Talk me down

Rachel Maddow has a feature on her MSNBC news program that she calls talk me down where she discusses an issue that is upsetting her and brings in someone to understand or help her feel better about it. Okay, this is my talk me down and for those sick of politics, come back another day as it's politics.

The election is over-- at least most of us, win or lose, thought so with a sigh of relief. Now we can wait to see what Obama does. Will he be successful? Will he make mistakes? That is not how all saw it. There is a faction that apparently has only one goal in mind-- either negate the election or back to impeachment. Anything but allow a Democrat to have any successes. Before you tell me Democrats do the same thing, let's save that argument for another day, another blog. This is about today.

What is wrong with Republicans like Alan Keyes and the Rush Limbaugh wing of the far right? What is it with these self-centered, mostly ignorant and fear-filled emails that won't stop giving? Do extreme right wingers only care about abortion, gay marriage, paying taxes on anything, or their political party winning? Is this their idea of patriotism?

One writer on Huffington put it well-- what doesn't destroy the far right only makes them crazier-- and so it would seem.

There is a new email circulating the net from a well-driller, who clearly doesn't know anything about Obama's actual proposed tax policies, but his email is full of resentment of the poor because it's their fault. He brags how well he's done but gives nobody but himself and maybe his family credit for it.

Okay, let's put aside whether the poor deserve help (and ignore things like this: The Bible and poverty. Let's look instead at part of why our deficit has risen so much. Did this well-driller favor the Iraqi War; and if so, how did he expect to pay for it? Or is he going to try and blame that also on Obama? Tax cut or war, either one but both?

What is upsetting me more than circulating resentment soaked emails, and what I need to feel better about is that Keyes (who makes his money off donations through resentments and who lost a senate election to Obama in Illinois by a landslide) and other far righties have filed suits to try to stop the Electoral College from certifying our votes for Barack Obama as president until he shows them a live birth certificate and not just a certified birth certificate proving he was born in Hawaii and not Kenya. Why this story is still ongoing is because of a technicality about the equivalent if someone had gone after McCain's birth in Panama.

The accusation is that Obama's mother made a hurried trip to Kenya, had her baby there, flew back to the United States and registered Obama's birth. In the United States, if you are a citizen and you give birth overseas, your baby is an American citizen if you so designate. Clearly this should have been true for Obama's mother, whatever the case. The complication is her age and when Hawaii became a state. There has been some loosening of the age restrictions which means even if he was born in Kenya, he'd be recognized as a United States citizen from birth and hence qualified to be president; which is likely why we didn't hear anything from McCain, who is not part of the nutcase fringe, about this.

Fact Check went to a lot of trouble to view Obama's birth certificate and certify it as legitimate. They also included, in their analysis, the words of Hawaiian state health director who saw the original certificate on file in Honolulu and certifies that Obama was born there. This is more than is required to prove citizenship, but it's not enough for the wacko fringe of the Republican party. All they really want is some way to negate the vote of the people.

Help me understand what is wrong with extremists like these? Why do they have any credibility with anybody? If nobody donates to them or listens to their programs would they continue to have power?

Hearing what Limbaugh has been saying since the election has made me wonder even more why anybody listens to him with his spewing of hate which along with the Sean Hannitys has led to more death threats against Obama than any president-elect ever.

Thirty million people listen to Limbaugh regularly. How can we get anywhere as a united people with that going on? And, no I don't favor taking him off the air, but it would help if more people just quit listening unless they are also fanatics. Don't give these people money or ratings if you don't agree with them.

Did you read about Rexburg, Idaho, where the children on the school bus were chanting assassinate Obama, adding the names of kids on the bus who had supported him? Or the right wing fear mongers who are rushing out to buy guns? Or the legislator who fears that a worker program in this country would resemble the Nazis more than the WPA (which helped build infrastructure during the Great Depression)? Rush Limbaugh is already calling this the Obama depression.

What is wrong with such people? I hear ingineer here, and I know others who voted for McCain but because they are patriots, they wish Obama well; so I know it's not all Republicans. Why do any Republicans support those who act so selfishly and destructively? Or are Republicans finally going to turn on that fringe?

How about, whatever your party allegiance, the next time you get one of those hate-filled emails, tell the person not to send you more?

I remember when the far right went after impeaching Clinton for lying about a sex act. His lying was wrong but what they did was more about trying to take his power, to distract him. The end result was they distracted themselves also and bin Laden benefited. They, like Newt Gingrich who was busily involved in his own affair at the time, have still not taken responsibility for what they did.

If Keyes is successful in harassing Obama for what is at best a technicality, we're heading for more of the same. I have heard commenters here saying they will impeach Obama immediately. They obviously cannot do that by themselves, but a site out there is drawing those who hope to do so. How is that going to help our nation in a time of so much turmoil and danger?

One reason so many Republicans got thrown out of office was how they voted in lockstep with everything President Bush wanted even when it went against conservative principles. It wasn't all about Obama, McCain or even Bush. It was because those elected officials had not done what was best for this country and instead had party loyalty as their first loyalty. In my opinion, both parties should put the good of the country first not their winning elections. Is that asking too much?

If Obama improves the economy by his policies, doesn't try to turn the country socialist, doesn't try to confiscate all guns, raises our standing in the world, etc etc., will this change these people's minds? Is it possible for any president to be president of all the people as he said the night he won the nomination?

(Young golden eagle from farm yard this week-end.)

Hillary for Secretary of State?

Since I did not favor the idea of Hillary Clinton for president nor vice-president, it might seem I'd not like her to be named Secretary of State. Actually, since Obama won the nomination, one of my truths has been thinking Hillary Clinton would make an excellent Secretary of State-- if it suited her career goals. Is there a possible downside to it? There usually is with moves that aren't totally safe and in the current world situation, would a safe choice be safe?

On the positive side: she showed guts last year whether a person agreed with her politically. She did all she could to win and was an admirable adversary, toughening up Obama in ways he probably needed. In the primary, she was chosen by almost half the Democrats and recent polls say she'd have had more votes in the presidential race against McCain than Obama (I take that with a grain of salt).

Clinton is another of those fascinating characters that it isn't easy to pin down with a label. She was a wife who put up with a philandering husband. Was it great love? Had they worked out a partnership more like friends or brother and sister? She is not a lady to spill her inner secrets.

Through her entire time in public office, Hillary has been a controversial figure but can anyone deny how hard she campaigned for Obama this fall? She was really out there for him and it looked like she enjoyed herself, that she was freed by her hard campaign to be who she is. Perhaps she found herself during those months. It looked like she and Obama had a working rapport that could serve well in the next four years.

Obama has shown, by his choice of a wife, that he is not intimidated by powerful women. Hillary certainly is that. She has grown into a woman to respect, a woman who has moved beyond the shadow of her husband.

She has status in the world which would serve her well as a Secretary of State. I don't know if she's a great organizer of people (campaign didn't show it), which could be a problem in running the State Department; still, she is a hard worker and knows the leaders, countries.

