"Words are only words but we turn them into gifts... then we seem confused as their meaning slowly shifts"

The pain and sadness...and why Ray Kelly should be "brought down"

"It is embarrassing," Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., admitted Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." Warner asked: "Can we, once again, inflict on the country and the American people the spectacle of a near government shutdown?"

I've gone from being angry to being sad. Very sad.

This wondeful country that I adopted as my own over 20 years ago is in crisis. And with apologies to my friends who think a little differently politically to me, it is all...repeat ALL...because of the current crop of mind-bogglingly dumb Republicans. I'm not saying Democrats are perfect, we know they are far from it. But ask yourself these questions:

Who is holding the government to ransom AGAIN over giving victims of Hurricane Irene the kind of federal help that Americans should be able to take for granted? Inhumane.

What motivates NYPD officers to mace innocent, quiet, protesters in New York City? The answer lies in what they were protesting: Wall Street's greed and corruption and its active role in bringing this country close to the Second Great Depression. Despicable.

What drives the head of the NYPD to go on '60 Minutes' and brag about the fact that his city's police force has "the ability to bring down an airplane" and that it has secret "operatives" in cities around the world? This man should be immediately removed from office for stepping so far beyond the bounds of his job that it is criminal. He is undermining the Department of Homeland Security and the CIA and bringing ridicule down on one of the world's great cities. Unthinkable.

I am more sympathetic to so-called conservative views than many realize. Because like most rational human beings I can sympathize without agreeing. If only the far right had that same ability. It does not -and proves so time and time again.

The pressure to just give up, to stop writing stuff that alienates even friends, or people you thought you had something in common with, is relentless. And I've almost given in to it several times.

But looking at those poor women maced by the NYPD...I felt sad.

Looking at people who lost everything in the flooding that followed Hurricane Irene...I felt sad.

Looking at Ray Kelly bragging about capabilities the NYPD should legally not have...I wished I were the one intervewing him so I could challenge his right to undermine this country rather than help it. Then I felt sad.

Looking at a Governor crying for federal aid as his state burns...after letting go most of the state's firefighters to save money and still claiming that climate change is fiction and that god has all the answers...I felt sad

And I realized that if Americans had backed down when the same kind of people wanted to keep African Americans "in their place" and earlier when they wanted to keep women "in their place" and now they want to keep gays "in their place" progress would never have happened. 

"Their place" is America. I'm just not sure America is the place for these new, brutal, heartless right-wingers. As I've said before, I have to call them Republicans because that's what they are. But I would never call all Republicans brutal, heartless right-wingers.

Please take back your party before it is too late for us all.

Do you know the saddest thing of all? If you Google "declining values" every search result is about house prices.

 

 

Moving Goal Posts

I cautioned a friend recently on describing himself as a Centrist. Here's why.

There's nothing wrong with the new center being roughly where the old right used to be. Because the old right was fairly reasonable and worked with the good of the country at heart. Even if the left disagreed, compromise was usually possible. Problem is my friend belonged in the old center, and in continuing to describe himself this way (a mistake that President Obama made but then stopped) he is actually saying that his views have moved radically further right - which I know they have not. It's a horrible situation that many conservatives now find themselves in.

Now that the new right is leading the Republican party everything has changed. Which is why I feel sorry for my Republican friends because their views put them just right of where the old center was - no further right than that. And the only reasonable, caring thing for them to do is to vote for Obama next November. Because the Republicans are never going to field a candidate who represents the new center - they all come from that new right. And it's a truly inhumane, scary, racist, out-dated place where all decisions are left to god and climate change is not happening and possibly innocent men get executed.

And before someone suggests it, there has been no equivalent move to the left by liberals. We believe in pretty much the same things we've believed in for decades. The Tea Party - I hate using that phrase as it's a party you cannot vote for, they are REPUBLICANS! - is a new phenomenon that has impacted only one side of this equation. It may have entrenched some Liberal's views, which is good. But it has not shifted those views.

"When you're young, it's hard to sing the blues. Nobody believes you." - Nick Lowe

I love writing lyrics in blues formats. Some times I use them and some times not. Some times I just sing them to myself - which to me is precisely what the blues is all about. Making yourself feel better by singing out your troubles. Here's a recent example.

