First of all let me say that I am deeply saddened by the assassination of former Prime Minister Bhutto of Pakistan. That it was so violent and took the lives of so many other innocents makes it all the more horrible. I hope and pray that the people of her country and the rest of the Middle East will finally come to know peace.
Many of you know that I am a fervent supporter of Joe Biden's bid to be President of the United States. Senator Biden, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has had Pakistan front and center on his radar screen for a very long time. For months he has said that we need a "Pakistani Policy not a Musharrof Policy". He has maintained open, honest and not infrequent communication with President Musharrof and with Ms. Bhutto until shortly before her tragic murder.
The Iowa caucus is just days away--January 3rd. I can only hope that Iowans who have been on the fence will see that Joe Biden is the one with the experience, connections and judgement to lead our nation at this time.
If you would like to see Senator Biden speaking on the issues related to the assassination and the future of Pakistan and our own nation, there is a 12 minute video of his press conference given as the Chairman of the Foreign Relations committee--not as a presidential candidate. The video can be found at www.joebiden.comI urge you to check him out. May some good come from these recent, terrible events.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
I guess I'm a socialist or something, but do you see the Third World in our future?
I hadn't been to New York in several years, but I went into the city a couple of times on my trip to the East Coast for the holiday season. Even before I left there in the late 90s, it was getting a bit ridiculous to live there. Some thought that maybe 9-11 would dampen the real estate market in the City, but that was merely a beep on the radar. Prices are out of control.
Back when I lived in New York, I had a little apartment in a two-family row home in Astoria, Queens--forget Manhattan even then. Since I moved out, even Astoria is looking astronomically expensive. Those who want to make an investment need to look out in Newark--it's a little dicey out there, but you've got a train route into the city.
In the meantime, I am reading an excellent book by Paul Krugman called The Conscience of a Liberal, which is labeled as current affairs, but I see more as an economic/political history of the twentieth and early twenty-first century. It looks at economic policy and especially tax policy as political tools to manipulate a greater political agenda by the Republicans, even while their rhetoric may have spoken more loudly to cultural issues. It is fascinating and to me, it all blends into what I see in New York, and to a broader extent across the country--a widening of the socio-economic gap in this country, which I feel could eventually propel us toward a Third World condition. I'm not saying this is immanent, but we cannot be complacent.
Having lived in Brazil, a country with one of the largest disparities in wealth distribution in the World, I am no stranger the dangers that exist. In Rio, where the slums have grown up the mountain sides through which the rich beach neighborhoods weave, those who wish to seperate themselves from the great unwashed, uneducated, poor and at times dangerous masses have had to resort to machine gun guarded, gated communities. Their maids venture out to the market in private buses and all is well for those who can. In Sao Paulo, on the other hand, apart from squatters under the overpasses, the majority of the city's poor live in far out neighborhoods, while the rich cluster in the center of town (grant it, the center of town is the size of Manhattan, at least, but we are talking about a huge city). The poor, like the guys who worked at the bakery on my block, traveled two hours or more each way to work for almost nothing. They walked part of the way.
New York could soon be the new Sao Paulo. Since the 1970s, the tax structure in this country has been arranged so that the very rich are keeping and investing and keeping so much of their income that the disparity between the rich and poor has been steadily expanding. The pay packages of high-level executives is so many hundreds of times the salary of the average worker that it is almost beyond belief. I would argue, that the extreme increases in incomes of the rich and in turn the super rich have been much of the drive behind the extreme increases in property prices in the major economic and political hubs of the country. Of course, this is coupled with the weakening of the dollar, which has recently compounded the phenomenon as wealthy foreigners have also sought to purchase property in areas like New York and San Francisco.
In the meantime, unlike after the post-war years, when the American middle class truly began to blossom, we are seeing a dangerous erosion of the average family's safety net and security. The fear of illness wiping out a family's security or leading to a loss of the family home is real for many hard-working and relatively well-educated Americans.
I work in education and all I hear is how we need to get every kid ready for college and that will be the ticket to a secure future, but I have felt in my bones that that was a croc of crap. And a college education is getting more and more expensive just as the guaranty it used to offer to security is eroding.
What Paul Krugman discusses in his book, The Conscience of a Liberal, is how the GOP systematically went about developing a message and an infrastructure to dismantal the New Deal and to peel away from the Democratic base many voters who should have voted for and supported the policies of the Democratic Party and the continuation of the New Deal and its promise of a strong middle class.
I urge people to read the book and to decide for themselves. How is it that so many American voters can be convinced to vote against their own self-interests? Krugman points to subtle race bating as a major component of the plan. Fear tactics, for sure, enter in. I would love to hear from any of you and discuss the implications of his arguments-- and my own fear that if the tax and other economic policies of our nation are not reversed that we could be heading towards a Third World economy--not in terms of overall size, but in terms of economic disparity and increased obstacles in movement into higher socio-economic standing. In short, an end to the American dream and the American society as we know it.
If I am correct, the end of the American society will come not primarily from immigrants or minorities, or gay marriage or pre-marital sex, but from the economic policies and political tactics of the GOP.
Call me a socialist if you want to. I prefer American.
Back when I lived in New York, I had a little apartment in a two-family row home in Astoria, Queens--forget Manhattan even then. Since I moved out, even Astoria is looking astronomically expensive. Those who want to make an investment need to look out in Newark--it's a little dicey out there, but you've got a train route into the city.
In the meantime, I am reading an excellent book by Paul Krugman called The Conscience of a Liberal, which is labeled as current affairs, but I see more as an economic/political history of the twentieth and early twenty-first century. It looks at economic policy and especially tax policy as political tools to manipulate a greater political agenda by the Republicans, even while their rhetoric may have spoken more loudly to cultural issues. It is fascinating and to me, it all blends into what I see in New York, and to a broader extent across the country--a widening of the socio-economic gap in this country, which I feel could eventually propel us toward a Third World condition. I'm not saying this is immanent, but we cannot be complacent.
Having lived in Brazil, a country with one of the largest disparities in wealth distribution in the World, I am no stranger the dangers that exist. In Rio, where the slums have grown up the mountain sides through which the rich beach neighborhoods weave, those who wish to seperate themselves from the great unwashed, uneducated, poor and at times dangerous masses have had to resort to machine gun guarded, gated communities. Their maids venture out to the market in private buses and all is well for those who can. In Sao Paulo, on the other hand, apart from squatters under the overpasses, the majority of the city's poor live in far out neighborhoods, while the rich cluster in the center of town (grant it, the center of town is the size of Manhattan, at least, but we are talking about a huge city). The poor, like the guys who worked at the bakery on my block, traveled two hours or more each way to work for almost nothing. They walked part of the way.
New York could soon be the new Sao Paulo. Since the 1970s, the tax structure in this country has been arranged so that the very rich are keeping and investing and keeping so much of their income that the disparity between the rich and poor has been steadily expanding. The pay packages of high-level executives is so many hundreds of times the salary of the average worker that it is almost beyond belief. I would argue, that the extreme increases in incomes of the rich and in turn the super rich have been much of the drive behind the extreme increases in property prices in the major economic and political hubs of the country. Of course, this is coupled with the weakening of the dollar, which has recently compounded the phenomenon as wealthy foreigners have also sought to purchase property in areas like New York and San Francisco.
In the meantime, unlike after the post-war years, when the American middle class truly began to blossom, we are seeing a dangerous erosion of the average family's safety net and security. The fear of illness wiping out a family's security or leading to a loss of the family home is real for many hard-working and relatively well-educated Americans.
I work in education and all I hear is how we need to get every kid ready for college and that will be the ticket to a secure future, but I have felt in my bones that that was a croc of crap. And a college education is getting more and more expensive just as the guaranty it used to offer to security is eroding.
What Paul Krugman discusses in his book, The Conscience of a Liberal, is how the GOP systematically went about developing a message and an infrastructure to dismantal the New Deal and to peel away from the Democratic base many voters who should have voted for and supported the policies of the Democratic Party and the continuation of the New Deal and its promise of a strong middle class.
I urge people to read the book and to decide for themselves. How is it that so many American voters can be convinced to vote against their own self-interests? Krugman points to subtle race bating as a major component of the plan. Fear tactics, for sure, enter in. I would love to hear from any of you and discuss the implications of his arguments-- and my own fear that if the tax and other economic policies of our nation are not reversed that we could be heading towards a Third World economy--not in terms of overall size, but in terms of economic disparity and increased obstacles in movement into higher socio-economic standing. In short, an end to the American dream and the American society as we know it.
If I am correct, the end of the American society will come not primarily from immigrants or minorities, or gay marriage or pre-marital sex, but from the economic policies and political tactics of the GOP.
Call me a socialist if you want to. I prefer American.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Merry Christmas to all!
'Tis the season to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Wondrous New Year! I love the Christmas season--the happy lights, the glowing trees, the stockings hung by the chimney with care. But what I love the most is the reason to stop all I am doing and put energy towards everyone I love in my life.
As a teacher and a director and a blogger and a wife and a and a and a....I have so many competing demands on my time that I spend much of my life realizing that I am working as hard as I can, as fast as I can and I am never at the end of the "list". In fact, for my own sanity, I have banned lists from my life. I used to make them, but when I couldn't get what I "needed" to do crossed off, I'd get anxious and upset. A mess. I have resigned myself to doing the best I can and helping as many people as I can--leaving myself time to eat a real dinner and get some exercise. And I help so many kids and I know that I make the World a little bit better by what I do and it fills me with satisfaction and gratitude for all I have.
But Christmas is a time to stop just long enough to connect with and honor all those people who have made my life possible. Not just my parents, but the friends, the teachers, the former students, the host parents, the co-workers who have somehow touched my spirit and left me better off. Some of whom I shared the happiest days of my life and some the lowest, but regardless, I came out better on the other side for knowing them. Some I see most everyday. Some I haven't seen in more than a decade, but all of them are with me always.
Every time I choose a gift and then wrap it thoughtfully and form a beautiful bow I honor the person who will receive it. Every Christmas card I write and stamp is a little connection with someone who I love. It isn't the cost of the card that is important, it is that I chose to spend that bit of money and the moment of time "with" the recipient. And the tighter my time gets, the more beautiful those moments are. I am so grateful for Christmas, because it allows me to share. It is the perfect reason to decorate, to bake, to entertain. To open my home as a symbol of my heart. I love my Christmas party. I love each person who comes to share it with me.
One of the best things that I did this holiday season was to take the student officers and choreographer of the Ballet Folklorico Program I direct to lunch at a nice restaurant. These people bring so much joy to my life. They, even the students, do adult work to keep the program on track and to help so many students grow in their lives. They are my Board of Directors. I loved this lunch. I loved to see them enjoying their little "executive perk". I loved to see them relax and enjoy themselves with me--like people--not like students. I loved giving them a gift-- a little token of appreciation for all they give me throughout the year.
This year, we shared our lunch, at a Brazilian restaurant, with my host daughter, who is here from Brazil. It was with my officers' permission that she joined our annual lunch date--she had served as our DJ at two shows! That was a gift, too. That all of them were happy together and happy with me. And I can be tough on these kids!
I am so lucky to be able to give at Christmas. I am so happy to be able to share at Christmas. I am so happy to be here for another year to celebrate Christmas. No matter where you are, no matter what your faith or lack there of, no matter how many pressures you have in your life, enjoy the glow of Christmas time! Slow down for a minute and share some love.
Merry Christmas to all!
As a teacher and a director and a blogger and a wife and a and a and a....I have so many competing demands on my time that I spend much of my life realizing that I am working as hard as I can, as fast as I can and I am never at the end of the "list". In fact, for my own sanity, I have banned lists from my life. I used to make them, but when I couldn't get what I "needed" to do crossed off, I'd get anxious and upset. A mess. I have resigned myself to doing the best I can and helping as many people as I can--leaving myself time to eat a real dinner and get some exercise. And I help so many kids and I know that I make the World a little bit better by what I do and it fills me with satisfaction and gratitude for all I have.
But Christmas is a time to stop just long enough to connect with and honor all those people who have made my life possible. Not just my parents, but the friends, the teachers, the former students, the host parents, the co-workers who have somehow touched my spirit and left me better off. Some of whom I shared the happiest days of my life and some the lowest, but regardless, I came out better on the other side for knowing them. Some I see most everyday. Some I haven't seen in more than a decade, but all of them are with me always.