If she is asked and says yes, between her, Biden and Obama, with Obama having the final say, the United States would have a powerful triumvirate. I like the idea that he's not wanting just yes people around him. I see the three of them with great potential for leading our country into a world where our nation has lost prestige and where there are so many dangers ahead.

One criticism of her has been that she voted for the Iraq war and never admitted her mistake. First of all, the Secretary of State does what the president says (or quits), but also she voted to give Bush bargaining power. Bush misused that power. I don't think she would have favored fighting a war in Iraq if she had had the say-- although my uncertainty on that is why I didn't want her for president.

My favorite, when I didn't know that Obama would seriously consider asking her, was Bill Richardson, who I still think would be good. I also think he's not as strong a choice as Hillary would be.

If Obama does pick a cabinet of rivals, as Abraham Lincoln described, of people who have their own power, and he's not intimidated by their power, I say it is to his and our good.

Our Truth

'Touchstones of Eternity' painting © 1991 Rob Schouten

"Are you living your truth? Your being is like a spirit lodge. Within this sacred place is your realization and the divine light of your creation. Live in your spirit lodge surrounded by peace and joy. Outside your lodge is the great wilderness where the rest of the world lives. That wilderness can become a battleground stained with the blood of ignorance and earthly pain. To have lasting power in the world, you must earn the trust of those around you. Most people live without a sacred place within, without a spirit lodge, and they do not know how to enter the spirit lodges of others." Lynn V. Andrews from 'The Power Deck'

[More of Rob's art can be seen at Rob Schouten Gallery
& learn more about Lynn Andrews at Lynn Andrews.]

This is the last of the cards from the Power Deck that I will share for now. It is a beautiful deck with powerful thoughts, and I may later bring forth more if they seem appropriate. This one about truth seeming especially important after such a difficult political season.

We can only do our best to know truth as it rings true for us. We can be wrong but fearing speaking truth cannot wait until we are positive, certain beyond any possibility of future changes. There is a difference between being wrong and speaking a lie. There is also the possibility of sticking to a truth after we long know it's wrong simply because we can't admit that to anyone-- including ourselves. Living our own truth means just that.

Fran, at Sacred Ordinary, creates these kind of cards, using symbols that have meaning for her life. She sometimes shares them: Soul collage blogs on Sacred Ordinary. The cards are always interesting and her explanations for the inspiration behind them well worth your looking through them.

Awhile back (was it a year or two?) because of having heard about creating such cards from Fran, I bought a book called 'Soul Collage' by Seena B. Frost about how to make personal decks using collage. I found some photographs and bought the materials to make decks; then put the whole process aside, but this winter seems like a good time to bring it all back out.

I was familiar with the general process having done soul collages for my walls. In 2001, 2002 and 2003, I created one a year illustrating what I wanted to manifest in my life. What was my truth for me? The one outside, inside or the one I had yet to create?

Because the last one (which I am sharing below) seemed to say it all for awhile, it was my spirit lodge, I didn't see a need to create a new one-- although am considering it for this year. Am I still the same woman I was in 2003? Have my dreams shifted? It might be interesting to see which images resonate with me today if I did put together a new board.

To create such soul boards (or cards), you look through magazines, catalogs, or your own photographs to see which images touch you. A talented artist could draw and paint one. The boards are created to help focus and manifest dreams into reality. I think all such tools are beneficial for growing, giving us more ability to hear our inner voice when so much around is creating a distracting buzz.

My collage from 2003 which is framed, under glass, and hangs next to my desk. Enlarge to see the tiny images better. All came from magazines, not my photographs, and are about my dreams and inner self in that year.

Balance

'Shaman's Vision' © 1991 Rob Schouten

"The structure of your daily spiritual life must be built on a strong foundation in the physical world, like a pillar of selected shaman's stones balanced carefully one on another. Take care of your body through diet and exercise. Express your strength in acts of power, and bring greater awareness to the exchange of money. Protect and nourish your family, and express your integrity by bringing balance into society and nature. Then you will be prepared in the physical for the higher spiritual learning. Your being is like a spirit lodge, the foundation of which is rooted in physical manifestation-- strong against the storms along the trail to higher consciousness. To take power, make your spirit available. Take your power and bring your physical and spiritual natures into balance." by Lynn V. Andrews

This is another of the cards from The Power Deck by Lynn V. Andrews. The message is something I wrestle with and suspect many others do also-- maintaining personal balance in a world inclined to push us off stride.

In October, I wrote about a physical fall I took when helping Farm Boss move some heavier and longer than usual, wall board panels from the trailer to the shop. Not watching where I was backing, my boot hit a pile of stacked lumber. Once that happened, there were no more choices about what would happen next. When balance is lost, especially if moving fast, a fall is generally coming.

In our daily lives sometimes the fall comes through getting sick. It is our body's way of reminding us we have been neglecting it while caring for too many other things. I don't know about you, but I don't always take care of my own emotional, spiritual and physical needs. Something becomes too important and I end up distracted from the rest. Being a Libra, I try not to do this, but reality is it happens. I prefer my reminders to come before the fall.

This card is a one way to remind myself I have choices. I can look where I am going. I can stay aware of what is around me while recognizing I can't do more than my own part. Yes, we have choices but only about ourselves. We can't change the world, just our part of it. Staying in balance is one of the more important ways we do that.

(Art work by Rob Schouten used by permission of the painter. The painting is titled Shaman's Vision. More of Rob's work can be seen at Rob Schouten Gallery.)

Ecstasy

[The next three blogs will be from The Power Deck, Cards of Wisdom by Lynn V. Andrews. They are sort of like Tarot cards but with a different approach, the idea being that you can use them for a reading or simply an inspiration for the day.]

Since I have enjoyed Lynn Andrews books, liked the illustration on the cover of this deck, and they were discounted as is everything in my favorite Missoula bookstore, I bought the box which included cards and a small book. Each card has a spiritual illustration and words to inspire. The idea is to choose one a day or in the case of this blog, I pulled out three to share-- one after the other.

This first one, with old woman, waterfall, moon, stones, and words particularly spoke to my life right now and how nature impacts me. The painting, Rapture, is by the artist Rob Schouten © 1991 (his gallery is on Whidbey Island, more information can be found online at Rob Schouten Gallery).

To me, Rob's painting illustrates the feeling of rapture I can feel when I am out in nature. The experience is so much more than its elements, more than any photograph can share. It is what I try to explain sometimes here in the blog as when I was at the wildlife preserve hearing the geese, or like the waterfall, or listening to the crash of the waves at the beach.

There are times, and they don't come all the time, but when the experience of earth seems to overwhelm me with a surge seemingly filling my whole body with joy, and yes, ecstasy best describes the feeling. It happens when you take time, when you let yourself connect. Nature can, when we let it, renew our spirit, ground us to the earth which nourishes and from which we came.

