..................................................................................
Salon Weekly
~ In 4 Color-Coded Sections:
- Table Notes
- Events & Opportunities
- Articles, Letters (“opinions expressed are not necessarily mine”...ellen)
- Books, Reviews, Films, Magazines
- Tri-State Treasures: events compiled by Jim Kesner
A Weekly Email Publication of The Lloyd House: Circulation: 613. Growing out
of the Wednesday Night Salon . For info about the Salon, see the bottom of
this email. Join us at the Lloyd House every week of the year at 5:45 for pot
luck and discussion. 3901 Clifton Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio. To Submit events
for the Weekly, send (not attachment) me email, subject line
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lot of work that way. Send submissions by Wednesday evening.
To: Friends on our Pot Luck Salon list (c. 600)... Now in our
seventh year),
(to unsubscribe see below, bottom of page).
................................................... Section One: Table Notes ............................................................................ (Note: these notes were taken at the table and have NOT been approved or corrected by the speakers. Reader beware of inevitable misunderstandings and misrepresentations. E.B.)
At the table Wednesday 3/5/08
Clarence Graves, Gene Somoza, Peggy Somoza, Spencer Konicov, Derek Lester, Lynne Wilson, Julia Yarden, Sam Bach, Pete Altekreuse, Nancy Dawley, Mary Biehn, Bob Witanowski, Roger Pamplas, Elaine Bradford, James Gierach, Suellyn Shupe, Judy Cirillo, Mira Rodwan, Mr. G., Ginger Lee Frank, Rob Ryan, Ellen Bierhorst, Carolyn Aufderhaar, Linda Gruber, Bill Limbacher, Chris Metzger (Welcome new people!)
ANNOUCEMENTS AT TABLE
Lynne Hemp rally Sat, 4-6May 3, downtown, fountain square or court house, to legalize marijuana, Hemp is best plant for ethanol. 684 HEMP, or hemprock.com. A global march on this day. Curesnotwars.org
Spencer play ”Doubt” at playhouse in park. Great.
Mr. G. PEW does statistics on web. Imprisonment: US the largest by far, least is Denmark. One in 100 Americans is now in prison.
Religiosity vs. education; highest ed. Group is Hindus in US. Lowest ed. rates is among the religious right. Jews are second highest.
Julia we have a CSA, and a market stand. Community Supported Agriculture.
Elaine quote from Einstein: “perfection of means and confusion of goals characterize our age.”
Bob the us House passed the renewable energy act of 2008. Dems. Supported, Republicans against it. ...
Mary article from Wall St. Journal about how public is getting it about fuel / gas
TOPIC: LEAP
Rob: tomorrow at 10 am Jim will be on media ... Rotary ... In pm “The Bottom Line” on WAIF.
We have a state wide medical marijuana group. Bill to be introduced in Columbus.
Jim is a former prosecutor, Chicago. L.E.A.P. Law enforcement against prohibition.
Jim
Thank you Ellen, Lloyd House...
Greatest crisis facing the US. War on Drugs, with us since 1970.
In Chicago, now can get 90% pure heroin. Terrible.
Young people being killed ...
All sorts of extreme and expensive measures to stop drug traffic.
More, worse, cheaper, stronger drugs now avail. Than before the War on Drugs started.
My chief concern is the violence.
Every other problem, e.g. Guns, gangs, taxes, deficits, aids, health care, etc. etc. is all made worse by the war on drugs.
7,000% mark up on drugs. Easy way to make a huge profit.
So it is the war on drugs that is at the heart of all our other crises.
In IL we build a prison every year. We can’t pay for education, drug treatment, education, because we spend more on building prisons than on higher education.
When I worked in prosecutor, murder court, homicides; I felt the dirtiest when making a deal to plea bargain the accomplice to tell on the perp.
We have an informant based law enforcement, forcing people to snitch on their friends to get lower sentences. Corrupts everyone. We are teaching “sacrifice your buddy to save yourself.”