Every time I choose a gift and then wrap it thoughtfully and form a beautiful bow I honor the person who will receive it. Every Christmas card I write and stamp is a little connection with someone who I love. It isn't the cost of the card that is important, it is that I chose to spend that bit of money and the moment of time "with" the recipient. And the tighter my time gets, the more beautiful those moments are. I am so grateful for Christmas, because it allows me to share. It is the perfect reason to decorate, to bake, to entertain. To open my home as a symbol of my heart. I love my Christmas party. I love each person who comes to share it with me.
One of the best things that I did this holiday season was to take the student officers and choreographer of the Ballet Folklorico Program I direct to lunch at a nice restaurant. These people bring so much joy to my life. They, even the students, do adult work to keep the program on track and to help so many students grow in their lives. They are my Board of Directors. I loved this lunch. I loved to see them enjoying their little "executive perk". I loved to see them relax and enjoy themselves with me--like people--not like students. I loved giving them a gift-- a little token of appreciation for all they give me throughout the year.
This year, we shared our lunch, at a Brazilian restaurant, with my host daughter, who is here from Brazil. It was with my officers' permission that she joined our annual lunch date--she had served as our DJ at two shows! That was a gift, too. That all of them were happy together and happy with me. And I can be tough on these kids!
I am so lucky to be able to give at Christmas. I am so happy to be able to share at Christmas. I am so happy to be here for another year to celebrate Christmas. No matter where you are, no matter what your faith or lack there of, no matter how many pressures you have in your life, enjoy the glow of Christmas time! Slow down for a minute and share some love.
Merry Christmas to all!
Biden on the Rise--We hope for a Jan. 3 surprise!: Go Joe!
My man Joe Biden has been coming up in the polls in Iowa. And he has been running the campaign he wants to run. No pundits sway him. No focus groups urge him to soften or harden his image. He is who is is--the most experience, level-headed, action oriented, plain speaking, humor-invoking guy in the race. If you have not already checked out the videos and blog at www.joebiden.com, please do and make up your own mind. He isn't perfect. I think he needs to expand his plans for immigration and his policies toward Latin America as a whole, but damn--he his right--we have to get Iraq out of the way first. And we have to do it in a thoughtful, responsible, pro-active way. And we have to take care of the troops coming home and we have to take care of the working and middle class people of this country in a real way. Their standing in this nation is what sets us apart from the Third World.
Finally, too Joe is getting some national press. There was a great piece on him in the New York Times this past week, outlining his personal story with all the tragedy and challenges that he has overcome and come out better for it, I might add. It stated what those of us who follow his campaign have known all along. He is his own man and he is running the campaign he wants to run--no matter what.
The L.A. Times featured a piece on its front page this week about a volunteer caucus organizer in Iowa, Teri Hawks Goodmann, who is supporting Biden. She is a die-hard supporter and she knows her stuff. She is doing everything she can to get Biden where he needs to be on caucus night--January 3rd. The way the Biden campaign figures it, if he can place 3rd in the caucuses, he can make it to the White House and me, I have to believe it, too.
That would probably mean bumping John Edwards off, and that will be hard, because he has been organizing in Iowa since the last go round in 2004 and he got a lot of people out to caucus then. But, who knows, maybe Obama will go down? He can get people out to see Oprah, but will that translate to getting people out to caucus?
Go Joe!
Finally, too Joe is getting some national press. There was a great piece on him in the New York Times this past week, outlining his personal story with all the tragedy and challenges that he has overcome and come out better for it, I might add. It stated what those of us who follow his campaign have known all along. He is his own man and he is running the campaign he wants to run--no matter what.
The L.A. Times featured a piece on its front page this week about a volunteer caucus organizer in Iowa, Teri Hawks Goodmann, who is supporting Biden. She is a die-hard supporter and she knows her stuff. She is doing everything she can to get Biden where he needs to be on caucus night--January 3rd. The way the Biden campaign figures it, if he can place 3rd in the caucuses, he can make it to the White House and me, I have to believe it, too.
That would probably mean bumping John Edwards off, and that will be hard, because he has been organizing in Iowa since the last go round in 2004 and he got a lot of people out to caucus then. But, who knows, maybe Obama will go down? He can get people out to see Oprah, but will that translate to getting people out to caucus?
Go Joe!
Chavez Watch update
Well, I have been away a long time, but I promise I have been busy with my life outside the blog--mainly school and the folklorico program, but I have been keeping an eye on that crafty Chavez and have mixed news to report. Most of my information is coming from The New York Times, CNN and NPR.
Chavez successfully got Venezuelan time zone changed to a half-hour system, which will brighten the Caracas sky half an hour earlier and, according to Chavez lead to more productivity--odd since he also has mandated a 6 hour work day, but never mind--he did it. Score one for the fruitcake, but in the meantime, people are worried that the half an hour less of light at the end of the day will only contribute further to the violent crime rate, which is surging in Venezuelan cities.
On the flip side, despite some juicy oil money inducements linked to the measure, Chavez was NOT successful in getting the public to approve, via referendum, a change to the constitution which would have allowed the crafty leader to be re-elected indefinitely. Score one for Democracy. Hope is alive.
But, don't get too happy, Chavez has got his Development Bank off the ground, with big, regional players like Brazil signed on for the ride. The bank is designed to right the wrongs of the IMF-style loans, which come with so many strings attached that they have brought some nations (notably Argentina at the turn of the 21st century) to their knees. Often the IMF and World Bank required free-market reforms and tax over-hauls that even the most capitalist of development nations don't live up to. This new bank will not require the strings, (whether there will be new strings, who knows?) but the idea of the same countries providing the funds for a bank as will be receiving the loans seems a bit fishy. Stay tuned.....
Meanwhile, Chavez pal, Evo Morales, president of Bolivia, is facing growing opposition from the relatively wealthy eastern area of his country. Evo, the first indigenous leader of Bolivia since its independence from Spain, is doing all he can to centralize power in the Andean region, home to many Amayan natives, but the East is not having it lying down. They are trying to decentralize and seek more regional autonomy. Could be a very volatile 2008 for that country.
On an interesting side note, the suitcase of cash (between $700,000 and $800,000) that was intercepted by Argentine authorities in Buenos Aires was confirmed to have been sent from the Chavez camp as a contribution to the campaign of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. No evidence as of yet that she knew anything about it.
If you haven't figured it out, I am a huge lover of South America and wish only the best for the entire region in the New Year. I also wish that our country would pay a little more attention to our neighborhood--not in a Big Brother kind of way, but in the concerned neighbor kind. Because people like Chavez will always be around to fill the void.
Chavez successfully got Venezuelan time zone changed to a half-hour system, which will brighten the Caracas sky half an hour earlier and, according to Chavez lead to more productivity--odd since he also has mandated a 6 hour work day, but never mind--he did it. Score one for the fruitcake, but in the meantime, people are worried that the half an hour less of light at the end of the day will only contribute further to the violent crime rate, which is surging in Venezuelan cities.
On the flip side, despite some juicy oil money inducements linked to the measure, Chavez was NOT successful in getting the public to approve, via referendum, a change to the constitution which would have allowed the crafty leader to be re-elected indefinitely. Score one for Democracy. Hope is alive.
But, don't get too happy, Chavez has got his Development Bank off the ground, with big, regional players like Brazil signed on for the ride. The bank is designed to right the wrongs of the IMF-style loans, which come with so many strings attached that they have brought some nations (notably Argentina at the turn of the 21st century) to their knees. Often the IMF and World Bank required free-market reforms and tax over-hauls that even the most capitalist of development nations don't live up to. This new bank will not require the strings, (whether there will be new strings, who knows?) but the idea of the same countries providing the funds for a bank as will be receiving the loans seems a bit fishy. Stay tuned.....
Meanwhile, Chavez pal, Evo Morales, president of Bolivia, is facing growing opposition from the relatively wealthy eastern area of his country. Evo, the first indigenous leader of Bolivia since its independence from Spain, is doing all he can to centralize power in the Andean region, home to many Amayan natives, but the East is not having it lying down. They are trying to decentralize and seek more regional autonomy. Could be a very volatile 2008 for that country.
On an interesting side note, the suitcase of cash (between $700,000 and $800,000) that was intercepted by Argentine authorities in Buenos Aires was confirmed to have been sent from the Chavez camp as a contribution to the campaign of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. No evidence as of yet that she knew anything about it.
If you haven't figured it out, I am a huge lover of South America and wish only the best for the entire region in the New Year. I also wish that our country would pay a little more attention to our neighborhood--not in a Big Brother kind of way, but in the concerned neighbor kind. Because people like Chavez will always be around to fill the void.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
That Loony Chavez is at it again! And Bill Richardson talks to Colombian daily
Okay, I call him a loony, but the reality is that he is filling a vacuum of neglect by the United States in the region and that makes him dangerous. Really, besides building a fence between the US and Mexico, ranting about Castro and tightening travel restrictions by relative between the US and Cuba and sending a bunch of military aid to Colombia to stop drugs (that works well, not) while doing nothing to help the people of the region economically, what has been the US involvement in Latin America since 911? Anybody help me out here? Hello, have I forgotten anything?
Well, at least there are some student leaders in Venezuela who are up to opposing the would-be dictator, who is hell-bent on amending the constitution to allow for his continual reelection. An article in the New York Times paints a picture of a few dedicated kids sleeping every night in a different location attempting to stir opposition to Chavez while fearing for their lives. At least Chavez's ex-wife, Marisabel Rodriguez, is speaking out against the changes her former spouse is attempting to have imposed on his Nation. According to Brazils' Jornal de Tarde the former first lady is taking advantage of her husband's behavior over the weekend in a regional conference in Chile to draw attention to Chavez's negative side. When commenting on the tiff between the Venezuelan President and the King of Spain, she expanded her comments to the liberties her people would be forfeiting if and probably when they approve the changes to their constitution.
If you missed all the excitement in Chile, let me fill you in. Not widely reported in the US press, there was quite a furor in Santiago this weekend when the King of Spain stepped in to support his country's President, Rodriguez Zapatero, who was being continually interrupted by Mr. Chavez, who called the former Spanish president, Jose Maria Aznar, a fascist and then accused the Spanish government of being complicit with the United States in effecting the coup against Chavez in 2002--an accusation denied by Spain. Reports in newspapers across South America, report that the King asked Chavez, "Why don't you just shut up?". La Nacional in Chile reports that Chavez says he did not hear the remark and for that the King was very lucky.
According to El Correo in Peru, chancellor Alejandro Foxley speaking on behalf of the Chilean government, who hosted the Regional Conference where all this excitement went down, said that their government, headed by President Bachelet, had a "higher level" alliance with Spain than with Venezuela, thanks to a series of economic agreements signed between the two governments, but that Chile did have a "good relationship" with Venezuela.
It is in Chile's best interest to hedge its bets, as Chavez, loony, dictatorial or not, has growing regional influence in the region. In today's edition Peru's El Correo also reported on Chavez's stops in Bolivia's Beni District to check up on progress being made on the construction of various large-scale projects including a 28 mile long dike by Venezuelan engineers and military personnel.
Meanwhile, Fidel Castro has weighed in on the latest breath of life that Chavez has granted to the 2002 coup. El Espectador, of Colombia reports that Castro deemed the "debate" between his Venezuelan protege and the King of Spain historic. He also adverted that an attempt could be made on Chavez' life.
Also in El Espectador is an extensive interview with Democratic hopeful Bill Richardson, current Governor of New Mexico, former UN ambassador and Energy Secretary and, according to the Colombian daily, the most likely Vice Presidential pick of any of the other candidates for the US Democratic Presidential Nomination. The paper's interest in Richardson, included the facts that he is Hispanic, speaks Spanish and is interested in Latin America. In his interview, which shows his breadth of knowledge of the region and its concerns, Richardson underscores the utter lack of attention and insight that the Bush Administration has shown Latin America in the aftermath of 911. When we have shown interest in the region--for example through support of the opposition during the short lived Venezuelan coup or in strengthening unpopular sanctions against remittances to Cuban family members or by funding ineffectual military operations against Colombian cocaine producers, which produce unpleasant environmental consequences without significantly curtailing cocaine supplies, the US government only serves to stoke the image of a man like Chavez.