"Ecstasy is a buoyant state of joy. One of the finest ways to maintain a state of joyousness is to examine the dark side of your being, that instinctual nature that most human beings repress in civilized life. Within your instinctual nature are the seeds of ecstasy. We tend to live in our minds, in our emotions, occasionally in spirit, and almost never in our instinctual depths. We are born as wild as mountain lions but live most of our lives like sheep, forgetting and denying whole parts of ourselves. Sit on the earth with your back against a tree, and get in touch with your roots, which move deep into middle earth; this will restore your joyousness and balance. Each day, listen to your body-mind and your heart. What are they telling you about a given situation? Ecstasy is like a windhorse waiting to be ridden-- the last wild ride before your passage into enlightenment. Take courage and live your passion in ecstasy."

Lynn V. Andrews from The Power Deck

Dreaming a blog about politics? oh no!

Monday morning I awoke having written a wonderful blog in those few moments before full wakefulness. Too bad I didn't remember any of it once I was fully awake. I remember thinking I should write about it except it was political... dum de dum dum. I wasn't going to write about politics for awhile even though I had one more written but never posted on politics and beauty.

I agree with what Andrew Sullivan said in his blog about how obsessed many of us have become with everything happening in the political realm. We turn on the internet, read some newspapers, some blogs (in my case right and left wing), make some comments, read some comments, then later in the day (for me) turn on the TV for news and to listen to pundits saying what happened and what mattered (appropriate puppy choice was big one day). When Farm Boss would get home, we'd regurgitate back to each other what we had absorbed during the day. What are he and I going to talk about now?

Tell me, is that a healthy lifestyle; but even if you weren't writing a political blog, it's what many people did. If you were, well, how can you write about something if you aren't exploring all sides of it? If you haven't read the links, don't know what's being said, you might be more peaceful, but your blog is probably on cooking, nature or something equally peaceful (fortunately not inclined to get nasty comments hurled back unless a recipe failed)-- not that I put down the value of such blogs as I have more than a few bookmarked where I lust over the images of delicious meals or beautiful nature photos.

Although my blog hasn't always been so political, during this fall, it went into everything that happened and all the issues or factors that seemed important to me. I read extensively, thought about it all, my blood pressure rose, and I knew that whether Obama or McCain won, when the election was over, I wanted to let the results go. I am finding it's hard to do.

For one thing, if you are a writer, could there have been a more fascinating cast of characters as they interacted with each other, did the expected, the unexpected, and led other people to react in ways that sometimes blew an observer's mind.

Who would have guessed Joe the Plumber would become a major character, a policy expert on foreign affairs for of all people John McCain? Joe is still getting free drinks in NYC off his fame. Could that have happened in any novel anybody imagined writing?

Or Sarah Palin, Sarah the beautiful, a fascinating (not necessarily a compliment) woman who seemed oblivious to a lot of what the rest of us consider to be critical for a potential president to know, oblivious to why it mattered. She saw only one thing as important-- win. For her admirers, she didn't need to know anything.

To them, Palin was a wild woman from the far North who could praise the lord, shoot her own moose, dress and cook it, put on a cocktail dress that night and still wow all the men in the room while making all the women envious, pop out five babies, and still have a perfect figure that could put $150,000 + worth of clothes to good use.

To me, she was a frightening choice to possibly be president and not just for her extreme religious views. There was the way she delighted in stirring up hatred. Watching her on those podiums, you could see how that didn't make her uneasy but empowered her. Yet, could anyone find her boring which is why we are still inundated with stories about her. Do I wish she'd go away? You betcha. People who think like she does religiously scare me no matter what their religion. Do I think she will go away, not on a bet!

Should I include Joe Biden in any character study? It's hard to do so. He's harder, because to me, he's just Joe. We have known him a long time, seen how he can say the wrong thing, know he's charisma challenged (something from which none of the other three on the ballot have suffered), but that he's solid on his knowledge about government and the world. He's been there and he has paid attention. I guess he's the solid one. The one the villain has to get around, the one who holds the ground in bad times for the hero to come to the rescue? I don't know. What do you think?

John McCain is a great character to study. That man was full of surprises (a lot of them not good). Once in awhile, as though a fog would lift, we'd see the man we used to believe he was, then it'd settle in again. Was there anyone who saw his humorous bit for the NYC charitable foundation dinner, and didn't think why wasn't this man running for president? Who was that other guy-- the one, who using a snide tone, asked us who Obama was, when the real mystery was who was John McCain?

I'd like to think McCain was the man for whom, in order to vote in the 2000 primary, I almost changed my party registration before he was booted by Bush/Rove dirty tricks. It's painful to think he was the man who used those same dirty tricksters to try and win his own presidency.

I'd like to think John McCain is the man, who I said early in this campaign season, that even though I thought he'd be the hardest to beat, I hoped the Republicans would choose because he was the best of their lot. Will we see that man again in the Senate? Has he been freed from whatever spell of ambition sucked him into that other guy, his evil twin? I hope so. The country needs the man I once thought he was and now hope he is.

And finally Barack Obama, centerpiece of the story, the supposed mystery man, who nobody knew his policies even though he'd written books on them, had a lengthy website explaining them all. Obama did have a secret he had to mostly hide. No, it's not that he's a terrorist or a Muslim. He's a wonk. If he had fully revealed himself ahead of time, he'd have never gotten elected.

He had to hide behind a charismatic personality which he can still don when needed, but inside is this guy who loves policy discussions, who can finally carry his own briefcase, who became a Constitutional law scholar, who goes into press conferences without answers memorized because he operates from his principles and facts he knows he can draw upon... until he pops out seance and boom, is wishing he'd memorized everything.

I see Obama as a man well equipped to be leader by his background and temperament. He will be interesting because he's not the far leftie some had feared and others hoped but he has the hero goal-- do what is good for others. Having someone articulate in that office will be welcome. I hope the Secret Service is alert and watching all the time because the hero I see in him is not how he is seen by all. Yes, he is the hero type where a novel centers around his successes, failures and foibles.

I think if I write about politics over the next few months, and it's inevitable that I will (you don't give up an addiction over night), it'll be mostly about character and personality-- red meat to a writer. Ahead might lie more interesting stories. Maybe some new villains or old ones reappearing. Hopefully with happy endings. I love happy endings.

And that dream blog, well I hope it'll all come back to me. Maybe tomorrow morning. I wish I could find a way to record what goes on in my head right before waking.... on the other hand...

Collecting art

Saturday, when in the old part of Newport, down on the wharf, Farm Boss happened to remember a small gallery that handles mostly reproductions on a wide variety of subjects. We had been there a few times, bought a painting once, and it's a place I always like to check for western themed paintings even if I often forget to do so.

Saturday, with the smell of salt in the air, barking sea lions below the wharf, having just had a bowl of clam chowder, my mind was on getting to the ocean. I had to do a mental readjust. Gallery? Yes, want to go to gallery.

When we got to gallery, it was closed with a sign on the door and a phone number. I might not have wanted to call except peeking through the glass door, I saw a very interesting painting on the wall. It was a colorful figure of a Native American dancer.

When reached, the owner promised to be back in about 10 minutes; so even though I was eager to get on up the coast, I checked out a couple of nearby shops; then sat on a bench to wait.

When she arrived, the wait proved worthwhile. What I had admired was one of several giclées by the artist, John Nieto, who paints impressionistic southwestern subjects with vibrant color. Once I found out their reasonable price, the only problem was deciding which two to buy.

