Satisfied Or Just Plain Happy.

Over the years, I may have wanted life to take a different direction. I wasn’t always successful in changing what ever course that I was on but I managed to survive, rather intact, to, so far, six years into retirement.

And the question of, “Am I happy?” or “Am I satisfied?” seldom rears its ugly head anymore. I have come to grips with the “Here or There” concept.

That is kind of like asking, “Would I be happier here (Ohio) or scuba diving in the Florida keys?” or “Am I happier here than I would be surfing off the west coast of Costa Rica?” But to go there would require some kind of sacrifice.  I may have to leave behind family members, human and/or canine.  And if I did, in six months or a year, would I be any happier?

Well, with maturity I have learned that if I am not happy here, I probably will not be happy there.

So, what has that got to do with today’s events, because I know you are not interested in my personal quandaries, you are probably wondering?

Governor Mark Sanford comes to mind.  Here is a gentleman who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives and has twice been elected governor of the state of South Carolina.  He is probably a lawyer and I say that only because the vast majority of politicians happen to be lawyers.  So, regardless of his educational achievments, Gov. Sanford is supposed to be a pretty bright fellow.

But, at age 51, he has obviously not thought about the “Here or There” concept.  Or, perhaps he has, but he sure doesn’t act as though he has.  Is his life as governor, living with his wife of 20+ years and four sons, so bad that he has to seek some sort of happiness elsewhere?  Will he truly be happier living with Maria in Buenos Aires?

These are the type of questions that I would expect a 51 year old to have come to grips with some decades ago.  I would suggest that Governor Sanford is neither happy, nor satisfied nor mature.  But, by his choices, some serious sacrifices will be made in the near future.  That was pre-ordained by his actions.  Hopefully, he will find some lasting inner peace (satisfaction) in the near future.

Stage Managing The News

And we thought Bush was bad in staging events that only allowed “sympathetic and friendly” attendees that lobbed softball type questions to him.  Well, Helen Thomas (today’s equivilent of Walter Cronkite) had this exchange with Obama’s press secretary, Robert Gibbs, yesterday:

Helen Thomas: Not Even Nixon Tried to Control the Media Like Obama

Wednesday, July 01, 2009
By Penny Starr and Fred Lucas

(CNSNews.com) – Following a testy exchange during today’s briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas told CNSNews.com that not even Richard Nixon tried to control the press the way President Obama is trying to control the press.

“Nixon didn’t try to do that,” Thomas said. “They couldn’t control (the media). They didn’t try.

“What the hell do they think we are, puppets?” Thomas said. “They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.”

Thomas said she was especially concerned about the arrangement between the Obama Administration and a writer from the liberal Huffington Post Web site. The writer was invited by the White House to President Obama’s press conference last week on the understanding that he would ask Obama a question about Iran from among questions that had been sent to him by people in Iran.

“When you call the reporter the night before you know damn well what they are going to ask to control you,” Thomas said.

“I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well–for the town halls, for the press conferences,” she said. “It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.”

During today’s briefing, Thomas interrupted a back-and-forth between Gibbs and Chip Reid, the White House correspondent for CBS News, when Reid was questioning Gibbs about who was going to decide what questions would be asked of President Obama in a townhall meeting that was scheduled to take place in Annandale, Va., today.

Gibbs then had an exchange involving Reid and Thomas that went as follows:

Gibbs: “… But, again, let’s–How about we do this?  I promise we will interrupt the AP’s tradition of asking the first question.  I will let you [Chip Reid] ask me a question tomorrow as to whether you thought the questions at the town hall meeting that the President conducted in Annandale—“

Chip Reid: “I’m perfectly happy to—”

Helen Thomas: “That’s not his point.  The point is the control–”

Reid: “Exactly.”

Thomas: “We have never had that in the White House.  And we have had some, but not– This White House.”

Gibbs: “Yes, I was going to say, I’ll let you amend her question.”

Thomas: “I’m amazed.  I’m amazed at you people who call for openness and transparency and—”

Gibbs: “Helen, you haven’t even heard the questions.”

Reid: “It doesn’t matter.  It’s the process.”

Thomas: “You have left open—”

Reid: “Even if there’s a tough question, it’s a question coming from somebody who was invited or was screened, or the question was screened.”

Thomas: “It’s shocking.  It’s really shocking.”