While I feel that Senator Biden would be a better choice for President of the United States, and while I feel that in order for Richardson to be tapped for a major roll in a Biden administration, the governor would have to embrace or at least find a way to support Biden's Iraq plan, I hope someone in Biden's campaign--I hope someone in every US presidential campaign, translates this interview and takes it to heart. We are facing major hot spots in the Middle East. We cannot afford another one to boil over in our hemisphere.
Well, at least there are some student leaders in Venezuela who are up to opposing the would-be dictator, who is hell-bent on amending the constitution to allow for his continual reelection. An article in the New York Times paints a picture of a few dedicated kids sleeping every night in a different location attempting to stir opposition to Chavez while fearing for their lives. At least Chavez's ex-wife, Marisabel Rodriguez, is speaking out against the changes her former spouse is attempting to have imposed on his Nation. According to Brazils' Jornal de Tarde the former first lady is taking advantage of her husband's behavior over the weekend in a regional conference in Chile to draw attention to Chavez's negative side. When commenting on the tiff between the Venezuelan President and the King of Spain, she expanded her comments to the liberties her people would be forfeiting if and probably when they approve the changes to their constitution.
If you missed all the excitement in Chile, let me fill you in. Not widely reported in the US press, there was quite a furor in Santiago this weekend when the King of Spain stepped in to support his country's President, Rodriguez Zapatero, who was being continually interrupted by Mr. Chavez, who called the former Spanish president, Jose Maria Aznar, a fascist and then accused the Spanish government of being complicit with the United States in effecting the coup against Chavez in 2002--an accusation denied by Spain. Reports in newspapers across South America, report that the King asked Chavez, "Why don't you just shut up?". La Nacional in Chile reports that Chavez says he did not hear the remark and for that the King was very lucky.
According to El Correo in Peru, chancellor Alejandro Foxley speaking on behalf of the Chilean government, who hosted the Regional Conference where all this excitement went down, said that their government, headed by President Bachelet, had a "higher level" alliance with Spain than with Venezuela, thanks to a series of economic agreements signed between the two governments, but that Chile did have a "good relationship" with Venezuela.
It is in Chile's best interest to hedge its bets, as Chavez, loony, dictatorial or not, has growing regional influence in the region. In today's edition Peru's El Correo also reported on Chavez's stops in Bolivia's Beni District to check up on progress being made on the construction of various large-scale projects including a 28 mile long dike by Venezuelan engineers and military personnel.
Meanwhile, Fidel Castro has weighed in on the latest breath of life that Chavez has granted to the 2002 coup. El Espectador, of Colombia reports that Castro deemed the "debate" between his Venezuelan protege and the King of Spain historic. He also adverted that an attempt could be made on Chavez' life.
Also in El Espectador is an extensive interview with Democratic hopeful Bill Richardson, current Governor of New Mexico, former UN ambassador and Energy Secretary and, according to the Colombian daily, the most likely Vice Presidential pick of any of the other candidates for the US Democratic Presidential Nomination. The paper's interest in Richardson, included the facts that he is Hispanic, speaks Spanish and is interested in Latin America. In his interview, which shows his breadth of knowledge of the region and its concerns, Richardson underscores the utter lack of attention and insight that the Bush Administration has shown Latin America in the aftermath of 911. When we have shown interest in the region--for example through support of the opposition during the short lived Venezuelan coup or in strengthening unpopular sanctions against remittances to Cuban family members or by funding ineffectual military operations against Colombian cocaine producers, which produce unpleasant environmental consequences without significantly curtailing cocaine supplies, the US government only serves to stoke the image of a man like Chavez.
While I feel that Senator Biden would be a better choice for President of the United States, and while I feel that in order for Richardson to be tapped for a major roll in a Biden administration, the governor would have to embrace or at least find a way to support Biden's Iraq plan, I hope someone in Biden's campaign--I hope someone in every US presidential campaign, translates this interview and takes it to heart. We are facing major hot spots in the Middle East. We cannot afford another one to boil over in our hemisphere.
Joe Biden--help him break through--Go Joe!
Well folks, Joe Biden broke another fundraising goal--he was going for $500,000 by the 16th and I just checked in on the official campaign site (www.joebiden.com) and they've raked in a bit more than that as of today, the 13th, but with the Iowa Caucus, New Hampshire primary and other important contests coming so close to the holidays, advertising is going to be going for top dollars. And, Joe needs to break through to a national audience. On Thursday evening, the 15th of November, there will be another Democratic Debate, this one out of Las Vegas, Nevada, a state who this year will be holding an early caucus--that's right caucus. According to The News Hour on PBS, the Democratic party has been working hard to educate its folks about the process and to register and energize new voters--especially Latinos, so this state will have a different flavor to it than that of Iowa or New Hampshire. Biden supporters can only hope that he will get a little more air time this go round to introduce himself to this audience and to the Nation.
If you haven't checked Biden out yet, I urge you to do so. If you go to www.joebiden.com, you can access a slew of videos. If you don't have a lot of time to spend sorting them all out for yourself, I recommend the following clips: "Biden on This Week" (3 weeks ago, 19:41 minutes), "Sacred Obligation" (1 day ago, 8:18 minutes), "The Situation in Pakistan" (5 days ago, 6:52 minutes), "Joe Biden on Pakistan" (on Face the Nation, 1 week ago, 13:52 minutes).
We need this man. We really do. As he says himself on This Week he offers both "authenticity and insight". If there ever was a time in American when we needed these two traits in a leader, it is now. On Facebook, there was a guy who asked flat out, why should I support Biden. This is what I posted:
In 1988 he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination, and he admits that at the time, he was not ready. At the time he lost focus on his presidential campaign to head the Bork hearings, as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee, a committee on which had served since entering the Senate just before the Watergate hearings. He knew those hearings were incredibly important to the balance of the Supreme Court and thus to the nation. With his eye off the ball, he used a line he had often used and cited on the campaign trail during a debate. This one time, he forgot to cite the British politician who originally authored the line and was accused of plagiarism.This stuck to him. Additionally, throughout the campaign he had been experiencing excruciating head aches, which he ignored as stress induced. Shortly after the campaign ended, he suffered a severe brain hemorrhage, which almost killed him. It took many long months to recover from this event. But he did.
Senator Biden went on to sponsor crime legislation, which helped to bring down the violent crime rate in many U.S. cities, he sponsored and eventually passed the Violence Against Women Act. He became the chairman of the Senate Foreign relations committee where he has served with great distinction. He was one of the chief arccitechs of the plan that brought peace to the Balkans, and which has sustained peace in that region since the end of the Bosnian War. He also authored an amendment outlining a plan to bring a political end to the Iraq War. This plan was passed by the Senate and supported by other Democrat Presidential hopefuls. He is extremely well versed in Middle Eastern affairs and spoke to both Mussharof and Bhutro in the aftermath of the suspension on the Pakistani Constitution before they spoke to President Bush.
Check him out. Contribute to his campaign. Tell your friends and neighbors. Go Joe!
If you haven't checked Biden out yet, I urge you to do so. If you go to www.joebiden.com, you can access a slew of videos. If you don't have a lot of time to spend sorting them all out for yourself, I recommend the following clips: "Biden on This Week" (3 weeks ago, 19:41 minutes), "Sacred Obligation" (1 day ago, 8:18 minutes), "The Situation in Pakistan" (5 days ago, 6:52 minutes), "Joe Biden on Pakistan" (on Face the Nation, 1 week ago, 13:52 minutes).
We need this man. We really do. As he says himself on This Week he offers both "authenticity and insight". If there ever was a time in American when we needed these two traits in a leader, it is now. On Facebook, there was a guy who asked flat out, why should I support Biden. This is what I posted:
Because he has an incredible record in the Senate that stretches back over three decades, because he helped bring about peace in the Balkans, because his crime bill helped bring down violent crime in American cities, because he introduced the Violence Against Women Act, because he is a practicing Catholic, but doesn't think he needs to foist his beliefs on the entire nation, because he has raised incredibly well-balanced kids, because he doesn't lie to us, because he has a plan for Iraq that could actually work, because the worst thing he has ever been guilty of is sticking his foot in his mouth a couple of times--because he is more preoccupied with his work, our country and the truth than with the polls--because he has a sense of urgency and a sense of humor. Is that enough?
For those of you who do not know this man's personal story, he was elected to the U.S. Senate at the age of 29. Before he was sworn in at the age of 30, his wife and baby daughter were killed in a car crash. His two young son's were injured. He took his oath of office by one of his son's hospital beds. In order to bring stability to his family, he has commuted back and forth to Deleware on Amtrak trains from his Washington office since he was first elected more than 30 years ago. Eventually, he remarried, and with his wife raised his boys and a daughter who was a product of this second marriage. One son, is the Attorney General of Deleware and an officer in the Deleware National Guard. He is slated to go to Iraq. His other son, is a lawyer who ran a homeless shelter in Washington, DC after his graduation from Georgetown. His daughter is a social worker. His wife worked as a school teacher.In 1988 he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination, and he admits that at the time, he was not ready. At the time he lost focus on his presidential campaign to head the Bork hearings, as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee, a committee on which had served since entering the Senate just before the Watergate hearings. He knew those hearings were incredibly important to the balance of the Supreme Court and thus to the nation. With his eye off the ball, he used a line he had often used and cited on the campaign trail during a debate. This one time, he forgot to cite the British politician who originally authored the line and was accused of plagiarism.This stuck to him. Additionally, throughout the campaign he had been experiencing excruciating head aches, which he ignored as stress induced. Shortly after the campaign ended, he suffered a severe brain hemorrhage, which almost killed him. It took many long months to recover from this event. But he did.
Senator Biden went on to sponsor crime legislation, which helped to bring down the violent crime rate in many U.S. cities, he sponsored and eventually passed the Violence Against Women Act. He became the chairman of the Senate Foreign relations committee where he has served with great distinction. He was one of the chief arccitechs of the plan that brought peace to the Balkans, and which has sustained peace in that region since the end of the Bosnian War. He also authored an amendment outlining a plan to bring a political end to the Iraq War. This plan was passed by the Senate and supported by other Democrat Presidential hopefuls. He is extremely well versed in Middle Eastern affairs and spoke to both Mussharof and Bhutro in the aftermath of the suspension on the Pakistani Constitution before they spoke to President Bush.
Check him out. Contribute to his campaign. Tell your friends and neighbors. Go Joe!
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Latin America Round Up and Chavez Watch
Real quick, because there is not enough time in the day, here are some highlights of what has been going on in Latin America over the last couple of weeks--or at least some of what has been going on. My source on all this is the New York Times, but when I finally get a chance, I'll try to track down some regional sources for their slant.
- Okay, first of all, Argentina has just elected a female president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, a powerful senator and also the current first lady. She actually won a senate seat before her husband, Nestor Kirchner got into politics, so she is the real deal. We do however have to watch what deal the Argentines are being sold. As the Argentine Constitution allows presidents to run again after they take four years off, are we looking at an endless rotation of Kirchners? (A note for trivia buffs--Argentina did have a female president in the past, but she was not elected. Juan Peron's second wife, Isabela (not the famous Evita) succeeded her husband after his death in office.) Mrs. Kirchner joins Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile, and Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica, as a leader of Latin American nations.
- Former Shining Path rebels now working with narco-trafficers in Peru killed a police chief last week.
- Bolivia's busiest airport was taken over by locals in the province of Santa Cruz, whose leaders want autonomy from Evo Morales' socialist government. The federal government no longer controls it. Since a number of airlines have canceled flights due to demands for cash. Sounds messing. Stay tuned. I need time to investigate this one.
- Wacky, scary Chavez is at it again. Besides trying to adjust the nation's clocks by 30 minutes to increase metabolism, the Venezuela leader is starting his own regional Development Bank meant to diminish the influence of the World Bank, which is under the leadership of the United States. We need to keep our eyes on this one, because big, regional players like Brazil have signed off on the proposal.
- Even more frightening, our favorite Latin American demagogue, Mr. Chavez, has had his puppet government approve amendments to the Constitution, which would allow him to be re-elected indefinitely.. Now the voters will have the final say, but we need to watch that major violence does not erupt as the campaign gets underway nor do we want voter-fraud. Is the fix already in?
