still the greatest?

As a child I was taught that the United States was the best place to live. Looking at the world and this country, even at my most cynical I have always believed that. However, now more than ever that belief is starting to fade.

Democracy and freedom are supposed to be the founding process of this county. It seems in the past 30 years, my lifetime, democracy and freedom are on the decline. It doesn't matter if the President is republican or democrat. The slipping has been substantial.

This week both freedom and democracy were harmed by the actions of our elected leadership. First, the state of Arizona passed a law that provides law enforcement the right to require anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant must be required to present proof of citizenship when required. This law is clearly a violation of the Constitution. We as citizens have the right to move around this country without being harassed by the police. However our freedoms are being stripped from all of us because of a few misguided, raciest individuals.

Secondly, this week Senate Republican used the power of the filibuster to block DEBATE on a bill to regulate Wall Street. I believe in the filibuster to block a vote but it is unheard of to block debate. Why can't we discuss regulations anymore. Haven't heard allot about this... well because the Senate Democrats really don't want to regulate Wall Street either. After all they are taking corporate kickbacks as well. But I regress, when debate is stopped, when a few powerful people prevent our government from even discussing change democracy is dead.

I still would rather live in the United States than many other countries. Its true I just made some pretty unpatriotic statements that in other countries would justify my imprisonment. But if we keep letting government curtain our freedoms and democracy how much longer will this be true?

trust me, you'll enjoy this

Just read an excellent article : http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126141922&sc=fb&cc=fp

It is about oxytocin a hormone that makes you trust. It talks about a child with Williams syndrome, a disease that apparently makes it impossible to distrust anyone, even strangers. This child constantly tells stranger she loves them. People are not strangers to here just "friends she hasn't made yet."

I am a distrustful person. I almost always look at things people do with cynical eyes, not trusting people. It is something I really hate about myself.

I don't want Williams syndorme because there are legitimate reasons for distrust. The poor child in this article will always need supervision. Yet I am fascinated with the idea what it would be like to live in her shoes just for one day. Trusting everyone must mean being fantastically happy at all times.

I can forgive but not forget

You know the thing I hate the most about being hurt. Not necessarily the hurt itself. It isn't the point when you realize that someone you thought was a friend betrays you or the time when you realize that you are a fool. The worst part is how it changes you.

Every time someone hurts me I become a little more cynical. I am more and more likely to keep to myself. I stop letting people in, and put up more emotional walls. And for me, most unhappily, I stop believing in the good in all people a little bit more.

I don't want to be a person that hates others. I want to trust people. I wish I could get over it. I forgive the people who hurt me. I know it is a weakness in humanity brought on by insecurity. I wish I could forget. Forgetting would be nice.

Glad you are here!

Welcome to the major leagues Ike Davis. Don't worry about the expectations, you have already met them! I like Ike. I think I am going to be saying that allot over the next few years!!!

Red Shirt Protests

Attention people of the world...

Civil disobedience lives. The people still have a right to protest. Military strength cannot compare to the power of the people.

It just makes me happy!

I like tea too, but i don't think they want me at the party

Oh those tea party people. I find them fascinating. Just read and interesting article in NYT about the demographics of the tea party.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/us/politics/15poll.html

I find myself agreeing with many of the general premisses of the tea party. I would love a smaller government. I think the best days of the country are behind us. I think that the federal government should stay out of my bedroom (aka social issues). However, where I think these people have a fundamental misunderstanding is about the roll of the government today as compared to what they define as the good old days. The following is a basic analysis of the economic history of the country's past 90 years.

President Roosevelt's' New Deal created limitations on the power of banks and corporations to defraud the American people. The Great Depression was caused by predatory lending practices and corporate fraud on Wall Street just as today's depression. The New Deal stopped these practices, provided a safety net for the poorest and oldest Americans with Social Security and Medicaid. The New Deal also provided assistance to the institutions that made the United States the strongest and most economically secure country in the history of the World. Money was funneled into the school system, kids were given a decent public education; the brightest students were give a chance to go to college, housing loans were provided at fair interest rates to working people, university were endowed to do scientific research that created medical miracles we live with today. For the next 40 years there was an unheard of economic boom in this country.

