On What to Do About President Lieberman

There is a great deal of anger amongst progressives today. And rightfully so. We have seen the most important political initiative in the last several decades be shanghaied by a petulant, spoiled brat. All the bad things they are saying about him are absolutely true. He was against the misuse of the filibuster until recently. He favored universal coverage, or so he said in his 2006 campaign. He was THE advocate for a medicare buy-in, and endorsed it as recently as September. And he told the New York Times today that when he realized that liberals actually liked the medicare buy-in, he decided to turn against it. Unbelievable. This so far exceeds any decent politics, even in today's hyper-partisan era (at least from the Republicans), that it borders into the realm of evil. And I do not say that lightly.

So what do we do about Traitor Joe? It is so tempting to strip him of his chairmanship. It would mean so much to expel him from the caucus. But none of that gets us health care.

Whatever we do or don't do to our pseudo-President, we cannot lose sight of so many in need of better health care. I say pass whatever's left of the bill, concentrating on reforms such as pre-existing conditions and improving access. Then pass a medicare buy-in and/or truly robust public option as a reconciliation bill. Does anyone think that the Republicans wouldn't have the stones to do it if it what they wanted to? IT WOULD ALREADY BE DONE.

We also need to reform the Senate rules so that a tiny group of industry protectionists can NEVER do this again. The simplest way to do it would be for Harry Reid to effect a change in filibuster rules, which can be done by a simple majority vote. Set it at 55. Or make all filibusters true filibusters - get your frickin' dictionary and hold the floor as long as you can. Again if it were the Republicans, and they had been filibustered a record number of times, IT WOULD ALREADY BE DONE.

The best way to deal with A--hole-In-Chief Lieberman is to mute his power through reconciliation and changes in the filibuster. Reduce his irritating yapping to background noise. And by the way, Connecticut citizens - think about a anti-spoiled brat rule in your state and federal elections - if you lose your primary, you can't turn around and run as an independent.

He makes me sick to my stomach, but let's keep our eye on the prize. There must be true reform and true choice. Do not give up the fight.

Pallin' with Palin Update: The Independent Run Looms

Since stating several months ago that she would run Third Party/Independent for President in 2012, around the time of her resignation as Governor of Alaska, I think subsequent events only continue to bear this out. She endorsed a third party choice in NY-23, causing a huge uproar in the Republican Party. Her candidate succeeded in sidelining the Republican, but also created an opening for a narrow victory by the Democrat (first win in that district in over a century).

Her book has been unkind towards her Republican handlers, showing she is completely willing to burn bridges (including those that seem to go nowhere). Her book tour shows no inclination towards any conventional wisdom in her conduct. It does show she's mostly interested in Sarah, with $16 photos, controlled media and SarahPac promotions. Her remarks have shown no sensitivity to pragmatic politics, and often created more media frenzy than they warranted.

As I stated in the original Pallin' with Palin article, she has no desire to run the gauntlet of Republican debates and primaries. She can run from day one her own way by becoming an Independent. She will probably do this by grasping the controls of emerging and/or existing parties, including the growing Tea Party movement, and perhaps the Constitution and Reform parties, It would also be a major coup to secure the Libertarian Party nomination, which Bob Barr has shown can be shanghaied by an outsider.

Depending on circumstances, she could garner anywhere from five to twenty per cent of the vote. She could possibly win a handful of extremely conservative states. I doubt that this in itself would be enough to jeopardize the election of a mainstream candidate, but politics is full of surprises. If unemployment remains or soars, do not expect the reaction of the American people to be rational. The 1930s were a rocky time in World history, with the Depression bringing out extreme virulent forms of fascism and communism. Thank God we had FDR and his confident pragmatism to steer us through. We can only pray that Obama has the same ability to see us through, and that as a nation our political maturity has not deteriorated. If not, then the minor threat of Palin may turn into the biggest disaster this nation has ever faced.

Sci Fi on TV - What the Hell do you Want?

I have noticed this phenomenon for many years, but it seems particularly pronounced right now. A science fiction program will open with great and/or spectacular ratings, and then those ratings will rapidly deteriorate over subsequent episodes. This has been most pronounced recently with the premieres of Flash Forward and V. Both opened up to great ratings, both had sharp audience declines in subsequent weeks. The ratings are also dropping for returning series Fringe and Heroes. If they continue to go down, we may be left awash in a sea of reality shows, doctor soaps and crime procedurals.

If science fiction was unpopular, it wouldn't get the initial ratings that it does. So my question out there to all my loyal followers, and the proud few who blindly stumble across this blog is WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT? What is it in the science fiction series that come on that make you sample but not stick? What is it that you're looking for but not finding?

Although some science fiction programs have had some success in the ratings, few have been consistent top ten programs. The X-Files had the most success in that regard. I think it worked because it was a crime procedural in scifi clothing. It also had a heavy case of the week feel. There were continuing elements, but they were almost secondary (at least for most of it's run). Lost flirted with top ten status initially, but now is more of a cult/DVR/demographic hit. It's emphasis on character and de-emphasis on scifi elements probably helped it early on. Burt as the story grew more complex and clearly scifi, it's fan base shrank some (although vocal and hard core).