ThePEW report... 1 out of every 9 African Amer. Men is behind bars. In cook co. jail, 6 out of 8 are black. In IL the likelihood of going to prison for drug crime is 55 times greater for black men than white.
From 1998 to 2002 increase of 750% increase of drug related incarcerations in IL. In OH it is 350%.
When you put a dollar into prisons, it is a dollar you can’t put into ed. And you can’t imagine a less useful use of dollars.
In down state IL there are no jobs because we lost manufacturing, so people are trying to get prisons built in all the towns. ...
Al Capone supported prohibition because it was the foundation of the mob. Any drug leader supports the prohibition of drugs, because it is the foundation of their business.
Drug war obviously doesn’t work. So why are are “good guy” leaders in favor of it? They are on the same side as the bad buys. Nobody is on the opposition.
Rev. Jesse Jackson gives speaches against the prison industrial complex. Why doesn’t he say the war against drugs is bad, ruining our communities. ??
Well, when the drugs are busted, the community gets the loot. Confiscated drug money funds whole police systems.
The prison contractors are clearly in favor of the drug war. The people who supply the prisons, the parole officers, the drug testers, the drug counselors, the media who have all the anti-drug advertisements... All are making money on the drug war. It’s the money!
Kids who go thru D.A.R.E. have a higher rate of drug use than those who don’t. In the DARE program, they show the kids what the drugs look like...
Licit and illicit drugs an excellent book. Story about the start of the drug sniffing epidemic. The ordinances and press stories taught the kids how to “huff” glue. They caused it?
People are afraid that if you legalize drugs there will be more use. But consensual crime like prostitution. ... Now government has taken up the numbers racket that was illegal before. They can’t pay their bills.
(?) 60 billion spent a year on war on drugs. Same % of population are on drugs as before the war on drugs, 1.5%
Legalization is a solution to all these ancillary problems that the drug war has caused. Answer should be like our answer to the cigarettes problem. 8 out of 10 who try tobacco end up addicted. People quit because they get it tht it is bad for you, kills people. Consumption of cigarettes has been cut in half now, thru education.
(?) tax. That just reinforces it because then there is money in it.
?) LEAP founded 5,6 yrs. Ago. Composed of the former agents who used to fighte the war on drugs. Judges, Agents, prosecutors like me. We have a speakers bureau. Active in 62 countries around the world. We give speeches in school, universities, coast to coast, all kinds of groups. Leap.cc
(? You have given a lot of information. What’s the bottom line?) End prohibition of illicit substances.
Or what if we legalized drugs for addicts only? Give drugs free through the priest or the counselor or the cop. We will have enough $ to provide that. Would have the addicts take the drug at the clinic, can’t take it out.
Say we could eliminate 50% of the money from the drug business. That would go a long way to change the equation for the drug business. It would change the motivation for growers, distributors.
In 1992 the illicit drug business was worth 7 billion a year in Chicago.
(? European countries who were formerly liberal about drugs laws are now thinking of cracking down.) It is actually our politicians and our media are telling lies about the European drug use...
Now in Germany, Switzerland, Canada, UK there are legal shooting galleries to reduce the harm. But the US is trying to squash this.
(? In your partial solution, how identify the addicted?) People would just say they are addicted. There are chemical tests.
(Ellen: Catherine Austin Fitts, http://solari.com analysis... Drug money supports the government thru t bills. They “launder” their huge profits that way. Would crash the government if they stopped.)
Bugliosi proposed different types of currency to address the drug laundering practices...
(? Admire you for sticking with this. You are famous around the country and you are not giving up. Wonderful! Two years ago the asst. police chief of Cinti said 90% are incarcerated for drug related crimes. Then they say they need a bigger jail... No one put two and two together. ... Why didn’t we learn from alcohol prohibition? Gang warfare... Etc.) The memory grows dim with the passage of time. People are afraid for their kids; got to save the kids. But it doesn’t work. ... Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, Richardson for the first time saying we need to end this war on drugs.
(? Any time you decide to make a change you can ask, “what is the worst thing that could happen?” If we did the leagal-for-addicts thing. Still have to spend money, create structure... Seems better just to have it in athe drugstore. ) I am in favor of any alternative model.
