SOTU 2010

Even though I am one of the most politically active people you will ever meet, I rarely watch political speeches. Perhaps I’ve seen too many to know exactly what to expect, but I find it hard to sit through “rah-rah” speeches designed to excite the base, but containing very little real substance for the American people in general. The last time I had watched a State of the Union Address was in 2002, after the 9/11 attacks. I was already growing weary of the Bush administration’s build up to war and his speech that night was further proof the Republican Party have left me way behind. After that, I never listened to another George W. Bush speech all the way through. His stumbling and bumbling were too much for me.

The last time I watched a political speech I actually enjoyed, and one that actually moved me, was in Barack Obama’s keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. However, I am of the opinion that since that time, President Obama’s oratory skills have declined significantly. I told myself I wasn’t going to watch his State of the Union Address last night, but after reading all the comments on my Facebook and Twitter feed, and walking in on the very beginning of the replay of the speech on Fox News, I broke my vow. While every political pundit has long since published their analysis on the speech, I thought I would share my unique perspective of President Obama’s big night.

1. This President likes to hear himself talk

I’ll admit, while I may not be big on his substance, Barack Obama is a great public speaker and he knows that. There’s no shame in admitting be proud of one’s public speaking skills. I am a great public speaker and I love to hear myself talk, so I know one when I see one. This President has given more speeches in his first year in office than any other President prior and while SOTU addresses usually run long, Obama’s clocked in at well over an hour. I really can’t fault the guy on this one. If you’ve got it; flaunt it!

2. President Obama has aged A LOT! I still remember the Barack Obama from the 2004 Democratic National Convention. That Barack Obama didn’t look much different than candidate Obama on the campaign trail in 2008 or the President Obama who was inaugurated last January. However, watching the President last night I couldn’t help but to notice the graying of his hair and the aging upon his face. While you can always tell the effects of aging on a President when he leaves the office, I cannot remember another President aging so quickly.

3. NBC Should Offer Obama Their 9 PM (10 EST) slot!

While NBC executive scramble to find something to replace the failed experiment that was the Jay Leno Show, their answer was right in front of them last night. The President is a great speaker, has an ego, is smart and witty and has connections throughout the entertainment world. Indeed, this is “Hollywood’s President.” He would do a great job hosting a late night talk show, earning the network huge ratings and earning President Obama a much healthier salary than the one he enjoys as President of the United States. Plus, he is far more qualified to be a late night talk show host than the leader of the free world.

4. Stop Blaming  Bush

If you look in the archives of this blog you will find a ton of posts critical of George W. Bush. Simply put, I thought he was the worst President of my lifetime. However, Bush has been out of the White House for over a year and I can’t stand to hear Democrats continue to blame all our problems on him. Did he cause a lot of problems? Hell yes he did. Did he live our nation in a state of disaster? Yes. However, Democrats have controlled the executive and legislative branches of our government for over a year now and our nation is no better now than it was under Bush. Indeed, things have only gotten worse.

5. One Redeeming Moment

The one redeeming moment of the entire night came when President Obama promised to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of the United States Armed Forces. This is long overdue. Though I didn’t vote for Obama, his election instilled in me hope that advances would be made in the fight for equality for all my brothers and sisters in the GLBT community. Sadly, Obama has failed to do anything to further the cause of this often neglected group. If he can overturn the “don’t ask; don’t tell” policy, I will have to seriously reconsider my opinion of his time in office. Until then, I give him props for at least making an effort.

November Spawned a Monster

I just recently purchased a new laptop and I’m the process of transferring all of my files from my old laptop to an external hard drive for easier access. I found some of my old poetry I hadn’t read in a while, especially a poem I’ve had a couple of requests for….