Another trend I worry about is the USAfication of scifi shows. USA Network specializes in shows that are light, airy, built on amusing interplay between quirky but likable leads, with a de-emphasis on continuing elements. SyFy is gravitating to these kinds of shows, with Eureka and Warehouse 13. These aren't horrible shows, but they're nowhere near as filling as such greats as Battlestar Galactica, Buffy, Pushing Daisies, Firefly and hell, even Dollhouse.

Well, that's just some thoughts I have on a genre that I haven't blogged about until now, but it is a big part of my life. I really would appreciate some feedback from others as to what they may be looking for in science fiction television.

And then, later, maybe we can talk about comic books!

The Magnificent Effect of Gamma Rays on a High School One Act

This is the cast of Pierce County High School's One Act Competition play, The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, which Alison and I had the recent pleasure of attending a special showing. It was a sharp. well-edited 55 minute version of the Broadway play that was first performed some forty years ago. It won it's region here in the Southeast part of Georgia, and will soon be going to the State Tournament where I wish them all the best in the world. I have seen many productions in my life, but have rarely seen one with a such a brilliant ensemble cast. Kudos to the crew who helped this production run flawlessly.

Georgia one-act productions allows many bells and whistles. They could be competing against musicals, elaborate sets, larger casts, productions from much larger and better-financed programs. But I don't think that's going to matter. Because ultimately the theatre is about acting. Can the cast draw you into their world? Are they believable in the way they interact with each other? Does the story reach out to you and grab you in a way that moves you and makes you think? This play does that, as the small cast of five have learned one of the greatest secrets of theatre - that it's about not just actions but REACTIONS. It's seen in the moments when one young daughter reaches out to connect to her mother, and slowly fades away as she realizes the connection will not be made. It's seen in the mother's realization that she's trapped, going from complete despair to manic decision to do whatever it takes to break out. Or in a rebuffed daughter's desire to hurt her mother with the sharpest words she can muster.

I must also point out that none of this is possible without a superior drama teacher, Angela Manders. She has led them to four consecutive Regional wins. In my forty-plus years of theatre experience I have seen few who can draw so much of the potential out of students. Pierce County is truly blessed to have her, and she has made an indelible difference in the lives of the students who have come through her program.

It is strange. When I go to the movie theatre, I want to see splash and big effects and exciting, snappy stories. I love Star Wars and Indian Jones and Lord of the rings and all the melodramatic sturm und drang that the cinema can muster. Straight dramas with little flair bore me. I wonder why they're not on TV instead of the big screen.

Theatre, however, strikes me as the opposite. The flash and pyrotechnics leave me kinda cold and disinterested. But when an intimate drama is well-acted and I can see the characters react and grow, that to me is the epitome of the dramatic experience.

The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-moon Marigolds, as performed by the Pierce County Drama Group, represents that epitome.
To the State...and beyond!

UPDATE: This outstanding production did indeed win the state competition Saturday! It won against larger, more elaborate and expensive productions. In the end, however, talent will out. They blinded them with Science! And outstanding characterizations! Kudos to all involved!

Messin' With TaxSquatch

With unemployment now at 10.2%, it is imperative that job creation be number one on the President's agenda. That doesn't mean the health care needs to be set aside, as it is one of the most important things to set right if we are to move forward. And I do believe from listening to the President earlier today that he understands this and will be doing everything he can to improve the situation. Infrastructure spending, greening the economy, extending unemployment compensation and job training, increasing the flow of credit to small businesses and community banks - these are all tremendously important, positive steps. But I was also discouraged to hear him mention tax cuts to businesses as another solution.

I am sick to death of politicians, on the right, left, and everywhere in between trying to solve our problems by dicking with the tax code. They see it as a way to influence and shape American life, and all they're doing are making things more and more complicated and unfair. As a CPA, I see the illogic and stupidity every day. All we've succeeded in doing is making the tax code so convoluted that nobody can really follow it. Anybody with more than a W2 has to seek out help. Great for my profession, but not so hot for the American people.

Although campaign finance reform and more competitive elections (more parties, instant runoffs, etc) would go the longest way towards improving our political system, our tax code is another major culprit. Lobbyists swarm Capitol Hill in large part to get the tax code to favor the groups they represent. And more often than not, Congress is happy to oblige.

Does messing with the tax code actually accomplish anything beneficial? Sometimes, maybe. The First Time Homebuyer's Credit may have temporarily stimulated the housing market. But it has done nothing to address the underlying problem - there is a growing mismatch between what people make and how much a home costs. A larger and larger share of income has to go into the purchase of a decent home.

Any tax change that relieves one group may wind up costing another group more money. Unless you're willing to run up large deficits (uhh, well, maybe they are), somebody has to make up for the credit/deduction you've given to someone else. Relieving property tax for a certain class of taxpayer may just raise the rates for another group.