(? It won’t be enough. People still need good jobs, education, health, and a moral compass. ... And you didn’t mention the environment. )
Rob LEAP does not prescribe a particular solution. Rather to enlarge the dialog. The drug war is self destructive. People need to be responsible for their own behavior. People need to have an open and honest discussion. Show your political leaders that you don’t support.
PRIMARY ELECTION
A lot of the right wing rep. have suggested that republicans vote as Democrats and vote for Hillary because they think they can beaT her
But also, many Republicans are fed up with Bush, so wanted to vote for Dem. Candidates.
Julia many older women are fed up with the republicans and want a woman leader.
Rub the pendulum swings. I used to be a member of the Rep. state committee.
Bill did anyone else choose not to vote for Todd Portune yesterday? I was disgusted with his jail position deal.
(Ellen: ?)
You get all the delegates from the congressional district if you win the majority of the pop. vote in that dist.
~ End of Table Notes~
Hugs to everyone,
Ellen
Section Two: Events & Opportunities
NOURISHING TRADITIONS STUDY GROUP PRESENTS: MAKE YOUR OWN KEFIR
Interested in making your own kefir? We will have a demonstration showing how to make kefir using both the kefir grain and the kefir powder method. We will also discuss the health and economic benefits of eating cultured dairy products. March 9, Sunday, 3-5pm, Gorman Farm in Evendale. Donation only. For more info email Anita Sorkin @ cincinnatiwapf@mac.com
Learn about Permaculture!
Braden Trauth to teach at salon (What is Permaculture?) on Wed 12 March
And at Civic Garden Center on 3/15
And if you want to learn how, full blown course, 6 weekends starting 28 March.
Salonista and Lloyd House resident Suellyn says Braden is super.
From Braden:
Hey Ellen & Suellyn
... I will definitely be there on the 12th with
some information to share.
As far as the course goes it will begin March 28th
and continue for the next 6 weekends on Saturdays &
sundays, concluding on May 4th
It will take place in Northside, Wooden Shoe Hollow,
and Imago/Enright Urban Ecovillage. The cost is 350$
with sliding scale/ work trade available for those who
need it. For more info or to register please contact
me at bradentrauth@ yahoo.com
or 513-569-2579 for registration
There is also an Intro to Permaculture I'll be
teaching on March 15th from 1-4pm at the Civic Garden
Center which will include a powerpoint presentation of
what Permaculture is, along with a slide show and
video. Those interested should register by contacting
the CGC at 221-0981
please let me know if you have any other questions,
thanks again
peace
Braden
...
...
...
> > Ellen Bierhorst <ellenbierhorst@lloydhouse.com>
> wrote:
> >> Re: for salon newsletter I’d love to have
> Braden at the salon. Please
> >> invite him. ...
> >> on 2/21/08 7:08 PM, Suellyn Shupe at
> suellyn7@yahoo.com wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>> Ellen,
> >>> I will be guest teaching parts of a
> Permaculture Design Course starting
> >>> March 28. The course will be co-sponsored by
> Imago, and supported by (salonista) Jon
> >>> Rosenberg at Wooden Shoe garden. Braden
> Trauth, who has trained with the
> >>> originator of the Permaculture System, is the
> lead teacher. I wonder if he
> >>> could be invited to present at the Salon on
> March 12?
> >>> Suellyn
VALERIE CRONUS BICKETT (A “SHOULD-BE SALONISTA”) LEADING:
Little Pocket Poetry www.littlepocketpoetry.org <http://www.littlepocketpoetry.org/>
Presents the 3rd Poetry Bee of the 2008 Gibbous Moon Poetry Series
Wednesday, March 12th, 6:45 p.m.
at the Holistic Health Center of Cincinnati.
800 Compton Road, Suite #24 45231
(1 block west of Winton Rd on Compton Rd, north of Finneytown)
Call the Center at 513-521-5333 for directions or use MapQuest to find us.