The one I had seen on the wall is titled Fancy Dancer 1 and is 18" x 24". The one I finally decided would go with it is Calling on the Power of the Buffalo, the same size. They seemed to go together as one is meditation and the other dance both to the spirit.For years I have enjoyed John Nieto's work in galleries but never could afford originals or even serigraphs. When I decided to write about his work here, I did a little research online and found out something I hadn't known-- Nieto Recovers from Stroke. Quite an interesting story and well worth clicking on.

I love giclées for collectors like me who cannot afford to get famous artist originals but appreciate their work. It lets me have something beautiful and spiritual on my wall for a price I can afford. No, it's not the investment that an original would be. I don't buy art for investments.

As a collector, I do look for original work by young or artists who have not yet become famous. The problem lately is finding those who do western themed work. In my experience, although I have lucked out with a few, they aren't easy to find.

When I buy art, I usually don't have a place in mind for the pieces. That's the case with these two. Art for me is about a spiritual subject I want to bring into my home not a piece of decor. Somewhere. They will fit somewhere perfectly. They will bring their energy to that place, but at the moment, I am not sure where that will be. Fortunately I will have time to decide since I need to figure out a reasonably priced frame first.

Oregon Coast

Because it's been stormy, this seemed like a perfect week-end for a drive to the coast. Oregonians love their beaches year round; and when a good storm has come through with high waves, wind and rain, it's as desirable to be there as when it's sunny and warm.

We had lunch at Newport, did some gallery shopping (more about that in the next blog), and then drove north up the coast. Stopping at Boiler Bay, we took photos and sat watching the waves

Down below were what looked to be young adults surfing on the higher than usual breakers. I kept thinking they have to be kidding as the waves looked so big and there were rocks nearby, but they seemed to know what they were doing. It's wonderful to be young and strong.

Before leaving the ocean, we drove a few miles north of Lincoln City to Cascade Head and the Salmon River. We have been wanting to figure out where we would be able to put in our canoe. It is on a list of a desirable estuary, little current and easy canoeing rivers for beginners.

The weather ranged from rain and wind to a bit of sunshine. Can't ask for more. I am anxious to go back for a long week-end but that will have to wait.

Sunday was family time with our son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons belatedly delivering the youngest his first birthday present.

Autumn colors in the Willamette Valley

This was a particularly beautiful fall in the mid-Willamette Valley of Oregon. The colors were more intense for longer lasting until the beginning of November when the rains finally came to drive leaves from the trees.

Right now all leaves mean to me is get out the blower and clear the driveway, deck and lawns of oak leaves. The farm house here is in the midst of 7 huge oaks, totally gorgeous but also full of leaves and this year acorns; so I blow off the leaves and try to leave the acorns, as the sheep, who have free run of most of the yard, love them. Soon the leaves will all be gone and there will actually be more light around the house. Kind of a trade-off... Plus the blowing off of the leaves is exercise. Definitely not as much as a lawn rake but hey, I'm no purist.

These photos in this blog are all from the William L. Finley Nature Refuge south of Corvallis, Oregon on October 26th, we took a last walk on the road around the lake before they close the trails to humans and leave it for the birds and elk from November 1 until April.
Part of the joy of being in places like this is taking quiet times to sit, watch, hear the different sounds. There are so many types of geese and all talking.


In one little pool, we saw a nutria swimming. That's not the greatest news as they are native to South America but were brought into this area illegally, thereby driving out other animals that compete for the same food and space such as the smaller muskrat. It does not make them less cute but just there is more involved with nature's balance that some people stop to think.

The geese were coming in the whole time we were walking. In some areas, they seemed to cover the water.


This photo of an osprey getting caught in traffic was a pretty good example of what it was like for the birds.

When they would land on the water, in the main part of the lake, they would have to pick an open spot which led to some bird fights. Hey it's not like they are that different from us.

The swans separated themselves from the geese. In this picture, you can also see a heron alongside the bank if you enlarge the photo.

Pros and Cons

During the election season, I got some news nobody wants to hear from a loved one as I heard my little brother telling me he had prostate cancer. They had caught it early, but it was the virulent kind; so he was facing chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. It had not spread to his bones which was encouraging. The chemo and radiation were to make sure it didn't when they operate which will be in January. He had a very positive attitude toward it all, but I was shaking at the idea that my baby brother would suffer or maybe worse. I am the oldest. I am supposed to die first and I reminded him of that!

I didn't write about this at the time because I was still processing it, plus I don't write much about my family as a general rule. I knew when he had surgery I would mention it and ask for those who would be willing to send energy because I believe in that.

This week I talked to him, and he sounds good after two weeks of chemo and radiation. I guess they do a lighter dose of that when it's prostate. When they complete the chem/radiation part, they will give him a few weeks to build back up before they do the surgery. It will then require taking two months off from his work.

When I decided to write about this for the blog was when I thought about how many men, over the age of 50, might skip that PSA blood test. It has some controversy attached to it: PSA pros and cons; but if my brother had not been regularly having the blood work, he would have died from the type of prostate cancer he has. Some kinds can sit there and you live out your life with them, but others will kill you. He had the second kind.

When he and I talked this week, we also talked about how fortunate he was to be a veteran. It's why he had that test. It's why he can afford the treatment. Even if he'd had regular health care insurance, it might not have covered all he is facing. My brother is a self-employed mechanic with his own garage. He works all the time. there is no vacation pay. He makes a living wage, but it's not enough to put much aside.

With medical costs as they are today, the terrible part would have been maybe we couldn't have afforded it all for him either. The idea that someone would have a treatable problem but either have to lose their home to pay for it or maybe die because the treatment was too costly, it's just not right. There have to be solutions. I don't know the answers, but I do know that people all across the country have faced or will face something that could take everything they have if they are not very well insured.

My brother asked the doctor why he had gotten prostate cancer. Could it be something he had done? The answer was one in three men will get it in their lifetime. It might have been hereditary and our father may have died before it evidenced itself. Once you have symptoms, your chances of survival are reduced.

So I am writing this to encourage men over the age of 50 to research for themselves the PSA test (link above); and if they see it as good, don't put off having it yearly. It could make the difference between life and death. Women know about the mammograms and most of us do them and they aren't fun either. Both strike at fears we all have about losing our sexual life, but fear isn't a good reason to put things off.

My brother has a good chance to beat this. He has a good attitude toward it. He is fortunate to be a veteran and where he has received excellent care. It is a powerful reminder to be regularly taking care of the tests that can make the difference between life and a sooner death than expected.

Also the US health care system only seems okay if you think you have a good job and excellent coverage. That can all change in an instant especially in this economy. I don't know the answers to it as I realize how expensive it will be to fix, how much howling there will be if anybody tries to put a brake on the costs, but something has to change. I have heard of too many people who were bankrupted by a treatable problem, but they were either under insured, lost their insurance, or never could afford it to begin.

Health care isn't a partisan problem. It's a humanitarian one.

