and it's not a huge conspiracy that voters in Michigan will be under scrutiny as the Republican party are planning to man the polls with lists of people in foreclosed homes, requiring an additional proof of residency for them. They are doing it out in the open, in front of the media.

Back to the landowners only days, I guess. Don't want any dissidents in the voting lines.

Oh, wait, only the Chinese have dissidents. We have crazy, irresponsible people who are imagining a fiscal crisis in this country.

Why do I have a feeling the kind of vote caging in Michigan is going to happen across the nation? That we will all be called again to stand behind the American Flag in unity rather than contest another stolen election, as we were admonished to do in 2000?

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman, Merrill, and AIG running around like a crackhead begging for money and the only one fool enough to give it is the Federal Reserve.

Fasten yourself belts, folks. There is more to come.

Tim Wise: On White Privilege

A powerful lecture by Tim Wise. And serious food for thought during this election time.