THROW ASIDE THE CURTAIN

September 18, 2008

“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.”
~from the Wizard of Oz movie

So much is being thrown at us every day – every minute of every day – on the internet, radio, television, emails, magazine articles, newspaper stories and opinion pages. As I observe America rapidly sinking into the gutter - the Stock Market plunging, the National Debt mounting, Gas Prices bouncing, food prices growing, global warming causing one catastrophic storm after another – I watch and wait for the next big news story, and I study our Presidential candidates. I am hoping they will put it all into some kind of perspective for me. I am looking to them for guidance, for vision, for a plan that will lead us away from some unknown disaster. Instead, they seem busy trying to define each other in some way – usually negative – for me. As if I am not intelligent enough to see and understand for myself, who or what they stand for and capable of making my own decision.

As I see it, at this moment every single one of the candidates is wearing some kind of mask. Either they have donned it themselves or the other party has thrown it on them. Our job, the job of the American electorate, is to lift those masks and try to find the real person who is under there. The person who is going to actual be setting the vision, making the decisions and running this country as President of the United States for the next four years. Just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, we must ignore the warnings and fling back the curtain to reveal the human being controlling all the smoke and mirrors – the person under that mask.

I am finding that discovering the truth is the best way to educate myself regarding the candidates. The following websites have been extremely informative. I encourage you to educate yourself by visiting them:

• The Fact Checker: maintained by the Washington Post as a “truth squad” for the 2008 election.
• Factcheck.org: An excellent site to find out whether or not that ad you just saw was accurate or not.
• Politifact.com: An amazing site with wonderful graphics illustrating whether the claims and counterclaims from both sides are true or false and just how much so.
• OpenSecrets.org: Everything you ever wanted to know about campaign finances but were afraid to ask. Did you know that the candidates in this election have raised over $1 Billion dollars!?
• OntheIssues.org: Just exactly how did those candidates vote on all of those issues? Find out here.
• RealClearPolitics.com: A collection of the weeks best commentary and more.

If all of this doesn’t make you an enlightened voter, I’m not sure what will. Please, let me know if there are other websites, blogs or information out there that I should include on this site. Thanks for reading.

Kathy B.

SARAH PALIN - EVERYMAN

September 15, 2008

I read an interesting article in The Economist this week. It was entitled, “The Triumph of Feminism” and in it the author makes a case that “Mrs. Palin…represents the fulfillment of the feminist dream.” While outraged by this statement, I did really stop and think about it. Could the author be right? Does Sarah Palin and all she stands for signal the end of the feminist cause. After careful consideration, the answer is clearly, “Yes…and No.”

If achieving the feminist ideal means that women should be EXACTLY like men in all ways, then perhaps the answer is yes. Sarah Palin certainly seems to fit the bill. Consider the facts:

• She accepted a high-level job with little if any consideration for the effect it would have on her spouse or children.
• She is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association who enjoys hunting, fishing and snowmobiling.
• She talks about “God’s will” as if she has a direct pipeline to the Source of the Universe – the Alaska pipeline is “God’s will,” the Iraq War is “God’s will” and so on.
• She apparently makes people want to sit down and have a beer with her.

If on the other hand, achieving the feminist ideal means that the most qualified WOMAN would succeed to the highest office in the land, then the answer is no. In this case, there were more qualified women (i.e. Hillary Clinton, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Elizabeth Dole Kay Bailey Hutchison to name a few all but one of whom McCain could have picked), but just like back in high school the popular boy overlooked them for someone who was:

• Younger
• Prettier – She was after all a runner up for Miss Alaska
• Not quite as smart
• Friendlier – She was after all Miss Congeniality in the Miss Alaska Pageant.

If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, I am a bit unclear as to which planet Sarah Palin has come from. I know I am risking the wrath of men and women by pointing all of these things out. But truth is truth. Mourning the defeat of Hillary was difficult enough, following that with the circus that has become the candidacy of Sarah Palin is almost too much to bear.

When exactly do we begin the election process? When do we address the real issues facing this country? Our economy is going into the toilet. The war in Iraq will have us bankrupt if we do not have a plan in place quickly to get out of that country as soon as possible. While that is happening, the Taliban is taking over Afghanistan. Global warming is destroying our coastal cities. I for one would like to hear Obama and McCain, Biden and Palin discussing those issues instead of lipstick, Vietnam-era smears and sex-ed for pre-schoolers.

Thanks for reading,

Kathy B.