So yes, let's solve the job crisis! But don't waste money on ineffective tax gimmicks. Let's rebuild this country for the future!

Play Boys

Recently, I had the honor of being in a play with my youngest son, Benjamin. It was a local production of Alice, adapted by the very talented Derrick Woods, who also played the Mad Hatter. I was the King of Hearts and Benjamin was a messenger (also a guinea pig juror and a croquet ball!).

In the picture on the bottom, I have asked for news from the town, he says he needs to whisper it to me, and gets me bent down where he can yell in my ear. This is a picture that Alison took while the play was being performed.

The picture on the top is of the two of us and Alice busily running in place. Alice was performed by Michelle Hester, a junior high age student who was an extraordinarily wonderful performer. I also recently saw her sing in a talent show, and she was excellent - Miley Cyrus should count her blessings that she has a famous father because she would have a tough time competing with Michelle.

The whole production was put on by The Flying Dragons Art Center, one of the best up and coming little theaters in the Southeast. If you are are anywhere near Waycross, Georgia, you need to check out their schedule and be sure to come. The acting and storytelling is superb, family involvement is great, the sets are incredible.

Reagan Babies

Recently, some of the right wing extremists were very upset that some elementary school kids had sung a song that had Obama in it. They were worried that our school system would be used to indoctrinate our youth in Obama's evil socialist agenda.

Well. obviously they're completely wrong about the socialist agenda. And Obama's contact with our schools hasn't been any different than any other President we've ever had.

But they are right about one thing. They're right to be worried. Very often, who is President of the United States can form a deep impression on a young person. I was young during the Kennedy administration and I can remember looking up to him and the promise of the New Society he was trying to build.

Likewise, many people in their 20s to 40s were deeply impacted by the long reign of Reagan and his ultra-conservative philosophy. It is now so much a part of who they are and what they think, it is hard for them to picture anything different. They know the government is evil because Reagan told them so.

But know we have a new President, one who is making a different impression on our youth, and there is nothing the Reagan babies can do about. Children who believe in the promise of equal opportunity, who have once again added government back to their box of crayons. I know because my son Benjamin is one of them. It's not insidious. it's just the way thing are.

So watch out, Reagan babies! Make way for the Obama Babies!

Meet the Straits

This is our family.

That's me, the guy with the scroungy gray hair. Hey, it may be gray, but at least I got hair.

That's Alison. We've been married almost thirteen years. She is beautiful, and smart, and we're very much in love. She makes jewelry and cards and scrapbooks. She even reads some comic books.

The boy is Benjamin. Or BenJerMan as I sometimes call him. He is whip smart, and can name some 400 Pokemon. He loves Science, and likes to do theater. His favorite sport is baseball.

I also have two older boys from a previous marriage. I'm very proud of both of them. Greg is in Los Angeles, working in film editing. Douglas lives in Atlanta, and is currently in Americorp.

And we all support Barack Obama and the public option. (Oh, come on - you knew I had to add something political!).

Health Reform Adamancy

I am for universal health-care, meaning everyone is covered and the primary determinant of quality of care is not determined by dollars but by need. The primary vehicle to achieve this, as is done in virtually the entirety of the rest of the industrialized world is with a single-payer plan. This has many forms, from England's complete nationalized care where doctors, etc. are government employees to Switzerland where private companies do exist but they are heavily, heavily regulated (far beyond anything seen or contemplated in this country). Given the already existing structure in this country, the smartest way to achieve this would by extending Medicare to include everybody. A public option, along with increased regulation, may also achieve most of this, and I am willing to accept it as a compromise.

As a CPA, the single payer is the solution that makes the most economic sense. Private health insurance add 30% or more overhead to the cost of health-care, Medicare overhead can be as low as 3%. Who pays for that difference? You do, through increased premiums and increased tax dollars. It's not just evil or greed that motivates private insurers. They are obligated to increase the profits to their shareholders - it is their mandate and reason for existence. They do this by trying to limit their risk, taking greater premiums while minimizing claims.

As a Christian, I feel it is my responsibility, a moral requirement of my faith, to do everything in my power to make sure everyone is covered. There are other faiths and philosophies that will lead to this same conclusion. It is immoral to watch while people die because they cannot afford adequate health-care. It is unconscionable to stand by while people go broke because they get sick. To me, a society is without morals who let people get denied care because of pre-existing conditions. "Let them go to the emergency room" Who are we? Marie Antoinette? Do we have individual responsibility to help? ABSOLUTELY! Do we have a societal responsibility to help as well? ABSOLUTELY, POSTIVELY YES. There is room for caring people to differ on how this to be accomplished. What we cannot disagree on is that it must be accomplished.