At the end of the 1970s we experienced an energy crisis. This caused the economy to hiccup. Up rose the "hero" Ronald Reagan. He cut regulations and gave money to the wealthiest Americans. He cut taxes dramatically for the very wealthiest of Americans and ran a deficit. His plan was give the money to the wealthy and then the wealth will trickle down. Well that didn't happen. In the last thirty years the gap between the wealthy and the working classes has grown and the good jobs, educational opportunities, and home owning chances flew the coop. Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, and Obama have not changed these policies. It is these policies that have created the conditions for our current economic depression, huge deficit, and lack of job prospects.

Whatever your political ideology, we all want a better more secure America. Roosevelt showed us how to accomplish this goal. Lean our history. Maybe we can discus this more over tea.

Motherhood, a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there

Taking some time off from work has given me allot of opportunities to do some really pleasurable activities. Last week I spent some time with one of my closest friends. This friend has a really lovely young daughter. Her daughter is beautiful, smart, funny and charming. She is the kind of kid that parents hope they have (and I'm not just saying that because my friend reads this blog). I had such a great time spending a few days with my friend and her precious daughter.

I like children. I like playing with them. You cannot help but be hopeful when you look at the world through a child's eyes. After all, a happy child has only seen the good and none of the bad that this world has to offer.

I am of the age where a majority of my fiends have had or are having children. I have seen my friends grow, become more balanced and generally more content as they have become parents.

That being said, I am completely positive that I would never want to be a mother. I have experienced allot of angst about this position. There was a time I thought something was wrong with me because I didn't want children. God knows there is a ton of societal pressure for a women to have a child or children. However, I have reached the point in my life that I am secure in my decision that I don't want a child. Its just not for me. I guess someone just unplugged my biological clock.

good bye and thank you

Last night when I read that the Eagles had traded Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins I wrote a blog that was unfocused and angry. I decided not to publish it because it was so poorly written. However, I still would like to state that this trade makes little sense except as a salary dump. For this I am disappointed.

The Eagles management has been excellent at parting ways with long term players as they reach the end of the professional careers. There have been times when I have been disappointed to read that a player wasn't getting resigned after a number of good years with the team. However, that disappointment was an emotional reaction and management has done a good job putting the emotional reaction or their fans aside and putting together the best team possible. However, with this trade I do not think the Eagles accomplished this goal. With this trade I think the Eagles management has allowed the illogical prejudice of my fellow fans to influence a stupid trade.

I honestly don't understand why Donovan McNabb has been so hated by proclaimed Eagles fans for so long. I admit I was surprised and disappointed that the Eagles drafted McNabb ahead of Ricky Williams. However, I have gotten over that big time. McNabb has been a perennial pro-bowler and Ricky Williams has been a perennial distraction. Yet it seems that so many Eagles fans never gave Donovan McNabb the credit for what he has done for and with what he has been given by Eagles management.

McNabb's distractors have complained that Donovan has never won the big one for the team. While there have been steady division victories and deep play-off runs there has never been a Superbowl win for the team. I think it is incredibly infair and short-sited to put this all on McNabb.

Undoubtably, a good quarterback is necessary to win a Superbowl. But a good quarterback is not the only factor. Tom Brady and Payton Manning have been the most successful quarterbacks during the years that McNabb was an Eagle. Without a doubt they are excellent quarterbacks. However, when one looks at the rest of the the offense of the Colts and the Patirots there is no competition between the two teams. The Eagles have consistently had a below average receiving core and a subpar offensive line. I think if Brady or Manning were playing with the Egales over the past 11 seasons their stats would have looked allot different. McNabb played well for the Eagles.

So for all these reasons and many more I say good bye to Donnovan. You have been a stand up player and man for the team I love. I have been proud to wear your number 5. Thank you for the memories.