With Presidential Thoughts

With Presidential Thoughts

This week’s Think Write Thursday topic is to write about 3 things I would do if I were the President of the United States. (Carole adds this bit of confidence to the topic: “I’m very certain that any one of us could do a fantastic job!”)

Well…. that certainly inspires some monumental thoughts! And, ones that I have never considered before. Me as President?!

Yeah, that would never in a million years happen.

However, perhaps I could offer some arm-chair coaching that could be entirely useful as well as incredibly helpful.

One of my favorite shows was Borgen – which was all about the government process in Denmark. And, while I realize this is far from reality – there are some things that I think are an excellent take away that could prove useful to improving our system here in the United States.

  1. Cabinet selection – rather than selecting donors who gave significantly, or your friends, or – god forbid, your family as those who advise you during your presidency. I think it would move this country in a much better direction and decrease the current state of gridlock that exists to sit down and negotiate with the political parties about their representation in the cabinet. This way everyone has a voice. Everyone is part of the process. And, I mean all parties – The Green Party, The Libertarian Party, Republicans and Democrats – both moderates and conservatives, and, yes, even the Tea Party. Perhaps, if everyone has a seat at the table – there would be incentive to govern and do so in a manner that represents all the people!
  2. While in my heart of hearts, I would love an extremely liberal court – I know that balance is the key to the courts success. And I think that a court that reflects our diverse nation is a very good thing. So, I would encourage the President (whoever they are) to improve that diversity with justices that reflect that.
  3. Finally, I would like America to make education important – as important as it should be. We are a nation that somehow has fallen far behind on the value of education. Educated citizens make informed decisions, they are not afraid of diversity, they are not fearful of differing opinions, and they understand what compromise is. They are also less likely to be influenced by the phenomenon of “fake news” and fear mongering. Healthy debate is crucial to democracy and an educated nation would not fear reasoned and informed debate – they would welcome it! And let’s remember, compromise is not losing – it is forging a way forward, creating something that everyone feels good about – something that everyone had input in creating.

There is my tiny bit of advice for anyone desiring to be President.

Tomorrow brings the close to what has been, in my opinion, a practically perfect presidency. Did he get everything right? Of course, he didn’t but his measured and thoughtful leadership have given this nation something they can be very proud of. I will close with some encouragement President Obama gave us to hold on to and inspire us in the coming days:

“Democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity – the idea that for all our outward differences, we are all in this together; that we rise or fall as one…I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours.”

If you would like to join Carole and me in our Think Write Thursday journey, you can sign up here.

Oh, Hi Monday

Oh, Hi Monday

I don’t know about you, but it seemed like the weekend sped past.

And, there was no carding completed.

I know.

But, there was so much other stuff that got done, I am almost not upset.

Almost.

april18

There was also no laundry getting done over the weekend so this morning I was greeted by Mount Kilimanjaro – the laundry version.

But, there were days of Al Fresco dining, cocktails, and lots of yard work – even a little bit of sunburn was obtained!

I hope your weekend was wonderful and that your Monday is not harsh!

P.S. Rhubarb experts… do I cut the flower out now, or wait? Help!!

The Land of the Free (?) and the Home of the Brave (?)

The Land of the Free (?) and the Home of the Brave (?)

 

The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” she cries
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
– Emma Lazarus

 

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The Church of Me and Mine

I saw this article last week in my local paper. A mixture of disbelief and disgust washed over me as I read the article and the comments posted. Now, gentle reader, I live in the heart of the Christian Right of Michigan in a city that has more churches than bars. However, evidently, Christian charity does not extend beyond the walls of their precious sanctuaries, and certainly not for single mothers, people who are underprivileged, of a different faith or belief system, and especially if you have a different skin color.

However, lest you think that this kind of nonsense is an anomaly contained to my self-righteous city, you would be wrong because yesterday my BFF sent me this link.

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Life in the Cross-hairs

Bigotry [big-uh-tree] – noun – (the) stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one’s own.


“When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous, and unfortunately, Arizona I think has become sort of the capital. We have become the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry.” – Clarence Dupnik, Pima County Sherriff.

I am shocked, stunned, and heart-broken at the events that transpired yesterday in Tucson, Arizona, as should every single American.

So how did we come to this place – a place in which we believe there is nothing wrong with putting a map on your website with cross-hairs on the political opponents you would like to see eliminated or where an elected official can tell their constituents that she wants them “armed and dangerous?”

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