Unlike some, I did not come to this conclusion by some horrific personal stories. I got bothered when my first job in accounting did not offer health insurance, and could not get my first wife covered by any one at any cost because of a pre-existing conditioning. I tried to engage the help of our conservative Christian congressman, who basically told me it was not his problem (this moralistic angel later wound up in prison for financing the building of his house with laundered drug money). This was over twenty-five years ago, and the so-called pre-existing condition has not cost anyone one dime to this day.

I have watched people tied to jobs they did not like in order to maintain coverage. I have seen people presumably well covered by health insurance struggle for months and years to get covered bills paid. In one place Alison and I came to work, we made acquiring health care insurance an essential condition of our employment. This also helped cover a woman who had worked for him for many years. He was notorious in not timely paying his bills. He fell behind in paying the insurance at the same time that the woman who had given so much of her life to him had been diagnosed with breast cancer. We had to force him to pay those premiums at practically the point of a gun.

I see canisters in convenience stores where families are desperate to get a child or loved one the needed care or operation just to survive. I know of countless barbecues and fundraisers that just break my heart that this, this is where we concentrate our efforts.

Please don't talk to me about socialized medicine. I care not a whit. We already have socialized medicine. No one gets completely turned away (I hope). We just do it in an inefficient, costly, and morally irresponsible manner.

How much will it cost you? How much money will it cost you if we don't? We already spend some $6,000 more per person than any other country, and with less effective results. Overall, the system with single payer or public option would cost less. Would you personally break even? It's hard to make changes and guarantee that everyone will be in the same position. But the odds are very, very good and I think it's more than worth the risk.

How much will it cost? How much will it cost our soul, individually and as a nation if we do nothing? I'm afraid it would cost more than we can measure.

Every single one of my friends is a good, caring person. But we have lived in a world inundated in the Reagan philosophy of hating government so long, it is almost impossible for some of us to get out of the box to think any differently. I see the government as just one tool in a box of tools to fix something. It just makes no sense to me, to take one of those tools and say oh no,no,no,you can't ever use that one. And I've stated elsewhere, I'm a big checks 'n' balance guy. I don't care what the solution is, it's not going to work without them.

If you have other ideas about how to achieve true universal health-care, please let me know. I may strongly disagree with you, but then again, at least on some elements of it, I may surprise you.

Thanks,

Tom Strait

Where the hell have I been?

Good Question.

The number one answer is that my computer and/or internet have been really messing up my ability to get to this site. It got to the point where it almost wasn't worth it to try to get on. I tried to download Internet Explorer 8, and it seemed to get all pissy about Google. Well, I like Google better than Bling or blang or whatever it is they're promoting. So I got out of the habit of trying to post things.

I found using the note system in Facebook was pretty neat, and I had promised to deal with certain topics, and so I wrote there for a while. I wish I was smart enough to reverse engineer. If I could I would drag those here to share with my vast audience on the world wide web. Especially the ones about Conservative populism and the one that explains my adamant stance on single payer max or public option minimum health care reform.

Somehow my time got reorganized in such a way that the time to do this stuff became more limited. I'm not sure specifically how, but it seems to be the case.

Whatever happened, I hope to back and post more frequently.

When were the Liberals in Charge?

One of my pet peeves is the notion that there was time that liberals were in charge and were running this country, and all the problems in this country stem from that imaginary time period. What balderdash! This is evident in the attempts to pass any kind of meaningful health care reform. Every time the Democrats have been in charge in the last forty years, their so-called majority has been jeopardized by it's big tent nature. Blue dogs, or conservative democrats have been more effective in blocking reform than Republicans. That's been true under Carter, Clinton and Obama. Whatever was accomplished had to be filtered through their contaminated water hose. It's true that all three Democratic Presidents had some conservative tendencies, but it was with any faintly liberal legislation that they had the most trouble.

So, please, my right wing friends, if you want to hate liberal thought, go ahead. But PLEASE don't use real American History of the last forty years to try to proof out some Liberal Golden Age. Just plain never happened!

Naked and In Bed

I'm trying to figure out how to get more people to my blog. So why not add the most popular search word to the beginnings of my titles, and end with the old fortune cookie chestnut?

It would work something like this:

Naked Global Trinity In Bed
Naked Chattin' with Saxby In Bed
Naked Carnies vs. Rubes In Bed
Naked Michigan Ramblings In Bed
Naked O Happy Franken Day In Bed!
Naked Pallin' with Palin In Bed
Naked Celebrity Preservation In Bad (Wow! Naked AND celebrity - top 20 fer shur!)
Naked Electoral Fantasies In Bed
Naked! Remember where you were in bed?

Do y'all think this will help?

Remember where you were?

I started to post on Facebook where I was during the moon landing, and then ask others where they were, when I realized the majority would either have no recollection or tell me they weren't even born yet. So I'm posting here instead!

