If "we the people" can't agree on "our" president, is there any hope for us? Actually yes.
Last night my public service leadership boot camp class pondered this topic. We were reviewing a public service fitness test exercise when some students commented that criticisms seem targeted at whether Obama is even fit to be president, despite his having been duly elected. Today Tom Friedman put forth a similar question in his column, asking, "Where Did 'We' Go?"
Political legitimacy begins with math: do you have the majority to be a winner? We noted that Bill Clinton had twice received less than 50% of the vote, George W. Bush won 5-4 in the Supreme Court over Al Gore who had won more votes, and while Barack Obama won 53-47 overall, his fervent opposition targets elected Democrats in areas that voted for John McCain.
What do you do to an "illegitimate" president? Investigate and impeach him. For Clinton, the travel office and FBI file investigations began in May 1993, with articles of impeachment first filed in 1997. For Bush, impeachment calls began in 2002 for using 9/11 and unsound WMDs to justify a march to war in Iraq, with articles against Cheney filed in 2007. For Obama, these calls began even before his election -- an Impeach Obama website went up during the summer of 2008.
Throw in sensationalism, racist and sexist remarks directed by miscreants from across the spectrum and it looks ugly. Sure there are pundits who publicly deplore screeds against Bill Clinton and George Bush, sexism against Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Sarah Palin, racism against Condi Rice and Michelle and Barack Obama -- but how many shows stick to the issues, not personalities, outfits, or skin tones? How many websites require real names, addresses, and standards for commenters and ban the offenders? Not many. There is some public shaming of people who openly espouse hateful speech -- but a ratings chase and a revenue chase combine to coarsen the debate. Contrary to what some pundits allege, concern for political violence by unstable listeners does not make the concerned person a "nut job."
Third, there is political segregation: we choose our news. People see news and opinion as commodities, making choices based upon philosophy: we know what we're going to get from MSNBC and FOX before we turn on the channel.
This is our new reality -- and some days it looks so ugly one could reasonably turn away from civic life.
But we don't.
Americans in greater and greater numbers engage in
volunteering with people across the spectrum. We embrace national service in community and military life. The same social
networking technologies that spread vitriol also catalyze positive
connections and promote positive change. After 9/11 and Katrina,
people came together in civic unity to donate, comfort, and rebuild.
After our
troops return from Iraq and Afghanistan, unprecedented resources from
bipartisan sources await them. Not enough -- but far more than in prior
wars now that opponents are learning to separate the warrior from the
war. Week after week people from all
political persuasions come out for AIDS, cancer, and Alzheimer's walks.
Today we see an outpouring of aid for the people of American Samoa devastated
by the tsunami.
These and millions of other individual acts of service show that
Americans separate the political from the civic. What can we do as
individuals? Make our own media and
tell our own story. Call out the extremists among our friends: peer to
peer mentoring is superior to cross-party chastising. Remember the
liberals and conservatives do not "always" or "never" do anything -- we
are not a monolith. Celebrate and elevate the cooperation with the
airtime and bandwidth
we give the discord. Continue to push
citizenship and broadcast its success.Channel the volunteering goodwill into political consensus. The most profound political change can come from partisan people engaging in nonpartisan service.
Will fewer people read this post than those who would read one blaming someone for the current state of affairs? Probably. Snark always outpolls schmaltz. But I believe it's a point worth making -- and work worth doing. Yes, we can.
Follow Christine Pelosi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sfpelosi
Love it or leave it, Goopers.
You should.
Regina, at 202 224 4254, works for Senator Arlen Specter, D. PA. She knows that I want to see a public option or HR676 passed. Call her. Senator Specter is up for reelection. He was a Republican but has chosen to run as a Democrat in 2010. Regina knows I will not vote for Arlen Specter if he does not do what I want him to do.
The powerful and greedy have used every means possible including, vote rigging, murder and assassination to gain control of our national treasure and the revenues from tax payers.
They will stop at nothing to keep the focus away from them,
as we bicker over matters of personal freedom.
Watching the health care debates on Capitol Hill, has given the people new insight
into who these so called "public servants" are really working for.
The Old Guard in Congress has become so deeply corrupt, no one trusts them any longer.
They allow well connected thieves and scoundrels to walk free as the people struggle in the
wake of their criminal mismanagement of the public trust.
Corporate protectionism out weighs the greater good of all.
The people are left with table scraps.
President Obama will never be able to fix everything that has been dumped in his lap, but
he can launch the greatest anti- corruption crackdown in U.S. history.
We are so tired of the lies and the double speak and twisting of facts and manipulation
of good hard working people.
These are dangerous and desperate times for millions of Americans
They are no less vulnerable to dangerous power of suggestion, than
the people who have nothing to lose in other countries.
Putting an end to government corruption is the key to change we can believe in.
At the Democratic National Convention, US Congressman Dennis Kucinich gave a great speech. At the end of his speech, the people were on their feet! Everyone should watch Kucinich's speech.
WAKE UP AMERICA.
Nancy Pelosi and President Obama could support HR676, MEDICARE FOR ALL, if the Congress does not pass an affordable public option.
Finally, I sent President Obama an email that said " If a health care bill comes to your desk without an affordable public option, VETO IT."
I did not vote for President Obama so that he could continue to support the corporate elite or the people they buy who get reelected.
Debate is good for the country, but the conversation we're having is not about the important civic discussions; rather the craziness of tea-baggers, birthers, palinology, etc... and many, including me, are being turned off from the ridiculousness. My support and admiration for how much President Obama has accomplished so far is unwavering. Increasingly, I find myself bored, somewhat frustrated and wearied by the poop level we've become mired in and mostly emanating from the Republican base. I'll do whatever I can to support my president, thus our country ... just refuse to participate with endless hours of cable news and Internet blogs on the hopelessness of those less-informed...
I also believe that as long as the DLC has a stranglehold on the Democratic Party the Progressives should keep their options open.
You state
“We embrace national service in community and military life. ……but far more than in prior wars now that opponents are learning to separate the warrior from the war".
These statements could not be further from the truth at the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps based in Sacramento California. Upon my arrival I was told that because of my twenty one years of honorable military service that I was “INCOMPATIBLE” with the AmeriCorps culture. The staff refused to collbarate with me and other vets.
I had hoped that this sentiment would have died after the Vietnam War, but it is alive and thriving at AmeriCorps. Don’t take my word for it look at the veteran attrition rates and hiring practices at the AmeriCorps campus in Sacramento.
My advice to Gulf war vets is to avoid AmeriCorps like your career and reputation depended on it, because your continued service is not welcomed at AmeriCorps in Sacramento.
Do some research and the facts will expose this awful environment.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/09/28-10
Published on Monday, September 28, 2009 by CommonDreams.org
Time for Citizens to Convene
by Ralph Nader
(For text go to link above)