SHE DIDN'T BLINK!?

September 12, 2008

“ I -- I answered him yes because I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can't blink.

So I didn't blink then even when asked to run as his running mate.”

Sarah Palin in an interview with Charles Gibson on ABC News 9/11/2008

Let me get this straight. You are married. You are the mother of five children. One of those children is an unmarried, pregnant teenager, another is a 4-month-old baby with Down’s Syndrome. You have just been offered the job of Republican Candidate for Vice President of the United States of America. And YOU DON”T BLINK! YOU SAY YES! Just like that!

Forgive me if I offend anyone here, but if a man did that I would say, “The Hell with him!” We are not talking about a part-time job at the local fast food restaurant, which has its own issues of time management. We are talking about running for Vice President of the United States of America. I do believe Mr. Palin and the kids deserved at least a heads up: “Hey, I’ve been offered this great job and this is what it is going to mean for all of you. Let’s discuss this for a few minutes before I give them my answer.”

I guess what troubles me about “you can’t blink” is that everyone needs the counsel of others and in my experience the higher up you go, the more counsel you need. To think that the Vice President or President of our country “can’t blink” tells me that s/he wouldn’t hesitate before pulling the trigger, pressing the button or making the order to wreak God knows what havoc on the world. I would feel a lot more comfortable knowing my elected officials have the common sense to recognize that they may not understand everything about every situation in which they find themselves. I would like them to blink, breathe and invite some reasoned and intelligent minds in to discuss the state of affairs before running off and making a decision. That is what I expect from my life’s partner before he makes any major decisions. That is what he expects from me. Sometimes it really isn’t all about you, Sarah Palin.

“You can’t blink.” That’s one more bone for the pile,

Kathy B.

SLEIGHT-OF-HAND

September 11, 2008

“We have real problems in this country right now, and the American people are looking to us for answers, not distractions, not diversions, not manipulations." Barack Obama

As part of my self-education regarding the political process, and what is happening with the candidates during this election season, I have been doing a lot of reading. Yesterday I focused on the candidates’ websites and, just as when I read the parties’ Political Platforms there were some interesting differences. One in particular glared out at me.

The Obama/Biden website has an entire section entitled “Fight the Smears/Spread the Truth.” When I enter it, I read all “those stories” I have been receiving in my inbox. “Obama is a Muslim,” “Obama won’t say the Pledge of Allegiance,” you know the ones. OhmyGod…Just like the “Dear Madam: I am writing to inform you that your help is required for my $10 million inheritance to leave Botswana…” email, here they all were, the outright lies, the ridiculous innuendos. Accompanying each of these ludicrous stories was THE TRUTH - where the story, rumor, implication came from, who started it, who spread it and who funded it and most importantly what I could do to spread THE TRUTH to everyone I know. So much money, such a huge endeavor to tell lies. So much effort, so much energy expended to erase them.

I move on to the McCain/ Palin website. Surely, there must be a similar area on this site addressing these same types of stories. I looked everywhere and found nothing. The only thing featured yesterday on the McCain/Palin site is the “Lipstick Ad.” Have you seen it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w613nayrYwo

Here is the full account of what Senator Obama said: “John McCain says he’s about change too. I guess his whole angle is, ‘Watch out George Bush – except for Economic Policy, Health Care Policy, Tax Policy, Education Policy, Foreign Policy and Karl Rove Style Politics – we’re really going to shake up Washington.’ That’s not change. That’s calling the same thing something different. You can put lipstick on a pig…it’s still a pig. You can wrap up an old fish in a piece of paper and call it change. It’s still gonna stink after 8 years. We’ve had enough.”

Personally, I think the Republicans are just trying to distract us from the real issues - $4 a gallon gasoline, the war in Iraq, the national deficit, the mortgage crisis, the failing dollar, rising food costs, violence, unemployment, all the things that keep us awake at night.

It’s as if the Republicans are magicians performing some kind of sleight-of-hand with the American people. They are using any number of the magician’s techniques - manipulation, misdirection, deceit to name a few – to lead us away from the important matters – the issues that affect our lives on a daily basis, the fact that we need a real change in this country. In this way, they will fool us into believing that their candidate is the better leader and their platform, the better roadmap.

We no longer have the luxury of falling for their tricks. We must be educated and aware of what they are doing. We must take matters into our own hands and tell the Republicans, “Enough is enough! We are through with a Republican Administration, with this war, with this economy. We want change and we want it now. ” THROW BACK THE BONE!