Joe Biden on Rudy Guiliani: "There's only three things he mentions in a sentence...
...a noun and a verb and 9/11."
These now-famous words were uttered by my man, Joe Biden, during this week's Democratic Debate on MSNBC, just after he called New York's former mayor "genuinely not qualified to be President." And for those of you not following the on-going saga, Rudy Guiliani's machine has been fighting back in a way that belies--fear. And definitely more fear than one would think from someone counted out of the nomination.
Why? Because despite the fact that in the entire two hour debate Biden, a man who sat on the Senate Judiciary Committee for the Watergate Hearings, a man who has stood up to International War Criminals, a man who sponsored the Violence Against Women Act, a man who led the charge to put more cops on the beat in Rudy's New York and other major cities across the nation, a man who helped broker and guarantee peace in the Balkans, a man who has chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a man whose plan to bring a political solution to Iraq passed the Senate and which is vocally supported by the other Senators running for President--was given only 6 minutes to speak--spoke well and truthfully.
While his one-liner got all the headlines, and hopefully these headlines will bring people to take a closer look at Joe, he answered another question, one that Mr. Russert asked in a way to 'trap' the Senator, so brilliantly, that I'm going to ask you to take a look:
These now-famous words were uttered by my man, Joe Biden, during this week's Democratic Debate on MSNBC, just after he called New York's former mayor "genuinely not qualified to be President." And for those of you not following the on-going saga, Rudy Guiliani's machine has been fighting back in a way that belies--fear. And definitely more fear than one would think from someone counted out of the nomination.
Why? Because despite the fact that in the entire two hour debate Biden, a man who sat on the Senate Judiciary Committee for the Watergate Hearings, a man who has stood up to International War Criminals, a man who sponsored the Violence Against Women Act, a man who led the charge to put more cops on the beat in Rudy's New York and other major cities across the nation, a man who helped broker and guarantee peace in the Balkans, a man who has chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a man whose plan to bring a political solution to Iraq passed the Senate and which is vocally supported by the other Senators running for President--was given only 6 minutes to speak--spoke well and truthfully.
While his one-liner got all the headlines, and hopefully these headlines will bring people to take a closer look at Joe, he answered another question, one that Mr. Russert asked in a way to 'trap' the Senator, so brilliantly, that I'm going to ask you to take a look:
MR. RUSSERT: Senator Biden, would you pledge to the American people that
Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards each wiggled his or her way out of the question, essentially pledging to do what they could to prevent
SEN. BIDEN: I would pledge to keep us safe. If you told me, Tim -- and this is not -- this is complicated stuff. We talk about this in isolation. The fact of the matter is the Iranians may get 2.6 kilograms of highly enriched uranium; the Pakistanis have hundreds, thousands of kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
If by attacking
Presidents make wise decisions informed not by a vacuum in which they operate, by the situation they find themselves in the world. I will do all in my power to stop
What is the greatest threat to the
Tomorrow, Sunday, November 4th, 2007, Joe Biden will appear on Face The Nation. If don't catch the first broadcast, you'll be able to get it online later. In the meantime, think about this--today Pakistan's Musharraf suspended the Constitution and replaced the head of the Supreme Court of his nation. Do you follow?
Go Joe!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Biden first to receive newspaper endorsement--Go Joe!
Okay, never heard of the Storm Lake Times? Well, I hadn't either, but they have just endorsed Joe Biden for President, so I had to look them up. They are a small, but powerful paper in the county of Buena Vista, Iowa--Iowa folks, is where the Democratic nomination will first take shape. Joe was the first of all the candidates to pick up a newspaper endorsement of any size. He has already picked up an astounding number of political endorsements in the state, so this is a great sign for those of us who are trying to get the word out past the hype of the celebrity candidates.
At least in Iowa, where the voters and the local media get healthy and frequent up-close exposure to all the candidates, Biden is really starting to shine through. In its endorsement of our guy, the paper wrote, "Biden is our choice for the nomination for the powerful personal story he shares, for his deep knowledge of international affairs, and for his long record of exemplary service in the United States Senate". But they also wrote of his connection to the voters as he met with them in their living rooms around their county. They noticed not only his experience, but also his genuine nature and his real effort to connect with the people of Iowa.
Don't give up on Joe Biden. Spread the word!
At least in Iowa, where the voters and the local media get healthy and frequent up-close exposure to all the candidates, Biden is really starting to shine through. In its endorsement of our guy, the paper wrote, "Biden is our choice for the nomination for the powerful personal story he shares, for his deep knowledge of international affairs, and for his long record of exemplary service in the United States Senate". But they also wrote of his connection to the voters as he met with them in their living rooms around their county. They noticed not only his experience, but also his genuine nature and his real effort to connect with the people of Iowa.
Don't give up on Joe Biden. Spread the word!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Biden on Immigration: Go Joe!
Okay, I'll admit it, I did a bit of navel-gazing in my last post, but I am passionate about my students. After I re-read it, I thought, I know a lot about Joe Biden and I have read his biography, Promises to Keep, which I highly recommend and I know he is thoughtful, passionate and pragmatic about just about every major issue, but I did not know where he came down on immigration-- an issue very near to my heart. The stories I could tell you--but that's another blog for another day.
Anyway, his website was void of info, so I did what any curious 21st century type would do--I ran to Facebook-- where David Moss, on the Biden for President-2008 group pointed me to OnTheIssues.org. This is a great resource that shows the voting record of members of Congress on a plethora of issues. Biden voted YES on the fence, but only as it would be a positive tool in fighting drug-trafficking, which is a major cause of violent crime on the border. He voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform, NO on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program, YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship, YES on allowing more foreign farm workers, No on visas for skilled workers (where you really see wages depressed if you ask me), NO English as a National Language--thank you, since the Founding Fathers left it out on purpose, and I believe intuitively understood linguistics better than any of this alarmist English-only types.
I am still looking for more insight on these issues, but I am glad to see that Joe seems to be taking, a reasonable, thoughtful and principled approach to the immigration question. I will continue to follow this issue and reach out to the campaign when I am able, to encourage a well-formed, public position on immigration reform. Far to many hard-working families' lives hang in the balance--not to mention the soul of our country--founded by immigrants.
Below is an entry I wrote last year, discussing the "English question". The information I have on Joe Biden's vote is from his No vote on June 6, 2007 for the "National Language Ammendment Act" Bill S. Amdt. 1151 to S.1348.
Anyway, his website was void of info, so I did what any curious 21st century type would do--I ran to Facebook-- where David Moss, on the Biden for President-2008 group pointed me to OnTheIssues.org. This is a great resource that shows the voting record of members of Congress on a plethora of issues. Biden voted YES on the fence, but only as it would be a positive tool in fighting drug-trafficking, which is a major cause of violent crime on the border. He voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform, NO on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program, YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship, YES on allowing more foreign farm workers, No on visas for skilled workers (where you really see wages depressed if you ask me), NO English as a National Language--thank you, since the Founding Fathers left it out on purpose, and I believe intuitively understood linguistics better than any of this alarmist English-only types.
I am still looking for more insight on these issues, but I am glad to see that Joe seems to be taking, a reasonable, thoughtful and principled approach to the immigration question. I will continue to follow this issue and reach out to the campaign when I am able, to encourage a well-formed, public position on immigration reform. Far to many hard-working families' lives hang in the balance--not to mention the soul of our country--founded by immigrants.
Below is an entry I wrote last year, discussing the "English question". The information I have on Joe Biden's vote is from his No vote on June 6, 2007 for the "National Language Ammendment Act" Bill S. Amdt. 1151 to S.1348.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
English the National Language?
It passed in the Senate. But why? Was English in danger? No. I'll bet most people didn't even know that we didn't have a national language. Well, back when we were forming this country and drafting a Constitution it was decided by our wise founding fathers not to have one. First of all, we had just broken away from those taxing imperalists, the English, remember? German was bounced around as an alternative, but cooler heads prevailed. After all, whether or not our founding fathers had studied linguistics, they intrinsically understood that we would speak whatever worked for us--without even symbolically excluding anyone who spoke another native tongue.
What works for us is English. Immigrants learn English--even Spanish-speaking immigrants. In three generations the home-country language dies in any family here unless the latest generation studies the language in school. We have a great, big Spanish-speaking neighbor. Our neighborhood, our hemisphere, is crowded with Spanish-speaking countries, where, by the way, it seems anyone with a little extra cash pays for an English course. Why? Because English is not in danger.
Not only does the rich neighbor, the United States, speak English, but English has become the lingua-franca of the world. Business is conducted all over the world in English. English is the official language of air traffic controlers the world over. It is widely recognized that immigrants must learn English to integrate into the United States, and learning English will benefit them even if they return to their homeland. As a teacher in a public school, I see kids learning English. No, they don't learn it over night. Yes, in their initial years in the U.S. they feel more comfortable with those who speak their home language. Of course they do. They are in a strange place. But they learn English.
So here we are in 2006, trying to make English the official national language of the United States. For more than 200 years we have just let people figure out that English was the language to speak to get things done, to do business in this country. For more than 200 years we made no official, national moves, to intimidate anyone into learning English. We didn't officially rank English above anyone's native tongue on a national scale. So why now? My husband says racism. I can't come up with another answer that makes much sense.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
I love my job and immigration.
I have been incredibly busy, but incredibly happy for the last couple of weeks. Part of the reason is because I have created for myself one of the best, most rewarding jobs in the World. Allow me a minute to explain and I'll link it into immigration--I promise.
For a long time I could not resist listening to people who told me I worked to much for too little, that they wouldn't do what I did, that complained about this kid or that kid who didn't show them respect or who didn't show me respect for everything I did for them. Blah. Blah. Blah. Last year, I even had kids who thought I was an idiot to choose to teach high school when I used to work in international banking. And then there are all the colleagues who kept telling me to cut back on what I was doing--of course, everything that they would tell me to cut back on were the things that made my job worthwhile. And, I have to admit, when I'd see people with all this free time (often complaining about how hard they work) or driving a new car (and complaining they don't get paid enough), I sometimes would get sucked into it and think, if these people are complaining, I must really be getting shit on.
And then there were all the colleagues who are just mean to me. Last week, I mentioned, trying to make conversation with a colleague in the Foreign Language Department, that I was tired and looking forward to the weekend. This lovely, constantly complaining individual, did not ask why I was tired or even express concern, she just snapped in an angry tone, "Well, I don't want to sound mean, but you do bring it on yourself". That my allergies, which, trust me, I never asked for, had been making me sick and causing me to be tired, never entered her mind. When I mentioned to two colleagues from my department on Friday morning not to forget that my folklorico team was dancing at the pep rally that day and that it might be fun to see, another colleague snapped in a rather snottish tone, that said she could not be bothered, "I don't go to those things." Okay, forget you know how hard my kids and I work, forget if you don't like football--just think, hey, here are some kids who don't usually get recognized who are doing something positive and it would be nice to take 20 minutes out of your day cheer them on. When I told my husband about the comment, he thought I was upset because this colleague was rude to me after all the work I'd done. But I wasn't. I was upset, because this person, who works in the same public school that I do, who is in a position to understand the challenges some of my kids are up against would rather spend energy snapping at me than walking downstairs to watch these kids succeed at something.
If other public school teachers don't care, then what hope can I hold out for the rest of society? That's what upset me.
I used to ask myself, what do I do to make people so mean? But I have come to realize that I don't do anything except care for things and people other than myself and that that is actually how I take care of myself--by taking care of other people. I grow with them and sometimes I grow past the people around me--past the people who logically would be my peers. It has been happening since I was young. And somehow these people think I am competing with them--trying to be better than they are or trying to do more than they do. But the reality of it is, I am just trying to help those who need my help. I don't really want to compete with anyone. I just want to make it a better school, a better World. I like teenagers, so I start there. I want my kids to realize their potential. That's it.
No wonder, whenever I would take advice from people I worked with who would tell me I needed to cut back on what I was doing to bring down my anxiety, it didn't work. Because I am not like them. To cut down on my anxiety, I need to find a niche where I can make real change and work harder. Do more. And at the same time I have to filter out all the shit and find a way to focus on my priorities with as little outside interference as possible. Because to do less, means I am letting opportunities go by for the temporary feeling of relief. And then I would be faced with the sad result of not acting.