Looking back, it’s clearly a cheap attempt at “Howl” and I realize that I fell well short of that mark, but it still carries a lot of emotional value for me. Feel free to comment and/or critique:

“November Spawned a Monster”

Cold blue smoke floats on a Wednesday afternoon
angst, the breakfast of champions, fuels me to
press on through the monotony of life.
Trapped in the glass globe of “southern living.”
Malnourished! Left to starve and choke on the
recycled Puritanical lies they
feed me.  People shuffle in and out, blind
to the rape which is occurring daily.
They rape me too, for years violated
by their calls for hate, while they paint it love.
Like a scared turtle I took shelter from
my fears in them, a product of my guilt.
Guilt, the crutch they use to beat dissenters.
No longer can I follow their trademark
recipe for hate.  Free thought my only
vehicle out of this holy shit-hole.
A 21st century digital
boy, a 21st century gad fly
America my Athens, but will my
idle words pack a sting or will hemlock
be my next entrée.  Pop radio the death
of life, sadly I silently hide the fact
I know the words, the headlines read the same
another nazi in Austin a pawn
to King George, a cog in the machine that’s
becoming the new evil empire
nicotine my friend on this bittersweet
morning.  A peace settles in as I am
reminded of words I read many years
ago, the only thing constant is change.
But what has changed? An epic sense of hate
and fear disguised in an artificial
sense of nationalism—Bush-leaguers—
black blood blinds bastard men obligated
to contractual obligations and
the divine sovereignty of Enron.
Rummy, The Cardiac Kid and Bushels
the cowboy clown bravely leading us on the
imperialistic charge through Babylon.
Illegitimacy abounds in an
illegitimate government. They
hate Mohamed—Mohamed sure loves them.
They remind us of that “Day”—a day I
remember all too well.
The incessant drone of the alarm clock
I tunneled in my sheets; sunlight seeped in
A confused voice stirred me, I sat up
“What are the chances this is an accident?”
I ran to the TV…Explosion #2!
I drive to work…Explosion #3!
Work, how can I work at a time like this?
I walked outside and lit a cigarette
the sun vibrantly shone casting shadows
upon the corridor I walked.
I heard the clanking of the flagpoles blowing in the distance
I reached for my phone; hoping for a connection out there
Busy.  I looked up, clear blue sky not a single cloud.
I walk on, heading towards a skyscraper.
Again, I dialed a number, hoping for a voice
Line down.  I looked up, how and why
I sat alone on the curve, lighting another cigarette
the nicotine my only comforter.
“Three down and one aloof”
What the fuck was happening?
It’s 9:30 A.M. and single yellow cab pulls into the bus station
$59 or less to anywhere?  How far is anywhere?
Not far enough.
I look down College, the city bus putts along as
Though it too has been affected.
My phone rings, I answer
Static. God Damnit, it might have been her
I look up, a family of pigeons dives towards our building
Never before had this scared me
Men with purple hearts, Carry silver guns hidden behind their sports coat
They stand on the street corners and watch.
I walk out of the shadows and into the sun.
Fall is approaching and a crisp breeze begins to blow down the street
I look around and all is at peace.
Does nature know something I don’t?
One more cigarette before Reba kills me
“Imagine there’s no heaven”
You got that right John.
No countries, no wars, and no religion
Right on, the words ring through my head
As if someone is positioned on the Bank of America building
Blaring the song throughout all of downtown.
All I ever need to know I learned from the Beatles
And Dylan, Dylan was good to
They warned us…they all warned us
Hell Sophocles and Aeschlyus warned us
But did we listen, too much fucking hubris for that.
Now 4,000 gone and counting
Will we learn now?
Or are we all still black and white?
Gay and straight?  Christian and Muslim?
When will we see that it’s all shit? We are merely human.
What’s she doing?  I bet she can see the shit from her window?
Better than Brokaw, better than Rather
She’s got the birdeyes view.  If I could only reach her.
Suddenly, I am once again paralyzed by the words of Lennon
Perhaps this will help us do away with the Puritanical myths
Maybe, we can live as one.
Teary eyed women come out of the building
And my dream is soon crushed.
I hear their rhetoric but I don’t comprehend
What is a “towel head”?
And how are they all responsible for this?
It’s a chance for the cowboy president
To gallop in the sunset
Showing that he is not just a daddies boy
Come on W give me direction
A lady from the TV station next door
Sticks her microphone in my face
Like some modern day phallic symbol
She asks me how it feels to be American
The only reply I can muster is:
“I am HUMAN and I need to be loved
Just like everyone else does.”
This monster was spawned in November
Our Supreme Court nurtured it
Our voters robbed…American voices muted
The legacy lives on.
Commercialism
Capitalism
Montheism—only if his name is Jesus though
These are the drugs that get pricks high.
Not in our names, the victims say
Fuck the victims our monster says.
Our generation, sold out
to the lies of AOL-Time Warner
To Viacom
To Turner Broadcasting
To Rupert Murdock
We gather together to discuss our
favorite Fox Anchor.
Our generation, desperately searching
We are the muted generation
Silenced by lusts, lies, lunacy
We desperately search for our voice
For our Ginsberg
For our Kerouac
For our Burroughs
I have no Carl Solomon to dedicate my words to,
Though I have seen “the best minds of my generation
Destroyed by madness, starving, hysterical, naked.”
American boys bleeding in Baghdad
I see it every night
It’s the worlds greatest reality TV show
Who needs Simon…who needs Trista?
We only need War!
We only need Peter Arnette and Geraldo.
Aren’t these GI’s the ultimate American Idols?
Isn’t this the ultimate Fear Factor?
Survivor:Baghdad; churning out more widows
To replace Trista on the Bacherlotte
ABC must be thrilled
Reality for a reality starved nation
Reality void in our schools, our government
Our culture, our country
Somehow I know there’s more than a flag and a crown.
My dissent indicts me, fettered by the chains of fascism
Repressed
Oppressed
And Suppressed!
I press on, searching for an end to the apathetic, plastic smiles
Bitchy, little Bible beaters, beating down your back.
Fear and insecurity drive these animals
To make a misery out of humans life.
My soul polluted by their racist, homophobic, misogynic manifesto
The theatre, my sanctuary…I go there to cleanse myself
To expunge the evils they have tainted me with
They tell me of the American Dream
Even more lies to complicate a convoluted life
Fables of success and prosperity
Promised as inherent, intrinsic rewards
For those who devote their life to hard work, liberty, justice and ever important pursuit of happiness
Happiness?  HA!
What do they know of happiness?
Happiness is not obedience
But now, thanks to the November’s monster
These people control my life
Filling our court’s, our congress
Their pockets
We live in an age where progress is equated with evil
Regression is the goal of our generals
They tell us not to forget
And we won’t
For just as November spawned the monster
November can slay it as well.