Kathy B.

Making a Difference

September 10, 2008

It certainly appears that people are heating up over the political situation. One would think that Sarah Palin was the Republican candidate for President of the United States rather than Senator John McCain. My inbox fills daily with emails expressing concern over the latest discovery about Governor Palin, her comings and goings and the most recent speculation regarding the Republican’s chances of winning the election in November. Fear and anxiety are running rampant through my social network.

The good news is that people are taking action. Just as I began writing my blog – a wonderful therapeutic tool – others have done the same thing. Check out the following, if you haven’t already received the links in your inboxes:

http://womenagainstsarahpalin.blogspot.com/ - a fantastic blog where you can read the outrageous responses of thousands of women to Sarah Palin’s nomination.

http://womenagainstsarahpalin.org/ - A website/blog that is trying to give factual information about Sarah Palin as well as a place for readers to discuss their feelings.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/NO-Sarah-Palin - a petition you can sign to send to Senator McCain telling him why you think that Sarah Palin is the wrong choice for his Vice President.

And please don’t forget to tell your family and friends about my blog, http://throwbackthebone.blogspot.com/, where you and they can also comment about the news of the day and also find articles of interest and ways to get active in the election. As John F. Kennedy said, “One person can make a difference and every person should try.”

I’m trying in my own way. I would love to hear about your ideas.

Kathy B.

To Vote or Not to Vote? Is That Really a Question?

September 8, 2008

I hear some individuals are planning to sit out the November 4 election this year. They say Hillary Clinton is not on the ballot and neither Obama nor McCain is appealing, so they have no reason to vote. They say they do not want to take responsibility for electing either Obama or McCain. They say the state they live in is going to go to Obama or McCain so what difference does their one vote make anyway. They say…any number of things to excuse the fact that they are giving up a fundamental human right, one that citizens of countries the world over (including ours) have fought and died over.

Perhaps I am old enough to look back on elections past with some insight. Maybe it’s living in the present with the increasingly difficult news of war, recession, global warming and other serious issues slapping me in the face everyday. Or possibly it’s because I look to the future with anticipation that our country can live up to the ideals upon which it was founded. Whatever it is, I believe we are standing at a crossroads and each of us has the obligation to make the choice as to the direction we want America to go.

On one hand, we can ride out the chaotic storm we are currently sitting in the midst of and hope for the best. We can choose the candidate with a platform that, for example, calls not for ENDING the Iraq war but for WINNING that war. We can vote for the candidate with a platform that considers discrimination immoral EXCEPT in the case of sexual orientation, and calls for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman. We can support the candidate who does not support “equal pay for equal work” by women. (Read the Republican Platform.)

On the other hand, we can vote for the candidate who offers us change. We can choose the candidate with a platform that calls for bringing “the war in Iraq to a responsible end.” We can vote for the candidate with the platform that fights to end discrimination of any kind and that vows to “Support the full inclusion of all families, including same-sex couples, in the life of our nation…”We can support the candidate with the platform that supports a woman’s right to choose and “equal pay for equal work.” (Read the Democratic Platform.)

It is not only the party platforms nor whether we like the candidates themselves that should determine whether we vote or not. Other factors require our consideration. The next President of the United States will more than likely be nominating 1-3 new justices to the Supreme Court in the coming 4 years. Think long and hard about the recent Supreme Court decisions that have been handed down. Have you liked the way the justices have decided? Here are some recent cases in case you have forgotten. Your vote for President could make a difference in how future Supreme Court cases are decided.

Another reason to vote is you will the opportunity to elect State Representatives and Senators from your party of choice. Providing the new President with a majority in the Senate and House of Representatives will enable the work of the country to proceed at a much faster clip. A definite advantage.

Are you still thinking about staying home on Election Day?

Kathy B.

THE TIPPING POINT, YOU ASK?

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Very shortly after I created my website (which has now become this blog) and sent it to my friends, a Republican friend of mine emailed me with this:

"I'm interested in what, exactly, the tipping point was for you. Is it the idea that women shouldn't be conservative? Must the shattering of the 'glass ceiling' be done only by a registered Democrat? If so, it obviously isn't a womens' issue at all, but a political one."

Of course, anyone who knows me including my Republican friend, knows my immediate reaction was to begin to get a bit heated. But then I stopped and thought about it. This is a fair and legitimate question, deserving of a thoughtful answer. Was there a Tipping Point? Yes, I am certain that there was, but it came after a long a frustrating process.