The summer of '69 I was fourteen. My family owned a Holiday Rambler travel trailer, and we were at the Holiday Rambler national trailer rally at Eagle Rock Canyon in Wyoming. The area we were in was rocky and moon like, with no trees. We were were surrounded on all sides by mountains. There were people there from all areas of the United States. We had a little black and white TV that we put on a picnic table outside of our trailer, and watched it in that moon like setting, gazing in awe with all these people from everywhere, everybody participating in the magic of that moment. It was one of the most spiritual, impactful experiences of my life.

Please feel free to post your experience, on this or other important moments in time when you realized how connected you were to the world and universe at large.

Electoral Fantasies

We stand on the brink on the brink of losing the health care battle once again. And this time, it doesn't seem to be the Harry and Louise ads that's stopping it. Sure, the vast amounts of advertising dollars spent by the lobbyists are sufficient to throw an ugly smokescreen over it. And it doesn't help with CNN and other network's skeptical and negative reporting. But I think this time the real problem lies with a handful of blue dog legislators who seem to owe more allegiance to their large corporate contributors than they do to the people that elected them. The American people want health care reform. They may get confused about the specifics, but they know this...they want access, they don't want to be denied care, they don't want to go bankrupt to save a family member, they are tired of ding constant battle with a profit-driven system.

So how could health care reform (with the absolute necessity of a public option) be in such jeopardy. Because our electoral has driven a disconnect between our lawmakers and the legislation they support. There are many important things that can be done to reestablish the connection between lawmakers and their constituents. Campaign reform, including greater restrictions on large donors and lobbyists, has it's place. So does more uniform and verifiable voting procedures. Freer access to the media, with blocks of time granted to major candidates is a necessity. But none of this may be sufficient to reconnect the voter to the value of his vote.

I vote in south Georgia. I'm a strong progressive/liberal voting in one of the most reactionary districts on the planet. For me to find a voice that will even listen to me, I have to adopt out of state. Since there is no chance for a progressive to win here, progressive voices are NEVER HEARD. Bless Howard Dean and his fifty state strategy, but it was only the first step.

What I propose may be fantasy, but I really believe were it to be adopted it would re energize and reengage the voting population.

PROPOSITION ONE: Elect the President by majority vote. Make the ballot qualification procedure uniform across the United States, allowing major parties AND independents opportunity to compete for President. If no one garners a majority of votes, have a run off after a three week campaign. The President's major loyalty needs to be to the American people and American interests more than political party, and this would ensure that a candidate who could garner a majority of votes would become President. Independents might do well because most Americans aren't really one party or another, but want someone who can work with all groups and get things done. I would keep the present two-term term limits.

PROPOSITION TWO: Each state should elect a Senator every two years. That means increasing the size of that body from 100 to 150, each state having three Senators. Senators should also be elected by majority vote, but each state could determine how that would be done, including perhaps instant runoff voting. I would limit terms to three. That's eighteen years! It's been embarrassing to watch people like Lieberman and Specter act like they should be entitled to remain Senators forever. This keep the Senate as a deliberative body, but increase voter's input and helps prevent someone from becoming a thirty-plus year's lobbyist's friend.

PROPOSITION THREE: The House of Representatives should be greatly expanded in size, perhaps to triple or quadruple it's current number. Sound frightening. Well, it's supposed to be the people's body. Even tripling the number does not restore the ratio of representative to constituent that was originally envisioned. As far as costs, it's the staff size that's expensive. If they were a shared staff structure, that would help alleviate that. But the bottom line is...nobody said democracy should be cheap. This increase would allow for a proportional representation system. Instead of a district voting for an individual, it could vote for a slate of candidates representing a political party or philosophy. This could be done statewide, or by selected districts. Or some could be elected by district, and some statewide. It would mean that, even though I might represent only a third of the voters in Georgia, I still might have a representative, a voice in congress. What better way to re-engage the voting population than to give them hope that their vote could MEAN SOMETHING. I would limit terms to ten years - it is supposed to be the people, after all, not permanently entrenched bureaucrats.

I welcome comments of all kinds. I have so far been a failure in attracting people to this blog, but I will not stop trying.
If anyone has any suggestions in that regard I would also welcome them.

Celebrity Preservation

In the media circus that surrounds Michael Jackson's funeral, it is hard to reach out and grab what is significant, if anything. It is easy to condemn all the hoopla surrounding it, and I have not been shy in my disapproval of a rubbernecking media. I have no idea what Michael Jackson was or wasn't in his personal life, but I am sure, like Elvis and Marilyn before him, these sordid details will consume many for years to come.

Even that, is an ephemeral concern. There was a show I saw recently on The History Channel called The Secrets of the Founding Fathers. It was interesting, and may have shed some light on some things, but in the long run, it is not what the Founding Fathers are known for. They are known for the documents that shaped this country's destiny.

So, in a hundred years, what will Michael Jackson be known for? What makes any celebrity endure? It is their works that endure, not their lifestyle, not even their performances. Will anybody be singing his songs a hundred years from now? Will they be considered "Michael Jackson" songs? Will we remember him, like we do Shakespeare, Beethoven and Mark Twain? Historians and others may be able to preserve the colorful personalities for us, but it is by their works they shall be known.

