Wednesday, December 30, 2009

2009 is winding down. What a year, what a decade. Makes me feel like I just can't wait till 2010. I have a feeling that these succeeding years will be very trying as well as very exciting. Let's tackle the exciting first. The unknown is always exciting. What will happen next? To be truly "alive" one must be totally involved with the present and excited about the future. No matter what the future holds, approach it with a sense of intrigue and excitement. Don't just exist, but live to the fullest with awe and excitement. Now for the trying. As Dorothy said to Toto on their arrival in Oz, "I don't think we are in Kansas anymore Toto". Today the world is certainly a different kind of place. Just watch the news, especially cable news and you will see the scope of the change in the world. Yes, it is scary, but this is reality. We must find our place in this changing time and be happy. We must make the best of the situation and prosper. How? We must accept our fate. We must be real. We must function in the here and now. Tomorrow is gone. It will never return. We must understand the reality of our situation and then just be. The bottom line is of course very similar to the Alcoholics Anonymous Prayer, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things that I can; and the wisdom to know the difference". I think that says it all. Be happy now and in 2010, no matter what 2010 may bring. Remember 2010 may bring good things, too. We can't overlook that possibility. In any case we do have the option of being happy or sad. Life or death; Love or hate. Please choose happy, life and love. We owe it to ourselves to be happy, involved and excited. Life is good. 

Monday, December 14, 2009

I thought I was going to blog more in December? Well, it is what it is. 

I have to talk a little about one of my favorite topics - the Roman Catholic Church. Well, it certainly is an enormous topic. It seems like I'm hearing more and more bigoted comments from the hierarchy of the church. The other day, well, maybe the other month, I read an article in the paper about the Bishop form Rhode Island banishing Congressman Patrick Kennedy from receiving the Eucharist. The bishop says he must take this action due to the congressman's political attitude on abortion. Isn't this mixing church and state? At one time the church prided itself in a true and realistic separation of politics and religious expression. What has happened? I think a few over zealous clergymen have taken it upon themselves to speak out on the current political issues and the church's stance on them. Abortion is a problem for politicians, but one can support a woman's right of choice and still be personally opposed to abortion. There seems to be a bias on the side of the religious clergy concerning the right to life. A real hypocrisy of thought and practice. The Catholic Church opposes the death penalty. Why are supporters of the death penalty not threaten with the withholding of Communion and in some cases excommunication? The answer: power, control and a lack of human regard for the rights of people. This outspoken clergy may be seeking political or social prominence. Or are they trying to make up for their own errs of conscience and actions of the past. Another major hypocrisy in my eyes is the church's denouncement of the gay and lesbian community. How does a people of God show such hate and deceit for any of God's creation? How can they point that proverbial finger at others. How can they dare to judge others when that duty is God's alone? Personal recognition and self-righteous erred atonement for sins of the past may be potential reasons. I still believe in the Catholic Church, the Catholic Church that Jesus Christ found, maintains and protects, but not the hypocrisy of it's hierarchy. I believe in the Devine, not the human. We are all human. No one has all the answers to life's problems. Our answers are human in nature, unique in application and subject to Divine documentation. 

One of my favorite early, and I do mean early, morning news shows is MSNBC's Morning Joe. Former congressman Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are the hosts. In my opinion, Scarborough comes across as the posterior part of the human anatomy. His behavior seems crude, loud, rude and somewhat unintelligent. He says whatever he wants at anytime he wants. However, lately, maybe the last few weeks, he seems to have quieted down a bit. He dresses more professionally and shows more respect for his co-host and guests. He is strictly conservative. At times he seems to be supporting the Obama Administration, but he is really attacking it in a sarcastic manner. In the past he's been chastised by his fellow Republicans, so, he may be a man without a party. Although he does seem to align with the new Conservative Party. My point here: watch this man. I have the feeling that he is posturing himself to run for president in 2012. I think he has serious personal problems that will hinder him in whatever path he chooses. I will say that before I started watching the show I had the opinion that he was a very good guest on other people's news shows. Maybe as a guest he didn't have the rope to hang himself. I don't know the problem, but I do have a degree of compassion for him. 

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

OK. Let's start this month blogging. The president will be giving his long awaited Afghanistan speech tonight. He's in a no win situation. No matter what he says, he will displease many people. The conservative right wants more troops sent to Afghanistan. The liberal left wants to withdraw from this unethical war. Those in the middle - who knows. My thoughts - do not escalate the war by sending more troops. Rather, the president should announce a withdrawal plan. Withdraw with honor and fight the war on job loss at home. Terror should be fought at home anyway. Make the United States strong and united. This will go a long way in preventing terrorism in the homeland. But that's me.

Why are the Republicans so against the Health Care Reform Bill? My first thought is don't change the entire health care system. Keep what's working and reform the deficiencies. Health care insurance should be available to all people at reasonable prices. Make health care affordable by eliminating the monopolies and mishandling by certain health care companies. Open the markets. Make health care insurance coverage available to all people in all parts of the country. Let the free and open market run the insurance options. Most people have little or no problem with car insurance. Why not offer health care insurance pattern in the same manner? Let the companies market their offerings resulting in competition and free enterprise. As far as the insurance policies, eliminate preexisting conditions and coverage limitations. Let's be honest and fair and put the insurance industry and the American people on equal playing fields. This still doesn't answer the question posed, "Why are the Republicans so against health care reform". They are against anything that the Obama administration is trying to do. They are not concerned in the least about the condition of the American people. They have one goal, stop Obama and gain political control. This political divisiveness must end and it must end now. The future of the American people is at risk. Political parties should exist to help people not to control people. President Obama and the Democratic controlled congress should start being true to their Democratic principals. Forget political correctness, forget re-election and forget about control. Do the people's work. Make life in America better for all people. Do the people's work as the elected officials see it irregardless of party or political control.