Admission is free
Donations are welcome
March’s poem, “Lot’s Wife”, is by Russian poet Anna Akhmatova
Translated by Tanya Karshtedt.
Log on to www.littlepocketpoetry.org <http://www.littlepocketpoetry.org/> for more information.
What happens at a Poetry Bee? Something different each time, we can assure you. Valerie and Susan come abundantly prepared, then we fly by the seat of our spontaneous pants to shape a rich evening based partly on what the energy and wisdom of the group calls for. Just ask anyone who attended both of the other two Bees— each one had its own personality. Bring a friend or family member who is bored with the predictable land of television, or someone who thinks they don’t like or can’t understand poetry. There is much in store for them.
ELLEN GOODMAN TO SPEAK IN CINTI 3/13
One of the nation’s leading syndicated columnists and authors, Goodman’s columns appear in more than 450 newspapers, ranking her as one of the two most syndicated columnists in the United States. In Cincinnati, her column appeared weekly in the Cincinnati Post and will now be picked up by the Cincinnati Enquirer. She is known for her astute insight into how social changes have penetrated every aspect of our lives. In addition to her Pulitzer Prize for Distinguished Commentary, Goodman has won many other awards from such diverse organizations as the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, The National Women’s Political Caucus and the Women’s Research & Education Institute.
Woman's city club. Of Greater Cincinnati is a non-profit organization that works to bring justice in a number of areas. We work with "cease fire Cincinnati", have a tutoring program in Rothenberg school Over the Rhine, and have been working with CPS promoting Green schools, etc. See our website www.womanscityclub.org <http://WWW.womanscityclub.org> for info about our mission.
THIS IS THE ONLY FUND RAISER FOR WCC. Please support.
Every year we bring a woman who is known nationally to speak in Cincinnati. Last year we had Diane Rehm. This year we are bringing Ellen Goodman, who is a syndicated columnist featured in the Post. She is a long time feminist and author of many books. Ms. Goodman will be in Cincinnati to speak on
Thursday March 13, 2008 at 7:30
Plum Street Temple
Her topic is "The Political is (Too) Personal, the Media is (Too) Polarized and Television News is an Oxymoron"
Tickets cost $25 (you can buy a ticket from Ellen at the Lloyd House.)
There will be a private reception following her talk. Tickets for the reception are available to anyone who contributes to the event at or above the "sponsor" level of $125.
To purchase tickets please contact Jill Bley 961-8788 or drjillbley@cinci.rr.com.
Music with Betsy Lippitt. Saturday, March 15th from 7:30pm-9:30pm at the Feldenkrais Within Studio, 4124 Hamilton Avenue (45223). Join us for an unforgettable intimate concert in one of Northside's Historic Venues. Hope to see you then. Questions? Call Betsy at 542-1577.
LEARN ABOUT the confusing Economic Development Puzzel:
Are you vexed that you are not well informed about the important political issues today?
You are not alone. Sr. Alice Gerdeman and the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center has organized 6 free public information sessions.
WHERE: First Unitarian Church, corner Linton St. and Reading Rd. in Avondale. Free parking. Opposite old Sears store.
WHEN: Saturday, 9 to noon
Economic Development 15 March
Education 17 May
Immigration 19 July
Campaign Finance Reform 27 Sept
Foreign Policy Oct 25
Saturday, 9 to noon
Open to the public. RSVP 513 579 8547
http://www.ijpc-cincinnati.org
Hello friends,
We would like to invite you to the next Ohio Progressive Leadership Network quarterly meeting. As we learned at our successful RootsCamp Ohio 2008, many grassroots groups across Ohio are already thinking about goals and projects for the 2008 election cycle.
Come network, learn and share with other Ohio progressive grassroots group at our next quarterly meeting:
Saturday, March 15th
10 am to 2 pm
America Votes office – 399 E. Main Street, #220, Columbus. Free parking is available on the street. Lunch will be provided, donations appreciated.
RSVP to alevine@americavotes.org or (614) 236 3414.
Please save the date, and an agenda will be sent out soon.