I am the director of Austin High's Ballet Folklorico and I am the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teacher at my school. I am still teaching Spanish classes, as well. I work with kids, who, in general have a huge amount of unrealized potential, sometimes hidden behind a lot of defense mechanisms, coping mechanisms, low self belief, and a lack of understanding of societal norms and the general big picture. They can be rude, seemingly lazy and definitely short-sighted. At the same time I work with another set of kids who are incredible self-possessed, intelligent and directed, but who due to poverty, language barriers or family issues, are unable to find an outlet to express their talent and rise to the true heights of their potential. Often these two groups are lumped all together, because of some box checked off on a form or because people either don't have the time or choose not to spend their time looking into them deeply enough to figure out their complexities and then work them through it. A lot of people don't have the patience, either, for the long haul fix.
By the nature of my job, I deal with a lot of immigrants. In the past I have addressed policy beliefs. But here, let me tell you what my gut tells me. What my heart tells me. I am so incredibly grateful to be able to work with the kids I do. I am so incredibly grateful to them, many of whom face judgment day in and day out and who live in a state of constant insecurity, for trusting in me. Where my colleagues seem defensive with me--wary, I am surrounded by students who see me. See me. Maybe, because, like them, I don't fit into an easy box. Maybe because they understand that I don't want to be better then them or smarter than them. I just want them to be better and smarter, just like I always strive to be better and smarter. I wish the same thing for everyone and it isn't about competition or someone coming out on top. Its about coming out together, better than when we came in. So now I work through my lunch hour. I work before school and after school and I am tired from my allergies, but I am energized by my work.
One of the nicest things about my job now, is that I deal with fewer kids from families who have taught them that they deserve something. I deal with fewer kids who feel that they should do well in my class because of who they are or at what address they live. I deal with fewer kids who feel I should care at what address they live or who their parents are or how many generations have graduated from the school or gone to college. I deal with fewer kids who think that I was stupid to leave international banking. I deal with kids who understand that all I care about is them--exactly what they are as an individual and what a great individual they can become.
Let's face it, it is not easy to leave everything you know and come to another country and succeed. And if you are a kid, and that decision was made for you--first and foremost, you are not a criminal. It is also hard to focus on a future and on an education, when your family is so focused on making a living in an incredibly insecure situation, which could be taken from you at any time. And don't come at me with, well it is their parents' fault that they are in this insecure situation. Well, maybe so and maybe not. Maybe, for whatever reason, this insecure situation is more secure than the one that was left. But whatever, many of these kids I deal with are Mexican, and in
Look around, unless your last name is Running Deer, Floating Cloud or the like, the only reason you are not an illegal immigrant is because your ancestors came over, killed the native people and rewrote the laws to suit your needs--or were brought in a slave ship, which should help you appreciate hard work and sacrifice. So now we have people who by and large are coming here peacefully and working hard and Americans are freaking out. Sure there are some bad guys. We are all a part of the human race and the whole of the human race is speckled with bad guys.
So anyway, I have a great job, because I have learned to focus in on people who I believe in and who believe in me and I have learned to ignore the people, who I have figured out are living their lives in fear--fear of someone getting a better deal than they are. I have the best deal, because I don't care anymore about whatever deal anyone else is getting. I just care about my kids.
I am not afraid of losing
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Austin High 27-Westlake 24 and the Republicans look stupider and stupider
Okay, I know what you are thinking, is she really going to try and combine Texas High School Football, Presidential Politics and the creative grammar of Lewis Carrol, author of Alice in Wonderland into one blog entry? Well, for those like me, Democrats living in Texas during the Bush Administration, I can tell you that waking up and feeling as though we've gone Through the Looking Glass, is a normal state of affairs, and, that being said, this blog is completely reasonable.
First, let us explore Westlake. Westlake High School is the only high school serving Eanes Independent School District, a district created to serve a collection of extremely wealthy neighborhoods, which, like the high school itself, have Austin addresses. Part of Ausitn, not part of Austin Independent School District. If you check out the school's website, you will see the breakdown of the student body, of which only 5.7 % is Hispanic (We are in Austin, people--there are a lot of Hispanics in this city) and a mere 0.8% is black (This is not a typo). The area is also heavily Republican. Heavily Republican--this in the only county in Texas that Bush did NOT carry in 2004.
Westlake's wealth and resources are reflected in their college-style and sized stadium, and in its local, and often state, dominance in many sports and academic competitions. Especially, Westlake does not lose district football games. Last year, Austin High, for the first time in history, won.
Austin High School, where, as a disclaimer, I teach, is the oldest publicly-funded, continually operating high school west of the Mississippi. It is an urban high school that serves both the richest and the poorest neighborhoods in the Austin Independent School District. The Bush daughters studied at Austin High School, while their dad was governor. In this same school, study many of the kids whose parents clean and repair the government buildings of the state's capital. We are racially diverse. We are not perfect, and we recognize that the economic divide of our student population, sometimes makes social mixing difficult, but we are banding together to create unity with a community seminar program that brings diverse groups together to work towards common goals. My Ballet Folklorico group will perform at the Pep Rally on October 12th and next week's homecoming rally will include the Step Team's annual performance.
During the past week at Austin High, students from every class and color, were gearing up for the Westlake game. "Beat Westlake" t-shirts sold like hotcakes. The tickets for the visitors' side of Westlake stadium sold out. Kids bought camouflage shirts and painted their faces for battle. We would prove that last year was no fluke. We would prove that Austin High should be respected--that Austin should be respected--that everyone should be respected. We arrived at Westlake to find all the parking lots for "reserved parking only"--reserved for Westlake. We parked as far as a half a mile from the stadium and walked over to fill the stands. We were loud. We were really loud. Westlake would not hear their plays that night. The band would play the Austin fight song again and again. We would scream. We would clap. We would stamp our feet. We would do everything to support our kids on the field--who looked like us: white, brown, black, rich, poor. We yelled through all the announcements over the public address system about the all the college games that would be played on Saturday by the former Westlake players. We would stomp our feet as the public address system announced, "Hear this, Austin, Westlake first down!" I am serious.
Final score: Austin High School Maroons: 27, Westlake High School Chaparells: 24. Hear this Westlake, thank you for uniting our school. Thank you for the opportunity to fight to show the World that we are one. United we Stand--'Loyal Forever'--Austin High.
Meanwhile, this week, at Morgan State University, a historically black school in Baltimore, some of the Republican candidates met for a debate broadcast on PBS. Some of the Republican candidates--the front-runners, Romney, Giuliani, Thompson and McCain stayed away--scheduling issues. No one bought it as a legitimate excuse--not even that dim-witted Bush guy. On Meet the Press this morning Pat Buchanan pointed out that African-Americans make up 13% of the US population and 10% of the nation's voting population--and only 10% of those votes go to Republicans. Not worth showing up, he said. But what about the PBS audience? What about reaching out to the whole of the American population? What about expanding the base? What about introducing yourself to the entire population that you hope to eventually govern? Stupider and stupider. Have you learned nothing from Katrina? Do you have a soul? Look at Westlake. Look at Austin High.
Or don't. Let us take this election. And like I say thank you to Westlake for helping to united my school and all the wonderful, talented, very different people in it, I will say, thank you, Republican front-runners for helping to unite my party and all the wonderful, talented, very different people in it.
First, let us explore Westlake. Westlake High School is the only high school serving Eanes Independent School District, a district created to serve a collection of extremely wealthy neighborhoods, which, like the high school itself, have Austin addresses. Part of Ausitn, not part of Austin Independent School District. If you check out the school's website, you will see the breakdown of the student body, of which only 5.7 % is Hispanic (We are in Austin, people--there are a lot of Hispanics in this city) and a mere 0.8% is black (This is not a typo). The area is also heavily Republican. Heavily Republican--this in the only county in Texas that Bush did NOT carry in 2004.
Westlake's wealth and resources are reflected in their college-style and sized stadium, and in its local, and often state, dominance in many sports and academic competitions. Especially, Westlake does not lose district football games. Last year, Austin High, for the first time in history, won.
Austin High School, where, as a disclaimer, I teach, is the oldest publicly-funded, continually operating high school west of the Mississippi. It is an urban high school that serves both the richest and the poorest neighborhoods in the Austin Independent School District. The Bush daughters studied at Austin High School, while their dad was governor. In this same school, study many of the kids whose parents clean and repair the government buildings of the state's capital. We are racially diverse. We are not perfect, and we recognize that the economic divide of our student population, sometimes makes social mixing difficult, but we are banding together to create unity with a community seminar program that brings diverse groups together to work towards common goals. My Ballet Folklorico group will perform at the Pep Rally on October 12th and next week's homecoming rally will include the Step Team's annual performance.
During the past week at Austin High, students from every class and color, were gearing up for the Westlake game. "Beat Westlake" t-shirts sold like hotcakes. The tickets for the visitors' side of Westlake stadium sold out. Kids bought camouflage shirts and painted their faces for battle. We would prove that last year was no fluke. We would prove that Austin High should be respected--that Austin should be respected--that everyone should be respected. We arrived at Westlake to find all the parking lots for "reserved parking only"--reserved for Westlake. We parked as far as a half a mile from the stadium and walked over to fill the stands. We were loud. We were really loud. Westlake would not hear their plays that night. The band would play the Austin fight song again and again. We would scream. We would clap. We would stamp our feet. We would do everything to support our kids on the field--who looked like us: white, brown, black, rich, poor. We yelled through all the announcements over the public address system about the all the college games that would be played on Saturday by the former Westlake players. We would stomp our feet as the public address system announced, "Hear this, Austin, Westlake first down!" I am serious.
Final score: Austin High School Maroons: 27, Westlake High School Chaparells: 24. Hear this Westlake, thank you for uniting our school. Thank you for the opportunity to fight to show the World that we are one. United we Stand--'Loyal Forever'--Austin High.
Meanwhile, this week, at Morgan State University, a historically black school in Baltimore, some of the Republican candidates met for a debate broadcast on PBS. Some of the Republican candidates--the front-runners, Romney, Giuliani, Thompson and McCain stayed away--scheduling issues. No one bought it as a legitimate excuse--not even that dim-witted Bush guy. On Meet the Press this morning Pat Buchanan pointed out that African-Americans make up 13% of the US population and 10% of the nation's voting population--and only 10% of those votes go to Republicans. Not worth showing up, he said. But what about the PBS audience? What about reaching out to the whole of the American population? What about expanding the base? What about introducing yourself to the entire population that you hope to eventually govern? Stupider and stupider. Have you learned nothing from Katrina? Do you have a soul? Look at Westlake. Look at Austin High.
Or don't. Let us take this election. And like I say thank you to Westlake for helping to united my school and all the wonderful, talented, very different people in it, I will say, thank you, Republican front-runners for helping to unite my party and all the wonderful, talented, very different people in it.
The Senate approves Biden's Plan for Iraq: Go Joe!
Well, not just Biden supporters, but all sensible Americans, should be celebrating this week's passage by the Senate of Senator Biden's amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill, which outlined his Federalism Plan, a workable, political solution to the situation in Iraq. For a more detailed look at the plan, please check out www.joebiden.com.
The plan was first outlined in May 2006 by Senator Biden and Leslie H. Gelb, President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, but it took until this week for it to finally garner wide, bi-partisan support. The passage of this amendment signals the first time that Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together and united behind a plan to bring a sustainable, positive outcome to Iraq. The amendment passed 75-23, with the support of half the Senate Republicans, including many members of the Republican leadership.
For those of us supporting Joe's campaign, we are happy that this has lead to positive press for our candidate, who is not well-known nationally, and to more endorsements by key Democrats in Iowa, but as Americans, we should all be glad that what has seemed by many of us to be a evil spell of divisiveness, may finally have been broken, at least when it come to this war--a war that continues to cost lives, treasure and America's standing around the world.
If this makes you take another look at Joe Biden--I am happy about that, too. There is a push by his campaign to raise money to get his message on Iraq and the passage of this amendment out to the voters in Iowa, and your contribution will be very welcomed. Once again, I direct you to www.joebiden.com. But even if you are staunchly behind another candidate, I hope you will celebrate and support this chance at a lasting peace in Iraq.
Go Joe!