Drift Creek Falls

If I were to walk into Drift Creek Falls tomorrow, the trail would likely be muddy and most of the leaves would be gone from the brush and deciduous trees. I might even see elk along the slopes. I would definitely be wearing warmer clothing than when I hiked there in late September.

Because of the heavy importance I placed upon the presidential election, a few photos and places I wanted to write about were put aside. Now seems a good time to bring them out.

For some years I had heard about a trail leading to a waterfall in the Coast Range about 10 miles or so from Lincoln City. In late September, with a need of ozone and seeing something beautiful, it seemed the right time to find out what was there.

The road to the trailhead is no fun especially if you come from Highway 18. The crossroads are not well marked. Farm Boss and I went two miles wrong at one such do-we-go-right-or-left? point before we turned back to find the right road. Only then did we see a small, handmade sign that would have properly directed us if we had noticed it sooner (hopefully, as when you see such markers, you always know they could be put up as pranks).

The road is unfortunately not gravel and mostly paved, on steep slopes of coastal hills, with abrupt edges to the pavement and no shoulders. Except for pull-outs, it's mostly a one-way road that must sometimes accommodate two-way traffic. It makes it a bit unnerving if someone comes the other way. As with many mountain roads, there were no guardrails. Looking out the window or rather down from the window, I visualized our car slipping into one of those canyons. How long before anybody would see it down there?

With little traffic, we made it the Drift Creek Falls trailhead, a surprisingly nicely paved, wide parking area with even a clean, well-maintained, single-hole outhouse, and instructions for where the trail took off.

The trail was an easy one with ups and downs but no slick or steep places. The woods were deep and intriguing, mystical feeling. We kept looking for elk but other than seeing one fresh hoof print, we didn't see the ghosts of the forest.

Is there anything more soothing than a waterfall?
Sometimes words only get in the way.

At the falls there is a suspension bridge, a very high, swinging suspension footbridge which you walk across the get the finest view of the falls. It is the longest in either Oregon or Washington.

I got about a third of the way across and realized I hadn't lost anything on the other side. Hmmmm I see the falls. That's enough for me. I am prone to vertigo; and although the bridge is fairly new, well built in 1998; and because of how it's constructed, you couldn't fall even if you tripped, it did swing and move with each step. Below was--- a long way down. Makes me dizzy just remembering it.

Farm boss has no such problem with heights, and he walked across; then came back for my camera to take the best photos of the falls.

I did take one from about a third of the way across. Mine was hampered by my eagerness to get off the bridge hence not framed well. Maybe was a tad out of focus for moving quickly back to terra firma.

I want to go back when it's warmer, and we could maybe swim in the pool at the foot of these falls. That would make that bridge worthwhile for even me.

Click on any photo to see enlarged. All are from September along the Drift Creek Falls Trail in Oregon's Coast Range.

odds and ends

The United States, and along with us the world, has been through a momentous political season. This was that partly because of the things that had happened in the eight years preceding it. If you didn't know it, the world lost faith in us. Many of us doubted our own country. How could we have gotten so far off kilter? This, combined with the potential to elect an African-American as president, made this election season stand out.

Now it's over and from all around the world we have seen the headlines, heard the joy, gotten the congratulations. It is a huge deal that Americans elected Barack Obama as our next president. The world has shared the joy of those of us who wanted him and who felt he could make a difference. Tuesday night, a lot of tears were shed and they were mostly those of joy.

Not all feel that way. Obama knew that also when he gave his speech. Some are upset, fearful, angry, feel cheated, resent those who voted for Obama. Those emotions were stoked heavily during the election season by McCain/Palin. Some are already plotting his failure and even though it will hurt their own hopes, they will do everything they can to undermine what comes next.

I will be paying attention to what comes next in his administration, which of the many huge issues will he tackle first, but I don't plan to write much about it. I would like to see us all let this new president have a chance, without micro-judging every single thing he does. Some things we won't like or won't think he moved fast enough to do. Some might be mistakes, but I for one would like to let him do what we have elected him to do without second guessing every choice-- at least for awhile.

Not writing about it here won't mean I have lost interest. It will just be there are other things that matter also, and for months it's been so much about politics that it'll be a relief to write about something else. I also think it will be unhealthy for us to let the media turn everything into crises as you know they will. We don't have to let them take us along for the ride.

A couple of last thoughts about this election. What is it with Americans and wanting to ban gay marriage? After this election, 30 states have put through gay marriage bans. What is in the psyche that finds it satisfying to deny someone else the right to form families and have the community rights of any other mated couple? Is the reason gay marriage suffered a loss in California, Florida and Arizona because it doesn't impact enough voters?

Evidently, in the case of California, the Mormon church was the big supporter of this ban putting what some say was $17.6 million dollars into advertising. Here is an article from the LA Times on it: Mormon Church steps into the Prop. 8 battle. Why was this so important to Mormons who at one time believed in polygamy? Well I wrote about this earlier but it was a disappointment to me as I had hopes we had begun to move beyond it. This is not about special rights but about equal rights. I think it would be healthier to let all marriages be civil unions from a government perspective but that will have to wait for a future day.

Then, what was going on in Alaska re-electing Ted Stevens with a felony conviction hanging over him, likely expulsion from the Senate, and prison time? I suppose it was party loyalty and better your own convicted felon than a senator from another party? Al Franken apparently lost in Minnesota but Norm Coleman did have to move toward the center (whether he stays there is a good question) to do it. If Gordon Smith loses in Oregon, something I hope happens, the Democrats will still only have 57 seats.

President Obama will not have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, and I don't think that's bad. A lot of the solutions to our problems will be in the center. We need both parties working on things and creating solutions. We have seen too much bitter partisanship. Obama wants to end it, and we will all be better off if we have two political philosophies questioning each other and working together to fix what is wrong.

Because so much is wrong, we could make terrible mistakes if we tried to solve everything instantly. Throwing money at problems has never worked in the past. Where it comes to social issues (see above) most Americans are not ready for big change. A heavy Democratic majority would have put more pressure on Obama to move left, not what he said he wanted to do Tuesday night nor what is on his website.

As for those worried that he will roll over for Nancy Pelosi, I have one name for you-- Hillary Clinton, a far more formidable woman in my opinion. If there are those who want payback for the last eight years, Obama had never indicated he is one of them. The path forward is to not look back other than to learn from our mistakes. If crimes were committed, that is a matter for the legal system to evaluate (assuming Bush doesn't pardon his whole administration before he leaves office).

Whatever issues Obama sees as his first priorities, it's going to be an interesting time to say the least-- an exciting time. I hope all Americans come together to make it a productive time for the nation. We can't afford politics as usual any longer and for the first time in a long while, we have a chance to leave that behind.

[An after thought: America really dodged a bullet (at least temporarily) with Palin no longer in line for the presidency. The more that comes out about her ignorance, her temperament, her greed, the worse that choice looks, and it looked bad before! All I can say is wow, and there should be a better way of vetting vice presidential choices than a presidential candidate going eenie, meenie, minie, moe.]

The Day After

Last night I watched the election results along with millions of others. When Pennsylvania and then Ohio went for Obama, I felt this was looking good. Little by little, the results moved across the United States and the numbers began to add up. Finally it was clear that when the polls closed on the West Coast, Obama would be our next president.