Gibbs: “Chip, let’s have this discussion at the conclusion of the town hall meeting.  How about that?”

Reid: “Okay.”

Gibbs: “I think—“

Thomas: “No, no, no, we’re having it now–”

Gibbs: “Well, I’d be happy to have it now.”

Thomas: “It’s a pattern.”

Gibbs: “Which question did you object to at the town hall meeting, Helen?”

Thomas: “It’s a pattern.  It isn’t the question—”

Gibbs: “What’s a pattern?”

Thomas: “It’s a pattern of controlling the press.”

Gibbs: “How so?  Is there any evidence currently going on that I’m controlling the press–poorly, I might add.”

Thomas: “Your formal engagements are pre-packaged.”

Gibbs: “How so?”

Reid: “Well, and controlling the public—”

Thomas: “How so?  By calling reporters the night before to tell them they’re going to be called on.  That is shocking.”

Gibbs: “We had this discussion ad nauseam and—”

Thomas: “Of course you would, because you don’t have any answers.”

Gibbs: “Well, because I didn’t know you were going to ask a question, Helen.
Go ahead.”

Thomas: “Well, you should have.”

Reporter: Thank you for your support.

Gibbs: “That’s good.  Have you e-mailed your question today?”

Thomas: “I don’t have to e-mail it.  I can tell you right now what I want to ask.”

Gibbs: “I don’t doubt that at all, Helen.  I don’t doubt that at all.”

Thomas, 89, has covered the White House during every presidency since John F. Kennedy’s.

This is disappointing in the extreme.  To.  Say.  The.  Least.

Escapades?

The Governor Mark Sanford situation is interesting from several perspectives.  First, here is a guy who, to the casual observer, had it all.  A position of political prominence, took his family to China,  Hong Kong, Macao and other exotic places, had been a member of Congress.

Father of four young sons.  Husband for at least twenty years.  What does a long term relationship like that mean?  To Mark Sanford?  To anyone?  Was he a dare-devil?  Was he so successful that he thought he could get away with anything? Did he think that he would never be caught?

Life is short.  Was he not happy?

Does he try and reconcile with his wife and re-build a relationship?  I don’t believe that will be a successful venture.  Does he join his paramour in Argentina?  And what is the record on those situations standing the test of time?  It worked for Edward the VII.

There are no winners in this type situation – ever.  Some people move on, but the scars remain forever.  Some people do not move on and endure the pain.  I’m not talking about the staff and hangers-on.  I am referring to the principals.  Mr & Mrs Sanford, four sons, Maria in Buenos Aires and perhaps two or three others.

In the very recent past we’ve seen some high profile people be humbled by some kind of sexual scandel.  Last names should be enough: Foley, Vitter, Craig, Spitzer, Edwards, ex-Gov of New Jersey, Ensign.

I don’t know if this is hubris or they don’t care but they must think that they’ll never be caught.  Sad.  So sad.

Will the Guv Resign

South Carolina governor Mark Sanford has a little over a year left on his second term.  He is prohibited by law from running for a third term.  A run for the Republican candidacy for president is clearly out of the question.

After the Republican dominated state legislature over-rode ten of his vetoes at the end of their just completed session and the state supreme court ruled against the governor about his refusal to take stimulus funds, I would say that he is the lamest of lame ducks.

Republicans would love for him to resign.  Then there would be a Republican incumbant for the next general election.

Democrats would love to see him stay in office.  It would kind of level the field come the general.

I predict that sometime before Labor Day, Gov. Sanford will quietly resign.  Some kind of back room deal will reward him with some position down the road, after everyone has forgotten.

Basiji

Is the Basiji analogous to Hitler’s Brown Shirts?

South Asia

If the United States is to be a part of the solution to the violence and terror in south Asia, there must be a coming together of large groups committed to solving the problem.

The United Nations, NATO and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization must work together to ameliorate the conditions causing the problems.  I am talking about eight different countries that are predominatly Shia Muslim.  In no specific order, they include: Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan plus the disputed India-Pakistan border region of Kashmir.

Piece-meal attempts in one country tend to fail because of cross-border tribal affiliations.  For example:  Pashtuns live in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.  Uzbeks live in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan.  There are regional,issues that need to be addressed as such.

In the short-term I feel that President Obama is best served by silence on the events in Iran.  The United States will have to work with whomever it is that emerges as the government and we do not need to create problems unnecessarily.