OPLN’s mission statement: A progressive leadership network that comes together regularly to share best practices in our joint effort towards winning elections, increasing capacity and building sustainable infrastructure in the progressive community.
Abby Levine
America Votes
Central Ohio Political/Field Director
614.236.3414 office
614.309.9340 cell
alevine@americavotes.org
www.americavotes.org
CALLING FOR PEACE DEMONSTRATORS AT THE LLOYD HOUSE FOR THIS EVENT.
EMPTY SHIRTS, LOST LIVES
5TH ANNIVERSARY OF IRAQ WAR OBSERVANCE
March 19th marks the fifth year of the Iraq War. This anniversary is a somber occasion
for the US, Iraq and the world; the loss and suffering of the past five years will weigh
on each of us in a special way. To face this burden together, and to express our
continuing opposition to the war, IJPC will coordinate a special observance.
Details are still being finalized, but please mark your calendar for Wednesday March 19th.
There will be an interfaith prayer service at 4:30 PM at St. Monica St. George. From
5:30 to 6:30PM we will stand along Clifton Avenue, from McMillan north,(right in front of the Lloyd House) displaying one tee
shirt for each ten US soldiers killed in the war. The empty shirts will tangibly represent our
society's loss of a young person and all that his/her life would have brought to our
world. Sadly, the line of shirts will extend for more than two miles. We mourn the fact
that the total loss of life on all sides of this conflict far outstrips our ability to
represent the dead.
To accomplish this moving portrayal of America's loss, we need your help. We are asking
individuals and groups to commit to this project. Please respond to Kristen@ijpc-cincinna
ti.org or to 513-579-8547 if you can provide the materials and people needed for the shirt
display. Each unit of the display will require ten clean tee shirts, clothespins, a
length of rope and four or more people to hold the shirt display. Sadly, we will need
about 400 groups of 10 shirts each to symbolize the US dead. Ideally there will be some
larger institutions that can commit to multiple units, while families and small groups
will provide a single unit. A detailed "how to" packet will be sent to parties
indicating their willingness to help with our community's commemoration of the fifth
anniversary.
(We have one team signed up...want to join us? Send me and email, ellenbierhorst@lloydhouse.com)
There is now every Sunday morning an open weekly Tai Chi practice session at the Lloyd House in the third floor zendo at 10:15 am. Everyone welcome. Group is led by Jackie Millay She is excellent! Only three of us. Come join us. Raise the chi, warm yourself up this winter. ellen
Articles
Contents:
- Climate protection plan for Cincinnati announced
- From Shari Able
- From Paul Ravenscraft
- From Shirley Reischman on C. vs O. corporate backing
- Gerry Kraus: Obama on nuclear power
- Spencer sends article by Joe Wilson from Huffington Post: Hillary gets it re. foreign affairs etc.
- A. Lincoln: “with malice towards none...”
The message below was posted on the Permaculture Guild's group site.
Fodder for the Salon. The document lists everybody who is on the committee. I don't know whether there will be additional public hearings to be posted on the weekly.
Suellyn
The preliminary draft Climate Protection Plan has been posted for
review at http://www.cincinna ti-oh.gov/ cmgr/pages/ -17659-/ <http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cmgr/pages/-17659-/> and the
public hearing last night generated valuable feedback for our
consideration. We are also approaching the time to evaluate each GHG
reduction measure (the Action Item Template) against all the others to
determine those that provide the best solutions for the resources
invested. This prioritization will form the basis for future action.
Salonista-in-exile Shari Able wants to weigh in on Candidates
on 3/4/08 12:44 AM, Shari Able at shariablenow@yahoo.com wrote:
i want to vote too, i'm for obama have been since before the california primary, never cared that much for hilary, though i did love bill still do. luvya shari
Former Salonista and Weekly Lurker Paul Ravenscraft on Candidates
Dear Ellen,
I have been following closely all the Lloyd House Salon discourse on the presidential primaries. And this evening, as I see the returns coming in from Vermont, Rhode Island, Texas and Ohio, it suddenly occurs to me...