When California, Oregon and Washington came in, I cried. I didn't expect to do that. But I felt an overwhelming rush of pride in this nation in which I was born and where I grew up, raised my own family and always believed was special. The people had voted, and it was overwhelmingly to move in a new direction.

I listened to the commentators talk about what it meant. Some of them still didn't get it. Chris Matthews asked why would Obama have run a 50 state strategy? Why contest all 50 states when he wasn't going to win some of those states? There was an answer to that question and it came when Obama gave his speech.

But first another speech had to be given and it was from John McCain who showed graciousness and generosity of spirit as he told his followers to support this new president. McCain has been like two men all the way through this election. Last night, the good John McCain, the one a lot of us wanted for president in 2000, that man showed up to tell us he is still there. I felt warmth for him, but seeing the anger on the faces of his supporters told me a lot of them didn't feel that same thing.

Tom DeLay was evidence of more of that negative thinking. Nancy Pelosi will run the country, he told MSNBC with his usual nasty way of talking. The crowd listening to McCain would have been more ready for that kind of talk then what McCain said. They were mad that Obama won.

Will people like that really come together to support Obama for the good of the country? Will the Right engage in more of the negative, self-defeating tactics they used against Bill Clinton and whose distraction led to the inability (of Congress and President) to deal with the rising al Qaeda and bin Laden? Already there is a group out there, online, who have a petition up to impeach Obama before he even gets in office. Never underestimate the willingness of some to cut off their own noses out of spite.

Finally last night, Obama and his family came onto the platform in Chicago, and he gave his first speech as president-elect. He was somber, happy but made clear the work has just begun for him and the country. He took seriously what he has before him even in that moment of victory because as he said, it was never about just winning. It was always about being able to fix the problems in this country.

Obama gave the answer to why it was a 50-state strategy. It was to be the president of all the people. He wants to work for those who voted against him and those who voted for and supported him. He does not see one part of the country as the only thing that matters. He doesn't see us as red and blue but as the United States. He said he will tell us the truth about things and will work to make us all strong again. I believe him and I cried again.

We all won last night. Some of us just don't know it yet.

A Vote for Barack Obama

This week-end, Farm Boss and I spent in Medford. He went fishing with our son-in-law on the Rogue River, and I had quality time with our daughter and two grandkids.

With the campaign season almost over, I thought what my daughter wrote about why she supported Obama would make an excellent last post. It is okay to be against something, but it's far more powerful when we are for something. Here is what she wrote:

*****************************************

Why I voted for Barack Obama

This year will be the first time I have ever voted for the candidate of my choice. My primary choices never made it to the nomination (in fact they were either protest votes or incredible long shots). I am proud to say that I voted for Barack Obama in the primary and the general election. For the first time ever, my vote is not for the "lesser of two evils", but the candidate that I honestly believe will be a good
president.

I took the kids to see John Kerry speak because it was an historic event and because I was very discouraged and dismayed by the direction that George W. Bush was leading us (As a side note, I would have taken them to see the President too, but we couldn't because we aren't Republicans). I canvassed for Kerry, not so much because I thought he was great but because I thought Bush was awful. Last Sunday I took the
kids to canvas for Obama because I think he is the president we need for the challenges our country faces.

I started out to write a lot of stuff about Obama and his background, how he is the fulfillment of the American Dream. etc. I wrote a bunch of stuff about how I think he will address the major issues in front of us - global warming, the economic recession, nuclear proliferation, world poverty and, it's related issue, terrorism. And I can send you all that stuff if you are interested with links to supporting articles. But when I worked through what I was thinking, I realized that the reason I voted for Obama with such enthusiasm is because of the kind of man he is.

Barack Obama has excelled at everything he's set himself to do. You may get into Harvard on affirmative action, but you certainly do not become president of the Harvard Law Review on it. Many junior Senators never get through a single piece of legislation. He's pushed through several big ones (keeping nuclear weapons from terrorists, government transparency, etc.) with bipartisan help. He took the gifts he was given and has made the most of them. He obviously works hard at whatever he sets himself to do. Look at how he's run this campaign. I've never seen one like it. Why would he be any different with the presidency?

He is an intellectually curious man and an extremely intelligent one. He thinks things through. I think he's a diagnostician. He looks at the choices and makes the best decision he can. He surrounds himself with smart people and actually listens, but makes his own call.

He is able to talk to people. I think that is one of the things that will make Obama a great president. Don't forget that he was a teacher. He can explain things to people in a way that helps them understand. That he is eloquent and able to move people I see as an asset. We are going to have to make difficult decisions in the coming years and we are going to have to do things that we don't like. We must have a leader
that can motivate us and bring us together. And not just us Americans, but the entire world. The problems that we face will not be dealt with on our own and we are going to have to work with the rest of world. We need a leader that is respected world wide and that can speak to the world community. Eloquence and inspiration is going to be required.

He is above all else a family man and I admire that. Whenever my children see pictures of him with his kids they say "Oh, that's just like Daddy." I agree. Look at these pictures. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/16/the-obamas-greatest-famil_n_132339.html


I see in Obama the ability to listen, process opposing ideas, make a decision and then pull people together to make it happen. He is calm, reasoned and intelligent, able to synthesize opposing viewpoints and make a logical decision. Read this article in Time about Obama http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1853025-1,00.html

In short, I believe he is the best man for the job. I think we only see transformational candidates like this once in a great while. Did you see Colin Powell's endorsement? If you didn't you should look for it on the internet.

I by no means consider Obama a "messiah". I don't think he's going to "save" our country. Only hard work from all of us is going to fix our problems. That is one of the things I like the very best about what he says. On every issue, he calls for personal responsibility. He tells us we are going to have to work. When was the last time we were asked to do anything by our government? It's about time.

I do not agree with him on every issue. I never do. It would be impossible for a candidate to share my opinion on every topic. I just think his over-all philosophy works for me. He's been painted by the Republicans as the most liberal Senator. I find that funny because progressive liberals think he's too conservative and don't like his stand on lots of issues. That says to me that he's probably somewhere near the center, left of center, but still center, and that is where we are going to find the common ground to fix things.

That's it, my endorsement for Barack Obama. Think about it.

PLEASE VOTE!

Whatever your political opinion, please vote tomorrow. Many have given much for us to have the privilege of voting.

Whether we vote for the lesser of evils, something fortunately I did not have to do this year, it is important that we vote with an educated mind and a realization that what we have as a nation has been and is dependent on a population who care, who get informed, and who do the work of getting out there and casting a ballot. Take responsibility for this country and where it goes next.

With great good goes great risk

"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations, then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media." Sarah Palin fearing that freedom of the press abridges her rights for a politician to say anything without criticism.

As anyone who reads here knows, I write an opinion blog. It is my viewpoint on ideas-- sometimes using my life as an example. In all cases, I write the truth, as best I know, whether it is about my life or views-- but those views are naturally from my perspective. Nobody is without those viewpoints no matter what they say. Some express them more than others

As a media, blogging potentially will have a unique impact on this election. Good or bad? Small blogs like mine, or most I read, have minimal impacts, but some blogs have huge readerships and in some of those people believe things without checking. There is no responsibility to write the truth. No obligation to use facts.