Sugar High

I look at the opinion polls regarding Barack Obama and I’m puzzled, just like I was puzzled when W. was relected President in 2004. I’ve already established that members of both Bush and Obama administrations were masters at spinning fear, but with Obama I think there is an additional element contributing to his poll numbers.

It appears that many Americans are on a “sugar high,” caught up in the “feel good” elements surronding Obama’s presidency. They’re enthralled with his Access Hollywood lifestlye. They’re mesmerized by the members of the glitterati that make up his social clique. They’re caught up with his verbosity and his eloquence. Yet, they fail to see the man behind the curtain. Indeed, Obama’s handlers are running around screaming, “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,” for all that lies behind the curtain is an empty suit and Karl Marx starter kit.

But Americans are caught in the charade. They’re caught up in the “warm” feelings surronding the Obama presidency both here and abroad. It feels good, just like sugar tastes good on the pallate. Like sugar, the Obama effect leaves people with a temporary high, numbing their senses to reality.

But sugar provides very little nourishment to the body and man (or woman) cannot survive on sugar alone. Eventually the “high” wears off and we come crashing down, our bodies requiring nourishment.

Eventually this ”sugar high” will wear off for some of these Obama supporters, when his Leftist agenda becomes the gadfly that stings through the numbness and brings them crashing back to reality. Let’s just hope it’s sooner, rather later.

Politics of fear

Do you remember where you were on the night of March 18, 2003?

I do. I was at Players, a sports bar, located on the physical border of Texas and Arkanas in the town of Texarkana. I remember because on that night George W. Bush commandeered the airwaves of every major television station and issued an ultimatum to Sadaam Hussein 48 hours–leave Iraq or face the Untied States military. Players catered to a decidedly “red state” crowd and I was anything but a “red stater.”

Just that morning, a letter I wrote to the local newspaper had been published expressing my dissent to the planned invasion. I lost a lot of friends over that letter, but I stayed true to my beliefs. That night, the crowd at Players cheered the TV as Bush spoke from his balls and I hung my head in shame. I felt that these people and millions of Americans across the nation were falling to the politics of fear. I never bought into the “fear Iraq” message and was a vocal opponent to the war effort from the beginning. Over time, I was proven right.