The plan was first outlined in May 2006 by Senator Biden and Leslie H. Gelb, President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, but it took until this week for it to finally garner wide, bi-partisan support. The passage of this amendment signals the first time that Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together and united behind a plan to bring a sustainable, positive outcome to Iraq. The amendment passed 75-23, with the support of half the Senate Republicans, including many members of the Republican leadership.
For those of us supporting Joe's campaign, we are happy that this has lead to positive press for our candidate, who is not well-known nationally, and to more endorsements by key Democrats in Iowa, but as Americans, we should all be glad that what has seemed by many of us to be a evil spell of divisiveness, may finally have been broken, at least when it come to this war--a war that continues to cost lives, treasure and America's standing around the world.
If this makes you take another look at Joe Biden--I am happy about that, too. There is a push by his campaign to raise money to get his message on Iraq and the passage of this amendment out to the voters in Iowa, and your contribution will be very welcomed. Once again, I direct you to www.joebiden.com. But even if you are staunchly behind another candidate, I hope you will celebrate and support this chance at a lasting peace in Iraq.
Go Joe!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Checking in on the Biden Campaign: Go Joe!
Okay, faithful readers, by now you must have figured out I am a big supporter of Joe Biden for President. I have been crazy busy with school and dance performances for the Mexican Independence holiday (they went very well, thanks for asking), so I have been a bit remiss in updating you on the best prepared, most straight-talking, most thoughtful, most real candidate for the Democratic nomination. As the news media continues to focus in on the "top three" or sometimes only the "top-two" candidates, Joe continues to make the rounds to the political talk shows and Iowa campaign stops--unnoticed by most of the national population--though a recent poll of likely Florida Democratic Primary voters conducted by Inside Advantage/Majority Opinion has him as ahead of Edwards--Biden is at 9%, Edwards at 8%. Not bad for almost no organization in the state, yet.
It is up to people like me to spread help the word--to however few or many we--can about the candidate and his campaign. And, though his fund-raising goals are small by the standards of Clinton or Obama, he is meeting them. Just a couple of weeks ago Joe's team set out to raise $200,000 to keep ads on the air in Iowa. They made it and raised the goal to $250,000. They surpassed that goal, too. They have recently kicked off another effort, so if you want to contribute, please go to www.joebiden.com and pledge some green!
I have been falling to sleep each night with a few more pages of Biden's autobiography, Promises to Keep. This guy has come from behind on a shoestring before. Back in the early 1970s, he came out of nowhere to capture his Senate seat from a well-established Republican. He was only 29 years old, but turned 30 in time to be sworn into office. Way back in 1972, he was already running on a platform that included the need for affordable health care. Clinton does not have a monopoly on this issue. Trust me.
And, let's face it. Joe has a real plan for Iraq. Obama has even said he agrees with Joe, but Joe, having already worked at bringing peace to a sectarian civil war by helping to divide and salvage the populations of the former Yugoslavia, is the one who came up with the plan. He is so well-versed on so many important--critical really--issues of the day.
Check him out. This guy is the real deal. Go Joe!
It is up to people like me to spread help the word--to however few or many we--can about the candidate and his campaign. And, though his fund-raising goals are small by the standards of Clinton or Obama, he is meeting them. Just a couple of weeks ago Joe's team set out to raise $200,000 to keep ads on the air in Iowa. They made it and raised the goal to $250,000. They surpassed that goal, too. They have recently kicked off another effort, so if you want to contribute, please go to www.joebiden.com and pledge some green!
I have been falling to sleep each night with a few more pages of Biden's autobiography, Promises to Keep. This guy has come from behind on a shoestring before. Back in the early 1970s, he came out of nowhere to capture his Senate seat from a well-established Republican. He was only 29 years old, but turned 30 in time to be sworn into office. Way back in 1972, he was already running on a platform that included the need for affordable health care. Clinton does not have a monopoly on this issue. Trust me.
And, let's face it. Joe has a real plan for Iraq. Obama has even said he agrees with Joe, but Joe, having already worked at bringing peace to a sectarian civil war by helping to divide and salvage the populations of the former Yugoslavia, is the one who came up with the plan. He is so well-versed on so many important--critical really--issues of the day.
Check him out. This guy is the real deal. Go Joe!
Chavez watch continues--next stop--school.
The New York Times reported this week that Chavez, president of Venezuela and self-appointed head of socialism in Latin America is making his next move--one that seems designed to add to the longevity of his socialist evolution or revolution or cult of personality or what have you. His brother, Secretary Chavez, head of the Education Ministry, is rolling out a new curriculum that all schools in the country must adopt. Inspections will take place to insure compliance. New textbooks are in production. El presidente claims that he is not indoctrinating, but rather teaching cooperative principals and critical thinking.
Needless to say many parents of private school students are not pleased with the plan. Especially since Chavez has announced that any private school not complying with the new directives will be taken over by the State. According to Brazil's O Globo, Chavez thinks that the private schools, which cater to Venezuela's middle and upper class students have helped to destroy the values of the society and have been themselves indoctrinating the nation's youth with capitalist principals for decades.
Needless to say, the exact contents of this curriculum would be incredibly interesting to peruse and consider. Not having been educated in Venezuela myself--in a public or private setting, I have no first hand experience with the current "capitalist" model to make a fair comparison. President Chavez, however, is a product of this model.and he seems to have escaped the capitalist brain washers.Interesting....
Needless to say many parents of private school students are not pleased with the plan. Especially since Chavez has announced that any private school not complying with the new directives will be taken over by the State. According to Brazil's O Globo, Chavez thinks that the private schools, which cater to Venezuela's middle and upper class students have helped to destroy the values of the society and have been themselves indoctrinating the nation's youth with capitalist principals for decades.
Needless to say, the exact contents of this curriculum would be incredibly interesting to peruse and consider. Not having been educated in Venezuela myself--in a public or private setting, I have no first hand experience with the current "capitalist" model to make a fair comparison. President Chavez, however, is a product of this model.and he seems to have escaped the capitalist brain washers.Interesting....
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Despite Chavez and the gang, there are signs of strengthening Democracy in South America
I continue to urge Americans and our government to keep an eye on Chavez, who this week has been, with the approval of neighboring President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia, has been assisting with negotiations with FARC (Forzas Armandas Revoluncionarias de Colombia), a drug dealing, terrorist, revolutionary group that the US has been trying to help Colombia eradicate for decades. If Chavez makes progress here, it will certainly strengthen his standing even further in the region--uh oh.
But, in the meantime, there are signs of strengthening Democracy further south on the continent. In Brazil, two high ranking members of President Lula da Silva's Workers' Party (PT, in Brazil) will face the courts. As a fan of Lula, as the president is known in his country, it might shock some that I am pleased that both Delubio Soares, the treasurer of the PT and Jose Dirceu de Oliveira e Silva, Lula's Chief of Staff, are both facing corruption charges. The word came down this week from Brazil's Supreme Court and it is big news. And, I would argue, it is a sign of health in Brazil's democracy. Unlike in Venezuela, Brazil's highest levels of the Judiciary are not under the thumb of the executive branch. And, unlike in the not too distant past, high ranking members of the ruling party are going to have to face the music.
I was studying in Brazil during the 1992-1993 national protests to remove then President Fernando Color de Melo, from power. President Color had been the first president in a long while to be democratically elected in South America's largest country. His election had been a source of pride in Brazil, but massive corruption in his government, caused the people to call for his impeachment. Massive protests all over the country--some with as many as a million people at a time spilled into the streets. I remember my father warning me to stay far away from the rallies (which were pretty hard to avoid if I wanted to get home through the center of Sao Paulo), because there was such a history of violence in Latin American politics. But I was there and I saw people painting their faces green and yellow and dancing samba and singing songs--in a very new, but very Brazilian, style of protest. And I wasn't afraid. I was happy. I was excited. I was in the middle of history. It was a very good sign for democracy in Brazil. Power passed to the vice president and everyone talked about the fact that this new president, known by his first name, Itamar, was not married, but had a younger girlfriend. And on things went. It was fantastic. No bullets.
But, even though Color was peacefully removed from office, even though the corruption was wide-spread and on a large scale, no one went to court. Now, times are changing and for the good. O Globo news agency in Brazil quotes Lula as saying, "Ninguem tem mais etica e moral que o PT." (Nobody has more ethics and morals than the Workers' Party". And from following Brazilian politics for a couple of decades, I'd say he may be correct. Corruption in Brazil, and much of Latin America, is and has been endemic for five centuries. It came with the governing systems that the Spanish and Portuguese imposed on the region and it has grown, mutated and survived ever since. Seeing corruption cases in the courts is a good thing. We must hope and watch to be sure that this crack-down on corruption continues regardless of which party is in power. The signs are good.
At the same time that Brazilians are watching to see how their officials do in court, their neighbors to the south, the Argentines, are waiting to see if their most famous soccer star, Diego Maradona, will go to jail. Almost as amazing as official corruption charges in Brazil, is the thought of a soccer god like Maradona facing jail time in Argentina. O Globo reports on its website that when Maradona returns to Argentina (he is currently out of the country), he will have to spend some time in jail for a traffic accident last year that injured innocent by-standers. The soccer legend and tv personality, who has skirted the law for decades, mostly in regards to his well-publicized cocaine use, is finally going to have to face some real consequences--like an actual human being.
It is worth noting, that while the Diego Maradona story was big news on the main page of O Globo's site, while I scrolled through the entirety of Buenos Aires' El Clarin yesterday, and never saw a mention of the soccer star's fate. It may be that Brazil, long a major soccer rival to Argentina, may be taking a bit of pleasure in the star's plight. But, Argentina, let me say that there is a bright side to this story. No one is above the law in a democracy, and the up side of seeing your hero in jail, is that it represents democracy and equality in action. Democracy is not all celebrations. Democracy is hard. Both rivals, Brazil and Argentina, two countries, close to my heart, may be learning this lesson together.
Still, we must be vigilant. The struggle of democracy is not yet won. Chavez and the gang must be watched very carefully. In addition, another southern neighbor, Chile, had protests turn violent last week. During protests calling for higher pensions, and better education, housing and health care, more than 50 demonstrators and 18 police were injured after police fired tear gas into the crowd and starting swinging clubs to break up the rallies. Senator Alejandro Navarro, of President Michelle Bachelet's Socialist Party was clubbed in the head by police during the ma lay.
We also need to keep an eye on Peru, whose government is facing strong criticism after it failed to react quickly to the needs of its coastal communities, flattened in the earthquake just a couple of weeks ago. The complete failure of its communications systems meant that officials in Lima had no idea of the extent of the damage in the initial hours after the tragedy. The damage to the already limited road network, held up the rescue effort even further. We need to support this young democracy, to be sure that it survives and thrives.
But this week, I am happy to report, that there are some healthy signs to our south.
But, in the meantime, there are signs of strengthening Democracy further south on the continent. In Brazil, two high ranking members of President Lula da Silva's Workers' Party (PT, in Brazil) will face the courts. As a fan of Lula, as the president is known in his country, it might shock some that I am pleased that both Delubio Soares, the treasurer of the PT and Jose Dirceu de Oliveira e Silva, Lula's Chief of Staff, are both facing corruption charges. The word came down this week from Brazil's Supreme Court and it is big news. And, I would argue, it is a sign of health in Brazil's democracy. Unlike in Venezuela, Brazil's highest levels of the Judiciary are not under the thumb of the executive branch. And, unlike in the not too distant past, high ranking members of the ruling party are going to have to face the music.
I was studying in Brazil during the 1992-1993 national protests to remove then President Fernando Color de Melo, from power. President Color had been the first president in a long while to be democratically elected in South America's largest country. His election had been a source of pride in Brazil, but massive corruption in his government, caused the people to call for his impeachment. Massive protests all over the country--some with as many as a million people at a time spilled into the streets. I remember my father warning me to stay far away from the rallies (which were pretty hard to avoid if I wanted to get home through the center of Sao Paulo), because there was such a history of violence in Latin American politics. But I was there and I saw people painting their faces green and yellow and dancing samba and singing songs--in a very new, but very Brazilian, style of protest. And I wasn't afraid. I was happy. I was excited. I was in the middle of history. It was a very good sign for democracy in Brazil. Power passed to the vice president and everyone talked about the fact that this new president, known by his first name, Itamar, was not married, but had a younger girlfriend. And on things went. It was fantastic. No bullets.