I am feeling very optimistic.
I am intensely interested in whether Hillary or Barak get the Democratic nomination...
AND...
I expect that whoever wins the Democratic nomination will be in the White House in 2009...
AND...
If the WORST we have to look forward to is a McCain presidency, we are going to be SO much better off than the last 8 years of Dubya!
All the Best,
Paul
Shirley Reischman on Clinton/Obama: who’s in bed with big corp?
on 3/3/08 10:29 PM, Shirley Reischman at jereisch@fuse.net wrote:
Hi Ellen,
Re “Obama has heavy funding by nuclear power industry”, Clinton has accepted more money from pharmaceutical PACs and companies than any other candidate running this year. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the total number of deaths caused by conventional medicine is an astounding 783,936 per year. It is now evident that pharmaceutical companies are the leading cause of death and injury in the US. (By contrast, the number of deaths attributable to heart disease is 699,697 a year and the number of deaths attributable to cancer is 553,251). This doesn’t count the even greater numbers of people who are injured in some way each year from medicine. And this continues year after year. This is far greater than any damage that nuclear power has ever caused.
Yours,
Shirley
OBAMA’S POSITION ON NUCLEAR:
Dear Ellen: If you search on Google the words "Obama on Nuclear Power" you will find several articles all of which, except the YouTube clip you mentioned, clearly state Obama's position on nuclear power; namely, that he would support nuclear power development IF THE ISSUES OF SAFETY AND DISPOSAL OF NUCLEAR WASTE WERE RESOLVED.
This is exactly the same position that Hillary Clinton has taken according to one of the letters (by Delcourt) printed in your Feb 27 Salon report.
One of the Google listed articles even has a 4 minute clip in which you can actually see and hear Obama's position on the issue of Nuclear Power.
Thank you for printing a more equitable number of pro Clinton/Obama letters in the Feb 27 Salon report.
Gerry KRAUS
(P.S. From Ellen. I did my search on Yahoo and came up with a number of things linking Obama with nuclear power industry money including a video clip of him saying “Nuclear should be part of the solution” and Clinton saying “Not unless safety issues are solved”. Edwards was also saying “No No Never. We haven’t built a nuclear power plant in the US for X years and there is a reason for that!”)
Spencer Konicov sends in this: Hillary understands foreign affairs
This is by Joe Wilson.
very good article.
Check out the parts in bold. Spencer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-wilson/battletested_b_86355.html?view=print
With the emergence of Sen. John McCain as the presumptive Republican
nominee, the choice for the Democrats in the 2008 presidential election now
shifts to who is best positioned to beat him, in what promises to be a more
hard-fought campaign -- and perhaps a nastier one -- than Democrats
anticipated.
Sen. Barack Obama's promise of transformation and an end of partisan
politics has its seductive appeal. The Bush-Cheney era, after all, has been
punctuated by smear campaigns, character assassinations and ideological
fervor.
Nobody dislikes such poisonous partisanship, especially in foreign policy,
more than I do. I am one of very few Foreign Service officers who have
served as ambassador in the administrations of both George H.W. Bush and
Bill Clinton, yet I have spent the past four years fighting a concerted
character assassination campaign orchestrated by the George W. Bush White
House.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is one of the few who fully understood the
stakes in that battle. Time and again, she reached out to my wife -- outed
CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson -- and me to remind us that as painful as
the attacks were, we simply could not allow ourselves to be driven from the
public square by bullying. To do so would validate the radical right's
thesis that the way to win debates is to demonize opponents, taking full
advantage of the natural desire to avoid confrontation, even if it means
yielding on substantive issues. Hillary knew this from experience, having
spent the better part of the past 20 years fighting the Republican attack
machine. She is a fighter.
But will Mr. Obama fight? His brief time on the national scene gives little
comfort. Consider a February 2006
exchange<http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1839815/posts>of
letters with Mr. McCain on the subject of ethics reform. The wrathful
Mr.