In this regard, one of the harsh realizations I have come to, is how ephemeral the acting profession is. You would think with the advent of film, certain actors and actresses would be watched and adored for generations to come. But I fear that is not the case. Footage and effects look old, remakes supersede the original, there is less interest in actors you cannot fantasize about really meeting.

I'm open to discussion, and here's the question...what artistic performers and creators from the last half of the 20th century do you think will still be watched and appreciated in the last half of the 21st century? And remember, it's the general public I'm talking about, not just historians and enthusiasts. Please, please comment.

Alison and My Dad

This is a picture we took while we were in Michigan last week. It is of my wife, Alison, and my father. His name is Eugene and his 87th birthday was Monday, June 29th.

UPDATE:  Today (June 29, 2012) is my Dad's 90th birthday!  Will be posting new pictures soon!

Pallin' with Palin Prediction!

I have an important prediction regarding Sarah Palin. She will not run for President......as a Republican. She instead will build an independent political movement that will slowly break from the Republican party and use as a base to run for President in 2012. This may come as a new independent party, or she may absorb already existing parties, such as the Constitution Party, remnants of the Reform Party, and/or other parties. I can't say how successful this effort will be. I do believe she has the sense of destiny to become President, but her skin is too thin to be battered in a series of Republican primaries. So why not skip the middleman and go straight to the end game?

This is predicated on the supposition that her scandals are not so severe that it would alienate her Christian right base. So far they've shown an incredibly high tolerance for her missteps, ethical lapses and Jerry Springer-ready family. The coalition she is trying to build reminds me most of George Wallace, but with an even more intense religious edge.

At best she may carry the Wallace states plus a couple others like Idaho and Alaska, It depends in part on her performance, but also on who the Republicans pick as their nominee. They are going to have a serious battle between the hard right and the bat-shit lunatic crazy far right (sorry - Republican moderates have already left the building). Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Gov Huntsman - these and their like would increase her base. Newt Gingrich might be a draw. Mike Huckabee could cut into her effectiveness. None of this should be interpreted that any of these people have a very good shot at winning the presidency.

I have seen varying comments as to why she resigned, many suggesting she is readying a presidential run. But I don't know of any stating flatly that it will be a third party run. So, remember, you brave few who actually read this blog, you read it here first!

O Happy Franken Day!

Just a short note to express my glee that the 2008 election season is finally coming to a close! I'm a great fan of Al Franken's and will be delighted to hear his voice in the senate. I officially surrender Chambliss and Isaacson as my Senators and pick Al Franken and Bernie Sanders. Without a proportional system, we Georgia progressives have to adopt out-of-state.

I teared up when somebody on MSNBC reminded us that this was Paul Wellstone's seat. Almost even more than the supreme court fiasco of Bush's imposition, the dissing of Wellstone's boys' right to hold a funeral the way they wanted to stunned and disgusted me. It represented the beginnings of the darkest days of the media, when opposition was equated with treason. But that time has passed and Paul Wellstone has a worthy heir!

Again, the media is chattering about the 60 seats. Unfortunately, that number includes some pretty significant DINOs. But at least there is one more voice to speak up for a public option, one more reasonable supporter of sensible energy policies to help make America energy independent AND improve the Earth's climate, one more supporter of the Employee's Free Choice Act!

O Happy Day!

Michigan Ramblings

Our family vacations are almost all in Michigan. That's okay because I enjoy seeing my father. He'll turn 87 June 29th. He lives at Independence Village in East Lansing. He's in pretty good health, but his back has deteriorated over the years, and he can only walk using a walker. He also has a wheelchair and a Hover-round (which I call the Hovercraft). He's had some vision problems over the years, partly due to a kind of muscular dystrophy of his left eyelid. He uses a hearing aid. But his mind is sharp, and he's never had any real internal problems. He takes no medication whatsoever.

On October 19th of last year, my mother died. Although she had had many health problems over the years, her passing was fairly sudden. She had gone into the hospital with some complaints, and before many tests were able to be conducted, she died. I talked to her on the phone just a few hours before it happened. Of all things, she was worried about how well Barack Obama was doing. I told her that Colin Powell had just endorsed him, and that things were looking up.

When my sister called to tell me that they wanted family up at the hospital, I rushed to do everything that I could - remember, I live in South Georgia. But she called back within the hour with the terrible news. I had a hard time absorbing what she was saying. In a lot of ways, I still do.

I loved my mother very much. We were very different personalities in some ways, and that caused some conflict when was I younger. But all that had become a part of the past, and we had become a lot closer in the last dozen years of her life. I am grateful for that, but I have to tell you, I'm a little bit different in attitude than some. I would be even more grateful if she were still here.

My parents were together for over 56 years, so it has been very hard on my father. I can see that difficulty etched in his face and his movements. But I also see signs that he is finding ways to cope. He has not completely withdrawn at Independence Village. I hear of friends he talks and socializes with. He participates in some of the events the Village offers.