But, even though Color was peacefully removed from office, even though the corruption was wide-spread and on a large scale, no one went to court. Now, times are changing and for the good. O Globo news agency in Brazil quotes Lula as saying, "Ninguem tem mais etica e moral que o PT." (Nobody has more ethics and morals than the Workers' Party". And from following Brazilian politics for a couple of decades, I'd say he may be correct. Corruption in Brazil, and much of Latin America, is and has been endemic for five centuries. It came with the governing systems that the Spanish and Portuguese imposed on the region and it has grown, mutated and survived ever since. Seeing corruption cases in the courts is a good thing. We must hope and watch to be sure that this crack-down on corruption continues regardless of which party is in power. The signs are good.
At the same time that Brazilians are watching to see how their officials do in court, their neighbors to the south, the Argentines, are waiting to see if their most famous soccer star, Diego Maradona, will go to jail. Almost as amazing as official corruption charges in Brazil, is the thought of a soccer god like Maradona facing jail time in Argentina. O Globo reports on its website that when Maradona returns to Argentina (he is currently out of the country), he will have to spend some time in jail for a traffic accident last year that injured innocent by-standers. The soccer legend and tv personality, who has skirted the law for decades, mostly in regards to his well-publicized cocaine use, is finally going to have to face some real consequences--like an actual human being.
It is worth noting, that while the Diego Maradona story was big news on the main page of O Globo's site, while I scrolled through the entirety of Buenos Aires' El Clarin yesterday, and never saw a mention of the soccer star's fate. It may be that Brazil, long a major soccer rival to Argentina, may be taking a bit of pleasure in the star's plight. But, Argentina, let me say that there is a bright side to this story. No one is above the law in a democracy, and the up side of seeing your hero in jail, is that it represents democracy and equality in action. Democracy is not all celebrations. Democracy is hard. Both rivals, Brazil and Argentina, two countries, close to my heart, may be learning this lesson together.
Still, we must be vigilant. The struggle of democracy is not yet won. Chavez and the gang must be watched very carefully. In addition, another southern neighbor, Chile, had protests turn violent last week. During protests calling for higher pensions, and better education, housing and health care, more than 50 demonstrators and 18 police were injured after police fired tear gas into the crowd and starting swinging clubs to break up the rallies. Senator Alejandro Navarro, of President Michelle Bachelet's Socialist Party was clubbed in the head by police during the ma lay.
We also need to keep an eye on Peru, whose government is facing strong criticism after it failed to react quickly to the needs of its coastal communities, flattened in the earthquake just a couple of weeks ago. The complete failure of its communications systems meant that officials in Lima had no idea of the extent of the damage in the initial hours after the tragedy. The damage to the already limited road network, held up the rescue effort even further. We need to support this young democracy, to be sure that it survives and thrives.
But this week, I am happy to report, that there are some healthy signs to our south.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Letter to the editor in support of Joe Biden
Guys, I'm just doing a simple copy and paste from Joe's blog. This is a great letter to the editor that recently was published in North Carolina. If you see any good ones in your local papers, I'd love to here about them!
Letter To The Editor: “The Democrats Need To Get It Right This Time, With The Nomination Of Joe Biden”
August 25th, 2007 by Erin MedlicottAug. 25: A letter to the editor, published Thursday in The News-Record, by Jim Dye of Greensboro, NC, titled “Biden’s best equipped to be the next president.”
“It is of the utmost importance that the next president come to office with knowledge of foreign policy and the ability to get things done in Congress by working across the aisle with both parties. We should have learned after the last seven years. George Bush came to office having never been to Europe.
“It is astounding how the parties and the American people have allowed the press to lead them to rock stars whose big plus is name recognition. Hillary’s negatives, fueled by the right-wing hatred of her and Bill, will create one of the dirtiest campaigns in history. The dirt, mud and lies will bring this election to an all-time low.
“The most qualified candidate in foreign policy and experience working with Congress is also the same individual Bush asked to prep him before his first European visit, and the first with a political solution to ending the Iraq war. He has been on the world stage for 34 years working in a bipartisan manner. The Democrats need to get it right this time with the nomination of Joe Biden.”
Jim Dye
Greensboro
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Give Joe His Props!
This is quick blog just to register my frustration to the continuing culture of celebrity candidates in the news media. When I logged on to vote on who I thought won the ABC debate, Joe Biden was third after Obama and Clinton, two candidates with far greater numbers in their troops to vote. He was well ahead of Edwards. He had given fantastic, straight-forward answers to the questions. All this, yet on the debate highlight clips on ABC's website, there was not one clip of Biden talking. They even had many Republican candidates giving responses to the debate--but no Joe.
This is a disturbing trend in the media. ABC is far from the only guilty party. On Meet the Press today, a panel of political pundits discussed candidates for 25 minutes. On the Democratic side, only Obama, Clinton and Edwards were discussed. The pundits were equally unfair on the Republican side--discussing only Guilliani, Romney and the as yet undeclared Thompson. Huckabee, with his surprisingly strong showing in last week's straw poll was not mentioned. The last I heard, the press was supposed to be covering the news, not anointing contenders.
This is a disturbing trend in the media. ABC is far from the only guilty party. On Meet the Press today, a panel of political pundits discussed candidates for 25 minutes. On the Democratic side, only Obama, Clinton and Edwards were discussed. The pundits were equally unfair on the Republican side--discussing only Guilliani, Romney and the as yet undeclared Thompson. Huckabee, with his surprisingly strong showing in last week's straw poll was not mentioned. The last I heard, the press was supposed to be covering the news, not anointing contenders.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Go Joe! Biden on Iraq.
I could bemoan why the bickering between Obama and Clinton is getting so much press or I could spend my time productively spreading the word on Joe Biden's plan for Iraq. Even better, I could let you hear him explain it! For some reason I can't get the direct link to work, so just go to www.joebiden.com, which you see on the right hand side of this blog. When you get to his site, click on his blog at the top of his page. Once you reach the blog, scroll down to the entry 'Video: "Not In The Lifetime of Anyone In This Room Will There Be a Strong Central Gov't In Baghdad"'. Don't worry, it is not a negative rant. He is going to layout an alternative strategy on a short YouTube video clip. Check it out! You too, may soon be shouting, "Go Joe!"
Show a little love for Peru
There has been a massive earthquake in Peru. Hundreds are confirmed dead and the death toll is expected to soar as rescue crews eventually reach areas that have been cut off by the devastation.
Peru is a country that only recently has emerged from a bloody legacy of a Maoist-inspired reign of terror and the dictatorial-like rule of President Fujimori. The people of Peru have been rebuilding their country and their society and are hard-working and wonderfully warm and welcoming. This summer I lead a group of my students through Peru and neighboring Bolivia. We felt well cared for and welcomed at every turn.
Please, show a little love for this wonderful nation. Send good thoughts or prayers that way and if you want to give to the International Red Cross, that would be so appreciated.
Peru is a country that only recently has emerged from a bloody legacy of a Maoist-inspired reign of terror and the dictatorial-like rule of President Fujimori. The people of Peru have been rebuilding their country and their society and are hard-working and wonderfully warm and welcoming. This summer I lead a group of my students through Peru and neighboring Bolivia. We felt well cared for and welcomed at every turn.
Please, show a little love for this wonderful nation. Send good thoughts or prayers that way and if you want to give to the International Red Cross, that would be so appreciated.
Russian Arms for Hugo Chavez and an Alliance Takes Shape
Just a little heads up, people. Our South American nemesis, Hugo Chavez, is now buying large quantities of arms from Russia. Scary? That's just the half of it. The New York Times reports today that many of these weapons are not consistent with the needs of his military. For example, 5000 specialty sniper rifles that are highly successful in guerrilla, urban combat situations, like those we are facing in Iraq. There are fears that Chavez will distribute the weapons to terrorist groups. Great.
Meanwhile, in another article in the Times today, we have Rafael Duasa, Cuban Ambassador to Bolivia quoted as saying, "Being in Bolivia today means being in the leading trench in the anti-imperialist struggle in Latin America". For those of you not into Latin American politics--the United States is the so-called Imperialist Nation. The Ambassador goes on to speak about a Cuban, Bolivian, Venezuelan political and economic alliance--The Boliviarian Alternative of the Americas. The Boliviarian in the title references Simon Bolivar, a South American liberator who dreamed of uniting all of Latin America. He may be turning over in his grave as he realizes that Chavez has usurped his legacy on his power-hungry socialist quest.
Yes, I lean left. But dictatorships are not part of my vision--nor is an armed terrorist revolution. Unless these are parts of yours, you should be worried about what is taking place in our neighborhood.
Meanwhile, in another article in the Times today, we have Rafael Duasa, Cuban Ambassador to Bolivia quoted as saying, "Being in Bolivia today means being in the leading trench in the anti-imperialist struggle in Latin America". For those of you not into Latin American politics--the United States is the so-called Imperialist Nation. The Ambassador goes on to speak about a Cuban, Bolivian, Venezuelan political and economic alliance--The Boliviarian Alternative of the Americas. The Boliviarian in the title references Simon Bolivar, a South American liberator who dreamed of uniting all of Latin America. He may be turning over in his grave as he realizes that Chavez has usurped his legacy on his power-hungry socialist quest.
Yes, I lean left. But dictatorships are not part of my vision--nor is an armed terrorist revolution. Unless these are parts of yours, you should be worried about what is taking place in our neighborhood.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Watch what's going on to our South: Chavez is at it again.
I know we are focused on Iraq, but please do not lose sight of what is going on in our neighborhood. Hugo Chavez, the controversial president of Venezuela is setting in motion a plan to amend the country's constitution so he can be elected indefinitely, the New York Times reports today. He is already serving a term that will not come to an end until 2012. The national legislature is completely under his control, as is the country's Supreme Court. In addition, he is attempting to usurp the local and state governments' powers by setting up presidential committees around the nation, which would control infrastructure and social services spending.
We need to pay attention. This guy has major regional influence. Besides his 'bosom buddy' Fidel Castro, he has ties to Evo Morales in Bolivia and just signed a trade bill with Argentina. He uses the country's oil wealth to project his power. An executive in the country's oil company recently tried to enter Argentina with a suitcase of cash, causing a huge scandal in that country, which is nearing presidential elections of its own. And we know that Chavez received a much publicized and propagandized visit from Iran's president not too long ago.
Since the 1980s, a decade that saw the end of many of the region's military dictatorships, democracy has been taking hold in most of Latin America, and the United States has grown complacent. But these democracies are young and many may be more fragile that we think. We need to pay attention. Especially since the all-mighty oil money gives Chavez the leverage and the cash to manipulate many of the cash-strapped countries in his neighborhood. It also makes him an easy ally of America's foe, Iran.
Watch out.
We need to pay attention. This guy has major regional influence. Besides his 'bosom buddy' Fidel Castro, he has ties to Evo Morales in Bolivia and just signed a trade bill with Argentina. He uses the country's oil wealth to project his power. An executive in the country's oil company recently tried to enter Argentina with a suitcase of cash, causing a huge scandal in that country, which is nearing presidential elections of its own. And we know that Chavez received a much publicized and propagandized visit from Iran's president not too long ago.
Since the 1980s, a decade that saw the end of many of the region's military dictatorships, democracy has been taking hold in most of Latin America, and the United States has grown complacent. But these democracies are young and many may be more fragile that we think. We need to pay attention. Especially since the all-mighty oil money gives Chavez the leverage and the cash to manipulate many of the cash-strapped countries in his neighborhood. It also makes him an easy ally of America's foe, Iran.
Watch out.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Romney wins in Iowa Straw Poll--duh. Huckabee is the headline. No to Celebrity Candidates!
Um, hello? New York Times? Washington Post? Your headlines are not too earth-shattering, you know? With none of the other "top tier" candidates participating, with the gobs of cash he spent in the state, with his kids criss-crossing its every hamlet and dale in their big bus and even on bicycles, was there ever any doubt that Mitt Romney was going to win the Iowa Straw Poll? Who cares? Even the Iowans don't seem to care--only 14000 participated this year.