McCain accused Mr. Obama of being "disingenuous," to which Mr. Obama meekly
replied, "The fact that you have now questioned my sincerity and my desire
to put aside politics for the public interest is regrettable but does not in
any way diminish my deep respect for you." Then McCain said, "Obama wouldn't
know the difference between an RPG and a bong."
Mr. McCain was insultingly dismissive but successful in intimidating his
inexperienced colleague. Thus, in his one face-to-face encounter with Mr.
McCain, Mr. Obama failed to stand his ground.
What gives us confidence Mr. Obama will be stronger the next time he faces
Mr. McCain, a seasoned political fighter with extensive national security
credentials? Even more important, what special disadvantages does Mr. Obama
carry into this contest on questions of national security?
How will Mr. Obama answer Mr. McCain about his careless remark about
unilaterally bombing Pakistan -- perhaps blowing up an already difficult
relationship with a nuclear state threatened by Islamic extremists? How will
Mr. Obama respond to charges made by the Kenyan government that his
campaigning activities in Kenya in support of his distant cousin running for
president there made him "a stooge" and constituted interference in the
politics of an important and besieged ally in the war on terror?
How will he answer charges that his desire for unstructured personal summits
without preconditions with a host of America's adversaries, from Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad to Kim Jong Il, would be little more than premature
capitulation?
* Senator Obama claims superior judgment on the war in Iraq based on one
speech given as a state legislator representing the most liberal district in
Illinois at an anti-war rally in Chicago,* and in so doing impugns the
integrity of those who were part of the debate on the national scene. In
mischaracterizing the debate on the Authorization for the Use of Military
Force as a declaration of war, he implicitly blames Democrats for George
Bush's war of choice. Obama's negative attack line does not conform to the
facts. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I should know. I was among
the most prominent anti-war voices at the time -- and never heard about or
from then Illinois State Senator Obama.
George Bush made it clear publicly when lobbying for the bill that he
wanted it not to go to war but to give him the leverage he needed to go to
the United Nations and secure intrusive inspections of Saddam's suspected
Weapons of Mass Destruction sites. Who could argue with that goal? Colin
Powell made the same case individually to Senators in the run up to the
vote, including to Senator Clinton. It is not credible that Senator Obama
would not have succumbed to Secretary Powell's arguments had he been in
Washington at the time. Why not? Obama himself suggested so in 2004. "I'm
not privy to Senate intelligence reports,' Obama said. 'What would I have
done? I don't know." He also told the *Chicago Tribune* in 2004: "There's
not much of a difference between my position and George Bush's position at
this stage." According to press reports, Powell is now an informal adviser
to Mr. Obama.
In his tendentious attack, Obama never mentions that Hans Blix, the chief
United Nations weapons inspectors, declared that without the congressional
Authorization for the Use of Military Force the inspectors would never have
been allowed into Iraq. Hillary's approach -- and that of the majority of
Democrats in the Senate -- was to let the inspectors complete their work
while building an international coalition. Hillary's was the road untaken.
The betrayal of the American people, and of the Congress, came when
President Bush refused to allow the inspections to succeed, and that
betrayal is his and his party's, not the Democrats.
* Contrary to the myth of his campaign, 2008 is not the year for
transcendental transformation. The task for the next administration will be
to repair the damage done by eight years of radical rule. *And the choice
for Americans is clear: four more years of corrupt Republican rule,
senseless wars, evisceration of the Constitution, emptying of the national
treasury -- or rebuilding our government and our national reputation, piece
by piece. *Obama's overtures to Republicans, or "Obamacans" as the Senator
calls them, is a substitute for true national unity based on a substantive
program.* His marginal appeals have marginally helped him in caucuses in
Republican states that Democrats won't win in the general election. But his
vapid rhetoric will not withstand the winds of November. His efforts will be
correctly seen by the Republican leadership as a sign of weakness to be
exploited. While disaffected Democrats may long for comity in our politics
after years of being harangued and belittled by the right wing echo chamber,
the Rovians currently promoting Obama are looking to destroy him should he
become the nominee. *Obama's claim to float uniquely above the fray and
avoid polarization will be short-lived. He is no less mortal than any other
Democrat -- Michael Dukakis, Al Gore, John Kerry -- all untouched at the
beginning of their campaigns and all mauled by the end. We should never
forget recent history.*
In order to effect practical change against a determined adversary, we do
not need a would-be philosopher-king but a seasoned gladiator who
understands the fight Democrats will face in the fall campaign and in
governing.