I have stayed committed to calling him once a week. We use the bulk of our vacation time to come to Michigan. My sister stays in touch with him (she live within 20 minutes) and does quite a bit for him, for which I am very grateful. I need to do more to redouble my efforts, maybe write more, as I think he enjoys letters and cards.

This is a ramble, I know. But I appreciate the opportunity to express myself and a little of what I'm feeling. Sometimes, I guess, I'm just a ramblin' man.

Why the title The Strait Line?

Why in the world is this blog called The Strait Line? A tribute to heterosexuality? Celebrating the division of two large bodies of water by a small water passage connecting the two? A comment on John McCain? A simple play on my name, T.M. Strait?

The last is probably closest, but it is not my play. This is the name of the newsletter that my Dad used as a high school Principal. This was in the 60s through the 80s at Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Michigan. Not only was a Principal, but he was the Principal of MY high school. Yes, that's right. I was a Principal's kid.

Was it hard to be the Principal's kid? Not really. Because he was an extraordinarily good one. Caring, concerned, devoted to his school, he endured with a longer tenure than almost anybody in the state. He was liked AND respected. A leader in the philosophy of team teaching, an early user of computer technology, he led our blue collar school to excel in academics and in extracurricular activities such as band, drama and literary events. He was not a remote presence, either. He taught one math class for much of the time while he was Principal, just to keep his hand in the game and not forget what education was really all about. He taught me and those who were lucky enough to be a part of his life, the value of hard work, of humanitarian ethics, of the joy of learning.

My Dad will turn 87 this June 29th. He still lives in Michigan, and we are going to see him in about nine days, just in time for Father's Day. I look forward to it. I love him and feel blessed that he is a part of my life, and the life of Alison and my boys.

My Wife Makes Beautiful Jewelry

This is just a sample of the great jewelry she's doing. she makes a lot for people's specific needs; to match particular clothing, for special occasions, and incorporating people's own stones or other items. She has great fun and I hope to publish more photos in the future. If you would like to know more, please let me know!

Carnies vs. Rubes

The Carnival is in town! And then things go bad. Who's to blame? The carnies for trying to fleece and take advantage of the rubes, or the rubes for being naive enough to fall for the chicanery? I think the the answer is obvious. I blame the cops, those who should be watching and monitoring these transactions. Certainly, the carnies should have a better sense of morality, a greater caring for their customers. And certainly the rubes should be better informed and guarded. But ultimately, we're dealing with human nature, and without some enforcement of law and regulation, well, carnies will be carnies and rubes will be rubes.

As such, who is to blame for the cracking of our financial structure? The mortgage brokers looking to make a quick killing? The people who wanted a bigger house than they could afford, and shouldn't have been blinded by deals that were too good to be true? The credit default swappers creating a mighty ponzi scheme from the thinnest of airs? Or the average investor who thought they could ride the market whirlwind without a thought of how fragile it all was?
No, it was the withdrawal of the cop on the beat, the common sense regulation that was needed in order to create the checks and balances that make the whole system work.

The carnival can be fun and safe again, the economy progressive and profitable once more. We just need to restore those check and balances, and the cop/government needs to be back on the beat, as one more essential part of what makes it all go round!

Oh Lonesome Tree!

For the first time in many, many years I bought a painting. And I believe it is the first time I have purchased one directly from the artist. I love it's quality and haunting simplicity. It looks like a place I've been to in my mind many times. The artist is Kayti Jeffords, a local artist here in Waycross, Georgia. She painted this at 15! She is now a year or two older and just getting better and better! They are displayed sometimes at the Okefenokee Heritage Arts Center in Waycross. I am going to research as to where else these may be found on the web and then update this post with the results.

Chattin' with Saxby!

I ran across this thing on the Internet, I think from the Michael Moore site, to send a note of encouragement to your Congressman and Senators to pass H.R. 676, the single-payer health care bill sponsored by Dennis Kuchinich and John Conyers (among many others). Now my Congressman is Jack Kingston and my two Senators Are Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Issacson. These are very far right gentleman, so it seemed like a bit of a waste time. But I decided, what the heck! It's not like I'm using my spare time to broker Mideast peace!

I wrote them all the following:

"As a concerned citizen, as a caring Christian, as a practical CPA, I urge you to pass H.R. 676. It has the advantages of being both morally correct and fiscally sound. When this nation was formed, we weren't afraid of revolutionary changes, we certainly shouldn't shy away now! Ideological purity is almost criminal when people's lives are at stake, when record numbers are driven to bankruptcy by health care costs, when entrepreneurship is dying because the risk can no longer be borne. Please set aside your talking points, ponder what is best, and pass H.R. 676!"

I was trying to use their own language to at least get them to listen. or at least clue them in that they weren't the only ones who could bring in Christians, founding fathers, and entrepreneurial capitalism.