 

CITY BOY

What's a city boy doing burning in the desert sun

What's a city boy doing burning in the desert sun

If you ask me he's out here

'cos he knows the final chapter has begun

What's left to be said when you're all out of luck

What's left to be said when you're all out of luck

You just keep playing your part

Even though you don't know who wrote the book

 

Are they missing in action are they hiding or dead

Are they missing in action are they hiding or dead

All the ones you knew

In your life in your heart in your bed

 

What's a city boy doing burning in the desert sun

What's a city boy doing burning in the desert sun

If you ask me he's out here

'cos he knows the final chapter has begun

lyrics and photo ©2011 Dave Tutin

 

My apologies to Willie Nelson

I almost cannot believe it. I walked out on Willie Nelson after about six songs.

Last night my wife and I went to see Willie Nelson perform at the Santa Fe Opera - a benefit concert for the Sant Fe Watershed Association. It was a good cause. We attended the pre-concert party and had a good time. My wife even won a two-night stay in a local hotel in the raffle (I hope she invites me). Host of the  party was Ali Mcgraw. A local outfit called Joe's Not Here played the party and were quite entertaining.

Then we moved to the auditorium. The opening act was ATTWATER. You'll be hearing more of them as the lead singer (I think she said her name was Erica) can really sing.

Then after a brief intermission Willie Nelson & Family hit the stage. The crowd went wild. I was thrilled as I've never seen Willie live before but have respected him for years as a songwriter.

But then it kinda went wrong. It seems someone had told Willie he is now a lead guitar player - and he's many things but that is simply not one of them. His guitar was way too loud, his parts sounded pretty much the same in every song, his band seemed to be playing in a different time signature to Willie some of the time. His famous songs were thrown away with Willie simply speaking the lyrics and getting huge ovations. It was as if he were being applauded for having written the song despite the fact that he was now giving at best a limp performance of it.

Well, enough said. I remain a fan of Willie. And I truly apologize for leaving early. It was just not an "on" night. Despite what you will probably read in the local papers and elsewhere.

As someone once said...

I am not a pessimist; to perceive evil where it exists is, in my opinion, a form of optimism.

                                                                                            - Roberto Rossellini

 

A sad, sad fact...

If the Republicans could be magically returned to power today, guess how they'd solve our economic problems? They'd raise taxes on the rich and on corporations. And the rich and the corporations would go along with it because a Republican, not a black Democrat, was asking them to help. Where are the other Warren Buffetts? Where are the rich and corporate who will come out and admit "We can afford it"?

Brilliant words...

Expecting the Republicans to help pass a bill to create jobs in this country right now is a little bit like planning the particulars of your round the world trip with someone who believes the world is flat. - Rachel Maddow

The result of a life well lived...

If I need to tell you that this is Keith Richards, then you weren't there. In which case, I feel a little sorry for you.

The evil of the new norm

I spent long enough in the corporate world to know how it works.

A company exists for one reason: to make a profit. That profit is used to repay shareholders and to reinvest in the business so that it may grow and create more wealth.

It was a good system. Until, as Bob Dylan says in his song Union Sundown, "Greed got in the way."

Business used to accept that there were good times and bad. You saved the money from the good times to help you through the worst of times. 

Then it all changed. That profit I spoke of went to pay the heads of companies ever-increasing, obscene amounts of money. The profit expectations on companies were raised because the money was already committed. New norms were established.

And I now believe that new norms are evil. The single greatest problem facing our country and our economy. 

Bank of America does not have to close branches and lay off 30,000 people. It has money. It can even stand to lose money for a while. Well, it could if the old ways were still in force. But because the new norms - the new expectations - have to be met even in tough times, they are left with only the easiest way companies have ever had to "make the numbers" - fire people. And make the situation even worse.

A company that was helped enormously by the tax-payer funded bank bailout should have more heart. And should have a little faith in the future that fairly soon they will regret closing those branches, and regret firing experienced people. But Wall Street has no patience. The new norms must be met.

Let's say a company was cruising along nicely making 5% profit. Yes, there was a time when 5% was considered success. Then, by fair means and foul, they manage to make 10%, then 15%, then 25%. Or more in the case of the banks when averaged over a longer period than one fiscal year or one fiscal quarter.

25% is now the new norm. The evil new norm. Because a drop to 24% is now seen as failure. In the same way that America views a silver medal at the Olympic Games as having "failed to win Gold."

Constant growth, constant increases in executive pay, constant quarters that are better than the last are IMPOSSIBLE. Even in good times it is a false measure. In tough times it is economic suicide.

And that, right now is what Bank of America is committing. While at the same time making a clear and obvious political statement: those jobs won't come back until a friendly, paid-for Republican is in the White House.