Theodore Roosevelt once commented, "It is not the critic who counts: not the
man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds
could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the
arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives
valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, who, at the best,
knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst,
if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly."
If he were around today, TR might be speaking of the woman in the arena.
Hillary Clinton has been in that arena for a generation. She is one of the
few to have defeated the attack machine that is today's Republican Party and
to have emerged stronger. She is deeply knowledgeable about governing; she
made herself into a power in the Senate; she is respected by our military;
and she never flinches. She has never been intimidated, not by any
Republican -- not even John McCain.
Barack Obama claims to represent the future, but it should be increasingly
evident that he is not the man for this moment, especially with Mr. McCain's
arrival. We've seen a preview of that contest already. It was a TKO.
*This article is adapted from a piece published in the Baltimore Sun on
February 12, 2008*
Final Paragraph of Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Addres,
March 4, 1865
(Good affirmation today, just as it was at the close of the civil war 150 years ago. Ellen)
“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
Books,Movies, Reviews
It’s up to you folks to send me blurbs. I know you are reading. What? Is it good? Ellen
Hey all
It occurred to me that I have not updated my cable movies list for a while so I thought I would send this out. I watch almost no TV but try to find sleeper movies that are worth watching: That’s how this list started. However, some classic and epic movies creep in as they do appear on cable. As you look at the attached, I have no description of the movies other than plain type [struck me as worth watching], bold italicized type [struck me as even more worth watching] and bold italicized underlined type [struck me as something I would watch more than once and even not mind owning the DVD.]
In the left column are movies that I placed there because they might be better known, of epic proportions, etc., but still might, relatively speaking, be sleepers. In the middle column are movies not too extreme [from extremes of epic to peculiar or even kinky—see Kinky Boots in the third column]. In the third column are movies that are simply a bit more extreme in some way [e.g. psychological thriller, dealing with very mature issues, etc] than the middle column.
I must put in a plug for Little Miss Sunshine as one of the best movies I’ve seen in 10 years, along with movies such as Smoke. Little Miss Sunshine was a film festival winner and is resent. If you missed it: Don’t. Notice that on the list it is underlined with only a few others.
Hope all are doing well.
Dr. Tom Firor
(sorry, formating of his list is a problem. Will send more later. Ellen)
Little Buddha Radio inside Donnie Darko
Bob Roberts Rare Birds Closet Land
Little Big Man Table One Things You Can Tell Just By looking
Bowling for Columbine Changing Lanes The Ring
The Handmaid’s Tale Shipping News The Infiltrator
Fahrenheit 911
Sorry, no Tri State Treasures this week. technical difficulties.
The Lloyd House Salon (usually about 12 people) Meets on WEDNESDAYS at 5:45,
EVERY Wednesday, 52 WEEKS/YEAR come hell or high water, as my mother used to say.
We of the Lloyd House Salon gather in a spirit of
respect, sympathy and compassion for one another
in order to exchange ideas for our mutual pleasure and enlightenment.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Our Salon blog is a promising interactive site: http:lloydhouse.blogspot.com
Also, we have an Interactive Yahoo Salon group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LloydHouseSalon
For Pot Luck procedures including food suggestions, mission and history visit
http://home.fuse.net/ellenbierhorst/Potluck.html .
You are invited also to visit the Lloyd House website: http://www.lloydhouse.com
> To unsubscribe from the Lloyd House Potluck Salon list, send a REPLY message
> to me and in the SUBJECT line type in "unsub potluck #". In the place of #
> type in the numeral that follows the subject line of my Weekly email. It
> will be 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7or 8. This tells me which sub-list your name is on so I can
> delete it. Thanks! ellen bierhorst
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