The only headline out of the Iowa Straw Poll was Mike Huckabee's amazing 2nd place finish. He had no bus, little cash--only a coherent, well-articulated message in debates that almost no one watched--except it would seem for a few, die-hard Republican political junkies able to withstand the charms of the "Five Brothers" in this mid-western state that time and time again has come together to filter the politicians' hype for the rest of the Nation. Huckabee made the rounds on the Sunday talk shows today--either in person or through the conversation of the pundits who had no choice to remark about just how remarkable the guy's showing really was.
Then many switched to how well the still undeclared "is he Reaganesque? Is he the only truly Bush-Republican in the field, even though he isn't officially in the field, yet?" Thompson is doing nationwide. What is wrong with everyone? Keep talking about Huckabee--he actually doesn't suck, and people in Iowa have figured it out.
I know. I know. I'm a Democrat. I am a Biden-supporting Democrat, so why don't I just stay the hell out of it and let the Republicans self-destruct? Because before I am a Democrat, I am an American. And because I see the same thing happening with Biden that is happening with Huckabee. This culture of celebrity in which America has been living of late is bleeding into our politics. Even the news media is caught up in it. Even when Biden gets mentioned (except for his Obama is "clean" blunder, which no one could get enough of for a minute), it is a quick blip on the radar screen and then it is back to Clinton, Obama and maybe Edwards, when he's having a good day. And it seems to me that too often the blip that gets a second of coverage is somehow related to Clinton or Obama--Biden differs with their plan; Biden takes issue with their stand and so on.
Please! Today the headline is Huckabee. Tomorrow or the next day or whenever Biden finally officially unveils his health care strategy that he outlined on Charlie Rose last week, that should be the headline. We need to get these smart ideas from smart people out there. Go Joe!
The only headline out of the Iowa Straw Poll was Mike Huckabee's amazing 2nd place finish. He had no bus, little cash--only a coherent, well-articulated message in debates that almost no one watched--except it would seem for a few, die-hard Republican political junkies able to withstand the charms of the "Five Brothers" in this mid-western state that time and time again has come together to filter the politicians' hype for the rest of the Nation. Huckabee made the rounds on the Sunday talk shows today--either in person or through the conversation of the pundits who had no choice to remark about just how remarkable the guy's showing really was.
Then many switched to how well the still undeclared "is he Reaganesque? Is he the only truly Bush-Republican in the field, even though he isn't officially in the field, yet?" Thompson is doing nationwide. What is wrong with everyone? Keep talking about Huckabee--he actually doesn't suck, and people in Iowa have figured it out.
I know. I know. I'm a Democrat. I am a Biden-supporting Democrat, so why don't I just stay the hell out of it and let the Republicans self-destruct? Because before I am a Democrat, I am an American. And because I see the same thing happening with Biden that is happening with Huckabee. This culture of celebrity in which America has been living of late is bleeding into our politics. Even the news media is caught up in it. Even when Biden gets mentioned (except for his Obama is "clean" blunder, which no one could get enough of for a minute), it is a quick blip on the radar screen and then it is back to Clinton, Obama and maybe Edwards, when he's having a good day. And it seems to me that too often the blip that gets a second of coverage is somehow related to Clinton or Obama--Biden differs with their plan; Biden takes issue with their stand and so on.
Please! Today the headline is Huckabee. Tomorrow or the next day or whenever Biden finally officially unveils his health care strategy that he outlined on Charlie Rose last week, that should be the headline. We need to get these smart ideas from smart people out there. Go Joe!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Go Joe! You rocked on Charlie Rose!
Last night, I was too pumped to go to sleep and happened upon Charlie Rose on the local PBS station. Happily, I had stumbled upon a fabulous interview with none other than my favorite Senator (since Sarbanes retired) and, by far, my favorite Presidential Candidate, Joe Biden. At last check, the video is not yet available on www.charlierose.com, but I am sure it will appear soon. Biden was with Charlie for the full hour and he was wise and plain-talking--no bullshit. Not only did he articulate his plan for federalizing Iraq in depth, but he also outlined a very sensible plan of attack on the health care front. And he told the truth--publicly-funded campaigns would go a long way towards reforming our nation's health care system. Go Joe!
The sooner we can raise Biden's profile, the sooner he can really get his message out to the broader American electorate. We have to find a way to get his voice heard through the noise. Those of us who spend our time watching debates and shows like Charlie Rose are a small minority. Luckily, we are also very likely voters, but we need to hear Joe's voice on the morning shows. We need to see his name mentioned every thirty minutes on the CNN news loop. We need to get him noticed. Of course, Joe is running low in the polls, but this time last election, Dean was getting all the hype. And I remember when Bill Clinton was unknown outside of Arkansas? Don't be blinded by the hype of the celebrity candidates. Biden is smart, prepared, insightful, wise and he doesn't bullshit.
The sooner we can raise Biden's profile, the sooner he can really get his message out to the broader American electorate. We have to find a way to get his voice heard through the noise. Those of us who spend our time watching debates and shows like Charlie Rose are a small minority. Luckily, we are also very likely voters, but we need to hear Joe's voice on the morning shows. We need to see his name mentioned every thirty minutes on the CNN news loop. We need to get him noticed. Of course, Joe is running low in the polls, but this time last election, Dean was getting all the hype. And I remember when Bill Clinton was unknown outside of Arkansas? Don't be blinded by the hype of the celebrity candidates. Biden is smart, prepared, insightful, wise and he doesn't bullshit.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Cohen vs. Byrne: Democrats, Get in the Fight, please!
This morning I read two columns, one a blog entry called "The Left Wing Circus Comes to Town" by Dennis Byrne on Real Clear Politics and the other an opinion piece in the Washington Post called "Not My Grandpa's Democrats" by Richard Cohen. These two were slugging away one from the right and one from the left with the Democrats getting creamed from both sides. Byrne was attacking the Democrats' performances at the YearlyKos Presidential Forum, while Cohen was criticizing the Dems for not standing up for the little guys losing their homes in the subprime market while Hedge-funders pay taxes at the low capital gains rate. While the pundits slug it out, we need to see our Party in this fight and in it to win it!
Byrne feels that Hillary Clinton was the only honest one in the bunch at the YearlyKos function, when she said that lobbyists represent real people, including corporations who employ millions of Americans. He felt others, like Edwards were just pandering to the base when they criticized the lobbyists' influence in campaigns and politics in general. Of course lobbyist represent real people, as Byrne points out, even "...teachers, who have shackled public education with their job protections and lush retirement benefits" (You know I'll take issue with that--as a highly educated professional who is underpaid and has a longer job description than even the Internet can hold). But let's face it, the energy lobby is going to out-bid teachers every time. And, let's face it, if teachers had as much say in Washington as the hedge funds, I'd be paying only 15% in taxes, too. And my students wouldn't be taking three bench mark tests a year in order to be ready for the real standardized test that the entire fate of my school and district is based on. Rather, we'd actually spend those countless hours teaching them something. Hey Edwards, pander away man!
All of you Democrats, pander, pander, pander. Seriously, though lobbying has reached insane levels. Do you know how many working people could be insured with the money the health care companies and pharmaceutical companies spend each year in lobbying alone? How much lower could our premiums be? Maybe if they stopped spending so much money on our elected officials, we'd actually do what every other industrialized country in the World--every other industrialized country in the World--does and provide health care. I actually know uninsured and under-insured people, citizens, of the United States who have had medical and dental procedures done in Mexico.
Cohen on the other hand thinks that we are not making enough noise about the lenders who helped poor, working people buy homes they couldn't afford and about wealthy hedge funds who pay almost no taxes or pay at the capital gains rate of only 15%. Luckily, I have heard several candidates talk on this issue--and it is a real issue.
The concentration of wealth in this country is getting to be a problem. The middle class is getting squeezed. College is incredibly expensive and it is not a guaranteed road to riches, anymore. I carried an educational loan out of college and not only was it scary to start my real life in the hole, but it affected the type of career choices I made. That was in 1994. Many kids today are graduating with loans that would make mine look small by comparison. And, it is my belief that a lot of ingenuity and entrepreneurial energy in this country is crushed under the great weight of the health insurance burden. If you have any type of pre-existing condition, leaving a job with a health benefit can be dangerous--not just risky, but dangerous, because while you can get some skeletal health insurance plans for relatively little, a comprehensive plan if you have any sort of chronic illness can cost a fortune that few Americans can lay their hands on every month. And what if you have a child with an illness? You cling to that job, man. You cling.
Iraq is incredibly important, but so is the American Dream. We may or may not be able to get out of Iraq soon. Where we are in Iraq is in the hands of this Administration until January 2009 and the soldiers can't just click their heels together three times and come home. We can't just say if we didn't spend money in Iraq, we could create a Utopia. Hello, there is a debt to pay back, too. We need to find ways to make this work. The tax code has to be reasonable. Education and health have to be front and center. Democrats, we need to put them front and center. Edwards has put these issues on the radar, but we need to keep pushing them through the noise. We cannot destroy ourselves from within. A few terrorists, as horrible as they are, are not going to bring this country to its knees.
I have lived in the Third World. I have seen disparity of income. Once you get out of the cities, the middle class is hard to find. We do not want to go the way of the Third World. Get in this fight!
Click here to see Richard Cohen's column
Click here to see Dennis Byrne's blog entry
Byrne feels that Hillary Clinton was the only honest one in the bunch at the YearlyKos function, when she said that lobbyists represent real people, including corporations who employ millions of Americans. He felt others, like Edwards were just pandering to the base when they criticized the lobbyists' influence in campaigns and politics in general. Of course lobbyist represent real people, as Byrne points out, even "...teachers, who have shackled public education with their job protections and lush retirement benefits" (You know I'll take issue with that--as a highly educated professional who is underpaid and has a longer job description than even the Internet can hold). But let's face it, the energy lobby is going to out-bid teachers every time. And, let's face it, if teachers had as much say in Washington as the hedge funds, I'd be paying only 15% in taxes, too. And my students wouldn't be taking three bench mark tests a year in order to be ready for the real standardized test that the entire fate of my school and district is based on. Rather, we'd actually spend those countless hours teaching them something. Hey Edwards, pander away man!
All of you Democrats, pander, pander, pander. Seriously, though lobbying has reached insane levels. Do you know how many working people could be insured with the money the health care companies and pharmaceutical companies spend each year in lobbying alone? How much lower could our premiums be? Maybe if they stopped spending so much money on our elected officials, we'd actually do what every other industrialized country in the World--every other industrialized country in the World--does and provide health care. I actually know uninsured and under-insured people, citizens, of the United States who have had medical and dental procedures done in Mexico.
Cohen on the other hand thinks that we are not making enough noise about the lenders who helped poor, working people buy homes they couldn't afford and about wealthy hedge funds who pay almost no taxes or pay at the capital gains rate of only 15%. Luckily, I have heard several candidates talk on this issue--and it is a real issue.
The concentration of wealth in this country is getting to be a problem. The middle class is getting squeezed. College is incredibly expensive and it is not a guaranteed road to riches, anymore. I carried an educational loan out of college and not only was it scary to start my real life in the hole, but it affected the type of career choices I made. That was in 1994. Many kids today are graduating with loans that would make mine look small by comparison. And, it is my belief that a lot of ingenuity and entrepreneurial energy in this country is crushed under the great weight of the health insurance burden. If you have any type of pre-existing condition, leaving a job with a health benefit can be dangerous--not just risky, but dangerous, because while you can get some skeletal health insurance plans for relatively little, a comprehensive plan if you have any sort of chronic illness can cost a fortune that few Americans can lay their hands on every month. And what if you have a child with an illness? You cling to that job, man. You cling.
Iraq is incredibly important, but so is the American Dream. We may or may not be able to get out of Iraq soon. Where we are in Iraq is in the hands of this Administration until January 2009 and the soldiers can't just click their heels together three times and come home. We can't just say if we didn't spend money in Iraq, we could create a Utopia. Hello, there is a debt to pay back, too. We need to find ways to make this work. The tax code has to be reasonable. Education and health have to be front and center. Democrats, we need to put them front and center. Edwards has put these issues on the radar, but we need to keep pushing them through the noise. We cannot destroy ourselves from within. A few terrorists, as horrible as they are, are not going to bring this country to its knees.
I have lived in the Third World. I have seen disparity of income. Once you get out of the cities, the middle class is hard to find. We do not want to go the way of the Third World. Get in this fight!
Click here to see Richard Cohen's column
Click here to see Dennis Byrne's blog entry
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