They do not deserve to call themselves the Bank of America. That trademark should be taken from them.

 

 

An observation before the long campaign

Let's get one thing totally clear: Barack Obama, unlike many politicians, is not a liar.

When he said "Yes, we can" in 2008, he totally believed he could!

And I'm proud to say I was one of the many millions of Americans who believed in him, still believe in him, and voted him President.

Unfortunately, the way American politics is structured, the doing implied in "Yes, we can" requires cooperation from Congress. And that is something President Obama has sorely lacked.

Did he waste the early days when he had a majority in both houses? To a degree. But the Republican party had already decided to become 'the party of no' even then.

Barack Obama believes in compromise. But the media has made that a negative word. It is not. Never has been. But too late to undo that now.

Here's my one observation going into what will, sadly, be 13 months wasted on campaigning instead of governing as far as the Republicans are concerned:

George Bush was, without doubt, the worst American president in living memory.

He ignored warnings that Osama bin Laden planned to attack the US using hijacked planes.

He took us to war in Afghanistan - with a degree of justification - but always ignored the blatantly obvious role that Pakistan was playing, and still plays, in international terrorism. 

He took us to war in Iraq with zero justification. He did it merely to get the man who "tried to kill my daddy!" And his warmongering, truly un-American vice-president urged him on. And is still trying to rewrite history. 

He sowed the seeds of what would become the financial crisis that we are still in. He gave tax-cuts of a magnitude we could not afford and did not rescind them when that money was needed to fight his two wars. He deregulated Wall Street to the point of lunacy. And Wall Street proved that there is no such thing as benevolence in business any more - just outright greed. It will take years - and many presidents - to overcome the effects of the disastrous housing bubble created during Bush's eight years in office.

He now has the gall to say in his 9/11 interview, "Why didn't we know that?" talking about bin Laden's goals. Asshole...you did!

Well, be that as it sadly may, those years are gone and the damage done. And it was all inherited by Barack Obama. And he has done his level best to correct things and get this country back on a caring, prosperity-for-all track. With the Republicans fighting him every step of the way.

Now we have Democrats publicly doubting Obama's re-election chances. Fuck! Get behind your man for pity's sake. He is the smartest, most rational leader this country has had in decades. And he's YOUR man. Support him...or face the consequences.

We all know the myth of the presdiential Black Book - it's been the subject of several movies - the book that supposedly is filled with secrets that only presidents are allowed to know. Well, I could not care less if it exists or does not exist, the important thing is this: every president learns they do not wield unrestricted power, and quite rightly. One of the things that Obama has tried very hard not to be is George Bush. And I admire him for that. Bush and Cheney pretty much rode roughshod over Congress and look where that got us. Do I wish we'd elect smarter people to Congress? Damn right I do. But the three branches of government are there for good reason. The system was devised by intelligent men. Shame it's not staffed by the same. Obama learned - if he did not know already - that he was relatively powerless against a Republican party that had decided to be against him - and I hate to say this, again - for pretty much racial reasons. They will not be happy until another podgy white guy is in the White House.

Which brings me to main reason for writing this: Rick Perry.

Good grief, does this country NEVER learn? We've had one cowboy in the White House and he pretty much fucked us all. Trust me, Perry is worse than Bush.

I was going to post this yesterday but decided that the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 was not the day for politics. But it is a time to remember. To remember that it could have been prevented...to remember that many Americans have died because our response to that day was morally wrong...to remember that George Bush's response was to take basic freedoms away from Americans, to tap our phones and read our emails...to remember that for all his denials, Bush started a war against Islam not a war against terrorism (as I've said before, a war against a tactic is impossible), just ask American muslims if you doubt me. And remember who got bin Laden and where!

Please, remember. Remember all the way to next November. I am actually pleased that the 11th anniversary of 9/11 will occur before election day...it will remind us again of what is good about this country and how bad leaders can be.

I say again, Perry is worse than Bush. 

The Republican party has disowned its own history. And the only viable future for America is to have an intelligent man as leader for at least another four years. That man is Barack Obama. But he needs not only re-electing but a super majority in both houses. Then you'll see what "Yes, we can" really means. He won't waste that second chance, I promise you.

As Bush said, "Fool me once...shame on..." Oh that's right, remember, he fucked up the rest of the quote in true dumb-ass style. 

In case you didn't hear me...Perry is worse than Bush.

The worst - of a very bad bunch.