At one time the public had newspapers, then radio and television to inform about what was going on. Those media often were no more regulated for truth, nor are they today, than the new frontier of the blog world.

When it comes time to learn about candidates, Palin's fears aside, It should be in all media buyer beware and that includes YouTube which is a powerful new tool for this election season. With YouTube, you can listen and watch someone like Representative Michelle Bachman as she spoke on the MSNBC's interview show, Hardball.

Bachman said it would be a good idea to investigate Congress to see if the members are pro or anti-American. Very few people saw her say this. When it got negative coverage, she promptly denied she said it-- until there it was. I had watched the original interview and what you see on Youtube is what it was. YouTube doesn't have to be that way. It can also have quotes clipped together out of order to create a totally different message. It's still buyer beware and look carefully for edit marks.

People can do an Internet search and get the transcripts from debates, speeches and compare them to what the candidate now says-- but again, do you trust the source? Someone can go back 5 years to some speech that a leader made and show how what they say now is the exact opposite. Internet is a phenomenal tool.

It also has the most possibilities for misuse. Can you trust blogs? It depends. A blog can be a good place to learn about opinions, to see ideas put together, to get a series of links that relate to a given topic, but a blog is a little propaganda machine that is, at least for now, totally unregulated.

Blogs form communities; and although there is some intermingling, for the most part, we go where we are comfortable and find like minded-folks. I don't think that's bad, but it's not all that is out there for ideas. I admit I don't visit or comment on far right blogs. I don't think they'd pay attention to any comment I made and they seem happily in agreement with each other. I don't see these communities as bad although they can make us think we are hearing the whole truth when we are getting a small fringe of it.

Worse for today are the emails that circulate. For some reason I don't get hate-filled, left wing emails. I am not sure if that's because they don't exist; or if it's that I have had more right wing friends than left wing. I have gotten way too many of the hate-filled right wing propaganda which I check with Google, Snopes or factcheck.org, and generally find they are filled with lies. I do check though and I do write back to whoever sent it to me with my opinion.

Some of these emails are total frauds (yes, not from Andy Rooney) and some lead the reader to think they are from someone who has special knowledge but a quick search online finds their name is like someone who maybe once did. Some take facts and distort them to make a case that they don't prove but it takes some checking to figure that out; and if the prejudice they are spreading is one that suits the reader, they won't go looking for how factual it really is.

I tried for awhile to understand why I was still getting the hate-Jane-Fonda type emails. I mean what does she have to do with today's election? Then I realized those emails are intended to stir up anger and fear. Whenever any email is about that, please consider ending its circuit with you. Nothing on either side is worth growing those negative emotions. No matter who wins this election, nobody really wins through growing hate, anger, and fear.

Spreading the Wealth

One of the fear tactics to try and get people to not vote for Obama is he's a socialist, a Marxist, and will take all of your money to give to someone else. (Kind of like Alaska does when it takes our money in paying for gasoline and give it to its citizens as welfare reverse income tax.) You would think Obama had only run for the presidency to turn this country over to Russia. Hey, it's not him who has put the United States into hock to China!

When it comes to taxes, which nobody likes much, Obama's plan is to tax the richest Americans at a higher rate than they are today and to lower the tax rate on the working class (those making under $250 or 200,000 a year net). He's not doing this because he hates the rich. Obama is looking for programs that will work.

Those of you who fear the increased taxes for those making a lot of money, don't forget the other part of this was a tax cut for the middle class. Since taxes seem to be all some care about. Check out this page for how Obama's proposal (Congress does have to agree) would impact you-- What's your Obama tax cut?. Go down the page and click on the button. Yes, when he gets in, things could change as he sees actual figures, finds out what might now be hidden, but this is the plan.

Obama said we have to rebuild our infrastructure as China is doing to make themselves competitive in the 21st century. He said when we look around us, we don't see anything to show for our current deficit. If we are going to borrow, it should be for things we can see, things that help us compete in the world where we either will be competitive, or we will lose even more ground economically. You cannot be competitive with rhetoric. It takes real actions.

Study McCain's promises, and the truth is he will either have to raise taxes, to carry through his promises, or increase our deficit even more. This is why a lot of economists have embraced Obama's plan. Palin is even worse. She doesn't even know what McCain's plan is as she said we can't possibly cut Defense during a war and McCain already said he would cut Defense where it comes to waste.

McCain has several things he proposes which will increase taxes on the small business owner which he is supposedly so concerned about-- like his medical plan that would lead to more taxable income and the small business owner pays payroll taxes, workman's comp, and transit tax on that increase. For small business owners, who have provided health insurance, their taxes will go up more under McCain than under Obama.

There is a reason for increasing the tax rate for the richest. It is a practical one not hatred of the rich (that is so Rush-ian. The irony is for all his talk about class warfare, it's Limbaugh and his ilk who have done the most to try and make that happen during this election even more than usual. Put down scientists, put down educated people, put down artists, put down some parts of the country as un-American if they don't vote Republican. While they are doing that, Obama talks well about all groups with trying to understand them and figure out what will help their problems.

Obama, and anyone who studies economics for awhile, knows that the middle class is the engine driving this economy. When people in the middle cannot afford to buy things, everybody is hurt. Frankly, the richer you are, the less a tax increase impacts what you can afford. You might have a few less luxuries, but Obama is not talking a confiscatory increase. He's talking of going back to what it was in 2000 before Bush began his descent into financial madness.

Can we ignore the deficit? Keep borrowing from China? Obama has said he will go over government programs to try and eliminate those that don't work (McCain says the same), but policies that involve simply cutting programs won't do enough. Many of those programs will involve job cuts if they happen putting more people out of work.

When he was in the Senate, Obama worked with Coburn from Oklahoma to get through put the government budget online for Google searches. This makes what the government spends transparent, which is what Obama says should be true.

All government spending is not bad for the economy. You build a new bridge, you create jobs. What if we improved our railroads like some other countries? Not only would goods move faster across the country but more people might find the train a pleasant way to travel, and it uses a lot less fossil fuel than any alternatives. It will take improved and new rail lines to make that happen. Obama says this is the kind of thing where government can help and private enterprise might not have the clout or money right now.

Have you gotten that email that claims all our deficit problem is due to programs for illegals? The email uses as sources blogs, some conspiracy sites, as it pulls together a lot of figures (some maybe added in three or four times, all speculation to start). If you look at any government figures online for where money goes, you see the email's figures don't hold up, but a lot of people will never look beyond what they want to see-- they want to solve this problem at no cost to themselves. I do not believe that is possible, not after the eight years of neocon rule.

The accusation that spreading the wealth is bad is ridiculous as all taxes spread the wealth. McCain is not talking about ending taxation nor ending progressive tax rates. He has said in the past that the rich should pay more. It is just logical. He doesn't dare say it now nor mention Alaska's ultimate spread the wealth program which basically is socialist as Palin now thinks is so bad but as she increased that dole to increase her popularity in Alaska (then applied for massive US earmarks as getting the revenue from us wasn't enough; she still wanted us to pay for any infrastructure up there).