The Left attacked George W. Bush over his lies and his “fear mongering.” Imagine my surprise when, barely into his first month in office, Barrack Hussein Obama decided to play the “fear” card as well, this time in regards to the economy. Every time Obama speaks he tries to convince the American people that we should fear the current economic climate and turn to him and socialist, tax dodging pinkos to save us.

Just like I did with Bush, I’m calling bullshit on Obama’s claims. I didn’t fear Sadaam Hussein and I don’t fear this economy. If anything scares me it’s B. Hussein Obama’s attempts to deal with the economy.

Why Can’t The English?

This past week our nation marked the end of an eight year nightmare. The George W. Bush administration betrayed the American people, choosing to govern by truly un-American principles. People around the globe rejoiced as Chief Justice John Roberts swore in Barack Obama as the 44^thPresident of the United States (or did he?) and many spoke of their hopes for the new President. Personally, I hope that President Obama reverses many of the ultra conservative social policies enacted by the previous administration, ends government intrusion in our daily lives, attempts to be more diplomatic in dealing with our foreign allies and negotiates an effective withdrawal of troops in Iraq. However, listening to voices from abroad and from some of the more radical elements in our own country, many have more nefarious hopes for our new President.

Anatole Kaletsky published a very telling piece in the Thursday, January 22, 2009, edition of London’s, The Times, in which he expressed his hope that President Obama would “reinvent” American capitalism. The plan Mr. Kaletsky spells out calls for the United States to abandon the very principles of capitalism that allowed our nation to grow its’ economy and, in doing so, replace the British empire as the world’s super power, and adopt in its’ place a smiley faced, sugar coated version of socialism accepted by most European nations.

Mr. Kaletsky attempts to convince his reader that American capitalism lies at the root of the eight year nightmare known as the “Bush administration,” that American capitalism is the sole cause for the current economic plight facing our world, that American capitalism, like communism, is evil and must be destroyed. I find irony in a Soviet born writer comparing “American capitalism” to the forces of communism that ultimately forced him to leave his home land. While some born in the Soviet Union saw the horrors of their government, defected and embraced our system of him freedom, liberty and markets (e.g. Ayn Rand), others like Mr. Kaletsky cannot fathom an economic system free of the heavy hand of government regulation and intrusion.

Why can’t the English get out of the way and let us save the world the way we have time and time again?

I aim not to dispute all the fallacies in Mr. Kaletsy’s argument, but merely to offer my voice as a supporter of both President Barack Obama and to free-market capitalism. The Federal government cannot cure our economic woes, only the markets can take care of themselves. Indeed, the Federal government will only make things worse. Yes, our nation elected President Obama on a platform of change, but our system of free-market capitalism is one of the few things in our nation not in need of change.

Political t-shirts

What would the reaction of the Obama campaign, Democrats in general and Bush bashers be if the following t-shirts were made with Obama’s name and image? Would the same people who purchased these t-shirts complain about t-shirts with Obama’s name and image in place of Bush?

The President who cried wolf…

We’re all familiar with the story of the boy who cried wolf, after seeing the Bush administration’s presentation of the $700 billion dollar bailout, I’m convinced that George W. Bush is the President who cried wolf.  Leading up to our invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration sent out every one of their minions to convince our nation and the rest of the world that Saddam Hussein posed a threat to our way of living.  I never bought into Iraq war propaganda, but millions of Americans and many world leaders did–look at the debacle it turned into. While things have definitely turned and are headed in a positive direction in Iraq, it’s hard to believe anything that comes out of Bush’s mouth.

With that said, when George W. Bush comes out in front of the nation and says, “our entire economy is in danger,” many Americans are skeptical. Is our economy really in such dire condition that we must rely on the Federal government to spend $700 billion it doesn’t have to bail out troubled financial institutions or does George Bush have ulterior motives with the proposed bailouts, such as helping those who helped him get elected?

No wonder so many Americans are outraged!

Government is not the answer!

I voted for George W. Bush in 2000. I’m not proud, but I did. At the time, I thought he provided the answers our country needed and he didn’t wear as much make-up as Al Gore.

On September 12, 2001, I watched the Bush Administration’s response to 9/11 and I knew I made mistake in voting for Bush. Over the next couple of years, I watched as Republicans strengthened their advantage in the House and Senate and the size of the Federal government increased. As the size of the Federal government increased, the problems within our nation increased as well. I admit that I served as an enabler to this mess because of my electoral actions in 2000. I admit that the Bush administration caused severe damage to our nation and its’ infrastructure, but that’s where I break from the Obama campaign’s talking points.