The only one to respond so far has been Saxby Chambliss. Yes, he of the "Max Cleland, the Vietnam hero/disabled vet should be tied to Osama Bin Laden and I, Saxby Chambliss, the draft-dodging weasel, am the real guy to protect you." Well, it was a form response. Something about co-sponsoring S. 1019, the Universal Health Care Choice and Access Act, whose only real purpose seemed to be to propose tax rebates to go towards insurance payments. Yeah, that's a real help. I am so tired of tax gimmicks as solutions, regardless of whose side they come from. When you make the tax code more complex and goofy, the only person you benefit is me - the CPA.

So I wrote back the following:

"Considering the problems we face in regard to health care, I'm afraid any solution that simply messes with the tax code is useless and idiotic. I urge you to support real solutions, as such is H.R. 676."

I will keep you all updated as their responses continue to pour in!

Mr. Barack Obama, Jr.

BenJerMan's Gate class at his school have an annual live museum. They take on the character of a well-known person and give an auto-biographical speech. After thinking about being Jackie Robinson, he decided to be President Barack Obama, a candidate he was enthused about even before his parents.

I have hopefully included a video of his performance. It has left off the first few lines which go - "I am Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States. I am the first person of African-American heritage to hold the office. I was raised by my loving mother and grandparents in Hawaii and Kansas. After graduating from Harvard Law School, I moved to Chicago and became a lawyer and community organizer..." the rest should be in the video.

Yes, Benjamin is not African-American, but why should skin color be important in who we choose to identify with?

Yes, I also know it's sideways. I promise I will get more adept over time. Probably.


Yes, there is also a surprise bonus video of BenJerMan's pal Grant doing Dr. Louis Pasteur. I can't fully explain it, but it's only three seconds.

Global Trinity

Sometimes when you watch the news, it's hard to grasp what's really important. The media is so easily distracted by the new shiny penny. Health care reform? That's interesting...ooooh, look!...Miss California said something crazy! The Cheney office may have advocated torture? Wow, that's significant...no, look, Nancy Pelosi said something that maybe, just maybe, might be inconsistent!
For my initial political blog, I would like to establish what I believe are the three most important problems/threats facing the planet today. sometimes the media skirts around these topics, but then, oops - there's that shiny penny!
First, Global Warming. You can debate the degree and the level of mankind's involvement, but it is indisputably happening. It bears watching, and I think we're naive to the max if we don't think we play a role in it's acceleration. Included in this would be the growing shortages in basic resources, the most ominous of which are water shortages.
Second, Global Economic Crisis. Yes, there's been a lot of financial mischief making by the US financial industry, and complicit is a lax and corrupted government. And, yes, Globalization is a conveniently destructive boogieman. But what disturbs me most is the growing worldwide inequity between rich and poor. This has to be reversed. A world structure based on exploitation can no longer be tolerated.
Finally, Global Violence. I don't even want to call this terrorism, because that is a political word for a problem that I think is broader than that. As the world becomes destabilized, the possibility of someone using "weapons of mass destruction" becomes a more real certainty. We have to get a handle on the world's increasing nuclearization. This will require all the tools in the world's arsenal to combat it - diplomacy, humanitarian efforts, addressing the first two global problems, and yes, at times, may require the use of military force.

That is the broad outline as I see it. Please feel free to extend, clarify, comment and debate. I welcome the discussion!

BenJerMan the Baseballman

My eight-year-old son, Benjamin Strait, is starting to play baseball for the first time. Athleticism, alas, does not run in the family, but I am extremely proud of his efforts to date. In three games he has had six at bats. He has had three strikeouts, and has hit the ball three times. Each time he was thrown or beat out at first BUT while this was going on, a run scored on two different occasions. So that means he has two RBIs. Yes, that's right. BenJerMan has a stat! How much closer to Nirvana can you get!

UPDATE: BenJerMan got a hit Tuesday, May 12; a whopping single down the third base line! He then went to second on the next batter's hit, and then went from second to home on the next hit. He now has one hit in twelve at bats (.083), two RBIs and one run scored! He is improving and having a blast!

SECOND UDATE: BenJerMan got another hit Friday, May 15. He is now 2 for 14 for a new batting average of .143. Only one more week to go!

FINAL UDATE: The rain shortened season has concluded and I am proud to say that BenJerMan has collected another hit, what I would call a gentleman's double! He ran for second even though Coach was trying to hold him. He pumped his arms up and down, excited to the max, looking for all the world like Mark 'The Bird' Fydrich! His final stats: 3 hits in 16 at bats for a .188 batting average, 3 RBIs and 2 Runs scored. Viva la BenJerMan baseball!

Welcome to my World

Welcome to my little experiment in dipping into the blogosphere. Hopefully, I will get more surefooted as time goes on. At this point, I'm not sure what direction to take it in. Or how much it will be the sound of one hand clapping.

To begin, I will just be me and see where that takes it. I love storytelling, in all forms. I love politics. I love my family. Hopefully, that will all be reflected.

To blogfinity...and beyond!