Taxes pay for programs, roads and military that we as individuals cannot do. Where did some Americans forget this? This election you again heard McCain repeating the old mantra-- you can better manage your money than the federal government can.

If someone doesn't believe in government, you should not elect them to be at the head of it. They will only make sure it fails. Elect someone who believes in government programs, sees the good they can do, and makes sure they do it.

A lot of people who fear taxes so much just don't realize that there are many ways to have less money like inflation, job losses, investments that suddenly lose value, a crumbling economy. Wise taxation, fair use of the funds, being careful what programs are funded, getting rid of those that don't work, those are ways to make this a better nation for all of us. Prosperity that leaves behind most of the country isn't going to make it better for anybody in the long run.

Something to consider

Despite what we hear, the election of 2008 is not a done deal. Pollsters claim one in seven Americans could still change their votes even if they lean one way or the other. There are those who claim they aren't leaning either way. If all the undecideds went for McCain, it'd likely be a tie. If voters planning to vote for Obama changed their minds, Obama could lose.

What boggles my mind is how can there still be undecideds? I think it relates to the tactics of the far right that have worked with too many people. Their methods and claws will be out this week-end howling more loudly than any scary trick-or-treaters could have last night.

Some want to use a connection Obama had to the moderate Palestinian, Khalidi, who teaches at Columbia University. He is the newest boogie man for the Republican fear and smear machine. Never mind that McCain has also supported Khalidi's work to bring peace in the Middle East (with more money than Obama's group gave). Never mind that Khalidi has nothing to do with Obama or McCain for policies other than both wanting peace in the Middle East and to see moderate thinking overcome the more radical. Never mind that Khalidi is a moderate Palestinian, who has never said anything about destroying Israel, who has not done anything but try to bring peace to his people and the Israelis. Never mind because fear is not about truth, and the Republican right wing has become the party of fear. What happened to the Grand Old Party? Where did it go?

Then there's still talk about Reverend Wright-- another boogie man. People who aren't disturbed by a witch doctor protecting Sarah Palin from witchcraft, who aren't bothered that her husband belonged to a militia, secessionist group in Alaska, a group Palin spoke well of, whose leader also said how awful the United States is and it's why they wanted Alaska to leave it, those people are very upset that Reverend Wright preached maybe only a couple of times on the evils the United States has done to peoples like Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, and blacks. You'd think the preacher had spent his entire career spewing hate of the United States. A few words out of 20 years is all it takes.

I have said it before. It's not bad that Obama has known people who are different, who maybe haven't done right in their own choices. It has not rubbed off on him. There is no proof that he in any way follows their ethical choices. He is a man with his own code and he makes it clear he's his own man. What amazes me the most is he doesn't even appear to get angry the way I do when I read some of the more ridiculous accusations being thrown at him. He has a lot more balanced nature for his years than most of us.

I have voted; but if you have not, if you are among those undecideds, please consider watching the following links, not about fear and smear but to hear what Obama is really promising.

You have heard how he isn't ready, how he's a socialist, how he's a terrorist secretly, how he will doom this country. Just take the time before you vote, to hear what he says. There are two parts to the Maddow interview-- both worth seeing. Listen with an open mind:

Rachel Maddow interview with Barack Obama Part I



Part II with Obama on Rachel Maddow



Finally, the Infomercial-- Infomercial Part I and if you want to watch it all, there are four parts on YouTube.

Obama is not about fear. He is about ideas and the impetus to make this country what it has said it was. He has the intelligence and drive to make it happen. He needs our votes-- not just to win but to give him the mandate that he will need to buck the system and make real change happen.

The Republican party has become the party of fear of the new, fear of different, fear of the 'other'. Americans can rise up on Tuesday and show that this no longer works. Give the Republican party a chance to take back its own party by making these ideas fail.

And if you are Republican, who is not a neocon, who is not a religious zealot, and you have been been disillusioned, vote for Obama as a way to say no to what has happened but don't stop there. Get back in your party, donate to genuinely conservative leaders, make your voice known. Do not let the zealots take over the Grand Old Party. They will if they can.

Because of her enthusiastic crowds and neocon leaders like Bill Kristol, Palin thinks the party will be hers after this election is over-- win or lose. If she and her ilk succeed, it will be because the real conservatives in the Republican party didn't roll up their sleeves and get to work.

The right wing fear and smear machine, the religious bigots, they will get in there and work. Will you? If you don't put your money and heart into getting the Republican party back to true conservatism, you are getting what you deserve-- unfortunately so might we as a nation. We have seen how well that works after eight years of it with George Bush and Republicans who voted as automatically as those robocalls. It's not too late to give our country two viable political viewpoints from which to choose. It is too late this election.

(Finally, I had planned to put a blog, before the election, on abortion, but space is running out; and there are other more immediate issues that I thought needed to be addressed. I posted it instead (along with the other two that relate) onto Rainy Day Extras. So if you want to read my thinking on abortion, it's at: Will Abortion Remain a Choice?

Financing Campaigns

McCain is once again criticizing Barack Obama for not taking taxpayer financed campaigning with its accompanying government limitations. He repeated it again after Obama put out his great half hour infomercial. How unfair that Obama would have money for that, that Obama would spend so much money to win this election or so goes the Republican whine.

Obama is running on the support of people people like my family who have given more money than we ever have to any candidate. We have given money when we could have spent it on pleasures for ourselves. We did it because we thought it was too important to hold back. This is true of many families across this nation. The call has gone out that if we want to make a change, we have to do it.

When we gave that money to the Obama campaign, we wanted it to be for things like the infomercial and as many ads and campaign events as he can afford. When this election is over, we want Obama's campaign to be like this old saying:

"Life is not a journey to the grave with intentions of arriving safely in a pretty well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming ... WOW! What a ride!”

The Republicans have made accusations that the election is being bought. If it is, it's from people all around this country. We gave it for him to use; and if he ended up with a lot left over, we'd be disappointed. Spend it all and if we lose, let it not be because any of us held back. This is a time to put it all out there and hope it's enough.

The Republicans, surprisingly enough, have found fault with Obama for not accepting taxpayer money for this election. But what is he running on if not taxpayer money? Money freely given because of belief in the cause.

The kind of campaign Obama has run, sticking to the issues, pointing out where McCain has been wrong but not going into the mud, that has proven to us that our money has been well spent.

If there is anything frustrating, it is that we are also funding John McCain's even though we don't believe in anything he or Palin stand for. Now that's the real thing to question.

I thought the infomercial was great. I was fortunate enough to watch it with Parapluie. Farm Boss had a business trip planned for California which gave the two of us a chance to get together for an overnighter, time to watch female oriented movies. We had fun and got in watching the infomercial while we did.

Obama's program didn't give new information (other than that he has read to his girls every single Harry Potter book); but it brought up the problems our country is facing. Maybe for someone who is undecided or hasn't been paying attention, it will have reassured them about what Obama is running to do.