The Obama ticket looks at the problems caused by the Bush administration and thinks the solution to these problems is more government. An increase in the Federal government caused the problems of the Bush administration and government cannot cure government. In fact, the opposite is true.

In order to repair the damage done over the past eight years we need to trim down the size of the Federal government, scale back its’ powers and transfer that power to the people. Taxing corporations and rich people will not cure our nations problems, only a reduction in the size of the Federal government, coupled with a qualified and capable leader who understands the pricinciples of a limited Federal government will get us back on the right track.

In the words of Tina Turner, “we don’t need another heroe…”, but the Barack Obama campaign tries to convince us that we do need a heroe and that heroe is Barack of Chicago. I’m no fucking messiah, nor do I need one. I firmly believe that the only the individual holds the answers to the ills that plague his or her life and is solely responsible for curing them on his or her own. In choosing a President, we need to choose the candidate most likely to adopt these principles. As of right now, John McCain is the only one close to accepting this philosophy.

Republicans and drunk drivers…

Looking back, I wish I had purchased a camera phone to ensure that I have at all times, a means of digitally recording those thought provoking moments in life that words cannot explain.  As I pulled the drive through of local fast food restaurant on a recent evening, I noticed a beer can, standing upright, on the bumper of the truck in front of my car.  On closer look, I noticed that the beer can was positioned directly over a “W ‘04” sticker.  Initially, a million humorous thoughts about “redneck Republicans”  and George W’s own documented past with DWI’s ran through my head, but after further reflection I now realize it represents a more serious thought. 

 

As well know, drinking and driving do NOT mix.  The drunk driver represents a person who has bad judgment.  The beer can on the bumper of the truck kind of symbolizes the Republican party to me—a party full of bad decisions, which may be bring temporary relief but sure to end in tragedy. 

 

During the height of the “Reagan Revolution”, conservative thought dominated our nation’s foreign policy.  Stretching back into the Nixon and Ford administration, we see this same “what works now” type of philosophy.  Whether you realize it or not, Donald “Rummy” Rummsfield, Dick “The Cardiac Kid” Cheney, and many other members of the present Bush administration had a direct hand in placing Sadam Hussein in power in Iraq.  They saw it as a temporary means to defeating the evil “Iranians”.  They didn’t bother to think of future consequences.  So, when you think of the atrocities committed by men like “Chemical” Ali, thank Rummy for his own brand of “drunk driving.” (but keep in mind Westerners, Winston Churchill specifically, were the first ones to consider gassing the Kurds).  When you hear the horror stories from the people of Iraq, thank a Republican, they put the system in place that allowed the torture to occur.  When you see an innocent Iraqi child murdered in the streets of Bagdhad, when you hear of American soldier killed in the line of fire, thank America’s most notorious “drunk drivers”, the Republican Party.

 

For those of you still searching for the link between 9/11 and Iraq here you go…the Republicans are responsible for both.  Not only did the Republican Party put Sadam Hussein in power, but they also made Osama bin Laden and the Taliban very rich and powerful.  You see, during the 1980’s, we had a much different threat. Ronald Wilson Reagan was still living in the 1950’s…a time when he led a witch hunt against his friends in Hollywood trying to weed out suspected communists….He carried that fervor with him into the White House and was determined to battle communism regardless of the cost.  Forget that he destroyed our economy with his spending, instead focus on the fact that he funded, with money and weapons, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban in their fight against the Soviets occupying Afghanistan.  Like a drunk driver, the Republicans in power didn’t bother to think, “what potential harm could this have on our country”…they saw it merely as a means to fight communism…NEWSFLASH: Communism was…and ultimately did kill itself…no man..no political system..no Star Wars program brought the Iron Curtain down…it fell because of the laws of nature.

 

Drunk drivers make very bad decisions.  Sometimes their decision to drink and drive ends in tragedy, anger and outrage are expected and acceptable forms of response to their actions.  It doesn’t necessarily make them bad people, just shows they are incapable of making competent decisions.  They need treatment and our love and support.  Republicans are the same way, incapable of rational thought but not “bad people” by nature.