A long-term, adequately-funded international effort needs to begin.  While every country has somewhat different problems, increased security is needed to protect against extremist elements while infratructure and nation-building are in the beginning stages.

Bringing electric power 24/7 and education to areas with literacy rates below twenty percent is essential.  While in the end the United States needs to pull out and not appear to be a occupying power.

Iran

In Robin Wright’s Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East, she devotes a chapter to each of the countries in the region.  Chapter 7 begins

The Revolutionaries

Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth – more than ruin, more even than death. . . .  Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid.  Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.

British philosopher Bertrand Russell

Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things

which escape those who dream only by night.

American writer Edgar Allan Poe

Revolutions often eat themselves up.  The turmoil, blood-letting and failure to produce the promised utopia trigger a backlash.  But in the reaction can lie the seeds of longer-term political change.

It is obvious from the events of the last eight days that the turmoil that began in 1978, that led to the capture of the U.S. embassy on November 4, 1979 has not been a revolution completed.  Khomeini got the ball rolling but a lack vision allowed the revolution to become moribund.  The populace is tired of the corruption and the inflexibility of the regime.

My guess is in the long run the current leaders are going to be on the short end of the stick.  The authorities may beat down the citizens.  The citizens may lack leadership.  But as long as there is the large amount of free-floating discontent that has been evidenced over the last three to four days, some one will emerge as a leader and the revolution will move forward.

True Story

Short, but true. I am related to this young man by marriage. I get the story second hand and will not probe for details. I have seen combat and am sensitive enough not to ask any questions.

He was a U.S. Marine. He was riding in a Humvee in Iraq.  He bent over to pick up something off of the floor. At that instant a sniper’s bullet passed through where he had been and killed his best buddy sitting next to him.

When he returned to the States he turned to religion. He had a difficult time coping. He felt that he should have died and not his friend. His aunt spent hours with him. She explained that God didn’t want him yet. He had a purpose here on earth.

That’s all I know. Apparently, this is heading for a pleasant resolution and he adjusts. And life, for the rest of us, continues.

Mad

Yeah, I’m mad.  Pissed might better state how I feel.  I recently received a lukewarm, at best, or dismissive, at most, response from my Democrat Senator from Ohio, Mr. Sherrod Brown.

I had noticed this post by digby and I followed the link to a WebMD post from almost two years ago.

I sent the following to Senator Brown earlier this morning:

Dear Senator Brown:

I received your lukewarm, at best, reply to the letter I sent you regarding ‘single-payer’ as an option in the current health care debate.

I don’t mind paying your salary, or the president of the United States salary.  I view both of you and the rest of Congress as a relative bargain, I mean, considering what most of you folks could make in the private sector.

But, when it come to the “common good” such as defense and health, I do not feel comfortable paying an outrageous salary to the CEOs of health insurance and pharmaceutical companies.  And I feel less comfortable, if that is possible, paying large salaries to the executives and boards of directors of these same companies.

Attached is a link to WebMD that shows some of these unconscionable salaries that, just for CEOs listed, total 14.9 billion, yes that is billion, for a five year period.

http://blogs.webmd.com/mad-about-medicine/2007/08/ceo-compensation-who-said-healthcare-is.html

Below my electronic signature is a copy of the ‘linked-to’ article.

Respectfully,

“Capitalism,”  “for-profit,” “the economic model” – what ever you want to call it, is just wrong when there are upwards of 50 million of our fellow Americans without health insurance and the insurance companies are allowed to cancel anyones existing insurance FOR ANY REASON WHAT-SO-EVER.

Double-Standard AND A Hypocrite

RawStory has this up

Nevada Republican Senator John Ensign, considered a possible contender for the GOP’s presidential ticket in 2012, has confessed to an extramarital affair.

I may not think the Dem senator from Nevada, Majority Leader Harry Reid,  is a strong leader, but he’s faithful to his wife.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said at the time that Ensign’s criticism exhibited a clear double standard.

“I don’t think they’ll ask [Vitter] to resign because, of course, he’d be replaced by a Democrat,” he added. “It’s easier to ask Larry Craig to resign because he’d be replaced by a Republican.”

Sen. Ensign has not resigned.

Of course the douche-bag won’t resign.  He’ll be like Vitter and drag his wife to the presser to show how they’ve gotten past this little affair.