I think you may have to be a woman in your fifties or older to really understand. Perhaps if I share a personal story with you it will become clearer.

Go back with me to the early 1980s. Picture yourself as the only woman in a room full of men. You are a young woman in your 20s and the men are all older than you. They are your colleagues - your peers. You are meeting them for the first time at a staff meeting. Before your boss arrives, they greet you warmly and then say, "You should know, the boss hates women. He is going to make your life miserable." It is clear in the days following that meeting that they are right. Your boss is an old-timer with the company and he is not happy at having a young, up-and-coming female foisted on him. What would you do in that situation?

What I did was ask my boss to come to my office for a meeting. I confronted him with the problem directly by stating, "I understand you have a problem with women. Well, there is not much I can do about the fact that I am one. But I can tell you that I will do a better job than any of my colleagues and that is all you should care about." In the end, I received his highest recommendation.

HOWEVER, imagine that in spite of all that, working your hardest, managing through that system, giving it your all, achieving the highest rank in the district, you still standby and watch as a newer, younger MALE comes into the organization and takes the promotion over you. Imagine that happens not once, but three times. Of course there is always a reason, a very good reason...

Flash forward to 2008, Hillary Clinton is running for President of the United States. The first truly viable female presidential candidate we have seen. Eighteen Million people support her. 1800+ delegates line up behind her at the Democratic National Convention. So close, so very close. But wait...there is a younger, handsomer, young MALE candidate. Well, we've seen it before. We've lived it before.

Yes, we are disappointed. And hurt. And angry. Excuse us for having emotions. Oh, but John McCain is there. He certainly is. With his advertisements using Hillary supporters to try to woo us to his side.

Unfortunately, he did not count on Hillary Clinton taking the High Road. He did not figure that at the Democratic National Convention, Hillary would ask her supporters to think hard about why we had supported her. He did not count on Hillary actually having the courage to herself move that Barack Obama be selected as the Democratic Party's nominee by Acclimation. He did not count on Hillary's asking us to support Obama in the name of party unity and then so admirably modelling that unity herself.

I understand that Senator McCain ran ads alluding to why Hillary Clinton was "passed over" for the Vice Presidential slot in Obama's campaign. Again, trying to build up the flames of our anger and resentment. I guess it must not have been working, however, because the best was yet to come with the announcement on Sunday, August 30, 2008, that Senator McCain had chosen Sarah Palin, a virtual political unknown to be his running mate. As if to say, "I know what you want. You want a woman to actually be on the ticket! It doesn't matter if she is qualified or not. It doesn't matter if she supports women's issues or not. As long as she is a woman, I'm sure you will all coming running to me in droves."

A Tipping Point? I guess my answer would have to be, yes, there was a Tipping Point and Sarah Palin is that Tipping Point. To answer your specific questions: Does the glass ceiling have to be shattered by a registered Democrat or the woman shouldn't be conservative? No, those aren't the issues. But for me, as a woman, I would like the woman who shatters that glass ceiling to represent me in a little better way than Sarah Plain seems to be representing me. For example:

• A woman who believes that abortions should be banned EVEN IN THE CASE OF RAPE AND INCEST is not someone who represents me even a little.
  
• A woman who, as mayor of a small town, wants librarians to ban books from the local library is not someone who represents me even a little.
  
• A woman who gives birth to a Down-Syndrome child and then chooses to leave that 4-month-old special needs child behind while she runs for Vice President of the United States is not someone who represents me even a little.
• A woman who completely disparages all of the community organizers I know - the people who organize and run the battered women's shelters, the homeless shelters, the soup kitchens and many other organizations that are necessary to take care of the mess left to us by the Bush Administration is not someone who represents me even a little.
  
• A woman who attends a church that supports Jews for Jesus evangelicals and their thinking about God's punishment on the Jews is not someone who represents me even a little.
  

I could go on, but you see my point. I think Senator McCain could have chosen a better and more qualified woman for this position if he had looked for one. A woman, though conservative, who could have represented me even a little and who I may have been persuaded to support. However, Gloria Steinem and I agree, Governor Palin is little more than a younger version of Phyllis Schlafly. I believe that even conservative Republican women have come a little farther than that by now.

So my friend, there is your answer. It is both a woman's issue and a political one. I am sure our discussion has only just begun. I appreciate your making me think about this though. I hope you think about it too.

Kathy B.